MADRID — A tiny town of about 2,000 in cash- strapped Spain found itself richer by $940 million Thursday after scooping up the top prize in the nation’s famed Christmas lottery.
Billed as the world’s richest, the lottery dishes out about $3.29 billion to winners across the nation. The top prize — dubbed “El Gordo” (The Fat One) — was split among the holders of tickets bearing the number 58268. The number appeared on 1,800 tickets, giving winners about $522,000 for their $26 ticket.
The state lottery agency said all 1,800 tickets with that number were sold in the town of Granen, located in the arid and barren northeastern Los Monegros area.
The news brought the town’s residents out onto the street, dancing, singing, hugging one another and spraying sparkling wine all over.
“It’s brilliant!” Pilar Azagra, who runs the town’s lottery store, told Spanish National Television. She appeared a bit stunned. “I haven’t had time to react. The number came out, and then people started flocking to the shop.”
Azagra said the windfall was more than welcome as several companies in Granen had closed because of the economic crisis, forcing many residents to seek employment in neighboring towns and cities.
Spain is struggling to emerge from a nearly two-year recession that has left it with a eurozone-high 21.5 percent unemployment rate.
Since it began in 1812, the Dec. 22 lottery has become a favorite holiday tradition.
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