The lottery as a game has changed drastically since the early days when it was used as a mechanism by the authorities to raise money for education, health care or infrastructure needs. Nowadays, people are willing to pay lottery fees for much more selfish reasons – instead of contributing to a common cause, their money goes into the prize pool which is ultimately won by a lucky few.

There are many different lotteries worldwide, each offering a different prize pool and an odds estimate of your chances to become the next jackpot winner. For those of you who wish to see things through to the end, there is no better choice than the biggest one, the Spanish ‘El Gordo’. The following facts and trivia provide some background knowledge for the everyday player wishing to get a better chance at the El Gordo, and there is no better place to start than its origins.

The first ‘El Gordo’ – This lottery has a fascinating history that dates back to 1812, with the first ceremony being held precisely five days before the ratification of the Spanish constitution. Since then, it has not missed a single one.

Modern versions – Shifting forwards to modern times, it’s also useful to know that nowadays, there’s a way for everyone to participate in the draw. With the rise of online sportsbook and casino sites, lottery operators also decided to set up a platform, many of which allow you to purchase a ticket for El Gordo.

Odds of winning – The ‘El Gordo’ is also famous for something other than accumulating the biggest jackpots in the world – it is also the lottery with one of the most player-oriented odds as well. If the $3,3 billion jackpot in 2016 didn’t tempt you to try your luck, this sure will. Namely, the odds of winning the top tier prizes are approximately 1-100,000. Opposed to the biggest US lottery, the Powerball which offers player odds of 1 in 292.2 million to hit the jackpot number combination, El Gordo is definitely a more popular choice.

The ceremony – This lottery is one of the most important national events for Spain, and has been known to consistently grow in popularity through the presence of online players. The actual drawing ceremony lasts for 3 hours straight and mainly consists of two children, each pulling a ball out of two hoppers. One of the hoppers contains the winning numbers, while the other determines the dollar amount.

The celebrations – Once the ceremony comes to a close and the winners have been drawn, there is nothing left but to celebrate, and nobody does that like a jackpot-winning Spaniard. Their colorful festivities are mostly public, filled with loud music, food and above all else – immeasurable quantities of wine.

On a final note – Following the example of sites intended for top sportsbook reviews and reputable casino platforms, online lottery reviews have also appeared, allowing lottery enthusiasts to stand a chance against scammers.