El 2026 El Niño Lottery draw: when it takes place and where to buy tickets

The 2026 Extraordinary El Niño Lottery draw takes place on the morning of Tuesday 6 January, Three Kings’ Day. A ticket costs €20 and can be bought at any lottery outlet in Guardamar del Segura, on the official website and through the Loterías y Apuestas del Estado app. Anyone looking for a place to buy an El Niño ticket in the town has several options, with plenty of time before the day of the draw.

La Gaceta de Guardamar has put together this guide to the official date, prices, sales outlets, how to check the numbers and tips for playing in a group without any problems. The aim is practical: to help residents know how much they will pay, where to buy a ticket and how to claim a prize if luck comes to the Vega Baja.

When is the 2026 El Niño Lottery draw?

The 2026 El Niño Lottery draw takes place on the morning of Tuesday 6 January 2026 (Telecinco, 2026). It is the second major draw of the season, after the Christmas draw on 22 December, and brings the festive season to a close with the excitement of Three Kings’ Day.

The date is the same every year: 6 January. The draw takes place in Madrid, with children from the Residencia de San Ildefonso calling out the numbers and prizes, a tradition that has accompanied the draw for more than two centuries. The broadcast begins in mid-morning and continues for several hours until all the numbers have been drawn.

It is worth buying in advance. Outlets sell out of the most popular numbers in the days before the draw, and a favourite ending can soon disappear. Anyone wanting a particular number or a full series would be wise to reserve it in December.

How much does a ticket or share cost?

A ticket for the 2026 El Niño Lottery costs €20, the same as a Christmas Lottery ticket. Each number is divided into individual tickets, and each ticket entitles its holder to one tenth of the prize awarded to that number.

For those who do not want to spend €20 at once, there are shares. These are fractions of a ticket sold by lottery outlets, social clubs, bars and associations for smaller amounts, from one or two euros. A share includes a small surcharge on the ticket’s value to cover the seller’s costs. This is the usual way to play at work, with friends or through a residents’ association.

One useful point when working out a prize: winnings are divided in proportion to the amount played. If a €20 ticket wins and someone has a €2 share, they receive one tenth of that ticket’s prize. That is why it is important to keep the share receipt, with the amount clearly written on it.

How much does the 2026 El Niño Lottery pay out?

The 2026 El Niño Lottery pays out €770 million in prizes, according to the official prize list reported by national media. The draw consists of 55 series of 100,000 tickets, meaning each number is in play in several series and the prize pool is multiplied accordingly.

The first prize, known as El Gordo del Niño, pays €2,000,000 per series, or €200,000 per ticket. The second prize pays €750,000 per series, or €75,000 per ticket. The third prize pays €250,000 per series, or €25,000 per ticket.

Below these three major prizes is a long list of smaller categories. Twenty numbers win €3,500 per ticket for matching the last four digits, 1,400 win €1,000 for the last three digits, and 5,000 win €400 for the last two digits. In total, the draw awards 37,920 prizes (OKDiario, 2026), including refunds of the amount played.

Where can you buy El Niño Lottery tickets in Guardamar?

In Guardamar del Segura, El Niño Lottery tickets can be bought at any authorised lottery outlet and at mixed retail outlets with a Loterías y Apuestas del Estado terminal. All premises displaying the official logo sell the same product at the same price: €20 per ticket.

Lottery outlets in the town centre and beach area tend to have extended opening hours during the festive season, including on some public holidays. Many bars, tobacconists and newsagents in the town sell shares organised by local groups, a convenient option for anyone who passes by regularly. Before buying, check that the premises are an official outlet and that the receipt is stamped.

Anyone who would rather stay at home can use the official Loterías y Apuestas del Estado website and app. Tickets bought online are registered electronically in the player’s name. This is a practical option for foreign residents in the Vega Baja, or for anyone holidaying on the Costa Blanca who wants to buy their usual number from elsewhere.

Before heading to local lottery outlets during the busy festive period, it is useful to check traffic conditions and the state of the roads in the Vega Baja, which tend to get busy with visitors at Christmas and Three Kings’ Day.

How do you buy tickets online?

Tickets can be bought online at the official website, , and through its mobile app. These are the only digital channels authorised by the State. Players register using their DNI, choose a number and series, and the ticket is held electronically in their name, so there is no paper ticket to lose.

One clear advantage of this option is claiming a prize: if the number wins, the payment is processed automatically into the linked account when the prize amount allows it. There is no need to keep a physical ticket or worry about it being lost or damaged.

The drawback is that the official website does not offer shares in the same way as a local lottery outlet. To play online as a group, each person can buy their own ticket or fraction, or the group can use a traditional paper share. Be wary of unofficial websites reselling tickets: the only secure online shops are those run by Loterías y Apuestas del Estado and authorised lottery outlets.

How do you check the winning numbers?

The quickest way to check a ticket is to scan its code using the official Loterías y Apuestas del Estado app or website, . They show immediately whether the number has won and the prize amount. You can also enter the number manually if the code does not scan properly.

The draw is broadcast live on La 1 de RTVE and RTVE Play on the morning of 6 January, with the children of San Ildefonso calling out each ball. This is the traditional way to follow the draw, although for a reliable check it is best to wait for the full official list, as it is easy to mishear numbers during the broadcast.

Any lottery outlet in Guardamar can scan a ticket on its terminal and confirm the prize amount before paying. Prizes of up to €2,000 can be claimed directly from a lottery outlet or sales point; larger amounts are paid through a participating bank. For tickets bought online, the result appears in the user’s account on the platform.

On the day of the draw, La Gaceta de Guardamar publishes the winning numbers that fall in the comarca. Anyone wanting to review the general process can read the guide to checking the National Lottery results, which applies to any draw during the year.

What tax is payable on a prize?

El Niño Lottery prizes of more than €40,000 per ticket are taxed at 20% on the amount above that tax-free threshold (Cuántomequeda, 2026). The first €40,000 of each winning ticket is tax-free, and the tax is deducted automatically before the money is paid out.

The calculation is straightforward. Deduct the tax-free €40,000 from the prize, then apply 20% to the remainder. For the El Niño first prize, which pays €200,000 per ticket, the taxable amount is €160,000, resulting in a deduction of €32,000. The winner receives €168,000 net for each El Gordo ticket.

Refunds and smaller prizes are well below the threshold, so they are paid in full. This is a separate, final tax: it does not need to be included later in an income tax return, as the tax authorities have already taken their share when the prize is paid.

How can you play as a group safely?

The key to playing safely as a group is to record in writing who is taking part and how much each person has contributed, because the ticket is a bearer document and the person who presents it can claim the prize (OCU, 2022). Without a clear record, a prize can lead to a dispute between friends or relatives.

The consumer organisation recommends photocopying both sides of the ticket and having the person who keeps it sign each copy with their name and DNI. Each copy should show the number, series, fraction, draw and the amount contributed by each participant. A photo sent by WhatsApp or email with the same details can also serve as evidence.

There is a tax detail that many people overlook. If one person claims the whole prize without identifying the other players first, the tax authorities may treat the subsequent distribution as a gift, subject to gift tax. It is therefore advisable for all participants to be identified from the outset to the bank paying the prize. For social clubs and bar shares, keeping the receipt stamped by the venue is the best safeguard.

It is also sensible to keep spending under control. Playing as a group lets people share the excitement without risking much money, and setting a reasonable limit for the shared pot avoids nasty surprises. The lottery is a game of chance, not a savings plan.

How is it different from the Christmas Lottery draw?

The El Niño Lottery draw takes place on 6 January and brings the festive season to a close, while the Christmas draw opens it on 22 December. Both tickets cost €20, but the draws pay out different amounts and have different prize structures.

The Christmas Lottery’s El Gordo pays a larger prize per ticket than El Niño, although El Niño is known for paying out many prizes in proportion to the amount played and for its attractive refund prize. For many people in Guardamar, El Niño is the final chance of the season and the draw they play with numbers that did not come up at Christmas.

Another practical difference is the pace of sales. Christmas tickets are sold for weeks, and the most popular numbers sell out early; there is more time to buy an El Niño ticket, right up to the day before the draw, although popular endings also sell out. Anyone who could not find their number in December often tries again for 6 January.

What else should you know before 6 January?

Before the 6 January draw, it is worth checking a couple of practical points. Keeping the ticket in good condition comes first: a torn or wet ticket, or one with an unreadable code, can make claiming a prize more difficult, although Loterías has procedures for checking damaged tickets.

It is worth noting down the number and series on your phone or on paper in case the receipt is lost, and keeping the purchase receipt if you pay by card. For shares, the group’s paper receipt is the only proof, so do not throw it away until you have checked the result and claimed any prize.

Three Kings’ Day is a public holiday and many businesses close, so lottery outlets adjust their opening hours. Anyone planning to buy at the last minute should check the closing time at their usual Guardamar outlet. To plan the public holiday in town, check the diary and the latest updates on La Gaceta de Guardamar.

How to follow the draw from Guardamar

The best way to enjoy the El Niño Lottery draw from Guardamar is to have your ticket and the official app to hand, so you can check the result straight away, along with the prize list that La Gaceta de Guardamar publishes when a number wins in the comarca. That is all you need to follow the morning of 6 January.

The next step is simple: choose your number this week at a lottery outlet in town or on the official website, note the series on your phone and, if you are playing as a group, record everyone’s shares in writing before draw day. That way, if luck comes to the Vega Baja, the prize can be claimed without disputes and with the paperwork in order.

Key points

The 2026 Extraordinary El Niño Lottery draw takes place on the morning of Tuesday 6 January. A ticket costs €20 and the first prize pays €200,000 per ticket, with a total issue of €770 million. Prizes of more than €40,000 per ticket are taxed at 20% on the amount above that threshold. Numbers can be checked at , in the official app or at any lottery outlet in Guardamar. If playing as a group, it is advisable to photocopy the ticket, sign it and record who is taking part and how much they have contributed.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 El Niño Lottery draw? The 2026 Extraordinary El Niño Lottery draw takes place on the morning of Tuesday 6 January 2026, coinciding with Three Kings’ Day. It is the season’s second major draw, after the Christmas Lottery.

How much does an El Niño Lottery ticket cost? A ticket for the 2026 El Niño Lottery costs €20. Lottery outlets also sell shares for smaller amounts, so you can play a fraction of a ticket with friends or colleagues.

Where can I buy El Niño Lottery tickets in Guardamar del Segura? Tickets can be bought at any authorised lottery outlet in Guardamar and at mixed retail outlets with a lottery terminal. They are also available on the official Loterías y Apuestas del Estado website and app.

How do I check whether my number has won? The official channel is and its mobile app, where you can scan the ticket’s code. The draw is broadcast live on