Published on: December 29, 2025, at 12:54h.
Updated on: December 29, 2025, at 01:06h.
- 50 lottery shares left unregistered; residents face losses
- El Gordo victory sparks village disputes and emotional turmoil
- Proposed settlement calls for winners to accept reduced payouts
The serene Spanish village of Villamanín encountered chaos right before Christmas when a bureaucratic mistake resulted in substantial lottery losses for its residents.
The Times of London informs that this error has escalated tensions in a village facing depopulation and limited job opportunities beyond agriculture, construction, or seasonal tourism.
Located in León province in northwest Spain, Villamanín has fewer than 100 year-round residents in winter. A local fiestas committee, primarily composed of younger villagers, has been organizing events to sustain community life by selling shares in Spain’s Christmas lottery.
Forgotten Tickets
This year, the committee sold 450 shares at €5 each, keeping €1 per share for local festivities. Unfortunately, 50 of these shares were not officially registered with the state lottery, a crucial requirement when pooling tickets, and were mistakenly left at a committee member’s residence.
The issue might never have emerged had the ticket not won. On December 22, the number was revealed as a winner of El Gordo, the largest lottery worldwide by total prize amount. The unregistered shares, approximating €4 million (US$4.7 million) in prize money, were deemed legally void and unable to be redeemed.
News about the mistake spread like wildfire throughout the village. On the Friday following the draw, residents gathered in the local bar’s upper room for an urgent meeting that extended over four hours. Reports from Spanish media described scenes of anger, tears, and blame.
Some villagers accused the organizers of dishonest intentions, implying they aimed to benefit from the missing shares—a claim the committee refuted.
“We haven’t taken anything,” one committee member stated to neighbors, as reported by local media. “Tonight, we’ve lost friends.”
Disputed Settlement Proposal
Eventually, a settlement proposal emerged. The committee suggested forfeiting its own estimated winnings of €1.2 million (US$1.4 million) to €2 million (US$2.3 million), contingent upon other prize winners agreeing to lower their payouts to share the loss with those who did not receive winnings.
This proposal, ratified by a show of hands without a formal agreement, did not satisfy everyone.
If you cherish the village, you must surrender your winnings,” a local was quoted by the newspaper Leonoticias. Others warned that they might pursue legal action if their full shares were not honored.
Legal analysts mentioned in Spanish media indicated that if the case is brought before a court, the organizers could be personally liable for the losses, regardless of fraud concerns.
Civil Guard officers were observed as the gathering concluded, an unusual presence in the village.