In a dramatic turn of events, a man who believed he had won €125,000 (£110,000) in Spain’s famed Christmas lottery, known as ‘El Gordo,’ found himself sentenced to 18 months in prison. The case, ruled by Spain’s Supreme Court, stemmed from a dispute over a verbal agreement to share the lottery prize with a friend.
The incident dates back to 2013, when the two friends jointly purchased a winning lottery ticket at a petrol station in Tenerife. Though the defendant paid for both tickets, the friend marked his involvement by signing the back of the ticket with a pen provided by station staff. Shortly after winning, the defendant refused to honor the verbal agreement to split the winnings.
Nine years later, in 2022, the friend took legal action claiming the defendant had unlawfully withheld half of the €125,000 prize. The dispute escalated to Spain’s Supreme Court, which confirmed the claims backed by testimonies from petrol station employees who witnessed the purchase and signature.
READ MORE: Beechwood Shopping Centre: A Look Back Before John Lewis Took Over
READ MORE: Government Accused of Using ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ Over Drastic Cuts to Shire Hall Funding
The court dismissed the defendant’s claim that the signature on the ticket was forged or signed without consent, labeling it as baseless speculation. It ruled that the signature clearly documented the joint purchase and partnership.
As a result, the defendant was ordered to pay over €50,000 (£44,000) plus interest to the claimant and received an 18-month prison sentence for fraud. This case highlights the seriousness of verbal agreements and documentation in lottery winnings, especially in Spain where Christmas lotteries are culturally significant and highly anticipated.
Spain’s Christmas lottery, El Gordo, is a national tradition with millions participating every year, hoping to win a share of nearly £2 billion in prizes. But as this case shows, disputes over shared wins can lead to severe consequences beyond financial loss.