ZAANDAM, The Netherlands, December 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

"El Gordo" Prize Pool reaches a new high, is worth €2.5 Billion

Frustrated lottery fans have been given another chance to buy tickets for this year's record-breaking "El Gordo" Christmas lottery. European Lottery Guild (ELG) has secured a second allocation of tickets for what's expected to be the world's biggest ever one-day lottery draw, taking place in Madrid on 22^nd December.

After a tough year for the Spanish economy, the people of the nation are rushing out to buy tickets for the legendary draw in the hope that a win will give them a very merry Christmas. With "El Gordo's" prize pool expected to exceed last year's €2.3 Billion and reach a staggering €2.5 Billion, ELG customers around the world have also been getting in on the act, with the company's initial ticket allocation selling out in record time.

"There really is no better way than "El Gordo" to give a festive boost to your bank balance," said Elisabeth Moore, customer relations manager at ELG. "I've seen some exciting lottery games in my time, but this one is going crazy. With massive queues at every retailer and people desperate to secure their numbers before next week, we've had to work really hard to secure this second allocation of tickets.

"In the past, we've sourced a large allocation of 'El Gordo' tickets in early October and these have been enough, but so far this year we've sold more tickets than ever before, so I'd urge lottery fans to act quickly if they want a piece of the action."

"El Gordo" is famous not only for its size, but also its excellent odds of winning (better than 1 in 7). It's possible to win up to seven times on one ticket. The draw also takes places just once a year, always three days before Christmas, which only adds to the sense of anticipation.

This year's "El Gordo" draw will create 180 millionaires in the highest jackpot level alone, each receiving €4 Million. With prizes like that, it's not hard to see why 98 percent of eligible Spaniards take part and why lottery fans in other countries are also hoping to hit the jackpot.

"The draw is a spectacle in itself, taking more than three hours to pick out all of the winning numbers, and it's one of the biggest broadcasting events in Spain," added Moore. "Once it's over, people will then pour out onto the streets to celebrate their winnings or to congratulate friends and neighbours who have been lucky."

As you might expect from such a long draw process, the game itself is quite complicated, but this is also what gives "El Gordo" its favourable winning odds and unique character. Tickets are numbered from 00000 to 99999 and each number can be sold 180 times, hence the 180 jackpot winners.

Lottery fans outside Spain can now get their hands on ELG's second allocation of "El Gordo" tickets at http://www.gordotickets.com/, giving them a chance to share in the year's most exciting lottery event. The number of tickets is severely limited, however, so act now to avoid disappointment.

Note to Editors:

European Lottery Guild (ELG), established in 1990, is recognised as the world's most trusted lottery agent ― providing customers with a safe and secure way to play some of Europe's most famous national lottery games, including British Lotto (National Lottery), Irish Lotto (Irish National Lottery), French Lotto (Loto), German Lotto (Lotto 6aus49), Spanish Lotto (La Primitiva, El Gordo, El Niño and Summer Gordo) and EuroMillions.

All the lotteries available through ELG are officially licensed and approved by the governments of their respective countries. Entries are lodged with the appropriate national online lotto network and customers are guaranteed the full value of any prizes they win, with no taxes deducted and no additional fees of any kind

For more information about European Lottery Guild, visit http://www.europeanlotteryguild.com

Tel: UK 0800-969-029 (Freephone) or INT'L +1-604-675-2704, Email: info@europeanlotteryguild.com

SOURCE European Lottery Guild (ELG)