Numbers drawn for Spain's El Gordo lottery

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MADRID, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- The winning number for this year's El Gordo Christmas lottery in Spain -- 76058 -- was drawn Saturday.

The winners will get to enjoy their prizes tax free, Think Spain reported. Starting Jan. 1, the government is to begin taxing lottery prizes at a 20 percent rate, although the first 2,500 euros ($3,300) will be exempt.

The government-run lottery is a regular feature of life in Spain. The year begins Jan. 6 with El Nino (The Child) on the Feast of the Epiphany and ends Dec. 22 with El Gordo (The Fat One).

About 70 percent of those without work bought tickets for El Gordo, Think Spain said. CNN reported total sales were down for the year.

The total jackpot was $2.2 billion, with 43 percent of that going to ticket-holders who matched all five numbers of 76058.

Since many tickets are bought by family, neighborhood and workplace groups the exact number of winners is unknown.

A working class neighborhood in Alcala de Henares, a university town outside Madrid, had many winners.