Gamblers united

摘要

It is called El Gordo ("the Fatty") because of the huge amount it pays out: €2.3 billion ($3.3 billion) in this year's draw, to be held on December 22nd. Yet Spain's Christmas lottery is notable not just for the vast sums to be won, but also for its clever business model.rnSpaniards are not especially big gamblers, with spending per head below the average for the European Union, according to a 2006 study by London Economics, a consultancy. Yet they spend about €12 billion a year on lottery tickets, over 1% of GDP-almost as much as the country spends on research and development. Roughly three-quarters of them participate in the Christmas lottery.