MADRID -- Spain kicked off the winter holidays with its huge Christmas lottery known as "El Gordo," and an unemployed Peruvian woman was among the winners of The Fat One's top $425,000 prize Thursday.

Buying tickets for this lottery is a cherished tradition in Spain, and following the saying "when in Rome, do as the Romans do," Machado joined her friends in Madrid to take part.

It was the eve of the famous Spanish Christmas lottery, which dates back to 1812. People from all over the world lined up for their final chance to get a ticket 20 euros apiece at a place that ...

BRITS had the chance to win a share of the world’s biggest Christmas lottery on Thursday – and the numbers are officially in. Spain’s world-famous El Gordo lottery offered a prize… ...

Each year, El Gordo lottery allows participation from British citizens despite being a Spanish lottery. You can visit El Gordo website and buy a ticket for £33. Some 180 million tickets were ...

A man won $100,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket he received as a Christmas gift, the Maryland Lottery said. Getty Images/iStockphoto A man had to step away from a holiday party to make sure a ...

The famous Spanish Christmas lottery with prize of £2bn that Brits can enter Unlike many other lotteries, the lottery known as "El Gordo" has an eccentric system that sees most hopefuls buying ...

A man won $100,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket he received as a Christmas gift, the Maryland Lottery said. Getty Images/iStockphoto A man had to step away from a holiday party to make sure a ...

A man won $100,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket he received as a Christmas gift, the Maryland Lottery said. Getty Images/iStockphoto A man had to step away from a holiday party to make sure a ...

Two days before Christmas Eve, the world-famous Spanish Christmas lottery will distribute winnings totalling more than €2.7 billion ($2.8 billion) on Sunday. This is €112 million more than the ...

Jose Maria Madurga, 54, an owner of lottery office, celebrates after selling the first prize Christmas lottery ticket El Gordo, or The Fat One, with the number 05490, in Pamplona, northern Spain ...

A man won $100,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket he received as a Christmas gift, the Maryland Lottery said. Getty Images/iStockphoto A man had to step away from a holiday party to make sure a ...