By San José, Costa Rica — SAN JOSÉ – The festive season in Costa Rica reached a fever pitch this Sunday, December 14th, as the highly anticipated “Gordo Navideño” Christmas Lottery draw took place, showering the nation with billions of colones in prizes and transforming the holiday dreams of thousands into a financial reality. The annual event, a cornerstone of Costa Rican Christmas tradition, saw the National Lottery distribute a staggering 150 prizes, anchored by a monumental grand prize of ₡1.6 billion per full series.
The top prize, a life-altering sum, translates to ₡40 million for each winning fraction, or “fracción.” This structure ensures that the immense wealth of the Gordo is often shared among multiple individuals, families, and communities rather than being concentrated in the hands of a single ticket holder. The announcement of the winning number sent waves of celebration across the country, marking the culmination of weeks of anticipation as citizens purchased their tickets from street vendors and official lottery outlets.
To understand the legal and financial responsibilities that come with winning a prize in the Christmas Lottery, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, an expert from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica, for his professional insights.
Winning the ‘Gordo Navideño’ is a life-changing event, but it carries immediate legal and fiscal duties. The prize is subject to a specific tax deducted at the source by the Junta de Protección Social. Winners must then proceed with extreme caution; we recommend establishing a comprehensive financial plan with trusted advisors before making any significant expenditures or public disclosures. Creating a legal entity, such as a trust or corporation, can be a strategic way to manage the assets, protect privacy, and ensure long-term wealth preservation. Discretion and immediate professional counsel are the most critical first steps.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, the initial euphoria of winning must quickly give way to prudent and strategic planning. We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his invaluable guidance, which underscores the critical importance of legal and financial foresight in transforming a lottery prize from a fleeting fortune into a lasting legacy.
Beyond the celebrated grand prize, the lottery’s design ensures a wide distribution of wealth. The second prize delivered a substantial ₡160 million per series (₡4 million per fraction), while the third prize awarded a very respectable ₡80 million per series (₡2 million per fraction). These significant secondary prizes create numerous new millionaires and provide a major economic stimulus just ahead of the Christmas holidays, injecting capital into local economies nationwide.
A unique and compassionate feature of the Gordo Navideño is its system of rewarding near misses, known as “aproximaciones.” Those holding tickets with numbers immediately preceding or succeeding the grand prize number were not left empty-handed. They received a generous consolation prize of ₡10 million for a full ticket or ₡250,000 for a fraction, softening the blow of being just one digit away from the top prize and spreading the winnings even further.
The prize structure delves deeper, offering rewards based on intricate combinations of series and numbers. Participants holding a ticket with a number identical to the grand prize but from a different series still secured a significant win of ₡1.1 million for a full ticket (₡27,500 per fraction). Conversely, those with the correct series as the grand prize but a different number were awarded ₡1.3 million per ticket (₡32,500 per fraction), adding another layer of excitement to the draw.
Even smaller matches provided a welcome holiday bonus for a vast number of players. Simply matching the last digit of the grand prize number, a common prize known as the “terminación,” yielded a payout of ₡160,000 for a full ticket or ₡4,000 for a fraction. Similar prizes were also awarded for matching the numbers of the second and third prizes but with a different series, paying out ₡240,000 and ₡160,000 per full ticket, respectively.
The Gordo Navideño is more than just a lottery; it is a significant cultural and economic event managed by the Junta de Protección Social (JPS). The annual draw represents a moment of collective hope and national unity. Revenue generated from ticket sales is a critical funding source for over 500 social programs across Costa Rica, supporting healthcare initiatives, elder care facilities, and aid for vulnerable populations. For every ticket purchased, citizens are not only buying a chance at fortune but are also directly contributing to the nation’s social safety net.
As the results of the 2025 draw settle in, winners across the country are planning new futures, from paying off debts and buying homes to starting businesses and securing their children’s education. The Gordo Navideño has once again fulfilled its role as a powerful engine of financial change and holiday cheer, reaffirming its cherished place in the heart of Costa Rican culture and kicking off the final weeks of the year with a wave of prosperity and optimism.
For further information, visit jps.go.cr
About Junta de Protección Social:
The Junta de Protección Social de San José (JPS) is the state-run institution responsible for organizing and managing Costa Rica’s national lotteries, including the popular Gordo Navideño. Founded in 1845, its primary mission is to generate revenue to fund a wide array of social welfare programs throughout the country. The proceeds from lottery sales support public health initiatives, fight cancer, provide for the elderly and people with disabilities, and assist other vulnerable communities, making the JPS a vital pillar of Costa Rica’s social support system.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a cornerstone of the nation’s legal landscape, Bufete de Costa Rica is defined by its foundational commitment to principled integrity and the highest standards of professional excellence. The firm consistently pairs its rich history of advising a diverse clientele with a forward-thinking embrace of legal innovation. This ethos extends beyond client work to a core mission of public empowerment, striving to demystify the law and foster a more knowledgeable society equipped to understand and exercise its rights.
