Every December, lottery vendors in Costa Rica start calling out one word: “¡Gordo!” That is the national Christmas lottery, and it is easy for a visitor to join in.
El Gordo Navideño (“the fat one of Christmas”) is Costa Rica’s Christmas lottery, run by the Junta de Protección Social (JPS), the state lottery agency. The draw takes place on a Sunday in mid-December, not on Christmas Eve, and is broadcast live. Tickets are sold in fractions, so you don’t need to buy a whole ticket: at recent prices, a fraction costs ₡2,500 (about $5) and a top-prize fraction pays ₡50 million (about $110,000). Visitors can buy fractions from street vendors, but collecting a prize means bringing the original ticket to the JPS within 60 days.
This guide explains how the Gordo works, what it costs, how to buy a ticket as a visitor and why it matters so much to Costa Ricans at Christmas.
| Gordo Navideño | At a glance |
|---|---|
| What it is | Costa Rica’s Christmas lottery, run by the JPS |
| Draw | A Sunday in mid-December, broadcast live |
| On sale | From about late September, through authorized vendors and JPS channels |
| Price | ₡2,500 per fraction; ₡100,000 for a full ticket of 40 fractions (December 2026 draw) |
| Top prize | ₡50 million per fraction (December 2026 draw) |
| Numbers | A two-digit number plus a three-digit series |
| Claim deadline | 60 days |
| Who benefits | Social programs funded by the JPS, plus the vendors who sell tickets |
How it works
How the Gordo Navideño Works
A Costa Rican lottery ticket, called an entero, is printed as a sheet of fractions. For the Gordo, each full ticket has 40 fractions, and each fraction carries the same number and series. You can buy one fraction or the whole sheet; a prize is split the same way, so one winning fraction pays one-fortieth of what the full ticket wins.
- The number: Each ticket has a two-digit number (00 to 99) and a three-digit series (000 to 999). The top prize goes to one exact number-and-series combination.
- Several copies: The JPS prints each combination in several emissions (emisiones), so the top prize is shared among several full tickets sold around the country.
- Many smaller prizes: Besides the first, second and third prizes, the JPS draws well over 100 smaller prizes, from ₡1.5 million to ₡10 million per full ticket.
For the December 2026 draw, a fraction rose from ₡2,000 to ₡2,500 and a full 40-fraction ticket from ₡80,000 to ₡100,000, the first price increase since 2019. Prices and prizes are set each year, so check the current figures when the tickets go on sale.
- ₡2,500One fraction (about $5)
- ₡50 millionTop prize per fraction (about $110,000)
- ₡2,000 millionTop prize per full ticket of 40 fractions
For visitors
Can Tourists Buy a Gordo Navideño Ticket?
Yes. You can buy a fraction from any authorized lottery vendor, the men and women selling sheets of tickets on sidewalks, in markets and outside banks and supermarkets. Vendors usually let you pick a number from the sheets they carry.
- Pay the official price. Prices are printed on the ticket. As the draw gets closer, some sellers ask for more for popular numbers; the JPS asks buyers not to pay above the official price.
- Check that it is real. Official tickets have security features, including a watermark, invisible ink and security fibers. Buy from authorized vendors, not from strangers or social media posts.
- Online sales are for residents. The JPS online store asks for a Costa Rican ID number, and online prizes are paid to a local bank account, so visitors normally buy paper fractions.
- Keep the original. A photo is not enough. To collect a prize, you need the paper fraction itself.
Bring small colones for the purchase; vendors work in cash. Our guides to Costa Rica’s currency and how much cash you need cover the rest.
The draw
When Is the Gordo Navideño Drawn?
The draw is held on a Sunday in mid-December: the 2025 draw took place on Dec. 14, and the 2026 draw is set for Dec. 20. It is broadcast live, and the winning numbers appear on the JPS website and across Costa Rican news sites the same night.
Tickets typically go on sale about three months ahead, in late September in recent years. By the final weeks, the best-known numbers can be hard to find. The JPS also runs follow-up consolation draws (sorteos de consolación) after the Gordo.
History
A Short History of the Christmas Lottery
The JPS dates to 1845, when it was set up to run San José’s charity hospital and other institutions. It held Costa Rica’s first lottery draw on June 7, 1885, to raise money for them. The first Gordo Navideño came much later, on Dec. 18, 1960, with a top prize of ₡1 million.
Lottery proceeds still fund social causes, including care centers for older adults, the Red Cross and hundreds of other social welfare organizations. The vendors who sell tickets also earn a share of sales.
The tradition
Why the Gordo Matters at Christmas
For many Costa Rican families, the Gordo is part of the season, much like tamales and the year-end bonus called the aguinaldo. Relatives split a full ticket, coworkers pool money for fractions, and people give fractions as gifts. The night of the draw, families and friends gather to watch the numbers come in.
If you are in Costa Rica in December, buying a fraction is a cheap way to take part. Our guide to Christmas in Costa Rica as a tourist covers the rest of the season, from the Festival de la Luz to the Fiestas de Zapote, and our holidays and celebrations guide has the full calendar.
Good to know
Gordo Navideño FAQ
What is the Gordo Navideño?
Costa Rica’s Christmas lottery, run by the Junta de Protección Social. Its name means “the fat one of Christmas,” a reference to the big top prize.
When is the Gordo Navideño drawn?
On a Sunday in mid-December. The 2025 draw took place on Dec. 14, and the 2026 draw is set for Dec. 20.
How much does a Gordo Navideño ticket cost?
For the December 2026 draw, ₡2,500 per fraction or ₡100,000 for a full ticket of 40 fractions. Prices are set each year.
How much is the top prize?
For the December 2026 draw, ₡50 million per winning fraction and ₡2,000 million per full ticket. The top prize totals ₡9,000 million across all copies printed.
Can foreigners play the Costa Rica Christmas lottery?
Yes. Visitors can buy paper fractions from authorized vendors. Online sales ask for a Costa Rican ID number, and prizes must be claimed with the original ticket within 60 days.
Where does the lottery money go?
To social programs supported by the JPS, to the vendors who sell the tickets and to taxes. Unsold prize money also goes to social programs.
¿Cuánto cuesta una fracción del Gordo Navideño?
Para el sorteo de diciembre de 2026, ₡2.500 por fracción y ₡100.000 por entero de 40 fracciones.
The short version
El Gordo Navideño is Costa Rica’s Christmas lottery, drawn on a Sunday in mid-December. A single fraction costs a few dollars and is sold by street vendors all over the country.
Pay the official price, keep the original ticket and remember that prizes must be claimed within 60 days.