Portugal’s Classic Christmas Lottery Draws Nearly a Million Tickets in 2024
This year's Classic Christmas Lottery saw nearly a million tickets sold across Portugal. The draw, held in Lisbon on Friday morning, continues a long-standing tradition tied to the festive season. Many consider the lottery a key part of Portuguese holiday customs.
The event took place at the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) Draw Hall, a venue used for such draws since 1900. João Leão, then the Provedor of SCML, oversaw the 2021 edition. Out of five million available tickets, 918,731 were purchased.
Sales rose this year due to better logistics, a wider network of agents, and targeted marketing by SCML. The organisation has worked to make tickets more accessible to the public.
Two more major draws are scheduled for the holiday period. The New Year's Lottery will be held on December 31, followed by the Epiphany Lottery on January 6.
The Christmas Lottery remains one of Portugal's most recognised seasonal events. With stronger distribution and promotion, SCML has boosted participation in recent years. The next draws will close the festive lottery calendar for 2024.
