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"Gordo’ Navideño" On Sale Next
Month
The "Gordo" will be on the
streets beginning in October,
according to Luis Polinaris,
manager of he Junta de
Protección Social.
The "Gordo" will sell for ¢700
for a portion or ¢28.000 for
entire ticket, up from last
year's price of ¢500 and
¢20.000.
According to Polinaris, the
price went because the prizes
are greater this year, paying
out some ¢7.4 billion colones
(us$142 million dollars) in
total prizes.
The first prize for an entire
ticket is ¢500 million colones
(us$961.538), or ¢150 million
colones more than in 2005. The
first prize is based on five
emissions, meaning there will be
five separate winners of the
first prize.
A portion worth ¢700 colones
will pay out ¢12.5 million
colones, of which there are 40
portions in each of the separate
five emissions.
Speculation on the part of the
lottery vendors or "Chanceros"
is again this year a major
concern for the JPS. As in the
past, Chanceros will inflate the
price of a ticket by as much as
¢500 or more, for preferred
numbers. The JPS receives
complaints each year for price
gouging by the vendors but has
been powerless to act.
For many Costa Ricans, the
"Gordo" is a tradition, like
throwing paper confetti on the
Boulevard and shopping for
Christmas gifts and ornaments in
September.
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