BonoLoto

BonoLoto is one of Spain’s most popular lotteries—and it’s no wonder why. It’s quite easy to learn, draws are held 6 times a week, jackpots start at a sizable enough sum, and they rollover when no one wins. It may not be as big as games like SuperEnalotto or Mega Millions, but there’s still a lot to like here. Want to learn more about it? Join me as I take a closer look at BonoLoto!

About BonoLoto

Established in 1988, BonoLoto—which is part of Spain’s Loteria Nacional—was created with the intent of offering a lottery game at a reasonable price point, and was designed to hold draws several times per week. Originally, the draws were held every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, but was changed in March 23, 2015 to include draws on Thursdays and Saturdays. Meanwhile, the Reintegro mechanic wasn’t introduced until 1991.

Some Quick BonoLoto Facts

• Frequent Draws: BonoLoto holds draws from Monday to Saturday—giving you 6 chances to win per week!
• Easy to Play: BonoLoto is based on the classic 6/49 lotto mechanic, so it should be fairly straightforward. That said, the game also has a few unique tricks up its sleeve—such as the Complementario and Reintegro numbers (more on these later).
• Sizable Minimum Jackpot: BonoLoto jackpots start off at a minimum of €400,000.
• Rollovers: If no one wins a drawing, the jackpot simply rolls over and is added on top of the next drawing’s prize fund until someone wins it.
• Lump Sum Payouts: All BonoLoto prizes are paid out in lump sum form.
• Taxable: Around 20% government tax is withheld from prizes over €2,500.

How Does BonoLoto Work?

The Basics

As I’ve said before, BonoLoto uses the standard 6/49 lotto mechanic, so for old hats at lottery, this should immediately feel familiar. For the uninitiated, you simply pick six numbers from a selection pool ranging from 1 to 49. To win the jackpot, you must match all six of your numbers to the official numbers drawn. It’s that easy!

Like La Primitiva, however, BonoLoto also introduces the Complementario to the mix—a 7^th number that, if matched along with five of the main numbers, determines who wins the second-tier prize. Take note that the Complementario is not chosen by players.

Meanwhile, BonoLoto also makes use of a randomly drawn Reintegro number—again, much like La Primitiva. By matching only the Reintegro and none of your numbers, you can get back the cost of a single line.

Speaking of cost, BonoLoto is known for its cheap ticket prices. A single line costs €0.50, while the minimum requirement for play is €1.00.

The Odds of Winning

Because it shares a lot of La Primitiva’s DNA as far as mechanics go, the odds of winning at BonoLoto is quite similar as well (save for a few differences, of course). Check out the table below to see for yourself:

As you can see, the odds aren’t so bad. Yes—these aren’t the best odds out there, but you have a better chance of winning here compared to bigger, more popular lotteries. The frequent draws help, too.

So What Happens if You Win?

If you win prizes below €600, you can collect your winnings at any official lottery retailer. Meanwhile, if your winnings go beyond €600, you must collect your prize at any Loteria Nacional branch in Spain. Take note that winnings over €2,500 are taxable—with 20% withheld as per a new law passed in 2013.

Of course, if you played BonoLoto using an online lottery site—which most likely means you are living in another country—then prize collection methods may vary. Some sites will immediately deposit winnings below a certain prize threshold to your account, for example. Also, take note that if you did play BonoLoto from another country, your local tax laws may also come into play.

The Biggest BonoLoto Winners

BonoLoto may not offer prizes that reach up to nine figures, but you can still win big here. The big wins below are proof of that:

Some BonoLoto Fun Facts

• BonoLoto has been in operation since the late 1980’s.
• Around 55% of money from ticket sales go to prizes.
• Meanwhile, a large percentage of the lottery funds are used to aid various projects—like new housing developments, for instance. Sometimes, the funds also go to education, healthcare, and various community and/or cultural projects.
• A group of employees from Merida drew attention—not just for winning the €3,217,858 jackpot—but also because they are the largest group that have won BonoLoto, so far. How big was the group? It consisted of a whopping 94 members! They each took home €34,000.

Bottom Line on BonoLoto

Both lotto newcomers and veterans alike will enjoy what BonoLoto has to offer. Not only is it quite simple and easy to learn—thanks to the game using the classic 6/49 format—it also gives you 6 chances to win each week, with draws held from Mondays to Saturdays. Plus, while the odds aren’t the best in the industry, but they aren’t all that bad either. As for the prizes? Jackpots start at a minimum of €400,000 and keeps growing until someone wins.