Last-minute rush for lottery tickets, Xmas shoppers count the euros

(22 Dec 2012) SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down from lottery store to queue outside
2. Mid of crowded store
3. Tilt down close-up of man buying a ticket
4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Maria Cabero, lottery ticket buyer
"Until now I haven't had time to do this, as it always happens. I went to the other shop up there but there is an endless queue, so I'm happy I'm here at this store."
5. Zoom in from woman buying lottery to lottery seller handing over ticket
6. Mid of woman paying
7. Mid of woman buying ticket
8. Close-up of men exchanging money and tickets among themselves
9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Arseni Antic, lottery ticket buyer
"We came here from Barcelona, and so we are taking advantage of being in Madrid by buying a lottery ticket."
10. Mid of boy buying lottery ticket
11. Close-up of tickets
12. Wide shot of lottery stall
13. Wide of discount toys store exterior
14. Mid of banner, reading: (Spanish) "Toys 3�, 5�, 10�"
15. Mid of display with 2� toys
16. Close-up of sign displaying "10�"
17. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carmen Esteban, customer at toy shop
"I'm taking with me 70� in toys. They are all gifts for my grandchildren because I have five and I have to give them all a little something for Christmas."
18. Mid of customers browsing in cutprice toy shop
19. Wide of woman paying at the counter
20. Close-up of woman's putting money in cash register
21. Mid of woman taking toy off shelf
22. Wide of people walking around the store
23. Mid of women discussing toys
STORYLINE
While there was a last-minute rush for lottery tickets in Madrid on Friday, cost-conscious Spaniards were counting the cost of Christmas.
There were long queues of people waiting to buy tickets for the nation's famed Christmas lottery, called El Gordo, or The Fat One.
Billed as the world's richest lottery, the draw will hand out about 2.5 (b) billion euro (3.3 (b) billion US dollars) on Saturday.
But despite the huge jackpot, fewer people are buying this year.
El Gordo pays out maximum prizes of 400,000 euros (529,840 US dollars) and many more for smaller amounts.
Unlike other big lotteries that generate just a few big winners, Spain's lottery - now in its 200th year - has always aimed for a
share-the-wealth-system rather than a single jackpot, and thousands of numbers yield at least some kind of return.
The December 22 lottery began in 1812 and last year sold an estimated 2.7 billion euros in tickets with per-capita spending of about 70 euros just for the Christmas lottery.
Many Spaniards chip in together to buy tickets, making it common for multiple prize winnings in one town or city neighbourhood.
As the austerity-weary country sees unemployment hit 25%, Christmas shoppers were on the hunt for a bargain and many shops were forced to slash their prices to attract customers.
One toy shop was selling last season's toys at more affordable prices.
Carmen Esteban, who has five grandchildren, said the discounts meant she could afford to "give them all a little something for Christmas".


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