Michael Jackson death date popular in Spain's El Gordo lottery

The day Michael Jackson died - 25609 - has become one of the most popular numbers in Spain's Christmas lottery, dubbed "El Gordo", which is billed as the world's richest.

The ticket, corresponding to June 25, 2009, "is one of the most requested" this year, according to a statement from Ventura24.es, a website for lottery ticket sales.

The combination 66666 "charged with superstitious and demoniac symbolism", is also a very popular choice, as it has been in past years, the statement said.

El Gordo - The Fat One - is a national institution, with millions glued to their television screens on December 22, watching the old-fashioned ritual of schoolchildren chanting in Gregorian-style the numbers and prize amounts.

According to national statistics, 80 per cent of Spaniards play El Gordo, using half their annual lottery spending on the festive draw.

The Spanish lottery gave out over two billion euros in prize money last year, nearly twice the amount distributed in 1995.

Although other draws around the world have bigger individual top prizes, lottery experts rank El Gordo as the world's richest lottery for the total sum paid out.

credited to telegraph.co.uk