In general, lottery winners prefer to remain anonymous, do not like fame and they are restrained in their public appearances.
But in some cases La Primitiva winners have not followed this unwritten rule, and have flaunted their new economic situation, spending here and there and finally being in a worse than before winning the prize.
In these 33 years of existence of the Primitiva there has been thousands of curious situations, but perhaps the most curious of all is the story of “Pancho” the dog.
“Pancho” only played the Primitiva lottery in the fiction, but he became a millionaire and achieved a fame that is present even to date, 2 years after his death.
Pancho, the dog of La Primitiva
It happened by chance and became super famous starring promotional advertisements of the Primitiva lottery.
Pancho began his career in a TV show, and it was necessary to request authorization so that he could make the announcements of La Primitiva. His success was such that he had an exclusive contract for Lotteries and State Betting.
After that, other TV shows and 2 films would be released, with a reported winnings for him of up to € 500 per shooting day.
It all started when his owner, Antonio Valor, together with his wife decided to buy a Jack Russell terrier, and they fell in love with the brown spot that covered half his face and seemed to speak to them.
Antonio (the owner) and Pancho (the dog) lived countless situations and jobs. Antonio trained Pancho patiently before each scene where the dog should act.
Pancho was an intelligent dog, very hardworking and obedient, trained at least for 15 days the different movements that he will have to perform in front the cameras.
In one of the shorts that were filmed for the promotion of Primitiva, Pancho filled out the ticket himself and went to throw it to the administration. The Result the he was the only winner that week and pocketed millions.
As if it were a real millionaire, Pancho abandoned his owner in fiction and bought a mansion, living in luxury and enjoying all the canine pleasures.
Pancho, after a long list of successes, died in 2016, at 17 years of age, but of his long line of children, one of them named Ramsés, has inherited his charisma and his skills, currently playing a series for TVE and He is sued for many other jobs, even outside of Spain.
