La Bruja de Oro

La Bruja de Oro (Catalan: La Bruixa d'Or; 'The Golden Witch') is a Spanish lottery administration within the official network of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, the state lottery operator. It was founded in 1986 by Xavier Gabriel in Sort, a small town in the province of Lérida, Catalonia, whose name means 'luck' in Catalan — a coincidence that has become central to the brand's identity. The administration originally operated under other names such as 'Stop' and 'Estel' before being definitively renamed La Bruixa d'Or in 1992, inspired by a small witch figurine Gabriel bought in a souvenir shop. The business became nationally famous for the prizes it has distributed. It first handed out the top prize of the 'El Niño' draw in 1994, repeating in 1996, 1998 and 2000, and then distributed the first prize — 'El Gordo' — of Spain's most famous draw, the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad, in 2003, 2004 and again in 2007. In 2001 it became the number-one lottery administration in Spain by turnover and ticket sales, a position it has largely maintained. Its online store, launched early in the internet era, made it a pioneer of remote lottery sales and today accounts for the large majority of its turnover; the website receives millions of visits per year. La Bruja de Oro sells tickets for the full range of Spanish state lottery products — Lotería Nacional, Lotería de Navidad, El Niño, La Primitiva, Bonoloto, El Gordo, Eurodreams, Euromillones, La Quiniela and El Quinigol — through three channels: in person at its Sort premises, by telephone, and over the internet. It has also diversified into merchandising, food and wine products, and sponsorships, and its marketing approach, built on storytelling around luck and the witch mascot, has been studied as a business case by universities and business schools including ESADE, IESE, Harvard, the Complutense University of Madrid, UOC and the University of Valencia. Founder Xavier Gabriel has received numerous awards, including Spain's National Marketing Prize in 2011. The brand remains privately owned and closely associated with its founder. Its physical shop in Sort features a witch figure whose nose or broomstick customers rub for luck before leaving — a ritual that has become part of its public image.

La Bruja de Oro was founded in 1986 by Xavier Gabriel in Sort, a village in the province of Lérida, Catalonia, then home to around 900 inhabitants. The lottery administration initially operated under other names, including 'Stop' and 'Estel'. In 1992 it was definitively renamed La Bruixa d'Or — 'The Golden Witch' in Catalan — after Gabriel bought a small witch figurine in a souvenir shop and was inspired to build a new brand around it. The name of the town, Sort, means 'luck' in Catalan, a coincidence that reinforced the brand's association with good fortune. The administration first distributed the top prize of the 'El Niño' draw in 1994, repeating the feat in 1996, 1998 and 2000. In 2001 it became the number-one lottery administration in Spain by turnover and ticket sales, which brought it widespread public recognition. Its national fame grew further when it distributed the first prize — 'El Gordo' — of the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad in 2003 and 2004, and again in 2007. The 2004 Christmas draw produced the earliest first prize in the history of the draw, announced at 9:15 a.m., just three minutes after the start, with the number 39; the entire prize was sold in Sort by La Bruja de Oro. Since 1994 the administration has distributed more than 30 major prizes, including three Christmas 'Gordos' and two first prizes of the El Niño draw, as well as numerous second, third, fourth and fifth prizes. Its online sales channel, launched early in the internet era, made it a pioneer of remote lottery retailing and became the dominant part of its business; by the early 2010s its website received more than two million visits a year and online sales represented around 87% of turnover. In 2011 its Christmas lottery turnover reached approximately 66 million euros, and the business as a whole accounted for roughly 0.7% of total Spanish national lottery turnover — about four times the turnover of the second-largest administration, located in central Madrid. Beyond lottery sales, La Bruixa d'Or has diversified into the promotion and marketing of food and wine products, merchandising, and sponsorships of basketball teams and racing drivers. Its marketing approach, based on storytelling and the witch mascot, has been used as a case study by universities and business schools including ESADE, IESE, Harvard, the Complutense University of Madrid, UOC and the University of Valencia. Founder Xavier Gabriel has received around 50 awards, among them Spain's National Marketing Prize in 2011, when Google presented a cheque recognising La Bruja de Oro as the leading marketing company in Spain. The brand remains privately owned and active, with its shop in Sort featuring a witch figure whose nose or broomstick customers rub for luck before leaving.

• 2011

  Christmas lottery turnover reached approximately 66 million euros; founder Xavier Gabriel received Spain's National Marketing Prize.

• 2007

  Distributed the Christmas 'El Gordo' for a third time.

• 2004

  Distributed the Christmas 'El Gordo' again; the draw produced the earliest first prize in its history, announced at 9:15 a.m.

• 2003

  Distributed the first prize ('El Gordo') of the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad.

• 2001

  Became the number-one lottery administration in Spain by turnover and ticket sales.

• 1996

  Again distributed the top prize of the 'El Niño' draw.

• 1994

  First distributed the top prize of the 'El Niño' draw.

• 1992

  Renamed La Bruixa d'Or after Gabriel bought a witch figurine in a souvenir shop.

• 1986

  Founded by Xavier Gabriel in Sort, Lérida, under names such as 'Stop' and 'Estel'.

Spain's leading lottery administration, built on a storytelling brand around luck and the witch mascot, with a strong online sales channel.

• Lotería Nacional

• Lotería de Navidad

• El Niño

• La Primitiva

• Bonoloto

• El Gordo

• Eurodreams

• Euromillones

• La Quiniela

• El Quinigol

• Merchandising

1. 1Comprar Lotería Navidad Online | La Bruja de Oro | Nº1labrujadeoro.es
2. 2La Bruja de Oro | Sobre nosotroslabrujadeoro.es
3. 3The Golden Witchwikidata.org
4. 4La Bruja de Oroes.wikipedia.org