Winning in 2012 was particularly sweet, not just because Spain is suffering its second recession in three years and one in four of the workforce is jobless, but also because 2012 is the last year winners will pay no tax on their takings.

Spain's centre-right government, which has introduced austerity measures this year to shrink its public deficit, ruled that from next year those who win over 2,500 euros will pay 20 percent to the state.

-- Reported by Reuters

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The Associated Press reports from MADRID:

Days before Christmas, a tiny town of 2,000 in cash-strapped Spain found itself richer by €720 million ($940 million) Thursday after scooping the top prize in the nation's famed Christmas lottery.

Billed as the world's richest, the lottery dishes out some €2.52 billion ($3.29 billion) to winners across the nation. Continue reading.

Meanwhile, in Greece, the economic crisis has spurred gold fever, The AP reports, with more and more Greeks finding solace in tales of buried riches and picking up shovels in search of treasure.