• TV How much does Hacienda take from the Pasapalabra boat? Rafa Castaño will have to pay more than Orestes

Eight minutes before the clock struck 00.00 at night, Rafa Castaño faced the letter number 25 of El Rosco that for a week have been eagerly waiting for the millions of followers of Pasapalabra: "With the Z: beetle that attacks the wheat fields, especially when the grains are tender". "Zabro," Rafa replied correctly. And it has been the Z the letter of glory because never before in the history of the program had been delivered such a high jackpot -2,272,000 euros-, never before had such a close duel happened and for so long, and never before had a contestant got the jackpot completing El Rosco del tirón.

Roberto Leal said hours before the great duel that "popcorn and a linden or a linden and popcorn" and it has been as it is: for popcorn and for one or two lime trees, better.

The last boat delivered by Pasapalabra was taken by Sofía Álvarez in September 2021. After 62 programs, the Bilbao was made with the 466,000 euros that were at that time. Since then, Rafa and Orestes have fought every afternoon to win the boat until reaching a figure never reached in the Antena 3 contest.

But what Rafa Castaño has done tonight is not only to take the biggest jackpot in the history of the program is that he has managed to complete El Rosco in the most unexpected way possible: everything followed and without giving his rival the opportunity to try.

During the last weeks both Rafa Castaño and Orestes Barbero have starred in authentic battles in Pasapalabra. One day one of them was a word away from the boat; another, both of them stayed; the next day the two were just a word away from taking El Rosco; and in the next Orestes hit the pull 20 or Rafa 15. A sample of the milestone of these two contestants, although it has finally been taken by Rafa Castaño, for the program and for the history of television.

Rafa Castaño had 197 consecutive Pasapalabra programs and already accumulated 127,200 euros. The 32-year-old Sevillian has managed to win in 75 installments of the program and has drawn 64 times against Orestes, who had been in the contest for 360 deliveries.

Rafa found it almost impossible to believe he had completed El Rosco and, although there were not as many cries as on other occasions -except for those of Roberto Leal-, after so many programs on his back, this Sevillian, the youngest of two brothers, dedicated his first words to his partner, but above all friend, Orestes Barbero : "I swear I haven't asmilated it and I think of Orestes who deserves it just like me. We both deserved it. I'm very happy, but Orestes deserves it just as I do. And that's why the first thing that came out of me is to hug him. You bring out the best you have with a person better than me. What I think about most now is him. And, of course, I remember my family, my girlfriend and the people who understood that I had to study."

Although Orestes has taken the award of the contestant with the most records on his back, Rafa is not short and especially after the milestone of El Rosco. First, of the 197 duels together, Rafa has been the one who has accumulated the most victory. And, now, becoming the contestant who has taken the highest jackpot in the history of Pasapalabra: 2,272,000 euros. But beyond having been adding records and having made history this morning, Rafa Castaño will always be remembered by the hand of his opponent: Orestes Barbero.

Rafa Castaño and Orestes embrace before the eyes of Roberto Leal after getting the boat of Pasapalabra.ANTENA 3

Many have compared them with Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer, protagonists of the most mythical duels of recent times on the courts, but great friends outside them. And as happened to them the day Roger Federer announced his retirement, Rafa Castaño and Orestes couldn't help but get excited. Either of the two would have been a more than deserved winner, but as they said at the time, there could only be one.

And although at some point they came to consider that after 197 confrontations the prize could still be shared, the friendship that unites them is so strong that they decided that such a high prize and that it has cost so much effort to both could only be the winner. And the winner was Rafa Castaño.

As Roberto Leal wrote on Instagram a few hours before the duel, accompanied by an emotional video, that of Orestes and Rafa in Pasapalabra "this goes further": "They are not two contestants, this goes further. They are two friends, two geniuses, two people who during hundreds of programs have moved us, made us laugh, sing, hit and fail with them and above all... They have accompanied us. Today closes a cycle, the duel that has broken all records in history with the highest boat in its 23-year history."

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In the more than 200 programs in which they have faced, both Orestes and Rafa have been on several occasions about to take the boat. In fact, last week there were real heart attack Roscos, something quite common in two contestants who, in addition to getting along, are always very evenly matched. Since the two contestants have been facing each other in the program, the test of the program has achieved an average of 29.3% of screen share and 3,243,000 viewers.

As with Pablo Díaz, Roberto Leal has not been able to contain his emotion. The bond that is generated with such long-lived contestants between the team, the presenter, the guests and the contestants transcends any screen. "It's fair, but we're going to miss you a lot. To both of them," said Roberto Leal as soon as that last word was correct. confetti, crying, screaming, jumping and guests – Barbara Rey, Eduardo Navarrete, Irene Villa and Diego Cantero – who could not believe that the boat had taken him in his week.

"Don't feel sorry for me. I have an accumulated jackpot and I have a few years solved. And I'm happy for Rafa. Although I wanted to have made my Rosco, "said Orestes, even more excited than the winner.

Rafa, a 32-year-old Sevillian, unlike his partner, is the youngest of two brothers, and son of a civilian worker at an air base and a first-class teacher -both retired-, loves Literature. so much so that when he finished his degree in Journalism he became a partner in the Caótica bookstore, opened five years ago in the Seville capital and in which he has invested much of what he has raised with his participation in the program.

He is what is called a professional of the contests. He started in Canal Sur, tried in Saber y Ganar and ended in Pasapalabra, where in his first participation he came to face his brother. Now it can be said that he has been the contestant of the record jackpot.

But in Pasapalabra every boat delivered is accompanied by another tragedy, the goodbye to the champion and, this time, to two champions. That is the tragedy that has brought with it the final duel, that neither Orestes nor Rafa Castaño will be on television anymore. Orestes will stay in his more than 360 programs, with his 130 wins and 99 draws. And Rafa with his more than two million. But they will no longer play a blue chair or a musical test. The two will disappear from the TV every afternoon.

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