China is to issue an Olympic-themed lottery for trial sales in four provinces later this month, with price set between five and ten yuan, said a local daily newspaper Sunday.

The instant lottery consists of five varieties, featuring different themes such as "To be the No. 1" and "Good luck to China". They will be issued firstly in Hebei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shandong provinces, the Beijing News quoted sources with China's Sports Lottery Administration Center as saying.

The designs on the lottery contain the Fuwas, the five Beijing Olympic mascots, Olympic game introductions and also the Olympic torch relaying route, among others.

Different from other instant lotteries, the Olympic lottery will have a 65 percent prize-winning rate, with the top prize standing at 250,000 yuan (about 34,965 U.S. dollars).

Online operation will ensure the lottery selling open and fair, according to the sources.

Beijing will issue the lottery later. Detailed information on lottery sales will be released at the end of March, according to the Sports Lottery Administration Center.

In 2007, China's total lottery sales exceeded 100 billion yuan (some 14 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 18 billion yuan or 20 percent over 2006, setting a 20-year record in China's lottery history.

China launched its first lottery in June 1987. Lottery ticket sales are one of the major sources of funds for building community sports facilities and financing the country's social welfare programs and stipulates that a minimum of 35 percent of takings must go to the welfare sector.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2008)