By Octerbor 9, China had sold 30.5 billion yuan (US$3.765 billion) in welfare lotteries this year.

According to the China Welfare Lottery Administrative Center, the sale of welfare lotteries reported an 87 percent year-on-year increase, hitting the a four year record.

The center said that about 30.1 billion yuan (US$3.716 billion) of the welfare lotteries have been sold through computer tellers. This year, a new lottery measure called "China Welfare Lottery Online" has sold 311 million yuan (US$38.395 million) so far.

Welfare lottery sales have raised 10.6 billion yuan (US$1.309 billion) for public welfare funds this year, a figure which is expected to reach 14 billion yuan (US$1.728 billion) by the year's end.

China launched its first lottery in June 1987. Welfare lottery ticket sales represent 57.29 percent of the whole in the lottery market. Lottery ticket sales are one of the major sources of fundraising for sports facilities and the country's social welfare programs.

(Xinhua News Agency October 20, 2005)