Ticket sales for the 2008 Olympics will begin next month, although bulk buys for the most popular events will be determined by a random draw, organizers revealed.

Chinese nationals and foreigners living China are already able to book tickets online directly on the BOCOG official ticketing website (www.tickets.beijing2008.cn) from Thursday on.

The site contains full details for all ticket prices on the site with ticket sales set to be staggered over three phases starting from April 2007.

Opening ceremony tickets set for the evening of August 8, will range from 200 yuan (US$25.8) to 5,000 yuan (US$646). The closing ceremony will only be mildly lighter on the wallet with tickets setting spectators back from 150 yuan(US$19.4) to 3,000 yuan (US$388).

Competitive event tickets will be in a bracket from 30 to 1,000 yuan (US$3.88 to 129.3), with the men's basketball final to cost the most.

BOCOG announced last year that over seven million tickets would go on sale, with at least half being allocated for local fans and with 58 percent of all tickets costing under 100 yuan (US$12.75) as efforts are made to ensure average Chinese citizens will be able to enjoy the Olympics.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2007)