BEIJING, June 4 -- China's lottery ticket sales rose 10.2 percent year on year to 55.46 billion yuan (about 7.8 billion U.S. dollars) in April, data from the Ministry of Finance showed on Tuesday.

Sales of lottery tickets to support the country's welfare system reached 18.76 billion yuan in April, an increase of 20.3 percent from a year earlier.

Lottery ticket sales to support the sports industry increased 5.7 percent year on year to 36.69 billion yuan, the ministry said.

In the first four months of this year, sales of lottery tickets in China totaled 204.92 billion yuan, up 17 percent year on year.

Under China's lottery management rules, funds raised from ticket sales are used for administrative expenses and public welfare projects, and to fund prizes.

1. National lottery sales

　　In April, the total sales of lottery tickets nationwide amounted to 55.457 billion yuan ^[1] , an increase of 5.131 billion yuan or 10.2% year-on-year. Among them, welfare lottery sales amounted to 18.763 billion yuan, an increase of 3.166 billion yuan or 20.3% year-on-year; sports lottery sales amounted to 36.694 billion yuan, an increase of 1.965 billion yuan or 5.7% year-on-year. The growth rate of lottery sales nationwide has fallen from a high level and gradually stabilized. Among them, the growth rate of instant lottery sales has dropped significantly, while the sales of guessing lottery sales have increased slightly due to the events.

　　From January to April, the total lottery sales in China totaled 204.923 billion yuan, up 29.773 billion yuan or 17.0% year-on-year. Among them, welfare lottery sales totaled 69.962 billion yuan, up 14.568 billion yuan or 26.3% year-on-year; sports lottery sales totaled 134.961 billion yuan, up 15.205 billion yuan or 12.7% year-on-year.

　　2. Lottery Sales by Type

　　In April, the sales of lottery numbers were 16.344 billion yuan, an increase of 850 million yuan or 5.5% year-on-year; the sales of lottery guessing were 25.460 billion yuan, an increase of 2.249 billion yuan or 9.7% year-on-year; the sales of instant lottery tickets were 9.981 billion yuan, an increase of 1.045 billion yuan or 11.7% year-on-year; the sales of Keno lottery tickets were 3.672 billion yuan, an increase of 987 million yuan or 36.8% year-on-year. In April, the sales of lottery numbers, guessing, instant lottery tickets and Keno lottery tickets accounted for 29.5%, 45.9%, 18.0% and 6.6% of the total lottery sales respectively. The sales of video lottery tickets were 0.0009 billion yuan, a decrease of 0.0014 billion yuan year-on-year.

　　From January to April, the cumulative sales of lottery numbers reached 59.263 billion yuan, an increase of 5.431 billion yuan or 10.1% year-on-year; the sales of lottery numbers reached 83.409 billion yuan, an increase of 1.975 billion yuan or 2.4% year-on-year; the sales of lottery numbers reached 48.956 billion yuan, an increase of 18.529 billion yuan or 60.9% year-on-year; and the sales of lottery numbers reached 13.295 billion yuan, an increase of 3.838 billion yuan or 40.6% year-on-year. From January to April, the sales of lottery numbers, lottery numbers, lottery numbers, lottery numbers, and lottery numbers accounted for 28.9%, 40.7%, 23.9%, and 6.5% of the total lottery sales, respectively. The sales of video lottery numbers reached 0.0047 billion yuan, an increase of 0.0017 billion yuan year-on-year.

　　3. Lottery Sales by Region

　　In April, compared with the same period last year, lottery sales increased in all provinces except Hubei and Tianjin. Among them, Guangdong, Hunan, Hebei and Xinjiang saw the largest increases, increasing by 550 million yuan, 390 million yuan, 380 million yuan and 330 million yuan respectively.

　　Cumulatively from January to April, compared with the same period last year, lottery sales in all provinces except Hubei increased. Among them, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Xinjiang and Hebei saw the largest increases, increasing by 3.48 billion yuan, 2.02 billion yuan, 1.70 billion yuan and 1.67 billion yuan respectively.

　　Lottery agencies at all levels should closely track and analyze new situations and new problems, effectively strengthen lottery issuance and sales, and ensure the smooth operation of the market. Financial departments at all levels should further strengthen lottery supervision, actively create a good external environment, maintain market order, and promote the sustainable and healthy development of the lottery industry.

　　Notes: [1] For lottery numbers, sales are calculated based on the end of the sales period; for traditional football games and regional online single-game guessing games, sales are calculated based on the end of the sales period; for guessing games, sales are calculated based on the time of the draw; for instant lottery, sales are calculated based on the time of sales; for video lottery, sales are calculated based on the time of sales; and for Keno lottery, sales are calculated based on the end of the sales period.