The soccer lottery allows people to bet whether the host team will win, lose or tie in nine matches in the Italy Seria A and four matches in the England Premiership.

China Seria A will also be included in the soccer lottery. Tuesday's China Daily said that the soccer lottery did not sell as swiftly as the previous sports lotteries.

The English-language newspaper quoted an ordinary lottery lover as saying that the soccer lottery is too complicated, and he is not familiar with foreign soccer teams.

The middle-aged man bought five tickets for the Fengcai sports lotteries instead.

The trial round of the soccer lottery issue came on October 10. Results were announced on October 15. A total of 166 people won prizes nationwide.

However, three of five Beijingers who won the first prize, 40, 000 yuan (US$4,837), did not pick up the money on time. Lottery officials said that it was possible they did not know they won.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2001)