China's total lottery sales in 2007 had exceeded 100 billion yuan (US$13.7 billion) by Sunday, an increase of 18 billion yuan or 20 percent over last year, setting a 20-year record in China's lottery history.

Of the total sales, 62 billion yuan went to social welfare lottery while 38 billion yuan belonged to sports lottery, according to the latest issue of the China Philanthropy Times.

2007 is the 20th anniversary of the launching of lottery in China, over the years lottery has contributed considerably to the country's social welfare, philanthropy and public sports, the report said.

In 1987, the first year of lottery issuance, the sales was barely 17.40 million yuan, they it enjoyed a steady year-on-year growth. In 2006, it reached 81.93 billion yuan.

Lottery experts held that, compared with Western countries, China's lottery business still lags far behind but has far greater potentials.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2007)