China November lottery sales up 12.6%

BEIJING - China's lottery sales rose 12.6 percent year on year to 34.5 billion yuan ($5 billion) in November, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Sales of welfare lottery tickets increased 4.9 percent year on year to 17.8 billion yuan in November, while sports lottery sales jumped 22.1 percent to 16.6 billion yuan, the ministry said in a statement.

November's lottery sales in Shandong province rose by 566 million yuan year on year, the largest increase nationwide, while Guangdong, Henan, Jiangsu and Hunan provinces also posted large increases, the statement said.

Under lottery management rules, money from ticket sales must cover administrative fees, public welfare projects and prize money.