BEIJING -- China will issue an Olympic-themed lottery in March, according to China's Sports Lottery Administration Center on Monday.

The lottery is to be an instant one, said an official with the public relations department of the center. The design will probably contain the Fuwas, the Five Friendlies who are Beijing's Olympic mascots.

According to the Beijing Times, other detailed information on the lottery will not be released until March.

In 2007, China's total lottery sales exceeded 100 billion yuan (some US$13.7 billion), an increase of 18 billion yuan or 20 percent over 2006, setting a 20-year record in China's lottery history.

China launched its first lottery in June 1987.

Lottery ticket sales are one of the major sources of funds for building community sports facilities and financing the country's social welfare programs and stipulates that a minimum of 35 percent of takings must go to the welfare sector.