China's 2017 lottery sales up 8.1%

BEIJING - China's lottery sales rose 8.1 percent year-on-year to 427 billion yuan ($67 billion) in 2017, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Sales of welfare lottery tickets went up 5.1 percent to 217 billion yuan, while sports lottery sales rose 11.4 percent to 210 billion yuan, the ministry said Wednesday.

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