China has a significantly long history of legalized gambling. The very first form of this type of activity emerged here some three thousand years ago, and the first state lotteries were held in the Tang Dynasty.

When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, all forms of gambling, including lottery, were considered to be capitalist practices and were banned.

In 1987, however, lotteries were re-introduced and lottery sales in China have risen from almost zero in 1987 to circa 130 billion yuan ($US19 billion) in 2009. In the year of 2009, a man in Henan Province won a 359 million yuan ($US52 million) lottery which is the biggest prize in China’s lottery history.

At present, there are two major kinds of lotteries in China, sports lottery and welfare lottery.

How to play the lottery

Seven Stars 七星彩

Pick a seven-digit number from 0000000 to 9999999.

Players win by guessing two (or above) digits.

Each game costs RMB2.

Drawings are held three times weekly.

Array 3 排列三

Pick a three-digit number from numbers 000 to 999.

Players win by getting the number or any permutation of the digits.

RMB2 per game and drawings are held daily.

Array 5 排列五

Pick a five-digit number from 00000 to 99999.

Players win by guessing the five-digit number.

Each game costs RMB2 and drawings are held three times a week.

7 of 31 (31选7)

Pick seven numbers out of 31.

Players win by guessing any four (or more) numbers.

Each game costs RMB2 and four drawings are held weekly.

5 of 22 (22选5)

Pick five numbers out of 22.

Players win by guessing any three (or more) numbers.

Each game costs RMB2 and drawings are held daily.

Super Lottery 超级大乐透

Pick five numbers from a set of red balls numbered 1 to 35 and two numbers from a set of blue balls numbered 1 to 12.

Players can win as long as they get at least two blue number right.

Three drawings held weekly.

Welfare Lottery

Dual colour ball 双色球

Pick six numbers from a set of red balls numbered one to 33 and one number from a set of blue balls, one to 16.

RMB2 per bet with centralised prize pool.

Players can win as long as they get at least one blue number right.

Three drawings held weekly.

3D

Pick a three-digit number from 000 to 999.

Players win by guessing the number or any permutation of the digits.

One draw a day.

Each province has its own prize pool.

Seven Lottery 七乐彩

Pick seven numbers out of 30.

Players win by guessing any four (or more) numbers.

Each game costs RMB2 and three drawings are held weekly.

How to buy lottery in China

There are many street corner booths selling lottery tickets in China. You can use the computer in the booth to print your tickets or just ask the shop assistants to do it for you.

How to claim a prize

If the prize is more than 10, 000 yuan, the winner should take the ticket and proof of identity to the city lottery issuing centre to get the prize. Winning tickets must be claimed within 60 days after the draw date.