The Number

30.79 billion yuan

China's lottery sales rose 12.6 percent year-on-year to 30.79 billion yuan ($4.96 billion) in May, data showed on Friday. In the first five months of 2014, total lottery sales stood at 142.36 billion yuan, up 13.9 percent from a year earlier, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement. Money raised through lotteries is used for the jackpot, management fees and public welfare. Last year, total lottery sales topped 309 billion yuan, up 18.3 percent year-on-year, the ministry's data showed.