BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's lottery sales fell for a sixth straight month in July, slumping 40.1 percent year on year, official data showed.
Lottery sales totaled 32.73 billion yuan (about 4.58 billion U.S. dollars) last month, down from 34.77 billion yuan in June, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance.
The drastic fall in lottery sales last month was largely due to a high comparison base, as the 21st FIFA World Cup drove up sales of sports lottery last year.
In breakdown, sales of welfare lottery tickets declined 21.3 percent from one year earlier to 15.05 billion yuan, while sports lottery sales dove 50.2 percent to 17.69 billion yuan.
Lottery sales fell 18.2 percent year on year to 245.33 billion yuan during the January-July period, the statement said.
Under China's lottery management rules, money from lottery ticket sales is used for administrative expenses, public welfare projects and prize money.
