The sales of the lottery of China, the only national lottery that is approved by the Chinese government, has reached a record of 49.5 thousand million yens (6200 million dollars) in 2006, which meant an increase of 20% in relation to the previous year. About 17100 million yens were collected from lottery sales, according to the information given by the Lottery Administration Center of China. Half of that money was delivered to the central government.

The rest of the funds were used for other purposes such us deficits on the social security. The Ministry of Civil Affairs has received 700 million yens, which were destined to the construction of houses for the orphans and poor elders who live in rural zones.

The Lottery Commission says it will replace its million-dollar game with a new and simpler version of the game, that is cheaper to play and will be drawn more often. It also has tougher odds.

The new game, called Classic Lotto, will be drawn for the first time on January 22nd. Players will choose six numbers from 1 to 49. The jackpot starts at $1million and is guaranteed to increase by at least $100,000 if no one hits all 6 numbers.

None of the tickets sold for Mega Million’s last drawing matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball. For that reason, the jackpot for next drawing will grow to $40 million. Tickets are sold at all the authorized venues.

Three tickets matched five lotto numbers but not the Mega Ball to win secondary prizes of $250,000 each. Also, eleven players matched four of the five lotto numbers plus the Mega Ball to win $10,000 each.

No tickets matched all six Hoosier Lotto numbers drawn on Saturday. For that reason, the jackpot for the next drawing grows to an estimated $2.5 million. The winning Hoosier Lotto numbers were 20, 25, 28, 34, 37 and 47.

On the other hand, the numbers drawn for the Powerball Lotto were 12, 13, 34, 39, 44 and the Powerball number was 5. None of the tickets sold matched the six numbers, which takes the jackpot for next drawing to $20 million.

Lotojuegos.com, a company that administrates the sales of the online lottery, assures that over two months before the draws, there are 720 million euros that have been reserved already (of which 80% is going to be sold to companies). Each employee will buy, on average, 2,7 tenths, which is 54 euros of lottery.

Eight out of ten Spanish companies have already reserved their luck for Christmas. Madrid, Catalunya, Andalucia and Valencia are the communities that are going to buy more tickets in the next week.

According to a press release from the Florida Lottery, the ticket that is worth $14 million was sold by a Publix west of Boca Raton but the identity of the winner remains unknown. “Store employees do not know who the winner is”, Crissy Hannigan, assistant costumer service manager for the store said.

Lottery officials informed that 131 tickets matched five numbers to win $3,684 each, 5,453 tickets matched four numbers for a $71.50 prize and 107,887 tickets matched three numbers to win $5 each.

Anne Gray and Michael Psaki, a couple from Toronto, won $10.8 million, a quarter of the total Lotto 6-49 jackpot. The accumulated jackpot of $43.2 million was the second largest in the history of Canada.

The couple confessed that the money has already changed their lives. They have changed their phone number, quit their jobs and they now have a bigger bank account. The winning ticket was the first one they had ever bought.

Maria Cruz is the single winner of the $40 million Florida Lotto Jackpot. The 84-year-old Palm Springs woman chose a one-time lump sum payment of $21,355,093.34. According to lottery officials, she bought the ticket after her daughter, Anneria Francisco, dreamed about winning the Florida lotto.

“They're a large family”, Alfred Bea, lottery spokesperson, said. “They're from the Dominican Republic and just really seem to be a close-knit, fun family. They were enjoying the experience.”

A man named Richard Furness Roberts claimed the $110 million SuperLotto jackpot. He presented the ticket he bought at a South Pasadena liquor store to Lottery officials but refused to offer an official press conference or further details about his life.

Fountain Park Mecca Bingo Club in Scotland has just turned into the first completely electronic bingo club in Great Britain. According to Rank Group, owners of Mecca Bingo, electronic bingo machines have gained increasing popularity since some of them were installed in Fountain Parlor, bringing about a significant growth in the amount of visitors.