Chinese gamblers wagered a massive 28.6 billion yuan (US$4.3 billion) in the three weeks to 1 July 2018 – almost six times more than the roughly 5 billion yuan wagered in the previous three weeks – according to figures released by the China Sports Lottery Management Centre.
The three-week period to 1 July includes more than two weeks of World Cup action after the world’s biggest sporting event kicked off on 15 June.
The figure, which doesn’t include the huge numbers gambled illegally, is more than twice the 11.5 billion yuan wagered through official channels during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
