The First Intermediate People's Court of Beijing rejected an appeal by a lottery ticket buyer yesterday. The ticket buyer, Wang Liangjie, appealed to the Court after his claim for the 5 million yuan lottery prize was rejected by the Beijing Sport Lottery Center and the National Sport Lottery Center.

Wang bought four "Seven-Star" lottery tickets in Beijing on July 29 before he went back to his hometown in Anhui Province to take care of his father-in-law. When he returned to Beijing in September, Wang realized that he had won a prize of 5 million yuan. However, his claim for the prize was refused because the deadline had expired.

Wang said that the regulation ruling that the prize should be claimed within 28 days is groundless and unreasonable and appealed to court.

To his disappointment, the court ruled that the time limit of 28 days to claim the prize is legal, and his appeal was refused.

According to the court, the claims deadline is printed clearly on the ticket, and as a regular buyer for 7 years, Wang should have been well aware of it.

"The time limit is legal, although I myself think that limit should be extended. So that's it," said Gao Ping, Chief Judge in the case. "China's lottery procedures should be geared to international standards, and relevant regulations should be more reasonable and addressed to specific needs," Gao added.

"I'm very disappointed with the result but I won't give up. I know that more and more people are supporting me. All ticket buyers will benefit if I win the case, although it's not going to be easy," said a tearful Wang.

(China.org.cn by Xiang Bin October 17, 2008)