“I’ve had twice as much business,” said Jay Hsiang of Temple City’s Oscar Photography. “They started booking us the middle of last year.”

Several large Chinese American associations hoped to turn 8-8-08 into an extravaganza at the Hollywood Park Casino, the same venue where they celebrated the hand-over of Hong Kong and Macao to the Chinese.

But the party, expected to be attended by 1,000 people, was scaled back after NBC denied organisers live access to the opening ceremony in Beijing.

Then at 5 am — 8 pm in Beijing — revelers turning their attention to large screens beaming the opening ceremony on Chinese television.

“If it wasn’t for the Olympics, 8/8/08 would be like any other day,” said Hu, a Shanghai native.