NC Education Lottery reports record ticket sales last week

RALEIGH (AP) — The North Carolina Education Lottery has broken a ticket sales record that dates to its first full week in operation.

The lottery said Monday it sold $29.9 million in tickets for the seven days ending Saturday. The previous record was $28.6 million, set during the lottery’s first week in April 2006.

Lottery officials say ticket sales have risen over the past several weeks because more people are buying instant win scratch-off tickets. Those tickets now offer more prizes and have a
greater percentage of revenues going to jackpots.

Powerball is also driving sales. The drawing this Wednesday night will have an estimated top prize of $230 million.

The higher sales follow several months of flat revenue.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)