(RALEIGH) -- The North Carolina Education Lottery released its fiscal year 2011 revenue figures on Wednesday.  Transfers to the state for the fiscal year totaled $446.9 million.

The final figure is $5 million more than what was projected in the NCEL's original budget.  This bringing its total contributions in just over five years of operations to more than $2 billion.

"There's been lots of news about reductions in state spending for education, but citizens of North Carolina should know that the lottery's contribution to education and the state has grown every year," said Alice Garland, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery.