(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina schools have received 2 and a half billion dollars to date from the North Carolina Education Lottery, after a transfer of 121 million made this quarter.

Lottery Executive Director Alice Garland says sales are up five percent over last year, despite limits on how much they can spend on advertising.

“ You know we’re always trying new things. Really my goal is to bring in new players, because I would like to have a lot of people playing just a little bit.”

Garland says a 320 million dollar Powerball jackpot in August boosted their sales, along with the introduction of new instant games.