COLUMBIA - South Carolinians are buying more lottery tickets than state officials expected.

By Thursday, the Lottery Commission had deposited $185.4 million -- $13 million more than what was projected for the entire year -- into a special educational account, said Ernie Passailaigue, the state's lottery director.

Lottery proceeds had been forecast to top $172 million by June 30, but Passailaigue expects to finish the fiscal year $40 million over that.

"That does not surprise me," said Tim Madden, the Lottery Commission's vice chairman. Beginning in February, "we were pleased that the lottery was exceeding expectations."

The lottery funds hit state coffers as the legislature tries to cover huge holes in the state budget, including one that could cost up to 6,600 teaching jobs.

Gov. Mark Sanford has said more lottery money should go into K-12 education programs. "That's in line with his basic belief that if you're going to make a difference in education, you need to make it early," Sanford spokesman Will Folks said.

The Senate Finance Committee included an expected $15 million surplus in its version of the budget. Last month, the state Board of Economic Advisors said it would not increase its budget projections based on projected surpluses.

There's little doubt the Senate will quickly spend the extra money.

"Are fish likely to swim?" House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, said.

The S.C. lottery started on Jan. 7, 2002, with just four versions of scratch-off tickets. Now the lottery has expanded to include four numbers games and Powerball.

A little over two months after South Carolina launched Powerball in October, the prize topped $300 million, fanning sales. By January, per capita sales reached $1.87, more than twice the 73-cent startup average for other states, according to lottery officials.