Lottery money has been a consistent winner for South Carolina's revenue picture in recent years. In fact, it has been one of the few winners.

But the bump in the road projected this week should be a warning signal in Columbia. The state should not get addicted to lottery money if it pays for basic services that should be coming out of the general fund.

The South Carolina Education Lottery still is a cash cow for the state. It is projected to rake in profits this year of $255 million to $277 million. That's a lot of money, even if it comes up $32 million less than last year, as the state Board of Economic Advisers now projects.

Those who run the lottery expect more revenue than the board of advisers do. But they say the higher cost of gasoline, and a lack of gigantic pots that attract so many players, has led to slower revenue this year. They also note that last year was a banner year, and one that is not likely to happen annually. A drop-off from last year probably should have been expected.

Lottery money goes to a lot of good causes. In Beaufort County alone, it has funded $3.1 million in LIFE Scholarships, virtually paying for a public college education for those who meet and maintain high academic standards. It also has funded more than $100,000 in HOPE scholarships and almost half a million dollars in need-based scholarships. It has paid for almost $1 million in tuition for technical college and two-year colleges and more than half a million in Palmetto Fellows scholarships for the brightest students. Millions for technology and endowed chairs also have helped improve higher education and economic prospects in the state.

The legislature needs to be careful not to consider those programs entitlements. They should be funded on an as-available basis, and not be bolstered by the general fund that is so strapped.

Lottery income is going for many other causes that are not as widely known as the higher-education expenditures. South Carolina Educational Television got a big allocation, and county libraries are benefiting. Almost $50 million was spent on school buses, and a number of other expenditures are being made for grades K-12.

Since the start of the lottery in January 2002, more than $839 million in lottery proceeds have been allocated by the legislature. While $534.5 million has gone for higher education, $276.8 million has gone to K-12 and $27.9 million has gone to other educational programs.

Especially in light of the uncertain nature of lottery income, the legislature must live by the initial understanding on the lottery: that it would fund extras, not take the place of general-fund obligations.