RALEIGH – Three new N.C. Education Lottery games are in stores Tuesday, including Diamond 7s which gives players six chances to win $100,000. The $5 ticket launches with more than $16.5 million in total prizes including more than 240,000 prizes of $20 to $1,000. Players who scratch and reveal a blue “7” symbol win double the prize shown. Overall odds of winning at launch are 1 in 3.99.

Another new game players can try is called Fire ‘n Dice. The $2 ticket features colorful dice-themed graphics. Players have ten chances to scratch a higher dice roll number than the adjacent play space to win the prize shown. Revealing an “ALL” symbol will win all ten prizes on the ticket. With overall odds of 1 in 4.3, Fire ‘n Dice launches with six top prizes of $20,000 and more than $5.1 million in total prizes.

At $1 per ticket, Lucky Gems is a third game going on sale and starts with ten top prizes of $3,000. Scratching off three gems in the same row, column, or diagonal line wins the prize shown. With overall odds of 1 in 4.86, the game launches with more than $3.5 million in total prizes.

Along with draw games, sales of instant tickets make it possible for the N.C. Education Lottery to raise money to benefit specific education programs in all 100 state counties. By law, lottery funds pay for teachers’ salaries in grades K-3, school construction, prekindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, and college scholarships and financial aid based on need. To date, the lottery has raised more than $2.45 billion for these initiatives statewide.