Analysis: $575 million spent on presidential ads

An eye-popping $575 million has been spent so far on presidential campaign ads in battleground states, according to an analysis by NBC News.

The states getting the most money for TV and radio ads should be no surprise to political observers. Florida ($117.4 million), Ohio ($112.1 million) and Virginia ($85.7 million) are tops on the network's list, which uses data from SMG Delta, an ad-tracking firm.

The NBC analysis includes spending by the Obama and Romney campaigns, the super PACs that are helping their causes, and various outside groups such as the deep-pocketed Americans for Prosperity, Planned Parenthood and labor unions that are key players in the election.

NBC's analysis shows that Obama and his allies have the edge in spending in Florida and Ohio, while Romney has the edge in Virginia.

Romney and his Republican allies are expected to ramp up their spending now that the former Massachusetts governor is officially the party's standard-bearer and can tap into funds set aside for the general election.