The Mega Millions jackpot continues its surge just in time for the holidays as it tops half a billion dollars for Friday night’s drawing.
A North Carolina winner would have the choice of taking home the $510 million jackpot as an annuity or $266.8 million in cash.
“Winning a jackpot like that would be an incredible gift this holiday season,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We are all hoping that a lucky North Carolinian can wake up Christmas Eve day with that life-changing prize.”
Even though the jackpot remains up for grabs, North Carolinians are taking home other great prizes. In Tuesday night’s drawing, a lucky ticket matched four white balls and the yellow Mega Ball to win $10,000. The ticket was purchased at the Citistop on Hoopers Creek Road in Fletcher in Henderson County.
The Mega Millions jackpot has been on a roll since two tickets in Florida and California split a $502 million jackpot in the Oct. 14 drawing. The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million.
The Powerball also has been on a roll recently as the Christmas Eve jackpot rises to $186 million, or $100.1 million in cash.
Players can buy Mega Millions or Powerball tickets at any lottery retail location or through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, or with the lottery’s app, the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.
Ticket sales from draw games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $2.5 million a day on average for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.