The jackpot for Saturday night’s Powerball drawing has climbed to more than a quarter of a billion dollars, offering its winner a prize of an estimated $268 million.

A winner in North Carolina could take home the jackpot as an annuity paying out the $268 million over 29 years or choose to take home $171.1 million in cash.

As North Carolinians continue to try for the jackpot, other big wins occurred across the state over the past week.

In last Saturday’s drawing, a ticket sold in Greene County won $50,000 and another sold in Harnett County won $100,000. In Monday’s drawing, a ticket sold in Burke County won $50,000.

“While anyone would like to win the jackpot, you can win other big prizes playing Powerball as well,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We’re waiting on Saturday night to see if someone can bring this jackpot home to North Carolina.”

The Powerball jackpot has been rolling since the Valentine’s Day drawing when a ticket sold in Connecticut won a $185.3 million jackpot. Powerball drawings now are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and the odds of winning a jackpot are 1 in 292 million. Powerball tickets cost $2.

North Carolinians can buy Powerball tickets at any lottery retail location in the state. Tickets can also be purchased through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, and with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.

Ticket sales from draw games such as Powerball help make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $900 million a year 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.