North Carolinians are playing for a Powerball jackpot worth half a billion dollars in Wednesday’s drawing.

A winner tonight could claim the jackpot as a $500 million annuity or $240.7 million in cash.

“The excitement really builds among players when the Powerball jackpot hits $500 million,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “Let’s hope all that excitement leads to a jackpot win in North Carolina.”

As the jackpot climbs, players in North Carolina continue to take home significant wins. Barbara Clontz of Marion claimed a $50,000 Powerball win on Tuesday. The $2 ticket matched four white balls and the red Powerball in the Nov. 29 drawing. Clontz says the winnings are going into a rainy-day fund.

The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.

Powerball is one of six draw games in North Carolina where players can buy their tickets at a retail location or with Online Play through the lottery’s website or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Lottery players can now buy scratch-offs at a retail location or play digital instant games online at nclottery.com and on the app.

During the holiday season, Play Smart, Gift Smart raises awareness that lottery tickets are not appropriate gifts for kids as part of a national gift responsibly campaign. Research shows that the earlier someone participates in or is exposed to gambling, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem later in life.