The Powerball jackpot keeps on climbing as it was raised by $15 million on Wednesday and now stands at $850 million for tonight’s drawing.

A winner could claim the jackpot as an $850 million annuity or $397.4 million in cash. Wednesday’s jackpot represents the fourth-largest jackpot in Powerball history.

“When players see a Powerball jackpot reach that amount, they start dreaming about the impact that a win like that would have on their lives,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We have seen lots of big wins recently in North Carolina, including on Monday, and we would love to see a jackpot win tonight.”

In Monday’s drawing, four different tickets matched four white balls and the red ball to win $50,000. One of the tickets, a $3 Power Play ticket, doubled to $100,000 when the 2X multiplier hit. That ticket was purchased at S&D Food Mart on East Garrison Boulevard in Gastonia.

The three $50,000 winning tickets came from:
• Lowes Foods on Reidsville Road in Walkertown
• Highway 33 Convenience Mart on N.C. 33 in Edward in Beaufort County
• A ticket purchased in Fletcher using the Online Play program on the lottery’s website.

The Powerball jackpot has gone 29 consecutive drawings without a winner. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292 million.

Players can buy Powerball tickets at any lottery retail location or through Online Play on the lottery’s website or the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.

Ticket sales from draw games make it possible for the lottery to raise $2.8 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.