The Mega Millions jackpot continues to surge as players in North Carolina can play for a $453 million jackpot this Memorial Day weekend.

A winner in Friday night’s drawing would have the choice of taking home the $453 million jackpot as an annuity or $211.3 million in cash.

“What a fantastic way to start the Memorial Day weekend,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “Good luck to everyone in North Carolina going for that life-changing prize tonight.”

Two lucky $3 Megaplier tickets in North Carolina matched four white balls and the yellow Mega Ball in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing to win $10,000. The prizes doubled to $20,000 when the 2X Megaplier hit. The wins occurred:

• At the Food Lion on Fayetteville Road in Raleigh
• Using Online Play in Wake Forest

The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302 million.

Players can buy Mega Millions tickets at any lottery retail location or through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.

For details on how money raised by the lottery makes a difference for education programs in all 100 North Carolina counties, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.