Mega Millions players in North Carolina can have fun this week playing for a $306 million jackpot.

A winner in tonight’s drawing would have the choice of taking home the $306 million jackpot as an annuity or $140.1 million in cash.

“We all hope to see a jackpot winner in North Carolina tonight,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “As players try their luck at winning these big jackpots, they also help raise money for education programs in North Carolina.”

Check out how North Carolinians win when they play Mega Millions:

• 19,620: That’s the total number of winning tickets in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing
• $3.9 million: That’s the estimate of how much money has been raised for education during the current Mega Millions run

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.