The Powerball jackpot keeps climbing up the all-time list as it now stands at $1.2 billion for tonight’s drawing.

A winner could claim the jackpot as a $1.2 billion annuity or $551.7 million in cash. Wednesday’s jackpot represents the third-largest jackpot in Powerball history and the seventh largest overall jackpot in U.S. history.

“Powerball players from all across the state will be dreaming about what they could do if they took home a jackpot of this size,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We all have our fingers crossed that we will be celebrating a billion-dollar jackpot win in North Carolina tonight.”

In Monday’s drawing, two different tickets matched four white balls and the red Powerball to win $50,000. The winning tickets came from:

• Carlton's Hampton Road Grocery on Hampton Road in Clemmons
• Harris Teeter on Mill Creek Road in Carthage

The Powerball jackpot has gone 32 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.