The Mega Millions jackpot continues its surge, reaching $476 million for Friday night’s drawing.

A North Carolina winner would have the choice of taking home the $476 million jackpot as an annuity or $256 million in cash.

“What a choice that would be – a $476 million annuity or $256 million in cash,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We all have our fingers crossed that we will celebrate a jackpot winner in North Carolina Friday night.”

If North Carolina does get a jackpot winner on Friday, it would be the 13th largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. Four Mega Millions jackpots have already been won this year, all in the month of January. That marks the first time in the game’s history that four jackpots were won in a single month.

Even though the jackpot remains up for grabs, North Carolinians are taking home lots of other prizes as Tuesday’s drawing produced more than 23,000 winning tickets in North Carolina.

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.

Ticket sales from draw games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $2.5 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.