The Mega Millions jackpot keeps on climbing as players in North Carolina can play for a $393 million jackpot this weekend.

A winner in Friday night’s drawing would have the choice of taking home the $393 million jackpot as an annuity or $181.5 million in cash.

“Big jackpots bring big excitement for players dreaming of winning a life-changing prize,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We would love to see that happen in North Carolina tonight.”

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

• 17,718: That’s the total number of winning tickets in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing
• $1 million and $4 million prizes won in North Carolina on April 23 as jackpot climbed.
• $5.1 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.