The Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots both continue to climb as players in North Carolina can have fun this week trying their luck on jackpots totaling almost $1.4 billion.

Tonight’s Powerball drawing would give a winner the choice of accepting the $490 million jackpot as an annuity or $228.9 million in cash.

Tuesday’s choice gets much bigger with the $900 million Mega Millions jackpot ranking as the eighth largest in the history of the game. A winner would have the choice of taking home the $900 million jackpot as an annuity or $415.3 million in cash.

Even though both jackpots remain up for grabs, players are taking home other prizes playing Mega Millions and Powerball:

• Friday’s Mega Millions drawing saw a lucky North Carolinian match four white balls and the yellow Mega Ball to win $20,000. The winning ticket came from Online Play in Winston-Salem.
• Saturday’s Powerball drawing saw a lucky North Carolinian match four white balls and the red Powerball to win $50,000. The winning ticket came from Online Play in Burnsville.

“We love to see big prizes won in both Mega Millions and Powerball over the weekend,” said Mark Michalko, chief executive officer of the N.C. Education Lottery. “Hopefully that run of good luck continues with a jackpot win this week.”

The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 290 million. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.

Players can buy Mega Millions or Powerball 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 lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.