The Mega Millions jackpot keeps climbing as it crossed the $300 million mark for Friday’s drawing.

A winner tonight would have the choice of taking home the $302 million jackpot as an annuity or $136 million in cash.

“Big jackpots always add excitement for players and tonight’s jackpot certainly provides that,” said Mark Michalko, chief executive officer of the N.C. Education Lottery. “We are all hoping a lucky North Carolinian takes home the big prize tonight.”

Even though the jackpot remains up for grabs, players are taking home lots of other prizes playing Mega Millions. Tuesday’s drawing produced more than 7,700 winning tickets in North Carolina.

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