Chase the Ace fever will continue for at least another week.
Thousands of people gathered at St. Kevin’s Parish in the Goulds neighbourhood of St. John’s on Wednesday night, only to see the elusive prize-winning ace of spades remain in the shrinking deck.
The organizers estimate the jackpot has swelled to about $1.5 million. Fans have travelled from as far away as Vancouver for a chance at taking home the big prize. Some revellers arrived in camper trailers in anticipation of a long and suspenseful night. Others are passing the time by knitting in their cars.
George Chaulk of Goulds, N.L. had the lucky ticket to draw a card Wednesday night, but he drew the nine of spades. He left with a consolation price of $185,014.
There are now 10 cards left in the deck.
How the game works
The rules of Chase the Ace are simple. Participants buy tickets to be entered into a weekly draw. A single ticket is drawn each week, and the winner instantly gets 20 per cent of the pool. Fifty per cent of the funds go back to the parish, while the remaining 30 per cent is squirreled away into a growing jackpot.
On top of the initial winnings, the ticket holder gets the chance to pull one card from a standard 52-deck. If the ace of spades is drawn, they win the total jackpot.
If the card isn’t drawn, the shrinking deck is set aside for the next week -- thereby narrowing the odds.
With files from NTV and The Canadian Press
