ANNAPOLIS ROYAL, N.S. — The odds of the Chase the Ace jackpot being won at the Annapolis Royal fire hall keep getting better, but the chances of winning it are getting worse as ticket sales have doubled, tripled, and then quadrupled in the last couple of months.
But that stubborn ace of spades refuses to be pulled from the deck despite 48 attempts.
On the first day of spring, Annapolis Royal firefighters will try again, with the March 20 jackpot an estimated $255,000 with tickets sales possibly topping $120,000 for that draw alone.
Just before the March 6 draw at 9:15 p.m., firefighter Matt Smith wrote down the most recent figures on a whiteboard. Ticket sales in the two weeks leading up to that Wednesday evening stood at $113,761. Twenty per cent of that figure went to the person whose ticket was drawn that night, a whopping $22,752.20. Thirty per cent of ticket sales, $34,128, went into the jackpot, causing it to jump from $184,143 in week 47 to $218,271 in week 48.
A cheer from went up from the several hundred people jammed into the fire hall when they heard Smith recite that figure. A larger roar happened a few minutes later when it was revealed the ‘Ace was Safe’ yet again.
While the jackpot grows, so does the amount the fire department has given out in prize money to people whose ticket has been drawn – to date about $145,000.
During the social event that leads up to the draw each draw night, door prizes are given out from donations made by many local businesses. On March 6 one of the items given away was a ball cap from Weasy’s Hair Salon in Granville Ferry that read “I Survived Chase the Ace 2018-2019.”
While the fire hall is open all day on the day of the draw, people can also buy tickets for $1 each at various locations from Digby to Bridgetown.
Tickets can be bought at Tom’s Pizzeria in Lequille, Lequille Country Store, Annapolis Royal Home Hardware, Double D Convenience Store in Granville Ferry, Crows Nest Dining in Hillsburn, Josie’s in Digby, and Nob’s Farm Market in Bridgetown.
