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New Brunswick man wins Chase the Ace prize of $1.3 million

Sep 22, 2016 | 11:30 PM

DALHOUSIE, N.B. — The second of three Chase the Ace jackpots on the East Coast has been claimed.

The Dalhousie Rotary Club and the Recreaplex in Dalhousie, N.B. announced on Facebook Thursday night that Rino Maltais had picked the ace of spades to win a $1.3 million prize.

The winning selection comes a night after Chris LeDrew of Foxtrap finally caught the ace in Bay de Verde, Newfoundland for a jackpot worth more than $733,000. LeDrew went in on the tickets with nine other people, including his cousin and father.

Proceed from the draw will help restore church buildings in Bay de Verde, which has a population of about 400.

The town of McIvers on Newfoundland’s west coast is nearing the end of its Chase the Ace game to raise $30,000 for Come Home Year events in 2017.

But McIvers Mayor Warren Blanchard figures the jackpot will likely exceed $500,00 and provide the town of 600 with a windfall of about $700,000 after expenses.

Chase the Ace fundraisers have soared in popularity on the East Coast since 2013. An elusive ace of spades means a growing pool of winnings — and a weekly influx of thousands that can be difficult to usher in and out of rural towns.

 

The Canadian Press