The ace is still out there: 2 big winners at Chase the Ace draw but $1.7M jackpot unclaimed

Another wild night in Goulds, N.L, left two people much richer, but the elusive ace is still out there.

Thousands of people flocked to the St. John's neighbourhood on Wednesday for a chance to win the $1.7-million Chase the Ace jackpot

Jason Wood of Mount Pearl won $210,107 with the winning Chase the Ace ticket, but did not pull the ace from the deck of cards, which would have won him the jackpot.

He said he'd share the money with his family and children. 

"It's just a better life for all of us," he said. "I told my little fella tonight that if I win, I'm gonna buy him a four-wheeler, so I've gotta buy him a four-wheeler now."

The 50/50 winner Mark Mallay went home with $282,157.

A medical emergency delayed the draw, as one volunteer was rushed to the hospital via ambulance. 

The jackpot has now reached approximately $1.7 million.

On Tuesday night, RVers were camped out near St. Kevin's Parish so people wanting to buy their tickets early could get a jump on the inevitable lineup, which steadily grew through the morning.

Chase the Ace is the largest fundraiser in Newfoundland and Labrador. The draw first started 43 weeks ago in Goulds, with a full deck of 52 cards.

Tickets are sold for the draw every Wednesday and a winning ticket is drawn after 8 p.m. NT.

The person who holds the winning ticket is given the chance to pull from the deck, which only has 10 cards remaining, and if they draw the ace, they'll win the $1.7-million jackpot.

Sales from the Chase the Ace draw will go to St. Kevin's Parish in Goulds.

Doors at the church opened at 9 a.m. NT for the cash-only ticket sales.

'It's like a snowstorm'

But for one local business owner, the Wednesday fundraiser is anything but a dream come true.

"I dread for Wednesdays to come around," said Bill Vincent, who runs a garage and service centre across the street from St. Kevin's Parish.

While across the road people are vying for a chance to become a millionaire, Vincent said he's losing money.

"Being located right across from the event itself basically shuts me down. It's like a snowstorm," Vincent said, adding that customers won't come out, knowing how busy it will be, and even if they do, suppliers won't send a delivery driver.

"Nobody wants to come in and get caught up in it. So for me, revenue on Wednesday is zilch, nothing. I can't get nothing done."

'I just wish it was over'

Vincent said there are other business owners he knows who are experiencing the same thing.

While he doesn't have anything bad to say about the fundraiser itself, other than the unintentional ding on his business, Vincent is one of the locals ready for it to end.

"Some people I guess, your friends and your neighbours and what have you, they're all go for it. Me? I just wish it was over," he said.

"I just wish someone would draw that ace and have it over with."