Catch the Ace draws thousands to Hagersville

In what has become a ritual every Thursday for the past few months, one would think the town of Hagersville has come to be the center of the universe.

Now in its 43rd week, the Hagersville Catch the Ace draw is attracting people from all over southern Ontario to buy tickets that go on sale at 10 am each Thursday for a draw to be made later that evening.

The jackpot for the March 16 draw is estimated to be in excess of $1.2 million.

“Some come from a two- to three-hour drive away, and some from the eastern provinces have timed their business trips to be here on a Thursday,” said Dan Matten, event chair for the Hagersville Lions Club. “I have heard that people come from Alberta – jump on a plane, come here, spend some money on tickets, have a night out, and fly back – and they say it’s cheaper than a night at the casino in their (hometown). ”

He noted that busloads of people are also coming from areas such as London, Chatham, and Guelph.

The Hagersville Lions Club, along with the Hagersville Rocks committee of the Hagersville Chamber of Commerce are running the draw and will split the proceeds.

The Lions will give about half the proceeds – estimated at upwards of $350,000 – to the local food bank and use the reminder for Lions projects.

Hagersville Rocks will give their proceeds to the West Haldimand General Hospital Foundation, a total Matten believes could be about $700,000.

Here’s how the draw works.

Each playing card from a deck of 52 is placed in separate, numbered envelopes.

When a ticket is purchased, the buyer puts their name each ticket along with the number of the envelope they believe contains the ace of spades.

One ticket is pulled from a drum at 8 pm on Thursday evening, and that winner will take home a cash prize of 20 per cent of the day’s ticket sales.

Matten estimated that prize to be between $140,000 to 150,000 for the March 16 draw.

The numbered envelope the weekly winner had written on their ticket is then opened, and if it contains the ace of spades, that individual wins the jackpot and the draw ends.

More than 101,000 tickets were sold for the March 9 draw, and the event chair said this week 140,000 were printed.

Rhonda Aquino of Hamilton emerged from the legion Thursday afternoon with tickets in hand after a three-hour wait in a line that stretched for several blocks.

“This is my first time,” she said. “I’ve been watching it on Facebook, and I’ve been wanting to try it. So finally, I said that’s it, I’m going to come out and take a shot at it.”

Aquino purchased $100 tickets and then called her husband to pick her up, as parking in the surrounding neighborhood was scarce.

“It was exciting, and it’s for a good cause as well,” she said. “I put some new people in line and made some new friends.”

At 1:30 pm the lineup stretched all the way around the downtown block, where Princess Submarines owner Wendy Zandstra and her staff were busy filling orders.

“The last few Thursdays have been busier as the pot has gotten bigger,” she noted. “This morning around 10 am (the lineup) was on both sides of Highway 6 past the Beer Store. I think they had double lines on both sides of the road.”

Zandstra said she was disappointed however, that many of her regulars seem to be avoiding the town on Thursdays because there is nowhere to park.

While she hasn’t had to bring in additional staff, the restaurant owner said the extra business has meant more prep time was required.

“It has been beneficial. I think it’s exciting for the town of Hagersville.”

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