Renfrew Hospital's Catch the Ace lottery down to four cards

RENFREW, ONT. -

The elusive ace of spades remains on the run in the Renfrew Victoria Hospital Foundation's Catch The Ace lottery.

Heading into Thursday, the local lottery contest was on week 48, and players were flooding into Dahl's Convenience to play.

"Ninety per cent of the ones that are coming in, they're coming in for Chase the Ace," says Louise Dahl, of Dahl's Coin Laundry and Coffee Shop. "Normally on Thursday we'll sell 1,000 tickets, just on Thursday alone."

By mid-afternoon Dahl's had sold well over 2,500 tickets before the 6:00 p.m. draw that day. With ticket sales climbing every week, Thursday's weekly prize was $28,713, with a total jackpot of $554,957.

To support the hospital, half of every ticket sold goes back to the hospital. This round of Catch The Ace, proceeds are being put towards the emergency department at the Renfrew Victoria Hospital, which hasn't seen a major renovation since 2001.

"Through the pandemic it's exemplified the need to do some essential upgrades in there," says Patti Dillabough, Executive Director of the hospital's foundation. "$2.50 of your ticket is going right back into your community health care. So it's a win-win for everyone."

Many locals who play the Catch The Ace lottery say they feel more optimistic of winning, rather than playing lotteries like Lotto Max or Lotto 6/49.

"All the numbers that I liked are gone," said Catch The Ace hopeful Pat Wilson, who chose envelopes 16 and 47 this week. When asked what she would do if the money if she won the jackpot, "Ah! Probably buy a house."

For those looking to win the grand prize, Dahl's is the place to purchase the ticket, with signs up for each of the previous winners buying from their convenience store.

"We've got seven of them up," says Dahl.

On Thursday night's draw, it was the nine of spades, pulled from envelope 47, meaning the elusive ace of spades remains out there for the jackpot to grow for at least another week.

"That's the community we live in," says Dillabough. "They're so supportive of our community hospital."