Chase the Ace jackpot evades thousands-strong crowd in McIvers

A long-running Chase the Ace game in McIvers, N.L. will stretch for at least one more week, as the pesky ace of spades evaded a huge crowd again on Monday.

With more than $300,000 on the line, Kassandra Shepparddrew a ten of hearts from the six cards remaining on the table Monday night.

She went home with a consolation prize of $37,000, but the game will resume onSunday.

The fundraiser, which has run for almost a year, drew a massive crowd to McIvers. Organizers estimated that about 3,260 people came through the town community hall on Monday.

McIvershas a permanent population of about 550 people.

Only fivecards are now left in the town's Chase the Ace game,which started 45 weeks ago, according to organizer Sterling Lawrence.

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"It's been growing by about a hundred people a week, but last week it grew by about 600," Lawrence told the St. John's Morning Show on Monday.

'A real fun day'

Ticket sales don't start until about 4p.m., but Lawrencesaidthe lineups have been getting started at about 11 a.m.Throughout their hours-long wait, the crowds are finding ways to entertain themselves.

"People are making a day out of it," Lawrence said."They're barbecuing, tailgating ... I think we might have a band out there this afternoon."

"We had somebody deep frying a turkey out by the cemetery last week ... It's a real fun day, really."

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The game was designed as a fundraiser for the town's 2017 Come Home Year celebrations, but the organizers'$25,000 goal was eclipsed months ago.

Lawrence saidthe entire town will benefit from the money being raised, but he admits that he and the volunteers about 50 people are needed to pulloff the game of chanceeach week are getting tired.

"In a way you get tired, but anybody that's volunteered knows how hard it is to raise money, and we're making a lot of money for our town. It's once in a lifetime."