Coming up aces in Inverness

Chase the Ace jackpot surpasses $100,000

Chase the Ace fever has hit Inverness.

The scenic western Cape Breton community, which has recently been receiving international attention for its Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs golf courses, has now become a magnet for locals and visitors hoping to strike it rich in the popular card game.

“In just two hours last Saturday we sold $ 66,000 worth of tickets,” said Mike Fraser, head bartender at the Inverness branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

“It’s become so big that we shut down the legion and open up the doors at the arena to hold everybody that comes here for Chase the Ace.”

The game raises money for charitable causes, brings more patrons to legions and other licensed establishments, and it creates a buzz in the community as its jackpots grow larger.

Chase the Ace is played on a weekly basis, starting with a new game featuring all 52 cards from a standard deck. As a general rule, at a set time each week the host establishment sells tickets for a two- or three-hour period after which the winning ticket is pulled from a hat.

The winner then selects a card from the deck. If the ace of spades is drawn, that person wins the jackpot, but also still walks away with a percentage of that week’s ticket sales ( last week’s draw winner at the Inverness legion won more than $ 13,000). If the ace of spades is not selected, a certain percentage of the pot is carried over to the next week.

Fraser said the game at the Inverness legion is down to 13 remaining cards with a jackpot already in excess of $ 100,000.

“I’ve never seen anything like it — last week I think I might have recognized barely 10 per cent of the people who showed up,” said Fraser.

“There should be even more people here at the arena on Saturday because the jackpot is getting so big.”

Fraser, who said Chase the Ace has been a financial lifesaver for the legion, is also quick to point out that the game also benefits charity with half of all ticket sales in the run of a game being split 50-50 by the legion and a dedicated charity.

The Inverness legion’s game benefits the Children’s Cottage Society, which is dedicated to preventing harm and neglect to children while building strong families through its services, programs and crisis nurseries.

“And, it also brings more people into the area where they stay, eat at restaurants and just boost the local economy,” said Fraser.

The Inverness legion’s Chase the Ace will take place Saturday at the community arena with tickets on sale from 3-5 p.m.