Two Flin Flonners have split one of the largest contest giveaways ever given out in northern Manitoba, winning more than $1 million combined.
Brad Slugoski and Ken Vincent, both brothers-in-law and coworkers at Hudbay Minerals, won the cash after Slugoski selected the ace of hearts at the April 14 installment of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 19’s Chase the Ace game in The Pas. In total, the pair split a $1,009,870 payout.
Along with people from around the north, Slugoski had travelled to the Roy H. Johnston Arena in The Pas every weekend for months, lining up outside the venue for hours almost every weekend. It took more than a year for the jackpot to accumulate.
Slugoski estimates that he had gone to The Pas around two dozen times over the past six months for the event, along with a number of Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 73 members from Flin Flon.
“We’ve gone down there and stood in line for 16, 18 hours (during) 35, 40 below weather,” he said.
“We go down as a group. There’s a bunch of us from the legion here and we go down to support the legion – and of course, maybe win a million bucks, but it’s all about supporting the legion.”
As well as making the trip, Slugoski bought tickets for Flin Flonners who couldn’t make it to the game on a 50/50 split. He estimates that on the day of the win, Slugoski had bought about $1,800 worth of tickets, mostly using money from people back home.
After a ticket Slugoski bought with Vincent was selected to choose the ace of hearts out of three face-down cards, he had a chance at winning more than a million dollars.
“You look at the numbers, and the guy next to me was writing them down as they called it. I looked down and said, ‘I think I got it!’ He said, ‘Yes, you do!’”
Taking his pick from three cards, Slugoski’s eyes stayed dead centre.
“I was going for the middle card and I think it’s natural to want to pick the middle card,” he said.
Pointing at the middle card, a volunteer pulled it back from the table, building suspense.
Finally, she dropped it on the table – and Slugoski had picked the ace.
“I looked at it, took the middle card and history was made,” he said.
Slugoski was shocked, so shocked in fact that he cursed.
“I was hoping I’d have another word to say, but it slipped out,” he said with a laugh. “I apologize to everybody for that one.”
Even if he hadn’t selected the right card, Slugoski would still split more than $55,000 with Vincent from being selected – the game pays out a small portion of each week’s ticket sales to each lucky selectee, regardless of if they pick the right card.
The payoff comes at an opportune time for Slugoski and Vincent, who collected their winnings on April 16.
Both were only a few months away from retiring from Hudbay at the time of the win. Slugoski is set to leave the company’s payroll on Aug. 1, while the win caused Vincent to change his plans.
“He retired on Sunday,” said Slugoski of Vincent.
“It couldn’t have worked out better for two people who were ready to retire.”
It’s not the first time Slugoski’s luck has run in. Along with his wife Donna, the Slugoskis have won multiple contests and draws over the past few years. In May 2016, Brad won a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle at the Flin Flon Motorcyclists Association’s annual social. Not to be outdone, Donna won the 50/50 draw at the event.
In fact, the Chase the Ace jackpot wasn’t even the first win the family had earned that week. A day before the win in The Pas, Donna had her ticket picked at the legion Chase the Ace contest in Flin Flon and got to make a selection of her own.
“They called the number out and it was my wife’s number drawn. She got to pick a card. She picked the two of spades and I believe she got a little over $200. Then, we went to the Chase the Ace in The Pas.”
Slugoski does not know what he will do with his winnings or if the big win will impact his retirement plans.
“I was very excited. I didn’t realize how life changing it would be. Being so close to retirement, it’s icing on the cake.”
