Dave Carriere says his lucky number has been seven. His wife Shanna鈥檚 lucky number is four.
But now they have a new lucky number: 37.
Carriere won the $602,000 jackpot in the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation鈥檚 Chase the Ace draw last Friday in the final week for the fundraiser. Needless to say, it was quite a thrill for the Alida resident and devoted Rider fan.
Carriere purchased tickets each week during the promotion, except for one week, and he was angry at himself the week he missed out.
鈥淚 called my wife, and I said 鈥� 鈥業 forgot to buy my tickets.鈥� She told me 鈥榊ou鈥檒l be all right.鈥欌��
He told her and other people that they were going to win the 50-50 draw, which was understandably met with skepticism. But she reminded him to never stop buying tickets.
The action last Friday started when Regina鈥檚 Lorena Harlos-Razynski had her name drawn for the $47,888 weekly prize, but she didn鈥檛 find the ace of spades from the 20 remaining cards in the virtual deck. Each card was in an envelope with a number on it, and people had to select the envelope that contained the ace.
Since it was the final week, the draw kept going until someone found the ace. Two other people tried unsuccessfully, and then Carriere鈥檚 name was drawn for his chance.
Carriere wanted envelope No. 7, but it was gone. Ditto No. 4. So he blurted out 37, and inside was the ace of spades, with the image of Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo.
Carriere thinks his late brother Richard, a long-time Riders鈥� fan, was telling him to go with 37.
鈥淲e still at this time don鈥檛 know what 37 had to do with our lives, other than it put us $600,000 richer,鈥� said Carriere. 鈥淚鈥檝e already ordered my new Rider jerseys with 37 on them.鈥�
When Carriere received the call to tell him he had a shot at the $602,000 jackpot, he was about to lay down and rest before going to work on a drilling rig for Tundra Oil and Gas, where he is employed as a drilling consultant.
鈥淚 never, ever take my phone into the bedroom with me, but for some reason I did that night. The phone rang, and I looked at it, and it was just a number, no name on it, and I almost didn鈥檛 answer it.鈥�
When he couldn鈥檛 hear them right away, he nearly hung up. But then he heard it was for the Chase the Ace draw, which made Carriere very excited.
He says he鈥檚 been a lucky guy when it comes to raffles and other draws, including a big prize at the Bear Claw Casino about a decade ago.
Carriere doesn鈥檛 have any plans for the money, but he鈥檚 not going to retire.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to keep working and my wife鈥檚 going to keep working. Maybe when we get to 60 years old, we鈥檒l retire, but right now, I鈥檓 only 55. I love my job too much to walk away,鈥� said Carriere.
His dad is in his 80s and he still goes to work every day.
鈥淚 called him that night right after I won, and after I called my wife. Dad was pretty excited, and he called me back the next day and he asked if I was planning on retiring. I said no, and he said 鈥楪ood, because you鈥檙e too damn young. Get your ass back out at that rig and make another five years.鈥欌��
Proceeds from the 50-50 will be directed to minor football projects in the province. Carriere said it鈥檚 a great feeling to know that the money raised goes to a great cause. And if the Riders Foundation were to have a Chase the Ace draw or a similar initiative again, Carriere would purchase tickets.聽
