GOULDS, N.L.—Newfoundland’s wildly popular Chase the Ace saga will soon fold.

The province has approved an exit date of Aug. 30 if the winning card is not drawn next Wednesday at a church on the outskirts of St. John’s, N.L.

Lineups for last Wednesday’s draw began overnight at the St. Kevin’s Parish hall in Goulds for a jackpot that reached $1.7 million.

Firefighter Jason Wood drew the ace of diamonds for a consolation prize of just over $210,000 — leaving nine cards left.

The province says if the ace of spades isn’t drawn next week, details will be announced for a final draw Aug. 30.

Organizers have said they didn’t want the draw to interfere with school, which starts in early September in the building next door to the parish hall.

Goulds has been inundated with crowds for Chase the Ace, buying numbered tickets for about $5 each.

The winner gets a percentage of total ticket sales and a bigger jackpot if they pull the ace of spades from a deck of cards that gets smaller with each draw.

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