N.L. woman wins second lottery in 4 years at Chase the Ace draw

They say lightning doesn't strike twice, but try telling that to two-time lottery winner Nancy Jennings.

She won her second lottery in the past four years at Wednesday's Chase the Ace draw held in support of St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Conception Bay South.

Her $49,987 win follows the $675,000 she won alongside her husband Leslie (Jim) Jennings on a Set for Life scratch ticket in 2014.

I just put my hand on the card. I didn't think it was going to be the ace.- Nancy Jennings

To say that she's got a little bit of luck up her sleeve would be an understatement.

But when her ticket was called, and she slowly made her way up to the stage on the 49th week of the draw in C.B.S., she still never anticipated winning the big prize once again.

Found the ace her first time in the draw

"I wasn't expecting it. I just put my hand on the card. I didn't think it was going to be the ace," she said.

The lottery had less buzz than the Chase the Ace draw in the Goulds that captivated the province this past summer, but there was still a crowd of more than 1,000 people packed into the church in C.B.S.

Some had been in attendance every single week of the draw, coming out to show their support for the parish, and of course to try to win the grand prize.

But for Jennings, she only needed one week — her first at the draw — to bring home the big prize.

"We likes chasing the ace but we just never bothered to come down," she said.

They went faithfully to the Goulds draw over the summer, and also hit up a big draw in Bay de Verde in 2016.

Yet it wasn't until this week that her husband said it was time to go to the one nearby their home in Foxtrap.

"My husband when it gets up high, he likes to go," said Jennings.

Coffee and scratch-off tickets

The money will make a difference, she said, and some will certainly go to help out her three children and 10 grandchildren.

But for her and her husband, life will go on and they'll continue their usual routines.

After the win, they were planning to head down to Tim Hortons for a celebratory coffee and to grab a scratch ticket, same as they always have. 

"Yeah, we likes going for coffee and a scratch-off ticket," she said.

It's a strategy that's paid off for them before.