GUELPH – Paul Campolongo, of Guelph, was working from home Nov. 1 when he got a surprising lunchtime phone call informing him that he was the lucky winner of Drayton Entertainment’s October Ultimate 50/50 draw.
Campolongo took home a final jackpot of $64,215 with the winning ticket number #99446520003.
“Artistic director Alex Mustakas made my Monday a much nicer day,” said Campolongo in a Nov. 3 press release from Drayton Entertainment.
“I’ve been playing the Drayton Entertainment 50/50 draw since the very first online raffle back in March, but never thought I would actually win it!”
As a recreational musician, Campolongo knows firsthand just how hard the pandemic has hit artists; he thought participating in the monthly draws would be a fun way to support the arts and entertainment industry, the release detailed.
Campolongo has attended many Drayton Entertainment performances in the past at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge and the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend, and he can’t wait to be back in a theatre again.
“For me, as a musician, I just love the musicals with the live bands at Drayton,” he said, adding “there’s nothing like live music!”
While Campolongo doesn’t have immediate plans on how he will spend his windfall, it will provide some flexibility and security as he winds down his career in accounting with the hope of retiring next spring.
“It’s been a really exciting month for us,” says Alex Mustakas, artistic director of Drayton Entertainment.
“We’ve just announced that we’re finally putting holiday shows on stage in St. Jacobs and Cambridge in December, but even though audiences will start to return to the theatres in person, our 50/50 draw is going to remain online for the time being.”
Mustakas said keeping the draw online will eliminate touch points at the theatre in addition to allowing more people to play even if they are not visiting one of the venues.
“The draw continues to be a lifeline for us raising important dollars to assist with our ongoing reopening plans,” he added.
Having seen the popular response from last month’s weekly Early Bird draw, Mustakas said it will continue in November with a $500 winner every week leading up to the draw for the Grand Prize jackpot.
The Ultimate 50/50 draw is back in November along with the four Early Bird Prizes of $500 drawn weekly on Fridays at 12pm.
November Early Bird Draw schedule
– Friday, Nov. 12 ($500)
– Friday, Nov. 19 ($500)
– Friday, Nov. 26 ($500)
Tickets for the November draw are already on sale. The raffle will run through 11:59pm on Tuesday, Nov. 30 with a Grand Prize draw at 12pm on Wednesday, Dec. 1.
Tickets are available for purchase online at https://drayton5050.com. The jackpot is updated online in real-time and grows as more people participate – the published amount is the winner’s take-home prize.
Tickets may be purchased by individuals 18 years or older and located in the Province of Ontario at the time of purchase.
All ticket sales are final and ticket buyers will receive a receipt via email after purchasing that will list all numbers associated with the purchased tickets.
Tickets are sold using an electronic raffle system approved by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and supplied by Bump Worldwide Inc. Raffle License AGCO #RAF1225155. Please play responsibly.
The Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline can be reached at 1-888-230-3505 or visit www.connexontario.ca.
For complete details including rules of participation and frequently asked questions, visit https://drayton5050.com.
