TORONTO — Thomas doesn’t remember what he said or heard in a meeting last month.
That’s because just a few minutes ago we heard from Sportsnet anchor Evanka Osmak that he won $500,000.
A few days ago, Thomas, who asked that a pseudonym be used to protect his privacy, bought a Jays Care 50/50 raffle ticket on a whim after a marketing email arrived in his inbox. And then he forgot all about it.
“When you make plays like this, you don’t actually expect to win,” he said.
When his phone rang while he was working in IT on May 13, he almost rejected the call from his private number. “I’m glad that wasn’t the case.” Thomas said. Instead, he called to hear from Sportsnet Central host Osmak that he was the winner of the 50/50 grand prize. She asked him if he knew how much he had just won. Thomas responded that he thought $50,000 would be good. “Then she said, ‘Yeah, $50,000 would be great.’ But it’s actually (CAD) $538,908.’”
It didn’t take Thomas long to process his shock. He had to go to the meeting right after that.
“I don’t know what I said. She was speaking and responding clearly, but my mind was completely somewhere else and all I could think was ‘Is this real?’ Did that actually happen?’” said Thomas, who had only entered 50/50 a few times before.
Over the years, the Toronto Blue Jays 50/50 lottery has become famous for its eye-popping jackpots and life-changing wins. The jackpot caught the eye of many in baseball, including former Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona, who saw a total of $82,000 in the 2016 ALCS and told catcher Mike Napoli, “We’ve got to get in on it.”
The 50/50 raffle, run by the Blue Jays’ charity, the Jays Care Foundation, awards half of ticket sales to the winner and donates the other half to charity. Nine millionaires have been created so far. It’s already the largest lottery of its kind in Major League Baseball and strives to set new records every year.
One of those nine millionaires is a man named Andrew. He had just arrived home from his cardiologist when his phone rang. Fortunately, his heart condition was good when he received a call from the CEO of J Care.
When Andrew answered the phone, he was asked if he had called earlier that day and was told to check his voicemail. When he did, there was a message from Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez. In an unmistakably gruff voice, Martinez informed Andrew that he was the lucky winner of $2.6 million.
“It was an amazing moment,” said Andrew, who asked to be identified only by his first name to protect his privacy.
The victory came at a particularly opportune moment for Andrew, who said he was going through personal struggles.
“The last few years have been very dark,” says Andrew. “I was delighted to receive very good news.” “And this money will help me do many positive things.”
Andrew, above, initially missed the call telling him he was the 50/50 winner. (Provided by J Care)
The scope of the draw was expanded in 2019 with the introduction of online 50/50 ticket sales across Ontario. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and the Blue Jays played games away from the Rogers Center, Jays Care switched from daily drawings to homestand jackpots and mega jackpots, which resulted in larger pots and increased interest. This change ushered in an era of tremendous growth with the Jays Care 50/50, creating the biggest teen jackpot in MLB history since 2019.
“This is something we are very proud of,” said Robert Witchel, executive director of Jays Care. “We want to make our program the best in its class. “We want to reach as many children as possible.”
The 2021 Jays Care 50/50 recorded $12 million in total ticket sales. Half went to the winner and half to charity. By 2023, total ticket sales could reach up to $33 million, culminating in an Ontario and MLB record jackpot of $5.9 million last September. (Congratulations Minnie from Toronto.)
Already this season, 50/50 has awarded four grand prize jackpots totaling more than $4.3 million and hundreds of early bird prizes, including signed memorabilia, Blue Jays tickets and small prizes. Next month’s Canada Day Mega Jackpot will be split between 10 grand prize winners, an idea inspired by fan feedback, and will also include 157 early bird prizes to celebrate Canada’s 157th anniversary.
The biggest jackpot in MLB history! 🔥
you requested it @Blue Jays Fans, we heard you… For the first time ever, the Mega Jackpot is being split evenly among 10 winners! There are also 157 chances to win amazing prizes.
🎟 https://t.co/5chwquqc3r pic.twitter.com/95y8BRUNNj
— Jays Care Foundation (@JaysCare) June 7, 2024
One of the things that makes Jays Care 50/50 stand out is its ambassadors. A cheerful staff of many personalities, wearing red shirts and stationed throughout the Rogers Center concourse, selling 50/50 tickets until final results are announced.
An ambassador’s day typically begins a few hours before his or her first presentation. Minutes before the stadium doors opened, they gathered in a classroom-sized room inside Gate 3. On this Tuesday evening in May, Kelly Woodman, event manager for the 50/50 team, begins by reviewing sales at the venue. The night before, before dictating the sales goals for that night’s game.
Before we finally reached the concourse, it was time to cheer.
“50/50!”
Applause clap clap clap
“Sell tickets!”
Clap clap clap clap clap clap
“Save that money!”
Applause clap clap clap
“let’s go!”
“They come from all walks of life,” Woodman said. “We’ve become like a really tight-knit family. Everyone knows everyone, their spouse, their children, their grandchildren. They are really invested in each other. “That’s a good thing.”
As we emerged into the central hall, the ambassadors dispersed. This season, there are about 60, but on average, about 30 to 40 are worked per game. Each ambassador develops a unique style to attract customers. Some were loud and raised their voices. “50/50 ticket! Please support Jays Care Foundation!” Others, like Tracey Lung, take a more curated approach.
“I’m really good at reading people,” said Lung, who is in her second year of sales. “I know how they approach me, whether they are looking down at me or looking right at me, whether I am trying to sell them a ticket, whether they will get a ticket, or whether I can upsell them. .”
Before sales, ambassadors will educate potential buyers about the charity’s work before running through various ticket options (5 tickets for $10, 25 tickets for $25, 100 tickets for $50, and 300 tickets for $125).
Another ambassador, Anna Cappuccitti, said there are keys to being an effective seller. “I’m not afraid of rejection,” she said with a laugh.
In 2023, Ambassadors were responsible for more than $6.7 million in total ticket sales, a record year. There is friendly competition among sellers who track overnight sales. The ultimate bragging rights belong to the person who sold the jackpot winning ticket. Cappucciti hasn’t sold her grand prize tickets yet, but she’s hoping her luck will change.
“People tell me they have this feeling about me and that they buy from me because they think they’re lucky,” she said. “I always say, ‘Man, I hope you win.’ I will pray for you.’ I find out their names. I write it. “People like it when you put it on your phone and pray.”
The cause is to connect everyone involved 50/50, regardless of sales strategy.
Jays Care operates programs for underprivileged and disadvantaged children across Canada and is expected to reach more than 60,000 children this year. Their programs include initiatives such as Girls At Bat, designed to reduce barriers to accessing the sport for those who identify as girls, and Challenger Baseball, an adaptive baseball program where children with physical and/or cognitive disabilities can learn the game. It’s possible. Safe and encouraging environment. Jays Care has twice won MLB’s Allan H. Selig Excellence in Philanthropy Award and has been named one of the top 100 charities in the country by non-profit charity watchdog Charity Intelligence Canada.
Ten years ago, 50/50 gave about 10% of the charity’s total fundraising. Today, raffles account for nearly half of the funds raised, according to Witchel.
And we have plans to continue to grow. This year, Jays Care expanded online ticket sales to Nova Scotia after the provincial premier attended a Blue Jays game and commented on how big the prize money was.
“I said, ‘So would you take it to Nova Scotia?’ And he was all ears,” Witchel said.
There are legal hurdles to clear, but the ultimate hope is that 50/50 will open up across Canada, providing more funding for children across the country.
Canada has a unique passion for the 50/50 draw that is deeply ingrained in the country’s DNA. Many Canadians grew up participating in the 50/50 draw at their local hockey rink. Another potential reason? Canadians are not taxed on 50/50 winnings.
Raising money for charity is a top priority for Jays Care, but notifying lucky winners of their prizes is also rewarding, Witchel said. “We’ve definitely changed lives,” he said.
Helping people like Andrew and Thomas is satisfying for Lung, one of the ticket sellers.
“It’s hard out there. “The fact that we can change someone’s life just by participating in the game also means that we are helping more children,” she said. “This is an amazing trickle-down effect.”
Andrew, who won the jackpot in April, hasn’t yet decided what to spend his money on. He also has an idea for a new set of golf clubs. But most of all, he’s grateful that he can now better prepare for his retirement.
Thomas, the $500,000 winner, has no intention of buying a new house or a luxury car. He has no plans to make impulse purchases. When asked what he would do with the money, he said, “I’d like to give you a more interesting answer.”
He grew up in Toronto, the son of immigrants. He said he didn’t have much money and his parents were careful with their spending. He remembers his wonderful childhood but emphasized that he strives to give his two children, aged 6 and 9, more than he ever had. In addition to using his winnings to invest in his future education and pay off his loans and lines of credit, he hopes to use them to create lasting memories on his family vacations.
“It gives us peace of mind going forward,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest thing for me. I think I feel a little more at ease (because I won). My job doesn’t change. I still feel the same amount of motivation at work and in my home life. But the overall comfort and peace of mind is really good.”
(Top image: Daniel Goldfarb / athletic; (Photo: iStock)
