Barry Dyngles Jackpot Could Reach $500,000
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – The day before tonight’s drawing, the jackpot for the Queen of Hearts game at Barry Dyngles Pub hovered near $430,000.
But, with an entire day to sell tickets until the drawing at 8 p.m. today, that number is sure to rise.
“We’re sticking to our guns and saying it’ll be $450,000,” said general manager Doug Duganne Tuesday. “That’s our projection, but it probably will be up around $500,000 by 8 o’clock.”
Nearly 115,000 tickets were sold for the drawing last week. Through Tuesday morning, Duganne said, 100,000 have been sold.
On Tuesday, customers started lining up well before the barbecue restaurant opened at 11 a.m., some leaving work to buy tickets.
One man near the front of the line said, “I’m buying 30 tickets and that’s all I’m going to say. Because they think I’m working right now.”
When Barry Dyngles opened, the line stretched from the front door to Raccoon Road.
“It’s been absolutely crazy. Every Monday and Tuesday there’s been a steady flow of people from open to close,” Duganne said. “We moved the ticket table to the other side of the restaurant so now there’s a line through the whole restaurant.”
Last week’s drawing, which flipped the ace of spades, drew 5,000 people to the restaurant, parking lot and surrounding businesses as people packed in for their shot at the pot. This week, Duganne is expecting upward of 10,000 people.
Walt Duzzny, retired director of the Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency, was out buying tickets for the third time yesterday.
“We’re all instinctive gamblers,” he remarked. “Even people who’ve never gambled before are coming out for this. It’s got to be great for the community, with all these people stopping in at other businesses.”
Duzzny said he expected to buy “probably several hundred” tickets.
Others were more reserved in their ticket buying. As he stood in line, Chris Jennings, Austintown, said he was still debating how many to buy.
“I’ll get 10 [tickets],” he said. “But it only takes one to win. I might get five. I might get that one.”
On Wednesday, the section of Raccoon Road between Burkey Road and New Road will be closed from 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. as a safety measure. Two additional officers, bringing the total to five, will also be on site for security.
The pub will not sell alcohol outdoors Wednesday night, Duganne said, because of limits on the number of permits that can be purchased in a certain time frame.
“We couldn’t get the permits for this one, but we’ll be set for the next four or five weeks after this,” the manager said.
Ten cards remain face down on the board. Available numbers are 12, 15, 27, 30, 34, 38, 48, 51, 52 and 53. Tickets can be bought for $1 each at Barry Dyngles until selling stops 15 minutes before the drawing.
The crowds that the game is drawing are something that few in the area have seen before. Sam Rich said he’s played games at other restaurants and clubs around town.
“I’ve never, ever seen it this high. Anywhere,” he said. “I hope it doesn’t fizzle out because of how many people are here. But that doesn’t bother me. I play the lottery, so why couldn’t I win at this?”
Pictured: Line outside Barry Dyngles Tuesday 30 minutes before the restaurant opened.
WATCH VIDEO from last week’s drawing
MORE:
Queen of Hearts Keeps Her Face Down
Barry Dyngles Finds Queen of Hearts Quite a Draw
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
