Watch above: Thousands of fans packed Commonwealth Stadium Thursday night, for a CFL battle of Alberta. But the main action wasn't so much on the field, as on the concourse.EDMONTON - Someone who attended Thursday night's Edmonton Eskimos game may soon be $348,534 richer. That's the jackpot for the highly anticipated 50/50 draw.
It's also more than half of the total amount handed out last season. In 2013, $678,353 was awarded to 10 different winners. Thursday's winning number is 280731C.
Just over 40,000 people attended the game at Commonwealth Stadium, and many stood in long lines for a chance to get their hands the enormous prize.
The football team said due to the massive volume of tickets, it was unable to draw the winning 50/50 number during the game. It was announced early Friday morning, on social media and through a post on the team's website. The winner has until 4 p.m. MT Monday, July 28 to claim the prize at the Eskimo Team Store.
The winning ticket number for tonight's 50/50 worth $348,534 is 280731C MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO CLAIM: http://t.co/7CwbbLPYrZ
- Edmonton Eskimos (@cfl_esks) July 25, 2014
Edmonton police officers were on hand to control crowds, as there were some frustrated fans who weren't able to buy a ticket before sales were cut off.
Several people said they stood in line for more than an hour to get tickets for the jackpot, which hit $250,000 by the middle of the second quarter. Many fans were less than impressed with the wait time.
'Ridiculous. Epic fail. Epic fail,' said Eskimos' fan Daniel Gilchrist as he finally reached the front of a line. 'I've already invested more than an hour in line, you've gotta go through with it.'
'I bought $260 worth of tickets,' said Donny, an Esks fan.
'My wife went through one lineup... and she was an hour.'
The 50/50 jackpot began at $71,732 Thursday night. The unclaimed amount was carried over from the game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday July 11. During that game, the winning number was drawn in the final minutes of the game and then posted online, but no one came forward to claim the prize before the July 15 deadline. WATCH: Thursday night's Eskimos game could mean big win for lucky football fan
Edmonton leads the way when it comes to 50/50 ticket sales. Thanks to new electronic ticketing, buyers have three options: one ticket for $5, three tickets for $10 or 10 tickets for $20. The new system has resulted in much larger jackpots since it was introduced in 2012.
The pot at the pre-season game on June 13 was over $45,000, while the the season opener on July 4 saw one lucky winner take home nearly $74,000.
Here's look at some other teams' most recent 50/50 jackpots:
Edmonton Eskimos players and staff are not allowed to purchase tickets. However, that didn't stop them from speculating before the game, how high the jackpot would go.
'I would expect it to be between $150,000 to $200,000,' said Edmonton Eskimos' quarterback Mike Reilly. 'I would imagine they would draw at least as much as they did last time, plus with the added excitement probably more. So, over $200,000? I don't know.'
Others mused on what they would do if they did win. Head coach Chris Jones, born in Tennessee, said he would share the wealth.
'My mom has been a school teacher her whole life,' Jones told reporters.
' I'd probably buy my momma a house down south. Because it doesn't cost very much down south, so I'd probably my momma house down there.'
Half of the total ticket sales is awarded to the winner, and the other half to minor football programs, including the Edmonton Huskies Junior Football Club, Edmonton Wildcats Junior Football Club, University of Alberta Golden Bears, Football Alberta and the Eskimo Alumni Association.
Thursday night's attendance was 40,066. The Edmonton Eskimos lost their first game of the season, and the battle of Alberta 26-22 to the Calgary Stampeders.
© Shaw Media, 2014
Post By http://globalnews.ca/news/1471738/edmonton-eskimos-5050-jackpot-raised-nearly-350000/
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