McHenry Queen of Hearts hides herself another week; jackpot grows

Patty P. did not win 50% of the more than $4.2 million pot at Tuesday’s Queen of Heart’s drawing, but her envelope No. 20, containing the jack of diamonds, did earn her $10,000.

The winner didn’t step up when her number was called, but the hundreds of hopeful game players gathered in the McHenry Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4600 to win their share of the pot cheered in her honor.

The pot will roll over, and next week’s drawing will be worth $4,433,606.

At a recent special City Council meeting, the drawing was extended until Aug. 27. At that time, if the queen of hearts does not reveal herself, a drawdown will take place, VFW officials said.

The winner who nabs the elusive queen of hearts wins 50% of the pot.

Forty percent goes to the VFW, which uses the money to fund several charities helping veterans, children and families, provides high school scholarships, funds a program that uses equine therapy to help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as a VA hospital in North Chicago and area churches, VFW officials said.

Some of the VFW’s share also is used to pay for much-needed improvements to the building. Since the drawing began in 2016, when the winning pot was only $32,000, the VFW has installed new electrical work, a furnace replaced, made parking lot improvements and bought a new freezer, VFW Senior Vice Cmdr. Ben Keefe said

Future projects include a beer garden and a new addition to the building, which will include a conference room and bathrooms that meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Ten percent rolls over each week to start a new game, said Tom McCormack, a volunteer and VFW member.

The crowd on Tuesday night was hopeful and friendly.

Johnny Wiszus of Huntley made no bones about it when he proclaimed he was there for “the money.”

“The jackpot, the root of all evil,” he said with a laugh. But he also said that he enjoys all the new people he meets each week.

Nancy and Steve Elander of Lake in the Hills, who attend the event regularly, said they were on a date night – the third Tuesday in a row at the drawing.

Each said they were there to “win the money.”

But each also said they enjoy meeting new friends every time.

“It’s so much fun,” Nancy Elander said. “We have met the nicest people here.”

Joan Oleksa regularly attends with her daughter, Michelle Dubois. Oleksa and her husband won the $32,000 pot in 2016. They chose the No. 50 envelope, and at the time they were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

Oleksa still comes to see if she can win it again.

The first time around she went to the dentist, paid some bills, made some donations, gave some to family and bought a new computer. But this time around, if she wins the millions, she has bigger plans.

“I’m gonna throw one [heck] of a party and invite the whole VFW,” she said.

Tuesday’s drawing leaves 16 cards on the board: 1, 2, 4, 6 and envelopes 9 through 19 and 21.

Queen of Hearts tickets can be bought at the VFW with cash from
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets also will be sold from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday before the drawing.

If a 10 is drawn, the ticketholder will receive $5,000. Jacks are worth $10,000 to the ticketholder, kings are worth $15,000, aces are worth $20,000, the three queens other than the queen of hearts are worth $25,000, and the jokers are worth $30,000.

Under the current ordinance, the maximum individual payout for the game is $3 million, allowing for a maximum pot of $6 million. Once the game ends, the maximum payout for raffles in McHenry will drop to $1 million.