Above: BRIAN RICH of Omaha and his sister, Teresa, of Des Moines, Iowa, play their
coins in a slot machine. Brian said his sister and him go to the casinos about once a
month to play the slots and other games.
Right: ALONG WITH the numerous slot machines inside the casino, Bluffs Run Casino
also offers live greyhound racing six days a week year round.
he said, but one time she walked out with
$300 in ten minutes.
Aaron Dupree, a UNL sophomore theater
performance major, said the lure of such easy
money made the casinos a popular destination
for students.
“I’m all about getting something for noth
ing,” he said, citing the experiences of some
friends who often lose money in Council
Bluffs but occasionally win.
“I know it’s a risk,” he said, “but if you go
with $50, planning to spend it, it’s like paying
for entertainment. And if you win, even better.”
Many gamers echo that sentiment, saying
good food and drinks, a show and hours of fun
are easily worth the money they could poten
tially lose.
Again, a walk through one of the casinos
provides evidence of that reasoning. Free
drinks at the gaming tables keep customers
betting. Free or almost free food, usually
spread in a giant buffet, keeps players from
getting too hungry. And free live entertain
ment keeps them from getting bored - if the
games themselves somehow fail.
Gamblers prowl the casino floor, trying
their luck until they find a hot streak.
Sometimes a single machine works well for
them. Sometimes they simultaneously work
three or more. No matter how “hot” a
machine gets, though, it’s rare to see some
body cash out. More often, a player goes up
several hundred dollars and keeps playing
until coming back down to zero.
After reaching on the tips of her toes to
insert several bills, an elderly woman strug
gles to pull the lever on an oversized slot
machine. Advertised as the “Big Dog,” the
machine is reputed to give “huge payouts.”
She pulls the lever and nothing happens.
Nearby, another woman pumps quarters
into a smaller machine. Cashing out, she
holds her hand under the spout while coins
rain down. Soon the hand is full and the
money keeps flowing. One after another,
coins fill the tray. A woman beside her leans in
to watch but soon loses interest. She turns
back to her own machine which flashes and
beeps upon her arrival, welcoming her back
and beckoning her to play once more.