A mainstay at Turning Stone since a few months after the casino opened, keno
is offered in its lounge, coffee shop, buffet, bingo and poker rooms. It is played seven days a week with live games called approximately every five minutes. Woo did see the economic downturn affect the overall number of travelers to
his casino. Despite that, “keno was up 3 percent in 2009 and 4 percent in 2010,” reports Woo. Donald Brown, keno manager at Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel and
Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, saw similar positive results for his operations. According to Brown, keno continues to be an important part of the casino. “Keno operations provide a persistently good
bottom line,” he says. Brown says his keno opera- tions succeed by offering competitive jackpots and a diversity of ticket choices.
WHY PEOPLE PLAY According to Brown, the attraction of keno is the ability to win a large jackpot with only a small bet. “A player can come to the keno game with a small bet and lucky numbers and can win up to $50,000 or more,” he says. Merriman of Foxwoods and Woo of Turning
Stone not only support this value proposition on why people play keno, but also add to it. “Keno also has remained popular since it
provides players with the ability to play for longer periods of time for less money,” saysMerriman. “It’s less intimidating than most games, and you can spend less and play longer.” Woo also highlights another aspect that may
separate keno players from other casino visitors: Keno players are both frequent, regular players and very social. Over the years, not only has Woo gotten to
know a majority of his casino’s keno players; these regulars come to the casino frequently to socialize with other customers. At Foxwoods, Merriman describes a group of four men who are among the casino’s Saturday regulars. “They come every Saturday to bet keno along with their morning coffees.” “Keno is unlike any of the other games in the
casino,” says Brown.
KENO 2.0 Although based on an ancient numbers game, keno as played in casinos has seen its share of new developments and innovations to captivate players and add interest to the game. Progressive jackpots for keno players are
offered at several casinos. Foxwoods has its Pequot Progressive 20-number ticket for $3. Its largest progressive payout was $228,611. Station Casinos was one of the first to offer a unique variety of progressives and even larger
www.ggbmagazine.com • February 2011 31
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