People often think of gambling as a selfish, greedy pursuit of wealth. Last Friday’s Casino Night, however, was selfless. Rensselaer students, faculty, and staff gambled not only to win money but also to support local charities. Casino Night was sponsored by Air Force ROTC’s Arnold Air Society and organized by Arnold Air Society’s Jack Newkirk Squadron.
When eager students entered the McNeil Room at 7 pm that night, they were met with a plethora of games to choose from as well as a casino-like atmosphere, with volunteers dressed up in bow ties, festive music, and wandering food and beverage sellers. After participants had paid the $3 cover charge, they were permitted to buy gambling chips, in the form of half dollars. Participants were then able to win real money—if they were lucky enough—by playing games like money wheel, over/under seven, chuck-a-luck, and blackjack.
Since blackjack was by far the favorite among participants, Casino Night had eight blackjack tables running, including one for high stakes. After working at Casino Night, Jacob Davis found a new appreciation for blackjack dealers. “It was a lot of fun, and [the] time went by fast, but it was also mentally challenging.”
Another popular game was money wheel, a roulette-like Wheel-of-fortune game. Jennifer Silverstein, one of the money wheel operators, believes it was popular under false pretences because “the payback was so large [that] people forgot that their odds were so small. So when they won, they went crazy and forgot that they were still actually in debt—it was pretty ingenious.” Many optimistic gamblers believed yelling at the wheel would encourage it to stop on their number. However, the validity of this technique was uncertain and opinions of the technique varied widely.
During the Casino Night fun, feelings of joy and disappointment constantly filled the air. Some people made out nicely with large earnings, while others saw their fortunes sink quickly. However, the bitterness of defeat for the unlucky participants was softened by knowledge that all money taken in by the house would be donated to charitable causes.
This year’s Casino Night raised more than $800 for the Troy Boys and Girls Clubs and the Troy Children’s Hospital. “It’s been great to see this event become more popular and successful throughout the years,” said Kirsten Denner, ’02, the director of Casino Night.
Be sure to look for Casino Night again next year during GM week and come prepared to have fun.
