It's a good idea to wash your bingo balls regularly. Dirt and grease are transferred to your bingo balls with each touch of the caller's fingers. Eventually dirt build up can and will alter the frequency with which balls are called, and anything affecting the randomness of the calls should be avoided.
What else can affect the randomness of the numbers called?
1. Chipped, cracked, and dented bingo balls will certainly skew the frequency of how often a bingo ball appears. It may make the ball appear more or less often, and both of these alternatives are bad outcomes. Make sure that you repair any dents and remove cracked or chipped balls from your bingo machine .
2. Mixing bingo ball sets can also change the frequency of the calls. If you place a green ball with a white set, that green ball's weight will differ slightly. And, while the difference may be subtle, it will be enough to skew the frequency one way or another. This can also be true for bingo ball sets with the same color, but different styles.
I always urge bingo managers to strive to keep their game's integrity above reproach. Keeping your bingo ball sets uniform and in good condition removes doubt from bingo players and is always a good idea.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Muskegon Area Casino Likely Years Away
When Muskegon County Commissioner James Derezinski first heard about the possibility of having a gambling casino in Fruitport Township, he immediately started thinking about money for a new county jail and juvenile detention center.
Of course, he's been thinking a lot about that subject for the past few years, ever since he started spearheading the effort to replace the two aging, overcrowded facilities. Some of his ideas have panned out, while some have not.
But this time it appears Derezinski may be on to something.
A group of leaders from the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, who recently purchased the former Great Lakes Downs property in Fruitport Township with the hope of developing a casino on the site, had an informational meeting with local leaders Thursday at Fruitport Township hall.
The spokesman for the group, tribal economic development director Robert Memberto, acknowledged that he has discussed the possibility with Derezinski and several other county leaders about establishing a "foundation" that would help pay for the construction of the jail and juvenile facility.
Memberto stressed that the entire subject is premature, because first the casino concept must gain the approval of federal and state authorities, a process that could take several years.
For more information, please see Steve Gunn, County leaders eager to tap money from proposed casino, The Muskegon Chronicle, July 25, 2008.
Of course, he's been thinking a lot about that subject for the past few years, ever since he started spearheading the effort to replace the two aging, overcrowded facilities. Some of his ideas have panned out, while some have not.
But this time it appears Derezinski may be on to something.
A group of leaders from the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, who recently purchased the former Great Lakes Downs property in Fruitport Township with the hope of developing a casino on the site, had an informational meeting with local leaders Thursday at Fruitport Township hall.
The spokesman for the group, tribal economic development director Robert Memberto, acknowledged that he has discussed the possibility with Derezinski and several other county leaders about establishing a "foundation" that would help pay for the construction of the jail and juvenile facility.
Memberto stressed that the entire subject is premature, because first the casino concept must gain the approval of federal and state authorities, a process that could take several years.
For more information, please see Steve Gunn, County leaders eager to tap money from proposed casino, The Muskegon Chronicle, July 25, 2008.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
4 Steps to Make Sure Players Perceive Your Bingo as an Honest Game.
In bingo, rumors can spread quickly. It always amazes me the things that I hear in the often close-knit community of bingo players and workers. I'll hear things like, "Phyllis' son is a drunk.", "Cathy doesn't like Margaret because she never buys anyone anything", or the troubling one for bingo managers "The bingo workers are rigging the games for themselves."
Unfortunately, cheating sometimes exists in bingo, both with players and bingo workers. However, the perception of cheating when none is there can be just as damaging. Therefore, here are 4 steps to make sure that bingo players see your bingo as an honest bingo.
1. Shortly before bingo begins, and just after intermission, fill your bingo machine with all 75 bingo balls. Ask that a few bingo players (choose different ones each night) come to the bingo blower and verify that all of the bingo balls are present and in good condition.
2. Once the bingo balls have been inspected, announce to the crowd that all 75 balls have been verified. Further, announce that any bingo player may come up and examine the balls at any time during the evening.
3. As your bingo caller draws bingo balls from the bingo machine , make sure that he or she shows the ball to the crowd and/or places it clearly in front of the camera. Only once this is accomplished, should the caller place the ball in the master board on the bingo blower.
4. When selling pulltabs, don't let your bingo workers buy them. When bingo players see workers buying pulltabs, they always think the worst. Whether or not it's true, the bingo players believe that the workers know something about what pulltabs are winners and losers. Simply, don't allow it!
Unfortunately, cheating sometimes exists in bingo, both with players and bingo workers. However, the perception of cheating when none is there can be just as damaging. Therefore, here are 4 steps to make sure that bingo players see your bingo as an honest bingo.
1. Shortly before bingo begins, and just after intermission, fill your bingo machine with all 75 bingo balls. Ask that a few bingo players (choose different ones each night) come to the bingo blower and verify that all of the bingo balls are present and in good condition.
2. Once the bingo balls have been inspected, announce to the crowd that all 75 balls have been verified. Further, announce that any bingo player may come up and examine the balls at any time during the evening.
3. As your bingo caller draws bingo balls from the bingo machine , make sure that he or she shows the ball to the crowd and/or places it clearly in front of the camera. Only once this is accomplished, should the caller place the ball in the master board on the bingo blower.
4. When selling pulltabs, don't let your bingo workers buy them. When bingo players see workers buying pulltabs, they always think the worst. Whether or not it's true, the bingo players believe that the workers know something about what pulltabs are winners and losers. Simply, don't allow it!
Township Leaders to Discuss Fruitport Casino Plan
The township board plans to discuss a proposed Indian casino on the site of the old Great Lakes Downs horse racing track at tonight's meeting.
On July 16, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians announced its proposal to build a gaming facility at the track. The tribe purchased the property from Magna Entertainment, which last held races at Great Lakes Downs last November.
The board meeting is at 7 p.m. tonight at the Fruitport Township Hall, 6543 Airline Hwy. If more people show up than the township hall can hold, the alternate site is at Fruitport Middle School, 3113 Pontaluna Rd.
For the complete story, please see Matt Campbell, Fruitport Township leaders to discuss casino plan, WZZM13.com, July 28, 2008.
On July 16, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians announced its proposal to build a gaming facility at the track. The tribe purchased the property from Magna Entertainment, which last held races at Great Lakes Downs last November.
The board meeting is at 7 p.m. tonight at the Fruitport Township Hall, 6543 Airline Hwy. If more people show up than the township hall can hold, the alternate site is at Fruitport Middle School, 3113 Pontaluna Rd.
For the complete story, please see Matt Campbell, Fruitport Township leaders to discuss casino plan, WZZM13.com, July 28, 2008.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Will Oil Price Drop Help Bingos and Gaming?
It's summertime, the hottest season for gambling tourism, but the U.S. casinos country-wide are feeling the customers' finance pinch. The casinos in the country, especially those on the Las Vegas Strip and in Atlantic City, consider the summer period their bread and butter, but the record oil prices took the blame this year for the ever declining gambling revenue throughout the U.S. gambling establishments. Most recently, the Las Vegas casinos alone reported a 16.4% revenue decline in May, compared to the same month last year, while statewide the drop in gambling revenue increased to 15.2%. The combined gambling revenue at the Atlantic City casinos also fell, the gambling venues in A.C. dropped down 11% in June, compared to the same month an year ago.
For the complete story, please see Will oil price drop revive the U.S. casinos and gambling revenue?, OGPaper, July 27, 2008.
For the complete story, please see Will oil price drop revive the U.S. casinos and gambling revenue?, OGPaper, July 27, 2008.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Making Gaming and Bingo Personal
The following is an excerpt from an interesting article that I just stumbled across regarding personalizing player tracking and the gaming experience.
"Her name is Diane. She carries a ticket worth $76.25, wanders about the Pechanga Resort & Casino’s gaming floor, and perhaps holds the key to your future. Her odyssey began 23 minutes ago with Coyote Moon and a crisp $100 bill. Losing $11.50, she cashed out, walked halfway across the casino to settle at an older, single pay-line Bally machine. Down another $24.25 after four and a half minutes, Diane moves to an Aristocrat game, followed by quick stops at IGT, Bally, IGT and Konami games. She never studies pay tables and doesn’t seem to care much about artwork. Her cash-out ticket serves as a kind of divining rod for choosing the next potentially lucky game.
I know Diane because I’m a stalker. For the last three decades, I’ve secretly watched people gamble. My goal is to figure out what players want and design games, systems and promotions to deliver satisfaction. In her late fifties, Diane is special exactly because she’s not. She behaves as do most, spending little and searching a lot. Pechanga’s games do not satisfy Diane, and it is doubtful the games of other casinos would fare much better.
That’s because, though Diane is like the majority of players, Diane isn’t considered valuable. Her play is unmeasured and perhaps too infrequent. Pechanga, like other casinos, specialize in hosting players that happen to like what is currently offered and play in high volume. Trouble is, there aren’t enough of these players to go around. Certainly the Pechanga slot floor is successful. Certainly it is well managed—they don’t come any better than Buddy Frank and his crew.
Certainly too, Pechanga’s revenues are suffering this year—just as all casinos in competitive markets are suffering. Whether you choose to blame obscene energy prices, the housing fiasco or too many casinos with too many machines, revenues in 2008 are down and falling.
For the past 20 years or so, we’ve thrived on pent-up demand. Legal barriers artificially restricted the supply of gaming machines, and any casino with open doors and electricity was met with a flood of customers and piles of profit.
Not anymore."
For more information please see John Acres INSIDER EDGE: Gambling 2.0...this time it’s personal, SlotManager, July 14, 2008.
"Her name is Diane. She carries a ticket worth $76.25, wanders about the Pechanga Resort & Casino’s gaming floor, and perhaps holds the key to your future. Her odyssey began 23 minutes ago with Coyote Moon and a crisp $100 bill. Losing $11.50, she cashed out, walked halfway across the casino to settle at an older, single pay-line Bally machine. Down another $24.25 after four and a half minutes, Diane moves to an Aristocrat game, followed by quick stops at IGT, Bally, IGT and Konami games. She never studies pay tables and doesn’t seem to care much about artwork. Her cash-out ticket serves as a kind of divining rod for choosing the next potentially lucky game.
I know Diane because I’m a stalker. For the last three decades, I’ve secretly watched people gamble. My goal is to figure out what players want and design games, systems and promotions to deliver satisfaction. In her late fifties, Diane is special exactly because she’s not. She behaves as do most, spending little and searching a lot. Pechanga’s games do not satisfy Diane, and it is doubtful the games of other casinos would fare much better.
That’s because, though Diane is like the majority of players, Diane isn’t considered valuable. Her play is unmeasured and perhaps too infrequent. Pechanga, like other casinos, specialize in hosting players that happen to like what is currently offered and play in high volume. Trouble is, there aren’t enough of these players to go around. Certainly the Pechanga slot floor is successful. Certainly it is well managed—they don’t come any better than Buddy Frank and his crew.
Certainly too, Pechanga’s revenues are suffering this year—just as all casinos in competitive markets are suffering. Whether you choose to blame obscene energy prices, the housing fiasco or too many casinos with too many machines, revenues in 2008 are down and falling.
For the past 20 years or so, we’ve thrived on pent-up demand. Legal barriers artificially restricted the supply of gaming machines, and any casino with open doors and electricity was met with a flood of customers and piles of profit.
Not anymore."
For more information please see John Acres INSIDER EDGE: Gambling 2.0...this time it’s personal, SlotManager, July 14, 2008.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
3 Things You Must Do When Creating Your Bingo Program
How you ever seen a really ugly bingo program? It's sloppily designed with handmade corrections, has mispelled words, and/or been copied over so many times that you can barely read it. How does this look to bingo players, especially new ones who've never played at this location? As simple as it is, a professional looking bingo program is sometimes overlooked. However, it shouldn't be.
Would you eat at a restaurant if you could barely read the menu? Well, why should your bingo program be any different? Like a menu at a restaurant, your bingo program is often your first line of communication with your bingo players and bingo workers. It guides your players and staff for the evening, telling them what they will be doing, where, when, how and why. Your bingo's image is determined in part by how professional your bingo program looks.
When creating your bingo program:
1. Take your time. Work through your bingo program and describe your bingo paper and bingo games clearly. Make it as easy to follow as you can.
2. Have it printed on quality paper that looks nice. Do not print it on some dirty paper you found in a cupboard somewhere.
3. Use a professional copier. Do not use someone's old fax machine to make copies.
You could sell your bingo paper at the lowest prices. You could carry the largest selection of bingo supplies . But, if your bingo program looks horrible, you'll still lose some potential bingo players who can't understand your bingo games.
One way bingo players will know that you care is by the quality of your bingo's program. Sloppy bingo programs like someone wearing sloppy clothes communicate a lack of professionalism and will turn bingo players off. While a clean, neat, well-described bingo program can be another valuable tool that can be used when marketing your bingo to bingo players.
Would you eat at a restaurant if you could barely read the menu? Well, why should your bingo program be any different? Like a menu at a restaurant, your bingo program is often your first line of communication with your bingo players and bingo workers. It guides your players and staff for the evening, telling them what they will be doing, where, when, how and why. Your bingo's image is determined in part by how professional your bingo program looks.
When creating your bingo program:
1. Take your time. Work through your bingo program and describe your bingo paper and bingo games clearly. Make it as easy to follow as you can.
2. Have it printed on quality paper that looks nice. Do not print it on some dirty paper you found in a cupboard somewhere.
3. Use a professional copier. Do not use someone's old fax machine to make copies.
You could sell your bingo paper at the lowest prices. You could carry the largest selection of bingo supplies . But, if your bingo program looks horrible, you'll still lose some potential bingo players who can't understand your bingo games.
One way bingo players will know that you care is by the quality of your bingo's program. Sloppy bingo programs like someone wearing sloppy clothes communicate a lack of professionalism and will turn bingo players off. While a clean, neat, well-described bingo program can be another valuable tool that can be used when marketing your bingo to bingo players.
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