With casino workers on strike in Detroit, Michigan, officials in Windsor, Ontario, are encouraging some of the state’s gamblers to cross the border to play.
Caesars Windsor has beckoned American gamblers since the property opened in 1994. Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor, is now encouraging Americans to check out the property and a visit to the Ontario casino wouldn’t involve having to cross a picket line.
“The invitation (to American gamers) is out there,” Orr told the Windsor Star newspaper. “They know the product is here. Of course, we want their casinos to be running and everyone to be gainfully employed, but in the interim, the invitation is certainly out there.”
Windsor Casino Returns as a Popular Option for American Gamblers
Many in Detroit be familiar with Caesars Windsor. The property predates that city’s own casinos and offers a 750-room hotel, 10 restaurants and bars, 2,200 slots, 85 table games, a sportsbook, 14-table poker room, and more.
The recent strikes by 3,700 casino workers at Detroit’s MotorCity, MGM Grand, and Hollywood Casino may have made the property a more enticing option. Detroit workers have been on strike since last Tuesday after a deadline passed to reach a deal. Employees were working without a contract, which expired in September.
The Windsor casino is located just a few miles from the Motor City, right across the Detroit River. As head of tourism for the region, Orr sees an opportunity to boost WIndsor’s economy with some American visitors heading north of the border.Caesars Windsor officials echoed Orr’s invitation to American players.
“U.S. visitors have always been an important part of our business and we welcome them to visit our property, either for the first time or for a return visit, to experience our world-class Caesars brand,” the property’s public relations and communications manager Susanne Tomkins told the Star.
Despite the newfound interest from American gamblers, the casino may see a change in management in the coming months. OLG recently approved the bidding process for a new operator after almost 30 years with Caesars running the property.
Caesars could once again bid on the contract to run the property, but OLG noted that it would “select a highly qualified service provider to handle day-to-day operations while ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the site — so it can continue generating economic benefits for the local community and for Ontario.”
Canadian Online Slot Players Score Big Bucks
On the online gaming front, a couple of Canadian online slot players recently cashed in big. In Nova Scotia, Halifax resident Charmen Patten scored $807,998 on the MegaJackpots Golden Goddess, a progressive jackpot game via Atlantic Lottery’s online gaming platform.
Patten often purchases lottery tickets online, but decided to spend a few bucks on slots. The big win came on a $2 wager, but Patten wasn’t actually sure she’d won the money.
“I deposited some money and bought my tickets for the draw games, and my fiancé was away so I was bored,” she said. “I had a little bit of change left in my account, so I thought I would play some games.
“It said, ‘Congratulations, you won the jackpot,’ and I wasn’t really sure exactly how much I won, but it was late, so I went to bed not knowing if I won something big or not. I called the next day and had to wait for a call back, but when they told me the amount I won, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, are you kidding me? I won $800,000?'”
Patten works as a nurse and has no intention of retiring after the win. She now plans on doing something kind for the nurses in her unit. Helping her family is also on the agenda, and possibly purchasing a new Range Rover. The breast cancer survivor also intends to help a local organization that supported her during the cancer journey.
“It was very exciting for me, life changing obviously,” Patten said of the win. “I really thought New Brunswick and Newfoundland had all the winners, but now I see, Nova Scotia wins!”
A British Columbia resident also grabbed a nice jackpot recently. Dolyna Perrella won $630,434.26 on the MegaJackpots Cleopatra slot game on British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s PlayNow.com platform.
The Burnaby resident plans some traveling, including to Japan, Italy, and on a train ride across Canada. She aso plans on giving some to charity. Perrella registered the win just before dozing off to sleep.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I decided to take a screenshot on my phone so I could think about it but the next morning I was still thinking about it.”
Perrella asked her husband to take a second look at her phone and then called to confirm the win. They then celebrated with doughnuts and ice cream.
