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NEWS
| November 4, 2003
Ghoulish
Games
Gamblers don costumes and receive
prizes at the annual Casino Night event.
By Jessica
Smith
The Shorthorn staff
Amid cobwebs, blackjack tables and a drag queen pirate, Jesse Alewine
stood around in a black shirt and jeans.
The electrical engineering freshman dressed as Kurt Cobain turned
as a cheer rose from a group of students playing Wheel of Fortune.
Between 350 and 400 students gambled Halloween night away at the
ninth annual Halloween Casino Night in the University Center Palo
Duro Lounge. The event is a safe, local alternative to trick-or-treating
or partying off campus, said Lisa Nagy, Campus Recreation assistant
director.
Alewine said he attended Halloween Casino Night because it was nearby.
“I was bored with sitting around in my room,” he said.
Others came to play for some of the prizes that were offered.
“It’s the best program of the year,” Classical
Studies Allison Amis said. “Gambling is fun, especially when
it’s free.”
Students used plastic chips to play games including blackjack, Caribbean
stud poker, war and craps.
Thirty-five prizes were available, including a DVD player, an MP3
player, a printer and a Texas Rangers cap signed by pitcher Chan
Ho Park. There was a costume contest, and the first-, second- and
third-place winners received gift certificates to The Parks mall.
More blackjack tables were added this year because blackjack has
consistently been the event’s most popular game, Nagy said.
“Between the Sheets” and “Three-way Action”
were new games this year. “Between the Sheets” is a
simple game to play, said Stephanie Barroso, pre-med freshman and
volunteer dealer. After someone places a bet, the dealer puts down
two cards. If the third card falls between the other two in value,
the player wins the bet, she said.
Many students used the night to show off their best and original
Halloween costumes, including aerospace engineering freshman Cameron
Thomas, who dressed as a female pirate. Thomas said the inspiration
for the outfit came the night before the event as he was hanging
out with photography junior Tashi Ament.
“She put a scarf on my head last night, and I felt like going
all the way,” he said.
However, Thomas didn’t have much luck at the blackjack table,
which he blamed in part on his costume.
“God’s smiting me for cross dressing,” he said.
Broadcast communication junior Roger Palmer donned one of the more
unusual costumes. He came dressed as a lawn and included a football
and Frisbee for good measure.
“I always try to come up with an original costume,”
he said.
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