Casino coupon error gives 11,000 people $525

Posted: 11/21/2005 9:42:30 AM

Roughly 11,000 patrons of Harrah's Joliet Casino in Illinois got a big surprise in the mail last week: a coupon good for $525 in wagering.

But casino officials were surprised more than anyone else.

The casino's direct-marketing vendor mistakenly made the coupons for an amount much higher than the usual $15 to $20 that was intended to be the value, Harrah's said.

The company will honor the coupons, which were sent out last week, said Harrah's Illinois regional president Joe Domenico. The announcement came after the Illinois Gaming Board was deluged by complaints from people who said they were told by casino workers the coupons were no good, said gaming board spokesman Gene O'Shea.

"There were a lot of customers who went to Harrah's expecting to be paid," O'Shea said. "There were a lot of angry patrons."

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The casino, owned by Las Vegas-based Harrah's Entertainment Inc., has not said how much money it could lose from the coupon error. The coupons' total value is about $5.8 million.

Source: AP and Lottery Post Staff

DoubleDown

Coastal Georgia
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Posted: November 21, 2005, 9:58 am - IP Logged

Looks like Christmas has came early for lots of people !!!!!

qutgnt

chicago
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Posted: November 21, 2005, 11:10 am - IP Logged

Why do I play at Empress?? I am sure most of these people will blow it back to the slot machines anyway!

fxsterling

BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI
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Posted: November 21, 2005, 11:43 am - IP Logged

100 thousand sent out good time to look at junk mail in chicago

inittowin

Slide It In
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Posted: November 21, 2005, 11:45 am - IP Logged

I would think Harrah's would be delighted with the mistake!

They should have only contracted with a direct marketing company that was bonded and insured against a problem like that and have the marketing companies' insurance pay for the mistake.

LOL