Monte Royale attracted hundreds of students to the Otter Student Union (OSU) ballroom with casino games and prizes at the last Otter Days event on Aug. 25.
Associated Students arranged Monte Royale with professional dealers and took various steps to try and make sure the first Friday back on campus would be one to remember.
“On a Friday night, a lot of students have had all their classes for the week and it’s good for them to get out and have fun,” said Ivan Gomez, a fourth-year biology major who was running the prize table.
Many students learned how to gamble for the first time, and tried their hand at blackjack, roulette, Yahtzee and poker. Everyone was given 500 “dollars” to start with at the door and played to win prizes such as a fidget spinner, a cardboard cutout of Pitbull, and even a Nintendo Switch. “We’re gonna play until we run out of money or win the Squishmallow”, said Cici Acosta, a third-year HCOM major.
Students enjoyed mocktails and appetizers while they played; the ballroom was packed until the very last game finished.
