Keno

[D$]

Where to start? How about with a big WTF? Welcome to Gov. Strickland's answer to Ohio's lack of gaming. Well, frankly, eff him and the lottery commission. I can't believe this game goes live on Monday August 4th. I also can't believe this is being pitched as a solution to Ohio's budget deficit. Why does this piss me off so much?

1.) Being a bartender, I work in one of the environments eligible to be a retailer for this debacle. Basically only bars, restaurants, bowling centers, ect. are eligible to sell the game. You cannot purchase the game at normal lottery retailers (gas stations, quickie marts, ect). However, when you become a "Keno" retailer, you also are required to be a full service "Ohio Lottery" retailer. This means that you sell all online games plus instant tickets. Like most bills in any Congress, these are the strings attatched. Its being spun to potential retailers as Keno, but in reality the state will be adding thousands (at least they hope) of full service lottery retailers. I find this extremely deceptive. I'm a bartender, not a lottery clerk.

2.) They are spinning the game as inexpensive. Just about anything is inexpensive in moderation, but with bets ranging from $1-$20 and a drawing every 4 minutes from 11:00am-1:30am, well I'll let you do the math. More deception.

3.) They look at Michigan as model for projected revenues. Enough said.

4.) If you have never had the humbling experience of selling instant bingo tickets to sweet little old ladies at your local church's bingo night, do yourself a favor and volunteer once. If these are supposed to be my new customers, please just shoot me now.

5.) I don't see this keeping Ohio money in the state as people will still leave for real gambling. I also don't see out-of-staters coming in to enjoy our great Keno and smoking ban.

I could go on, but I'll just say I'm not a fan of this shit. The service industry (bars especially) is still adjusting to cope with the smoking ban and accommodate customers who have been there from day one. I don't need some blue-hair bitching at me because it needs a keno ticket run and a 12th cup of coffee when I'm 3 deep with people actually spending.

[swerb]

Just like the Ohio Lottery, keno is a tax on the weak minded, poor, and stupid.

The people that can least afford to take the hit to their monthly income.

Like the Ohio Lottery (pick 4, 10,000 - 1 odds, pays $5,000), you have to be a fucking moron to be spending consistent dollars from your monthly budget playing Keno. The odds are so heavily weighted in the houses favor, and that's Vegas. I can only imagine how rigged in their favor the state run version locally will be.

It's just laughable to me. These Ohio politicians, clearly blind to the fact that Ohio is the poorest state in the union despite very high taxes, they can sleep well at night supporting things like Keno and the Lottery, which are played primarily by people that are below median income levels. Yet they express outrage at the thought of someone coming in and building a beautiful casino in downtown Cleveland with a dress code and a couple gorgeous hotels flanking it.

I've lived here my whole life. It is absolutely mindboggling how poorly this state, and the city of Cleveland have been run. Goes way beyond gambling and it is not specific to one political party. But this is a glaring and popular example of the ineptitude of our leaders.

I love living in NE Ohio, I really do. The area has a lot to offer. It could be so much better though. This state has been completely bereft of talented, passionate politicians willing to think outside the box.

[pup]

Hard to imagine we could have taken a step back from Taft, but my god.

Terrible Taft story. He came to my work (Sherwin Williams) to talk about bringing more "technology based companies" to the state. We had everyone on site. CEO, COO, Board of Directors. Who's who of SW. That moron spent the entire speech calling us Shermin Williams. Freakin Shermin? A lot of people do this. But the Governor of the state of ohio, doing it in this setting?

And somehow, we may be in worse hands today

[D$]

It's completely frustrating. It does nothing to improve the state of Ohio. I only hope my establishment chooses not to fall prey to this scam. Working behind a bar, you will know doubt at some time witness some very depressing sites (if you've been behind a bar long enough you know what I mean). I find adding vices to places already filled with them is absolutely predatory and irresponsible.

[jfiling]

Like the Ohio Lottery (pick 4, 10,000 - 1 odds, pays $5,000), you have to be a fucking moron to be spending consistent dollars from your monthly budget playing Keno. The odds are so heavily weighted in the houses favor, and that's Vegas. I can only imagine how rigged in their favor the state run version locally will be.

The lottery odds piss me off so much. In Nevada, by law the slots have to pay out at least at a 75% rate, but most Vegas casinos payout at a rate of well over 90%. Compare that to the 50% payout for the Pick 3 and Pick 4 games. It's freaking highway robbery, and people would have better odds at a casino in Ohio, but that would be morally wrong (or something). Side note: I also go crazy when I go to the grocery store on Sunday mornings and see the liquor section closed until 1 p.m. thanks to our state's outdated blue laws.

[dmiles]

Hard to imagine we could have taken a step back from Taft, but my god.

Terrible Taft story. He came to my work (Sherwin Williams) to talk about bringing more "technology based companies" to the state. We had everyone on site. CEO, COO, Board of Directors. Who's who of SW. That moron spent the entire speech calling us Shermin Williams. Freakin Shermin? A lot of people do this.

[jack_tors]

Hard to imagine we could have taken a step back from Taft, but my god.

Terrible Taft story. He came to my work (Sherwin Williams) to talk about bringing more "technology based companies" to the state. We had everyone on site. CEO, COO, Board of Directors. Who's who of SW. That moron spent the entire speech calling us Shermin Williams. Freakin Shermin? A lot of people do this. But the Governor of the state of ohio, doing it in this setting?

And somehow, we may be in worse hands today

That has to be the great freakin Taft story ever, lol. I knew that guy was a dolt but gimme a break, thats mind blowing. The name of the company is out front, on the door, and probably all over the damn building but he still couldnt get it right. Awesome, guess he really worked hard to achieve the worst governor status when he was in office.

[buckeye319]

Hard to imagine we could have taken a step back from Taft, but my god.

Terrible Taft story. He came to my work (Sherwin Williams) to talk about bringing more "technology based companies" to the state. We had everyone on site. CEO, COO, Board of Directors. Who's who of SW. That moron spent the entire speech calling us Shermin Williams. Freakin Shermin? A lot of people do this. But the Governor of the state of ohio, doing it in this setting?

And somehow, we may be in worse hands today

That has to be the great freakin Taft story ever, lol. I knew that guy was a dolt but gimme a break, thats mind blowing. The name of the company is out front, on the door, and probably all over the damn building but he still couldnt get it right. Awesome, guess he really worked hard to achieve the worst governor status when he was in office.

Easily one of the dumbest politicians in recent memory. Wasn't his approval rating somewhere around 5% when he left office?