Unemployed and at the casino
Friday 15th May

I'm in Manchester city centre shopping. It's now 1:55pm and I've stopped off at the Manchester235 casino near Deansgate. I'm already a member of the Grosvenor and Circus casinos which have some good restaurants and lounge areas to be on a night out. I'm now joining this casino.
The guy at the entrance desk is taking my details and sorting out a membership card.
Him: "Do you have ID?"
I hand him the passport.
Him: "A passport"
He opens it and there's a big chip with an aerial on one of the pages.
Me: "That's a big aerial for a passport. Maybe they're going to use it to track people."
Him: "On no, I've got one of them, it's just for when at the airport." he says sure of himself, obviously reciting the information booklet by the government given out with the passport.
This is the problem nowadays, people believe everything they read without considering the source it came from. Didn't they learn anything from GCSE history at school. For anyone who didn't, the most important lesson of history for life is – how reliable is the source.

So it's 1:57pm and now there's a queue of 6 people waiting. I say to one of the guys waiting in the foyer.
Me: "Isn't the casino open yet?"
Him: "It says on the door it opens at 12 but it actually opens at 2."
Him: "Are you a member of any other casinos?"
Me: "Yes, Circus and Grosvenor."
Him: "Are you unemployed?"
Me: "No, why? Are you?"
Him: "Yes, why else would I be here?"
Me: "Casinos aren't the best place to come if you've got no money."
Him: "There's some good offers. I'm eating here tonight. If you give them your email they'll send you 250 points which is £2.50 worth of food in the bar or restaurant."
We talk for a few minutes about the various casinos and special offers.

The casino opens and the lady at the entrance desk swipes the membership card and gives me a 2-1 payout voucher for roulette. I go inside to take a look around and it seems like a nice venue. I go to the roulette table and look at the past spins board. Black has come up 8 times in the last 8 spins, and even though by probability past spins are no indication of future spins, I'm going to bet on red. I put £21 cash on the table and get four £5 chips and one £1 chip. I put £10 on red, £10 on black and £1 on 0. So now the most I can lose is £1. I put the voucher on red. The guy gives me a look like I'm up to something, he spins the wheel and releases the ball. It looks like it's going to black, but no, there's just enough momentum and it lands on red. So with a 2-1 payout I lose £10 on black, £1 on 0 and win £20 on red. Overall I make £9 which isn't bad. 5 minutes work.
There must be lots of unemployed people coming here making an average £4 a day using this offer, which 5 days a week will turn £60 jobseekers allowance into £80.

As I'm leaving the casino, the guy I was speaking to earlier in the foyer says
Him: "Hi." he's smiling.
Me: "How did you do?"
Him: "I won £20" he says in a good mood.
Him: "Did you win?"
Me: "I covered the board and won £9"
He nods and smiles. I say bye and leave.


Summary and venue reviews: Friday 15h May

Manchester 235
Not busy. Clientele: unemployed. Décor: 6/10.
Notes: A 2-1 payout on roulette means it's possible to make money every week.
Manchester235



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