People are winning and losing money again for the first time in years at two Atlantic City casinos that had been shut down. Monday marked the first day of so-called “soft play” at the Ocean Resort Casino and the Hard Rock. The testing period is designed to see how the casinos’ equipment and technology systems work before the full grand openings for both facilities on Thursday.
But the winning and losing of money was real. Just ask Marian Simmons of Somers Point, New Jersey.
“I just stuck my card in the machine, and on the second spin, I won $225,” she said. “I’m so happy!” Lee Gentile, of Toms River, New Jersey, was having a similar run of early good luck. In 15 minutes at a slot machine, she had won $400. As a reporter watched, she won another $50 on her next spin. “I should take this now and go home,” she said. “But of course I won’t.”