Feature photo by Logan Bowman

Story by Logan Bowman

MTSU students gathered to test their luck and roll the dice at Lightning’s Lucky Casino on Tuesday night, the second of five events this week organized by the Student Government Association for Student Appreciation Week. 

“The purpose of student appreciation week is to show students that we appreciate their involvement with the school and the school pride that they do have,” Olivia Kilpatrick, casino host and SGA event organizer said. “With SGA, we’re all about students who represent students.”

The event bore the aesthetics of a typical casino, with red carpets, flashing lights and food catering. The room featured authentic casino equipment for students to play games such as blackjack, poker and roulette, the latter proving to be a student favorite.

Tennessee prohibits casino gambling, and most states that allow it restrict gambling to players 21 and up. No cash was exchanged at Lightning’s Lucky Casino, and the fun and games were open to all students.

All activities were MTSU approved, Kilpatrick said.

“I’ve never gambled before, but I’ve been in the atmosphere of gambling because I’m from the Bahamas,” junior Alena Munings said. “When I walked in and saw people dealing … it’s kind of like the same atmosphere.”

The casino even featured real, functioning slot machines that were especially popular among event attendees who were beginning to feel the thrill of an eventual cash-out.

“I’ve tried the slots … I lost every time,” junior Jada Wilkins said. “But it was fun though, it was a fun experience. You win some more coins just to put back in the machine.”

The event was also a part of SGA’s efforts to raise awareness about the dangers and risks of gambling through simulated no-risk competition among friends. Gambling among students is a rising problem, especially with the recent popularity of online gambling. 

“We wanted to make sure this event was safe and fun for students,” Kilpatrick said. The games were played with chips, like in a real casino, but the chips were counted and not cashed out at the end of the night.

Student Appreciation Week continues through Oct. 25, and students can check on the SGA’s Instagram @mtsusga for more information regarding this week’s events, which should prove to be just as lively as Lightning’s Lucky Casino Night.

Logan Bowman is a Reporter for MTSU Sidelines.

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