How can casinos attract their best slot customers and entice them to play the game beyond a promotion?
Introduce a slot machine from a classic movie title like The Wizard of Oz, have the manufacturer offer $6,000 in free play, and provide a wicked witch as a marketing backdrop.
Such was the case recently at the El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas. A joint promotion with Scientific Games created a long line of players to try out Munchkinland, the slot machine developer’s newest game in its Wizard of Oz series based on the 1939 movie.
El Cortez customers line up to play ‘Munchkinland’ Photo courtesy Scientific Games
The casino and the company sent letters to some 500 slot players for a promotion. The first 200 people were given tickets for five max bet spins of $6 each for a total of $30. Whatever they won, which could be lucrative on the bonus spins with the wide-area progressive jackpot that was at $1.8 million at the time, the players got to keep.
The biggest win of the night was $940 and there were three $300-plus winners and five that won $200-plus. Those who didn’t make it to the bonus level received a Yellow Brick Road T-shirt. Those who played into the bonus level also earned ruby sequin totes and ruby slipper socks.
El Cortez slot director Rick Ronca said the casino has done gift giveaways with the introduction of new slots in the past. However, this is the first promotion where a slot maker has given the property money for free play.
“I think it shows the game off. It’s great for both of us,” Ronca said. “We wanted to do it and show it how successful it is, and Sci Games is proud of their new box. Their whole package is beautiful.”
He added that El Cortez gives away “about $10,000 a day average in free play to our players.” The casino has 881 slot machines, including several vintage slots that utilize coins.
Ronca said the big winner of the night, at $940, doesn’t play video reel games, but when players like her see that they can win, they’re willing to play it when they return.
“Some of the older players think video reel games are gimmicks, and you don’t win money, but we showed them you can,” Ronca said. “Two of my customers are pretty hardcore video poker players, and their grandson won in the promotion. They said they threw a couple hundred bucks into Munchkinland because it was so much fun. That is exactly what you’re looking to have, someone that wouldn’t normally sit down at that game, enjoy themselves and want to do it with their own money. The games are doing well.”
Slot consultant Mike Meczka, president of Meczka Marketing Research Consulting, said casinos’ free play promotions that target the best customers continue to be valuable to generate new trips and extend play time at the properties.
Offers of free play by manufacturers, however, aren’t as prevalent. They have been more common in Native American casinos than in Las Vegas, he said.
“It’s rare for consumers to get seed money to play a game (from a manufacturer) because it’s an additional expense,” Meczka said. “Thirty dollars starts to be a value, and the bet the manufacturer is making is that the game has acceptance and people will want it at other casinos.”
Meczka said if a customer wins $50 or more in a promotion there’s an excellent chance they will return to play that specific game. Others who don’t win gain familiarity about the game to try it again, but it can take more time on the game to get them to play.
Scientific Games said the promotion has been offered to casino customers that place Munchkinland.
“Offering free play promotions for certain premium/branded products when casinos install the new games has been something we have done for a while, since the Bally Gaming days,” the company said in a statement in which it described the performance of the game as strong.
Scientific Games acquired Bally Technologies in 2015 in a $5.1 billion deal.
“(Munchkinland) is currently Scientific Games’ second highest performing (wide area progressive) game to Dancing Drums Explosion,” said Rosa Zhang, Scientific Games’ director of product management, gaming division. “It’s also the No. 1 performer on the immersive Gamefield 2.0 cabinet.”
Ronca said he saw the benefits of promotions specific to a game after the Beverly Hillbillies video slot game was introduced to the casino in 2003.
The El Cortez hosted Max Baer Jr., who portrayed Jethro from the popular 1960s television show. The line was out the door as customers got a chance to meet Baer and receive a T-shirt.
“It had longevity, and the promotion really helped,” Ronca said.
Munchkinland, which was introduced to Nevada in March, is the first Wizard of Oz slot to utilize 3D rendered characters, including the first-ever appearance of The Wicked Witch of the East, as an integral part of the game’s features and bonuses. She will randomly fly over the base game display and cast a spell on the reels, possibly expanding them up to 12 rows. During the feature Witch Wild, reels may be added, increasing the chance of a big win. If Tornado Wild reels are added, the reels switch to Lollipop Wilds displaying credit prizes and jackpots.
The Munchkin Parade Bonus, triggered by three or more bonus symbols, begins with a wheel spin where character wedges award a corresponding jackpot and an additional spin, and free spin wedges can award up to 20 free spins.
During the free spins, parading Munchkins can award up to three active enhancements, such as wild reels, multipliers, and credit prize Lollipop Wilds.
