The first time University senior Renard Glenn visited the Hollywood Casino in Toledo, luck was on his side.

“We did pretty good,” Glenn said, who went with his roommate the first day the casino opened in May. “We walked out with more than we came in with.”

Four-hundred dollars more.

Glenn said he entered with $200 and left with $600 after three or four hours at the craps table.

“I felt I had better odds at craps than the other games,” he said.

Most of his winnings went to paying bills, Glenn said and since then he’s visited four more times.

Aside from gambling, Glenn also said the casino atmosphere was an attraction itself.

“With the live band playing and the lights, it’s just like Hollywood,” he said. “It’s interesting when you’re not gambling … there’s lots of entertainment.”

While the casino may not compete with some in Las Vegas that Glenn has been to, he said it ranks high on his list.

With the live band and movie previews playing, the casino offers a more unique experience compared to some in Michigan, Glenn said.

The casino also gives students something else to do outside of BG, he said.

“You can hit the road and be there in 20 minutes,” Glenn said. “There’s always something to do in a casino.”

Some students who work there agree that the casino offers a new attraction to the area.

Being in a college town with a few others in the area, senior and server Ashleigh Reid said she has noticed a younger crowd at the casino.

“The casino is also non-smoking and younger people like that,” said senior and server Ramona Fischer. “It’s one of the advantages we have over the Detroit casino.”

One of the things Reid and Glenn both enjoy about the casino is the people.

“You meet a variety of people and the customers are hilarious,” Reid said.

From the customer standpoint, Glenn said the people help make visits a good time.

“There are times when I lost more money than I came with, but I couldn’t be mad because I was around good people,” Glenn said.

The service is also great and they make you feel more comfortable, he said.

Although the casino is near a lot of colleges, because most students are under 21, the casino doesn’t do anything special to attract them, said Marketing Operations Manager John McNamara in an email.

“I would say that the thing that attracts students of legal gambling age is the same thing that attracts anyone to the casino; for the entertainment value of it and the thrill of winning,” he said in an email.

The thrill of winning has kept Glenn coming back. However, he said he hasn’t been able to match his initial success again, but has come close.

On July 4, Glenn said he came with $20 and left with $250.

“Craps is just so good to me,” he said.

The most Glenn said he’s lost was $25. He attributes the minor losses to using the buddy system.

By going with his roommate, Glenn said they are able to make sure they don’t over spend and only bet what they can risk.