But the “birthday’ promotion I was given was a different matter. The odds of winning more were clearly against us and there was no control over the spin once the wheel began turning. All three of us won $5 after we took our spin. Although a little garish and not very inviting, I would likely have given Oxford Casino a second try in the near future except for one thing: As part of new player promotion, players are given a free spin at any player perks kiosk. On a good note, the personnel at Oxford are pleasant and helpful and the only dining facility on the premises served food that was well above average for what might expect from a café like it elsewhere. The days of loose machines and reasonable payouts and odds are long gone and it came as no surprise to lose and go away feeling less than entertained or satisfied.

But this is what we have all come to expect in any current casino experience. My friends spent equivalent amounts and fared no better. But after $300 in and very little out in a span of less than an hour in actual play time, I decided it would be cheaper and more entertaining to just pay an accountant or attorney $150 an hour to discuss life or whether Trump can pardon himself. There were a variety of machines and no smoke so it could have been a more positive experience had the machines been more fun….or generous. And this will cost money, players’ money. They are building their own hotel and it won’t be long until they imitate others that think customers want things like unknown country bands wailing in the background as they play slots and upscale décor akin to what might find at Versailles. We had hope that the payouts and play time would be more generous in a less elaborate facility. But that seemed like a good thing as patrons are the ones paying for marble floors and over the top finishes and amenities. One of only two in the state of Maine, this casino is modest and without the frills one finds at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, and is more comparable to Massachusetts’ only open casino, Plainridge Park.

All hotels in the immediate vicinity were booked for a busy Saturday night with beaches nearby and $6.99 lobsters plentiful so we stayed 12 miles away and commuted to the casino. The ride was worth it with spectacular scenery along the nearby Maine coast. Friends decided to do something different for my 70th birthday by taking me to the Oxford Casino in Oxford, Maine, a four hour trip from my home.

Hats from the oxford maine casino