Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bingo Draws A Crowd Games At Dog Track Bring Out More Than Expected

Eric Torbenson Staff writer

With the cool demeanor of a seasoned pro, Spokane’s Gerrie Dooley lifted her magenta-splotched card and stated firmly “Bingo.”

Dooley smiled as Kaci Crain laid out 138 crisp bucks for her, the first winnings of Clubhouse Bingo at the Coeur d’Alene Greyhound Park. Wednesday marked the inaugural session of the region’s newest bingo shop.

About 170 people brought big bags of “daubers” - those inking pens used to blot out spaces on the bingo cards - plenty of cigarettes and decades of experience.

“I’ve been waiting to come here for a week,” Dooley said. “When they started advertising I knew I’d come out here.”

Attendance was better than expected, said Chris Christian, the chief executive officer of Les Bois Park, the Boise-based racing concern that runs the track. Simulcast gambling, where you can bet on horse and dog races from elsewhere, has continued at the track after live dog racing folded in December.

“I was expecting as few as 50 people,” Christian said. “This is great.”

The cash goes to seven charities that sponsor each of the three sessions a day. The American Legion Post 14 in Coeur d’Alene received 20 percent of the take for the inaugural session.

Bingo organizers figure the operation will net $600,000 for the charities by year end. State law requires that charities take 20 percent of the gross.

Veterans of dog racing days returned to the spacious clubhouse to watch the little televisions that showed each ball as it was sucked up by the bingo machine.

“I won $1,300 once betting on the dogs here,” said Lee Liebus of Coeur d’Alene. “When you’re a widow, you’ve got to find things to do.”

Liebus plays up to four times a week at halls like the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Bingo Hall in Worley, bringing along her bag of colorful daubers.

She liked what she saw of Clubhouse Bingo. “In Worley, it’s really hard to win because there’s so many people.”

Up at the bingo caller’s podium, Maria Gertson counseled players on winning etiquette. “If you win, please don’t throw things up at me because I bruise very easily.”

Gertson said she’d called bingo games off and on in Spokane for four years, but is happy to be working full time here. The addition of bingo added about 30 jobs to the track.

For many players, curiosity brought them to the track. Kathie Casper of Post Falls had some free time while preparing to open an espresso stand, so she came to the hall to try to pick up some cash. “I was glad to see that they’re using the track again.”

Plenty of regular Spokane bingo players made the drive. Lillian Noble from the Spokane Valley was poised with her cards and inker 10 minutes before the first balls bounced in the machine. If she liked the clubhouse, she figured she’d come back despite Post Falls being farther away from her usual bingo halls.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo