Casino mess-up could cost $29 million

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A casino gambled and lost — big time. Now it’s asking thousands of customers to give it a break.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course set out to do something nice for its best customers, rewarding 1,000 of them with free slot-machine playing credits

But instead of the elite 1,000, the promotion was sent to 55,000 people. If they all claim the reward, the casino could be on the hook for $29 million.

Hollywood Casino executives decided Monday to partially honor the offer after frantically calling tens of thousands of customers during the weekend.

The reward program was for $100 in slots credits per week from Dec. 1 through Jan. 4, plus two free visits to the buffet at the casino in Grantville, about 15 miles northeast of Harrisburg, said Penn National spokesman Eric Schippers.

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