The ballrooms of Shepherd Union opened their doors to host Casino Night on Oct 4. The theme of the event was Mardi Gras where students and guests were dressed in their best suits and dresses.

The atmosphere was electric as students stepped through the doors. Mardi Gras beads could be found all over the room and around the necks of the casino goers.

The smell of traditional Louisiana cuisine with rich cajun flavors filled the air and the stomachs of everyone gambling. After all, what better way to shake off losing at the gambling table than to make a plate of comfort food?

Tables of poker, blackjack, casino war, craps and roulette turned the ballrooms into a bustling casino for the night. Every table was crowded with students trying their luck and cheering on those who were striking the hot spot.

If students weren’t betting their chips, they were cashing in what they earned in raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes.

Raffle prizes included Weber State University gear, a WSU jersey signed by Damian Lillard, tickets to Fear Factory, gift cards for various restaurants and $1,000 toward funding for a club of the winners’ choice.

As the night grew later, the stacks of chips collected by gamblers began to grow. Others were calling it a night and cashing in to get a chance at winning one of the many raffle prizes they had been eyeballing all night.

Once the raffle began, everyone gathered in the front and anxiously waited for their ticket number to be called.

Ticket strands were sprawled on the ground and across every table so the ticket number called out wouldn’t be missed. Lucky winners ran to the front to collect their prize as the room erupted in cheers.

Those who went home empty-handed did not leave unsatisfied. Maybe it was the taste of Kings Cake, the Jambalaya or the mocktails that lingered. Or maybe the Mardi Gras bead necklaces and new memories they carried home with them.