The money goes in, the buttons are pressed, and lady luck may show up.
Machine game names like Texas Dice, Vegas 7, Wonder Woman, and Spartacus.
The state of Illinois year-end gaming report shows over $32 billion were dropped in video gaming devices in 2018. Players won over $17 billion statewide. The state received $1.4 billion.
Now comes the local statistics from the Illinois Gaming Board website.
In the WSPY area, Yorkville leads with 17 establishments with Oswego, Plano, and Sandwich holding 13 business places. Oswego has 83 machines with Yorkville at 79 and Sandwich at 59.
The 2018 amount played shows Oswego at $40 million with Yorkville $34 million and Plano $23 million. Then there is the total won by players with Oswego $37 million, Yorkville $31 million, and Montgomery at $29 million.
That does not mean there are millionaires living in these towns. According to state officials, players often replay those winnings instead of taking home earnings.
But local village and city governments are also winners in their share of the cash pot. Oswego led the way with $167,000 followed by Yorkville’s $140,000, Montgomery $127,000, Plano $98,000,Sandwich $81,000 and Sugar Grove $44,000. Then Hinckley earned $24,000, Sheridan $18,000, Shabbona, $17,000 and Somonauk with $13,000.