Spotted: KC’s only Royals-fever holdouts

Last night, I found the one place in Kansas City where Royals fever did not register on any thermometer.

I counted at least 20 monitors on the gaming floor at the Isle of Capri Casino, all of them tuned to the Royals and most turned up loud. But most of the patrons stayed glued to their slot machines, even those directly under the TVs. People barely bothered to look up at the game. While the Royals made long-shot history, these gamblers stayed true to their own personal over-under.

“I don’t care about the Royals,” snapped one man I was thinking of approaching to get a quote. He wore a black-leather jacket and lots of impressive jewelry but absolutely zero MLB gear. He was speaking to a friend who had tried to pry him off a hot slot machine. “I’m here to make a million dollars,” he said. The friend gave up. So did I.

The staff at the casino was a different story. Everyone I saw working there last night was in an upbeat, go-Royals mood, and many were in blue athletic shirts. But their cheer didn’t penetrate the betting fog.

“Come on, pink!” shouted one woman to the Pink Diamonds 25-cent machine she was playing.

“Pink?” I asked her. “Not Royals blue?”

“I need three pink sevens on the payline,” she said. 

Good luck in the World Series, pink lady.