12,000 Gallons of Gas for Free

June 4, 2007 — -- Jeanne and David White drive 150 to 225 miles a week, but that doesn't mean that this year's high gas prices are a concern to the retired couple.

No, they are not super rich. And no, they don't have their own oil well.

But thanks to a promotion at their local casino, the Albuquerque, N.M. couple are driving for free all year long.

The price of gas across the country this week dropped five cents a gallon to $3.16 for regular unleaded, according to the government's Energy Information Administration.

But even with the dip, prices are still 9 percent above where they were last year when gas was selling, on average, for $2.89 a gallon.

With gas prices taking a large bite out of people's wallets, many companies are turning to free gas promotions as a way to draw customers in, especially in the tourism and hospitality industries.

And as gas prices reach new heights this year, so do some of the promotions.

Take Twin River, a Rhode Island gambling hall that is running a giveaway for its slot machine players. And forget a free tank of gas.

Later this month, gamblers there could win a free tanker truck full of gas. That's 12,000 gallons of gas worth about $36,000.

To put it another way: With that much gas somebody could drive from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco -- and back -- about 60 times.

Only one winner will get the free tanker of gas at the June 30 drawing. And don't expect to drive away with the truck. A close read of the fine print reveals that the gambling establishment is not actually giving away a truck full of gas, but a gas card worth $36,000.

High gas prices hurt the gambling industry, said Cynthia Stern, spokeswoman for Twin River. People have less disposable money to spend on slot machines and think twice about driving to an area casino.

"We're really capitalizing on a market situation. We're rewarding people for coming here," she said.

Besides the tanker, during six days this month Twin River is giving away 55 gallons of gas every 30 minutes to gamblers.

Across the country, Jeanne and David White won vouchers for $30 in gas each week for a year from Casino Hollywood. The casino is on land of the San Felipe tribe halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe and the vouchers are only good at the tribe's gas station.

"We're very, very happy," said Jeanne White.