AUDREY: A LITTLE SLICE OF THE
VEGAS STRIP, RIGHT HERE IN
NASHUA.
LOCATED JUST OFF ROUTE 3, BOSTON
BILLIARDS HAS OFFERED BILLIARDS
AND POOL SINCE 2000, BUT LAST
YEAR ADDED A CASINO TO ITS
ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX.
OWNER KURT MATHIAS HAD NO IDEA
GAMING WAS ALLOWED IN THE STATE,
UNTIL HE HEARD ABOUT IT THROUGH
AN UNLIKELY SOURCE.
>> IT'S AN ODD STORY.
OUR PRODUCE DELIVERY GUY CAME IN
AND MENTIONED TO ME WE SHOULD
PUT IN CHARITABLE GAMING IN THE
CLUB.
I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT?
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, POKER TABLES
AND BLACKJACK TABLES.
I SAID, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
THAT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
YOU SAID, YES YOU CAN, YOU CAN
DO IT THROUGH CHARITIES.
AUDREY: CHARITY IS THE NAME OF
THIS GAME.
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A GAMING
LICENSE, 35% OF THE DAY'S
PROFITS ARE AWARDED TO A
501(C)(3) NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.
10% GOES TO THE STATE, AND THE
HOUSE GETS 55%.
>> THE WAY NEW HAMPSHIRE DOES
GAMING IS BRILLIANT.
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE REALLY DO
BENEFIT FROM WHAT GOES ON.
AUDREY: ONE OF THOSE CHARITIES
IS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF
NASHUA.
RECENTLY, BOSTON BILLIARDS
AWARDED THE ORGANIZATION NEARLY
$19,000.
EVERY DIME GOES TO HELP A CHILD
IN NEED, PROVIDING HOMEWORK
HELP, SWIMMING, DANCING, ART,
AND TWO MEALS A DAY.
>> ABOUT 70% OF OUR KIDS ARE
FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, SO WE
CHARGE $35 A YEAR FOR KIDS TO
COME TO THE CLUB AND BE MEMBERS,
WHICH INCLUDES MEALS AND
TRANSPORTATION AS WELL.
SO WE REALLY ARE A RESOURCE IN
THE COMMUNITY FOR WORKING
PARENTS, TO BE ABLE TO WORK AND
FOR KIDS TO HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO
BE.
>> IT IS A NEW EFFORT AT BOSTON
BILLIARDS, WITH THE CASINO
ASPECT TO THEIR BUSINESS.
THEY HAVE JUMPED IN WITH BOTH
FEET, AND YOU KNOW, A BIG PART
OF THEIR MISSION IS TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE NONPROFIT
COMMUNITY.
SO NOT ONLY OUR CLUB, BUT ALL OF
THE NONPROFITS IN NASHUA ARE
BENEFITING FROM THIS EFFORT.
AUDREY: THERE ARE WEEKLY POKER
TOURNAMENTS.
>> WE ARE HOPING AT THE
BEGINNING OF JUNE, WE ARE GOING
TO BE ABLE TO START DOING FREE
LESSONS FOR THE PIT TABLES, AS
WELL AS POKER ON MONDAY NIGHTS.
WE DO FREE POOL LESSONS EVERY
MONDAY NIGHT.
WE HAVE DONE THAT EVERY MONDAY
SINCE WE OPENED.
AUDREY: POOL LESSONS ARE OFFERED
BY RON TOCCI, WHO HAS BEEN
HITTING THEM STRAIGHT FOR
DECADES.
>> IF SOMEBODY WAS TO ASK ME,
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN POOL
, I WOULD HAVE TO TELL THEM TO
STROKE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE CUE
BALL AT ALL TIMES.
AUDREY: WITH POOL LEAGUES
PLAYING WEEKLY, RON CAN HELP YOU
GO FROM NOVICE TO SHARK IN A
COUPLE OF LESSONS.
>> THERE YOU GO.
THAT IS THE PERFECT STANCE.
PERFECT.
AUDREY: I PUT THE CUE BALL IN
THERE?
>> HIT RIGHT THROUGH THE BALL.
LOOK AT THAT.
AND THAT IS IT.
AUDREY: I'M A SHARK.
>> YOU ARE A SHARK ALREADY.
AUDREY: THE GOAL HERE IS FUN AND
ENTERTAINMENT.
THE MAXIMUM BID IS FOUR DOLLARS.
>> WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING
IN THE DOORS FOR THE FIRST TIME,
AND THEY ARE INTERESTED IN --
WHETHER IT BE POKER OR PLAYING
ONE OF THE TABLE GAMES OR
ROULETTE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
AND IT'S REALLY AN INVITING
ATMOSPHERE.
>> AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME
FUN.
CRACKS THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THE DEALERS AND THE MANAGERS
ARE GOOD ABOUT TEACHING THEM THE
GAME.
THE OTHER PLAYERS, ESPECIALLY
WITH THE STAKES BEING SO LOW,
THERE IS NOT THE STIGMA OF
FEELING LIKE IF YOU MAKE A
MISTAKE, ANYBODY IS GOING TO
HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT AT THE
TABLE.
AUDREY: I DECIDED TO LET DEALER
JIMMY CORRELLI TEACH ME HOW TO
PLAY ROULETTE.
HE GAVE ME $60 IN CHIPS.
>> EVERYTHING OUT HERE PAYS EVEN
MONEY, ANYTHING RED OR BLACK.
AUDREY: COVERING A LOT OF
NUMBERS, I THOUGHT I HAD A
DECENT CHANCE.
>> SO THEN WHEN THE PLAYERS ARE
READY, SPIN.
AUDREY: THE HOUSE WINS.
JIMMY HAS BEEN A DEALER FOR 12
YEARS.
>> I USED TO GAMBLE A LOT MYSELF
-- BLACKJACK, THIS GAME, POKER.
I LIKE THE ATMOSPHERE,
EVERYTHING.
ESPECIALLY THIS ROOM, A VERY
NICE PLACE.
AUDREY: ROULETTE SPINNING 101.
JIMMY TRIED TO SHOW ME THE
TRICKS OF HIS TRADE.
>> SOME PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT
SPINS.
SOME PEOPLE CAN SNAP THEIR
FINGER AND SPIN THE BALL.
I GO LIKE THAT AND SNAP MY WRIST
A LITTLE BIT.
AUDREY: FIRST BEEN -- FIRST SPIN
LANDED ON THE FLOOR.
>> NOPE.
SO THAT WOULD BE A NO SPIN.
AUDREY: SECOND TRY BOUNCED ALL
OVER THE WHEEL.
JIMMY SAYS IT'S ALL IN THE
WRIST.
>> TWO FINGERS, THAT'S HOW I DO
IT, UP AGAINST THE WHEEL.
JUST KIND OF SNAP.
THAT WOULD BE NO GOOD.
COME OVER HERE, IT MIGHT BE
EASIER FOR YOU.
AUDREY: NONE OF MY SPINS ARE ANY
GOOD.
I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY I WILL
NEVER BE A ROULETTE DEALER IN
THIS LIFETIM
IF YOU WORK UP AN APPETITE, THE
FOOD IS JUST AS POPULAR AS THE
GAMES.
BOSTON BILLIARDS OFFERS LUNCH
AND DINNER.
DURING THE WARMER MONTHS, BOSTON
BILLIARDS HAS A PATIO WHERE
PATRONS CAN SIT IN A QUIET SPOT
AND TAKE A BREAK FROM ALL THE
ACTION.
A GAME ROOM WITH BOXING AND
BASKETBALL.
LARGE SCREEN TV'S COVER THE
ROOM, PERFECT PLACE TO WATCH
SPORTS.
PLUS PRIVATE ROOMS FOR CORPORATE
EVENTS AND HOLIDAY PARTIES.
>> THE CEO OF THE COMPANY CAN
SHOOT POOL WITH THE PERSON IN
THE MAIL ROOM AND BE PERFECTLY
COMFORTABLE DOING IT.
IT HAS BEEN GREAT.
WE PARTNER WITH THE NASHUA
SENIOR CENTER.
SO IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE
NASHUA SENIOR CENTER, YOU ARE
ALLOWED TO PLAY FOR FREE MONDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY FROM NOON UNTIL
3:00 P.M.
AUDREY: FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT,
WHILE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE
LIVES OF SO MANY WHO BENEFIT
FROM LOCAL CHARITIES.
>> EVERYBODY IS BENEFITING --
THE STATE IS BENEFITING, THE
CHARITIES ARE BENEFITING HUGELY.
AS OF NOW, ALMOST $660,000 TO
-- IN CHARITABLE DONATIONS TO
CHARITIES.
IT IS REALLY SMART, THE WAY IT
GOES.
>> THERE WE GO, STRAIGHT.
'S