The Claremore Daily Progress launched its initial Progress Bingo game in the fall of 2007. The advertising sponsorship of the game was sold to a local casino. For one price the casino received advertising on the Bingo card and the daily ad that included the bingo numbers.
Prizes included $1,000 cash for the grand prize, $500 cash for second prize, and a third prize of $250 cash. Also, anyone who participated could send their entry in to be included in a drawing for five $50 cash prizes. Customers would come into the office and ask ‘have you had a winner yet?’ or ‘I hope I bingo first’. Many customers would call in daily to see if someone had won. We received approximately 500 entries for the $50 prizes. The game ran about 2-1/2 months and it took 65 numbers to get our first winner.
The game was a huge success for the entire newspaper. The advertising sponsorship generated $6,500 in revenue, extra single copy papers sold, and the customers received something extra just for reading the Claremore Daily Progress.
Tommy Dowdy
Claremore Daily Progress
Claremore, Oklahoma