There's a new way to hit the jackpot after £600,000 revamp

Grosvenor Casino at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth opened its new venue – an extension to its existing site which has a separate bar, entrance and atmosphere – last night.

The new area, which used to be a show bar and, prior to that, comedy club Jongleurs, has been converted and now has four gaming tables, eight electronic roulette terminals and 20 slot machines.

General manager Tracey Collins said: ‘Not only will this investment allow us to provide an exceptional gaming experience for both new and existing customers, but it will also create important job opportunities.

‘As well as an improved gaming offering in response to customer demand, we’ve also introduced a new bespoke gaming area which will create a really fun atmosphere in the casino.

‘We always strive to provide something for everyone and the addition of these new tables will add some more theatre within the casino environment.’

Customer services manager Sean Murphy, who has worked at the casino for two years, said there was already a buzz about the new venue.

He said the new venue will also double the number of slot machines at the casino, something that has been in big demand from customers.

Mr Murphy said: ‘The slot machines are the most popular with customers.

‘They have 40 different games on each one and you can play for as little as 20p or as much as £5 a time.

‘They are entirely random and various game features pop up while you are playing. They have a jackpot of £10,000 and a progressive jackpot of £20,000, with a percentage payout of between 94 to 96 per cent, so they are much better than traditional fruit machines. There are 25 win lines and you can literally win £20,000 from a 20p stake.’

The venue has a 24-hour licence, which has been transferred from the Grosvenor Casino venue in Southsea which closed last year, as well as a poker area with eight tables.

A new area has also been installed in the main casino with games such as Big Money Wheel, Cardette, Bucket Dice Table and Double Zero Roulette. As well the wide range of improvements, the investment has also created an additional 40 jobs to increase the existing 150-strong team employed at the casino.

To find out more about Grosvenor Casino Portsmouth, which is owned by The Rank Group Plc, and its programme of events, go to grosvenorcasinos.com