Tropicana - juicy conditions, sweaty as hell. Will back you off in an instant as soon as you vary your bet. Not worth the visit.
Aria by far had the worst blackjack that I experienced the last two times I was there. If I was inclined to voodoo theory, I'd say I also had an interesting experience with a cooler the last time I was there. The Tropicana was a close second; Wouldn't allow me to spread to two hands mid-shoe playing heads up and probably the sweatiest conditions I played in. As far as hotels go, I've stayed at The Signature (MGM Grand) and Bellagio. The Signature is excellent and away from all the hubbub, but you'll walk your ass off because it's a little out of the way. The Bellagio was nice, but I thought their service was lacking and their front desk staff poorly trained.
Good thread Norm. Some answers are from experiences which may be because of a certain pit, time of day or cover. A one time bad experience may not make a place bad, but adding them up will tell you something. Monte Carlo was terrible. I checked all the tables. The high limit room had pits standing around waiting for someone to play. Harrah's properties might be ok for higher stakes, but not for 25 and lower minimum. I had fun and made some dough at EL Cortez. Can't elaborate, but it was fun. NYNY and Excalibur not good. Downtown wasn't so great either. I think the Palms was the worst of all. Their pen is terrible and the dealers will rat on you and whatever you do, don't you dare win there!
South Point: Shitty + sweaty = South Point! They'll back you off for betting a quarter.
El Cortez: Just sweaty. They will also back you off for betting a quarter
Golden Gate: sweaty and mean. Floor got offended when I asked for a comp after a few hours of play, when I was the biggest bettor in the place by a factor of 10.
Circus Circus: scarier than going into a dark shack with the devil. Also, bad games.
Riviera: it's like playing blackjack on the corpse of Frank Sinatra. Probably was a cool place in 1960.
Excalibur: not that bad if you're expecting Motel 6 quality. But confusing: why do you have a male strip show at a "family" place?
Mermaid: Oh, you hired some broke ass 50-year-old strippers to stand out front and give out beads? Let me come in and play video poker while I eat a Fried Twinkie. Actually, I just feel bad for this place. I'm sorry for making fun of you.
Las Vegas Club. What a dump. I think I got tossed for going 1-4 at this place.
Everything in Primm. I just went there because of Fallout New Vegas. It's awful. I can't imagine anyone stopping here when they could go to Vegas.
Outside Vegas:
Mardi Gras Casino in Charleston WV: worst games ever, and you're surrounded by the dregs of humanity. 8d H17 with 3 decks cut off? Count me in!
Wheeling Island in WV: pretty much same as above.
Atlantic City: it's America's taint.
Resorts NW Indiana: close 2nd for America's taint. Bad games AND it's dangerous!
Kewadin casinos in Michigan's UP: insultingly bad comp system. I calculated that it is physically impossible, playing table max on table games, to earn a comp for a hotel room without playing for many days in a row. Also, they hide their hole card if everyone busts.
Horseshoe Cleveland: badly designed, awful games, parking is impossible, no comps. Just horrible.
4 Winds (Michigan): don't even think about it.
Belterra (Indiana): used to be nice. Now the games suck balls, there's no comps, and it's 2 hours from civilization in any direction. And last time I checked, H17 D10 DD with less than 50% pen. And they got caught buying hookers for high rollers (seriously).
Majestic Star (Indiana): only place I've seen where you can't split aces. Also, Gary is a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Watch your cornhole here. Counterpoint: Awesome tiramisu in the steakhouse. Seriously, it's the best I've ever had. The crab legs are ridiculous, too.
St. Louis: Don't get stabbed. So sketchy...
Detroit: casinos are actually really nice. But it's full of crackheads and psychos.
Last edited by moo321; 01-15-2015 at 12:27 PM.
The Cash Cow.
Michael Gaughan, son of Jackie Gaughan, former owner of the El Cortez, owns the South Point. It was my first back off and it came at my first max bet in the second plus card run since I started playing my first and only session there. The suit approached me from behind. He said I played too good, but was free to play any other game in the house, but not Blackjack. I hung around playing VP winning $500, which was the exact amount I was down at Blackjack. I don't remember how I got down $500, but it must have been during the first plus run, since I was only betting a quarter min bet. That back off shaped my use of camo from then on.Originally Posted by KJ
I haven't participated in this thread, because I honestly couldn't figure out if it was about hotel accommodations, for which I am not very knowledgeable, or BJ playing conditions. I don't use hotels in Vegas, except an occasional couple day change of scenery getaway at Red Rock or GVR. Since it seems to have evolved into a list of sweatiest places, I will list my top 3.
Honorable mention: Club Fortune (Henderson). This small little local's place in Henderson is very intolerant of even the smallest spread at even the lowest levels. I toned my spread and limits way down to accommodate them because they used to have a good weekly low limit promo and we enjoyed their little diner like café, but they still freaked. And since they are only open for blackjack a few hours a day and have like 2 pit people, a backoff is permanent (at least so far...
3. El Cortez. I have been backed off there probably a dozen times, although none recently. A back off there is common, but in no way permanent. I have returned and played the very next day. The incident that I still have trouble with was the bathroom backoff. That was just most unprofessional (and I told them so).
2. M Resort. They turn on you in a hurry. I had a guy a pit consultant counter catcher follow me around for a couple hours, even eating at the sports bar while I ate. He was determined that I wasn't going to get near a BJ table.
1. South Point. This place is the new champ. They won't tolerate a very tiny spread of any kind. They won't tolerate good basic strategy play. They won't tolerate a player just getting lucky. Basically, they won't tolerate any one winning even $5 of their money. They are quick to backoff counters as well as just lucky players who win.
Aslan 11/1/90 - 6/15/10 Stormy 1/22/95 - 8/23/10... “Life’s most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
The M is the only Vegas Casino I ever played at where I never lost, but I knew early on that camo on top of camo was required to play there, and the patience of Job. Sometimes the pen was fantastic, and other times only so so. I remember sharing notes with Flash (he may still be a member here) about the M and what it takes to beat the game. It's certainly not a place for anyone hoping to make a living from the game; time is money.I haven't participated in this thread, because I honestly couldn't figure out if it was about hotel accommodations, for which I am not very knowledgeable, or BJ playing conditions. I don't use hotels in Vegas, except an occasional couple day change of scenery getaway at Red Rock or GVR. Since it seems to have evolved into a list of sweatiest places, I will list my top 3.
Honorable mention: Club Fortune (Henderson). This small little local's place in Henderson is very intolerant of even the smallest spread at even the lowest levels. I toned my spread and limits way down to accommodate them because they used to have a good weekly low limit promo and we enjoyed their little diner like café, but they still freaked. And since they are only open for blackjack a few hours a day and have like 2 pit people, a backoff is permanent (at least so far...
3. El Cortez. I have been backed off there probably a dozen times, although none recently. A back off there is common, but in no way permanent. I have returned and played the very next day. The incident that I still have trouble with was the bathroom backoff. That was just most unprofessional (and I told them so).
2. M Resort. They turn on you in a hurry. I had a guy a pit consultant counter catcher follow me around for a couple hours, even eating at the sports bar while I ate. He was determined that I wasn't going to get near a BJ table.
1. South Point. This place is the new champ. They won't tolerate a very tiny spread of any kind. They won't tolerate good basic strategy play. They won't tolerate a player just getting lucky. Basically, they won't tolerate any one winning even $5 of their money. They are quick to backoff counters as well as just lucky players who win.
Aslan 11/1/90 - 6/15/10 Stormy 1/22/95 - 8/23/10... “Life’s most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Oh come on Moo, St. Louis is my place! I promise you won't get stabbed!
I literally laughed in such a way while drinking my beverage that I coughed immediately, hard enough for it to come out my nose. Do you know how much Pepsi burns coming out of your nose? Whooooweee.If it was at the urinal, you could have rotated 90-180 degrees while doing your business to face the guy talking to you. Oops!
I'm curious about "The M", since I'll be spending some time there this year on my 2nd Vegas trip. I hear its bad, I hear its awful, which is it? Whole shebang top to bottom. Not just the BJ tables, but the whole experience.
I agree for the most part since my last trip there. I would qualify a little. Harrahs and that group does have decent rules and penetration on shoe games for $50 tables. You have to look closely at the pits but there are a TON of 6-5 tables on the lower limit games.
The El Cortez is the only place in Vegas I have been that I felt uncomfortable carrying any amount of cash. To bet green chips there is to stand out like a sore thumb and INVITE scrutiny. I don't know which was worse; pit boss scrutiny or the other players. I felt like I had to watch my back leaving the place and kept my hand in my pocket on my cash.
Binions depends upon day and time. It's not like it used to be. But they had party pit going strong and you have to make sure that you look around because party pit (except for one exception to my knowledge) insures that you are going to get terrible rules and 6-5 generally.
Norm said to talk about room/hotel conditions. Harrahs depends upon which tower. One remodeled; other not. And they were just about to finish their new food court (but it was under construction this summer when I was there). I always enjoy strolling through the Bellagio for their art work, glass art, etc., even if their games are not that appealing. It seems like there is a MARKED difference in games between the strip and local places. Is there THAT many tourists or civilians to play and fill their coffers?
"Women and cats will do as they please, and Men and dogs should just relax and get used to the idea" --- Robert A. Heinlein
The M has a decent slots/vp promo 850 for lunch, 1400 for dinner (coin in), costs about $3 in ev on best games after slot club. It's pretty aesthetically pleasing, buffet is maybe best off strip but that's pretty subjective. It's probably the second "nicest" locals casino as far as being aesthetically pleasing. I would take a pass on the tables. It isn't very busy, part can be put on location about 4+ miles from anything else. But mostly it can probably be put on that they don't appear to have any identity or clue what their target market is, are they trying to be sort of upscale competing with red rock or just another local grind joint?
Posting Permissions
-*-
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks