December 29, 2008
Posted by: Cory Nelson : Category:
Atlantic City Casinos
The champagne is getting cold, the shrimp is on ice and the slabs of roast beef are ready to pop in the oven. It’s almost New Year’s Eve in Atlantic City.
New Year’s Eve is the biggest night of the year in the casinos. It’s the time the gaming halls reward their best customers with rooms, lavish meals, dancing and champagne at midnight. There are offers for all levels of loyal players, but low-rollers need not apply. Mid-level players might get invited to a free buffet and a dance party, while higher rollers can get a free room and gourmet dinner. For the true whales, the key word is luxury. An upgraded room, a dinner party with the finest food and drink and New Year’s Day brunch.
If you’re not on the invite list, it’s best to stay home. Almost every casino hotel is booked solid, and the few that aren’t are charging at least $600 for a night’s lodging. Even the chain motels 5 to 10 miles from town want at least $200 to stay the night. So if you don’t already have plans to be in Atlantic City, don’t come.
For locals, there are plenty of options if you’re willing to sleep in your own bed. Trump Marina and The Quarter at the Tropicana are having free dance parties, but you’ll have to buy your own drinks. Several casino eateries are hosting dinners for about $100 per person. If you have a spare grand in your bank account, it will buy you and a friend a room at Caesars and admission to the New Year’s Eve party on the Pier. There’s an open bar, but you have to be able to hold a lot of top-shelf liquor to make it worth the price.
Parent might want to check out the First Night celebration in Ocean City. A $14 button buys ride on Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, various G-rated entertainment acts and a shuttle bus to take you to all the hot spots.
Whatever you do, here are my best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2009.
December 24, 2008
Posted by: Cory Nelson : Category:
Atlantic City Casinos,
Video Poker
I was playing a 9/6 Jacks or Better slant top at the Borgata one night last week. The casino was rather empty, as is typical of December in Atlantic City. Two women, apparently mother and daughter, took a machine near me, checked that it was indeed 9/6 Jacks, and started to play. They didn’t notice that that particular machine shorted the 5-coin straight flush by 11 coins, paying 239 instead of the standard 250. Two full-pay machines near them were unoccupied.
They didn’t know strategy either. The daughter played and the mother coached. “You want to hold the Jack, King and Ace,” the mom said. “That way you have a chance to match any one of them for a high pair.” Daughter followed directions. As any semi-competent video-poker player knows, the correct play is to hold the Jack and King alone. A few moments later, the daughter got Jack, Queen, King and Deuce of Hearts along with another card. Mom advised her to go for the flush as it was “better odds.” Wrong again. The proper play is to go for the royal.
On Saturday, I went to the
Showboat to pick up some bounceback cash. As most players know, they have reduced their full-pay inventory to eight machines in the House of Blues section. I had to wait for a seat. I watched an older woman play 9/6 Jacks or Better to occupy the time. If she got a low pair with a high card in the hand, she held the “kicker.” I saw her do it several times. Fortunately for her (or unfortunately, in the long run), the matching high card came out several times to give her two pair. She also discarded low pairs in favor of two or three high cards, another bad play.
This got me to thinking. A lot of casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas are decimating their full-pay inventories out of fear that advantage players might win a few bucks from them. Watching these players at work last week, I don’t think they have anything to worry about.
December 22, 2008
New Jersey (Atlantic City) - Thomas Barlas, Press of Atlantic City - The train is finally at the station, just about ready to bring gamblers and their money to resort casinos growing increasingly anxious for more dollars.
Atlantic City Express Service, or ACES, will begin weekend express service between Penn Station in New York City and the Atlantic City Rail Terminal - with a stop at Newark Penn Station - on Feb. 6…ACES is a joint venture between Borgata, Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, NJ Transit and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, or CRDA.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/180/story/347726.html
