Casino Reviews


Ambiance at Casinos

September 29th, 2018 ernie Posted in Casino No Comments »

Does ambiance at casinos make a difference? For my wife it absolutely does. We suspect that for many others this is true. The atmosphere in a casino really makes a difference for many people. The moment you walk into a casino, we all have an immediate impression of the building, the casino and the hotel.  It either makes us feel good or ambivalent towards the casino. The ambiance factor is huge in terms of whether we feel we will have a good time and enjoy ourselves. For example, there is something about Hard Rock Casinos that does not appeal to us. The casino appears to us as a cold, dark place devoid of excitement. We do not like the machines they offer and the people working there appear stand offish to us. We are not picking on the Hard Rock casino. Many people prefer this casino to others. For some it appears dynamic and exciting especially with its nostalgic design including many mementos from famous artists.

Ambiance at Casinos

Does the ambiance at casinos make a difference in terms of winning or not? Probably not. But you feel better and more confident about the place. You may still lose money, but at least you were entertained and enjoyed the experience. More and more, visiting a casino is about enjoying yourself while there. If you happen to win a small jackpot, even better. It is the icing on the cake.

This is a feeling that we all tap into. Many cannot explain what makes us like a place or not. It is all about atmosphere, decor, music, colors, slot machines, tables and entertainment areas. Many people like the type of people that frequent a casino. Some places attract a particular clientele. For example the Hard Rock as far as we can tell is focused on a younger crowd. While many others focus on the older crowd. It is a tough challenge to be something for everyone.

Let us know what you think about ambiance at casinos and how it affects your decision to go to a casino.

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Betting Maximum on the Slots

February 7th, 2017 ernie Posted in Casino No Comments »

Betting Maximum on the SlotsWe have always wondered if you will do better betting maximum on the slots or whether smaller bets are more appropriate. There are several ways to look at this question. It also really depends on what slot machine you are playing and what the payouts are. These are the variables players may want to consider when selecting a machine. Keeping in mind that the casinos have spent a lot of time on making sure the odds are in their favor. The factors to consider are RNG (Random Number Generator ), Progressive Payouts (Small & Large), Ratio of payout for various sized bets, Winning Large Jackpots, Making your Money Last. We will discuss each in more detail.

Betting Maximum on the Slots

RNG – The RNG is constantly generating random numbers thousands of times per second. This does not change regardless of whether you play max or minimum bets on the slots.

Progressive Payouts – some progressives payout at a maximum level e.g. $500. As you get closer to this level there is an increasingly better chance of winning this small jackpot. Betting maximum will get you there faster. Large progressives often only payout when the maximum amount is bet. You should always bet max or not bet at all on large progressives.

Ratio of Payouts – Poker video machines often only pay the maximum for a royal flush if you are betting the maximum. e.g. 4000 credits while betting 1 credit pays much less than 1/5 the maximum payout.

Winning Large Jackpots – you will never win a large jackpot by betting minimum. While your money may not last as long during each visit to the casino, betting maximum will ensure that if you do hit, you will win a jackpot.

Making your Money Last – If your objective is to enjoy the ambiance of the casino, play for a long time and maybe win a small jackpot, betting minimum is certainly an approach to take. For machines that pay out progressives regardless of the amount bet, this is a reasonable strategy.

Bottom line is you need to decide on your own strategy based on the type of machine you are playing.

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Comped Drinks for Slot Play on the Way Out

January 7th, 2017 ernie Posted in Promotions No Comments »

Comped Drinks for Slot Play on the Way OutCasinos are tightening the noose on customers who consume more drinks than they gamble. Comped Drinks for Slot Play on the Way Out. At one time all you needed to do is stick a twenty into a slot machine and place your order for a drink. You did not even need to play on the slot machine. Over the past few years, bartenders would make sure you were playing the maximum and not just looking for a free drink.  Government run casinos and casinos on Native properties charge for every drink. In many cases the drinks are quite reasonably priced. Free drinks are about to end, at least at some of the larger casinos.

Comped Drinks for Slot Play on the Way Out

Harrahs is equipping their slot machines with red and green lights. A red light means you have not gambled enough to deserve a drink, while a green light indicates to the server that she can serve you.

It also helps the server by showing who might want a drink. They can also pass the blame along to the casino and avoid a confrontation if they refuse to server you. In most cases if you are playing the slots, there will be no problem with free drinks. The customers who play minimum or not at all are going to be upset. But then they were looking for something for free and not providing the casino with any business at all.

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Can Casinos Adapt to Millennials

December 7th, 2016 ernie Posted in Casino No Comments »

Can Casinos Adapt to MillennialsThere’s no question that millennial’s are beginning to have an impact on the world’s economy. Just as baby boomers over the last several decades influenced the economy, millennial’s are about to take over. So what does this mean for the casino industry? Many people are attempting to figure this out. From overall Casino design, entertainment, table games and slots it will have a huge impact. Can casinos adapt to millennials?

Can casinos adapt to millennials

Industry experts tell us that millennial’s are more willing to spend money on entertainment, and bottle service than they are on Slots. The slot machine designers are attempting to introduce more interaction with the video game itself. Highly skilled video games can be easily played on their phones, computers etc.. What will attract a millennial to the casino?

Many people believe the casinos have to step up their game with more interesting entertainment, for service, and venues that are attractive to millennial’s. Part of the challenge is to get them into the building in the first place. They will choose to spend their money in these areas and a very few dollars on the slots.

This is a fundamental change or shift from what Casino’s currently offer. If they do not up the ante on slots and table games, they stand to lose huge numbers of customers. Baby boomers are addicted to Slot Machines and willing to play, but not so the millennial’s.

It will be interesting to see how Casino’s who are competitive and forward thinking will up the ante in the next few years. Unfortunately bureaucratic government run casinos likely will fall behind and result in lower revenue for the local governments that operate them.

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Thousand Islands Casino Shuttle

September 21st, 2016 ernie Posted in Casino No Comments »

Thousand Islands Casino Shuttle

Thousand Islands Casino Shuttle

The thousand Islands Casino shuttle brings customers from many different locations to the casino. If you cannot get there by car this is the way to travel to the casino. It is also something to consider if you would like to have a few drinks and do not want to drive your car. Perhaps you would be over the limit or close to it. Take the shuttle instead of driving. The best thing is that the shuttles are free for riders going to the casino. You do have to abide by their schedule. If you miss the bus, it could be a long expensive ride by taxi back home unless you call a buddy to obtain a pick up.

Thousand Islands Casino Shuttle Schedule

If you would like shuttle schedules and locations, click on the shuttle link. This PDF will give you all of the locations and times that the buses pick up passengers from. Most people who are regulars will already know the schedule, however they do change from time to time so check back often.

Note that there is no food or drink allowed on the Thousand Islands Casino Shuttle, however many people will quietly bring water and sandwiches on the bus. As long as the driver does not see it and you do not leave a mess, you will be fine.

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