Casino Reviews

The casino hotels around Tunica are spread out within a mile of each other with the exception of the Gold Strike, The Horseshoe and the Roadhouse (formerly the Sheraton) . These three casinos and hotels share the same huge surface parking lot and are located next to each other. The Gold Strike and the Horseshoe both have their own parking garage as well. Casino patrons of the Roadhouse can use the surface parking lot or they can use the parking garage at the Horseshoe Casino.

The other casino hotels are Bally’s, Fitzgeralds, Harrahs, Hollywood, Resorts, and Sam’s Town for a total of 9 casinos in the Tunica area. A nice feature about staying at either the Roadhouse, the Goldstrike or the Horseshoe is that you can easily walk from one casino to the other. No need to get in a car. All of the other casinos are pretty much by themselves. You will need a car or take one of the shuttle buses to the other hotels.

National Chains

Harrah’s is a national casino hotel chain and owns at least 3 hotels in the Tunica area. The Horseshoe, the Roadhouse, Bally’s and Harrah’s are all members of the Harrah’s chain and part of the Total Rewards slot program. There are also shuttles that go back and forth between some of the hotels, however they do not run very often and most people come by car anyway so they can move around from one hotel to another by car. There are bus loads of people coming from nearby cities such as Memphis, St Louis, Knoxville and Cincinnati as well as other locations.

Today, Tunica County is the third largest gaming market in the nation with 9 world-class casinos featuring 24-hour gaming plus all the amenities of modern full-service vacation resorts. And since casino gaming was only legalized in Mississippi since 1990, all of the facilities are quite new, luxurious, and generally well-kept.

Tunica Casino Hotels

If you come on one of these bus tours and stay at the Goldstrike, the Horseshoe or the Roadhouse, you have a choice of 3 casinos to play at as well as try out various restaurants. There is not much in the general area of the casinos. On route 61 , that runs down from Memphis, there are a couple of small outlet malls and gas stations. Down the road a few miles is the village of Tunica. It is a small town, with all of the normal things you would expect to find. Some of the attractions in the general area of the Casinos, Tunica and Memphis  include:

Beal Street

Know as the home of the blues and the birth place of rock and roll, no other Memphis landmark has held such mystique, intrigue, fame and infamy over the years. Today you will find countless Blues joints, barbecue restaurants, live music and dance clubs to keep you up all night.

Graceland

Everything’s gone Elvis at this theme park dedicated to the life and legacy of the king of rock and roll. Get a little closer to the king with a tour through his Graceland Mansion. Explore Elvis after dark, check out the Kings wheels at the Elvis automobile museum and then jump on his private jet for a look at all of the luxury he enjoyed.

Sun Studio

If Memphis is the birthplace of rock and roll, then Sun Studio is the delivery room. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and many more cut their first record at Sun Studio and then blazed a trail to Stardom. Visitors can visit all year round.

Peabody Place

Smack dab in the heart of Memphis on Peabody and 3^rd street, Peabody Place is a massive entertainment and retail hub featuring 22 theaters, 17 shops and 14 restaurants.

Orpheum Theater

The Orpheum theater may be more than 100 years old, but that does not stop it from hosting 10 to 12 Broadway productions a year. Many celebrities can be found in the audience as well as in some of the shows.

Fedex Forum

The Memphis Grizzlies tear up the court all year round in the middle of downtown Memphis.  Besides basketball, the Fedex forum also hosts circus events and music concerts of all tastes and conventions.

Tunica River Park and Tunic Queen

Learn about the famous Mississippi river delta at the Tunica River park. The River Park is home to a museum packed with information. Watch a film about the river, view the map room, or take in a spectacular view from the observation deck.  Enjoy a cruise down the river on the Tunica Queen River boat.

Historic Downtown Tunica

Recently revitalized and only 10 minutes away from your hotel. Historic downtown Tunica is perfect for those who want to relax and take in all of the southern hospitality Tunica has to offer. From antiques, specialty stores, banks, beauty gift shops, and restaurants, there is something for everyone.

Tunica National Golf and Tennis

This is the newest golf facility in the greater Memphis area. This magnificent course boasts an exciting 7210 yard, par 72 championship design. The course was created by PGA tour player and architect Mark McCumber. This course features rolling terrain, water hazards and bunkers that will challenge the most skilled players.

There is a lot to do in the Tunica and Memphis area. The casino hotels acting as the focal point for a relaxing and fun place to stay. All of the hotels are top notch hotels with entertainment, restaurants and of course gambling for all levels of slot and table players. All of the hotels are spread out and several miles apart. You will need to either have your car or take one of the shuttle buses that travel between the hotels 24 hours a day. Ask the front desk or the concierge for schedules and which buses run to which hotels.

We visited the Presque Isle Downs Casino and only spent about an hour in the casino. The following are our comments about what we saw and observed. We did not try any of the bars, or restaurants at the casino. This is a casino only facility. There is no hotel with this facility, although there are motels and hotels in the area.

Presque Isle Downs Casino –  From penny slots to Virtual Blackjack, Three-Card Poker, & Roulette, you’ll find a wide variety of choices and denominations to suit your gaming needs. At Presque Isle Downs & Casino…they  are the Home of the Big Jackpots! Look for their Progressive Slots conveniently located throughout the casino.

The Presque Isle Downs Casino has over 2000 slot machines and a number of virtual table games such as blackjack, roulette and several others.

There is ample parking at the casino, all surface parking which means on busy days there may be a long walk involved to get to the casino. There are two entrances, with Valet service at the main entrance.

The casino is nice, there is no hotel and there are lots of slot machines. There is also a high roller area as well. The Presque Isle Downs Casino is a combination casino and race track . It is similar to many that have sprung up across the country were the race track has been struggling and the casino addition has meant that the racetrack can continue to operate.

Slot Machines

There are over 2000 slot machines of all types. The casino is large enough to have all of the popular slot machines as well as poker and keno machines.

There are many 5cent machines as well as 25 cent, 50 cent and $1 dollar machines to choose from.

Table Games

There are no live table games, however there are 7 or 8 virtual table games that players can try out. These include blackjack and roulette and a number of other table games. Virtual table games have gorgeous virtual dealers that manage the game and deal the virtual cards.

Restaurants

La Bonne Vie Enjoy a Classic American Prime Steak House at La Bonne Vie located in the heart of the casino. They are  open every Wednesday through Saturday from 5pm to 10pm.

The Downs Clubhouse & Lounge features a beautiful year-round view of the racetrack and casual dining at its best. They are open Friday & Saturday nights for live entertainment!

The Triple Crown Buffet If you’re looking for a quick bite, visit The Triple Crown Buffet which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They feature Prime Rib & Shrimp every Sunday through Thursday and Crab Legs & Prime Rib Buffet on Friday & Saturdays from 4pm to 11pm.

Experience one of the four lounges. Zelda’s,The Paddock Bar, The Speakeasy Lounge, and The Clubhouse Lounge offer your favorite spirits daily until 2am.

Lit’l Al’s Need a quick snack? Stop by Lit’l Al’s located in the Elevator Lobby just off the casino floor and you’ll find hot dogs, pizza and more!

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Buffet
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino and parking areas
• Great stopover point on your way to Columbus or points west

What We Did Not Like

• Smoking in the casino
• No hotel
• Long way to walk from parking to get into the casino

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Roarin’ 20’s  slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the casino including cash back as well as discounts on meals at the casino.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Presque Isle Downs Casino in a large  surface multiple parking lot system that we observed.

Directions:

Presque Isle Downs is conveniently located on I-90 Exit 27.

Presque Isle Downs & Casino, 8199 Perry Highway,Erie, PA 16509 , 1-866-ERIE-FUN or (814) 860-8999

Additional Driving Directions:

From Buffalo, NY

I-90 West to Exit 27 • Make a left off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Cleveland, OH

I-90 East to Exit 27 • Make a right off the exit. Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Pittsburgh, PA

I-79 North to I-90 East • Exit 27 Make a right off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Youngstown, OH

Route 11 North to I-90 East. Take exit 27 • Make a right off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

For another post about Erie casinos, click here.

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Note: We have not visited the Casino Niagara in some time. As a result your comments are welcome to help us update this review. Of course it will help our readers decide if this casino is a place they want to visit. Canadian casinos as a rule do not provide the same level of comp’s that their American counterparts do. Hence this is one of the reasons that we do not frequent this location as much as some others.

Casino Niagara

This includes the Niagara region, and the tourism community. Subsequently Casino Niagara has consistently delivered in full on its corporate and community mandates.

They strive to provide with more down-to-earth, round-the-clock fun than you can imagine! They have over 1,700 slot and video poker machines. In addition there are also 60 tables of gaming excitement, three restaurants and three bars.

Slot Machines

Casino Niagara features over 1,700 slot and video poker machines on two action-packed levels. Denominations range from pennies to $100! And with more than 350 progressives, Casino Niagara players have a wide selection to choose from. This includes  Megabucks® progressive machines – the jackpot starts at $1,000,000!

Table Games

There are 40 tables of fast, friendly excitement. Casino Niagara has a  wide selection of easy-to-learn games. Which let everyone get in on the non-stop action and fun. Choose from blackjack, craps Caribbean stud poker, roulette, poker , Spanish 21. In addition play in the poker room to participate in various tournaments.

Restaurants

Casino Niagara features a wide assortment of dining venues to satisfy every taste and budget. These include the Market Buffet, Lucky’s, Quench Bar,and the 24 hour Perks Cafe.

What We Liked ( Note we have not visited this Casino)

Your comments are welcome.

What We Did Not Like ( Note we have not visited this Casino)

Your comments are welcome.

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Casino Niagara slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Fallsview Casino resort as well as at Casino Niagara.

There are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. For example free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions. Also free or discounted meals, access to entertainment. In addition a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Niagara Falls hotel & casino in a large  surface parking lot . For more information about New York State Casinos, click here.

Directions:

Casino Niagara is located at 5705 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

From the Peace Bridge

Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to Niagara Falls, Canada. Take the HWY-420 exit- EXIT 30- toward NIAGARA FALLS/BRIDGE TO U.S.A. past Stanley Ave to Victoria Ave. Turn right on Victoria and left at the next lights @ Bender Hill. The entrance is located on the right.

From Rainbow Bridge

Turn right onto Falls Avenue. Left at next street @ Hiram St., Left on Ontario, Straight through lights to Casino Niagara

From the Queenston/LewistonBridge

Follow Hwy 405 to Niagara Falls, Canada. Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to Niagara Falls , Canada . Take the HWY-420 exit- EXIT 30- toward NIAGARA FALLS/BRIDGE TO U.S.A. past Stanley Ave to Victoria Ave. Subsequently turn right on Victoria and left at the next lights – Bender Hill. The entrance is located on the right.

From Toronto

Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to Niagara Falls , Canada . Take the HWY-420 exit- EXIT 30- toward NIAGARA FALLS/BRIDGE TO U.S.A. past Stanley Ave, to Victoria Ave. Turn right on Victoria and left at the next lights @ Bender Hill. The entrance is located on the right.

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The Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is the largest hotel in Western New York. It offers 26 levels of pure luxury. In addition, the hotel has 486 deluxe rooms, 86 corner suites or 22 one-bedroom suites. Also, all rooms also feature upscale amenities. These include a pillow-top bed, over-sized shower, flat screen TV, internet access and more. In addition, enjoy breath taking views of Western New York as you rest in comfort.

Rejuvenate in The Spa, a full-service spa and salon. Also relax with a Swedish massage, aromatherapy, full body wrap or facial, in one of 12 treatment rooms. Enjoy a state-of-the-art workout facility. It comes complete with cardiovascular equipment, circuit weights, free weights, an indoor pool, whirlpools and locker room.

Convention Space

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel has over 30,000 square feet of meeting and conference space. Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is also a perfect location for banquets, trade shows, conventions and meetings.

The Seneca Events Center also boasts one of the area’s largest spaces, with a 2,200 person capacity. Meeting space features state-of-the-art audio visual equipment are available. However meeting rooms can be divided into numerous configurations to meet your event needs. There is also a full-service business center outfitted with the latest technology.

The Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is ideally located just blocks from Niagara Falls. It is one of the Natural Wonders of the World.  Many people take in the breathtaking view on tours like Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds. Feel the cool spray of the water! Visit any of the beautiful state parks like Goat Island for a magnificent glimpse of Western New York.

If a day of shopping and lunch is more your style, take a drive to The Fashion Outlets. It is home to 150 name brand outlet shops. You can also visit any of the quaint antique shops and art galleries in the historic areas of the city. Niagara Falls truly has something for everyone with beautiful architecture to the thriving nightlife.

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel – Slot Machines

The casino has over 4200 slot machines at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. There are also many progressive slot machines. They include the popular pennies from heaven slot machines. However there are also 60 slot machines in the high limit slot machine area with $5 to $25 limits.

Table Games

On the main Casino floor of the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, you can try your hand at Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Mini Baccarat, Caribbean Stud Poker, Let it Ride®, Pai Gow Poker, 3 Card Poker and Spanish 21.

Visit the world-class Poker Room. Try your hand at Texas Hold’em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud. Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is the only Niagara Falls casino offering live Poker. And with 16 tables and all levels of play, it’s easy to get in the game. The Poker Room is located on the first floor next to the Bus Lobby.

Play Keno at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel and you could win up to $100,000.

Restaurants

There are multiple restaurants that you can enjoy at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. These include Java Cafe, Morrie’s Express, Thunder Falls Buffet, Three Sisters Cafe. There is also the Koi, La Cascata, The Western door, A Seneca Steakhouse and the Blues Burger Bar.

However we have not eaten at any of these restaurants. We are sure that these restaurants will be top notch in such a large major hotel casino property. If you have eaten at any of these restaurants, please feel free to leave a comment.

What We Liked ( Note we have not visited this property)

Variety of slot machines

What We Did Not Like ( Note we have not visited this property)

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Seneca Players Club slot players card system. In addition, your card is valid at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel and Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino & Hotel.

Take advantage of slot player cards. There are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Many people like the free or discounted rooms. They also enjoy mail mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals are just some of the advantages. Also consider access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. They also have a large parking garage beside the hotel. Surface parking is provided for patrons. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis. Most importantly it protects your car from the weather.

For more casinos in New York State, click here.

Directions:

The address is Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, 310 Fourth Street, Niagara Falls, NY USA 14303.

From the North/Canada

Take Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to the Rainbow Bridge into the United States. Cross the bridge and turn right onto Rainbow Boulevard south. Make a left onto Fourth Street.

From the South/Pennsylvania

Take the I-90E (NYS Thruway) to Buffalo. Follow signs for I-190N to Robert Moses Parkway. Exit Parkway with City Traffic. Make a left at Rainbow Boulevard and a right at Fourth Street.

From the East/Rochester

Take the I-90W (NYS Thruway) to Buffalo. Get on I-290W via exit number 50. Follow signs for I-190N to Robert Moses Parkway. Exit Parkway with City Traffic. Make a left at Rainbow Boulevard and a right at Fourth Street.

From the West

Take the I-90E (NYS Thruway) to Buffalo to exit number 53. Follow signs for I-190N to Robert Moses Parkway. Exit Parkway with City Traffic. Make a left at Rainbow Boulevard and a right at Fourth Street.

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Slot machines in motels in the USA?  There are actually slot machines in motels, gas stations, the odd church even laundromats in some states.

As far as we can tell in general motels do not seem to encourage the placement of slot machines in their lobbies. Generally the slot machines are placed in a small or a medium room that is called a casino. In other words you will not find a slot machine near the check in counter of a motel. But you might find them located in another room that is actually designated as a casino.

Slot Machines in Hotels

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between a hotel and a motel. However most hotels in places like Nevada will have Casinos associated with them. These are great places to visit. The room rates and meals are often subsidized by the gambling revenue. They are used as enticements to pull people into the casino.

Note that most casinos will have a loyalty card or otherwise known as a slot card. Which you should use at all times. They are free to sign up for. They should be inserted into the slot machine whenever you are playing the slots. These cards keep track of the amount of play , how long you have played and how much you have gambled. The Casinos use these statistics to provide benefits to their best customers or otherwise known as comp’s.

Depending on your level of play the comp’s can be quite exciting. They range from free meals to free rooms, free entertainment and even free plane tickets if you are a high roller. Any little bit helps and after all they are free to use and when you receive a free meal it is like winning a small jackpot.

Back to “are there slot machines in motels”.

You will find slot machines in some of the funniest places. First let’s differentiate between the state of Nevada and the rest of the USA. Nevada has some of the most liberal gaming laws in the nation so you are going to see slot machines in more places than you would in other states.

Most states that have casinos will limit the number and the location of the casinos, so you will not find slot machines in motels in states other than Nevada. Many are on Indian reservations or they have been given special permission to build casinos in some states. Let’s face it the state governments are hungry for cash. Having casinos in their state is an excellent way to generate this cash. They avoid someone leaving the state to gamble elsewhere.

Gambling in Nevada

Gambling in Nevada has been around for quite a few years and is the states major source of revenue. They are much more open to gaming and so you will see little mom and pop operations with a few slot machines operating. For example, walk into your local gas station or your local laundromat and you might see several slot machines.

A friend of ours even reported going to church in Las Vegas and seeing slot machines at the entrance to the church. Everyone needs money and I guess this is a way to make a little extra and we know at least this is going to a good cause.

Many corner convenience stores also will have a few slot machines in them as well in the state of Nevada. You will not find this in other states, just in Nevada.

A word of caution is in order. This is not factual, however it is generally believed that slot machines in these type of locations do not pay as well as in larger casinos. No one outside the industry really knows if the payouts are better or not in regular casinos, however this the common belief of many people we have talked to.

They are Everywhere

When you arrive at the Las Vegas airport, you will be immediately met with slot machines in the airport. Again, these are rumored to not pay well, however a friend of ours reported watching someone win a half a million dollars just prior to his flight leaving!

So there are slot machines in motels in some US states, in laundromats, in corner stores, in gas stations and even in churches. Who knows there may be other locations as well. Enjoy them and treat them as entertainment and if you happen to win, it is a real bonus.

Let us know if you have more questions that we can blog about.