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New Orleans,
Louisiana Area
 There
are a total of four casinos in the greater New
Orleans area. Harrahs, a totally land-based
facility, is located at the intersection of Canal
Street and the River. It is by far the biggest
and nicest. The other three are riverboats
located around the city.
For video poker players, there are really only two
choices. Harrahs offers an excellent selection
of good games, but mostly at higher denominations
($1 and higher). You won't find any 25c 9/6 JB
or 8/5 Bonus. But if you play dollars, you'll
find the most popular games in full-pay versions.
Quarter players have only one other choice in the
New Orleans area, Bally's -- where you'll find the
best progressive in the area -- an 8/5 Bonus
progressive at the upper deck bar.
Unfortunately, the selection is very limited at
Bally's -- with Bonus Poker representing the
preponderance of the video poker offered.
While the casino lacks the glamour and the
popularity of Harrahs, those seeking the best 25c
games in the area may want to check Bally's out.
The other two casinos really are not worth the trip
for serious video poker players.
BALLY'S CASINO LAKESHORE RESORT (NEW ORLEANS, LA)
Map/Directions
1 Stars & Stripes Blvd.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70126
Phone: 800-572-2559
Website Link:
www.ballysno.com
Cash Back:
Number of Video Poker Machines:
Approximately 63
Casino Size: 30,000 square feet
Bally's hasn't changed much in the
last several years. While the casino isn't
impressive, it does have a few good games.
You'll find the best Bonus Poker in the area at
Bally's -- with a 25c 8/5 Bonus progressive at the
upper deck bar (should you happen on a progressive
of more than $1,400, this would be a 100% or
better game). In addition, you'll find
some $1 8/5 Bonus games as well as a few decent
(98.91%) Deuces Wild games (a single $1 game and
several 25c games). The lower deck bar also
has some 8/5 Bonus games, but they are not
progressive. There are also about 12 8/5
Bonus games on Gamemaker machines on the upper
deck just outside the room with the the cashier's
cage in it.
The service is not great; while we
were there, it took a good half hour to get a
machine filled and the casino was near empty.
Also, the few new games that have been added since
our last visit are really bad pay tables. We
found the games to be in a reasonable state of
repair, but the absence of EZ-Pay is annoying.
Bonus poker players may want to
check these games out; others probably want to
pass Bally's by.
|
Game |
Return |
Approximate Location |
|
8/5 Bonus Progressive
(25c) |
99.17% |
UPPER DECK BAR |
|
8/5 Bonus (25c) |
99.17% |
LOWER DECK BAR |
|
8/5 Bonus (25c) |
99.17% |
GAMEMAKER IN UPPER DECK
SLOT AREA |
|
Deuces Wild ($1/25c) |
98.91% |
UPPER DECK VIDEO POKER
AREA |
|
8/5 Bonus ($1/25c) |
99.17% |
UPPER DECK VIDEO POKER
AREA |
SURVEY DATE: JUNE, 2005
BOOMTOWN CASINO (HARVEY, LA)
Map/Directions
4132 Peters Road
Harvey, Louisiana 70058
Phone: 800-966-7711
Website Link:
http://www.boomtownneworleans.com/
Cash Back: Unknown
Number of Video Poker Machines:
Approximately 62
Casino Size: 30,000 square feet
Boomtown in New Orleans has little to offer.
You will find some "Anything Wild" games (like
Deuces Wild) that return 98.91% in the non-smoking
area ($1 and 50c only -- the 25c games are
97.58%). Also in the non-smoking area, there
are four Spinpoker games with 8/5 Bonus (25c) and
98.91% Deuces Wild (25c).
We found no other worthwhile games
in the casino. The upper level has a number
of progressive games, which include 9/5/4 DDB and
8/5 JB. You will find some 8/6 JB Triple
Plays, but watch out for the 8/5 Bonus Triple
Plays, where the two pair has been cut to 1 credit
(a truly horrible game). Absent a really big
progressive on some of the games, there is little
reason for video poker players to visit this
casino.
|
Game |
Return |
Approximate Location |
|
Anything Wild (Like DW)
($1/50c) |
98.91% |
NON-SMOKING AREA/NEAR
MEN'S RM |
|
8/5 Bonus Spinpoker
(25c) |
99.17% |
NON-SMOKING AREA |
|
Deuces Wild Spinpoker
(25c) |
98.91% |
NON-SMOKING AREA |
SURVEY DATE: JUNE, 2005
HARRAHS (NEW ORLEANS, LA)
Map/Directions
512 Canal Street (at the River)
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Phone: 800-427-7247
Website Link:
http://www.harrahs.com/our_casinos/nor/index.html
Cash Back: None (bounce-back, minimal)
Number of Video Poker Machines:
Approximately 200
Casino Size: 115,000 square feet
Harrahs in New Orleans has greatly improved its
video poker since our last survey. Before,
you could scarcely find a good game at Harrahs.
This time, we found plenty of good games.
You won't find great games in the under $1
denominations, but this is to be expected in a
casino strategically located within walking
distance of the French Quarter.
You'll find plenty of good $1 games, as well as
higher denominations. In addition, there are
sizable banks of 25c and 50c progressives in the
video poker area that can become reasonable games
with a good progressive. For example, you'll
find 25c and 50c 9/5/4 DDB which becomes a 100%
game with a progressive value of $1,944 and
$3,888, respectively; these progressives as well
as many other games also have 8/5 JB on them for
those who want to chase the progressive. If
you are interested in progressives, each of the
bars has a progressive with the same pay tables,
so it may be worthwhile to check all of them and
see which has the higher jackpot.
Overall, Harrahs has the best video poker in
the area. While locals and quarter players
may prefer to seek out the 8/5 Bonus games at
Ballys, visitors to New Orleans can find a good
game at Harrahs if they are willing to play the
higher denomination games. We found the
comps to be reasonably free, given the location of
the casino (parking can be a problem -- but if you
park in the Harrahs garage, they will comp the $30
daily fee for minimal play). In
addition to the restaurants within the casino, you
can be comped to any of about 25 popular French
Quarter restaurants and various hotels in the
area.
Overall, we found Harrahs in New Orleans to
represent excellent value, particularly given its
location.
|
Game |
Return |
Approximate Location |
|
9/6 JB ($1/$2/$5)
|
99.54% |
16 MACHINES-EDGE OF VP
AREA |
|
9/6/4 DDB ($1/$2/$5) |
98.98% |
16 MACHINES-EDGE OF VP
AREA |
|
25/15/9 DW ($1/$2/$5) |
98.91% |
16 MACHINES-EDGE OF VP
AREA |
|
9/6 JB TRIPLE PLAY ($1) |
99.54% |
2 MACHINES-EDGE OF VP
AREA |
|
9/6/4 DDB TRIPLE
PLAY/FIVE PLAY ($1) |
98.98% |
2 MACHINES-EDGE OF VP
AREA |
|
8/5 BONUS FIVE-PLAY
($1) |
99.17% |
2 MACHINES-EDGE OF VP
AREA |
|
9/7/5 DB FIVE-PLAY ($1)
|
99.10% |
2 MACHINES-EDGE OF VP
AREA |
|
9/6/4 DDB (25c) |
98.98% |
3 OF 18 GAMES NEAR
POKER ROOM |
|
9/6/4 DDB (25c/50c/$1)
TRIPLE PLAY |
98.98% |
8 TRIPLE PLAYS EDGE OF
VP AREA |
|
25/19/9 DW (25c/50c/$1)
TRIPLE PLAY |
98.91% |
8 TRIPLE PLAYS EDGE OF
VP AREA |
|
9/6/4 DDB (5/10/25c) |
98.98% |
ACROSS FROM MAIN VP
AREA |
|
9/6/4 DDB (50c/$1/$2) |
98.98% |
NEAR POKER ROOM |
|
9/6 JB ($5/$10/$25) |
99.54% |
HIGH-LIMIT AREA |
|
8/5 BONUS ($5/$10/$25) |
99.17% |
HIGH-LIMIT AREA |
|
9/6 JB ($1) TRIPLE
PLAY/FIVE PLAY |
99.54% |
HIGH-LIMIT AREA |
|
8/5 BONUS ($1) TRIPLE
PLAY/FIVE PLAY |
99.17% |
HIGH-LIMIT AREA |
SURVEY DATE: JUNE, 2005
TREASURE CHEST CASINO (KENNER, LA)
Map/Directions
5050 Williams Blvd.
Kenner, Louisiana 70065
Phone: 504-443-8000
Website Link:
http://www.treasurechest.com/
Cash Back:
Number of Video Poker Machines: Unknown
Casino Size: 25,767 square feet
The only good games at Treasure Chest are on
two machines in the High-Limit area -- a single
$25 machine and a single $5 machine. All
other games in this casino are to be avoided.
This casino is packed with some of the
worst-paying video poker in the area.
|
Game |
Return |
Approximate Location |
|
9/6 JB ($5/$25) |
99.54% |
HI LIMIT AREA |
|
8/5 Bonus ($5/$25) |
99.17% |
HI LIMIT AREA |
SURVEY DATE: JUNE, 2005
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