Poker Road Trips

I first went to Caesar’s in the early 80’s (it might have been the late 70’s, I’m not sure about the exact date).   They were the first Las Vegas casino to fill the sports books with big TV monitors to broadcast sporting events and simulcast horse races.  It was the first really nice room.  At least the first one I ever saw.  They also gave out free Racing Forms to patrons, whenever I was in Las Vegas my first stop every morning was the Caesar’s race book to pick up some racing forms.

The only time I ever stayed in the hotel was during a horse handicapping they sponsored back during that same time period.  I don’t remember much about my hotel room, I was pretty much immersed in Racing Forms and gambling the whole time.  But I do remember a general impression of it being an impressive room.

Back then, it being a fairly newly designed and constructed casino, it was an easy place to navigate, plenty of room, lots of available close-in parking, everything clearly marked and easy to find.  In contrast back then the Dunes was across the street (where the Bellagio is now) and it was a nightmare to navigate inside.  After years of adding on space, things just appeared pasted together and I always found it difficult to find my away around inside the Dunes.

These days Caesar’s is a maze to me.  After decades of remodeling and add-ons and new outbuildings I have no idea how to find anything inside the place.  That includes the poker room.

The poker room and sport book are right near each other, in the Forum Casino, near the Coliseum.  Whatever that is.

Poker is no smoking.  Sports book is smoking.  A lot of it.

Java Coast is the just slightly overpriced espresso place ($3.50 for double shot) near the Coliseum.

They have a shuttle to the Rio.  Catch it every ½ hour (on the ¼ hour) near the Palace Casino (ask the concierge in the Palace Casino hotel lobby to point).   When the concierge told me it left after ½ hour I re-asked to get clarification.  “On the half hour?”, I asked.

I got a non-answer, “Every half hour”.

So I showed up at a little before 4pm to catch a shuttle.  The shuttle showed up about 5 after and sat their for 10 minutes.  Not for loading time, but we just sat and did nothing.  I’m assuming that the ¼ hour is the official departure time.  Idiot concierge.

Caesar’s Palace is owned by Harrah’s corporation.  A big gaming company, but not exactly one with a reputation among gamblers as a competently run gaming company.  They don’t treat customers well and don’t treat employees well.

The poker room is in the back, the sports book is halfway there, and the book is partly no smoking and they have free forms.  The forms are bolted down, and you have to stand to look at them, but they are free.

During lunchtime the race book has a hot dog cart with $1.25 hot dogs.

The poker room is 8 tables, no smoking but the smoke is heavy in the air from all the smoking around the room.  It’s not a separate room, just 8 tables put together.

Almost classic old style room.  $3 rake.  Only offers 2/4 and 4/8 limit  When you get 5-handed they’ll cut the rake to $1 (plus the $1 for the jackpot).

They do keep track of time for comps but I’m not sure what the policy is.  The racebook aslo gives comps based on level of action, I don’t know how you might be able to combine them, you probably can’t.