TR: Quick Day Trip to Harrah's New Orleans

Apologies for the long TR. I figured I'd make amends for previously aborted TRs and share some insight into a quick trip to Harrah's NO on Saturday. Bankroll was $2,500. I'm exclusively a table games player with a taste of VP here and there. Preferred poisons are baccarat and pai gow.

First thing to note, Harrah's NO is open and ready for your action. That said, the "vibe" just isn't there yet. We're operating at significantly reduced capacity, including closure of bars. That means the casino attracts people looking exclusively to gamble, whereas prior to COVID you'd have groups of tourists, couples, families, etc. Some would gamble, and some would drink, walk around, check out the restaurants, etc. For a city largely dependent on tourism, the din is noticeably quieter and has a slightly post-apocalyptic feel.

My main home is what I call the “rear pit” (not sure if it has an actual name) that features baccarat/pai gow/high limit and the Laurel Lounge when it’s open, but it’s closed for now. On Saturday, there were three baccarat tables open early afternoon: one $25, one $50, and one reserved table for $300 minimum. There was also the double deck blackjack table at $25 and pai gow at $25. None of the tables in the raised HL area were open.

I joined pai gow and played for an hour or so at $50/hand. Table went from two players to three (max capacity) in an out throughout the hour. Had some good conversation and more or less held my own. I didn’t get any notable bonuses, but the dude next to me got four Aces (and never played the bonus). The joker was right next door. I left down about $50 and moved on to baccarat. Begin rant:

Baccarat has become my game of choice over the past couple years. Since the re-opening, Harrah’s NO does not allow touching/squeezing of the cards at baccarat, even at $100+ levels. I emailed my host about it after opening day and she confirmed. I fully understand this does NOT change the outcome of the game, but it adds a frivolous layer of excitement for me. What I don’t understand is the logic: players can touch the cards at pai gow and all of the carnival games, only for those cards to be re-touched for hours by other players. But a baccarat shoe, at $100+ a hand, will never be touched by another player if bent, yet touching those cards is prohibited. I’ve been wrong before, so if I’m missing a safety issue here, please let me know.

Anyway, bittered by the thought of not touching the cards, I still went over to baccarat and lost three out of four hands in a row. Had a dealer who has always been very friendly, yet my luck doesn’t seem to flow with her. Left down about 800 to the main table pit by the cashier.

Sat down at a $15/min Mississippi Stud table. I swore to my shrink I understood the deleterious effects this game has on my psyche, but nevertheless I persisted. I started with $25 ante and quickly went to table max of $50. Best I hit was trip aces. The player across from me seemed to share my hands about three times. The dealer joked it was like a bad relationship. Left the table down a thousand more or so.

Now on tilt, I found an open spot at a $25/min craps table, which I swore off for lent in 2012. Played quarters on the line with max odds and placed the six and eights with what I had left. Thirty minutes later…

I was looking at $3,500 or so in chips. It was a quick but rich 45 minutes or so at craps. I saw two hot shooters that hit a few points and my place bets. Also hit the “ALL” bet, making lots of players happy. (I don’t partake.) I enjoyed the superstitious atmosphere of one shooter rolling a single die against the wall before shorting, trying to sniff out bad luck. Once he even asked for a new set of dice. Normally, I’d roll my eyes, but this guy was in the zone. He proceeded to hit three points and a bunch of my place bets. Sir, you can ask for new dice whenever you please.

So, I colored out and left with a G profit before donking a hundred off at VP machine while waiting for a bloody mary, which never came. This wasn’t the most exciting or profitable trip I’ve ever had, but there’s a certain exhilaration in being deep in the red and catching that hot table to make up for it.

 

At least this had a good ending

 

I went yesterday around 6pm, was my 1st time back since they closed...I was bored and just wanted to move around...didnt bring much cash, ended up just playing high limit slots, lost $350 lol...instead of whiskey, I just ordered beer of which the machine kept saying processing and then eventually cancelling the order. they had a server walking around checking with everyone so I still got my drink

I walked around a few times and left, they did have a decent amount of people for operating at 25% capacity

probably wont be back till they open the bars and valet

 

I always seem to have one hot roll in NO - I love the place

 

Thanks for the report...Harrahs Nola is probably my favorite casino in the US outside of Nevada.

 

Thanks for the TR. Harrah's NOLA is one of my favorite places but I haven't been since February due to the virus. Glad your story had a happy ending.

 

Nice report.

 

Good thing that Easter has come this year and lent is over. . .

Congrats on the craps run. I always make the ATS bets, if just to share the vibe of a hot table.

FAB

 

Sounds like the bar closure has a negative impact on the cocktail service, which qualifies as a Sin in Nola. Did you notice if the poker room was open?

 

poker room is still closed until further notice, buffet is boarded up, valet closed, masquerade curtains closed, signature bar roped off, hoodoo roped off, pirates closed, steakhouse open with bar closed, smoking outdoor sections open, i didnt check s. peter entrance but I believe you can only get in the casino through the tunnel from the parking garage or canal street entrance, casino theater is being used as an employee staging area

 

Boarding off the buffet seems extreme, are they worried people will jump over and start hanging out there?
Plan to be there next week, at least they have pushed out some extra RC/food offers, I haven't seen that from LV.
Hopefully the self parking isn't too much of a pain, never parked there.

 

maybe they dont want people asking about the buffet...its a tall solid wall, lol

as for parking, I believe they extended it to Free parking for anyone with a players card...there are 2 garages next to each other, the larger and closet to the casino is on the corner or Poydras and Convention Center, they are doing construction right there so they do have barricades to navigate...drive up and either swipe your players card or press for a ticket...swipe out to leave, if you get a ticket you have to have it validated at a kiosk

once in the underground tunnel to get in the casino they check ID, then you remove mask, look at the camera in the roof and get your temp taken, put mask on and keep on throughout the casino

 

Thanks for the report. Very informative.