stasik
Low-Roller
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2008
- Messages
- 252
- Trips to Las Vegas
- 3
While I am sure that no one goes to Philly for the casinos, some of you might find yourself with some spare time to gamble. So I thought I might pass long my thoughts. Hope its helpful.
Getting there: Despite the name, its in Bensalem, PA, just outside the city off US 1. The parking is free, but not valet parking, which is $10 if you don't have a premium players card. For self-parking, it can be a long walk to the casino on a busy day. So you will have to decide how much your convenience is worth.
Games: You probably know that its all slots, with some of the "electronic table games" on the second level. The electronic table games upstairs are blackjack and roulette, $5 to $25 minimums. The lower limit machines can get pretty packed. The slots come in a pretty wide variety from pennies to dollars with some higher limit machines off the main floor. Unlike Vegas, the slots here don't take singles, just $5 and up.
Cocktails: Free, but difficult to get. Has to be the worst drink service you will ever encounter. Tip the waitress $1, $2 $5, it doesn't matter. If you ask for a beer, you get a cup of warm stuff off the waitress' tray. If she doesn't have any beer or you want something out of a bottle, be prepared to wait. And wait. I am not sure which is worse, paying for beer in Missouri and Indiana or waiting for 20 minutes here.
Smoking: Pennsylvania passed a smoking ban in September that limited smoking in casinos to 25% of the floor space. But a clever loophole allowed them to expand smoking to 50% of the floor if they could demonstrate that smoking machines make more than non-smoking. Philly just expanded. Lower level is largely smoking, with a few non-smoking areas, including a small room at the back of the casino. Second floor is mainly non-smoking, except for the Circle Bar and the electronic table games.
Promos/Comps: Philadelphia is big on giving out free play. The casino tax here doesn't really allow them to give really great comps. So when you sign up for the players card, you get $10 or $25. Then you get mailers just about every week for some kind of free play promo. I go there relatively often and I have never seen free food or anything from them. They have lots of drawings for cash or free play though. You are automatically entered if you have a players card in a machine.
Crowd: Very diverse. You get all kinds there. The only issue I have is that you get a lot of folks trying to maximize the free play. Since you have to have a card in the machine, its not unusual to see someone with their card and their spouses card (sans spouse) in the machine next to them, trying to score some credits. At busy times, you may find it hard to get on a machine you want since people are occupying two machines but only playing one. This is especially acute during the Eagles game promo where you get free play every time the Eagles score.
Entertainment: Nuttin honey. There are a couple of bars with TV's. Sometimes there is a band up in the Circle Bar. Jerry Blavat (some local radio DJ who has been around since Ben Franklin) broadcasts there some nights. There is one restaurant and one cafe.
All in all, its not great, but its all I have unless I want to schlep all the way to Chester. I have had some nice payouts there and I think I am actually ahead for the year after my wife nailed $800 a couple of months ago. If you are in town and jonesing for some action, it will do, but only just. And that's why I got to Vegas.
Getting there: Despite the name, its in Bensalem, PA, just outside the city off US 1. The parking is free, but not valet parking, which is $10 if you don't have a premium players card. For self-parking, it can be a long walk to the casino on a busy day. So you will have to decide how much your convenience is worth.
Games: You probably know that its all slots, with some of the "electronic table games" on the second level. The electronic table games upstairs are blackjack and roulette, $5 to $25 minimums. The lower limit machines can get pretty packed. The slots come in a pretty wide variety from pennies to dollars with some higher limit machines off the main floor. Unlike Vegas, the slots here don't take singles, just $5 and up.
Cocktails: Free, but difficult to get. Has to be the worst drink service you will ever encounter. Tip the waitress $1, $2 $5, it doesn't matter. If you ask for a beer, you get a cup of warm stuff off the waitress' tray. If she doesn't have any beer or you want something out of a bottle, be prepared to wait. And wait. I am not sure which is worse, paying for beer in Missouri and Indiana or waiting for 20 minutes here.
Smoking: Pennsylvania passed a smoking ban in September that limited smoking in casinos to 25% of the floor space. But a clever loophole allowed them to expand smoking to 50% of the floor if they could demonstrate that smoking machines make more than non-smoking. Philly just expanded. Lower level is largely smoking, with a few non-smoking areas, including a small room at the back of the casino. Second floor is mainly non-smoking, except for the Circle Bar and the electronic table games.
Promos/Comps: Philadelphia is big on giving out free play. The casino tax here doesn't really allow them to give really great comps. So when you sign up for the players card, you get $10 or $25. Then you get mailers just about every week for some kind of free play promo. I go there relatively often and I have never seen free food or anything from them. They have lots of drawings for cash or free play though. You are automatically entered if you have a players card in a machine.
Crowd: Very diverse. You get all kinds there. The only issue I have is that you get a lot of folks trying to maximize the free play. Since you have to have a card in the machine, its not unusual to see someone with their card and their spouses card (sans spouse) in the machine next to them, trying to score some credits. At busy times, you may find it hard to get on a machine you want since people are occupying two machines but only playing one. This is especially acute during the Eagles game promo where you get free play every time the Eagles score.
Entertainment: Nuttin honey. There are a couple of bars with TV's. Sometimes there is a band up in the Circle Bar. Jerry Blavat (some local radio DJ who has been around since Ben Franklin) broadcasts there some nights. There is one restaurant and one cafe.
All in all, its not great, but its all I have unless I want to schlep all the way to Chester. I have had some nice payouts there and I think I am actually ahead for the year after my wife nailed $800 a couple of months ago. If you are in town and jonesing for some action, it will do, but only just. And that's why I got to Vegas.