--- In vpFREE_California@yahoogroups.com, "fordscks"
<jason_c_vp@y...> wrote:
<<<> Can anyone provide assistance as to which casinos in the San
Diego region offers "Shockwave" or "Pot of Gold*" machines, each of
which is a multi-game format. You can tell the machines by the
signage. So if you can give a rough estimate of how machine in each
casino that would be helpful.........>>>>
***Pot O Gold info below - mainly at Sycuan/Viejas.
VISIT a grocery store for the Southern California Gaming newsprint
free mag/rag. It will list occaisional promotions and drawings,
with user friendly gaming articles (Bob Dancer, Jean Scott, Bill
Burton, and other visiting gaming authors).
My recent visits are mainly with Barona, Sycuan, and Viejas.
All 3 use a slot club pts for comps - or optional cashout at
Barona/Sycuan in $5 mininum increments. Viejas sends out a mailer if
you reach $10 or $25 - then you can optionally cash out your pts.
Viejas also uses a marketing KIOSK/swipe program seasonally.
It awards daily prizes - logo stuff mainly, but a friend of mine won
a $50 gift certificate to the Outlet center (and after buying a few
small items, got the balance in CASH).
Barona/Sycuan/Pala/Harrah's/Pauma/Valley View all love their drawing
promotions. Drawings - imho - suck. All they do is what the casinos
love - draw in lots of people to play more for those dwg tix. Then
on drawing night - too many people in the casino waiting for their
name to be called on. No machines open for playing.
Barona doesn't have many (maybe none) of those Pot'O Golds.
They do a strict .1% cb for vp, with random bounceback mailers to
locals (worth up to .3-.5% of your recent monthly coin-in).
Mostly TITO IGT multigame machines, many uprights.
FP on mainly $1 vp and higher. (JB and NSUD)
A few .25-.50-$1 3/5 plays, but they are targeting $1 vp players.
"DISCRETIONARY" comps are very tight for vp players. Add in some
TABLE play and you'll probably do better. I barely qualified for a
buffet after $5K in action on 3/5 play machine.
Maybe their buffet is too upscale now. Check out their website.
At least club members save a whopping 20% off.
I'd rather pay 1/2 the price and lose 1/2 the gourmet food items.
Sycuan has .125% cb, with some multipts DAYS (up to 6 pm some
weekdays). Their Pot'O Golds are aplenty, and only require $1
instead of $2 for jackpots. Paytables are abysmal, though.
7/5 JB, super ugly deuces games, 2 pair joker games with 5K jackpots.
The JB games sometimes get into $2K-$3K jackpots, but 7/5 JB is
really a slowkill to the bankroll. I've gone thru $100 without ANY
4Ks. Many players use the 'dbl-up' option to recoup. I have only
done well in their VP-tournies.
Viejas is .2% comps (unless you have mailer to cash out pts).
Plenty of Pot O Golds - various linked banks, but most games require
$2 min. for jackpots in VP. Lots of $1+ Keno players as well.
They USED to have 8/5 JB progs - now many are 7/5.
I think they have a game called "Shamrock 7s" which uses a joker and
any 3 7s will give you a bonus pot. Paytable looked abysmal to me,
though - I think it also is a 2 pairs or better game.
The JB prog. RFs sometimes reach $5K++, that's when the better
bankrolled players jump in. For me - those games are too risky.
There are better plays now. They almost rival Barona, with twice the
comp value. Plenty of upright multigame IGTs with .50c 9/6 JB.
Some multistrikes with 8/5 Bonus, 9/6 JB, 9/7 DB, 9/6 ddb, and 9-7
Triple Dbl - if you dare.
Check outside of VIP room - good $1 7/5 Bonus prog on Aces and higher.
A few scattered .25 JB/Bonus pkrs scattered about.
Some scattered Triple Bonus + games (like White hot aces, but SF pays
500) in $1. Multi-lines have bad paytables right now (and spinpokers).
Also, if you can help out with cash back as well. I know Pachenga,
Barona, etc offer such information on their websites.
Thanks.
* The Pot Of Gold typically has 3 progressive video poker games:
JOB, Deuces Wild or Lucky 7 (any hand with 3 7s pays a bonus -
dealt from a 53-card deck). The best JOB I've found is $1 and $0.25
8/5 JOB progressive at Jackson Rancheria. The worst was 6/5 JOB
progressive w/ quads paying 15 (reminds me of a machine in AC'
Claridge).
Sycuan rivals some of the 'worst' games for vp now - 8/5 $1 IGT prog.
was best I saw. Basic multigames are mostly 7/5 JB or low-screwy
Bonus pokers (3K pay 2-1 in most cases).
Viejas also has a bad quarter 10-8-5-3-1-1 Bonus pkr, prog on Aces
and RF only. The other quads are NOT DBL'd.
Barona has quarter 9/5 ddb prog on 4-aces and higher, if you like
those lowpay games. 17-7-5 prog. jkr RF and higher.
20-12 ugly deuces prog on 2s and RF only.
.50c IGT 8/5 JB - prog on quads and higher is ok. Prog meter VERY
SLOW. Rarely climbs to positive territory. Stick with fullpay NON
prog games.
Other notes (Bingo):
Barona offers a 'Vegas-style' Bingo session;
Runs very quickly - maybe 10 games/session.
It also costs more (relative to Viejas/Sycuan) for the number of
games and prize payouts.
Sycuan and Viejas offer better Bingo sessions and bonus games for the
players - Usually 15 games/session and a bigger hall. Sycuan's is
probably most state of the art. Viejas comps at 2% rate of Bingo
Buy-ins. Sycuan comps at lesser rate and has recently increased
prices slightly. Good food specials available at both Sycuan
Bingo deli and Viejas Bingo deli, during bingo sessions.
Martin.
PS - SENIORS get discounts at Viejas/Sycuan.
Students and Military also discounted at Viejas.