5 Casinos. Gary, Hammond, Joliet, Aurora

apex

Well-Known Member
#1
Just got back from a 5 casino tour. Didn't check out the high stakes areas anywhere. Started at Majestic Star, then moved to Ameristar both in Gary. Both casinos offered 6 deck $10 min. Not sure what the max was, but it was at least $500. Both are H17, DAS, around 75% pen. Played short sessions spreading $10 to 2X$75. Was thanked for playing and comped a meal at Ameristar. No heat in either place but didn't push it. After a big betting shoe I cashed out rather then going back down to table min. +$500 after about 3 hours due to good swings. Neither place had many tables, probably less than 10 open when I was there around mid day.

Next I checked out Horseshoe. Played one morning and one night session. BJ tables were $15 min, which was a little higher than I like. I played Spanish 21 and BJ switch. They had just one table of each. I believe Spanish was 6 deck, S17 no redouble. Switch was 8 deck h17. Down about $300 in Spanish 21 due mostly to bad swings, and partly to BS mistakes (im still learning that game. Using Katrina's method of counting starting at -24.) Won back $100 in BJ switch. Spent about 9 hours total there. I believe all of the tables there are $5000 max. They had at least 50 tables and 3 different pits.

On my way home I stopped in Joliet and Aurora. Harrahs Joliet had 2 small pits probably around 10 BJ tables. $10 min H17 DAS 8 deck. The interesting thing about this place was that they had a case over the discard tray and an opaque shoe so you couldn't see the cards for deck estimation. I hit 2 hot shoes in a row with the running count hitting 15 and basically staying there for most of the shoe. Did the best I could to keep track of the decks for TC conversion, but ended up erroring on the conservative side and under betting. Still, played only 2 shoes and was fortunate enough to win $400 on a $10-$75 spread.

Last stop was Hollywood in Aurora. They had 2 pits, maybe 20 tables H17 DAS 8 deck. Only 2 $10 tables, rest $15. Played 2 hours, lost $20.

Trip total won nearly $700! Was fun. I wouldn't recommend going to or staying away from any of these casinos, all were just "meh." They all offered reasonable 6 deck games. Didn't see any 2 deck offered anywhere. All had auto shufflers. I also saw a lot of CSMs, but was able to find shoe games at every stop.
 
#3
Apex

Thanks for taking the time to post this trip report, well done.:)In the future please visit the HL rooms to check out conditions there, that is where you should be getting the far better games.

Even if they have a sign that says players only at the HL room check it out, no one will stop you.

CP
 

apex

Well-Known Member
#5
High Limit!

I'll keep that in mind. From now on I'll scout the high limit areas for you guy. I guess it will be for myself too. Though I haven't played any $25 min yet and im not comfortable with it now, I will probably be there some day.

Planning to make the trip again in 2 weeks so look for an update then.
 

MasterofNone

Well-Known Member
#6
apex said:
Just got back from a 5 casino tour. Didn't check out the high stakes areas anywhere. Started at Majestic Star, then moved to Ameristar both in Gary. Both casinos offered 6 deck $10 min. Not sure what the max was, but it was at least $500. Both are H17, DAS, around 75% pen. Played short sessions spreading $10 to 2X$75. Was thanked for playing and comped a meal at Ameristar. No heat in either place but didn't push it. After a big betting shoe I cashed out rather then going back down to table min. +$500 after about 3 hours due to good swings. Neither place had many tables, probably less than 10 open when I was there around mid day.

Next I checked out Horseshoe. Played one morning and one night session. BJ tables were $15 min, which was a little higher than I like. I played Spanish 21 and BJ switch. They had just one table of each. I believe Spanish was 6 deck, S17 no redouble. Switch was 8 deck h17. Down about $300 in Spanish 21 due mostly to bad swings, and partly to BS mistakes (im still learning that game. Using Katrina's method of counting starting at -24.) Won back $100 in BJ switch. Spent about 9 hours total there. I believe all of the tables there are $5000 max. They had at least 50 tables and 3 different pits.

On my way home I stopped in Joliet and Aurora. Harrahs Joliet had 2 small pits probably around 10 BJ tables. $10 min H17 DAS 8 deck. The interesting thing about this place was that they had a case over the discard tray and an opaque shoe so you couldn't see the cards for deck estimation. I hit 2 hot shoes in a row with the running count hitting 15 and basically staying there for most of the shoe. Did the best I could to keep track of the decks for TC conversion, but ended up erroring on the conservative side and under betting. Still, played only 2 shoes and was fortunate enough to win $400 on a $10-$75 spread.

Last stop was Hollywood in Aurora. They had 2 pits, maybe 20 tables H17 DAS 8 deck. Only 2 $10 tables, rest $15. Played 2 hours, lost $20.

Trip total won nearly $700! Was fun. I wouldn't recommend going to or staying away from any of these casinos, all were just "meh." They all offered reasonable 6 deck games. Didn't see any 2 deck offered anywhere. All had auto shufflers. I also saw a lot of CSMs, but was able to find shoe games at every stop.
was the SP21 at Horseshoe $15.00 min? Next time if the table is not crowded early in the morn or late at night ask them to lower to $10.00. I have never been denied at any Horseshoe.

Also did u run into any SP21 at Joliet? Am planning on a trip to norhtern IN/IL this month.

Thx.
 

apex

Well-Known Member
#7
$10 sp 21

At Horseshoe, SP21 and BJSWITCH were both $10. One other thing I noticed about table mins: they opened up a new pit, Im just guessing but Id say at 8 PM. As they were setting up the signs said $10. I am thinking if you sat down at the right time you could get grandfathered in at $10 but I didn't try it and the limits quickly went to $15.
 

moo321

Well-Known Member
#8
Horseshoe is going to give a 2 deck cut on the shoe games. Not so good...

On the other hand, all comps are 1:1 using total rewards points. So if you rack up $100 in points, you can go to the steakhouse, or the gift shop, or whatever.
 

MasterofNone

Well-Known Member
#10
apex said:
At Horseshoe, SP21 and BJSWITCH were both $10. One other thing I noticed about table mins: they opened up a new pit, Im just guessing but Id say at 8 PM. As they were setting up the signs said $10. I am thinking if you sat down at the right time you could get grandfathered in at $10 but I didn't try it and the limits quickly went to $15.
thank u.

also, ref grandfathering, at most of the horseshoe casinos if u r at a table they will announce at the end of the shoe the min will increase. so regardless of when u sat down you either have to increase to the new min or get up.
 

prankster

Well-Known Member
#11
Dyepaintball12 said:
A good thing about The Horseshoe is that before about 8pm on weekdays the BJ pits only have 1 floor person per every 7 tables
If they are in fact cutting 2 decks out of a 6 deck shoe they don't need many pit critters.:joker::laugh::whip:
 

chichow

Well-Known Member
#12
Sometimes the Horseshoe does cut 1.5 decks and even the occasional 1.25 deck by a sloppy dealer, but most of the time I would agree it tends toward 2 decks.
 
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