We started our day in Wheeling, WV. We had a great stay at the Hampton Inn. When we checked in, Taylor made it clear how proud he and his entire town is to call Wheeling home. He told us about several attractions around the city. The Wheeling Hampton Inn hotel has a shuttle that will take you to any of the attractions or recommended restaurants.
There is a sports bar called TJ’s Sports Garden across the street from the Hampton Inn. We decided to have dinner and a a few drinks there. Our server was MacKenzie and her service was exceptional. Everyone we encountered in the restaurant, hotel and casino were as friendly as it gets.
After a well-rested night in one of the better hotels we stayed at, we hit the road for Pennsylvania. There are common themes that I found in Pennsylvania casinos.
- The craps field bet always pays double on 12.
- The blackjack rules are nearly identical, including a mandated 3:2 payout, only re-split aces are different.
- The video poker was mostly the same and usually not all that great. The tax rate on slots in Pennsylvania is a likely cause of this and the next two.
- There are few video table games.
- Stadium gaming was all live dealers.
Meadows, Washington, PA
Our first stop this early Monday morning was at Meadows Racetrack and Casino in far southwestern Pennsylvania. It was nearly empty. There were no races, the poker room was just opening, and there were few tables in operation. I never found anything that I wanted to play in the way of video poker. The pits were mostly closed, so we moved on quickly.
Blackjack, double zero roulette, craps, Criss Cross Poker and Mississippi Stud were $10. Baccarat’s minimum bet was $100. All other tables were closed. We left without playing anything.
One feature of this property that we enjoyed was its racing and simulcast areas. It was among the nicest on our journey.
Rivers, Pittsburgh, PA
We had never been to downtown Pittsburgh. It was an adventure. The rivers in the city create a scenic view but a nightmare for highway engineers. It was fun to navigate the area, though I can see how it would get old to commuters.
Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh had the same video poker that I found at other Pennsylvania casinos, except that its Hot Roll machine was a bit better. I played some $1 9/6 Double Double Bonus on Hot Roll and won $105. We decided to spend some of that on lunch at Wheelhouse on the property.
House poker table games typically had a $5 minimum bet. Craps was $15 with 10 times odds. Double zero roulette was $10. Blackjack with standard state rules was $15.
Results: +$105, trip: -$177
Live! Pittsburgh, PA
Live! Pittsburgh is in a mall. It seemed like it took the place of a former major chain big box store. It was smaller than I was expecting. Like so many Pennsylvania casinos, its video poker was mostly in one section. I found some three-play $1 9/6 Double Double Bonus. I won $15 and cashed out.
About half of the tables were open. It was the typical selection of table games. Every game in the house had a $10 minimum bet this Monday morning. The standard poker selection of the region was available, including Criss Cross Poker. Craps allows five times odds.
Results: +$15, trip: -$162
Lady Luck Nemacolin, Farmington, PA
This casino is part of a large upscale resort. It was nearly deserted this Monday afternoon. I could not find any video poker that was worth playing. It was among the worst that I encountered on this trip. I lost $10 playing a variant at the bar while waiting for a drink.
The table game pit was open but there was little going on. All games had a $5 minimum bet except blackjack, which was $15. Craps was 10 times odds.
Results: -10, trip: -$172
Rocky Gap, Flintstone, MD
Our next stop was Rocky Gap Resort in western Maryland. It is in front of Rocky Gap State Park. The area is secluded and heavily wooded.
It is owned by Golden Entertainment. This same company owns The Strat, Arizona Charlie’s and the chain of PT’s Pubs in Nevada, among other properties. The video poker that I found mirrored the company’s bartops.
Rocky Gap has a rare 3:2 double deck blackjack game for the region. It has a $25 minimum bet, hits soft 17, and permits double down before or after splitting. Craps, double zero roulette, six-deck 3:2 blackjack with surrender and a couple of poker games had a $10 minimum bet.
I played about 10 minutes of Ultimate X for a $20 win. I spoke to two dealers, a slot attendant, a bartender and a table game supervisor. All were very friendly.
Results: +$20, trip: -$152
Hollywood Casino at Penn National, Grantville, PA
After slowly bleeding most of the trip, I walked into the high limit of Hollywood Casino and played $1 7/5 Bonus Poker. This was the first hand:
I cashed out immediately. That turned out to be the best video poker game that I found here, though I played some variants. I won $240 here.
The poker table games started at $10. Craps and baccarat were $15. Double zero roulette was $20. Pai gow poker was $25.
It was dark when we arrived. We stayed the night at a Hampton Inn across the highway from the casino and returned the next day to take some outside pictures.
Results: +$240, trip: +$78
