I am originally from the Atlanta area. I often check out the two Harrah’s Cherokee North Carolina casinos while in the region during annual visits. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is about two hours away from the northern Atlanta suburbs. It is about the same distance from Chattanooga and Knoxville.
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Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is much smaller than the original Harrah’s Cherokee casino in North Carolina that is an hour east of it. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River has a 300-room hotel on the property. Its casino is 60,000 square feet.
The main Cherokee property has six times more hotel rooms and two-and-a-half times more gaming space than Valley River does. The staff at both Cherokee casinos in North Carolina are among the most courteous in the gaming industry.
There are no free alcoholic drinks at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. Diamond and Seven Stars players receive half price. Points may be used for drinks. The casino is non-smoking.
I usually spend more time at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. That is where I stayed for this trip earlier in the week. I prefer its smaller size. It is not as busy.
The hotel is convenient to the rest of the property. Here are a few hotel room pictures.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is aimed at lower limit players. Higher limit players will prefer the main Harrah’s Cherokee as it has suites, more high limit tables, and good video poker pay tables at higher denominations.
The next blog post on this site will cover Harrah’s Cherokee. It will be published next week.
There is a Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. There is no mobile sports betting app in North Carolina.
Best casino games at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River
Update: This video blackjack game is no longer available at either Harrah’s casino in North Carolina.
My favorite game at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is Black Gold 21. It is a heads up blackjack machine with unusual rules that deals the cards quickly. Bets are accepted in even amounts from $2 to $50. Players must wager $50 to earn one Caesars Rewards point. This is five times more than usual for this type of game.
The rules on Black Gold are:
- Single deck reshuffled after every hand
- Double down on hard 9, 10 and 11
- No double down after splitting
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Six-card Charlie
- Dealer stands on six cards
- Hit split aces
- Pairs may only be split once
Another game that I enjoy at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is video Ultimate Texas Hold’em. It has $1 to $100 limits. It requires $20 to earn one Caesars Rewards point. Other video table games include $5 single zero roulette, double zero roulette, and Big Wheel. The single zero roulette machine requires $20 per slot point. It is in front of the sportsbook.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River video poker
The best video poker that I found at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is 15/9 Sevens Wild. The return with perfect play and five coins wagered is 99.67%. Another good game is $1 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker (98.98%). There is also $1 15/9 Deuces Wild, which is less than 0.1% off that number. These machines are between the table game pit and the sportsbook. The same machines have quarter and half-dollar denominations with pay tables that are one notch lower.
There are several banks of $1 9/5 Double Double Bonus Poker with five progressive meters that cover a royal flush and four different types of quads. Most of the other video poker is on Pot of Gold machines. The denominations are quarter, half-dollar, dollar, and two-dollar. Games like Shamrock 7’s and inferior versions of Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, Tens or Better, and Jacks or Better are found on these devices. These games have progressives that require eight coins to trigger at lower limits and four at higher ones.
Some Pot of Gold machines have standard keno and a game with a super ball that awards four times the prize if the last number is a hit on a winning hand. After 10 numbers are dropped, the player may double the bet.
The sportsbook bar video poker was turned off during my visit. It has $1 progressive meters. The video poker at the bar in the high-limit room was the worst that I have ever seen. It includes a Jacks or Better game that pays only one coin on two pair. I estimate the house edge to be about 9% on this game and the Deuces Wild one pictured below.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River table games
I counted 66 table games at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. The blackjack games use six decks. Players may double down before and after splitting. There is no surrender or re-split aces. The games on the casino floor hit soft 17. The six tables in high limit stand on soft 17.
The field pays double on 12 at craps tables. Odds are 10 times. Other table games include roulette, baccarat, craps, crapless craps, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
Here are the games available and minimum bets:
- High limit blackjack, 3:2, stands on soft 17: $100
- 3:2 blackjack, hits soft 17: $15
- 6:5 blackjack, hits soft 17: $15
- Baccarat: $100
- Crapless craps: $25
- Craps: $15
- Criss Cross Poker: $5
- High Card Flush: $15
- Mississippi Stud: $15
- Roll to Win Craps, 5 times odds: $5
- Roulette, double zero: $15
- Spanish 21, hits soft 17: $15
- Three Card Poker: $15
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em: $15
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River amenities
This casino is mostly a gaming establishment. There is little else to do. Family activities are limited to a bowling alley with an arcade.
There is one full-service restaurant that is comparable to a typical casino café. The food court has Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips, Earl of Sandwich, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Nathan’s Famous, Panda Express, and Starbucks. The restaurant pricing is on the lower side for a casino.
More Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River pictures
