Across The Country - Casino #1

So I’ve been in just about every kind of casino out there: Big & Small; Simple & Flashy; Ritzy & Ghetto; Legal & Illegal – you get the point. I only have a few very simple criteria that I look at when I’m at the casino – and this weekend I was at one that had NONE!

As I mentioned previously, I’m kind of on a “road trip” of sorts. I’m going back to my hometown, for one, which is never a good idea when you grew up in a small town and you’re a writer. Sure, they’ll LOVE when you say, “I’m self-employed” but when you explain that you’re a poker writer, they just won’t get it. Knowing that I was going to have to explain myself more times then I want to in these next few days, and knowing that I needed a quick vacation before starting my “real” vacation, I hit up some casinos as I drove across country.

The sign in Iowa was huge, so I could see it from quite a distance. I knew that it was going to be an “interesting” one if nothing else, because the sign was a large man, several stories tall, that looked like he was either a bullfighter or an “old west” persona. I know neither of these things bare a resemblance to each other, but trust me – that’s what it looked like.

The sign called the place, “Terrible’s Casino”. And that’s exactly what it was – TERRIBLE!

From chaotic parking, to wretched décor, to NO customer service – at all! – This place would definitely make my list of worst casinos of all time!

When I’m in a casino, I look for the following:
1) Nice, friendly staff, located near the door. They should be able to tell by your expression in an instant if you’re new, if you’re confused, if you need help, etc. AND they should be willing to do what’s necessary to help you!
2) A variety of games. Now, honestly, I’ve been in some casinos that literally had a few slots and one table for Blackjack, Roulette, etc. It was small – but at least they had a variety.
3) Good lighting. I LOVE the dimmer, darker, atmospheres of some casinos; however, I don’t want to be squinting to tell what my cards are.
4) People. From the competitors to the cheerers; from the management to the service employees; I want nice, personable people who know the boundaries of talking trash and having fun. People who understand hard losses, and act accordingly and overall just have good table etiquette.
It’s not much – but that’s what I look for. I’m just hoping my next casino doesn’t have quite the same name as the last one – and if it does – I’m hope it doesn’t live up to its name quite so literally!