[Gonzopozo]

Hello -

A (reletively) new Colorado casino gambler asked me recently "where is my favorite place to gamble"?

Hmmmm. Not as easy a question to answer as one might think.

My "favorite" casino on any given night is where I've actually won something! But looking at the big picture, a person needs to consider many factors.

Things like - service, game selection, ambiance, player's club, parking, food, drink, and cleanliness all matter. A noticable shortcoming in any of those areas can weigh heavily in a player's evaluation. Notice I put SERVICE first - frankly I think it's the biggest single factor. Treat me rudely or make me stand in too long a line and I'm GONE.

So - what was my answer?

Well, I'm still thinking about it. Check back here soon if you're curious. In the meantime - tell us what YOU think!

Steve

[plymouth10]

That is a hard question to answer as i enjoy most all casino's in central city and black hawk and i move around quite a bit, but if i had to nail one down as # 1, it would be Mountain High {pre construction era} Here are some of my reason's plenty of parking, central location for Black hawk, good food, Not sure what it is, something about the design of the building being circular and a large {high} ceiling even when it is busy it does not seem so, good machine selection, and current new ones always being added,has the "vegas" style casino feel, and seem's to have the new ownership that can back it up.My pennies worth Mike

[slammer99]

I'll put in my two cents, too.
For video poker with the best pays, Riveria is a good bet. I've found the service (ok, I mean drink service) to be good here. Mountain High and Lodge also have some good games. In Central City, Scarlets has about the best VP. Lodge has the best bartops, full pay Jacks or Better, single play for quarters. Colorado Central Station has full pay JoB triple play. As always, check out the machines. Even in a casino, the pays can vary dramatically from machine to machine.
Mountain High is a bit of a mess with the construction, but has one of the better buffets, IMHO.
I also like the "multi-strike" video poker. Not sure why, since the strategy is complex and they always set the pays lower. But man do I love a big payout on the top hand! Anyway, Riveria, Lodge, and Fortune Valley have machines.
I play poker at either Fortune Valley or Gilpin. I especially like Gilpin's structured games, and I don't know of anyone else who has structured games. Most places do the 2-5 spread limit which really translates to 5-5. "I'll only bet $2 'cause I have a mediocre hand."

[Gonzopozo]

Hi folks -

Well, quite a bit has changed in BH-CC since I last posted my "take" on a favorite casino up the hill.

I still like Central City (Main Street) overall - less crowds and more intimate and "local" flavor. I love being recognized and appreciated every place I go, especially Scarlet's - the Player's Club there clearly has the best staff and service in CC.

However - if I'm in Black Hawk these days I'm heading to Mountain High. The "Ameristar Effect" is really obvious - from service to food to ambiance - everything is improved and will only get better as the massive remodeling wraps up. The staff reflects a positive, can-do attitude. It just feels good being there. Check it out and see if you don't agree.

G