Happy Veterans Day to all:
Had a little time this morning, so I headed out to the newest San Diego County casino, the Hollywood Casino located in Jamul, CA. It sounds exotic but is really only a 15 minute drive from my home. It opened last month but I’ve made a point of waiting until all the lookie-loos are done so I could give it a good look over and review.
The Hollywood Casino in Jamul, just outside San Diego limits
They use the Marquee Rewards club, which is used by the M Resort and Tropicana in Las Vegas as well as other casinos in the US. The parking structure is very poorly designed and is easy to get turned around in and not know where you are or how to exit. The casino itself is still a work in progress; however, the main casino on the second floor is in full swing with all the usual latest penny games.
The floor is mainly penny slots and table games in the center.
The High Limit slots salon—surprisingly small
Like the Red Rock, all the gaming is in the center and the perimeter is where all the assorted restaurants are located. There’s two expensive joints, the Final Cut Steak house (steaks and plates are $35 to $125); and the Loft 94 (it was closed and no menu outside). For the oyster bar/Asian dining, there’s Emerald; Ruby’s Dinette is their coffee shop (higher than should be prices); and their Sports Bar is Tony Gwynn’s, named after the Hall of Famer Padre. Hamburgers and other sandwiches were $12 and up. There is a small food court with a Pizza Port, Tres Tacqueria (tacos) and a coffee stand. I didn’t eat there but all seemed to be fine considering you’re a captive audience. In California, it is illegal to serve free alcohol, but it’s available for purchase (take a bank loan out if you’d like to drink).
Tony Gwynn’s sports bar—my apologies for the pic, my camera doesn’t like neon.
Here’s the food court (It was 9:00 AM and no one was open yet)
I brought a hundred dollars to “test” the games. It seems every new game is here somewhere. I found my favorite penny game, Buffalo Gold (BG) scattered all over the casino. I started my first $20 (sixty-cents a spin). I play until I double up, catch a bonus or lose it all and then cash out. After a bit, I caught a very nice line bet and doubled my money, so I cashed out ($42) and moved to the next BG. I was down to $2 and caught a bonus. No retrigger and won only $3.20. I cashed out and went to the next one. I hit a bonus and again, no retrigger and cashed won $8.25. The final BG in this bank ate my $20.
I walked around some and played the latest Zeus machine. I caught a bonus and cashed out a $21.35 profit. Here’s an odd thing: When you cash in your tickets at the kiosks here, they give you cash (no $100 bills) but no change. They print you another ticket with the change on it…what? Well, at least I don’t have a pocket full of loose coins and there’s incentive to put it in the next machine.
I played a volcano machine that I’ve seen some nice hits online. It turned out to be my biggest hit of the day. My $.80 bet bonus got me a $106 win.
My best hit of the day.
There are some video poker machines in the east end of the building and as assumed, the pay schedules are terrible. The best VP I found was 9/5 jacks at the Tony Gwynn bar. I put in $40 here, and doubled up after a few full houses and a quad.
I should have quit here up $120 but we all know how this story goes. A new bank of BG had me play all four machines and never caught a bonus or a good line hit. I then tried a Lightning Strikes and…well…lightning didn’t strike. I finally quit even for the day and putting on 700+ points on the card.
There are four of these free beverages around the perimeter. Very nice.
My overall impressions:
It’s a nice, pretty, new casino. The staff is very nice and there are plenty of roamers if you have any questions. As many Buffalo Gold games as I played and along with my bonuses, I watched others when they hit bonuses and NO ONE that I could see hit a retrigger (absolutely necessary in the game to win). I have to conclude that the machines here are tight—not surprising—it’s California and it’s new.
There is no poker here and the table games were all but deserted—though it’s early. I’m not a fan of the design of the casino—one big floor with the machines turned in every which way. I honestly see no reason to return.
Had a little time this morning, so I headed out to the newest San Diego County casino, the Hollywood Casino located in Jamul, CA. It sounds exotic but is really only a 15 minute drive from my home. It opened last month but I’ve made a point of waiting until all the lookie-loos are done so I could give it a good look over and review.
The Hollywood Casino in Jamul, just outside San Diego limits
They use the Marquee Rewards club, which is used by the M Resort and Tropicana in Las Vegas as well as other casinos in the US. The parking structure is very poorly designed and is easy to get turned around in and not know where you are or how to exit. The casino itself is still a work in progress; however, the main casino on the second floor is in full swing with all the usual latest penny games.
The floor is mainly penny slots and table games in the center.
The High Limit slots salon—surprisingly small
Like the Red Rock, all the gaming is in the center and the perimeter is where all the assorted restaurants are located. There’s two expensive joints, the Final Cut Steak house (steaks and plates are $35 to $125); and the Loft 94 (it was closed and no menu outside). For the oyster bar/Asian dining, there’s Emerald; Ruby’s Dinette is their coffee shop (higher than should be prices); and their Sports Bar is Tony Gwynn’s, named after the Hall of Famer Padre. Hamburgers and other sandwiches were $12 and up. There is a small food court with a Pizza Port, Tres Tacqueria (tacos) and a coffee stand. I didn’t eat there but all seemed to be fine considering you’re a captive audience. In California, it is illegal to serve free alcohol, but it’s available for purchase (take a bank loan out if you’d like to drink).
Tony Gwynn’s sports bar—my apologies for the pic, my camera doesn’t like neon.
Here’s the food court (It was 9:00 AM and no one was open yet)
I brought a hundred dollars to “test” the games. It seems every new game is here somewhere. I found my favorite penny game, Buffalo Gold (BG) scattered all over the casino. I started my first $20 (sixty-cents a spin). I play until I double up, catch a bonus or lose it all and then cash out. After a bit, I caught a very nice line bet and doubled my money, so I cashed out ($42) and moved to the next BG. I was down to $2 and caught a bonus. No retrigger and won only $3.20. I cashed out and went to the next one. I hit a bonus and again, no retrigger and cashed won $8.25. The final BG in this bank ate my $20.
I walked around some and played the latest Zeus machine. I caught a bonus and cashed out a $21.35 profit. Here’s an odd thing: When you cash in your tickets at the kiosks here, they give you cash (no $100 bills) but no change. They print you another ticket with the change on it…what? Well, at least I don’t have a pocket full of loose coins and there’s incentive to put it in the next machine.
I played a volcano machine that I’ve seen some nice hits online. It turned out to be my biggest hit of the day. My $.80 bet bonus got me a $106 win.
My best hit of the day.
There are some video poker machines in the east end of the building and as assumed, the pay schedules are terrible. The best VP I found was 9/5 jacks at the Tony Gwynn bar. I put in $40 here, and doubled up after a few full houses and a quad.
I should have quit here up $120 but we all know how this story goes. A new bank of BG had me play all four machines and never caught a bonus or a good line hit. I then tried a Lightning Strikes and…well…lightning didn’t strike. I finally quit even for the day and putting on 700+ points on the card.
There are four of these free beverages around the perimeter. Very nice.
My overall impressions:
It’s a nice, pretty, new casino. The staff is very nice and there are plenty of roamers if you have any questions. As many Buffalo Gold games as I played and along with my bonuses, I watched others when they hit bonuses and NO ONE that I could see hit a retrigger (absolutely necessary in the game to win). I have to conclude that the machines here are tight—not surprising—it’s California and it’s new.
There is no poker here and the table games were all but deserted—though it’s early. I’m not a fan of the design of the casino—one big floor with the machines turned in every which way. I honestly see no reason to return.
