This is a QoD FAQ and the answer gets a little fuller each time we address it. While sadly there isn't a single place you can go to see listings of every machine in Las Vegas, there are several ways to get at least a partial picture of what's where and, considering the size of many of the casinos in question and the frequency with which games are moved around and switched out, that's pretty amazing in itself.
We do have to insert the caveat that we've never actually put any of these finders to the test, so we can't vouch for how accurate they are; if anyone out in QoDland has ever tried to use them to find a favorite game, we'd love hear whether it worked or not.
Since the casinos comprise various groups and individual properties all competing with one another, and since the various slot and video poker manufacturers are also in fierce competition, it should come as no great surprise that there isn't one collective site where everyone helpfully updates their latest game information. Aside from the logistical headache, why would you go to the trouble to indicate that the guy next door might have more desirable games or a higher progressive than you do?
However, more and more individual companies are beginning to display their current wares on their Web sites and if you don't mind a little surfing, there's a fair amount you can glean online.
The company that blazed the trail in this department was Harrah's, when it introduced its slot finder back in July, 2006. It's a searchable national database of all Harrah's properties –- which, in Las Vegas, include the Rio, Bally's, Paris, Harrah's, Flamingo Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Imperial Palace, and O'Shea's -- that enables you to search by property, denomination, game type, or name.
The following year Harrah's followed the slot finder with the introduction of a table-game finder, which is also searchable by several criteria, including by casino, game name, and game type. We were curious as to what the difference between the latter two categories was, so we looked up table-game names beginning with 'b.' Wow! The choices came back as follows: Baccarat, Big Raise Hold 'Em, Big Six, Bingo, BJ Double Hit 17, BJ Double Stand 17, BJ Press, BJ Shoe (6 to 5), BJ Shoe Hit 17, BJ Shoe Stand 17, BJ Single (3 to 2 - good luck finding any of those in Vegas), BJ Single (6 to 5), Blackjack Bonanza, Blackjack Switch, and Boston 5 Card. We don't know how it's maintained, but it looks like a pretty slick and comprehensive database.
As part of its B Connected online players club program, Boyd Gaming also added a slot search feature that covers all 17 Boyd properties nationally, including the Gold Coast, Orleans, Suncoast, Jokers Wild, Main Street Station, Sam's Town, California, and Fremont in Las Vegas. Like the Harrah's equivalent, it's searchable by property, game type, and denomination, but it also includes handy color-coded maps that highlight exactly where your game of choice can be located on the casino floor. As with Harrah's, we can't vouch for how up-to-date all the information is kept, but it's a great idea if it's maintained.
In addition, IGT has a searchable database for locating the whereabouts of its MegaJackpots games, which include all the big progressives like Megabucks, Wheel of Fortune, and so on, including their current totals. The latter you can also access direct from this site, as we're hooked into their live feeds.
The last one we know of is Bally Technologies, which also has a where to play page for finding your favorite games, like Playboy Slots. It's the least sophisticated of the search databases, just listing casinos by state that have the game, not denominations or locations within the property. Still, it's better than nothing.
As to video poker, again, we list where to find all the best games in our Best Video Poker section. The data's supplied and updated by vpFREE2, where you can also find details of exactly where the games are located on the casino floor, and whether they're bartop or stand-alone.
Good luck on your quest - we hope you find what you're looking for.
