Poker Rooms

As the original host to the World Series of Poker and home to countless legendary poker players, the poker room inside Binon’s Horseshoe Casino is considered by practically everyone to be the most important card room in the world. They’ve even dubbed themselves “the place that made poker famous”, and it’s hard to argue that point, as the infamous Moneymaker WSOP victory that launched the poker boom was in fact held at Binion’s, which allowed the casino to enjoy much of the insane press that came after the rest of the world learned that a no-name accountant could win millions of dollars in a poker tournament.

Still, the poker room for a long time was considered old-school in both look and feel, a far cry away from the glitz and glamour poker rooms found on the main Vegas strip. While many old-timers enjoyed the classic nostalgia of the original poker room, it came across as too hardcore and unfriendly for new players, one of the reasons poker had trouble gaining popularity before the boom. Finally, Binion’s has decided to update with the times and has unveiled a gorgeous new room on par with any in Vegas.

The new 10-table poker room was built out an old lounge that resided within the Binion’s Casino, though according to poker room manager Brad Thomte, none of the original materials survived the update. “Everything in this room is brand new, built from scratch,” said Thomte. “It was built entirely based on the recommendations of our players.”

Additional modernizing of the room included adding 11 plasma TV’s and a vastly updated look, meant to entice new and returning players to remember why poker legends for years choose Binion’s as their poker room of choice. Still, some of the old-school flavor exists, as a number of black and white photos adorn the walls all around the room, each photo capturing a different major moment in poker history.

I’ve already scheduled another poker trip to Vegas just for an opportunity to play in the new digs. The original Binion’s poker room was where I first sat down on my 21st birthday to play my opening legal hand of poker. If you haven’t had the chance to take in a few rounds of hold’em at the ultimate in classic poker destinations, you’re truly missing out.

A Poker War has begun in Las Vegas. With over 50 poker rooms competing to attract players the freerolls, promotions and gimmicks are on the rise.

Since the conclusion of the 2007 World Series of Poker this summer, the number of players interested in poker in Las Vegas has fallen dramatically. Overall gaming revenues are down across the board and poker rooms have been hit particularly hard. Unlike slot machines, poker rooms are not all the same and players who spend long hours seated in the various rooms are beginning to see more and more incentives to keep them in that seat.

Freerolls have always been a way to "reward" players for loyalty to a room. Not only are more rooms running freerolls, some are realizing that a monthly freeroll seat means nothing to a poker playing tourist in town for a long weekend. So now we are seeing weekly freerolls in some card rooms.

Comps are on the increase for poker players and so are outright giveaways. The Bad Beat Jackpots are growing, even though these come directly out of pot at the table, the more unique High Hand and Bad Beat Jackpots are just more signs that the casinos know they are in a war for the poker players bankroll.

The Poker Shrink will be doing the rounds of the rooms here in Las Vegas, checking on the new and old gimmicks to lure poker players into a room. I will be reporting to you here on all new incentives to our very old game.

TJ's and Dr. Shrink's reviews of Tunica poker rooms reminded me of some overdue pimping ...

Be sure to check out The Poker Atlas, the recently launched brainchild of PB contributor Girl Poker Tour and her husband, Brian. The two of them have spent the last couple years traveling the country by RV in an effort to visit every (legal) poker room in the United States. So if you're hitting the road and looking for a place to play, this site will give you the basic info you need to get in a game ... and it also allows you to share your comments and ratings. Pretty cool.

And since we're feeling link-happy:

-- here's the blog chronicling their TPA adventures as they happen (and the simple blog that inspired the user-driven review site).

-- here's the blog about their 1963 Airstream ride. Shiny and fun.

-- here's Brian's personal poker blog. (By the way, dude, I totally admire your choice in sunglasses.)

-- and last but not least, here's Girl Poker Tour's personal poker blog.

All good stuff, being that they travel the country so you don't have to, and seem to have fun along the way.