Ballys Chicago
January 29th, 2024 at 5:50:59 PM
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There should be a Midwest section.
Anyway, went to Ballys downtown Chicago. Place was fine for an Illinois casino. They had Pai Gow which was a pleasant surprise.
Surrender on blackjack was unusual too.
Nothing really special there, but wasn’t bad.
$25 tables were easy to sit at. $15 were packed.
Anyway, went to Ballys downtown Chicago. Place was fine for an Illinois casino. They had Pai Gow which was a pleasant surprise.
Surrender on blackjack was unusual too.
Nothing really special there, but wasn’t bad.
$25 tables were easy to sit at. $15 were packed.
August 12th, 2026 at 2:01:59 PM
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It’s interesting to see how casino options are expanding in different cities. I think whether it’s a physical casino or an online platform, the important things are trust, good game selection, and a smooth overall experience. Players today have more choices than ever, so transparency matters a lot.
August 12th, 2026 at 2:09:12 PM
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Quote: AceProtocolIt’s interesting to see how casino options are expanding in different cities. I think whether it’s a physical casino or an online platform, the important things are trust, good game selection, and a smooth overall experience. Players today have more choices than ever, so transparency matters a lot.
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Oh wow thanks for that insight. It's so great being told something I already know.
August 12th, 2026 at 2:11:07 PM
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It's like the $3 tables of old are now the $15 tables, and the $5 tables of old are the $25 tables now. But prices have only tripled since 1987 according to the CPI calculator.
August 12th, 2026 at 2:12:18 PM
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Crypto casinos have definitely made things more convenient for many players, especially when it comes to payment flexibility. But I still think checking reputation, terms, and user feedback before trying any platform is important.
August 12th, 2026 at 2:13:10 PM
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Quote: KevinAAQuote: AceProtocolIt’s interesting to see how casino options are expanding in different cities. I think whether it’s a physical casino or an online platform, the important things are trust, good game selection, and a smooth overall experience. Players today have more choices than ever, so transparency matters a lot.
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Oh wow thanks for that insight. It's so great being told something I already know.
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Fair point 😄 Sometimes the basics sound obvious, but they’re usually the things that make the biggest difference. A lot of issues people face with casinos usually come down to those simple things like payments, support, and transparency.
August 13th, 2026 at 5:36:49 AM
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Can a robot learn to become an AP?
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!” She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
August 13th, 2026 at 9:51:14 AM
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By coincidence, my son yesterday shared a news article with me about how the Chicago alders (their name for the city council?) is demanding that Bally's resumes construction of its downtown casino.
I guess there was a brouhaha over bars getting to have video lottery terminals (i.e. video poker), so Bally's was incensed that this move was a breach of contract on their gaming monopoly.
I guess there was a brouhaha over bars getting to have video lottery terminals (i.e. video poker), so Bally's was incensed that this move was a breach of contract on their gaming monopoly.
August 13th, 2026 at 10:47:16 AM
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Quote: FinsRuleThere should be a Midwest section.
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What, "Gambling Outside Vegas, N.O.S." isn't specific enough? ;)
Bally's has a point on the video gaming terminal change. Most of Illinois allowed that sort of route slot, but I hadn't seen it inside of Chicago. Part of that almost surely drove traffic out to Aurora, Elgin, Hammond (& NI), or Milwaukee.
I have a hunch this may be an excuse to negotiate for a sprinkle of sweetener.
May the cards fall in your favor.
September 2nd, 2026 at 5:53:26 PM
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Quote: DieterQuote: FinsRuleThere should be a Midwest section.
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What, "Gambling Outside Vegas, N.O.S." isn't specific enough? ;)
Bally's has a point on the video gaming terminal change. Most of Illinois allowed that sort of route slot, but I hadn't seen it inside of Chicago. Part of that almost surely drove traffic out to Aurora, Elgin, Hammond (& NI), or Milwaukee.
I have a hunch this may be an excuse to negotiate for a sprinkle of sweetener.
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I have had a few trips through Chicagoland in the past week. There is a fairly new gas station along 294 aggressively advertising their 10 slot machines, available 24/7.
I think I saw more billboards for their gaming than they have machines.
Technically Hodgkins (not Chicago proper), but still Cook County.
May the cards fall in your favor.
September 2nd, 2026 at 6:10:11 PM
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Quote: odiousgambitCan a robot learn to become an AP?
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Program it not to tip and you are halfway there.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
