Question about cental PA Casinos

I am unfortunately spending much of Labor Day weekend in central PA, with my inlaws....uggghhh. The only silver lining is that I will be staying near Reading, and according to Google I'm roughly equidistant from Sands in Bethlehem or the Hollywood casino in Grantville PA (close to Harrisburg I believe). Each is about an hour drive or so from where I'll be. Given that getting away from them for a few hours is an imperative, which establishment would you fine forum members recommend. I play mostly BJ, but under PA law the rules are all the same correct? So it basically comes down to which property is more plesant and/or easier to find from the highway. I may or may not eat there so thats a secondary concern, but I welcome all input. Thanks in advance.

I have been to the Hollywood Casino at Penn National about 3 times between 2010 and 2011. It is a very nice place to play, according to my experience. The casino has good size and offers many table game options, mostly with good rules. I haven't played the machines and I doubt they have full pay videopoker. Cocktail service is very consistent but dealers range from cold stones to mild happy.
I had a nice time playing BJ over there, their rules are very good and there are tables for every budget. Their Epic Buffet was very good, and as I recall, was about $16 for lunch or $29 for a 24h pass. They also have a pleasent sports bar. At least with me, their comps were very limited, but overall I recommend the joint!

VendMan1,

I just called both casinos for you and inquired as to what BlackJack conditions could be variables for you. I also inquired about Promotional offers for new card Members (in case you are not) because that should also be a factor in your EV.

I am not aware of what limits you play, but will say this:

1.) Both casinos use eight decks for low-limit games.

2.) The Sands in Bethlehem uses six decks for High-Limit games. If you play optimally, this should decrease the HE by 0.2784%, pursuant to The Wiz. Realistically, this should decrease the HE by 0.2024%, same. I suppose that just means if you play reasonably well, but not optimally.

-Apologies for not immediately recalling whether or not you count. Hollywood Casino uses eight decks regardless of limit, however, they hand-shuffle those Eight Decks at High-Limit.

3.) The Sands is currently offering $5.00 Slot Free Play for new members to their Player's Club who give an E-Mail address upon signing up. Hollywood Casino does not currently have any promotions for new Members.

***If you do not count, I recommend Sands for the $5.00 Free Play and the six-deck HL Blackjack if you are playing that.

***If you count, then maybe a hand-shuffle mitigates the effects of eight-decks at HL. If not, then take the Six-Decks and $5.00 Free Play.

***If you do not play HL, then go to Sands because of the $5.00, if they are equidistant. If you are only planning on a loss limit of $200, or whatever amount, $5.00 may add a small percentage (in terms of 90%-$4.50-ER to that, but it still adds something) besides you could always have a good hit when you would not otherwise be playing Slots at all.)

Have a great time, if you've not been to PA much, the people are very friendly!

If you do go to Bethlehem, check out The Olive Branch Restaurant, if you get the chance. The Hummus is excellent, you can taste the lemon juice without it being too sour, and the Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves over rice is a delicious entree spiced to perfection. They also have regular stuffed grape leaves, which I imagine are equally good.

Mission146, thanks a lot for the info, you really went above and beyond. I count usually, but this is more of a time killer/escape the inlaws thing. I'll probably stick to flea size bets. The Sands sounds better for that. The wife is very excited by your Hummus reccomendation. So that's probably what is going to happen.

You're very welcome, and most importantly, your wife will not be disappointed!!!

I'm glad to hear that she will be going with you, that's $10 slots Free Play, if neither of you are members.

The best ER on that Free Play is, technically, one pull at a $5.00 machine, but I don't think that ER matters that much on a one-pull proposition. If you want to maximize the ER on that while getting multiple pulls, then I would recommend going with either a $1.00 or $0.25 single-line machine with a perfectly graduated payout structure. You'd be surprised how long I've seen $5.00 last at $0.25/pull.

If your wife wants to play slots and you do not, then you could give her your card and PIN, just make sure that she does not play your card at a machine where a Jackpot would result in a hand pay, because in that unlikely event, they'd be voiding that in a real hurry.

Quote: vendman1

Mission146, thanks a lot for the info, you really went above and beyond. I count usually, but this is more of a time killer/escape the inlaws thing. I'll probably stick to flea size bets. The Sands sounds better for that. The wife is very excited by your Hummus reccomendation. So that's probably what is going to happen.

I have some recommendations for Sands Casino area

The Olive Branch is on my list of recommendations as well (I am 1/4 Arabic). Yes the grape leaves are excellent, but you will note that it is closed Sunday & Monday.

Thanks Paco...dammitt I think we were going to go to Olive Branch Sunday, thanks for the heads up. Maybe I can talk her into Sat night...i appreciate all the help.

Mission...it's funny you said $5.00 slots have the hightest EV..for using the coupon. I regularly get free play in AC and often use it that way.

Quote: vendman1

Mission...it's funny you said $5.00 slots have the hightest EV..for using the coupon. I regularly get free play in AC and often use it that way.

That would technically be the way to do it because it is a more-than-one spin proposition, then. You basically just want to play the highest denomination that your Free Play covers. I never do that, but I'm a Slots player anyway, so I am also interested in having good time at machine, at least to an extent.

Quote: vendman1

Thanks Paco...dammitt I think we were going to go to Olive Branch Sunday, thanks for the heads up. Maybe I can talk her into Sat night...i appreciate all the help.

Tapas on Main on the other side of the river is very authentic. A much more expensive restaurant than Olive Branch, but sometimes has happy hour.

Emeril's Italian Table is the best bang for your buck of the three Emeril restaurants inside the Casino. St James pub is best for casual food. There is also a food court for mall type food.

Ok guys, so despite my best efforts it turns out I'm not going to be able to do Sands in bethlehem. So all your reccomendations were for naught. I may be able to get to the Hollywood..any thoughts on that?

I was gonna chime in, but it had looked like the decision was already made....

Sigh, now I gotta post to maybe get you to reconsider.

I haven't been to Hollywood, so reconsidering might not be needed, but was going to respond to one point that nobody answered.


Getting to the Sands is easy. Take Route 78 to exit 67. Make a right at the end of the ramp. Follow that road about 2 miles, bearing left at the fork at 1 mile. (Some people go right at that fork, but those people should have their license revoked. The road obviously goes left.) The road takes you right to the casino.

Admin note: removed image www.djteddybear.com/images/sands_directions.JPG
It's also easy to miss the turn onto Daly Ave by not being in the right lane, but at least there you see it and can figure it out.


Note that the Sands has an 8 level parking garage. No worries about a long walk should the weather be bad.

Quote: vendman1

Ok guys, so despite my best efforts it turns out I'm not going to be able to do Sands in bethlehem. So all your reccomendations were for naught. I may be able to get to the Hollywood..any thoughts on that?

Puzzling.
Reading is almost equidistant to Sands, Bethlehem or Hollywood or Valley Forge. It is strange that you can go to one and not the other.

Hollywood is obviously very popular, but it is a racino, and not a purpose built casino. No shopping, hotel or entertainment center and more limited food selection. It is located on a highway so there is not the local cuisine.

Midway Diner off of exit #16 of I78 has been an institution for over 60 years. If you are craving shoo-fly pie and other Dutchie treats, it's a place to stop.

Hollywood in Grantville PA is about 1 mile off I-81. Super easy to get to. It is just north of Harrisburg. As Paco said, there is not much in local eateries in the immediate area, but there is plenty within 15 miles. The Casino buffet has a number of items, and other than twice when I ate at the buffet's 9:00PM closing time, the food has always been pretty good. The two closing times were disgusting. They also have a sports bar upstairs that has good food and beer. It is really more like a TGI Friday's or similar restaurants. Kids are allowed to eat in there, whereas they are not allowed into the buffet, since that requires walking through the casino.
There is another cafe downstairs that I have not gone into, and I think there is a fine dinning restaurant in the center of the casino that I have also never entered.
The ponies run every night starting at 6:00 PM I think. That is a pretty cool diversion if the tables are not going your way. I never think about them though. :-( I have been there probably 12 times, and have only seen the last half of 1 race. I just never think about going out back.

Paco..Reading is equidistant...and I thought that's where we were staying...just found out we are staying in a lakeside cabin...much closer to Harrisburg...therefore Hollywood is now my only option. Much to my chagrin...I was getting excited about the Sands....alas.

Can you email me a Philli Cheese steak sub? PLEASE

Quote: vendman1

just found out we are staying in a lakeside cabin...much closer to Harrisburg...therefore Hollywood is now my only option.

Rent this movie to get you in the mood. The joys of small town life in Central Pennsylvania. Or as the Democrats call it, Pennsyltucky (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Kentucky in the middle).

Quote: vendman1

Paco..Reading is equidistant...and I thought that's where we were staying...just found out we are staying in a lakeside cabin...much closer to Harrisburg...therefore Hollywood is now my only option. Much to my chagrin...I was getting excited about the Sands....alas.

Hollywood is not a terrible place. I have never been to Sands, but the couple we go to casinos with quite a bit have been to both, and they did not feel the Sands was any better than Hollywood. And for killing a couple of hours, you won't notice anything, other than,
Don't expect to get comp'd. They are notoriously CHEAP.

I play craps and have never been denied a dinner comp, EXCEPT at Hollywood, where I have been denied three times now.

Buzz: for you I will email you two cheesesteaks and a beer.

Paco: I say that line about Pennsyltucky all the time. I have family in both Kentucky and Penn. They both think it's a crack on the other state.

Raleigh: Glad to know Hollywoods not bad. I might even check out the ponies if they are running. As this is likely to be my only visit to Hollywood for years I'm not too worried about comps.

Again thanks for all the input

" Buzz: for you I will email you two cheesesteaks and a beer.
"

Thanks, I brought my own Tasty Kakes back in carry on luggage.