Biloxi Sunday!

I'll be in Biloxi Sun-Tues. Staying at Beau Rivage. My free play expires Sun and renews on Monday at three different casinos so I always plan my trips to double up any any freebies.
My free play is all slots, but then on to Blackjack and Pai Gow Poker. Anybody else going there?
Wish me luck and I'll give a short report afterwards.

Good Luck timberjim. Take all you want from them, but leave a little bit for me in Nov. ;-)

I plan my trips same as you do, but I need to coordinate my plans with the casino junket flights. Nov. 30-Dec. 2 is my next trip. Get in on Nov. 30 and immediately need to pick up my Nov. $150 in table play from the Beau, then get on a trolley to Grand for $40 and then over to IP for $50. Then I get to do it all over again on Sat or Sun for Dec's free play, $150, $40, and another $50.

May I request a report on craps minimums the entire time you're there?

Preferably: Afternoon, evening, late night (after midnight). I've been contemplating on a trip down there and want to make sure there are enough $10 tables.

Quote: ahiromu

May I request a report on craps minimums the entire time you're there?

Preferably: Afternoon, evening, late night (after midnight). I've been contemplating on a trip down there and want to make sure there are enough $10 tables.

I have been there in Feb., Apr., Jun., Sep., Oct., and Nov. There have always been at least two $10 tables at all times when I have been there, and that includes weekends. I play at any time of the day, evening, and late night. They have a crapless craps table that is always $10 too. I have never seen a $5 table there.
I have never seen a $15 table there either. It is either $10 or $25. Finally, you get grandfathered in, so if you start play early when the table is $10, and they take it to $25, you get to keep playing at the $10 minimum.

The only complaint I have seen at BR the last couple of times I was there, is their craps offering at 8:00 AM is pretty weak. There is usually only one game open, and many times it is the crapless table. They don't open a second table until 10:00 AM. Can't remember though what days of the week I was there the last couple of trips.

Quote: RaleighCraps

I have been there in Feb., Apr., Jun., Sep., Oct., and Nov. There has always been at least two $10 tables at all times when I have been there, and that includes weekends. I play at any time of the day, evening, and late night. They have a crapless craps table that is always $10 too.
I have never seen a $15 table there either. It is either $10 or $25. Finally, you get grandfathered in, so if you start play early when the table is $10, and they take it to $25, you get to keep playing at the $10 minimum.

The only complaint I have seen at BR the last couple of times I was there, is their craps offering at 8:00 AM is pretty weak. There is usually only one game open, and many times it is the crapless table. They don't open a second table until 10:00 AM. Can't remember though what days of the week I was there the last couple of trips.

Sigh, that probably means they close down to the single table a little after midnight (I don't know the meaning of sleep when there's a craps table within walking distance). I guess it could be fun just sitting back with a buy on the 2 & 12, not a bad way HE at least. Thank you, I appreciate the info.

Quote: ahiromu

May I request a report on craps minimums the entire time you're there?

Preferably: Afternoon, evening, late night (after midnight). I've been contemplating on a trip down there and want to make sure there are enough $10 tables.

I'm not a craps player, but I will be sure to check into it for you at what ever casinos I visit.

Might want to check into the Grand's offerings. They had a $5 crapless game not too long ago. If you don't smoke, The New Palace is smoke free with a $3 table.

Quote: ahiromu

Sigh, that probably means they close down to the single table a little after midnight (I don't know the meaning of sleep when there's a craps table within walking distance). I guess it could be fun just sitting back with a buy on the 2 & 12, not a bad way HE at least. Thank you, I appreciate the info.

Not at all. I usually play deep into the morning. They will start consolidating tables after the club closes around 3:00 AM. But there will be 3 or 4 tables going, and on the weekends, it will be all 6. After 4:00 though it will depend on the number of players left, as to how many tables.

I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in too.

We stopped for 1 night each, going to and returning from Florida in May for my oldest daughter's graduation from Florida.

The Beau Rivage reminded me of a scaled down version of the Bellagio. I've only been to the Bellagio twice but the Beau's color scheme and decor are very similar but on a much smaller scale.

On our first overnight stay , I played craps in the late evening and early morning hours. Yes, there were 2 $10 minimum tables open and the crapless table was also open at $10. It was very nice for a Monday night, the tables were comfortably full. Since I'm used to playing at $5 dollar tables, this was a step up for me. I bought in for $500 around 2200 and had a great evening at the Beau. I eventually cashed for $1500 around 0100 and went up to bed. The dealers for the most part were excellent. Other players were very polite and friendly. The games moved quickly, not many center bets or BS. We had dinner that night at the Memphis BBQ House near the craps pit, as far as BBQ goes it was OK. I did enjoy the frog legs on the appetizer menu (my wife wouldn't touch them knowing what they were!), lightly battered and delicious.

On our way home, we stayed on a Thursday night. Had dinner at the Japanese Steakhouse, the usual sit down dinner show with 8 others. Again, bought for $500 in around 2200, played on both tables until 0200 or so, maybe up $200 or so. Nothing special that night except it was quite a bit busier. Loading up for the weekend crowd. I asked the Box when leaving for a couple of Breakfast Buffet comps for in the morning and he actually said, no problem! I showed my M-Life card at the Buffet in the morning and it worked! I generally tip the dealers well during my play and the Box seems to remember those things here.

VP poker pay tables were bad throughout the casino, even in the small, high limit slot area( maybe that's MGM properties in general?).

Maybe next time through we can venture next door to the Hard Rock or to the IP(Now that it's a Boyd Property).

timberjim, hope the weather is nice and you're having a great time!

Quote: ahiromu

May I request a report on craps minimums the entire time you're there?

Preferably: Afternoon, evening, late night (after midnight). I've been contemplating on a trip down there and want to make sure there are enough $10 tables.

The whole time I was there Beau Rivage had $10 tables. Hard Rock, The Palace, Margaritaville, IP, and Island View had $5 tables with The Palace dropping down to $3 on Monday.

Forgot to check the odds everywhere, but Hard Rock was 10x, Margaritaville and IP were 20x.

Just a quick synopsis of my quickie trip.

Free play everywhere just allowed me to play slots for awhile. I have been spoiled in the past by hitting some good wins with my free play, but not this time.
Then hit the tables. $10 blackjack and $25 Pai Gow Poker.
BJ was hit or miss, with the exception of one really good session at IP. Won the first 8 hands in a row and 16 out of the first 20! In a short time, I doubled my buyin and considered cashing out, but I stuck around and ended up tripling my Buyin! And this with staying with a $10 bet except for a $50 free bet coupon, which, of course, I lost.
Pai Gow was not kind to me this trip. I normally put $5 on the bonus bet, but I decided not to this trip. It was a good decision, because it would have cost me a great deal of money. No big hands and only 3 full houses the whole time I played ( about 8 hours ). Enjoyable company and dealers kept it fun, even when I could not get anything going.
Good drink service and very attractive waitresses kept me in a good mood.
Weather sucked all day Monday, but it didn't matter to me in the casino.
I only left a few hundred with them and I consider the entertainment well worth it. I'LL BE BACK!!!!!

Quote: timberjim

The whole time I was there Beau Rivage had $10 tables. Hard Rock, The Palace, Margaritaville, IP, and Island View had $5 tables with The Palace dropping down to $3 on Monday.

Forgot to check the odds everywhere, but Hard Rock was 10x, Margaritaville and IP were 20x.

Thank you, nice to know that there are a handful of $5 tables as well.

What were your impressions of Palace and Margaritaville?

BR will still get the majority of my play, but their selection of slots my wife likes is pretty small. And they don't have my only slot, Texas Tea.
So I am looking for other places to kill some time besides BR.
IP craps has killed me 3x and I swore to never play craps there again.
Hardrock is WAY over the smoke limit for me. I can't breathe in there at all.
Grand is okay, but if I have no reason to visit CET property anymore, I can live without the Grand.

Quote: RaleighCraps

What were your impressions of Palace and Margaritaville?
.

This was my third visit to The Palace. I've always enjoyed it. Totally smoke free is a huge plus. $5 tables are very important when my wife is with me. Dealers have been pleasant and excellent drink service. We both play slots and have found a good selection there. I had a room there one time and found it to be lacking when compared to BR. This has become a regular stop for me since they became smoke free.

Margaritaville is a different story. Sunday afternoon visit - the only place I saw that was not busy and I think I know why. Stayed about an hour and was not spoken to once. As I said, it was not busy at all. The air had that dirty ashtray smell of old casinos (Boomtown). The place is brand new so does this mean they went cheap on the air system? They did have a nice selection of slots, though. I will not be back.

Quote: timberjim

Margaritaville is a different story. Sunday afternoon visit - the only place I saw that was not busy and I think I know why. Stayed about an hour and was not spoken to once. As I said, it was not busy at all. The air had that dirty ashtray smell of old casinos (Boomtown). The place is brand new so does this mean they went cheap on the air system? They did have a nice selection of slots, though. I will not be back.

Margaritaville has suffered serious losses at the executive level and the reason is obvious ... its a ghost town already. Nobody welcomed you.... nobody welcomed anyone else ...and most of all, nobody really comped anyone there. So gamblers with Players Cards from other casinos simply started going back to the other casinos where a Players Card meant something, particularly where it meant FreePlay from time to time.

I visited the Margaritaville casino twice over the summer on stops through Biloxi. There was just nothing at all going on there. The slots were empty and there were very few table players. I think the place falls far short of the "Margaritaville" brand when it comes to excitement and entertainment. The lack of a hotel makes it way less than a destination stop. The location is also kind of out of the way.

I doubt we'll go back; our time in Biloxi is usually just overnights on the way to/from Florida...not enough time to really "waste away" when it isn't all that much fun!!

thanks timberjim and ronc for the report on Margaritaville.
Usually, I would read the reports, but still go visit the place to see for myself, but I am getting the vibe that it wouldn't be worth the $4 spent in getting there.

The Palace will certainly get some time from me this trip. The clean air will be refreshing for a change.

Trip to Beau is all set. I will be there late Friday Nov 30 thru midday on Dec. 3. Will find time to hit IP and Palace as well.
Anyone else going to be there then?

I haven't received any responses from anyone on being in Biloxi this weekend. We fly out Friday night, returning Monday night.

Don't forget Treasure Bay in all of this. Short 3-5$ craps table, very playable. BJ is still S17. $2 Mississippi Stud. TB is 3.8 miles west of BR on US 90.

Good Luck!! Our next trip should be in February. If you haven't tried it yet, Aunt Jennies Catfish House is a great place to eat for great food at very reasonable prices. It is only a few miles east of the Beau.
I don't remember you ever talking about Pai Gow Poker, but Island View has EZ Pai Gow. Just one table that opened at 4pm during the week and at noon on the weekends when we were there in October.
Have fun.

We may get back down there in Feb. as well. It would either be 2/23-2/26 , or 3/1-3/4.

I will play some Pai Gow, if the craps tables are really slapping me around. I had a nice $400 win for 3 hours of Pai Gow at the IP last trip, so I will be back there looking for lightning again.
I would love to try out the EZ Pai Gow game, so I may try to look that one up.

I was not aware of Treasure Bay. I would have to taxi out there, so not sure if I will get there this trip, but I will note it to try it if possible.

Treasure Bay is a dump, IMHO. Definitely not worth a trip. Island View is nice, but is at least 12-13 miles west of Beau. Probably not worth a taxi ride with all the activity right around where you are staying.
If we go in Feb, it will be around the 14th.

Treasure Bay is definitly worth the trip if you never played there before. They have a fantastic new player promotion. Lose up to a 100.00 in one day, come back and they will comp you lost up to 100.00. I took advantage of this, Played video poker for a couple hours till i lost 100.00. Came back next day, swiped my card and they loaded comped 100.00 on it. Went back to playing video poker, played the comped 100.00 down to zero and cashed out 70 bucks. Even though lost 30.00, got to play a ton of video poker losing the original 100 and playing down the comped 100.00.
Island view is a further 12 miles down the beach and is definitly worth the drive if playing video poker. The bar has 9-6-4 JOB, best video poker payout in the area.
Ed

Best JoB I could find at Beau Rivage and IP was 8/5, with 7/5 also popping up. I did not play any JoB.

Beau craps tables have added the Small/ALL/Tall bet. I got paid $175 for a $5 bet five different times, so I finished WAY ahead on this bet. And I was not playing the ALL the one time I got paid on the $175 Small, and the $175 Tall. I missed out on the $880 payout for the ALL General consensus from the dealers is they think the bet will get pulled for not having enough of a hold.