Tunica vs. Biloxi

I want to visit Mississippi for gambling. I would fly into Memphis or New Orleans, rent a car, and drive an hour to each location on a weekday night, gamble for 8-10 hours straight, sleep for 6, then drive back and get on a flight. Essentially, it will be a shameless gambling fix.

What's important to me:
- Craps
- Anything over or equal to 10x odds
- Minimums under $5... it will be a weekday night so this may be possible.
- Buy on the 4 and 10 pay the vig only on a win
- 24/7 open table. During the wee hours of the morning, some places will close their table (I saw it in Jackpot, NV).

- Hotel
- I have one requirement: no bed bugs.
- Being part of a national chain would be a plus (Horseshoe Tunica... Golden Nugget Biloxi)

- Food
- 24 hour cafe is preferable... but that's something I can research on my own. A good seafood place is a plus.

There isn't a whole lot of talk about these two towns, but I know that there is a lot of knowledge on this board about them. I'm pretty sure that my gambling level will allow me to comp a meal and a (weekday) room, so comps are not something that I'm worrying about.

Thanks for your input.

Thoughts (I won't pretend there's any logical order):

1. Flying into Gulfport directly isn't that bad. And, the drive from MSY to Biloxi is a bit longer than an hour. it's about 100 miles, and traffic can be sticky from the airport to the I10/I12 interchange. The trip from MEM to Tunica is shorter. I don't know how it looks flying from your area, but I've NEVER seen fares to MEM be anywhere near as low as fares to MSY.

2. Minimums - you can find $5 easily in either city on a weekday. I'm not sure if you can get under $5.

3. Don't short-change the Harrah's property in Biloxi. Whatever it's called at the time that you visit, it's a clean and comfortable hotel.

4. I've had better luck with access to late-night food in Tunica than in Biloxi. But, no surprise, the seafood is better on the gulf coast than it is in rural northern Mississippi.

On driving from MSY-Biloxi: Thanks for pointing out it is longer than an hour, but that really does not phase me. I can just get a nicer car and enjoy the drive.

Flights to MSY are $320 minimum, but flights to MEM can be obtained for under $200. Coming from BWI. Honestly, Tunica stands out because I could just go to Vegas for $300.

I've never been to Gulfport/Biloxi (not sure if I ever will), but I like Tunica. Been three times. The drive from Memphis airport is extremely easy if you take the new freeway. Your best chance for getting a comp is probably the Caesars properties: Harrah's, Horeshoe, and Roadhouse. I also really like Fitzgerald's. Honestly, don't bother with Resorts, Hollywood, Bally's or Sam's Town. Stick to the northern area.

Harrah's has really bad food options but Horseshoe has a really good buffet (with seafood I think) and Gold Strike has some nice options. Actually, now that I think of it the best property for you would probably be Horseshoe. 100x odds on craps and easy comps.

I know Tunica has vig on win only buys on 4/10 and 5/9. Not sure if Biloxi does too.

Enjoy!

Biloxi has better airport (Gulf shore port) and a really good Limo service (Pay for a round trip and don't lose the ticket). If the driver has time he will take a scenic detour at no extra charge. Its a fairly short ride. Frankly, I'd fly in to Tunica on those occasional junket flights from Allegiant Air rather than fly into Memphis for the longer limousine ride to Tunica.

Biloxi offers far more variety for casino hopping and a much better transportation system. Tunica offers physically separated casinos with rather poor inter-casino shuttle service.

Biloxi has the non smoking Palace if that is of interest to you. Lots of hotels. No real problems there that I've ever heard of.

COMPS: Tunica comps are readily available but ONLY if you ask for each and everything you want. I've no idea WHY this is, but that is the way it is. Want a meal at the Deli? ASK. Want a meal at the buffet? ASK. They will not give you anything based on your action UNLESS YOU ASK THE FLOORMAN FOR IT. Its a nice system for some because it means very low rollers can get food and usually rooms, but you have to let them see your action and ASK for things. Biloxi comps are far more likely to be based on your points and action and most places let you look at your account on kiosks. In Biloxi it might help to ask for things but its not necessary to always be asking for comps if you are in Biloxi.

General friendliness: Biloxi.
NON-gambling: Biloxi. Great beauty treatments. Many casinos have their Players Club cards good at local restaurants, not just in-casino food services. Much better entertainers around the various Biloxi casinos than at Tunica. I'm told better wine cellars too, but don't know from experience.

Note: Biloxi's formerly named Imperial Palace became known simply as "The IP" and there was some talk about its later being taken over by Boyd and I think that went through, but I've not kept up with it.

I've been to both several times, and I prefer Biloxi by a fair amount, but both are fine. In Biloxi, you have good craps/Asian games at the Grand, exceptional 24 hour cafe in the lobby that shares kitchens with the steakhouse (CAVEAT: call the Grand before booking; they were going to do a major remodel this spring and I don't know if it's started) with $5 BJ/Carnival games. Wonderful steakhouse with good seafood as well. Hard Rock is a good property. Beau Rivage is an MGM/Mirage property and the premiere place to play; excellent seafood there as well. "The IP" is on the Back Bay (less than 3 miles from the shore/other casinos) and has really improved their Chinese restaurant; probably the most popular locals and craps game in town. Near it, Boomtown is rough and cheap; another locals joint.

In Tunica, you think you're going nowhere coming from Memphis Int'l, but then you get out on the boulevard and it's very pretty. All the casinos are on one long half-moon shaped drive, with most properties on the south end, but they're all kind of strung out. The Harrah's is good, Fitzgerald's is ok, Horseshoe is good, I also liked the Gold Strike very much. Skip Sam's IMO. I think almost everything there is $5 minimums, but I don't play craps, so I would go with the recommendations above. Have never found anyplace to eat in Tunica I'd send someone else to; not dissing the food, just nothing special I know about.

I have been to both, and Biloxi wins hands down.

For craps, either place is the same. Both places are vig on win for 4,5,9,10. In Tunica, I think the Goldstrike is 100x, but everyone else I think is 10x. As others have said, Biloxi just has more options.
The IP is a Boyd property now. Harrah's Grand will have a $5 game, and so will the Hard Rock. Beau Rivage (MGM) will only have $10 and $25 games, but it is the nicest property in either place. The Palace is non smoking, and is nice, but the craps games have a weird vibe, and the box men tend to be sweat the money types.
The Isle of Capri has changed owners, and I think it is a Golden Nugget property now. The craps games used to be $5 there as well.

I have been to Tunica three times.

Then I took a trip to Biloxi, and I have never been back to Tunica. I think I have been to Biloxi about 10 times now. In my opinion, it is like comparing Vegas to AC.

PS. The airport is Gulfport (20 miles away), not Gulfshore

I haven't been to Tunica in a few years so I don't know if the crapless advantage is still there. That advantage Tunica may or may not have is no vig up front on extremes, and buys that start at $10. Not all casinos of course, but Sam's Town and Hollywood did have those rules two years ago. I am also surprised that no one brought up watching cotton grow?

Quote: RaleighCraps

The Isle of Capri has changed owners, and I think it is a Golden Nugget property now. The craps games used to be $5 there as well

Stopped at the Golden Nugget in January on a Saturday night. They were still in the midst of renovating the casino floor which has the casino in a bit of a mess. The main floor should be re-opening soon (if it hasn't already). It is becoming a nicer property now that the Pile of Debris folks do not own it.

The craps games were $5 on one table and $10 on the other. Decent game, but the dealers were average and the box might as well have been on another planet. That was just one guy, but he sat box for most of the time I was playing.

I like Biloxi; we'll try Tunica sometime in the next year or so...

Quote: DeMango

I haven't been to Tunica in a few years so I don't know if the crapless advantage is still there. That advantage Tunica may or may not have is no vig up front on extremes, and buys that start at $10. Not all casinos of course, but Sam's Town and Hollywood did have those rules two years ago. I am also surprised that no one brought up watching cotton grow?

I was there last fall and only remember seeing crapless at Gold Strike and Horseshoe. Both of these places allowed $10 buys on the extremes, but it was vig up front. (The game may be at other places, but I did not see/play if so.)

Quote: wudged

I was there last fall and only remember seeing crapless at Gold Strike and Horseshoe. Both of these places allowed $10 buys on the extremes, but it was vig up front. (The game may be at other places, but I did not see/play if so.)

Yup, the big boys (MGM & Caesars) know the miniscule vig involved on extreme buys and took measures to increase it. Last I heard, Fitz had lost so much on the game, they took it out!

Beau Rivage in Biloxi has a crapless table that is in action almost all the time. they always keep one table open 24 hours a day, and it is a crapshoot as to whether it is a regular or crapless game. crapshoot! ha ha, I made a funny....

Actually, what happens is, as the early morning approaches, which ever game loses the players first, then the other game stays open. Many times, it is the crapless table that is still getting action (why is beyond me), so that is the game that is running come the next morning. At 10AM, they will open another table.
I refuse to play that stupid game, so I end up walking over to Hard Rock and getting some morning play in there, on the days Beau has crapless going.

Simply based on your specifications (strictly a short gambling binge w/no frills), I'd pick Tunica because 1) weekday casino hotel rates are dirt cheap during the week for decent accommodations; 2) you can find low limit craps and crapless; 3) your flight/rental car will be less expensive; and 4) your drive to and from the airport will be shorter and easier.

The best cluster is probably the one with the Gold Strike (MGM), Horseshoe (Cassars), and Tunica Roadhouse (Caesars) properties, which stand side by side. Since you'll have a car, though, you can easily drive to all the others (Resorts, Hollywood, Sam's Town, Bally's, The Fitz, and Harrah's) regardless of where you stay and parking is plentiful.

If you were wanting to mix in more sightseeing and entertainment, then I say go to Biloxi; however, Tunica has at least three decent golf courses and Memphis (half an hour away) has some interesting entertainment options. Of course, I'm a bit partial to Tunica since Gold Strike installed the first table in the state of my partner and my new blackjack side bet - Stiff Hand Bonus (aka Lucky Stiff).

Quote: Lucky

Of course, I'm a bit partial to Tunica since Gold Strike installed the first table in the state of my partner and my new blackjack side bet - Stiff Hand Bonus (aka Lucky Stiff).

In Tunica now, I wondered if that was your sidebet. Maybe I can get around there tonight to see the action on it.

I haven't been to Biloxi but Tunica is probably the craps capital of the world. 50 to 100x odds can be found all over Tunica. In my opinion Gold Strike is the place to stay. With any action at all you can get your room comped if you ask at the host desk. The staff and dealers are really friendly at the Good Strike. Also Horseshoe is next door and Roadhouse is next to the Shoe. There is almost always a crapless game going on at roadhouse for $5 min. The other casino's also offer crapless but at $10 min.

There is something open to eat at any time of night. Again if you play much at all and ask you will get a free meal. Gold Strike has a decent buffet and also has a food court. Something is open all night long. I know room are cheaper in Tunica and the rooms at Gild Strike are really nice. On a week night nothing will be crowded and finding a place to play should be easy.

I agree about the free meal at Goldstrike. I bought in for $1000, played 54 to 108 across, was press/pulling my bets,and after 30 minutes they were happy to give me a meal in the steak house. She said it was a bit quick, but if I promised to come back after dinner, she had no problem giving me the comp.

For the life of me, I cannot see the attraction to crapless craps. Why play a game that gives the house an even bigger edge?

Quote: RaleighCraps

For the life of me, I cannot see the attraction to crapless craps. Why play a game that gives the house an even bigger edge?

In Mississippi buying the 2/12 is/was a decent bet I believe. Pass line is horrendous obv. I think when I had the guts to try craps for the first time, I played on a crapless table like an idiot. My first point was a 3. I lost the point, big shock...lol

Quote: RaleighCraps

For the life of me, I cannot see the attraction to crapless craps. Why play a game that gives the house an even bigger edge?

Not if you play it right! Do not make a pass line bet unless it is your turn. Buy everything in sight. Learn to roll a twelve.

The true mark of a fool at a crapless table is the person that makes come bets!

I play for peanuts at Gold Strike, compared to most people. Last time I played there, my wife wanted to eat at the steak house. I had around $50 on my card. Went by the host desk just to see if I could get a reservation to the steak house. The host asked how I was going to pay. I told her I was going to use my comps and just pay for the rest. She asked for my card and then put another $50 on it to the steak house. All it ended up costing me was the tip.

Quote: Mikey75

I play for peanuts at Gold Strike, compared to most people. Last time I played there, my wife wanted to eat at the steak house. I had around $50 on my card. Went by the host desk just to see if I could get a reservation to the steak house. The host asked how I was going to pay. I told her I was going to use my comps and just pay for the rest. She asked for my card and then put another $50 on it to the steak house. All it ended up costing me was the tip.

NICE ! And that folks is how customer service should be done.

It keeps me coming back and makes me walk out the door smiling even when I've lost my bankroll!! This is definitely how it should be done. Tunica is certainly the low roller capital of the world!!

I get to be the deciding vote........ so far.