Dover Downs trip and update
November 11th, 2010 at 5:38:10 AM
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I had an opportunity to go to Dover Downs and play the table games with my coworker yesterday and wanted to update the East Coasters who are interested.
I was surprised at how close Dover is from Alexandria, Va. - it only took 1 hr and 45 minutes door to door to get from work to the casino. Table minimums were $10 for blackjack/craps/spanish 21 and $20 for pai gow poker. For those who haven't been, Dover is primarily a blackjack casino - out of 40 tables, 21 (intentional, I'm sure) are potentially open for blackjack. Yesterday, it looked like they had 60-75% of the tables going at any one time. They appeared to be in process of installing a let it ride table, but it appeared that they were having issues with the shuffler mechanism, so it never opened.
Some interesting observations from my trip:
- The cocktail waitresses push around a housekeeping type cart that is filled with beer/coffee/soda/liquor (not top shelf), and make it for you right there when you request it. Since Delaware prohibits comped alcoholic beverages, beer is $2-3.50 depending on the brew, and mixed drinks are $3.50-$6.50. I drink Chivas sometimes, and when I ordered one, they had to radio to the "vault" for my drink to be brought to me. Kind of amusing, that they'd have to keep it locked away.
- There were always tables open with no players, which is a strange concept to one who plays in AC.
- The players club has a sign-up promotion - if you bring a friend (my coworker brought me), you can get $25 freeplay if you earn 6 points, and so does your friend. It appears to me that Dover rates table play and slot play similarly. Their slot club states that 1 point is approximately $80 coin in, and I earned almost 8 points on 2 hrs of blackjack and spanish 21 play, without any slot play. Since 1 point is $0.25 in comps, apparently after they take their 6% of theo comp rate, they just figure out how many points that is based on the $0.25/ 1 pt conversion.
On a fun side note, my coworker always cannot be convinced of playing basic strategy all the time, and comes up with these strange ways to play blackjack - including hitting on 17's sometimes. 3 of us can never convince him to play BS all the time. We finished our play at the $25 blackjack table (No Mid shoe entry) - he fronted all the money so I played with him on this strategy:
He always acted first, and played like the dealer (no splits/doubles and hitting anything below 17, and standing on S17)
I played basic strategy. He fronted $200 to play between the 2 of us. After 2 separate sessions of 45 mins each at the table, we finished with $370. This will not help him with his avoidance of basic strategy I'm sure, but I told him as long as he's willing to free-roll my play, I'll be happy to play with him at the table. Note, no other players were at the table with us to complain.
-B
I was surprised at how close Dover is from Alexandria, Va. - it only took 1 hr and 45 minutes door to door to get from work to the casino. Table minimums were $10 for blackjack/craps/spanish 21 and $20 for pai gow poker. For those who haven't been, Dover is primarily a blackjack casino - out of 40 tables, 21 (intentional, I'm sure) are potentially open for blackjack. Yesterday, it looked like they had 60-75% of the tables going at any one time. They appeared to be in process of installing a let it ride table, but it appeared that they were having issues with the shuffler mechanism, so it never opened.
Some interesting observations from my trip:
- The cocktail waitresses push around a housekeeping type cart that is filled with beer/coffee/soda/liquor (not top shelf), and make it for you right there when you request it. Since Delaware prohibits comped alcoholic beverages, beer is $2-3.50 depending on the brew, and mixed drinks are $3.50-$6.50. I drink Chivas sometimes, and when I ordered one, they had to radio to the "vault" for my drink to be brought to me. Kind of amusing, that they'd have to keep it locked away.
- There were always tables open with no players, which is a strange concept to one who plays in AC.
- The players club has a sign-up promotion - if you bring a friend (my coworker brought me), you can get $25 freeplay if you earn 6 points, and so does your friend. It appears to me that Dover rates table play and slot play similarly. Their slot club states that 1 point is approximately $80 coin in, and I earned almost 8 points on 2 hrs of blackjack and spanish 21 play, without any slot play. Since 1 point is $0.25 in comps, apparently after they take their 6% of theo comp rate, they just figure out how many points that is based on the $0.25/ 1 pt conversion.
On a fun side note, my coworker always cannot be convinced of playing basic strategy all the time, and comes up with these strange ways to play blackjack - including hitting on 17's sometimes. 3 of us can never convince him to play BS all the time. We finished our play at the $25 blackjack table (No Mid shoe entry) - he fronted all the money so I played with him on this strategy:
He always acted first, and played like the dealer (no splits/doubles and hitting anything below 17, and standing on S17)
I played basic strategy. He fronted $200 to play between the 2 of us. After 2 separate sessions of 45 mins each at the table, we finished with $370. This will not help him with his avoidance of basic strategy I'm sure, but I told him as long as he's willing to free-roll my play, I'll be happy to play with him at the table. Note, no other players were at the table with us to complain.
-B
November 11th, 2010 at 5:09:46 PM
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What's the clientele like? Low roller/mid roller/high roller? I've heard Dover Downs is the middle tier of Delaware's casinos, more expensive then Harrington but cheaper than Delaware Park.
November 11th, 2010 at 5:26:34 PM
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I'd say the clientele was a mix of mid roller and low roller. Fair amount of middle aged/elderly playing the VLT's and a broad mix of players at blackjack. Most people were playing $10-$20 bets at any time. Hardly saw any green chip action on the tables when I was playing.
I wanted to check out Dover, because where I'm located in Va, it would only be an extra hour to AC from De. Park, so I usually pass on going there.
-B
I wanted to check out Dover, because where I'm located in Va, it would only be an extra hour to AC from De. Park, so I usually pass on going there.
-B
November 11th, 2010 at 5:40:35 PM
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Ah. I wasn't impressed with Delaware Park. Mostly $25 mins on the weekends and the clientele is rather surly. I'd rather take the extra 90 min drive to go to AC if I'm going to bother to drive that far, with $10 blackjack and $5 5X craps on Fri nites as of late.
December 30th, 2010 at 5:11:27 AM
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Went to Dover Downs last night, to try out the Craps Table.
Since I lost my shirt, my opinions are colored by that....
As a Wednesday night, between Christmas and New Years, it was crowded. The Slot machines had alot of players, more than I had ever seen before. 4-5 players per bank of 6 or 8 machines. (I have reasons to go to meetings at the Casino when I am not gambling, and the number of slots players was rather thin at these times....)
There were a number of tables for cards, and they had only one or two players at most, and about 25% were closed.
They have four Craps tables, and two were open. I did my buy, while they were exchanging dealers...
The new dealer to the the boxman's left.... A complete rookie...
Didn't know payoffs, didn't have any payoff progressions, and had only three players at his end of the table... It would have been horrendous if that end of the table was full. Example: My Come bet point 6 was rolled, he paid out the winnings, and left my bet up. After waiting a little while, with the box and stick trying to help out with the other four or five transactions remaining, I asked for my bet back. I got a very "what???" look from the dealer... I even reached for the bet, and the box said I couldn't have that "contract" bet back. I looked a her and said he has already paid me my winnings, I just want the bet back... I was next to the stick, and he supported me.
He got tapped out after a short period of time, it could have been twenty minutes... And the rest of the dealers at the table were competent.
Still had a good time. Mostly the $10 minimum bets around the table. With $25 odds, at most. No green action.
The other table, which I monitored for a while, seemed to have a little heavier action. Lots more Place numbers up.
The original thread starter was from Northern Virginia, and Dover Downs seems like a choice for those who want to keep the car ride short. It about 45 minutes for me.
Since I lost my shirt, my opinions are colored by that....
As a Wednesday night, between Christmas and New Years, it was crowded. The Slot machines had alot of players, more than I had ever seen before. 4-5 players per bank of 6 or 8 machines. (I have reasons to go to meetings at the Casino when I am not gambling, and the number of slots players was rather thin at these times....)
There were a number of tables for cards, and they had only one or two players at most, and about 25% were closed.
They have four Craps tables, and two were open. I did my buy, while they were exchanging dealers...
The new dealer to the the boxman's left.... A complete rookie...
Didn't know payoffs, didn't have any payoff progressions, and had only three players at his end of the table... It would have been horrendous if that end of the table was full. Example: My Come bet point 6 was rolled, he paid out the winnings, and left my bet up. After waiting a little while, with the box and stick trying to help out with the other four or five transactions remaining, I asked for my bet back. I got a very "what???" look from the dealer... I even reached for the bet, and the box said I couldn't have that "contract" bet back. I looked a her and said he has already paid me my winnings, I just want the bet back... I was next to the stick, and he supported me.
He got tapped out after a short period of time, it could have been twenty minutes... And the rest of the dealers at the table were competent.
Still had a good time. Mostly the $10 minimum bets around the table. With $25 odds, at most. No green action.
The other table, which I monitored for a while, seemed to have a little heavier action. Lots more Place numbers up.
The original thread starter was from Northern Virginia, and Dover Downs seems like a choice for those who want to keep the car ride short. It about 45 minutes for me.
February 18th, 2011 at 1:38:36 PM
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I paid Dover Downs a visit this morning. They have $5 craps, blackjack (select tables), and roulette on weekday mornings.
I completely second SFB's assessment of the craps team: they were knocking over chips, slow to pay out, consistently getting confused on who they had paid out, and passed the dice to the wrong shooter. The table was cold, and I was fortunately able to escape without losing too much. The crew was also annoying; the chatter wasn't making me want to stay around to see if the table would heat up.
The blackjack tables were a much better experience. $5 min (til 11am, $10 min after that), 6 decks hand shuffled, S17, DAS, no RSA. The dealers kept a good pace (not too fast, not too slow) and paid out accurately. There were also some $10 tables and a couple $25 tables at one corner for the higher limit players. I don't believe Dover Downs has a cordoned-off high limit table games area.
I also noticed Pai Gow ($10 min early, $20 min later), 3-card poker, let it ride, and $20 mini-baccarat at a 9-seat midi-sized table.
Like the above poster, I had an overall good time. Compared to the sky-high limits at DE Park, the PA casinos, and Charles Town, I feel like Dover Downs is a fine value. They don't seem to be expecting too many high level players. I walked the table pit and all the tables topped out at purple chips except for one closed mini-baccarat table with a few $1000 chips in the tray.
I think if Dover Downs better trained their craps team, it would definitely be a great find for lower level players who just want to have a good, fun time. If you play slots, it's also worth noting Dover Downs has a much better slot machine selection than Charles Town. I'm not sure why, but Charles Town has never offered the popular themed machines.
I completely second SFB's assessment of the craps team: they were knocking over chips, slow to pay out, consistently getting confused on who they had paid out, and passed the dice to the wrong shooter. The table was cold, and I was fortunately able to escape without losing too much. The crew was also annoying; the chatter wasn't making me want to stay around to see if the table would heat up.
The blackjack tables were a much better experience. $5 min (til 11am, $10 min after that), 6 decks hand shuffled, S17, DAS, no RSA. The dealers kept a good pace (not too fast, not too slow) and paid out accurately. There were also some $10 tables and a couple $25 tables at one corner for the higher limit players. I don't believe Dover Downs has a cordoned-off high limit table games area.
I also noticed Pai Gow ($10 min early, $20 min later), 3-card poker, let it ride, and $20 mini-baccarat at a 9-seat midi-sized table.
Like the above poster, I had an overall good time. Compared to the sky-high limits at DE Park, the PA casinos, and Charles Town, I feel like Dover Downs is a fine value. They don't seem to be expecting too many high level players. I walked the table pit and all the tables topped out at purple chips except for one closed mini-baccarat table with a few $1000 chips in the tray.
I think if Dover Downs better trained their craps team, it would definitely be a great find for lower level players who just want to have a good, fun time. If you play slots, it's also worth noting Dover Downs has a much better slot machine selection than Charles Town. I'm not sure why, but Charles Town has never offered the popular themed machines.
