Lake Tahoe or Reno

Hi. I have a few days free in June and will be coming from Sacramento. I am looking for any info on the best craps tables and sports book in the Lake Tahoe or Reno areas. I probably prefer Tahoe since I think the air quality is better there. Correct? I am looking for info on the highest maximum bets allowed on craps and a good quality casino and hotel where I can get great service and watch the sports games. Thanks.

Hi Srspa77,

I'm not a big craps guy so I don't know the max bets/odds, but I also think you would like Tahoe a lot better. From the air/views to having 4 casinos in walking distance. Harrah's all "usually" have 100x odds and they have Harrahs and Harvey's (which is CET) there.

Thanks Romes. I appreciate the input. I will likely be without a car for a few days too so having the casinos within walking distance is a big plus. Any input on which of the four casinos is the best to book a stay? What’s the cheapest and most expensive?

I personally like Harrahs as for as much crap as we give casinos they usually do an okay job hospitality wise. Harveys seems like it's 75% as nice as the harrahs. Hard Rock seems like it would be the nicest one, and I'm not too sure about Mont Blue (always seems dead in there). No clue on pricing, which will fluctuate with time of year, so I'd imagine just give them a ring and ask about your travel dates to compare. Tahoe is an awesome place, definitely make sure you get a lot of time OUT of the casinos to enjoy some amazing hikes, the lake, etc, etc.

I used to spend about a month and a half a year in Tahoe. I've also spent a tad of time in Reno.

Back when I did that (a decade or so ago), the top resorts in Tahoe (Caesar's Tahoe, Harrah's, Harvey's) were four star resorts. Now, at least Harvey's has gone down hill, at best three stars these days, and Caesar's being owned by Montbleu is a nice place, but not high end the way Caesar's Tahoe used to be, when I would stay at their largest suites.

Horizon used to be a tad dumpy but did have one of the largest suites in Tahoe, the "Elvis suite" (so named because Elvis once stayed there). I've stayed in that suite too, it has a pool table in it, and the best lakeside view of all of the resorts.

Harrah's had great suites back then, and still has about the same level of amenities as it always did.

So I would have to say that nowadays, unless you want to try out the Hard Rock (formerly Horizon, and completely redone), Harrah's is the nicest casino resort on the South Shore, which I would never stay in Tahoe other than on the South Shore.

One thing about the Hard Rock is that it is actually located the closest to the lake even closer than Harvey's, although the difference in lake view between Harvey's and Hard Rock is minimal.

The last time we were in Tahoe was early this year, couple weeks for skiing, stayed at Harvey's. I did not gamble in Tahoe I quit gambling in Tahoe period and do not plan to resume. An executive lake view room at Harvey's will cost you about nothing, even with no player card action, and is not a bad room, although definitely starting to show its age. If you do plan to gamble at Harvey's, it has an 87.5K square foot casino (Harrah's Tahoe - 65K square feet).

Reno has a couple of nice casinos too, the Atlantis and the Peppermill. I've stayed at Atlantis before, in their largest suite. Atlantis is more on par with a smaller Vegas casino, which actually it is not so small at all, about 65K square foot casino (and the Peppermill has a 107K square foot casino). (By comparison, the Cosmopolitan Vegas has a 110K square foot casino.)

As far as the location and scenery including lakeside view, Tahoe has it all compared to Reno. Reno is basically a dull town with nothing to do there but gamble. In Tahoe you may ski in winter and hike or do water sports in the summer (lake gets up to about 80 degrees in summer).

As far as odds on games, including BJ and craps, you will in general find better odds in Reno than in Tahoe.

As far as max bets, back then Harrah's had a high limit of $10K on BJ, and $5K on most everything else. Harvey's was $5K. Harvey's and Harrah's are both owned by Caesar's Entertainment (which is Harrah's, so renamed in 2010, after Harrah's bought Caesar's in 2005). I expect that the max these days is $5K on BJ although again I don't gamble in Tahoe anymore haven't in many years. When we were there earlier this year the Harvey's high limit table games area (which doesn't have a craps table anyway) was usually closed. The Harrah's high limit area was usually open by BJ, closed for Baccarat, and does not have any craps tables.

As far as craps, back then it was limit $5K at Harrah's Harvey's Caesar's Tahoe (this might have been because of my credit lines maybe it was lower for others), I assume lower now. I'd be surprised if over $2K max craps bets anywhere in Tahoe today.

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Tahoe this time of year, if you like to ski or snowboard, you are in heaven. Hit the slopes during the day, casinos at night. But expect to pay a premium for rooms. Reno on the other hand, they are giving away rooms left and right this time of year. Gamblers welcome.

Quote: Vegasrider

Tahoe this time of year, if you like to ski or snowboard, you are in heaven. Hit the slopes during the day, casinos at night. But expect to pay a premium for rooms. Reno on the other hand, they are giving away rooms left and right this time of year. Gamblers welcome.

I haven't done much skiing but I wasn't in any condition to do anything other than eat and sleep after a full day of skiing.