# Everything Else > Arts & Entertainment >  Best and Worst  Casino  around Oklahoma City area

## Jesseda

What is you favorite casino and why around the okc area..

I like the old firelake.. I usually do pretty good there and Free Ice cream is a plus..
The one i dislike the most is Thunderbird, last time i was there half the machines where down and the place was dirty,, they should call it Dirtybird casino

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## Achilleslastand

Casinos are there for one reason and one reason only.....to seperate you from your wallet. Sorry i dont like supporting the various indian tribes or even remington park for that matter. If they were better regulated it may be a different story.

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## Jersey Boss

> Casinos are there for one reason and one reason only.....to seperate you from your wallet. Sorry i dont like supporting the various indian tribes or even remington park for that matter. If they were better regulated it may be a different story.


So why did you post? You can't provide an answer to what was asked.

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## Dustin

Firelake, Remington, Newcastle, Riverwind (not in OKC but close enough)

Newcastle and Remington have all paid out good to me in the past.   Remington and Riverwind are good for entertaining large groups.

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## Jesseda

> Casinos are there for one reason and one reason only.....to seperate you from your wallet. Sorry i dont like supporting the various indian tribes or even remington park for that matter. If they were better regulated it may be a different story.


it does not seperate me from my wallet.. its a good evening of entertainment.. Some people like going to the movies and buying snacks at the snack bar, they enjoy spending a average 20.00 a person for one movie, well my entertainment outing is the casino, i enjoy that more then a movie

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## OkieHornet

i went to lucky star in concho last year for a concert and wandered around the casino a little bit after the show. that night, it was dirty, nasty, stinky... my only time there, but i won't be going back unless there's a can't-miss concert. my friends did leave with more than they went in with, though, playing the video slots.

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## PennyQuilts

I like Riverwind because you can find areas that don't smell like smoke.  It is clean as can be.   I wish they had non smoking areas of casinos, even if it just small areas - if they did, they'd get more people there.  The biggest turn off I have from casinos is the smell.

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## Jesseda

I understand pennyquilt, the firelake grand on the second floor is really bad, the air is so heavy, I like the games but the smell is bad at the grand.. Riverwind is nice , I notice the cleanign crew is constantly cleaning up ash trays and cups and cleaning machines down.. I was planning on visiting lucky star in concho for my first time next week, but it sounds like its run down and dirty? Now the old firelake has a non-smoking room. I usually carry my own sanatizer ( i know wierd but i dont want the flu or cold). Now last time i was at kickapoo casino, the air was clean and the place was clean, but that was a year ago..

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## RadioOKC

I have never really had a problem with upstairs at the Grand and I am pretty hypersensitive to the smoke. I have not made
it to Riverwind yet but look forward to checking it out. I will have to admit I normally go to the casinos to attend a concert.

Chris
http://www.radiookc.com

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## dismayed

Riverwind is pretty cool.  A wide variety of games, nice decor, several restaurants, good national music and stage acts, etc.

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## rcjunkie

> Riverwind is pretty cool.  A wide variety of games, nice decor, several restaurants, good national music and stage acts, etc.


Not to mention, the best stale cigarette smell available.

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## OKCMallen

> What is you favorite casino and why around the okc area..
> 
> I like the old firelake.. I usually do pretty good there and Free Ice cream is a plus..
> The one i dislike the most is Thunderbird, last time i was there half the machines where down and the place was dirty,, they should call it Dirtybird casino



Went to the new Firelake this weekend for the first time, and I think it's superior to Lucky Star, Thunderbird, Riverwind and Remington.

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## cdowns

> Now last time i was at kickapoo casino, the air was clean and the place was clean, but that was a year ago..


I agree with you; I was there a couple of weeks ago.  It was very clean and I didn't smell like smoke when I got home.

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## mark

i've never been to sugar creek, but they had extreme midget wrestling last weekend. based on that alone, they get my vote!

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## WATCHER

For the last several years I have played the slot machines at Riverwind and at Newcastle. Both of these casinos used to be a lot of fun to play in but the last several months it is like they have totally shut down their machines and nobody is winning anything. There are not many people playing anymore at either of these places. I heard about a computer program that allows a casino manager to control the payout percentages from behind his desk and wonder if these casinos have that program these days. There are times when the bells are ringing everywhere and then all of a sudden it goes silent and stays that way from then on. If they can do that it isn't gambling on their part.

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## Sonny_Crockett

There is Firelake in Shawnee which is on tribal land. It's pretty fair, hit n miss. Firleake Grand on I-40 is probably the best casino near OKC. Kickapoo is just mediocre as is Lucky Star in Concho. Never been to Riverwind as it always looks crowded and near impossible to find a parking space.Never been to Remmington other than the horse races.

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## ljbab728

You can't be serious about the parking at Riverwind.  You may not find a close spot but they have plenty of parking.

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## RadicalModerate

Remember that "player" in here who was so intent on dissin' every single "Indian Casino" in Oklahoma? (for the stingy slots and other misc. bs)?
I would bet he would have a hard time even beginning to process this Thread Theme.
Even having never been there I will vote for Riverwind (on account of the ads . . . not the stingy slots and the hauling in of poor elderly people, by bus, to be "scalped". =)

Oh!: The Worst Casino . . . any gambling den in the vicinity of Miami (Oklahoma) other that that place over by Twin Bridges (Whinedott?) because it was the only restaurant in the vicinitiy capable of serving up a decent dinner.  It reminded me of an experience looking for good local chow up around Mille Lacs near Garrison, MN but that is another story outside the parameters of the question at hand.]

[now i'm laughing because i didn't check the odds related to the time and date stamps associated with this discussion.]

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## Bill Robertson

> it does not seperate me from my wallet.. its a good evening of entertainment.. Some people like going to the movies and buying snacks at the snack bar, they enjoy spending a average 20.00 a person for one movie, well my entertainment outing is the casino, i enjoy that more then a movie


This describes us too. More accurately my wife. After concerts at a casino she gives herself $20 to play slots. If there are no concerts we go about once a month. I don't care to play so I have a couple frosty beverages. Probably 75% of the time she loses the $20 in an hour or so and we go home. The last couple of times (Grand and Remington) she made enough to pay for the concert tickets, dinner and drinks. Works for me. The Grand, Riverwind and Remington Park are all good. Lucky Star is a dump.

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## BBatesokc

Personally, I can't stand the Firelake Grand. Its the most convenient for us because its at the exit to go visit my wife's dad, but we no longer go there. We couldn't go before visiting her family because we'd smell so bad and several relatives are sensitive to it. We couldn't go after visiting because we'd have to go home and shower before going to bed so we didn't stink up our house. But, before banning it all together, we'd probably been there 7-9 times.

We prefer Riverwind. Clean place, plenty of games for us, good food and very little smoke smell when we leave (of course we also don't go during traditionally busy times).

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## kelroy55

> Casinos are there for one reason and one reason only.....to seperate you from your wallet. Sorry i dont like supporting the various indian tribes or even remington park for that matter. If they were better regulated it may be a different story.


I thought you were against regulation?

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## kelroy55

> Personally, I can't stand the Firelake Grand. Its the most convenient for us because its at the exit to go visit my wife's dad, but we no longer go there. We couldn't go before visiting her family because we'd smell so bad and several relatives are sensitive to it. We couldn't go after visiting because we'd have to go home and shower before going to bed so we didn't stink up our house. But, before banning it all together, we'd probably been there 7-9 times.
> 
> We prefer Riverwind. Clean place, plenty of games for us, good food and very little smoke smell when we leave (of course we also don't go during traditionally busy times).



I'm surprised the casino's don't have better smoke eaters.  I would think that would be something that brought more people in rather that keep them away from the smell.

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## Roger S

Riverwind has the best concert venue that I have been to. Really not a bad seat in the house.

If I gamble I only play blackjack and I refuse to play in Oklahoma due to the ante. I have heard that Thunderbird no longer has an ante but I have not been there to verify that.

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## Larry OKC

Aren't they required by state law to have the ante (or did they figure out a loop hole)?

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## kelroy55

I very rarely go to the casino's, why would there be a state law for an ante in BJ?

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## RadicalModerate

So that the state can skim their cut off the top?
(i've never heard of an "ante" in blackjack either . . . until now)

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## kelroy55

Speaking of casino's.... which one has the best buffet's?

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## Larry OKC

> I very rarely go to the casino's, why would there be a state law for an ante in BJ?


Couldn't copy/paste the info but if you will go here and scroll down to #19...

http://www.ok.gov/OGC/documents/Model%20Compact.pdf

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## SomeGuy

Best would have to be Newcastle, they have pretty good machines and I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Winstar it is pretty big and has great concerts ( honestly IDK what town Winstar is in I usually take a bus there)

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## ljbab728

> Best would have to be Newcastle, they have pretty good machines and I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Winstar it is pretty big and has great concerts ( honestly IDK what town Winstar is in I usually take a bus there)


Probably nobody mentoned Winstar because it's not in the OKC area.

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## OKCTalker

> Aren't they required by state law to have the ante (or did they figure out a loop hole)?


Oklahoma casinos are NOT regulated. There is no oversight by the gambling board, they do not report payouts to anyone, and they do not have a minimum amount that they are required to pay out. 

To the "entertainment" comparison and buying popcorn and a drink at the movies, at least at the movies you know the pic you'll be seeing, how long it will run, you can read reviews beforehand, and they'll show you the size of the drink cup and popcorn container before filling them. How many times would you go back if you didn't know those things in advance, or had the ability to complain if you felt you didn't get your "entertainment" dollar's worth? 

Which is another reason I'll never step into one of these places, even for a concert. Ever.

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## RadicalModerate

> Oklahoma casinos are NOT regulated. There is no oversight by the gambling board, they do not report payouts to anyone, and they do not have a minimum amount that they are required to pay out. 
> 
> To the "entertainment" comparison and buying popcorn and a drink at the movies, at least at the movies you know the pic you'll be seeing, how long it will run, you can read reviews beforehand, and they'll show you the size of the drink cup and popcorn container before filling them. How many times would you go back if you didn't know those things in advance, or had the ability to complain if you felt you didn't get your "entertainment" dollar's worth? 
> 
> Which is another reason I'll never step into one of these places, even for a concert. Ever.


Nearly every time I gamble on seeing a really good movie at the megaplex, I lose.
(not every time, just most of the time.)
This is probably why I will never go to a local casino either.  Hell . . . If I were to bet on Mel Tillis or even Don Williams being as good as they used to be--at about ten times the price of a ticket back when they were good--I'd probably lose that bet too.

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## OkiePoke

Are there any non-ante BJ tables in the OKC area?

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## Richard at Remax

Only one that I know of is Grand Casino, but it's only on Monday-Thursday.

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## Dr Beard Face

> Are there any non-ante BJ tables in the OKC area?


Thunderbird Casino in norman does it on a certain day of the week.   not sure which day it is, I feel like it was tuesday.  I used to go with my roommate when he needed a ride and would front me money to play with so I was never paying much attention.

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## tyeomans

Riverwind is our go-to casino around the metro. They give us better freeplay, and we just flat out win more. Plus, I think they have a better variety of games to play. They get a lot of new ones in frequently too. The Grand and Lucky Star Concho are absolutely terrible. It's so hard to play on the casino's money at these places. The Grand needs to update their machines as there are WAY too many of the same kind of machine. We haven't been out to Newcastle other than a few times, but I can say that it hasn't really impressed me. It's almost as dirty and disgusting as Remington with cigarette ashes covering everything.

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## Roger S

A few years back one of the Casino's, may have been Riverwind, had a black jack table setup at the State Fair. You could set down and play for candy. I sat down and played a few hands and the dealer asked me where I played in Oklahoma. I told him I didn't play in Oklahoma due to the ante and explained to him why.

I had recently been to Michigan and had been playing for about 2 hours. At the end of the two hours I was about $100 ahead. If I had been playing in Oklahoma at the end of two hours I would have been about even given that I had been able to even stay at the table due to the loss of the ante every hand.

Add to that every casino in Oklahoma has the worst odds dealing from 6+ deck shoes....... If you hunt hard enough in Vegas you can still find some good single deck games and when I was in the Bahamas I found a single deck game there that was nearly even odds.... I was covering the ex's losses to the slot machines and paying for our meals the week I was there. played, and ate, on the casino's money the entire week.

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## Richard at Remax

Didn't know where to ask but apparently they just passed or were going to pass the bill that would allow dice games (real roulette and craps) and wondered when that went into effect? Does anyone know if you still have to do the stupid ante too? Thanks

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## d-usa

If they weren't filed as emergency bills, they would go in effect in November I think?

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## Urbanized

Man, just get rid of the stupid ante. Completely prevents me from playing in OK, since blackjack is about the only thing I care about. The only way to (sort of) take it out of play is to go high stakes, and I don’t plan on ever doing that. I think there are a few casinos at this point who waive the ante, but not in the close metro.

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## gopokes88

> Man, just get rid of the stupid ante. Completely prevents me from playing in OK, since blackjack is about the only thing I care about. The only way to (sort of) take it out of play is to go high stakes, and I don’t plan on ever doing that. I think there are a few casinos at this point who waive the ante, but not in the close metro.


What’s the ante even for? Like where does that quarter go to?

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## Urbanized

Straight profit to the casino. I can’t even remover what the rationale was. And it’s TWO quarters. Per hand. So if you’re playing $5 bets, you are essentially guaranteed to give an uncontested hand to the house for every ten you play.

I’m pretty decent at blackjack owing to having strategy memorized and playing in a really disciplined manner. In Vegas or wherever else I win about as much as I lose. But I’ve gotten up after a few too many long sits in Oklahoma and realized I should be up a couple hundred bucks but instead was break even or even down, owing to hundreds of hands where I gave the house four bits before I even saw cards. I freaking HATE IT.

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## Dustin

> What’s the ante even for? Like where does that quarter go to?


I can't find anything about it online (I'm on my phone), but I think it goes to the state. Some casinos will pay the ante for you as a promotion.

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## Urbanized

^^^^^^^^^
Nope. Pure profit for the casino: http://newsok.com/article/3119594




> 3. Players pay an ante of 50 cents each hand for some live games. Where does the money go? On blackjack, the ante is what the casino makes as profit. If a player loses his hand, that loss goes into a player pool which is used to pay players that win and all the promotional giveaways that casinos do.


The reason people think it goes to the state is that the standard answer they give you at the table when you ask about it is “the State of Oklahoma mandates that we charge a fifty cent ante on each hand...”

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## CloudDeckMedia

> Oklahoma casinos are NOT regulated. There is no oversight by the gambling board, they do not report payouts to anyone, and they do not have a minimum amount that they are required to pay out.


Is this still the case - that Indian casinos aren't required to have independent audits on payouts, and that the results aren't made public?

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## gopokes88

Well that really sucks

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## Richard at Remax

Unless it's changed the Grand Casino is ante free Monday-Thurs. That's crazy about the ante though. I've had different dealers from different casinos say it goes to the state. That they didn't want to push it on slot players since that's what most of the people play and don't want to make clientele mad. You'd think it'd be the opposite approach. Like the above poster said, I don't play in Oklahoma due to the ante on the tables. I hope they reconsider getting rid of it since more people like myself would play.

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## sooner333

The ante is required because Oklahoma does not allow “house banked” card games (and with the new law, dice and ball games will not be house banked either). Technically the casino must give earnings from the table games back to the players (except for 10% which the law allows them to keep). Some casinos do this by paying the ante on some nights, others do not seat promotions or giveaways. The .50 ante is the casino’s main profit center and probably what they give a percentage of to the state per their compacts.  So until the state allows house banked card games, there will be an ante.

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