Isle of Capri, KC, MO. ??????

[kjohn]

Has anyone played at Isle of Capri in Kansas City, Mo?   We play at
Harrah's and Argosy and want to know if we are missing anything not going to the
Isle...I went once years ago and was not impressed but things change....Any input appreciated

[MikeA]

It's been a while since I've been there, but the last time I was there, their Video Poker was absolutely NOTHING to write home about. Low Paytables. But you might check out VPFree. I know there is a monitor for the KC casinos there.

It was around three years ago that we quit going to the KC casinos but when we did go, we spent most of our time at AmeriStar.

[kjohn]

That's the way I remember it also....We have no luck at AmeriStar except on the bank of machines that pay double for a royal....Sometimes we stop by there for an hour or so....I'm not too fond of KC but it beats the Miami Ok. Indian casinos for those times when we can't get away to Las Vegas and Spider Solitaire  doesn't fill our gambling urge.  I'll check out the VPFree.  Thanks...

[joebic]

I have to agree with MikeA that the Isle is not worth spending time at. Stopped in a few weeks back to see what was going on and nothing had changed from a year earlier. Both the wife and I have done well at Ameristar with only a few losing sessions mostly playing the multi-denom machines upstairs. Harrahs is ok as well but because of name recognition it's hard to find a machine thats open especially on weekends. I live 5 minutes fron Argosy but have never had any luck there other than an occasional quad. MY daughter turns 21 in March and we're taking her to Vegas to try and skill her in the art of real VP, lol. Good luck next time you visit us in KC.

[joebic]

MikeA, saw your reply on another topic about Prairie Band in Topeka. How's the VP there? Played a few times at Sac n Fox, what a dissappointment other than learning how to play craps on the 50 cent table ( yes I'm cheap and still don't understand that game, lol ) Is it worth the trip from KC?

[MikeA]

I don't play at Prairie Band. My wife does play slot machines there and does okay I guess for slot play. And, their Hotel Accommodations are beyond reproach (great hot tubs in the courtyard and a pretty darn good buffet). But alas, they are no better than Harrah's (which they WERE managed by up until July of either 2007 or 2008) when it comes to VP.

With that said, you can find a funky DB game there that the last time I checked, paid back at around 99%. But it don't get no better than that there. It is the same DB that Isle of Capri had for a while but I don't remember the paytables.

PB has several "okay" 3:2 Double Deck Blackjack tables, but they are all $25 minimum. They have one 3:2 8-deck table for a nickel but their Single Deck is all 6:5.

You'd be somewhat better off going on north to "Golden Eagle" where they do have some 9/7 DB and 9/6 DDB. The ambiance is nowhere as good at GE as at either Sak & Fox or PB, but the games are better and they do have better VP. Nothing is Positive Expectation though.

[MikeA]

kJohn,

I just received the following notice from one of the monitors up in KC on vpFree this morning (Feb 2):

I am sorry to report the demise of All American at the Isle. It has
been removed from all the machines in both the smoking and non-smoking
sections, I believe as of late Thursday night/early Friday morning
last. This was about the last of the All American in existance.

They left Pick'Em on the machines, at least for now. It would not
surprise me if it went away as well. The Isle folks seem to be making
a lot of cuts in the name of cost savings, including reducing or
eliminating cash back. It does not make a lot of sense to me, as they
are continuing to lose out on average attendance to both Ameristar and
Harrah's. I guarantee they were making money on the All American,
relatively few people really knew the strategy well enough to get
close to the theoretical 100.72% payout. If they felt they had to
remove something, it would have made more sense to remove PE. Even
though it is not technically a 100% + payout game, many more people
are getting closer to 99.95% on that game than ever were on AA.

It never ceases to amaze me at how little those making these decisions
in casino's really understand about video poker. I think they must
just look at it as another slot machine.

[LkcinKc]

I quit going to the Isle of Capri since they ripped out most of the good machines that I played.  I use to play the Dueces Wild there because their payout was high (2500 for 4 dueces).  They now have 2 machines left that have the higher payout.  I have good luck at Harrah's on friday nites, Argosy on wed/thurs.  Ameristar hasn't been good to me for a long time.  I prefer going to Harrahs because of the comps!

[Lucky Larry]

Thanks for the question kjohn. We were headed up that way to see relatives and hadn't played at KC before. IOC-KC was one of our considerations. The IOC-Lake Charles is our closest casino to us in Texas. The pay tables are a mixed bag. The nickels are incredible - 99% return on50/100 play. But, a 9/6 DDB 25¢ may be next to a 7/5 DDB.    Five coin and 10 coin are all mixed in together.

The slot directors is anti-VP but into the latest, greatest reels and even virtual BlackJack and virtual roulette etc. Only 3 of 15 $ machines have 99% return. His competitor across the water in the fancy new casino has all 99% returns on 60+ dollar machines. Last week we came in to find 6 of the quarter machines had been changed from 9/6 DDB with multiple games to a progressive 8/5 DDB only machines. Very little play on them and the slot director keeps telling us he can't pay the rent on the VP machines. He often does things like remove 50/100 play which have a waiting lines on the weekends and puts Keno machines in their place. So not only are there less machines but the VP players are trying to concentrate with Keno going on in their ears.

At least it is not an Indian casino. So thanks again for the heads up on IOC-KC.
LL