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Maybe it’s just me. Possibly I’ve missed it before. But I can’t recall being in a casino that was thoughtful enough to offer printed instructions on how to play Texas Hold ‘em. That is, until my casino experience on Friday night. I’m not kidding. At Mardi Gras Racetrack and Gaming Center in Hallandale, they gave out guides to playing poker for those who may not know. On the guide’s flip side there was even a very clear explanation about what-hand-beats-what-hand at the poker table. As in, four-of-a-kind takes a full house. That kind of thing. This should tell you something about Mardi Gras, which seems to me quite different from the other Broward racinos I’ve been visiting lately.
You may recall that I had decided it was time to check out these popular spots, called racinos because they’re each a combination race track and casino. I began with Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino, which is located very near Mardi Gras in Hallandale. Then I went with my girlfriend to The Isle Casino and Racing at Pompano Park. Each had its own style, with Gulfstream more traditional-looking to my eye and The Isle having a touch more Vegas to it. Both upscale, both fun.
On Friday night, I finally checked out Mardi Gras. This is definitely the working class racino, offering dog racing during the cooler months and 24-hour gambling all the time. It was sure drawing a crowd too, with cars jockeying for parking spaces by 8 p.m. and many poker tables full. The slots seemed the big attraction at Mardi Gras, from what I could tell. And there are slot machines everywhere around this casino. They even built a third-floor addition with slots facing windows that look out on the dog track. There’s a modest sit-down restaurant and also a couple of take-out food stands. It’s a funky place generally and pulls in a blue collar, mostly older crowd. My favorite part of Mardi Gras was a set of nine statues set up in a hallway – a Dixieland band. These guys stand nearly four-feet-tall and play all the traditional New Orleans jazz instruments, including a banjo. Very cool. But whether you’re looking for a place that offers remedial poker instructions or you’re a high roller looking to clean house, the racinos have got something for you. As I’ve said before, I’m really not a gambler. But hey, at least I know what poker hands beat a full house.
You may recall that I had decided it was time to check out these popular spots, called racinos because they’re each a combination race track and casino. I began with Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino, which is located very near Mardi Gras in Hallandale. Then I went with my girlfriend to The Isle Casino and Racing at Pompano Park. Each had its own style, with Gulfstream more traditional-looking to my eye and The Isle having a touch more Vegas to it. Both upscale, both fun.
On Friday night, I finally checked out Mardi Gras. This is definitely the working class racino, offering dog racing during the cooler months and 24-hour gambling all the time. It was sure drawing a crowd too, with cars jockeying for parking spaces by 8 p.m. and many poker tables full. The slots seemed the big attraction at Mardi Gras, from what I could tell. And there are slot machines everywhere around this casino. They even built a third-floor addition with slots facing windows that look out on the dog track. There’s a modest sit-down restaurant and also a couple of take-out food stands. It’s a funky place generally and pulls in a blue collar, mostly older crowd. My favorite part of Mardi Gras was a set of nine statues set up in a hallway – a Dixieland band. These guys stand nearly four-feet-tall and play all the traditional New Orleans jazz instruments, including a banjo. Very cool. But whether you’re looking for a place that offers remedial poker instructions or you’re a high roller looking to clean house, the racinos have got something for you. As I’ve said before, I’m really not a gambler. But hey, at least I know what poker hands beat a full house.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 4:14 PM
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