Sandia Poker Room Bad Beat Jackpot
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- The one Strip property offering a bad beat jackpot is the Flamingo Poker Room. It starts at $20,000. Another Strip poker room with a BBJ can be found at the Venetian. After having one back in 2014, the Venetian ditched their jackpot, but brought it back in 2017.
There are many poker rooms in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe area. Each has its charms and special qualities. All are worth visiting if you have the time to do so. That being said, there is only one room in the area for the serious mid-stakes or high-stakes player. That room is the Sandia Resort and Casino poker room.
Some poker players complain that too much money gets taken out of pots to be diverted into a poker room's bad beat jackpot promotional fund. With that said, overall the existence of bad beat jackpots is very much a good thing. Here are three reasons why you should embrace the idea of bad beat jackpots.
I first visited Sandia when it was a smoky hell of a place, back in the old days in the older casino that was little more than a Quonset hut. I've been back a couple of times since they moved into their picturesque, full-service casino on the other side of Interstate 25. Though this isn't the equal of the biggest and best poker rooms in California, Nevada or Connecticut, it's surely as close as you will come to a major poker room in New Mexico.
Sandia is home to 15 modern comfortable poker tables - tables that are often full and loud and busy. There are well-cushioned chairs; there is excellent lighting, a well run board, new or relatively new chips and cards, and a bustling atmosphere that promotes action. Unlike other rooms in the area, you never have to worry about not finding a game at Sandia. If the room is open (and it is from 10 AM until 4 AM during the week and 24 hours on weekends) there will be at least a few games going.
The games include all of the low-stakes affairs that you'll find in the other rooms - the $1/2 no-limit game and the $2/4 and $3/6 limit hold'em. But this room offers more. While I was there on a Sunday afternoon they were spreading $4/8 with a half kill, $10/20, and $20/40 limit hold'em. They also had a couple of $2/5 blind no limit games and a $4/8 with a half-kill Omaha-8 game. They never have stud - though they added, as all rooms do, that they'd gladly spread it if they had the players. A pot-limit Omaha game goes off sometimes, I was told, as well as a $10/20 Omaha-8 game, but neither was going while I was there on three different occasions during the week.
I played a total of six or so hours of no limit in the $1/2-blind game, and about three hours of $4/8 Omaha-8. I played at all hours - at 9:00 AM one day, 4:00 PM another day, and at 2:00 AM yet another. I found the five tables I played at during those visits to be very similar. Typically there were three or four very poor players, a couple of retirees grinding out the game timidly, and then a couple or so players who seemed to know what they were doing. (The only game with a slightly different line up was a $4/8 w/ kill Omaha-8 game - where all of the players but one were pretty awful).
Here's an interesting hand of no-limit hold'em that I played. There was a brand new dealer (most seemed to be veterans). It was the second hand I played on my first visit - on a Sunday evening. I was sitting five to the left of the button and was dealt two Jacks. There were two folds after the big blind. I raised to $14; a guy did this on the previous hand and got one caller. I got three callers including the small blind. The flop was a king and two blanks. The small blind checked; I checked, the next player checked, but before the final player could act the dealer turned a nine. The last player objected, saying that he was going to bet. The other players said that he could bet if he wanted to. No one called the floor. No one seemed especially upset by any of this. The original objector whined and said it was okay - and let the fourth street card stand. (Nothing like 'players get to decide what is done' rules). Everyone checked the turn to him. He bet $25. Everyone folded. He flashed us all a king and a smile.
Sandia has the same rake structure as the other casinos in the area - 10% with a $3 maximum. They also have a $1 drop for the bad beat jackpot which stood at $50,000 or so. You needed aces full of jacks beaten to qualify, with both hole cards playing. I got the sense that there were at least a handful of folks who were there for no other reason than to be at the table when the bad beat was hit.
They offer some player point promotions, awarding comps based on points earned at the table. But the points are so minuscule that it isn't worth considering, on the order of a few cents an hour.
Sandia is home to a few weekly and some large special tournaments. They have sit-and-goes every Monday and Wednesday and then regular no-limit hold'em, pineapple, and Omaha tournaments on Tuesday and Sunday. When I was there they had a larger tournament than their weekly events – a $300 'Play with the Big Dogs' no-limit hold'em tournament. There were 134 players with a $25,000+ first-place prize. None of the other rooms have action like that.
A few other things to consider about this nice room: The high ceiling and lack of cigarette smoke give the place an airy feel. There are free drinks. And though the food surely isn't free, there is a cheap snack bar near the poker room with hot dogs, nachos, soup and sandwiches for only a few bucks each.
They don't allow reading at the table (which always strikes me as an insult to we poker writers) but you can listen to a headset.
All in all this is a very good room, clearly the best place to play serious poker in the area. I recommend it highly.
Sandia Resort & Casino
30 Rainbow Road NE
Albuquerque, NM 87113
505-796-7500
800-526-9366
Tags
Live casino poker
When Pennsylvania first legalized table games and live poker in early-2010, few imagined that within three years the Keystone State would usurp New Jersey as the nation’s second most profitable gaming market.
Contents
- 1 Pennsylvania’s best live poker rooms
- 2 Other live poker rooms at PA casinos
But it did.
Unbeknownst to most, Pennsylvania played host to a thriving bar and social poker scene long before the first card was dealt at a state-regulated casino. But for locals looking for something more, namely in the way of high stakes cash and tournament action, there were only two options: play online or make the arduous trek to Atlantic City.
With the advent of live poker in PA, not only did it become more convenient for the state’s poker community to find a game, it provided those situated in New York City and northern New Jersey with better alternatives — alternatives they would soon take advantage of.
And thus began a major shakeup in the East Coast’s gambling scene.
Today, Pennsylvania plays host to a burgeoning poker scene. But given the wide disparity in size and offerings among its rooms, finding the right one at a PA casino can be a bit of a crapshoot.
To simplify matters, here’s a quick look at some of the best live poker PA has to offer.
Pennsylvania’s best live poker rooms
Parx Casino
Judging by pure size, Parx Casinoand its 80-table poker room is undoubtedly PA’s crown jewel. In fact, as the gross revenue leader among PA poker rooms, it’s also far and away the most profitable.
Parx hosts a bevy of daily poker tournaments, an illustrious higher buy-in tournament series (Big Stax), and the most varied selection of cash game offerings in PA. Its high stakes area is teeming with life, with games ranging from 10-10 NLHE all the way up to 150-300 mixed games.
Casuals and players with lesser monetary ambitions can try their luck at one of a myriad of lower stakes No Limit, PLO and O8 games.
Plus, things are about to get even better for players at Parx.
The Parx Poker Room is planning to move to a new location inside the main building as part of the casino’s upcoming expansion.
The new room will host 48 tables and boats some high-end finishes. This includes 22 high definition TVs and an exclusive 3-table VIP high-limit poker enclave.
Sands Bethlehem
Sands Bethlehem’s poker room also makes the grade.
At 30 tables, Sands’ dedicated poker area is notably smaller than Parx’s, and its location smack dab in the middle of the casino floor may prove oft-putting to those who prefer quieter settings.
But make no mistake, Sands attracts a wealth of players from PA, northern New Jersey, and New York City.
Given its smaller size and exceedingly high popularity, players will often find themselves regulated to the wait list, especially during peak hours. However, management does everything within its power to accommodate player needs.
Like Parx, Sands holds a semi-regular deep stack series (DeepStack Extravaganza) and daily tournaments. Overall, Sands’ tournament schedule proves to be a bit more varied than the one found at Parx.
Now, if only Sands weren’t owned by casino mogul and staunch internet gambling opponent Sheldon Adelson.
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Nipping at Sands’ heels is Harrah’s Philadelphia. The 28-table poker room’s claim to fame is it’s affiliation with the WSOP, of which the most notable benefit is its permission to host WSOP Main Event satellites.
Branding aside, Harrah’s poker room in many ways resembles the Sands, albeit smaller and slightly less profitable.
Harrah’s poker foray holds a slight edge over PA’s top poker rooms in the areas of game selection, room management, and most notably, promotions. A Bad Beat Jackpot and high hand rewards are just a few of the delectable promos to be had at Harrah’s.
It’s also the only PA casino that accepts the vaulted Total Rewards card.
SugarHouse Casino
The Poker Night in America Poker Room at SugarHouse Casino calls itself Philadelphia’s first poker room.
The room hosts 28 tables and runs tournaments six days a week and twice on Saturdays and Sundays — not to mention the huge slate of cash games.
There are 24/7 food options, in-seat text-to-order food service, and complimentary alcoholic beverages. Promotions include an instant high-hand progressive jackpot.
The poker room’s affiliation with the “Poker Night in America” TV show also sees it host televised events.
Other live poker rooms at PA casinos
Rivers Casino
Sandia Poker Room Bad Beat Jackpot Games
Rivers has the advantage of boasting the only large poker room in western PA. And while the 30-table room has yet to fully realize its potential, the inclusion of the Pittsburgh Poker Open should solidify its place among Pennsylvania’s poker heavyweights.
For now, Rivers is the best of the rest.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National
For a 16-table poker room, an annual non-banking gross revenue margin of more than $4 million is very impressive.
Hollywood serves up a variety of cash games and plays host to a multitude of qualifiers into bigger events. But it’s hard to imagine such a tiny room ever hosting an attractive tournament series of its own.
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
Another highly profitable, yet smallish, poker room, Mohegan Sun’s live poker room features 18 tables and spreads a variety of the most popular poker games with a range of limits.
Mohegan Sun Pocono runs daily tournaments with Texas Hold’em and bounty structures. Promotions include a Bad Beat Jackpot for both cash games and tournaments.
Plus, there is a progressive Royal Flush Jackpot promotion, adding $25 to the pot for each of the four suits daily.
Give Mohegan credit for its Bad Beat Jackpot and relaxed atmosphere; just don’t expect to find big action.
Meadows Casino
At Pittsburgh’s other poker room at the Meadows Casino, players are treated to a full menu service and an awe-inspiring view of live horse races.
The room features 14 tables with an open view of the live racing action on the track. Texas Hold’em and Omaha are both spread 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The room runs a regular tournament schedule, hosting tournaments twice a day, six days a week, and one on Sundays.
The venue also hosts special events throughout the year, now including a stop on the televised Heartland Poker Tour.
Sandia Poker Room Bad Beat Jackpots
Promotions include a High Hand Jackpot Progressive paying out when a Royal Flush is hit and a set Bad Beat Promotion paying off when Four-of-a-Kind is beaten.
Mount Airy Casino
A once thriving poker room, Mount Airy has lost the majority of its poker faithful to the nearby Sands.
The new upstairs location was a welcome change, but the lack of business has caused the casino to cut back its amount of poker tables significantly, all the way down to nine.
The Poker Parlor at the Mount Airy Casino Resort is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The room spreads Texas Hold’em, Stud, and Omaha, no-limit and limit. Promotions include random seat and high hand promotions.
Presque Isle Downs & Casino
A beautifully positioned, reasonably well-managed poker room located on the coast of magnificent Lake Erie, Presque Isle’s offering is quaint yet hardly a poker player’s paradise.
Unfortunately, lately the room’s popularity has waned, with revenue margins among the lowest in PA.
The room now runs with just seven tables. Games spread include Texas Hold’em and Omaha. The room opens at noon on weekdays and 10 a.m. local time on weekends, staying open as long as there is action.
There are regular multi-table and single-table tournaments. The Presque Isle Downs & Casino poker room also offers full-service dining.
In addition to regular comps, poker players can earn a $10 dinner voucher after only three hours of play.