Casinos trot out Kentucky Derby promotions
The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, and several casinos are celebrating the annual "Run for the Roses" with giveaways and contests. The Orleans is offering "Betting Bucks" drawings every 15 minutes from 8 to 10 a.m. Terrible's is giving away a special Triple Crown T-shirt with any $20 race wager. For a $20 bet at the El Cortez, race book players will receive an official Kentucky Derby glass. Both the Cannery and Rampart casinos are running a free "$5,000 Horse Handicappers Contest." Patrons making a $10-$25 race wager at Jerry's Nugget will receive souvenirs including licensed Derby glasses and Nugget polo shirts, plus free food will be served to all qualified race bettors. Station Casinos players can turn a $2 wager into $20,000 by picking the quinella in the Kentucky Derby and another in a selected Churchill Downs race. Good luck!
All weekend long, the Hard Rock Hotel is running a "$35,000 Kentucky Derby Sweepstakes." Players earn one entry with every 5,000 points ($5,000 coin-in on slots, $10,000 video poker) or for every four hours of table play with an average bet of $100 from 12:01 a.m. today through noon on Sunday. The grand prize is $25,000, and the next five winners will receive an entry into the $100,000 sweepstakes in December. Winners must be present at the 4 p.m. drawing.
The Hacienda is doing a special Pepsi promotion. Video poker players hitting a four-of-a-kind in Kings, Queens or Jacks, slot players getting a $50-plus jackpot or blackjack players dealt a suited natural in hearts receive a six-pack of Pepsi products, plus an entry into a special $5,000 drawing on August 23. There is no limit to the number of six-packs a player can win.
All $200-plus slot or $300-plus El Cortez jackpot winners in May will receive a voucher for a wallet containing free slot play from $10 to $1,000. The voucher also can be used to get $10 gasoline and gift cards.
The "1,000,000 A-May-Zing Giveaway" is happening this month at the Gold Coast, Orleans, Suncoast and Sam's Town. At 8:15 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (beginning May 9), all four casinos will draw nine names to win $500 and one name to pick four envelopes out of 20 to win a possible $1,000,000 (if all four envelopes have the casino logo). Entries can be earned at the machines and at the tables.
Bonus Point Days: Cannery (American Can Club): 5x Monday, Wednesday and May 13, 15, 19, 21, 27 and 29; Casino Royale (Club Royale): 2x 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 8-11 p.m., 3x 7-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.; Eldorado (Prime Rewards): 2x Tuesdays; Ellis Island (Passport Players Club): 6x Sundays and Tuesdays; 5x Fridays (some machines excluded); Gold Coast (Club Coast): 5x Monday, 6x May 11 and 15; Hacienda (Club Matador): 2x Mondays and Wednesdays, 4x Tuesdays; Jerry's Nugget (More Club): 3x Tuesdays and Thursdays; Jokers Wild (Prime Rewards): 2x Tuesdays; Longhorn (Big Shot Club): 2x Fridays through Sundays; Plaza (Play Club): 2x Thursdays; Railroad Pass (Players Junction): 2x Mondays, 3x Tuesdays; Rampart (Club Rampart): 2x Fridays; Sahara (Club Sahara): 2x comp dollars Wednesdays; Silver Nugget (Slot Club): 2x everyday; Slots A Fun (Circus Players Club): 2x Wednesdays; South Point (The Club): 2x Monday and May 11 and 16; Terrible's (Players Club): 3x Thursdays and Sundays; Tuscany (Players Club): 5x Wednesdays and Sundays; Vegas Club (Play Club): 2x Thursdays; Westin Casuarina (Players Club): 2x Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (Please note that several casinos could not confirm their May Bonus Point Days at press time.)
The Player's Edge appears Fridays in Neon. E-mail Jeffrey Compton and Bob Dancer at jeffrey.compton@compdance. com.
