Even though Coast Casinos is now a division of Boyd Gaming, you wouldn't know it from the newly opened South Coast. This property looks like a natural progression from other Coast casinos. If you like the gaming at The Orleans, Gold Coast and Suncoast, you'll feel right at home at South Coast.

Video poker yields plentiful 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe (99.56 percent), 9/7 Triple Double Bonus (99.58 percent), and NSU (16-10-4-4-3) Deuces Wild (99.73 percent) in all denominations from quarters to $5. They do have lower (nickel and dime) and higher denominations available (up to $20 Five Play), although the pay schedules on these machines are not as generous. Surprisingly (and disappointingly) there is no high limit slots room, although most of the higher-limit games are in one area. Two high-dollar exceptions which not in the high limit area are quarter Fifty Play machines (which take $62.50 to fully load, and include 9/6 Jacks or Better) and quarter Five Play Multi Strike machines (which take $25 to fully load and also include 9/6 Jacks).

South Coast joins the Club Coast mega-club. One regular feature of this club that we'd like to see elsewhere is that the booth is open 24/7. The slot club yields 0.30 percent cash back based on a coin-out system rather than the more typical coin-in. At some Coast casinos you may still use the old red card or the new blue one. At South Coast, however, you must use the blue one, which includes a pin number.

The player tracking system includes an I-view reader, which is larger and more informative than readers at other casinos. The "instant credits" feature allows you to collect must-play-it-through-at-least-once cash bonuses directly at the machine. South Coast will participate in other Coast promotions (such as "double points on holidays" and January's "Jackets for Jackpots") but will also offer property-specific extras.

The casino is totally coinless, with all IGT machines, although games by other manufacturers are scheduled to be added soon. The casino has a full range of other games, including a 72-seat poker room, a 300-seat race and sports book, and a 600-seat bingo hall.

Bonus Point Days: Barbary Coast (Club Coast): 2x Sunday and Jan. 16; Casino MonteLago (Club Uno): 4x Sundays (reels only), 2x Mondays-Thursdays (all machines); 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): 6x today and Saturday; Ellis Island (Passport Players Club): 2x Saturdays-Thursdays, 5x Fridays (some machines excluded); Fitzgeralds (Club Fitz): 3x Tuesdays; Gold Coast (Club Coast): 2x Sunday and Jan. 16; Gold Strike (Jean's Cash and Comp Club): 2x Tuesdays; Golden Nugget (24 Karat Club): 2x Wednesdays and Fridays for Las Vegas locals only ($1 and up video poker excluded); Hacienda (Club Matador) 4x Tuesdays; Jokers Wild (Prime Rewards): 6x today and Saturday; Mirage (MGM Mirage Players Club): 2x free-play on reels; Nevada Landing (Jean's Cash and Comp Club): 2x Tuesdays; Orleans (Club Coast): 2x Sunday and Jan. 16; Railroad Pass (Players Junction): 2x Wednesdays, 3x Thursdays; Sam's Town (Prime Rewards): 6x today and Saturday; Slots A Fun (One Club): 2x Wednesdays; South Coast (Club Coast): 2x Sunday and Jan. 16; Suncoast (Club Coast): 2x Sunday and Jan. 16; Terrible's (Players Club): 5x Sundays and Thursdays, 2x cashback Sundays-Wednesdays; Wildfire (Wild Card): 5x Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; Wild Wild West (Wild Card): 5x Thursdays.

The Player's Edge appears Fridays in Neon. E-mail Jeffrey Compton and Bob Dancer at jeffrey.compton@compdance.com.