In a break from tradition, casinos offering New Year’s Eve specials

For most of the decade we have been writing this column, we seldom saw special gaming promotions on New Year's Eve. However, this year several casinos are either continuing monthlong promotions through the end of the year or even doing a special promo just for tonight.

Beginning 9 p.m. today through noon Saturday, both Arizona Charlie's Decatur and Arizona Charlie's Boulder are hosting hot seat promotions throughout the casino. Depending on your players card level (blue, green, red), randomly selected players will receive $10-$100 in cash.

M Resort also is running a hot seat promotion this evening. Every 15 minutes from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., the casino will give away a total of $12,000 to randomly selected players using their iMagine Rewards card.

Six times this afternoon and evening (4-10 p.m.), Ellis Island will draw for cash prizes ($200-$1,011), and tickets are based on play throughout December. And the Eldorado and Jokers Wild are passing out $20,000 to 42 winners today starting at 9 p.m.

At 7 p.m. every Friday and Saturday in January, the Silverton will draw 10 names who will each win a variety of prizes including free play, cash and gift cards. Entries can be earned at slots, video poker, live keno and table games, with triple entries on Wednesdays.

South Point players earning 200 points ($200 coin-in; no point redemption required) Sundays-Thursdays in January (3 a.m.-11 p.m.) can spin the wheel for a chance to win $50 free play, $50 gas card, $25 free play, double points, free breakfast or lunch buffet, or 1,000 bonus points.

And a final note from Jeffrey Compton: After 10 years of reporting Las Vegas casino news, I have decided to move on. I would like to thank my co-writer and good friend Bob Dancer and most of all the Players Edge readers for helping make this "job" a truly enjoyable experience. Happy New Year!

Bonus Point Days: Bighorn (Big Shot Club): 2x today; Cannery (C.A.N Club): 5x Mondays; 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): 9x penny slots Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Ellis Island (Passport Players Club): 6x Sundays and Tuesdays, 5x Mondays and Fridays, 10x 3 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays (some machines excluded); Hacienda (Club Matador): 2x Mondays-Thursdays; Jerry's Nugget (More Club): 10x slots only today 10 p.m.- midnight, 6x slots only Sundays 6 p.m.-11:59 p.m., 7x slots only Fridays 10 a.m.-11:59 p.m., 5x slots only Saturdays 10 a.m.-11:59 p.m., 11 points slots only Saturdays midnight-2 a.m.; 2x points slots only Wednesdays and Fridays 6 a.m.-10 p.m., 5x points live keno only Sunday-Tuesday; Jokers Wild (Prime Rewards): 9x penny slots Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Opera House (Slot Club): 3x Fridays; Orleans (B Connected): Young at Heart (50-plus) 5x 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays; Railroad Pass (Players Junction): 2x Mondays, 3x Tuesdays; Rampart (Club Rampart): 2x Wednesdays; Sam's Town (B Connected): Young at Heart (50-plus) 7x reels/5x video poker Thursdays; Santa Fe Station (Boarding Pass): 7x reels/slots every Saturday; Silverton (Discovery Card): 2x (reels-only) every day, 3x Fridays; Silver Nugget (Slot Club): 3x Fridays; Suncoast (B Connected): 10x December 31; Young at Heart (50-plus) 9x slots/7x video poker Tuesdays and Thursdays; Station Casinos (Boarding Pass): 5x for seniors (50-plus) Wednesdays at all Station and Fiesta casinos; Terrible's (Players Club): 5x Thursdays (some machines excluded), 10x slots-only Sundays; Texas Station (Boarding Pass): 5x reels 3x video poker midnight-6 a.m. Mondays-Thursdays; Tuscany (Players Club): 10x Fridays-Sundays. (Some machines excluded) Note: Several casinos were not able to confirm their January 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.