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In this column, we’ll take a look at the three poker rooms in the western part of the state — at Presque Isle, Rivers, and Meadows — and see what they have to offer.
Rivers Casino poker
Rivers Casino is the only Pennsylvania casino located in Pittsburgh (right next to Heinz Field), so it’s not surprising the property boasts one of the largest poker rooms in the state, with 30 tables. The Rivers poker room also has one of the better mixes of games and stakes, with both low- and high-limit games available.
Its tournament schedule is also one of the most robust in the state, with two to three daily tournaments. Rivers is a Poker Night in America-branded room and hosts a number of different tournament series throughout the year.
On the promotions front, Rivers has a bad-beat jackpot, as well as “hot seat” and “high hand” giveaways. Rivers also offers 24-hour food service, discounted hotel rates and call-ahead and online seating.
Stakes and games typically found at Rivers are:
- $1/$3 no-limit hold’em
- $1/$3/$6 no-limit hold’em
- $5/$10 no-limit hold’em
- $10/$20 no-limit hold’em
- $4/$8 limit hold’em
- $1/$3 pot-limit Omaha
- $5/$5 pot-limit Omaha
- $5/$10 limit Omaha 8
- State-approved games are available upon request
Presque Isle Casino poker
Situated in Northern Pennsylvania — in Erie — Presque Isle has a small seven-table poker room that mainly caters to low limit players.
One thing potential visitors should be aware of is, unlike other rooms, the Presque Isle poker room isn’t open 24 hours. The room opens at 1 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on the weekends. There isn’t a specific closing time, as games run as long as people continue playing.
Presque Isle does offer weekend tournaments and Sit & Go’s (when they run), as well as high-hand promotions on select days and times.
Stakes and games typically found at Presque Isle Casino are:
- $1/$3 no-limit hold’em
- $2/$5 no-limit hold’em
- $2/$4 limit hold’em
- State-approved games are available upon request
Meadows Casino poker
Nestled in the southwestern corner of the state, in the town of Washington, Meadows Casino boasts a 14-table poker room. This makes it the only real alternative to Rivers Casino in western PA, although it’s still a 30-minute drive from Pittsburgh.
Meadows’ poker room hosts daily poker tournaments, high-hand jackpots, phone-in seating and tableside food delivery.
Meadows’ daily tournaments are some of the lowest buy-ins you’ll find in a casino, with reentry tournaments priced as low as $30, not to mention a $51 buy-in deepstack tournament on several different days.
Stakes and games typically found at Meadows Casino are:
- $1/$3 no-limit hold’em
- $1/$3/$6 no-limit hold’em
- $2/$4 limit hold’em
- $3/$6 limit hold’em
- $5/$10 limit hold’em
- $2/$5 pot-limit Omaha
- State-approved games are available upon request