In August 1997, Hollywood Casino in Aurora was the first in Illinois to open a poker room. Since then, many poker rooms have come and gone. Hollywood’s poker room remains one of Chicagoland’s best places to play limit hold’em, as $10-$20 runs daily. Tuesday’s $20-$40 game is Chicagoland’s longest running weekly game. Thursday’s $15-$30 is the feature game.
“Hollywood will be the only poker room in the state that gives back to the players from the rake on all games, $1 from every raked hand will be funded toward promotion starting soon,” said longtime poker room manager Hemal Patel. “So come to Hollywood Casino Aurora to play poker and we will not only meet but exceed your expectations.”
“This is a great place to play,” said Ken Faught, owner of Baby Back Blues BBQ. “Hollywood’s limit hold’em game action is the best in the Midwest.” Faught has been a longtime player at the room as some regulars have been playing there since almost the beginning.
Hollywood’s poker room has expanded to 15 tables and its legendary waitlist chalkboard finally has been replaced with a computerized system. The new larger room allows for easier movement around the 10-player tables. Omaha is offered daily, though it is the featured game on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
HORSESHOE: Poker room manager Jason Newman has left for the Horseshoe Casino in Cincinnati, which is opening in the spring. Michael Soto has taken over for Newman.
CONGRATS: Chicago native Aaron Massey won WinStar’s River Series main event and $651K. More on chicagopokerclub.net.
— “Chicago” Joe Giertuga is Ante Up’s Chicagoland Ambassador. Email him at chicago.joe@comcast.net. Jason Finn and Kirk Fallah contributed to this report.
