Boyd Gaming Corp. has completed its purchase of the two Diamond Jo Casinos in Iowa (as well several other properties) that go along with its acquisition of Peninsula Gaming, the parent company of Diamond Jo. This will bring Boyd’s casino count to 17, making it one of the largest in the country. I’m certain we’ll see some changes at both Diamond Jo locations, and hopefully they will be a positive for the poker community.
JUMER’S CASINO: The bad-beat jackpot at Jumer’s Casino hit for a little more than $53K on Nov. 30 in Rock Island, Ill. This was the first time the jackpot was hit since introducing it last year. Unfortunately, I walked into the room to play about 10 minutes too late to have shared in the windfall. This was the first time I saw someone with almost $20K in chips in a $1-$2 no-limit hold’em game. Seems like a little overkill.
NEW GAMES: Three casinos have added new cash games recently. The Horseshoe in Council Bluffs has added a regular $10-$20 limit hold’em game that runs every Saturday. Jumer’s has a $2-$5 NLHE game that runs regularly on Fridays. This is a sign-up game so call ahead if you’re looking to play. The $2-$5 game isn’t really a new game at Jumer’s as much as an attempt to make the game more regular and expected. Mystique in Dubuque has been trying to get a pot-limit Omaha game going and it’s getting really close to having enough interested. If that’s your game, give the room a call.
— Ken Warren is Ante Up’s Iowa Ambassador. You can email him at anteupken@gmail.com.
