Poker is alive in well in Louisiana with 11 poker rooms in Cajun Country. The 12th, the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, should be open by the time you read this. The six-table room will be run manager David Stewart, formally of the Isle of Capri in Lake Charles.
There’s also some talk of Cypress Bayou Casino reopening its poker room after New Year’s Day with a scaled-down version of its previous room at Shorty’s Casino. Stay tuned for details as they unfold, but until then, here’s a refresher of what you can find around the state.
All four corners are covered and offer plenty of live and tournament action. In the north is Horseshoe Casino and the Eldorado Casino. Every other Monday, Horseshoe Bossier City offers a World Series main event qualifier at 6 p.m. Check out its website or the Bravo app for details.
On the Southwest corner, there are several options at L’auberge Lake Charles, Isle and the Golden Nugget.
Central Louisiana is led by Coushatta Casino Resort and its 20-table room. The biggest tournaments outside of New Orleans are here. Also, Paragon Casino in Marksville and Jena Choctaw Pines just north of Alexandria round out this exciting hotbed of poker action.
Farther east in Baton Rouge, you’ll find a couple of rooms near the state capital. L’auberge Baton Rouge leads the way with its seven-table room followed by the Belle of Baton Rouge’s four tables. The Belle may be smaller, but it hosts the Mid-States Poker Tour. Go to MSPT.com for details on the next stop in Louisiana.
In the far east of the Pelican State is Harrah’s New Orleans, which features the state’s other 20-table room and is the busiest in the state. Also nearby, you can find Boomtown Casino New Orleans and its seven-table room with a great staff and promotions.
TOURNAMENTS AND PROMOTIONS: Coushatta hosts its $15K Mystery Cash Giveaway on Dec. 15 and you can earn tickets for this drawing by making a flush or better in a cash game. There will be 16 gift boxes to choose from starting at 1 p.m. and every hour until 10 p.m. with a guarantee of $500-$2K. At 10, the final winner will collect all remaining boxes not chosen for a minimum prize of $3,500. And don’t forget Dec. 27 is Coushatta’s $550 Winter Blowout at 10 a.m. (See ad below.) The field is capped at 180 players plus alternates as registration opens Dec. 1. Finally, Harrah’s New Orleans hosts its Winter Bayou Classic (Dec. 5-14) with buy-ins from $135-$1,125.
— Email Danny at anteupdwade@gmail.com or be sure to visitfacebook.com/EugeneDannyW ade
