Tweet
The new Odawa Casino (formally Victories Casino) changed into a modern Vegas like casino about 5 years ago. They really spent a lot on the new building and it has some crazy details no other area N. Michigan casino has. That being said it is really overdone for the area.The slot selection is kind of surprising. For having 1,500 slots they don't have many classic machines like Sizzling 7's, Red White & Blue, 5x Pay, etc. Instead they have more digital machines than anything else and machines like Triple Butterfly 7's, and a lot of odd machines. They are the only area casino that has the Cash Wheel machines and one of the only ones to have Party Time branded machines though which are good machines. But too bad to say the machines are TIGHT. Ask anyone there and you will get the same reply - if only they would pay a little more. Not much cheering or screaming except people saying "I lost again?" Overall a good selection of odd machines but overall very tight and not many winners of any type which is too bad since the overall place is quite nice. 3 out of 5 stars for slots.Table games are a bit better...they offer a wide selection of BJ, Craps, Roulette, Let it Ride, 3 Card Poker, usually another poker game of some sort, and even a Big 6 Wheel. The table game staff is quite friendly overall and do a good job with dealing and so forth. No automatic dealing machines here which is nice. But the rules are bad - dealer hits soft 17 - doesn't offer surrender - the cut on the 6 deck games is not good. You can get on some runs and it doesn't seem like you lose really bad on table games there so that part is good. They also have a nice poker room away from most of the games so it is less noisy and offers a good game with 6 tables. They have tournament games about 4-5 nights a week and cash games about 5 nights a week as well - very slow action early in the week but by Thursday-Sunday there is usually a game going - normally 1/2 or 2/4 NL. Good dealers - good wait staff while on table games - about 3.5 out of 5 stars.Customer Service/Players Club is good. Most of the staff is well trained and knows most of what promotions and so forth are going on. The slot club is one of the better clubs around as points are worth double in the restaurants or hotel compared to cash. So if you like a meal "on the house" you can usually collect enough points in one trip for at least their "take out" restaurant. Overall 3.5 out of 5 stars....The Atmosphere would be great - a lot of nice copper work throughout the casino and amazing tile work in the front lobby area and even the restrooms are above average. Too bad so many people seem to be losing which would make it much more fun to play there. But overall the casino is quite quiet and laid back. It easily could be 4.5 out of 5 stars for decor but overall with the lack of excitment it is about 3 out of 5 stars.The Hotel gets low marks only because it is the old Holiday Inn from years ago - at least a 30 year old building. They have put a lot of work and money in improvements to the location but it is still dated to a certain extent. Probably one of the only area casinos that doesn't have an attached hotel to the casino although it is less than 1 mile away and they offer free shuttles to and from although in the middle of winter it would be nice not to have to throw your coat and boots on just to go back to your room or back to the casino. They do have a nice bar and restaurant in the hotel and it is a clean place to stay just a bit dated. Overall low marks just because it is a mile away from the casino - 2 out of 5 stars.Food & Drink is mixed. Their "take out" type place is the Copper Cafe and they have excellent food for fair prices. Their salads are amazing and reasonably priced. They have Chicken Fingers that are hand cut chicken breast pieces breaded and fried that are excellent. The burgers and such are only average. But the deserts are fantastic - carrot cake and triple chocolate cake are just amazing although $5.00 a slice is a bit high but worth it. Excellent food at a reasonable price (cheaper with a players club card). Their middle buffet style restaurant is excellent as well offering well over 100 different food items on a LONG buffet. Every nationality is offered along with crab legs on Thursdays (at least during the summer) - Prime Rib some nights, you name it - chicken, beef, pizza, pasta, mexician, everything you could want. Again the deserts are fantastic - the bread pudding with rum sauce is just incredible. But it is a bit pricey ($15-25 for dinner) although for what you receive it is fair but could be a few dollars cheaper. Finally the Sage is their upscale restaurant and it is very upscale - almost too much for the area. Their menu is around $25-75 per person with fine wine, filet mignon, etc. The food is excellent but really priced too high for the area - 1/2 price would still be a bit high although again the food is excellent so if you have an anniversary or a special event it is a nice place to eat. Finally the drinks are EXPENSIVE. I have only ordered one mixed drink there ever - a well rum and coke (pepsi) for $6.25. I don't know if a special event was going on or what - I questioned the staff and they said yes that is the price for a well drink rum & coke - the most I have paid anywhere by a mile. I could get 5 rum & cokes at other places for the price of 1 here. And I saw a special sign last year saying Bud Light Lime 12 oz bottles on SPECIAL for $3.00. Wow - $3.00 for a bottle of Bud? What is the regular price I wonder? So yeah the drinks are very high - they even will charge you $1.25 for a tomato juice - again the first casino I have ever had charge me for that. The restaurants are 4.5 out of 5 stars with excellent quality except price - and the bars are about 2 out of 5 stars for the same reason - high prices.Overall it could be a fantastic resort. If they had a hotel attached to the casino (which they have talked about adding but to date haven't done anything yet), looser slots, slightly lower prices in the restaurants and especially the bars, and did I mention more winners? 3.0 stars out of 5.0 total.
Read the full Casino Review
Read the full Casino Review