Gambling in Tunica, MS

The truth is that there's not much to do in Tunica except gamble. Although a couple of the casinos have recently added championship quality golf courses and most are actively bringing in music acts to fill their stages with "name brand" entertainment, it's still the almighty dollar that brings most to this small town in Mississippi.

Quick Tips:

Most people that visit casinos infrequently or only go for a night of entertainment don't realize that you can very easily get free stuff from the casino. When you stop in, take 5 minutes to register for that casino's "players card" which you'll insert in a slot machine to earn points or present to a dealer at a table game for your play to be rated. Even after playing for half hour or so (especially at the tables) ask for a couple buffet coupons and eat for free. If you're gambling big money or winning big money, ask for better comps, free hotel rooms or free meals at the hotel's finest restaurant. It's not hard to do and it'll save you some money by getting you some free food and some free drinks! Good luck at enjoy Tunica!

Best Way To Get Around:

There is no public transportation system in Tunica, but the casinos are located in clusters around the town and quite spread out in some cases. The hotels often run shuttles that will take you between the clusters but from there you'll need to walk between the individual casinos, but the walks aren't bad at all. Getting to Tunica may be your biggest problem. Located only about a half hour's drive from Memphis, Tunica sits about 20 minutes west of Interstate 55 and as you're approaching the Hernando, MS exit that will take you there, you can't help but miss the signs that will point you in the right direction!

Perhaps one of the finest steak houses I've ever eaten in, Jack Binnion's is a gem to be found in Tunica, Mississippi. Located within the Horseshoe Casino, Binnion's serves up nice thick steaks with all the trimmings. Although a bit pricey, Binnions would be a great place to spend a night out or to celebrate a special occasion. Expect to spend in the $20 per person range if you're planning on having a sirloin, for example. The wine list is fairly extensive and the staff are quite knowledgeable in their ability to recommend a nice wine to go with your meal or simply to make a suggestion on the basis of what you like. If you're a high roller in the casino, you might be able to get your meal at Binnion's comped, but otherwise be prepared for an expensive meal.

Sam's Town is the Old West of casinos in Tunica. Sitting with its back to the Missisippi River, this casino has very much an old time western feel. The dealers dress in country and western type outfits and the whole feeling is very down to earth. They've begun to encourage visitors to bring their RV and park it in a specially designed and outfitted parking lot next door. The biggest draw for Sam's Town is the entertainment. On a weekly basis you'll find stars of the music industry performing in their theater. Everything from Willy Nelson to Chicago to current country acts like Tracy Byrd and others. The tickets are a bit pricier than if you were to catch them in a normal concert venue and the tickets are often, if not always, restricted to an over 21 crowd, but the theater is a bit more intimate and you get the feel that the performers truly care that you're there.

The gaming floor isn't the largest in Tunica and you might be disappointed to find table games crowded and slots filled with players, but if you're not in a hurry and you're looking for a fun night out on the town, Sam's Town can offer you a self-contained dinner, concert and gambling under one roof.

Perhaps offering one of the better casino locations to visit, Gold Strike is also remarkably housed in the tallest building in the state of Mississippi. A huge gaming floor, friendly staff and an excellent choice of restaurants make Gold Strike a location to visit with the family. While you gamble, your kids can visit the arcade, eat at the food court or take in show or concert (with mom or dad beside them on the latter). While Gold Strike did have a magic show every evening in their Millenium Theater, it appears from their website that now it's been replaced by a series of other shows.

Having one of the best buffets in town, especially on the weekends when they have their seafood bar, many people visit Gold Strike just to eat dinner. It's a bit pricey if you're forced to pay for it (roughly $20) but if you're a savvy gambler, you'll get your meal for free. Keep an eye out for their dessert bar as it always has a wide selection of cheesecakes, pies, and other sinful foods. Remember to pick up a players club card and earn points and comps. Good luck and Enjoy!

Horsehoe Casino has rapidly become perhaps one of the most popular hotel/casinos in Tunica. Impossible to miss with their huge neon horsehoe out front, you'll be reminded of the Las Vegas strip when you pull into their parking lot. Although I personally seem to have bad luck when gambling here, I keep going back for the side benefits. Binnion's Steak House is perhaps one of the finest steak houses that I have ever enountered. The price tag matches the location and you'll find that it's not a cheap meal, but it's well worth the investment. Perhaps a nice meal out on a special occasion. Their steaks are thick and their wait staff is usually quite knowledgable in helping you match the perfect wine to your meal. If you can't afford Binions, Horseshoe offers the largest buffet in Tunica and as of my last visit, they were expanding it even further. Offering a range of foods divided by genre, you'll find a bit of everything here...Chinese, Italian, seafood, and sandwiches as well as desserts and drinks.

Don't leave without dropping in on the music museum which is free to visit and is an interesting diversion for those that are interested in music, especially the blues. Drawing from their location of being near the Mississippi Delta, Horseshow has put together a fine collection of memorabilia and displays of famous blues artists, focusing heavily on those from the immediate area.

There is shopping for those who aren't interested in gambling and the jazz club plays host to a wide variety of music in addition to jazz. Recent performers have included Bill Cosby and Jay Leno as well as blues greats like B.B. King. Tickets aren't cheap, but where else can you see these greats in a theater that only seats a few hundred? It's worth checking out before your visit to see who may be there when you're there. Again, good luck and enjoy!

By far the largest hotel and casino complex in Tunica, the Grand is hard to miss as you first come into town. Sitting by itself, it occupies a large section of the eastern part of Tunica. The Grand has the largest gaming floor in town situated over two floors and caters to the non-smoker with the second floor entirely smoke free. There are a full array of games from slots to table games and there are enough tables to find a game without it being too crowded. Plenty of restaurants abound for those looking for a nice quiet meal away from the craziness of the gaming floor. If you're in town for a conference, chances are you'll be visiting the Grand. Their conference center is new and quite large and is almost constantly booked. The arcade for the kids is nice and large also and big kids will find fun on the championship golf courses that The Grand plays host to. If you're interested in a round or two, during the summer months, you might need to book your tee time in advance as their courses can be quite busy, but if you're a hotel guest, they can usually accomodate your desire to play and your willingness to pay them a $50 greens fee.

Whatever the reason, the Grand is one of the more attractive complexes in town and you'll most likely find something here to hold your interest.

Hollywood Casino has become my favorite of the casinos in Tunica. Themed around memorabilia from various Hollywood movies and offering almost museum quality exhibits in many cases, the scenery alone could entertain you for hours. There's also a water and fire show that runs every hour or so that's located in the Indiana Jones themed part of the casino floor. The lure of Hollywood to me though is the opportunity to play table games for cheaper than you'll find at most other casinos. Play some $2 craps or quarter roulette and make you're money go a lot further (if you're just going for fun, like I do). If you're the high stakes type of gambler, Hollywood can accomodate you as well, with high stakes tables and slot machines.
Remember to pick up your players card that will earn you free meals, rooms, and even free money in some cases. Once you've gotten your free buffet tickets by following my advice in the overview of this journal, head over to the Epic Buffet and find not the best buffet in town, but a nice selection of foods and some wonderful desserts. If you don't get your buffets for free, I think it costs about $12 or so a person. If you're looking for a higher priced meal and better quality, the Fairbanks Steakhouse looks out over the gaming floor and serves fine steaks and fine wines but with an accompanying fine price tag. If you're in Tunica, drop in, gamble, have fun and most of all ENJOY!