Floridians have been eagerly awaiting July 1st, the day the legislature raised the legal buy-in amount from its previous $100 maximum. I decided to head to Ft. Lauderdale to see first-hand what this would mean for poker players.
My first stop was at Isle Casino and Racing at Pampano Park. I was thrilled to learn that the entire building was non-smoking. The poker room is located on the second floor and consists of 38 tables. It is open 18 hours a day Sunday through Thursday and around-the-clock on Friday and Saturday. Players get tracking cards and most games are worth $1 per hour toward food (or 50% of that toward cash). The players said the food, which is served at the table, is very tasty.
I asked Mike Smith, Director of Poker Operations, what the main difference was since the buy-ins were changed. His response: “The players seem to be taking it more seriously. Also, the card room has been completely full.” He told me about the various promotions the card room offers, including $599 royals: “We gave away more than $100,000 in June. Players can win tournament seats, high-hand bonuses, and cash in drawings.”
While I was there, games offered included $1-$2, $2-$5, and $5-$10 No Limit Hold’em; Pot Limit Omaha with a $1-$2 blind; $2-$4 and $4-$8 Limit Hold’em; and $4-$8 Omaha Eight or Better. I sat and played in the $2-$5 game for a while and thought the action was good, with lots of players seeing the flop and lots of all-in bets called. The mega bad-beat jackpot was more than $145,000.
There is a tournament every Tuesday night with a $230 buy-in, 13,000 in starting chips, and 30-minute rounds. On Sunday nights, the buy-in is $70 for the Battle for the Weekly Pass Satellite, which awards packages to the following week’s Monday through Thursday tournaments. The Isle will host the Florida State Poker Championship from August 2nd to 10th, which will feature a $400,000 guarantee for its six events.