Family Vacation to Morongo Casino (Calif,US)

[DaveG39]

I had a (very) rare opportunity this past weekend to go to a BM casino. I was meeting family there to celebrate my parents 40th wedding anniversary. It was Morongo (Native American) Casino here in Southern California. The only games I actually played were California Craps (2 CSMs filled with Ace-6 playing cards replace the dice, which are illegal in Calif.) and EZ/No-Comission/Dragon Baccarat (info here: http://www.ezbaccarat.com/).

Over the 4 days I lost $465USD, over 4 sessions, on Craps. The most I won in a session was $210, and the most I was ever 'ahead' in any losing session was about $90.

I only got the chance to play 2 sessions of Baccarat, but won in both to the tune of $345, including a rather remarkable run of 13 winning hands in a row, and 19 winners out of 22, during my last session.

Truth be told, I never actually 'finished' my winning sessions based on the plan of attack I had going in because I was pulled away from the tables for family obligations. So, who knows how much I could've won if I could've kept those going.

The casino had alot of the usual suspects...tons of slots, video poker (mostly 8/5 JoB but I saw a couple banks of 6/5 machines ), 00 video roulette (roulette marbles are illegal in Calif.), BlackJack, Spanish 21, Pai-Gow Poker, Super Pan 9, etc.)

[inthedesert]

I used to go to Casino Morongo all the time myself. I can remember back to before they had slot machines in the place, and they were video lottery type games. Things have changed a lot though.

I used to get comped frequently before they built the hotel. I would get free play offers, free food, and so on. I got a lot of free stuff from them. Then they built that hotel (and new casino) and things went downhill. I would go in and play but I wasn't even acknowledged anymore with any offers.

Then they put in those "Video Lottery" games to get around the machine limit they had with the state. I don't know if they are still up there but there was a guy showing people how to use those the machines (from the manufacturer) and he made a comment about them paying back %85. No good. The parking was always a challenge for me also. It just became a pain for me.

Having a good time is what is important. Casino Morongo is a nice place on the outside, and on the inside. I stop in and check it out when I drive by but I don't gamble.

The Coachella Valley is an area that is very concentrated when it comes to gambling. There are six casinos within about a 25 mile radius from Palm Springs now. It makes competition very heated, and they are all fighting for the dollar. I have friends from Los Angeles who come and play at the Spa Casino (Downtown Palm Springs) and do well, and get offers to come back with free play and rooms. Competition is a good thing.

I hope you had a good time, and the heat didn't get you too much.

[venetian]

I flew from the Midwest to see a concert at the Morongo in January of this year and had I known anything about it I would have stayed somewhere else! It was very crowded, little service and no self (soft) drink service. The rooms were OK but I found the casino very confusing with no sound on most of the slot machines. I would not recomend it nor would I ever think of going back. However the Pechanga is somewhere nearby & I give that resort 5 stars!

[irobinson]

I hate that place. And Pechanga.