Gaming on the Cherokee reservation started with a high stakes bingo hall in the early 1990’s. Bingo became so popular that a casino was considered. As North Carolina permitted video poker for prizes, the Cherokees felt they could legally offer video poker. After a win in federal court, this was approved.

• Casino Slot Machine Games

Harrah’s Cherokee opened in 1997 with about 500 video poker machines, making it one of the oldest casinos in North Carolina. Since the 1990s, it has since exploded into one of the largest casinos in the United States. It has a geographic monopoly with its sister casino in Murphy, NC, both of which are operated by Caesars on behalf of the Cherokee.

Harrah's Cherokee Casino provided fun, excitement, enjoyment and comfort during our stay. Many slot machines to choose from and attentive staff to make you feel welcomed. A great way to spend some t. Caesars Rewards will be open on the 2nd floor and the Rotunda area. Card reprint kiosks are located at the Round Bar and Gilded Basket. Casino Cashier cages are open 24/7 with social distancing access. Gift shops will be open with limited operating hours.

The small sister property is known as Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. It is the closest casino for most players in North and South Carolina, as well as parts of Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia.

There are 3,280 slots, 122 table games, 24 electronic table games and 20 poker tables available at Harrah’s Cherokee. There are three hotel towers with a total of 1,215 rooms, of which 107 are suites. There are 12 restaurants at Harrah’s Cherokee. Entertainment options include Essence Nightclub, Multi-tainment Center and showroom where national artists perform music and comedy.

Casino at Harrah’s Cherokee

Harrah’s Cherokee spreads 3,280 machines on 150,000 square feet of casino space. Most of these games are video or reel slots. There are three types of video poker machines at Harrah’s Cherokee, with the most popular one being Pot O’ Gold. The favorite game on these devices is Shamrock 7’s, which plays like Joker Poker except there is a bonus for making three or more sevens in a hand. If that occurs, players are taken to a bonus screen where they pick a pot of gold. The win ranges from six to thirty times the base bet plus the value of the hand. Five of a kind has a progressive jackpot on this game.

Pot O’ Gold Machines

Pot O’ Gold are multi-game machines and typically have several other games on them. These include two other Joker Poker variants, Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild and 8-Ball Poker.

The 8-Ball game plays like Shamrock 7’s in that a player gets to a bonus round by making three or more eights. Pot O’ Golds have progressive jackpots. All joker games hit a jackpot on five of a kind. The other video poker games pay the progressive on a royal flush. An eight-coin bet is required to qualify for the progressive jackpot. Denominations are quarter, half-dollar and dollar.

Keno is another game on Pot O’ Golds. The versions are Toucheasy Keno and Superball Keno. These have huge progressive that pay on an eight, nine or ten-spot, as well as hitting 8 out of 9 or 9 out of 10.

In terms of RTP, the best game on any machine at Harrah’s Cherokee is Black Gold. It is an electronic blackjack variation, and there are 20 of these games near the gift shop. Bets are accepted in even amounts from $2 to $50. Players may double down on 9, 10 and 11 but not after splitting. The dealer stands on all 17s, split aces may be hit and the player automatically wins on a six-card charlie. The dealer must stand if the machine draws six cards and does not bust.

Video Poker

Most of the other video poker machines are Game Kings. These are standard IGT devices with games like Bonus Poker, Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better and Bonus Poker Deluxe. Denominations are quarter, half-dollar, dollar, two-dollar and five-dollar. The best video poker game is Not-so-ugly-deuces (99.73%). It is available on the $5 denomination machines in the high limit salon. This game is a great way to achieve high Total Rewards tiers.

The other video poker machines are made by Interblock. They include Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus and video roulette and craps.

Table Games

There are 122 table games at Harrah’s Cherokee. More than half of those tables are eight-deck blackjack. The games on the main casino floor have $10 to $1,000 limits. Players may double down before and after splitting. The dealer hits soft 17. High limit games use six decks and run from $50 to $2,000.

The back high limit room’s blackjack tables stand on all 17s. The minimum for that game is either $200 or $500, depending on the time of day. All live blackjack games at Harrah’s Cherokee pay 3-2.

Other Table Games at Harrah’s Cherokee

Ultimate Texas Hold’em: $5 to $50 (2)
High Card Flush: $5 to $200 (2)
Mississippi Stud: $5 to $25 (4)
Pai Gow Poker: $10 to $1,000 (4)
Big Wheel: $2 to $100 (2)
00 Roulette: $10 to $300 (11)
Craps 10x odds: $10 to $3,000 (9)
Baccarat: $25 to $5,000 (5)
Three Card Poker: $10 to $300 (8)
Let it Ride: $10 to $300 (8)
Crazy 4 Poker: $10 to $200 (2)

There are two stadium gaming setups. One is live and deals baccarat and double zero roulette. Baccarat has $25 to $1,000 limits while the roulette game has $5 to $300 limits. These games are dealt simultaneously.

The other stadium gaming setup is all virtual games. It has $1 to $100 blackjack that pays 6-5, $1 to $2,000 craps with double odds and $0.25 to $100 double zero roulette. There are separate video craps and roulette machines with the same limits and rules on the main casino floor.

Poker at Harrah’s Cherokee

There is a 20-table poker room on the second floor. The main games are 1/2 No Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha. The buy-in is $100 to $200 for both games. Busier hours will see 2/5 limits for those games with $200 to $1,000 buy-ins.

There are 14 No Limit Texas Hold’em tournaments each week. There is an $80 tournament at 7 PM and $45 one at 10 PM Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, the tournaments are $135 at 7 PM and $80 on 10 PM. The Saturday tournament is $250 and starts at 11 AM. On Sundays, there is an $80 tournament at 10 AM and 7 PM, as well as a $250 one at 2 PM.

Total Rewards Player Program

Harrah’s Cherokee uses Total Rewards for its loyalty program. This is used at all Caesars Entertainment properties in the country, including Cherokee’s sister property near Murphy, North Carolina. Guests can receive separate offers that include free play, hotel rooms and food comps. This can make it advantageous to play at both properties on a regular basis.

Free play is sent by mail in the form of slot tickets. Guests can reprint these on kiosks if they are left at home.

New Total Rewards players start out at Gold. Once 5,000 tier points are earned in a calendar year, Platinum is awarded. It requires 15,000 tier points for Diamond and 150,000 for Seven Stars.

Platinum players receive line passes at the buffet and cashier cage. Diamond players receive access to the Diamond Lounge and receive a $100 celebration dinner each year. Seven Stars players get a private area in the Diamond Lounge with a separate entrance. They also get a $500 annual dinner and a separate trip worth up to $1,200 in airfare and $500 in meals. Platinum and higher receive free parking in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

It may be worth giving substantial action in a day as opposed it spreading it out. That is because there are bonus points for earning a certain number of tier points between 6 AM and 6 AM daily. If you earn 500 tier credits, you’ll get a 125 bonus. Earn 1,000 and receive another 1,000 bonus. A player that receives 2,500 tier credits in a day receives a 5,000 bonus. To get Diamond in a day, earn 5,000 tier credits and receive another 10,000 as a bonus, which equals the number of points required for Diamond.

Dining & Restaurants at Harrah’s Cherokee

Ruth Chris Steakhouse: The main fine-dining option at Harrah’s Cherokee. It serves prime steak on 500-degree plates. There are also some seafood and chicken options, as well as a large salad, appetizer, wine and dessert menu. Ruth Chris is open for dinner daily. It is on the casino floor. However, there is a family entrance.

Brio Tuscan Grill: Located on the second floor, Brio Tuscan Grill is accessible for families. It is open for lunch and dinner. Entrée items include pasta, seafood, chicken and steak. There is also a wine list, appetizers and a dessert menu.

Noodle Bar: An Asian fusion option. It opens daily for dinner. Menu options include noodle soups and traditional Chinese appetizers and entrees. There is also a vegetarian menu.

Chefs Stage Buffet: A buffet that is opened for dinner on Monday, Thursday and Friday and lunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. Sunday includes prime rib and crab legs. It is $34.99. All other services are $27.99. Total Rewards members receive a $2 discount per patron.

Other Dining Options

There are two cafes on the property. One is on the casino floor. The other is in the hotel. The hotel one permits minors. There is a food court with Johnny Rockets, Earl of Sandwich, Pizzeria Uno and Dunkin Donuts. Minors are not permitted in the food court.

Harrah’s Cherokee Hotspots & Venues

There are several non-gaming activities at Harrah’s Cherokee. These include golf, bowling, shows and a spa.

Ultrastar Multi-tainment Center

This venue has several entertainment options. There is a 24-lane bowling alley. The game center has a variety of arcade and redemption games. Soundbytes and Strikes Lounge are two adult-only options with full bars.

Essence

This adult-only nightclub includes 33 televisions and a 13-foot projection screen. There is a DJ every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. There is a full bar with seating both outside and inside the venue.

Event Center

The event center is upstairs by the poker room. It is home to national comedy and musical acts.

Hotel at Harrah’s Cherokee

There are 1,215 hotel rooms, of which 107 are suites. There are three hotel towers on the property. Standard nightly rates start at $99 on weeknights and $499 on weekends.

The base room is a Mountain Tower with one king or two queens. For $10 additional, guests can receive a room with a view. Guests can receive a newly remodeled room in the Mountain Tower for $30 more per night, The Soco Tower starts at $119 on weeknights and $519 on weekends. A view is $10 more. Newer rooms in this tower are $20 more.

The Creek Tower is home to the newest rooms at Harrah’s Cherokee. These rooms start at $149 on weeknights and $549 on weekends. Upgraded rooms with a view are $10 more.

Hotel rooms are available in smoking and nonsmoking. Rooms have a coffee maker, 42-inch television and internet access for a fee.

I decided to take advantage of an offer from Harrah’s Cherokee River Valley last week. The casino is located just outside of Murphy, North Carolina. It is about two hours north of the metro Atlanta area. It also gave me a chance to visit with my family before the holidays as I am from Atlanta.

The Harrah’s offer was two $150 free play coupons, free hotel, and a $25 food voucher. The $150 free play coupons go directly into a slot or video poker machine as if it was a ticket. It must be wagered one time before it can be cashed out.

The first free play coupon ended on December 14, while the second started on the 15th. The time the offers start and end is midnight. This created the opportunity to receive $300 on this trip.

I got this offer from visiting Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River in June. I’ve received them every month since. My previous action was mostly video blackjack with some odd play on some bad video poker games like Shamrock 7’s. I even played some video keno to mix it up. I booked a moderate win on that trip.

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River offers little more than gambling. There is a small hotel. There are five fast food outlets; Starbucks, Earl of Sandwich, Panda Express, Papa John’s, and Nathan’s Famous. There is no entertainment or sit-down dining options. There is a small Diamond Lounges where drinks are half price. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River and its larger sister casino do not comp drinks. Total Rewards points may be used.

Games Available at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River

There is a variety of games at Cherokee. Many are the same slots and Games Kings found in Las Vegas. Table games like craps, roulette, real money blackjack, Three Card Poker, and Mississippi Stud are also there.

There are some machines that are rare outside the North Carolina Harrah’s casinos. These are Pot O’ Gold devices. Most are video poker and keno games with bad pay tables. These include 6/5 Jacks or Better where quads only pay 15-1, and Deuces Wild that only pays three on a full house and shorts a deuces royal flush.

The most popular game on these machines is Shamrock 7’s. This is a joker game that has a bonus feature when making three or more 7’s. The player chooses one of three pots of gold for a bonus of six to thirty times the bet. The progressive jackpot, which resets at only 500 bets, is five of a kind.

Real money keno games on these devices require skill, so to speak. The game drops 10 numbers and asks the player if he wants to double the bet. Once that decision is made, the other 10 numbers drop.

Video Blackjack Best Game at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River

There are video blackjack games on separate Pot O’ Gold machines. This version is much better than the live blackjack.

The rules are single deck with the dealer standing on all 17’s. Blackjack pays 3-2. Players can double down on 9, 10 and 11. Double down after splitting is not allowed. Pairs may only be split one time. Split aces may be hit.

The player automatically wins on a six-card charlie. If the dealer hits six cards, he must stand. This last rule is quite odd. If you stand on 13 and the dealer makes 16, you lose. On the other hand, if you stood on 17, you’d win. It doesn’t come up often.

This video blackjack machines only pays one Total Rewards point for every $45 wagered. That’s 4.5 times worse than the rest of the machines. However, the game triggers mailers for free play. The bet range is $2 to $50. It’s possible to achieve Diamond from daily tier point bonuses. It’s far more difficult to do it without these. Dedicated players can make Seven Stars on about 15-20 visits.

This video blackjack game is lightning fast. It’s possible to play about 1,500 hands an hour. Each hand only takes two to five seconds.

Blackjack – There are two live blackjack games. Both permit double down on any two cards and after splitting. The $10 game hits soft 17. The $50 game in the high limit room stands on it.

Roulette – The roulette is double zero. Craps is 10 times odds. The Field only pays double on 12.

Here is a list of all table games at Harrah’s Cherokee:

• Six-deck blackjack H17: $10-$1,500 (26)
• Six-deck blackjack S17: $50-$3,000 (3)
• Double Zero Roulette: $10-$300 (6)
• Baccarat: $25-$5,000 (8)

• High Card Flush: $5-$200 (3)
• Craps: $10-$3,000 (4)
• Three Card Poker: $10-$300 (4)
• Mississippi Stud: $5-$25

• Double Zero Roulette: $5-$100 (1)

The Game Kings in high limit have two reasonable games. One is 8/5 Bonus Poker. The other is 9/6 Double Double Bonus. The denominations are $2 and $5.

Original Harrah’s Cherokee

The original Harrah’s Cherokee is about one hour east of the one in Murphy and is a different world. It has exponentially more tables and machines. It also offers a bowling alley, spa, entertainment complex, spa, poker room, buffet, and higher end restaurants. The blackjack rules are the same except at there is one double deck game in high limit.

Harrah’s Cherokee Table Game Inventory:

• Six-deck Blackjack H17: $10-$1,000 (54)
• Six-deck Blackjack S17: $50-$2,000 (11)
• Double Deck Blackjack H17: $50-$2,000 (1)
• Ultimate Texas Hold’em: $5-$200 (2)
• High Card Flush: $5-$200 (2)
• Mississippi Stud: $5-$25 (4)
• EZ Pai Gow Poker: $5-$1,000 (1)
• Big Wheel: $10-$100 (2)

• Double Zero Roulette: $10-$300 (11)
• Craps: $10-$3,000 (9)
• Baccarat: $25-$5,000 (5)
• Three Card Poker: $10-$300 (8)
• Let it Ride: $10-$300 (8)
• Crazy 4 Poker: $10-$200 (2)
• Stadium Baccarat: $25-$1,000 (1)
• Stadium Double Zero Roulette: $5-$300 (1)

• Stadium 6-5 Blackjack: $1-$100 (1)
• Stadium Double Zero Roulette: $.25-$100 (1)
• Double Zero Roulette: $0.25-$325 (1)

One Final Victory Before Leaving

Casino Slot Machine Games

I booked another moderate win at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. It came from the video blackjack game and a $400 royal flush at Shamrock 7’s.