Argosy DOES NOT charge for admission at any time.

A new poker room is now open. Just outside is a non-smoking VP area. Lots of gamekings with multi-denomination options. A first for me is 10 cent play, but you're betting 10 credits, so watch what you're doing, because you're playing a dollar at a time not 50 cents. They also now have a couple of 50 line machines in either 2 cents or nickel play. Games are the normal non full pay versions of your favorites. The gamekings also have a lot of Keno games loaded on them so the VP choices are limited to JOB, DW, DDB and DWB. This area is located on the first deck, so when you enter the casino you have to go down 2 flights of stairs. Drink service is excellent becuase they are trying to get and keep the non-smoking crowd, and the waitresses are always in and out of the poker room anyway. Some sites have claimed they have spin poker deluxe, but I have yet to find a machine. They used to have a couple in pennies, but those have all been replaced with row upon row of video slots. I'm also searching for an STP machine, but haven't found one of those either. The 25 cent progressives seem to be getting a little tougher as the pots are getting larger before being hit. The $1 progressive was hit at around $14,000 not that long ago, so that has been getting bigger also.

Here is a complete inventory as of today. This will change in a week or so, as they are adding 8 STP machines on the first deck. They look to be 0.5, 0.10 and 0.25 denominations. Third deck, top level, turn left as you enter to get to the VP area. 2 Double Pay machines, 0.25, 0.50 and $1 2 Draw Six machines, 0.25, 0.50 and $1 2 5 Play Multi-Strike, 0.25, 0.50 and $1 2 Pick a Pair Machines, 0.25 and 0.50 PAP, DDB & DW 2 Double Down Stud machines, 0.25, 0.50 and $1 8 Double Play; 3,5 or 10 hands, 0.25, 0.50 and $1 These are all outside of the VP area in a back to back row. 8 Game Kings $1 Some games are full pay, most are not. 9/6 JOB 9/7 DB etc. 8 Game Kings 0.25, 0.50 and $1 No full pay, so if you like dollar play stick to the dollar - location details unknown. 14 Game Kings, 0.25 denomination. Some different games like Loose Deuces. 12 Game Kings, 0.50 denomination. Some different games like Loose Deuces. 16 Game Kings, 0.25 linked progressive JP. Has been hitting around $1500 lately, but on weekends can go over $2000 easily. 8 Game Kings, $1 linked progressive JP. Hits around $5000, but has been known to go well over $10,000 on weekends. For some reason alot of people play DDB on this bank of machines and so RFs are rare, but increases the pot substantially. **high-limit room** opposite end of the third deck from the VP area. 4 Game Kings, $5 denomination. Almost all games are FP on these - location details unknown. 2 Game Kings, $5, $10 and $25 denominations. Almost all games are FP. 2 Double Play machines; 3,5 and 10 hands. $5, $10 and $25 denominations. Most games are not FP. **First Deck** Bottom level of boat. **Note these machines are in a non-smoking area.** 22 Game Kings. 0.10 and 0.25 denomination. Games are limited to JOB, DB, DDB and DW. Not FP at all. Machines are also loaded with alot of KENO games and a couple of video slots. 2 50 line machines. 0.02 & 0.05 denominations. JOB, DBD, DDBD, DW, DWB etc. 8 STP machines are being installed now just outside this area. Not positive on denominations yet, but it looks to be 0.05, 0.10 and 0.25.

high-limit room: 9 ($5, $10, $25) Gamekings with 9/6 JOB, NSUD, and 9/7 DDB. Also there are a couple of machines with 3, 5 and 10 line play in the $5, $10 and $25 denominations. VP Room has lots of Gameking multi-denomination machines. .25, .50 and $1. Paytables are terrible, 8/5 JOB is the norm, and there are a couple of 7/4s mixed in, but those are always getting moved around. .25 progressives are RF loose and never get above $2000, usually below $1300. $1 progressive has 8 machines and is not as loose, jackpot is usually hit at just over $5000. Just outside of VP room is a bank of different VP games, including 2 5 play Multi-Strike machines. These are in the .25 and .50 denominations. Paytables are terrible, but DDB seems to be the best game on them. They also have DW, DB and JOB. In this bank of machines are lots of multi-line machines. Bottom deck has a couple of nickel VP slot machines, but that's it.

There are (4) $5/$10/$25 machines in high-limit with 9/6 Jacks, NSUD, and 8/5 Bonus and 9/7 DB in addition to the (4) $5 MG with the same games.

In addition to the $1 and $5 9/6 Jacks listed in the database, the $5 machines also include NSUD, the first I've ever seen there. Both the $1 and $5 machines also include 8/5 Bonus. The four $5 multi-game machines are in the high-limit area, straight back against the wall as you go past the desk at the entrance to the HL area. Cash back is still 0.25%. Comps are not able to be determined, but appear to be significantly above the CB percentage for food.

VPFree reports $1 9/6 JOB ... that is true. There are about 3 or 4 multi-game machines at the $1 level with 9/6 JOB. They also have 8/6 Bonus Deluxe, 9/7 Double Bonus, and 9/6 Double Double Bonus on those machines, all at the $1 level. These machines are on the top level (3rd level) of the casino.

I was at the Argosy last Sunday, March 7, 2004. I agree that most of the VP machines have pitiful pay schedules. I did not check out the $1 PROG, but I did go into the high-limit Area and found a $5 9/6 JoB which was 1 of 3 VP machines in that area. The next time I am at Argosy, I will find out more. I have played the 25 cent PROG a few times. So far, I am way over the normal expectations. It seems as if the Royal comes up on this bank of 10 or 12 machines regularly. Although I didn't play it on my last trip, the PROG was paid out while I was there. The trip before this one I won the PROG when a Royal came up on my first $20 of play. Unfortunately, I won only $1000.75, because a minute or so before me, another machine two away from me hit the Royal for the ~$1,700 PROG jackpot. She got it in diamonds, and I got it in spades. I was playing Double Bonus with a cheat sheet and playing only about 100 hands/hr. I drew Q, A, T to a held J K. I was looking at my cheat sheet to see whether to keep the J K alone or also keep the 8S. Maybe if I wasn't so new to the game I would have played faster and won the larger jackpot, but at least I didn't get a W2G, if that can be a consolation. I also had already hit 4 aces and 4 2-4 so I paled down to $300 and cashed out. Just before I removed my players club card, I noticed I only needed two more coins in to be at an even number of points. I put in $2 more to get to even (I just hate to leave with partial points earned) and hit a full house or something, so cashed out for another $7.75. Argosy had given me $35 in coupon cash on my Royal trip and I cashed in $30 in Cashback points, which are earned at the slot rate or a $1/point and must be redeemed in increments of 4000 for $10, which I believe is a .25% rate. I know this is unusual and I don't expect this to repeat any time soon. About two trips before the Royal trip, I cashed out $200 from the 25 cent PROG when I hit 4 aces on my first $20. On my last trip, I cashed out $150 from the first deck 25 cent standard machine. On that trip I hit the 4 2-4 and 4 5-K, I was playing on Argosy's $20 coupon cash, so I played the whole time on their money. I went home $37 better than I started, but earned 1260 Cashback points. The only other time I played the 25 cent PROG, I lost $50 pretty quickly. Playing VP is a new interest of mine. Before, I would mindlessly play slots, but did win a $1,250 jackpot on 25 cent (2 coin max) red, white, and blue. That was my first and only slot jackpot, just as I expect that I may have won my first and only Royal jackpot. I normally go to the boat about once a month if that often and play about 4-8 hours.

Argosy Lawrenceburg is about 30 minutes from Cincy. It is by the far the busiest, but also has the weakest VP. The only machines they have that are even remotely playable are a bank of (10) $1 9/6 JOB progressives. During the week these machines are often positive. Cashback is 0.25%, but I have never seen any multi-point promotions. There is nothing for the 25c or 5c player. Also, Argosy charges for entry during the weekend ($3 - $5). Personally this reason alone keeps me away (it's not a lot of money true, but it's the princible of the matter).