Everyone knows that one of New Jersey's main attractions lies deep in the south of the state: Atlantic City. Seen as a playground for adults, Atlantic City features 14 casinos where you can spend your hard-earned money. And although you can only start playing the slots once you turn 21, that doesn't mean you shouldn't be up on your knowledge of the way things work in Atlantic City.
While many people gamble for different reasons, most share the desire to win money or a love of the thrill. According to Sal Canterbury of Philadelphia, it's a mix of these feelings that draws people to gamble.
"It's a little bit of thrill and risk, but also money," he said. "It's exciting to win money this way."
Canterbury often hits up the poker tables in Atlantic City, choosing the Trump Taj Mahal and the Borgata as his favorite casinos. However, the two casinos attract different types of players. The Taj Mahal was built in 1990, making it the favorite for the seasoned pros. On the other hand, the Borgata, which just opened up last year, attracts a younger, livelier crowd.
According to Canterbury, playing poker at the casinos is no joke and can get pretty serious.
"It's fearlessly competitive. Some people do it for fun, but when you are playing with people that are doing it because they need it, it can get very competitive," he said.
Nevertheless, the poker tables in Atlantic City are open to anyone who wants to a gamble. Just be ready to play and don't expect to win right away.
"Anyone can sit down and play, but you're going to need skill to win," Canterbury said. "Getting cards is luck, but betting and reading other people requires skill."
If you're looking for a poker game, you can surely find one any day of the week. For example, on a typical Friday night, a player can enter a No-limit Hold'em game at the Borgata with a $100 buy-in and a $20 entry fee. Or you can try your luck at one of the 68 poker tables open for play at the Taj Mahal. This casino's poker room even offers daily free instruction for beginners. Instructional lessons use non-value poker chips to help new players feel comfortable and gain confidence in their skills.
Perhaps one of the best parts of playing poker at the casinos in Atlantic City is the fact you can play some of the different variations of poker. Some types of poker offered include Texas Hold'em, Seven-Card Stud and Omaha Hold'em.
If poker isn't your thing, there are plenty of other gambling opportunities in Atlantic City. First of all, there are the slot machines that offer a variety of games and may end up sucking you in for hours of gambling at a time. For example, you can play different kinds of poker or reel games like Diamond or Wild Cherries. There are also "progressive" slot machines, which feature games like Wheel of Fortune, Megabucks and Jeopardy. And if trivial pursuit is your thing, you can even find that game on a slot machine.
There are also many different table games offered at each casino. Some of the more popular games are Blackjack, Craps, Roulette and Baccarat. Different casinos also offer Pai Gow Poker, Pai Gow Tiles, Let it Ride, Three Card Poker and Spanish 21. For a simple game, you can also try your luck at Keno, the instant casino version of the lottery.
Whatever your gaming taste, Atlantic City has plenty of options to fulfill your need for gambling.
