Illinois Travel Guide 2009 - (Page 41) GOOD BETS Play to win at nine exciting Illinois casinos Feeling lucky? Then take a chance and roll the dice at one of Illinois’ nine lively casinos, scattered around the state and housed in everything from a riverboat on the Mississippi to a sleek suburban pyramid. You’ll find that fun at an Illinois casino is never a gamble. he Chicagoland area boasts the state’s biggest concentration of casinos, with four at last count. In Joliet you’ll find two: Empress Casino and Harrah’s Joliet. The Empress Casino riverboat, opened in 1992, was Chicagoland’s first casino. Today it boasts more than 1,100 slots and 20 table games, including mini-baccarat, live poker, blackjack and roulette. Spend the night at the Empress Hotel or its seasonal RV Resort. Dining options include the award-winning steakhouse and the exotic buffet. The casino is undergoing renovations and will unveil a new VIP gaming area and lounge, piano bar, restaurants and more in late 2009. Harrah’s Joliet was voted Luckiest Casino by readers of Casino Player magazine. Try your luck in 800/2CONNECT COURTESY OF JOLIET VISITORS BUREAU t the Video Poker Zone, with more than 200 video poker machines. Or play classic casino games, including craps and Caribbean stud poker. The casino also offers several dining options. Players can dine at The Reserve, an upscale steakhouse with an extensive wine menu and cigar service, or feast on the international options from Union Station Buffet, named “Best Buffet in Chicagoland” by Casino Player. Stop by the casino’s Stage 151 to catch local bands or see a show at the nearby Rialto Square Theatre (Harrah’s often offers hotel-and-theater Top to Bottom: The Empress Casino was the first to open in the Chicagoland area, the Casino Queen is known for having the loosest slots in the country, Harrah’s Joliet was voted Luckiest Casino by Casino Player magazine ILLINOIS. MILE AFTER MAGNIFICENT MILE. 41 COURTESY OF JOLIET VISITORS BUREAU
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