Caesars Virginia, one of many nation’s latest casinos, opened in December 2024. With a day move on Father’s Day, I made a decision to take a street journey from Durham, NC to this new on line casino in Danville VA. I used to be undecided what to anticipate as Danville is a reasonably distant space. Nonetheless, Caesars is a serious model within the on line casino trade. Placing a on line casino with a poker site in Danville was an attention-grabbing resolution by the model. Virginia is investing closely in casinos, having gone from zero casinos three years in the past to opening Rivers On line casino Portsmouth in early 2023, the Onerous Rock Resort & On line casino Bristol shortly earlier than Caesars Virginia opened (November 2024), and The Rose Gaming Resort shortly after (January 2025). At present solely Caesar’s and Rivers provide poker, however who is aware of what the longer term will carry?
On line casino Setting
Caesars Virginia is situated in south central Virginia, proper over the border from North Carolina. Like many newly constructed casinos, the “state line” location idea appears to be in play: place a on line casino on the border with one other state and transfer among the disposable earnings from that state into yours. Provided that North Carolina’s solely present casinos are within the distant western a part of the state, not a nasty idea for Caesars.
Danville is about 45 minutes from Greensboro NC, a bit over an hour from Durham, and a very good hour and a half from the bigger metropolis of Raleigh NC. The closest massive (i.e., over 100,000 pop.) metropolis in Virginia is Richmond, which is an hour and a half away. The speedy roads resulting in Danville are one-lane nation highways. In the event you don’t like being caught behind sluggish automobiles, be ready to train your passing expertise when dotted traces and open straightaways seem. In any other case, getting there could be a slog.
Danville itself has about 42,000 residents. Like many jap former mill cities, it has vacant buildings boarded up way back after trade/companies shut down. Actually, Caesars Virginia is constructed on the previous website of the biggest textile mill within the South. Constructing the on line casino required eradicating many deteriorated buildings that have been a part of this complicated. One characteristic Caesars preserved was the “Three Sisters,” a trio of smokestacks from the outdated mill.
Whereas there will not be many points of interest in Danville, it does provide a small artwork museum and a science middle geared towards households. There are additionally strolling trails, a few parks, and a metropolis riverwalk. Danville does characteristic a number of eating places and breweries, and the realm round Danville could be very nice countryside.
Non-Poker Facilities
Caesars Virginia is a full-service on line casino providing slots, desk video games, and a moderate-sized SportsBook. As befitting its latest construct, all the things seems to be very clear and fashionable. Your entire on line casino is exceptionally well-lit and spacious. Smoking is allowed within the on line casino (however not the poker site). A contemporary and basic rock combine performs continually, however the quantity is affordable.
The on line casino flooring is one massive room, and flows easily from gaming to food and drinks choices. Caesars has completed an incredible job positioning bogs conveniently all through the area, together with one proper outdoors the poker site.
Fortunately, Caesars Virginia options a number of meals choices impressed by native themes. So whereas they do have Ramsay’s Kitchen and Starbucks, additionally they have the informal eating Three Stacks, which is a tribute to the Three Sisters smokestacks. The small 500 Block Meals Corridor has three choices: a burger joint, a pizza place, and a BBQ spot. The costs will not be low cost, however the choices are good in contrast with the higher-end fare present in Ramsay’s Kitchen. There may be additionally a noodle bar onsite, in addition to a few bar areas.
Caesars Virginia encompasses its personal 320-room hooked up resort, which has acquired very blended evaluations since opening. There may be additionally a efficiency venue whose acts in 2025 are largely older or second-tier nation acts, comedians, and tribute bands.
Caesars Virginia Poker Room Consolation
The 21-table poker site at Caesars Virginia sits within the again right-hand nook of the on line casino. Whereas it’s a absolutely separate room from the on line casino, it does have a big open entrance. Nonetheless, it’s set again from the gaming space sufficient that little or no noise or smoke wafts in from the on line casino flooring.
The poker site options excessive ceilings and good airflow. The room is an extended, slim rectangle. The tables have good spacing within the lengthy course, however are considerably tighter within the shorter dimension. The partitions are beige with reasonably sized TVs . The geometric patterned carpet is, in fact, in excellent situation.
The poker site chairs have wheels, are adjustable, well-padded, and really comfy. The tables are clear, however the felts are oddly worn provided that it’s such a brand new room. The tables characteristic padded rails, functioning USB ports, auto-shufflers, and drink cups. The chips are branded and clear. Play is nine-handed, with loads of area for every participant.
Add a Little Additional to Your Poker Play
One attention-grabbing characteristic of the desk/play is that Caesars has integrated some slot-like play throughout money video games. On any hand, whenever you put a $5 chip on the spherical lighted show in entrance of you, you enter for a possible to “spin” the wheel. The wheel is on a display screen on the desk in entrance of the supplier.
In an effort to spin the wheel (see photograph under), the flop should be a 3-card straight or higher (so a 3-card flush, 3 of a sort, and a straight flush apply, and people arms get you bonus money). When a number of bets are in place, the flop is dealt even when there isn’t any official flop attributable to pre-flop motion. The digital wheel then lands on a random quantity that you simply win. The progressive nature of the sport implies that the jackpot quantity builds over time till the max is reached. The gamers on the desk stated that throughout the previous 2 weeks, it as soon as hit for $90,000.
Whereas not my factor, a number of gamers have been placing a $5 chip down each few arms to take their shot, and seeming to benefit from the gamble. Nobody ever bought to spin the wheel throughout my time at Caesars Virginia.
Poker Room Workers
There was a self-service ready record display screen on the entrance desk, which was simple to make use of. The employees answered my query about getting chips (first purchase is on the desk) in a pleasant {and professional} method. It took about 40 minutes to get a free seat within the busy room. Sellers have been fairly pleasant and expert. No main errors have been made. Sellers appeared to have a very good sense of methods to deal with the banter of the regulars. Wait employees circled, bringing drinks just a few instances.
Gamers at Caesars Virginia Poker Room
The gamers on the Caesars Virginia poker site are principally older white males. There was a little bit of ethnic range, and 3-4 girls have been taking part in throughout the 8-9 energetic tables. After I arrived at my $1/$3 desk, the participant to my proper instantly greeted me with a pleasant good day. Most gamers on the desk have been quiet and critical, however pleasant all through, with 1 or 2 grumpy exceptions.
Play was extremely variable. There have been limped pots and commonplace $10-$15 raises, but in addition some wildly inexplicable aggression. For instance, anyone limped-jammed preflop for $158 over an $18 elevate and a name and bought known as by the unique raiser. The limp-jam had KTo, and the unique raiser-and-then-$158-calller had A4s (which gained). And none of that occurred with very a lot thought. These and some different comparable arms supplied some entertaining motion. A few gamers appeared to tilt fairly simply and determined to answer dangerous beats with over-aggression.
Event Construction
As of this writing, the Caesars Virginia poker site doesn’t provide tournaments.
Money Recreation Exercise
On this Father’s Day Sunday afternoon, the poker site was operating 9 energetic money tables, with 6 $1/$3 NLH tables, 2 $2/$5 tables, and one other personal or increased stakes recreation happening behind the room. From our monitoring of money video games (see our money recreation exercise replace), the Caesars Virginia poker site is usually fairly energetic. There can typically be 4-5 $1/$3 tables on a weekday night. That rises to 9-10 tables on Friday by way of Sunday nights. Moreover, there might be 1-3 $2/$5 tables on weeknights and all through the weekend. A PLO desk or two will crop up most days, notably on the weekends. On weekends, additionally they sometimes get a desk of $5-$10 NLH going.
Total Evaluation of the Caesars Virginia Poker Room
The 21-table Caesars Virginia room is a strong addition to the East Coast poker scene. Whereas not close to lots of the main inhabitants hubs of Virginia or North Carolina, it offers a vacation spot for these dwelling in the midst of each states. The bigger on line casino property is engaging, with the one main draw back being that smoking is allowed. The Caesars Virginia poker site employees is skilled and pleasant, the sellers are very expert, and the room in all fairness comfy.
Whereas not essentially a vacation spot room, if you end up in inside Virginia or North Carolina and need to play money poker, you gained’t be dissatisfied.
Abstract
The 21-table Caesars Virginia room is a strong addition to the East Coast poker scene. Whereas not close to lots of the main inhabitants hubs of Virginia or North Carolina, it offers a vacation spot for these dwelling in the midst of each states. The bigger on line casino property is engaging, with the one main draw back being that smoking is allowed.
