Best ways to Seven Stars or "Diamond in a Day" for Caesars properties around the US

[Dan Druff]

Iowa (updated January 17, 2020)

The best machines at Horseshoe Council Bluffs are three 100-play machines 25c machines. These are only 98.98% return, and the 100-play brings out some pretty high variance, so you are best off finding another option if possible.

9-6 Double Double Bonus 25c/credit, 100-play ($12.50-$125 per hand), (98.98% return). Located in the middle of the casino, about 50 yards due north of the players club.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $510
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5100

25-15-9-4-4 Deuces Wild ("LV Airport Deuces") $1/credit 1-play (98.91% return). Will take you 10 hours or so to earn 2500 tier credits -- maybe more if you're not that familiar with Deuces. Not a very good option. These are bartop machines near Caesars rewards.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $545
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5450



The same deuces game is also at Harrah's Council Bluffs.

25-15-9-4-4 Deuces Wild ("LV Airport Deuces") $1/credit 1-play (98.91% return). Will take you 10 hours or so to earn 2500 tier credits -- maybe more if you're not that familiar with Deuces. Not a very good option. These are at the TAG bar, just inside the casino entrance.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $545
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5450

[Dan Druff]

Indiana (Updated January 17, 2020)


Horseshoe Hammond

Horseshoe Hammond features some good games, but they all require $25 or $50 per tier credit, which makes most of them unplayable for reaching Diamond or Seven Stars economically.

However, a few of the games are still good enough to where they are okayish to use to reach Diamond or Seven Stars, even with the $25 requirement. Those are listed below. Still, you are better off with the $10/tier options.

8-5 Bonus Poker, $1 per credit, 9-play Spin Poker (99.17% return, $45 per hand). Regular, 8-5 bonus poker, but it requires 9-play in order to get the proper return for the Royal. On the bright side, this is the best machine offering $10/tier credit in Indiana, and it will get you to Diamond in a little more than 2 hours. Located near poker room.
Make sure to verify that it is still $10/tier credit before playing!
Average loss getting to Diamond: $415
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $4150

8-5-35 Bonus Poker, $5/$10/$25 per credit, 99.66% return, $25 per tier credit. I'm only listing this because the game is good enough to where the average loss is reasonable, but keep in mind that you'll be running 2.5x as much coin-in to get where you would normally. This machine pays 35 for all quads. Located in high limit room.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $425
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $4250

9-6 Bonus Poker Deluxe, $5/$10/$25 per credit, 99.66% return, $25 per tier credit. I'm only listing this because the game is good enough to where the average loss is reasonable, but keep in mind that you'll be running 2.5x as much coin-in to get where you would normally. Located in high limit room. Here is the strategy for this game.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $450
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $4500

9-6 Double Double Bonus $1/credit, 1-play,, (98.98% return plus progressive). Be aware that this will take you about 10 hours to earn 2500 tier credits. Not a very good option, though you will get a bit of a boost from the progressive. Located in the high limit room
Average loss getting to Diamond: $510 (actually a little less due to the progressive)
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5100 (actually a little less due to the progressive)

9-6 Double Double Bonus $1/credit, 100-play ($50 mininum per hand), (98.98% return). Located along a video poker aisle near the poker room.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $510
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5100


Caesars Southern Indiana (info from January 2018 -- please update if you know)

8-5 Bonus Poker $1 per credit, 1-play (99.17% return plus progressive). Located along the back wall of the 4th floor. It is not clear how many machines there are, please let me know if you find this and count them. As this is a 1-play machine, it will take about 10 hours to get 2500 base tier credits! However, this is the best returning machine at the property, especially because you get some added return from the progressive payout. Verify that you get 1 tier credit per $10 wagered. As of January 2018, this was the case.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $415 (actually a little less due to the progressive)
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $4150 (actually a little less due to the progressive)

Double Bonus Poker: $1/credit, 3 or 5 play. 99.11% return. Note that this is Double Bonus Poker, not Double Double Bonus. This is located on the 4th floor in the high limit area. It is not clear how many machines there are, please let me know if you find this and count them. The paytable is 9 for a full house, 7 for a flush, 5 for a straight, quads at 50/80/160, and 55 for a straight flush. Verify these payouts before playing. Also verify that you get 1 tier credit per $10 wagered. As of January 2018, this was the case.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $445
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $4450

9-6 Double Double Bonus $1/credit, 1-play (98.98% return plus progressive). Be aware that this will take you about 10 hours to earn 2500 tier credits. Not a very good option, though you will get a bit of a boost from the progressive.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $510 (actually a little less due to the progressive)
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5100 (actually a little less due to the progressive)

25-15-9-4-4 Deuces Wild ("LV Airport Deuces") $1/credit 1-play (98.91% return plus progressive). Will take you 10 hours or so to earn 2500 tier credits -- maybe more if you're not that familiar with Deuces. Not a very good option. You will get a bit of a boost from the progressive, though.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $545 (actually a little less due to the progressive)
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5450 (actually a little less due to the progressive)

[Dan Druff]

The Best of the Best (partially updated December 29, 2022)

If looking to earn tier credits cheaply, your best bet are games with both a high return and low variance. Also, games higher than $1, single-play are preferred, to speed up the process (so it doesn't take 10 hours to earn 2500 tiers!)

Of all the games listed above (ignoring where they are located in the country), here would be my favorites to play for earning tier credits toward Diamond or Seven Stars:

#1 Choice: El Dorado Reno. Lots of games available at 99.54%-99.96% return, with the standard $10/tier credit earning. Silver Legacy in Reno is also good.

#2 Choice: Harrah's Cherokee, Not So Ugly Deuces (99.73%). You can earn tier credits quickly at this $5 machine, and you will only average a $1350 loss getting to Seven Stars with it! There will be some variance due to the $5/credit, but it won't be unbearable. If you can't play this game, the 99.64% Bonus Deluxe at the same casino is also a good choices.

[drmaheshrathi]

The Best of the Best

If looking to earn tier credits cheaply, your best bet are games with both a high return and low variance. Also, games higher than $1, single-play are preferred, to speed up the process (so it doesn't take 10 hours to earn 2500 tiers!)

Of all the games listed above (ignoring where they are located in the country), here would be my favorites to play for earning tier credits toward Diamond or Seven Stars:

#1 Choice: Harrah's Cherokee, Not So Ugly Deuces (99.73%). You can earn tier credits quickly at this $5 machine, and you will only average a $1350 loss getting to Seven Stars with it! There will be some variance due to the $5/credit, but it won't be unbearable. Definitely the best choice, if you can make it out to western North Carolina. If you can't play this game, the 99.64% Bonus Deluxe at the same casino is also a good choice.

#2 Choice: Harrah's Lake Tahoe, 9-6 Jacks or Better (99.54%) $1/$2 credit, 3/5 Play. Low variance, high return, and quick earning of tier credits if you want it. This machine has it all. The only downside is that Jacks or Better is boring.

#3 Choice: Harrah's Gulf Coast (Mississippi), 9-6 Jacks or Better (99.54%), $5 credit, 3/5/10 play. Variance is a bit high, since it's $75 minimum per hand given the 3-play. Aside from that, it's identical to the Tahoe machine listed in #2.

#4 Choice: Harrah's Southern California, 8-5 Bonus Poker Aces and Faces (99.26%), $1/$2/$5 credit. Not nearly as good as the others above, as you will lose nearly twice as much as Jacks or Better on average. However, this still isn't a bad option, as it will cost you $3700 for Seven Stars on average, and the variance on this game isn't too high.

Keep in mind that there are some better choices than #4 if you're willing to put in the 10 hours to play some of the $1, 1-play Jacks or Better machines, such as at Horseshoe Bossier City.

So, option 2 is no longer available, Dan! I am at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe this weekend and went through each machone in the High limit room. Then, I checked vpfree2 website and sure enough, it was not listed there.

So, playing the 50-play 25 cents machine (and, 50 play is not mandatory on that, minimum is 8 play ($10 minimum). I played 40-play and hit the royal from AKQ, so things looking good.

As always, thanks for this wonderful service. This blog has been number 1 on my list for the past 12 months. Must have lost unnecessary thousands before I discovered this!!!

[Dan Druff]

Thanks for the updated info on Tahoe. Will change my list!

Glad this thread has saved you money!

[TheXFactor]

*Seven Stars Membership is by Invitation Only

Is it worth it?

Trying to get Seven Star Membership?

Or because of new restrictions maybe it's no longer worth it unless you're really a high roller?

[Dan Druff]

*Seven Stars Membership is by Invitation Only

Is it worth it?

Trying to get Seven Star Membership?

Or because of new restrictions maybe it's no longer worth it unless you're really a high roller?

Since the degradation of benefits, Seven Stars isn't worth earning anymore.

[Dan Druff]

General Information (updated January 17, 2020)

For more info about Caesars Rewards (Total Rewards), read this thread: http://pokerfraudalert.com/forum/sho...-amp-A-Session

It should be noted that, as of 2018, Seven Stars benefits have been greatly degraded. Therefore, it isn't really worth earning Seven Stars anymore, in my opinion. Most of the good remaining benefits also exist at Diamond, which is 10 times easier to obtain (15,000 tiers). If you like the Diamond Lounges (they're much better on the east coast, by the way), you will need 25,000 tiers to access those now.

If you play a lot of events at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, I strongly recommend getting at least Diamond. This will allow you to use a special (much shorter) line to register events, and will give you priority seating (you can basically jump the line) for cash games. It will also give you other little advantages around the Rio.

Where not to bother earning tiers:

- All Vegas properties other than noted above
- Harrah's North Kansas City
- Harrah's Metropolis (Illinois)
- Caesars Windsor (Canada)
- Harrah's Cherokee Valley Murphy (North Carolina)
- Harrah's Philadelphia
- Horseshoe Baltimore

[Ari]

Long time radio listener.. first time poster. Thanks for the all the info Druff. I am going to cherokee soon, and will be playing video poker for the first time of my life going for diamond status. (and potentially getting a head start on seven stars). If i earn status now, how long will it last? I've studied the strategy a little (and will have it on my phone). Anything else a first time player should know?

[Dan Druff]

Long time radio listener.. first time poster. Thanks for the all the info Druff. I am going to cherokee soon, and will be playing video poker for the first time of my life going for diamond status. (and potentially getting a head start on seven stars). If i earn status now, how long will it last? I've studied the strategy a little (and will have it on my phone). Anything else a first time player should know?

Ari, glad to see you here.

You will have whichever status you earn until January 31, 2018.

However, if you wait until January 2017 to earn it, you will have it until January 31, 2019, so you might want to delay it if possible.

If you're going for Seven Stars, I would definitely wait until the beginning of the year before you start earning it, as your tier points go back to 0 on January 1 each year.

[Dan Druff]

Just updated Indiana, Illinois, Atlantic City, Tahoe, and Vegas markets.

Please let me know if you see any inaccuracies, or have additional information.

[Dan Druff]

I want to point something out to people looking to make Diamond or Seven Stars.

You might see the "expected loss" numbers and get wrongly excited.

"$230 for Diamond? Great! I had no idea I could get it so cheaply!"

But wait. That's the expected loss, but not the TYPICAL loss. Those are two different things.

This is because video poker is a high-variance game, and your success is usually hinged upon hitting royal flushes. If you don't hit one, you are going to lose quickly, barring an unusual run of luck with the other payouts.

Let me give you a quick example of what I mean.

Say that 10,000 people all put $100 in a pot, and a winner was picked at random. The winner would get $1,000,000. The losers would all get zero. So there would be 9,999 losers, and one winner.

The EXPECTED loss would be zero, because there would be zero house edge here -- all player money put in would be paid out. However, the TYPICAL loss would be $100 -- as 9,999 of the 10,000 people would experience that result.

So back to our video poker situation.

The royal flush accounts for about 2% of the payout in most games.

This means that a game which is 99.54% return becomes just 97.54% if you hit no royals. That's a huge difference.

You also aren't likely to play enough hands on the way to Diamond to hit a royal. Sometimes you will get lucky and do so, but most times you will not.

Even on the way to Seven Stars, you might not hit one. If you play only $5/credit 1-play machines, your chance of hitting at least one royal is only 39%! It's a higher chance if you do multiplay at lower denominations, but you get my point. For example, despite mostly doing multiplay in Lake Tahoe this year, I did not hit a royal on the way to Seven Stars! And yes, my results were pretty bad.

If you do not hit a royal on the way to Diamond, which you probably won't, you will lose an additional $1000 on average.

If you do not hit a royal on the way to Seven Stars, you will lose an additional $10,000 on average.

(These are not exact number, but approximate and very close.)

Above that, you can lose even more if you have worse-than-average luck at hitting the non-royal hands.

You should not be shocked if you lose $20,000 on the way to Seven Stars, or $3000 on the way to Diamond. So if you can't afford such losses, you shouldn't try to earn Diamond or Seven Stars. It's still gambling!

[Dan Druff]

Also updated Harrah's Lake Tahoe game info

[Stepbangin]

Iowa

The best machines at Horseshoe Council Bluffs are three 100-play machines 25c machines. These are only 98.98% return, and the 100-play brings out some pretty high variance, so you are best off finding another option if possible.

9-6 Double Double Bonus 25c/credit, 100-play ($125 per hand), (98.98% return). Located in the middle of the casino, about 50 yards due north of the players club.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $510
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5100

Don't bother with the other Caesars property, Harrah's Council Bluffs. There are no games worth playing that can earn you tier credits at a reasonable average loss at that casino.

What kind of bankroll would I need for this?

[Dan Druff]

Iowa

The best machines at Horseshoe Council Bluffs are three 100-play machines 25c machines. These are only 98.98% return, and the 100-play brings out some pretty high variance, so you are best off finding another option if possible.

9-6 Double Double Bonus 25c/credit, 100-play ($125 per hand), (98.98% return). Located in the middle of the casino, about 50 yards due north of the players club.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $510
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5100

Don't bother with the other Caesars property, Harrah's Council Bluffs. There are no games worth playing that can earn you tier credits at a reasonable average loss at that casino.

What kind of bankroll would I need for this?

This is a very high-risk way of attaining Seven Stars. I guess it can be okay to get to Diamond, as that requires only 10% of the play compared to Seven Stars.

The problem here is that you're wagering a staggering $125 per hand, since it's 100-play.

While it's true that the 100-play factor will somewhat smooth out the "running bad on draws" problem, it can be absolutely brutal if you get dealt a lot of bad starting hands.

Even ignoring the variance of this $125/hand machine, there is also a potential catastrophe waiting when you play a 98.98% return machine.

The non-royal return of a 98.98% machine is 97.02%. That means you would lose $14,900 on the way to Seven Stars on average if you don't hit a royal! If you run badly on top of missing royals (such as lacking good quads), you could lose over $20,000. Ouch!

I would avoid this machine for earning Seven Stars. If you just want Diamond and don't mind risking low-4-figures, then have at it.

[Dan Druff]

You can also get instant Diamond status with the Founders Card, which you can buy from this link: https://outandout.boardingarea.com/f...d-review-2019/

It's $395. You also get Hilton Gold status and 15% off AT&T, apparently.

[shoeshine box]

You can also get instant Diamond status with the Founders Card, which you can buy from this link: https://outandout.boardingarea.com/f...d-review-2019/

It's $395. You also get Hilton Gold status and 15% off AT&T, apparently.

Listening to you on the Archives Monday..was wiped out after 15 downs and No Break, Not 1 .Listening to this Part of Show now. Good Job .Run Good. Are Hat's for Sale? or Donation to show? I take 1. ok.

Founder's Club Look's Okay..4 day's in the Bahama's to Boot. 395 Bucks.

[EasyGame]

Data point for $2 9/7 db (99.11%):

$17k coin-in (1700 hands), lost $1400
1400/17000 = 91.8% return

Running really bad

[Dan Druff]

Data point for $2 9/7 db (99.11%):

$17k coin-in (1700 hands), lost $1400
1400/17000 = 91.8% return

Running really bad

Yeah, that is pretty bad, but it can be much worse. I once lost $1500 at a similar game after just $4500 coin-in!

Also of those double bonus type games have more variance. Video poker already has variance due to the top-heavy hand payouts and the royal flush (1 in 40,000 chance) comprising 2% of the return. So if you hit no royal, a 99.11% game is about a 97.12% return. And then if you don't hit other big hands like quads or a straight flush, you really start to lose a lot.

For variance reduction, I prefer Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, and Jacks or Better, of course with good pay tables.

The Super Times Pay and Double Super Times Pay really increase variance, though I admit they're fun.

[skyjo]

Iowa (updated January 17, 2020)

The best machines at Horseshoe Council Bluffs are three 100-play machines 25c machines. These are only 98.98% return, and the 100-play brings out some pretty high variance, so you are best off finding another option if possible.

9-6 Double Double Bonus 25c/credit, 100-play ($12.50-$125 per hand), (98.98% return). Located in the middle of the casino, about 50 yards due north of the players club.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $510
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5100

25-15-9-4-4 Deuces Wild ("LV Airport Deuces") $1/credit 1-play (98.91% return). Will take you 10 hours or so to earn 2500 tier credits -- maybe more if you're not that familiar with Deuces. Not a very good option. These are bartop machines near Caesars rewards.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $545
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5450



The same deuces game is also at Harrah's Council Bluffs.

25-15-9-4-4 Deuces Wild ("LV Airport Deuces") $1/credit 1-play (98.91% return). Will take you 10 hours or so to earn 2500 tier credits -- maybe more if you're not that familiar with Deuces. Not a very good option. These are at the TAG bar, just inside the casino entrance.
Average loss getting to Diamond: $545
Average loss getting to Seven Stars: $5450

Made it to Diamond, baby (I saw Todd lament on Twitter a couple weeks ago that the 10x TC promo was going to create a lot of new Diamond members that'll be clogging up priority lines, etc. I guess I'm one of those cloggers. Sorry about that).

Just a heads up on the Horseshoe 100-play machines: There are only 2 now, and they have moved. As recently as March, they were in the location described above (although the count had already reduced from 3 to 2). Now (as of August) the entire video poker section has moved to what I think used to be a high-limit area. It's by the poker room. The poker room is off the corner of the main casino floor... you walk down a small hallway to get to the poker room. All the video poker machines are in a small glassed-off area along the edge of that hallway, near the Laurel Lounge entrance, across from the steak house.