Morongo Casino launches new Rewards program starting June 2015

I've been just visiting these forums for a few years and found valuable insights in the world of gambling. This will be the first time posting here. I am into casino gambling and played nearly the entire gamut of games offered at the casino. I had a serious issue in the past with discipline, so I've toned it down quite a bit. I've shifted most of my play to video poker, in which I play that at Pechanga casino and also interact on the VideoPoker.com forums. I do see a recent thread here in which I will contribute soon. I also read content from WizardOfOdds on a regular basis. I'll play for a short time on the table games, video poker, and slots at Morongo

I am well aware there are ample casino options to go to, and playing small amounts at a variety of places does not give you the benefits. obviously there is Vegas, the Mecca of gambling.

Judging by the type of players I see here, I can fully understand Morongo is not a right fit into people's interest here. There is no real craps allowed in the state gaming regulations, the pay tables on Video Poker are not so great compared to San Diego county ones, not as much big ticket entertainment, and it is mostly full of slots with not very many table games.

This program creates a priority line to the cashier, buffet, club booth, valet parking, and box office event ticket purchases that was not there before. It enables bigger discounts to the gift shop, hotel and spa services, and all the food outlets besides the food court. I was told they will plan to have special events where higher card members will get invited to.

3 Club Tier Levels ($1 coin in on slots for 1 point, $2 coin in on video poker/keno for 1 point, a table game theoretical loss of $5 generates 70 points)

Red - No Minimum - 10% discounts to food/services at Morongo, no line priority
Titanium - 5000 points every 12 months - 15% discount to food/services at Morongo, more priority at the buffet lines than Red members. Invited to certain promotions.
Black - 150000 points - 20% discounts to food/services at Morongo. Priority to all lines, invited to the most exclusive promotions.

Note that Titanium: this is to benefit first time comers to return as more benefits will be provided to them.

I will not disclose further bad things due to the possibility of defamation, but here are a few positive things about Morongo Casino, I have been coming since they've opened their resort 10 years ago:

The slots is the loosest I have ever seen in the many casinos that I have visited.

The slot cashback rate is the highest in the regional casinos at 0.33%. It is $1 coin in per point, and 300 points get you $1 cash back. Since Video Poker requires $2 coin in per point, 0.167% for Video Poker.

A good percentage of the hotel staff, cashiers, and table game dealers I feel are genuinely friendly.

Morongo casino seems to cater towards attracting a larger quantity of players with small bankrolls to play with. Just a 250 to 500 points is enough to get an entry at their promotions where everyone pretty much has an equal shot.

The outlet nearby has over 150 brand name stores, some of the high end brands are there for those that can afford it. A continuous shuttle service is provided.

I think the following reason that Morongo casino is thriving after the recession devastated the casino industry. Every Sunday nights (or on Monday if a holiday falls in), players points accumulation goes towards the weekly drawing. 8 players get $1000 in free slot play and 1 player gets a luxury car (changes each month, model and manufacturer, but guaranteed to be worth at least $40,000). I have seen on two separate occasions where 19 year old college students from nearby UC Riverside won the luxury car (one of the few dry casinos in the nation which permits 18 year olds to gamble).

I hope to contribute to this part of the forum when I can.

Alpax thanks for joining and posting. I haven't been to Morongo in more than six years. I look forward to your comments since I've wondered what's happened there. I used to play Super Aces Bonus there and I recall they had a lot of machines.

I appreciate the welcome Alan! If there is no good sports going on TV, I tune into KCAL9 to watch your infomercials, a good way for the mom and pop stores to get recognition. I will be replying to a few of those video poker threads.

If you are wondering, they do still have a handful of the Game King with full pay $1 Super Aces machines (I was not into video poker in the past). Very high variance and one of the best video poker games out there for sure. A player's fate is dictated if they can get quad aces around 1 in 4200 hands (the proper strategy pretty much chases the aces). If a player falls behind pace, the losses can really mount up. Recently one of the machines broke down, it did not repaired and got thrown away (I hope the others stay in working shape). Those few machines that also has full pay Jacks or Better and a modified 8-5 Bonus Poker (all quads pay 30 to 1, payout goes from 99.17% to 98.48%).

I've read a past post regarding Class 2 video poker machines during the last time you were at Morongo. Now all the video poker is now mainly Game King, and there are those Pot of Gold Keno machines, so it is all Class 3 now. The ratio is just around 4%, 25 slot machines to 1 game king (including bartops and upright) and the high limit $1/$2/$5 are all short pay games, Morongo is still not a serious place for video poker (I've never bothered asking). Virtually all the Game Kings have $1 9/6 DDB, which is the best game outside of those Super Aces machines. Most people end up playing video keno or 9/5 DDB for quarters, as DDB is the most popular game for recreational players.

This rewards program is no way near the quality of Caesar's Entertainment Total Rewards. Even with all the cutbacks I hear online (particularly here) with Total Rewards, it still triumphs all the casino club programs out there. Morongo is practically for those who want pure no non-sense gambling and do not care for other stuff. From reading the Vegas threads, I can quickly understand Morongo is not for yourself and others (even though they market the LA very aggresively), I do not know what more they offer to high rollers other than private dinner and entertainment in the ballroom, they would definitely want more.

Morongo can use an expansion (the land is plentiful and CA Propositions 94-97 were passed) to get more table games in there. I know Morongo is more geared towards low bankroll players, but with the limited table games, their table game minimums are rather high ($25 for paigow poker, $25 for vanilla blackjack, $20 for Spanish 21 blackjack, $15 for three card poker, $10 for Mississippi Stud, their #1 game is Ultimate Texas Holdem, they got 3 tables of them, there will be no unoccupied seats during the weekends (except for 3am-8am) for a minimum $15). Either way, this place is thriving.

Thanks for the update alpax. I didn't remember the pay tables on Super Aces Bonus -- and it's full pay now? That's 99.8% isn't it?

Compared to your favorite 8/5 Bonus Poker

Quads 5 thru Kings pay double at 250
Quads 2, 3, 4 pay double at 400
Quad Aces pay 5 folds at 2000
Straight Flush improved from 250 to 300

But the big sacrifice is even money for 2 pairs (just like those Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, Triple Double Bonus, Triple Bonus, White Hot Aces).

The variance is 63 which is three times higher (suggested bankroll is three times bigger), the swings are much rougher than Double Double Bonus.

sent you a private message to complete the answer.

Alpax if I recall what you wrote above Super Aces Bonus always paid even money for two pair.

Can someone verify Morongo has full pay SAB at 99.8%

Bonus Poker pays 2 to 1 for a 2 pair, SAB pays 1 to 1 (even money) for 2 pair.

In most non-Deuces Wild video poker games, 2 pairs come out 11.5 - 12 % of the time if you play the game by its proper strategy, so for Jacks or Better and Bonus Poker, it accounts for 23 - 24% of the game's payout if it pays out 2 to 1. The even money part means it will only account for 11.5 - 12% of the payout, meaning the other 11% gets distributed over the quads and in the case of Super Aces Bonus, some to the straight flush.

alpax have you ever done a comparison about the difference in "value" between playing at Morongo vs playing at a Total Rewards property? Morongo certainly has an advantage with some 8/5 Bonus and that Super Aces Bonus game and I know that would appeal to many of the video poker players here.

And Morongo is a bit closer than travelling to San Diego and Rincon and Pechanga for many in the LA area.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson

alpax have you ever done a comparison about the difference in "value" between playing at Morongo vs playing at a Total Rewards property? Morongo certainly has an advantage with some 8/5 Bonus and that Super Aces Bonus game and I know that would appeal to many of the video poker players here.

And Morongo is a bit closer than travelling to San Diego and Rincon and Pechanga for many in the LA area.

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I am much more knowledgeable about the casino club membership programs now than I was in the past, but unfortunately I toned down my gambling time and expenses for the foreseeable future due to the damage inflicted from past gambling problems (no one's fault but my own for that). I psychologically avoid Vegas as much as possible.

Though I stated I played enough to make it to GOLD tier at Pechanga, and playing a little more would be the equivalent to Diamond at CET. I am leaning towards not pursuing GOLD after this year.

I was invited to Titanium tier at Morongo and it wont take much to stay there for 2016.

It does not mean I dislike the casino games, things have to get better personally to pursue the better value.

For certain, low rollers can get excellent value and great video poker games at The SouthPoint at Vegas, or even at the Boyd properties (Orleans, Gold Coast, Sun Coast, Sam's Town). If you win at the Stations casinos, I heard you get no mailed.