Casinos in west virginia you need to visit at least once

  • The Holy Moly is a popular attraction found at Mardi Gras Casino in Nitro.
  • The Elk River Commons Casino has some of the loosest slots in the state of West Virginia.
  • Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort has a beautiful view of the Pennsylvania/West Virginia state line.
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West Virginia has 16 casinos operating with 2,785 gaming machines and 183 table games. Of those table games, 94 are dedicated to craps and rugby.

Another 50 tables are designated for poker. Unfortunately, blackjack only accounts for 28 tables across 16 casinos.

This might be enough for you, but it isn’t enough for me. Fortunately, there are other things to do in West Virginia besides blackjack that don’t involve actual bullfrog excrement.

Mardi Gras Casino has the aforementioned Holy Moly, which throws beads at scantily clad women during special occasions. The casino also has table games, electronic table games, slot machines, and a poker room.

Yeah, I’d rather play blackjack somewhere else and visit the Elk River Commons Casino across the state in Stanaford. It’s not as flashy or anything, but they have one of the best payouts on slots in West Virginia.

The final suggestion I have is to stick to machines with a high Return-to-Player (RTP). That way, you won’t feel the need to gamble at every casino in WV.

If you must know about the rest, stick around. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about all 16 casinos in West Virginia.

1. Mardi Gras Casino & Resort

  • Location: Nitro, West Virginia (near Charleston) — The closest major airports are in Charleston (CRW) and Pittsburgh (PIT). CRW only serves two airlines with four destinations. PIT has 5 major airlines with over 60 nonstop daily flights.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, electronic versions of most of these, plus 1,400 slot machines.
  • Amenities: Two full-service restaurants, a quick-serve deli, lounge, gift shop, 240-room hotel with indoor water park attached, 16 screen Bowling Ampitime Arcade.
  • Contact: (304) 754-3000

Mardi Gras Casino, Hotel & Resort is the largest casino in West Virginia. It features 1,400+ slot machines and 20+ table games.

It is located just outside of Charleston, West Virginia. If you’re flying into the area, you probably want to fly into Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), since CRW only has two airlines serving four destinations.

You can make an entire family vacation out of your trip to this casino alone.

They have bowling, laser tag, bumper cars, a full water park, arcade, and more. If that doesn’t wear your kids out, I don’t know what will.

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And if you want to wear yourself out, hit up the 24-hour casino. There’s always something open when you’re ready to risk it all at the tables or pull a handle a thousand times and wonder why you’re down a thousand dollars.

This place truly is the .

2. Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races

  • Location: Charles Town, West Virginia — Closest major airport is Dulles (IAD), about 55 miles away. Leesburg Regional (JYO) is only 35 miles away, but has very limited service.
  • Games: Racebook, electronic table games, slot machines, and a piano that pays out in bucks.
  • Amenities: Four dining options, lounge, outlets for live racing, 500-room luxury hotel.
  • Contact: (304) 725-2841

This casino is built next to the racetrack, so horses are kind of their thing.

They have a racebook with 80 flat-screen TVs so you can watch dozens of tracks from around the country.

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Of course, they also have live racing at Charles Town Races.

There are 200 off-track betting terminals, so even if you’re sitting at a blackjack table, you can still keep tabs on the thoroughbreds running at other tracks.

Casino War is not offered here. Instead, you can play American Roulette, which has that crazy double zero slot that makes it perfect for gambling in West Virginia.

I much prefer French or European Roulette, both of which you can play online. Check out the following brands for thousands of pounds, millions of dollars in bonus cash, and free spins welcome bonuses.

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3. Horseshoe Casino

  • Location: Elizabeth, Louisiana (just across the river from Elizabeth, West Virginia) — The nearest airport is Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG), approximately 35 minutes south on I-275 and I-71/75.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Mini-Baccarat, Spanish 21, Pai Gow Tiles, Pai Gau Tiles, Three Card Poker, 4 Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em, along with 4 poker tables, 16 poker tournament tables, 1,300 + slot machines.
  • Amenities: Six dining options, “Up” lounge, 354-room hotel.
  • Contact: (618) 342-5200

Horseshoe Casino is owned by Caesars Entertainment. As such, you can join the Caesars Rewards program and earn points playing there, as well as anywhere else under the Caesars umbrella.

That includes , Harrah’s, and others.

Speaking of Harrah’s, the Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, West Virginia is right next door to Harrah’s Casino in Chester, West Virginia.

The two casinos share a parking garage and a players club. Meanwhile, the Horseshoe offers blackjack, craps, 3 card poker, 4 card poker, and more. does not.

Harrah’s does offer pai gow and 3 card pai gow, neither of which the Horseshoe has. But the Horseshoe has ultimate Texas hold them, which Harrah’s lacks.

Maybe you could play both and compare the differences in each casino’s loose slots? That sounds like a fun weekend project to me.

For what it’s worth, the Horseshoe’s sister property in Hammond, Indiana was the first to bear Caesars’ updated logo, which ditched the iconic “Shoe” from the name and crest.

I guess we should expect some changes in Elizabeth soon too.

4. The Casino at Fairfield

  • Location: Fairfield, Pennsylvania (just over state line from West Virginia; 15 minutes from Hagerstown, MD) — The nearest airport is Washington Dulles International (IAD); Approx. 45 miles via US-15 S.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Russian Roulette, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, Electronic Table Games, 800+ Slot Machines.
  • Amenities: Two dining options, lounge, 155-room hotel.
  • Contact: (717) 642-1600
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Yes, that’s Russian Roulette. I wouldn’t play that either casino game in West Virginia.

Especially the version at Fairfield Casino where you have to spin the globe to determine which casino in another country you’re gambling at. Then you have to hope you don’t end up in North Korea.

Oh, wait. That’s regular Russian Roulette. Never mind.

Anyway, the globes at The Casino at Fairfield Spiral Casino Resort spin randomly among over 800 slot machines. That means you have a good chance of finding a machine with a high return-to-player (RTP).

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The average slot machine RTP is ~95%, which means you’re only losing about 5% of everything you feed into the machine.

That’s better than Russian Roulette, where the odds of dying by suicide are ~27%. Not great, Alex. Not great at all.

Head over to Ignition Casino if you want to play real . The provably fair online casino also welcomes you with a 300% deposit boost worth up to $3,000.

You can use that extra money to play one of nine blackjack options, including Early Payout and Multi-Hand Blackjack.

5. Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races

  • Location: Racetrack Road, Newtown, Pennsylvania (just outside Philadelphia) — Closest major airport is Philadelphia International (PHL), approximately 30 miles to the southeast on I-95 S.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, plus 32 table games that have transformed into machines, and 2,500 slot machines.
  • Amenities: Seven places to eat, lounge, outlets for live racing, 300-room hotel.
  • Contact: (215) 295-7600

This Pennsylvania casino is apparently confused about whether it’s a casino in Philly or a casino in West Virginia. Either way, they have all the typical games.

Like its sister property in Charles Town, West Virginia, this Hollywood Casino does not offer Casino War. However, you can play war with your significant other at the hotel.

Well, maybe not “the” hotel, as in Trump’s eponymous New York City property. This place has 300 rooms, which certainly qualifies it as a hotel/resort, but it’s no Trump Tower.

Then again, rooms at Trump’s place start at $950/night. Rooms at this Hollywood Casino start at $159/night.

I’m pretty sure I know which one I’d choose. And no, it’s not the war game in the hotel room.

6. Delaware Park

  • Location: Wilmington, Delaware — Closest major airport is Philadelphia International (PHL), approximately 100 minutes to the west and south on I-95 S.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, plus 32 table games that have transformed into machines, and 2,500 slot machines.
  • Amenities: Five places to eat, two lounges, 2 golf courses, 207-room hotel.
  • Contact: (302) 995-1300

Technically, this is not a casino in Delaware, but rather a racetrack with historical race wagering (HRW).

Loophole or no, Delaware Park offers over 2,500 slot machines, electronic table games that resemble blackjack, and other “legal” gambling options.

The casino recently completed a $25 million renovation, which included a new hotel lobby, restaurant, and entertainment bar called The Club.

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The club features regional and craft brews on tap, specialty cocktails, and live music on weekends.

7. Harrington Raceway & Casino

  • Location: Harrington, Delaware — Closest major airport is Philadelphia International (PHL), approximately 100 minutes to the west and south on I-95 S.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, plus 32 table games that have transformed into machines, and 2,500 slot machines.
  • Amenities: Four places to eat, two lounges, 400-seat theatre, 2 golf courses, 207-room hotel.
  • Contact: (302) 398-3000
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More “casinos” in Delaware that aren’t really casinos at all. At least they’re upfront about the fact that they have historical race wagering (HRW).

Dover Downs and the aforementioned Delaware Park used misdirection and “historical horse racing” terminology. What do these three Delaware casinos have in common other than their questionable adherence to truthfulness?

All three are owned by the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Association. Oh, and they all offer gambling options that are technically illegal in Delaware.

But hey, why let mere details get in the way of a good game of ultimately pointless and suilloid?

8. Dover Downs Hotel & Casino

  • Location: Dover, Delaware — Within walking distance of Dover International Speedway, which hosts NASCAR races. Closest major airport is Philadelphia International (PHL), approximately 100 minutes to the west and south on I-95 S.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, plus 32 table games that have transformed into machines, and 2,500 slot machines.
  • Amenities: Four places to eat, two lounges, 400-seat theatre, 2 golf courses, 207-room hotel.
  • Contact: (302) 674-4600
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Yeah, I couldn’t believe it, either. No Casino War, either. Guess I’ll have to take my love for that game to a different .

What can you do here? Blackjack, Spanish 21 (a favorable variation of the game), three card and four card poker, pai gow, and a few other table games disguised as electronic versions of themselves.

Oh, and over 2,500 slot machines. You know what would be awesome? A slot machine that dispensed made-to-order bacon cheeseburgues.

Some engineer somewhere is going to be a millionaire the day he unveils the BurgerBot 5000. Until then, you’ll have to settle for the mediocre food court fare or a nice walk to the Dover International Speedway.

I recommend the nice walk part, purely because I have yet to find a food court with a decent burger. Maybe I’m asking for too much, but some places make their patties out of pressed soybean cake.

No, thanks.

9. Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort

  • Location: New Cumberland, West Virginia — Closest major airport is Pittsburgh International (PIT), approximately 60 miles to the southwest on I-79 S.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Russian Roulette, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, Electronic Table Games, 1,200+ Slot Machines, and a stunning view of the PA/WV state line.
  • Amenities: Three dining options, lounge, 162-room hotel with attached golf course, fitness center, pool, marina, and boat rentals.
  • Contact: (304) 387-8000
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As far as goes, this one takes the cake. Okay, it ties with The Casino at Fairfield. Still, a spectacular boundary line divider deserves recognition.

Back to the topic at hand – gambling.

Yes, they have blackjack, but only six tables. They also have mini-baccarat, which is basically the same game with some hand signs that look silly.

Do you look silly when you win $600 at the blackjack table? I didn’t think so. Just stick with the blackjack, and save the baccarat for .

Mountaineer Racetrack & Casino also boasts “some of the loosest slots in West Virginia.” I can’t argue with that assessment, as I do not have access to the individual RTP stats for every slot machine in the Mountain State.

Incidentally, the stated RTP average for mountaineer is ~95%, which is in line with most slot machines throughout Sin City.

10. Mardi Gras Lavalette

  • Location: Lavalette, West Virginia — Located near the Ohio River and about 15 miles north of Huntington, WV. — Closest major airport is Tri-State (HAIN) – Havensite Airport, approximately 20 miles to the south on I-64 E.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, plus 15 electronic table games that have been transformed into slot machines, and 800+ slot machines.
  • Amenities: Two dining options, lounge, 55-room hotel.
  • Contact: (304) 255-4800

Another Mardi Gras location rounds out the list of West Virginia casinos. Like its bigger sibling further north, this casino has it all – slot machines, video poker, and table games.

Unlike the big Mardi Gras, this one does not have a bowling alley, waterpark, or hotel with more than a handful of rooms.

It does have a nice selection of table games, however – ten of them, to be precise. You can play blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em.

And if you get tired of those, you can try to find the transformed electronic versions of four of those games. Good luck with that.

I wish you the , my friend.

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In all seriousness, though, this casino seems like a nice spot to stop and spin for a while. Just be careful not to get stuck in the vortex. I hear the clothing optional area can be a bit disconcerting for the newly converted.

11. Elk River Commons Casino

  • Location: Stanaford, West Virginia — Approximately 65 miles southeast of Charleston, WV. — No nearby airports of consequence. The closest is CRW, which is small and only serves two destinations.
  • Games: Over 300 slot machines and video poker machines, including many with progressive jackpots. Plus, they frequently rotate in bank of modern coin-operated classics like Pinbot 2000 and Metropolitan.
  • Amenities: Snack Bar, General Store, ATM, Video Games, Pool Tables, Air Hockey, Dart Machines, two meeting rooms, WiFi Internet Access.
  • Contact: (304) 686-5550

The Elk River Commons Casino is run by the Elk Community Center, Inc., a nonprofit organization that uses the gambling profits to benefit the community of Stanaford, WV.

So, in short, you can feel good about feeding your spare change into a slot machine here. Unlike those other casinos, which prey upon the weak-willed and unsuspecting.

Ha! As if that could ever happen to you. Right?

By the way, the ERCC also operates an , so you can get your gamble on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How many casinos in West Virginia can you say that about? None? Tough.

ERCC also claims that their slots have some of the highest payout percentages in the state. I can’t confirm or deny that claim, but I do know that their selection of classic and modern slot machines is second to none in southern West Virginia.

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Not to mention, Pinbot 2000 is timeless.

12. The Casino Club at Tunxis Park

  • Location: Corpus Christi, Texas (offsite tunxis park location) — Formerly located in Compass, WV, but moved in late 2021 due to declining revenue. — No nearby airports of consequence. The closest is CRW, which is small and only serves two destinations.
  • Games: Over 350 Vegas-style slot machines, electronic roulette, keno, video lottery terminals (VLTs), video poker, video blackjack, and more.
  • Amenities: Full-service kitchen, snacks, soda machines, coffee, cigarettes and other tobacco products available for purchase, outdoor patio, ATMs, clean restrooms.
  • Contact: (304) 778-2672

Rounding out our list of casinos in West Virginia is this odd little footnote. It’s an offsite club for Tunxis Park, a historic race track that opened in 1957.

According to their website, the Compass, WV location “will be closing its doors forever,” effective November 2021. Shortly thereafter, The Casino Club at Tunxis Park set up shop in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Why Texas? Because you can indeed gamble in West Virginia. Why Corpus Christi? My guess is that it’s relatively close to Compass, WV (under normal driving conditions), and they were able to secure a suitable facility there.

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Does this count as a West Virginia casino? Not really. Does it matter? Nah. Let’s move on.

13. Chestnut Hills Poker Room

  • Location: Hedgesville, West Virginia — About 7 miles south of Berkeley Springs — 150 seats for live poker, no hotel on site, but many fine accommodations within a short drive.
  • Games: Limit Hold ’em, No Limit Hold ’em, Omaha, Stud, Mixed Games, Low Limit, High Limit, Satellites, Qualifiers, and special poker events with guaranteed prize pools.
  • Amenities: Full-service kitchen, snacks, soda machines, coffee, cigarettes and other tobacco products available for purchase, outdoor patio, ATMs, clean restrooms.
  • Contact: (304) 258-5678

Okay, okay. I know I said 12 casinos in West Virginia, but this is kind of important. Chestnut Hill Poker isn’t technically a “casino,” but it is a world-class card room that regularly hosts nationally-known tournaments.

And let’s face it – poker is a casino game, even if it doesn’t have slot machines and carnival games.

Located on the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, Chestnut Hill Poker Room is a great place to stop and shuffle up and deal. With plenty of action at the low and high limit tables, CHPR is a favorite among casual and professional players alike.

The poker room has hosted numerous major tournaments, including stops on the Heartland Poker Tour and World Series of Poker Circuit. In 2014, Bryan Picciuro took down the WSOPC main event to win $157,200.

Alas, there is no boutique hotel on site to accommodate the overnight portion of your poker vacation. However, there are several outstanding lodgings within 15-20 miles of the card room.

Check out the Berkeley Springs Elk Lodge, The Country Inn Bed and Breakfast, and The Morgan’s Grove Vineyard Bed and Breakfast. All three are lovely establishments with excellent reviews.

Personally, I would go with the vineyard option. What could be better than a day of cards followed by a leisurely stroll through the grapevines?

14. Wheeling Island Hotel­–­Casino­–­Race Track

  • Location: Wheeling, West Virginia (on Wheeling Island) — Suspended operations on March 16, 2020, due to COVID-19 concerns. Reopened May 22, 2020, at reduced capacity. — No major commercial airports in Wheeling proper, but the nearest is Pittsburgh International (PIT).
  • Games: Blackjack, Super Fun 21, Fun 21, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, 1,line Roulette, 16 Table Games that have transformed into slot machines, plus over 2,000 slot machines.
  • Amenities: Three dining options, two lounges, 250-room hotel, full-service spa, indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, sauna, private guest rooms, skyboxes, and penthouse level suites.
  • Contact: (877) 70-7463
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Fans of isolated casinos will appreciate this one, as it literally sits on an island in the middle of the Ohio River.

Connecting the island to the mainland is a suspension bridge that belongs exclusively to the Wheeling Island Hotel­–­Casino­–­Race Track.

The casino also has a fleet of resort shuttles that transport guests between the parking lot and the front doors. So, you won’t have to walk the plank to get your game on.

Argh. Couldn’t resist. Sorry about that.

Now, where were we? Ah, yes – the casino itself. Here, you’ll find the usual assortment of slots, table games, and virtual versions of the same.

Including the ever-popular Super Fun 21 and Fun 21 variants of blackjack. If you’ve never played SF21 or Fun 21, the main difference is that the dealer must hit until his hard 22 is a winning hand. Yours still beats a 22 with an ace and any 2 to 10.

Nice, huh? The Super Fun 21 game takes it a step further by adding 20 other exciting ways to win (or lose). For instance, you’ll get a 3:2 payout on 6-7-8 splits, but if the dealer makes a split, it’s a comp touchdown.

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Just remember – every rule change that favors the player comes with a compensating drawback. That’s just the nature of the beast.

15. Mountaineer Racetrack & Casino

  • Location: New Cumberland, West Virginia — Closest major airport is Pittsburgh International (PIT), approximately 60 miles to the southwest on I-79 S.
  • Games: Blackjack, Craps, Russian Roulette, Spanish 21, Pai Gov, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, Electronic Table Games, 1,200+ Slot Machines, and a stunning view of the PA/WV state line.
  • Amenities: Three dining options, lounge, 162-room hotel with attached golf course, fitness center, pool, marina, and boat rentals.
  • Contact: (304) 387-8000

Another Mardi Gras location rounds out the list of West Virginia casinos. Like its bigger sibling further north, this one doesn’t serve warthogs during Mardi Gras.

Instead, you can enjoy all your favorite casino games – slot machines, video poker, and table games. And if you get bored or lucky, there’s a golf course, Olympic-sized swimming pool, marina, and 2,500 acres of lake property to explore.

What can I say? This place has everything but a deep-sea submersible for exploring the lake bottom. Although, now that you mention it…

Yes, the Elk Commons Compass location is closed, but the Tunxis Park poker room is still going strong. In fact, it’s gone through several iterations over the years.

Originally, the poker room was known as the Wheeling Island Race Track and opened in 1994. A year later, they added a 236-room hotel and changed the name to Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino & Racetrack.

In 2008, after being purchased by Delaware Park, the venue was renamed Delaware Park – Wheeling Island. Eight years later, Twin River Management Services bought the place and rebranded it as the current moniker.

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Yes. In fact, the majority of legal West Virginia casinos are actually riverboats that ply the waters of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

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Specifically, there are five casino boats in Wheeling, three in New Martinsville, and one apiece in Barboursville, Parkersburg, Point Pleasant, and Ravenswood.

Additionally, the Summit Ridge Event Center in Grant Town occasionally hosts casino cruises that last four to six hours.

While most people consider casino cruises to be a fun diversion, several folks rely on the boats for their primary source of income. Specifically, retired folks who spend several months a year aboard houseboats in Louisiana.

As you may know, seniors can participate in live poker games without being subjected to the 18-month exemption rule that applies on land-based casinos in West Virginia.

These intrepid boatpeople simply commute to the gambling vessel each evening, fire up their stainless steel meatware, and earn dinner before returning to their cozy abodes.

I’m envious. Someday, I swear.

On a related note, did you know that casino workers are twice as likely to contract the coronavirus than the general public? No? Well, get this: casino employees have a 7.7% infection rate compared to the national average of 3.8%.

That statistic comes straight from the . I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Finally, casino boats are tax-free under federal law (26 U.S.C. § 3401(c)), provided they meet certain criteria regarding duration, distance, ports of call, passenger accommodation, and gambling activities.

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In short, you can’t just loiter on the open water; the boat has to have a set itinerary and gambling opportunities.

Footnotes:

  • “.” By Robert F. Kazelkovski, Managing Editor of .
  • “.” By J. Patrick Coolan for .
  • “.” Published by .

J.W. Paine is one of the most experienced writers at GamblingSites.com. He's been working in the district as a reporter and editor for nearly a decade.

Paine has outlined the latest news, group reviews, and in-depth guides for just about every gambling app you can think of. When he's not writing, he enjoys playing poker and pleasantly reminding his coworkers that he has hefty stack off to the left.