Slots of fun? Part Deux

Something I found a bit creepy were the video black jack and three-card poker machines, which featured a big screen TV picture of a blonde dealer bearing distracting cleavage. Or, if you are so inclined, you can receive your “cards” from a studly gentleman.

What made them so disconcerting was they reminded me of some futuristic society where the people take their orders from robotic women and men pictured on billboard-sized video screens. While the game was designed for the dealers to give the illusion of making eye contact with players, it most often came off as a blank, vacant stare – except when they prodded slow-poke players to bet or fold by intoning, “It’s your turn.”

As for me, I decided to park at one of the video poker machines built into the counter at the Spiral Bar. There, I spent more than three hours playing Deuces Wild, having a couple of beers and completing the vice trifecta  by smoking cigarettes. (Note to those who hate the smell of smoke: While I admit my sense of smell has been compromised, it didn’t appear that smoke migrated into the non-smoking areas. Even in the smoking areas it wasn’t bad.

I must confess that I found it a fun time. I budgeted $60 for gambling losses and became sleepy when the damage hit $50. I could have saved $10 when I started hitting some big hands, but I decided to play until I had finished my beer. Oh well.

All in all, I was impressed by the Rivers Casino. It’s a beautiful, first-class facility staffed by attentive, friendly people that Pittsburgh should be proud of, despite all the troubles leading  to its birth.

While I won’t be a regular there, I’ll make periodic visits – I’m a playa, after all.

For more info, visit the Rivers Casino web site.