JACK Cleveland Casino — Attraction in Cleveland

Update: This place is a nightmare. Do not play in the noon hold 'em tournaments. The same 20 regs literally tell each other what they have and don't bet against each other. If you raise-in the entire table cold calls and you're playing gin bingo against 8 players. The table talk is non-stop, disrespectful, and intrusive: questioning your play, telling each other that they should fold, asking you questions while you're trying to think. I even wore noise-cancelling headphones and one guy was yelling at me over my music. One regular was late arriving - the dealer had posted his blinds and then dealt him 2 consecutive cards after the hand had been dealt. Totally uncomfortable atmosphere. Feels like a middle school game with adult collusion.

Won a seat at the $70 MSPT milestone satellite to play in the $265 milestone main event. There were 5 remaining $265 events. Jack did not state on its website that you had to play in the immediate next $265 event. They told us that at the final table of the $70 event - after five hours of play - that we would have a 3 hour break and must return to play again that night or lose our seat. When pressed as to why we had to come back, Joe, the poker room manager, said because that's what was posted on Jack's website, which was not true. It was posted on Bovado, but not on Jack's website or on Poker Atlas. So Joe resolved the inconsistency and the inconvenience to the players by forcing us to come back and play again, resulting in a 12 hour day of satellites. But it gets worse.

The chip leader at the $70 event - with a milestone amount of chips - was on his device and interacting with it during a hand before each bet. When the dealer was asked if this was permitted he said no, but did nothing, not even call the floor. The player put the device away, immediately took his milestone and left. At the $265 event the tournament director miraculously announced no RTA was permitted. But it gets worse.

After 3 hours/5 levels in the $265 event there were 9 players left playing on two tables. Jack refused multiple requests from several players to consolidate the tables because there was "an hour left of registration." When asked why the game play should be artificially extended and manipulated to accommodate yet-to- come entrants the tournament manager literally said nothing and walked away. After another 30 minutes of play there were 8 players. Another request was made which resulted in the floor manager and several players getting in a heated discussion. Miraculously, an additional player sat down, lost half his chip in 2 hands, and got up and never came back. An obvious plant by Jack to justify its putting profit over the integrity of the game.

A 4 handed-table plays a lot differently than an 8-handed table. Some of us of the remaining 8 in the $265 had been at the casino for 12 hours at this point. Yet Jack was holding out for more buy-ins and ruining the integrity of the game.

When confronted with all of the above, Joe said he was sorry that I had a poor customer experience. To say the least Joe. This is what happens when you give a monopoly on fun to capitalists.

Update: Anthony the table games big-shot response: “We’ve been doing it that way for 4 years so it’s your fault for not playing the other 3 years.” “We don’t let our customers tell us what to do.” “We would never do that [plant] but I don’t have to show you that player’s buy-in receipt.” Why not? The rest of us had to show our buy-in receipt to the dealer when we sat down but the plant didn’t.

Ok pal, the Ohio Gaming...

So I left a review on JACK website yesterday. I did not use profanity or disrespect anyone. I simply described my overall experience and what I thought management or ownership can do to improve. It was removed moments after I posted. So once again I'm gonna try to let everyone know my opinion of JACK.

I lived in Vegas for 23 years and just moved to Ohio last year. I moved here for better healthcare and cost of living. I worked as a dealer, pit boss, and casino shift manager at multiple Casinos in Las Vegas. With that said, I have read a bunch of the reviews about JACK Casino. Most people are frustrated and disappointed with their experience. Winning and losing is always at the top of the list when it comes to reviews about casinos. It's completely understandable. What's not understandable is when people consistently complain about customer service at all levels.

I know the gaming industry. Not because I went to some school to teach me the basics. It simply comes from experience. JACK has more people working in it's casinos that have no idea about gaming or how to handle a gambler than Las Vegas does in the entire city. This is not a knock on the people that want jobs and earn a living. This is wake up call to ownership and management. Is anybody training these employees? Are there any standards for customer service? Does anyone have a clue? People work too hard for there money to gamble at JACK, knowing the odds are stacked against them, and get treated so poorly! 90% of the reviews I've read are everyday occurrences. Please don't read them and think to yourself that these experiences are isolated moments.

I know for a fact that the JACK makes plenty of money. Their problem is greed and ignorance. JACK doesn't have to earn your play like Las Vegas casinos do. If your unhappy at the JACK you simply have to take it on the chin because your options are slim to none. In Vegas you just walk out and go next door. I know Las Vegas is the Gold Standard when it comes to casinos. However, customer service and respecting your players is not optional. They need to get a GM that will kick some butt. He or she will need to implement policies that respect their guests and cater to players. They need to put seasoned gaming industry employees in the right places. This will weed out people that have no business dealing with guests. You would be surprised how great management impacts how guests and how gamblers are treated.

JACK is the worst casino I've ever been to in my life. Let's take it for granted I've been to hundreds. It has next to nothing to do with winning and losing. When I gamble, I hope to win, but definitely not shocked if I lose. Casinos have the edge no matter what game you play. Your supposed to lose more than you win. For the Good Lords sake take care of your gamblers. Treat people like they matter. Stop taking for granted that we will come back. I promise eventually there will be a competeter that does it better and it will be to late for the JACK. This casino is the epitome of mediocrity at Best.

Let me end with one last thing. I play 3-4 times a week. I can't tell you how many times I've had an employee tell me, " I don't care, I'm Union, they can't just fire me". Unions are great and I support them. However, if this gives employees a license to treat a guest like crap, and not do their job, it's time to think about...

Basic Casino, If you play tables, the minimum bet is always $15 or higher. If you play for 30+ minutes you get free parking. The parking was $15 but now it's $25. Craps table minimum 15.00. they only have the fire bet at the craps table . They don't have the "All tall bonus bet" Roulette is minimum $15. The roulette table added a third 0 option. So now you have single zero double zero and triple zero. More money for the house. They still do have the single and double zero table but you just have to pay attention to which table you're on. The blackjack table you have to pay attention because you have to play the extra bet on the side. Again more money for the house. The bubble craps machine was at a minimum $5 now that's at a 10-dollar minimum. Again more money for the house. I was there the other day shooting craps and a mouse ran across the floor. I mean its an 100year old building on top of the rapid train station that's been there forever. I don't eat the food there. I'm not saying that the food is good or bad but if they have mice I'm not eating there. I don't care if the buffet is free.. There's no drinking for free while you're gambling. Not like Vegas. It's a basic Casino, if you're in town blowing some time and you want to shoot some dice or try your luck on the roulette table I say go for it. The staff is pretty friendly Most of the time. I never see anyone win on the slots but I don't play slots but it seems like I should hear some bells or some ringing or something I never hear nothing. I'm not saying that the slots are good or bad I'm just saying I just don't hear anything while I'm there. The parking is kind of strange sometimes because it's right next to the Guardians baseball field and Cavaliers basketball court so if they have a special event they only let C & K members in. Then parking is like $60. The casino is located on the second floor if you're parking in the garage. But I hate going through the parking lot on the second floor because it stinks like piss. So I usually park on the 3rd floor walk through the garage and then go down the elevator to the second floor and it drops you right at the casino skywalk which is free of smells. They should be Laser power wash that second floor. When I say it stinks, it really does stink. I never walked through that 2nd floor garage. Since it's the only casino with tables in Cleveland it's the only place you can shoot craps. The other casinos like Northfield and thistledown they only have...