Ace's and Eight's...Excursion Of The Week

Looking for something to do on a lazy afternoon or weekend? Check out the historical town of Central City. It is an extremely quaint old town with turn of the century houses and buildings. However, the main attraction to this town is the gambling. Central City is home to several large casino's. And just down the road is the town of Black Hawk, which also is home to several large casinos.

I've never been much of a gambler, myself...you generally have to have some extra cash lying around to partake in such a hobby....But on a couple of occasions I have gone up with only $40 dollars in my pocket to try my hand at "black jack" and the slot machines. It was actually kind of fun. Of course, it's even more fun if you walk away with a profit....But did you know that you get FREE drinks while you play?? That's definitely a perk. And there was one time when I literally played "black jack" for 4 hours straight on $20 bucks. I never knew cards could be so much fun. Here are a couple of things I've learned that I thought I might pass along:

1) When playing "black jack" always double-up when you get "11". For some reason, I guess the odds are with you and several times I've gotten a nice little profit from this simple trick.
2) According to my statistics professor the slot machines that are on the ends of the aisles and closest to the entrances/exits are supposedly "looser". Supposedly the logic behind this has to do with people as they come in/out or are waiting around and as they quickly try one of their last coins they get sucked back in for a while longer. So, if you are the type who can take your winnings and easily walk away, try the slots on the ends...as the odds may be with you...
3) If you sign up for the featured promotional offer or membership the casino is offering it may be helpful in the long run, as they will send you promotional discounts throughout the year.
4) Finally, in the words of "the Gambler" (A.K.A. Kenny Rogers):
"You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when youre sittin at the table.
Therell be time enough for countin when the dealins done."

Anyway, Central City is worth checking out even if you're not up for gambling. There are several old-time shops and plenty of hotels to stay in if you're exploring the mountains. It's even a cute little town to go mountain biking in, but there are several big hills! As for Black Hawk, it has several big casino's but not as much landscape or scenery as Central City. So, if you have some extra change and an itch to try your hand at gambling, there's no better place near Denver than Central City or Black Hawk.