Meadows Racetrack and Casino
The Meadows Casino and online gambling
At first glance, it seemed as though The Meadows Casino was going to take a hard pass on all forms of online gambling. The approach certainly made sense. With Penn National’s acquisition of Pinnacle, The Meadows is now a Penn National property along with Hollywood Casino.
With Hollywood Casino offering an online casino, doubling up on that offering did not make much sense, so The Meadows did not apply for any interactive gaming licenses.
It also appeared as though Hollywood would be the only Penn National horse in the sports betting race. Now, though, it looks like The Meadows will be the big player. The property partnered with DraftKings, which launched its sportsbook in PA in November 2019.
Meadows: Pittsburgh’s only Racino
Located in the Greater Pittsburgh area, just minutes from the intersection of heavily traversed Interstate Routes 79 and 70, the Meadows differentiates itself from neighboring Rivers Casino by being the only horseracing venue within reasonable distance of the city.
But that hardly means Meadows doesn’t hold its own in the gaming arena. Housing a staggering 3,500-plus slots machines and video poker terminals, Meadows pulled in upwards of $240 million in gross terminal revenue in fiscal 2012-2013. That was good for fifth among PA’s twelve recognized casinos, with only perennial powerhouses Sands, Parx, Harrah’s Philadelphia and Rivers touting higher tallies.
Meadows didn’t fare quite as well on the table games front, ranking ninth and raking in $110 million. But considering that casinos like Parx boast nearly as many poker tables as the Meadows does casino and poker tables combined, its comparatively paltry numbers are far more respectable than they initially appear.
Table games spread at Meadows Racetrack and Casino
Not everyone fancies slots, which is why Meadows expanded its array of offerings to include traditional casino table games. Popular variants like Blackjack, Craps and Roulette dominate the casino floor. But those who enjoy peeling their own cards will be pleased to note that the Meadows hosts a plethora of gambler’s games such as Three Card Poker, Let it Ride, Texas Hold’em Bonus and Four Card Poker.
The Meadows is also notorious for its 11-table high-limit room. VIPs will indulge in an assortment of exclusive amenities including a premier lounge, butler service and access to a 3-game private gaming salon. Just don’t forget to bring you wallet – limits in the room range from a manageable $50 all the way up to a cool 15 grand.
Poker at Meadows is more tailored towards the casual fan than it is at competing casinos. Only one tournament on the menu features a buy-in higher than $95, and exclusive tournament series are few and far between.
There also doesn’t appear to be much in the way of player appreciation rewards, high-hand jackpots or special promotional events. That being said, the 14-table room does tout a six-figure bad beat jackpot quite regularly. Only problem is, when someone does finally hit it, it resets at zero.