GameMaster Rating: 90 points (of 100)

General Comments: This casino was recommended by "James" who received a $50 check from us for the tip. Basically a 'clone' of River Belle except somewhat smaller, the software, which is by Microgaming, gives you the option to not install certain games in order to save setup time. That's a nice feature and should you later change your mind about a particular game, it can be easily installed. I never did play here, since I only play in the "fun" mode and for some reason, I was set up with a 'real' $$$ account and never could find where the fun play was. But, after having reviewed many Microgaming sites, I feel very comfortable in how the software works. An excellent feature at this casino is a feature called "Playcheck" which is a complete audit trail of your play. It lists the time of each hand, the amount bet, which cards you got and so forth and it shows your result and updates your 'bank'. It's a fantastic tool which you can use to increase your confidence in Internet gaming. I just wish 'real' casinos had such statistics.

Recommendations: I don't know if "fun" play is offered here or not. If it is, they need to make it easier to find on their web site and if it isn't, they should consider offering it, because few players will go to a site which doesn't allow a trial run. The betting minimums for some of the games here are quite high; 50-cents on Video Poker and the slots, $1 on Keno. Perhaps they don't want the "average" player as a customer, but they should consider it. On the other hand, this is a good 2-dollar Blackjack game.

Games Analysis (All this information was correct on the date listed above)

Blackjack: Single-deck which is shuffled after every hand. Double only 'hard' 9,10,11; no double after split; Dealer stands on A-6; dealer does not take a hole card, so all doubled bets against a 10 or Ace are lost if dealer gets a Blackjack; insurance available. Only 'like' cards may be split. (You can't split J,K for example.) The casino's edge is approximately 0.2%. Betting limits $2- $200.

Blackjack playing tips: This is a pretty good game, but you need to remember that both bets are lost if you double or split pairs against a dealer's 10 or Ace and he (she, it?) gets a 'natural'. This requires a change in basic strategy. You should not take insurance.

* The theoretical return is the long-term payback a player who is using the correct strategy may expect. The return is lower for 1-coin play because the Royal Flush pays less when fewer than 5 coins are played.

Slot Machines: There are four here in denominations of 50-cents, $1, $2 and $5.

Craps: This is a 'typical' game with single free odds. The Field bet pays double on 2 and 12, so the edge there is 5.26%. For some reason, your bet on the 'pass' line is moved to the point box when a point is made, so don't freak out; it only moved. You may then add odds on it up there. The limits are $1-$99.

Craps playing Tips: Be sure to read all the menu items at the top of the screen; this game leaves most bets 'on' during the come-out and you may not want that. Also, you may take back your odds bets by right-clicking on them at any time before the next roll.

Roulette: This is a 'European' wheel with a single zero, so the casino has a 2.70% edge. The 'en prison' rule does not apply. Limits are $1-$10 on a single number and range up to an $80 maximum on the 'even-money' bets.

Pai-Gow Poker: I could never get this game to open.

Keno: In the Silver Dollar version, you may pick from 1 to 15 spots and the pay schedule varies accordingly. Unlike many other Keno games, this pays for some of the lower 'hits', so it reduces the 'variance' (bankroll swings), and, while they've shaved quite a bit off the higher end, the net effect is to raise the overall pay back of the game. An analysis of the 4-spot game shows a long-term payback of 94.46%. The minimum bet is $1.

Red Dog: This is a simple game where the player makes an 'ante' , then two cards are chosen and you may raise your bet if you think a third card will fit in between the first two. There are some other opportunities, but the casino's edge is nearly 4%.

Red Dog Playing Tip: Raise only if there are 7 or more spaces between cards. Betting limits are $1-$50.

Summary and Rating of the Silver Dollar Casino: This casino is attractive and the games offer, for the most part, a fair return when compared to other venues. While comparatively small, the Silver Dollar Casino is a nice place to visit and, although it doesn't offer any games where the skilled player can gain an edge, virtually all the games here are operated with a very low casino advantage. That consistency, along with a good help section, and an obvious desire to establish their credibility earns Silver Dollar Casino 90 points out of a possible 100.