Gambling: Another form of 24-hour entertainment. Another vice that fills the void created by no 24-hour-restaurants in Davis.

Davis Gambling

  • Poker Tournaments - These are usually held at people's homes. However, cardroom business establishments are legal throughout California provided they don't charge some kind of excessive ante (although often banned by city ordinance).
    • Note that most student residences on and near Campus are not a part of the city of Davis. See City Limits
  • Dice - There are dice and cups available at various bars, but I'm sure most people are just playing to see who buys the next round. Never cash, .. right? Popular games include Devil's Dice and Hi-low something-or-other.
  • Lotto - Do people in Davis actually play lotto? Every liquor store seems to do a lot of business in lotto scratchoffs.
  • "Office Pool"-style Sports Wagering - People often bet on playoff spots, spreads, final scores, and often for what ends up being a fairly substantial sum of money.

Casinos near Davis

Think you have to be 21 to lose money you don't have? Think again. At least two casinos within the region permit 18 year olds to gamble their hearts out.

  • Thunder Valley Casino - 21 years and older - 30 Miles from Davis - United Auburn Indian Community - Website
    • 2700 slot machines and 98 gaming tables
    • Run by Station Casinos, who has several large and fancy "Locals Casinos" in and around Las Vegas.
  • Cache Creek - 21 years and older - 36 Miles from Davis - Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians - Website
    • 2,254 slot machines and more than 121 gaming tables
  • Red Hawk Casino - 21 years and older - 55 Miles from Davis, in Placerville - Website
  • Jackson Rancharia - 21 years and older - 60 Miles from Davis - Band of Miwuk Indians - Website
    • 1500 slot machines, 40 gaming tables
    • No alcohol served/allowed.
  • Colusa Casino - 21 years and older - 60 Miles from Davis - Colusa Indian Community - Website
    • 750 slot machines and approximately ?20? table games
  • Twin Pine - 21 years and older - 80 Miles from Davis - Middletown Rancheria band of Pomo Indians - Website
    • Not the newest or fanciest place, but does serve alcohol.
    • Unsure of what their age policy is for alcohol— might be 18+?

Anybody know which local casinos accept California Welfare cards?

Horse Racetracks near Davis

  • Cal Expo - 20 Miles from Davis (Sacramento, CA) - 18 years and older - Cal Expo Sports & Wagering at the "Budweiser Grandstand"
    • $3 General Admission / $6 Clubhouse Admission
    • Open year-round, Wednesday through Sunday (Opens 10:00 a.m.)
  • Golden Gate Fields - 60 Miles from Davis (Berkeley, CA) - Age to gamble not specified
    • Grandstand $3, Club House $4, Top Of The Stretch $6 (no children), Turf Club $10 Weekdays, $15 Weekends and Holidays.

Card Rooms near Davis

Sacramento Region

Unsure of whether these are 18+ or 21+ — anyone know?

  • The Limelight Cafe Card Room - 1014 Alhambra Blvd, Sacramento, CA
  • Capitol Casino - 411 N 16th St, Sacramento, CA - Website
    • The biggest and the nicest area cardroom.
    • Fantastic staff, competent dealers.
    • 21+, but I've never seen them card. You can count on them carding if you win big. Spread 3-6, 4-8, 9-18 hold 'em, all with a half-kill. Call ahead for 9-18 as there is a long wait. You cannot call for the other limits.
    • Large, nice bar & grill area with big screen TV
    • Very good restaurant - excellent food at good prices.
    • Just added 2 Pai-Gow tables.
    • Jo-ann provides massages most days at $1/min at the tables, and Ron will shine your shoes for $5.
  • Lucky Derby Casino - 7433 Greenback Ln #C, Citrus Heights, CA - Website
  • Phoenix Casino - 5948 Auburn Blvd, Citrus Heights, CA

Beyond Sacramento Region

  • Casino San Pablo - 21 years and older - 55 Miles from Davis - Lytton Band of the Pomos Indians - Website

Nevada

Despite the ads from local Indian Casinos about "Nevada Style" Gambling, you can just drive to Nevada and get real Nevada Gambling. Slots, cards, roulette, and craps are all available. They are a bit further away, and in the winter, if it is raining here, it means it is snowing in the mountains, so it can take longer to get to, if you can get there at all. All Nevada Casinos are 21 and up to gamble.

  • Reno - The Biggest Little City in the World. Easily accessible at 145 miles east on Interstate 80.
  • Lake Tahoe - The most popular area is South Shore, since it is easily accessible via Highway 50. Although it is more scenic than Reno and a little closer to Davis at 115 miles away, Highway 50 can be slower, so it generally takes the same amount of time. If you want to go Old School, North Shore is a bit further away, but is host to the Cal-Neva Resort, the Biltmore, and some other smaller casinos.
  • Las Vegas - (see adventures outside of Davis) The mother of them all, however it is 580 miles away, and approx. a 9 hour drive. If you are saavy, you can get lucky sometimes and score cheap plane tickets.
    • If you need to know more about Vegas, watch the Travel Channel for a while. It seems to be "Vegas Week" every week there. It's like watching the History Channel for WWII crap, its always on.
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