If you were to ask me what the most Vegas-style casino is in California, I would say Pechanga. The video poker selection here is more extensive than the other California tribal casinos I have been to, and they have better paytables, and a variety of bet denominations to choose from. I found the casino to be very clean, bright, airy and lively, without being too crowded or overly smoky. Lots of casino attendants, and The parking was free, plentiful and close to the casino, unlike some other casinos (I'm looking at you, Yaamava). I like their food court, and the grounds in general are beautiful and relaxing. Can't make it to Vegas? Come here, and you will feel like you are in Vegas! JustShane

For a video poker player, this place is definitely among the worst....which is a disappointment, because I had such high expectations. The size of this casino is HUGE! Slots as far as the eye can see......but finding the video poker machines here is like hunting for truffles in a forest. So few machines, and so spread apart and difficult to find. Then when you do find them....what a disappointment. The best machines I found were only 8/5 for JoB, and they went down from there. Also there are minimums for any bet lower than $1, so they are not exactly "budget friendly" if, like me, you enjoy a long evening of JoB or another low volatile game. Your money goes quick here. Avoid this place on the weekend at all costs. The streets around here are jammed, and you can tell this place doesn't have the infrastructure it needs to handle as much traffic as it gets. Parking is a nightmare as well on the weekends. I can get in and out of DISNEYLAND better than this place! Food options......well......they have a buffet which obviously sells out very quickly, and this weird "food court" which is basically you just ordering from a computer screen and being served cafeteria food. I didn't see any real, recognizable food "brands" here. If you are a slots player that loves to go to an overcrowded casino with bad odds, bad food, and bad parking, then Yaamava is your place! Otherwise, for us VP players, it's obvious they don't cater to our crowd. Save your money and go elsewhere. JustShane

Bad news: Spirit Mtn is remodeling the back room in the Sports Book area and replacing machines with Top Golf simulators. That area used to have 26 of their best VP machines including a bank of 25c progressive JoB machines. Now the only VP in the Sports Book area is one bank of 4-5 Game King multigames. I can't really see Golf Simulators being a popular attraction with the Spirit Mountain crowd - but we will see. Most of the pay tables are still available (except for the bank of 25c JoB progressive machines) - there are just a lot less machines available now. They are clearly looking to replace all their old machines with the Game King multigames that offer many games including 8/5 JoB at 25c, and 9/5 JoB and 7/5 BP at $1. Clearly a VP downgrade casino wide :( pdx

Boulder Station might be the "budget" property of the Station Casinos, but they certainly have the largest selection of video poker I have ever seen! Rows and rows of VP machines to match any budget and any level of volatility that you are looking for. They also have a huge selection of various paytables, including ones that are over 100% (which you won't get loyalty points for). Parking is ample and not too far away from the casino. People are generally friendly, and if you are kind of a wallflower (like I am) you can easily find a VP machine in a corner to be by yourself, and be comfortable. Service was always great here, and I was served drinks on a fairly regular basis. Sure, the casino is smoky and obviously has years of smoke baked into it (so don't wear anything that requires dry cleaning), but is actually a fund atmosphere in that "old school Vegas" type of way. If you are into Bingo, the bingo hall is also fun and the employees are super friendly! I played once and realized it wasn't my game, but I had a great time and everyone was patient with me, and explained what to do. The rooms leave a lot to be desired, but they are clean. Think a very clean Motel 6 type of room, with a refrigerator :) Also, skip the pool, which is more like a "cement pond". It's basically a pool in the middle of a parking lot surrounded by four walls. I love their food court here. They have several fast-food options from known brands (including Starbucks), as well as Mexican food, and a Michoacana-style Mexican dessert station with all the ice cream and goodies. The bottom line is that most every casino has their fancy high-limit rooms and wants to be bigger/fancier than they are. But Boulder Station knows what it's working with, and caters toward that crowd. As a low-budget gambler, I appreciate that. VP players have options here, so it's a great choice for us! JustShane

Visible from I-5, quick to get in and out. Good pay tables, most of which pay 800 RF on one credit so perfect for low rolling 25 cents a spin at 98% if that is your thing, or only betting $2 a spin for 99%+ games in high limit. The new member promo is a $10-500 spin to win, I spun $50 and grinded it out at 9/5 quarter jacks or better for $57. I didn't notice the 1 credit = 800 RF until the end of my betting when I wanted to cash out to an even amount, since the ticket vending machines don't give change. They have a Fatburger and self serve drink dispensers. It is a smoking casino and smoke seemed about average. calwatch