VP seems basically unchanged. Nice variety of games included in the approximately 150 machines on the lower level. Check pay tables carefully because they differ on identical neighboring machines. 50-play and 100-play machines seem to alternate with 9/6 JOB and 9/5 JOB on every other machine. Neglected to check VP in high-limit area on top floor. Management not too cooperative on providing comp policy info. Hotel is nice. I prefer rooms in the old tower to newer rooms, although new rooms are nice. Older rooms have more luxurious baths with large Jacuzzi tub, large glass shower, remote TV, and separate water closet, all lacking in the new rooms. The outdoor pool that opened this summer is a nice addition. It is not enclosed, yet is billed as a heated pool open all year. I wonder if the pool designer ever spent a winter in the midwest. If you visit Belterra, you had better enjoy the casino because the only other activities available are golfing on their course (which I don't) and picking corn in the surrounding fields.

As someone also noted Belterra has doubled their # of VP at least. Nearly all their new machines are .25/.50/$1 MG TI/TO. Some of their initial good games have been downgraded (especially at the .25 level) so you have to be careful and look at the paytable. They have triple points on Tuesdays and Thursdays and beginning with the installation of the new machines have also added double points on Friday and Saturday. Their best games continue to be DDB 10/6/40, Super Aces, Bonus Poker Deluxe, JoB 9/6, DB 9/7, ACES Bonus, and BP. There is also 1 machine with $1 & $2 3/5/10 Play with DDB 10/6/40 and JoB.

Major changes at Belterra as they triple the number of machines that they have (now almost 150). Current database inventory correct but add the following: 1. (6) 25c, 50c, $1 10/6 DDB (with 40 for STFL) in 3 play, 5 play and 10 play. TITO Slants 2. (1) 25c, 50c, $1 8/5 SA in 3 play, 5 play and 10 play. TITO Slants 3. (3) Super Times pay with 9/6 JOB in 25c, 50, $1 in 3/5/10 play. TITO Slants 4. (2) 9/6 JOB Multistrike at 25c, 50c, $1. Machines also have 12/4 DB Deuces (99.98%). One upright, One Slant, both TITO. 5. (6) Single line 25c,50c,$1 with FP 2P Jokers and 10/6/40 DDB. These are scattered between machines that don't have full pay so check. Also have 9/6 JOB. TITO Slants. 6. (12) Bank of 12/10/4/4/ $1 Deuces Wild with progressives on 5 of Kind, Deuces, STFL and Royal. Uprights. Lots of other machines with junk on them, so look carefully. All machines are TITO and have turbo speed buttons. These are the fastest multi-line machines I have ever seen! All VP is located on the lowest level of the boat. There are three VP parlors (two semi-enclosed and one open in the middle of the two). All single line 2P Jokers and DDB are in the open area. The multi-play, multi-demon are in each of the enclosed areas. Check each machine as only every other machine has the good games but there are still plenty to play. Belterra is a great place to stay. they have good food - jeff ruby's steakhouse - and the buffet is usually quite good. the rooms are great. they're big and have a marble bathroom with tv and jacuzzi tub - for two!

I phoned the Belterra casino in Indiana and asked about room and food comps. The host is Jim Swan . He said that their comps are based on theoretical. I told him that we will only be playing their best 25c VP games and will play about $6000 coin-in per day combined play. He offered me 2 nights comped upfront, and said that he would review our play and probably comp some food. He said that they have a buffet, steak house (new), and a 24 hour coffee shop.

Belterra has just installed a whole bunch of new machines some with the best pay tables (I believe) in Indiana. For instance they have 10/6 DDB (shorting the straight flush to 200 to stay under Indiana's no over 100% games radar) and a few other games also with good pay from nickels to multi-play dollars. The onle big drawback at the Belterra is the Cashback is a dismal .125.

Belterra has been changing its machines around again so I thought it was time for an update. BAD NEWS - The 50 Play 5c Super Aces are gone as are the 10 Play. All of these have been downgraded to 7/5. This was a great play on triple point's days. The 9/6 JOB multi-strike is now 8/5. It now takes $8 to earn a point on every Video Poker machine (1 point is worth 1c making cashback .125%). GOOD NEWS - There are now 6 100-Play and 6 50-Play machines with JOB at the 1c, 2c and 5c levels. On triple points days this is almost breakeven. Triple points in July are Tues, Thurs and Sunday. They briefly had 9/5 SDB on the machines but it disappeared last week. Maybe it will return? They have also added 25c 3/5 Play 8/5 Bonus as well (6 machines). The 9 $1 9/6 JOB machines still exist. OTHER NEWS - The old steakhouse has been replaced with a Jeff Ruby's steakhouse (he's a local restaurant legend) which is a different upgrade. The old coffee shop is now a full blown Starbucks (another big improvement) which makes comps useful for take-home coffee and stuff. Also a new tower has been built which has even better rooms than the already excellent original rooms.

Cashback has been halved for all VP. I talked to a host and was told that this is a permanent change.

Belterra Casino is about an hour and 15 minutes from Cincy. This is the nicest casino in the area, almost classy. They have the best rooms by miles as well. They also have the best low/mid roller VP. There are (6) 25c machines with 8/5 BP and Aces Bonus. There are also (2) 50c machines with 8/5 BP and Aces Bonus. They have (4) 5c 10-Play machines with 8/5 BP and 8/5 Super Aces. Also available are (2) 25c 9/6 JOB Multi-Strike machines. Belterra also has (12) $1 9/6 JoB machines. They also have x3 points on dollar machines every Sunday at the moment. That's a pretty good play for the weekend in this part of the country. Cashback is only 0.25% but they have x3 points every Tuesday and Wednesday and x2 points every Saturday in March. On multi-point days the 5c 10 Play SA is a really good game for us low/mid rollers. I get bounce back cash as well from all three. It's normally $10 x 4 from Belterra and Grand Vic (which can be $20 x 4 on specific days of the week) and $20 x 2 from Caesars ( x3 points for the other 2 weeks). That's with about $10,000 - $20,000 of action a month at each (very rough estimate).