to 4000) Base Reward Credits in the year to get Platinum status and 10,000 to get Diamond status. Comps don't expire for 6 months, and are banked indefinitely as long as one point is earned every 6 months. Also, comp points can be used at any Harrah's property. Most Marketing offers aren't deducted from your Reward Credit balance. Hosts can over-ride the new Rewards Program to take care of "good" players. Hosts can't give discretionary comps until all reward credits are used up.

Harrahs STL: The (1) 8/5 Aces/Faces is no more. It's now 6/5. $10-coinin = 1 Reward Credit = $0.01 comps on their FP machines. NO 'bonus' reward credits on FP machines here, which makes comps a straight 0.1%.

I did find (1) $1 9/7 DB machine on the progressive back on the Island side near the highlimit room. This progressive is frequently over $6K, which is the 100% mark when playing 9/7DB.

Harrah's still has the 3 almost full pay games on the Mardi Gras side in the high-limit Slot/VP area. They added a bunch of All American games, but the 4 of a Kind only pays 150, so it is a bad game. They also added a bunch of triple play Pick Em games and as usual the pay scale is short and no good. The 9/5 Double Double bonus bank (8 games) w/progressive is pretty active and the other day the royal was over $11,000 (over 100% but very volitile) Over on the Island side there still are a few 99% $1 games, but that is nothing to get excited about. Harrahs also added just recently a bank of 8 Bonus Poker 7/5 (base 98%) with 4 progressives, so this may occasionly offer a playable game.

There is NO fullpay .25 games at Harrahs now. There are (3) .25 machines that you could play in a pinch : (1) 8/5 Bonus, (1) 9/7 DB and (1) 8/5 AF.

The $1 10/7 DB I reported has their quads shorted to 239 ala Casino Queen. With Harrahs miserable cashback, this play is marginal at best. The $1 10/6 DDB also has their quads shorted to 239. The $1 deuces game I mentioned is NSUD. The old $1 9/7 DB slanttop progressive on the Island side is no more. All Gamemakers are currently shutoff. I know the ones on the Island side were up briefly, and all PE was short. My guess is they are having problems with the TITO.

I just went to Harrah's today and they are in the middle of updating most of thier VP machines from the old style to ticket pay machines. (yeah !!). The not so good news is that most of the machines are totally unplayable. The sort of OK news is that I did find a few decent (that is an opionion) machines. I will go back to try to inventory the quantity of these now that I know the return. Bonus poker 8-5 99.2% (0.25 thru $2) Double Bonus 9-7 99.1% (0.25 thru $2) Dbl Dbl Bonus 9-6 99% (0.25 thru $2) Triple Dbl Bonus 9-7 99.6% (0.50 thru $2) very volitile game everything else I checked was very bad. I was not able to check the return on Super Dbl Dbl or One Eyed jacks games, so if someone could help with that I would appreciate it.

All the fullpay Pickem was yanked from Harrahs within the past 3 days. New Gamemakers have been installed but are 'Out of Service'.

Harrahs has 8 - $1 9/7 DB progressive machines on the island side that are often close to or positive, and still have the 1 - $1 DB 10/7 on the mardi gras side but I have heard it will be update with most of the $1 video poker machines about 1/31/04.... no known changes in pay schedule, but very easily could happen, they updated some of the really bad $1 DDB 8/5 machines to allow multiple denom. of $1 to $25, but hopfully noone would play them.

Pickem and 10/7 DB earn ZERO bonus credits which makes comps a pathetic 0.1%. Expect mailed CB of 0.1%. They opened a new Diamond room but don't expect comp drinks. They state it's because of Missouri Gaming Commission law. I guess 5 miles away at Ameristar they are breaking the law at their Star Club lounge. UPDATE on Diamond lounge : I have only been asked to produce my Diamond card - not ID like at the Rio or Harrahs LV. They normally put out a hot food selection every afternoon and keep hot food out until at least 10pm on the weekends. Range : Quality has dipped significantly in the past year. Very disappointing as this was once an outstanding steakhouse. Antonio's : Very good Italian, but menu prices are high. Not a good value for your comp dollars. If comp dollars are of no concern, I would not hesitate to eat here. It is a white tablecloth restaurant with excellent service. Buffet : Very average. You're better off going to Ameristar and eating there "Mega-buffet". Jesters Deli : Generous amounts of meat on their sandwiches and a 50% cash discount to Diamond card holders.

1 Base Reward Credit is earned for every $5 coin-in on reel slot machines ($10 video poker), and Bonus Reward Credits are awarded based on the type of machine played. On average you get 2 Bonus Credits and 1 Base Credit for every $10 of VP coin-in (probably fewer Bonus Credits for positive VP machines). It takes 3,000 (increased

Diamond Lounges now require Photo ID to get in and usually you can only take 1 guest. Be sure to have your Diamond/Platinum cards to avoid lines for buffets (find one on the floor if you don't have a card so you can avoid long lines).