The Borgata Poker Room Review

The Borgata is widely thought of as one of the East Coast’s premier poker destinations. I think this is primarily because… it’s true!

The Borgata Poker room is an attractive, spacious 80+ table venue that is quite comfortable and professionally run. To remain top dog in the Northeast, the Borgata must withstand pressure from newer venues like Maryland Live! and National Harbor. It is up to the challenge.

Setting

The poker room occupies such a large space within the Borgata that it almost feels like a separate venue. When playing there you likely will not hear the clatter of the slot machines or hubbub of table games. For those of us focused solely on poker, this is Nirvana.

Add to that very high ceilings and wide spaces between tables, and you have the perfect spot to play poker. I usually do not care about decor in poker rooms. However, the Borgata poker room’s thick carpet, soft tan hues and stately columns render the room quite pleasant. The chairs are comfortable, but not so large you knock into your neighbors. Extras like charger ports at your seat are a plus for those of use whose cell phones are always near death.

Borgata Poker Room Staff

The floors and dealers are top notch. The dealers are skilled, control the action, and rarely make mistakes. Floors keep the tournaments moving and are always accessible for questions. Service staff circle frequently for drink orders. Overall, the staff is professional but approachable and friendly. Customer service is clearly a priority here.

Players

If you have never played live poker before, I would not start at the Borgata. The tournament players I encountered were more skilled than those at top Vegas rooms, including the excellent Venetian, or premier Northeast venues like Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun. The mix of experienced locals and players who come to Atlantic City to play poker is unique. The Borgata does not host a lot of tourists wandering in to give poker a try.

Tournament Structure

It is remarkable how difficult it is to find a good tournament structure. The Borgata’s daily tournaments provide an array of options each week, from inexpensive Turbo formats (15 minute blinds) to $100 buy ins with deep stacks and 20 minute blind levels. If you’re willing to pay $200, you can find deep stacks with 25 to 30 minute blinds.

That is just the Borgata’s standard fare. There are also the Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall Opens with bigger buy-ins and prize money (and generally longer blind levels). The Main event in each of these series draw top names in poker.

The Borgata has something for all levels of competitive tournament player.

Overall

Channelling my inner Tina Turner one more time: the Borgata poker room is simply the best.