Was at Harrah's on 7/22/04 and they do indeed have a bank of 99%+ machines. These machines are on the lower floor, by the quarter progressives. As you enter the boat, they are one floor down all the way to your right, against the far wall. There is a big 99%+ sign above them. The bank has 9/5 TP+, 9/6 JOB, 9/6 DDB, 9/7 DB and NSUD. By the way, you earn zero bonus reward credits on these - location details unknown.

The final 25c play has been killed at Harrahs. The 7/5 JB progressive on the Mardi Gras side had a quad progressive that would frequently hit 100%+ ($49 quad needed). The quad meter was dark. Looked at the JB pay schedule and it's still 7/5, but quads now pay only 125.   25c FPVP at Harrahs...RIP!

I could not find any $1 NSUD or any other playable game at Harrah's East Chicago today. All $1 deuces on the second and third floor are 20-12-10. The remaining $5 triple play has been turned off so I suspect that is being trashed too. I turned my comps into Visa Cards and will not be back to Harrah's East Chicago until there is some playable video poker.

One of the two $5 triple play has been trashed. They have one $1 NSU deuces in high-limit. The 25c progressives in the basement have returned to there original pay tables. This is usually the best 25c game in that house (The 7-5 bonus game was at $2450 for the royal which is of course playable at about 101% ER). The best non-prog. 25c game is Illinois deuces (Airport deuces to LV residents.) on a couple of machines on the third floor (no 9-6 DDB or 9-7 DB). Some of the bad quarter games have been made less bad (25c triple play has 9-5 DDB, 8-5 Bonus deluxe and 8-5 jacks and a couple of other 97% games.) Most of the single line poker is around 97%. (Actually a big improvement. DDB is 9-5 rather than 8-5 for example.)

I was at Harrah's East Chicago and can basically confirm everything you saw. Basically the only good games are the two $5 Triple Play NSUD games. Best 25c game is the triple play fast action playing 6-5 jacks which is 97.6% at the progressive reset. I estimate the feed at about 1%. Other games on this bank are at least 1-1/2% worse! Best $1 game is probably the 8-5 DDB which also adds about 1% total feed to the five progressives. (Obviously pretty pathetic!!)

The machines on first floor are now up and running AND as expected al the paytables have been totally TRASHED. This includes the old .25 NSUD, the WHite Hot aces (now 6/5), and the .05 50 plays. One is still out of service but it appears that everyone has terrible paytables. Harrahs has done it again! The triple play $5 nsud is still intact but we anticipate that too wil be trashed when the move it to TITO with the rest. While every machine was not checked there apppears to be othing else even REMOTELY playable. What is scary is that the place was very busy with people playing this "refuse". We plan to go on a comp burn, room use, coupon cashing, reward credit binge. Although things may change at some point I see absolutely no reason to give them any play.

I indicated last Thursday that Harrah's E. Chicago was remodeling the third floor table game room. Unfortunately they also remodeled some paytables. All the single line quarter games on the back wall have had the same "Game King" graphics and paytables put into them as the "new" games in that area. All under 97%! Also #3362 which used to be a Triple Play 25c game with NSUD and 9-6 jacks is now also a single line 25c "sucker" job but still shows the triple play box art. #3339 (25c Triple Play NSUD) downstairs still exists as I won about $170 from it before being overcome by smoke!! The $5 version still exists as a good friend of mine got hammered by it this morning. They also finally opened up the progressives on the 25c Fast Action but they look too slow to make up for the poor games (Best game in the group is 6-5 jacks which is 97.6% at reset.) They have opened one of the two $1 White Hot Ace games as triple and five play only but with a 7-5-80 pay table (25c downstairs is the full 9-5-80) I will take a pass.

I found a $0.05 50-play NSUD machine on the lower level near the 3-play $0.25 NSUD, I could not find the 9-6 $0.25 3-play - location details unknown.

The quarter JB and 9/6 DDB are MIA. The old multigames now contain 8/5 jacks, an inferior deuces paytable and several video slots. On a positive note, there is now a triple play (quarter) machine with 9/6 jacks and NSUD on the table games level. Construction notes: Decoration of the vp "dungeon" seems to be completed. Indirect lighting now periodically changes color of walls. Woohoo. Diamond lounge seems to be getting chopped up for some reason. Premier club at Majestic has moved off the boat, though can be accessed from high-limit room --A smart play since dockside gaming lessens the value of an onboard lounge.

It's a typically sad Harrah's VP inventory but room offers are very strong (deducted from comp account for that trip) and the rooms are excellent. I have just a few hundred Total Rewards Points and receive a monthly offer for one night free (non-weekend) room.

Hosts can over-ride the new Rewards Program to take care of "good" players. Compees must now pay the $5.40 room tax.

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).