The 9/7 DB progressive .25 machines are still at the south circle bar upstairs, and the south bar of the two bars nearest the buffet.

The database shows three 9/6 JOB in dollars in the high-limit area. This report contradicts the earlier report in December when they were downgraded. As of yesterday, they were still 9/5 JOB. I think someone may have seen 9 for the fullhouse but did not look at the rest of the paytable.

Ameristar KC has removed the 10 play nickel machines upstairs with good pay tables. A bank of the 100 play were out of service and I assume they will soon be gone as well.

There are actually 20 25c Pick 'Ems in Game Makers (four banks of five machines each) near the Promotions booth, not 10. In addition, there are 4 $1 Pick 'Ems in Game Makers (two banks of two machines each), again near the Promotions booth.

There are TEN 100-play 1c/2c/5c machines (I love these things!). There are EIGHT 10-play 5c machines. There are THREE 50-play machines, probably 1c/2c/5c.

Ameristar has several (as in 20+) 9/6 machines in 25 cent five play and have 8 or 10 five cent machines in ten play. They also have three $1 three play in the high-limit area.

Overnight (yes we were there yesterday and today) Ameristar, Kansas City, downgraded all VP machines in the high-limit area. The $1 3-play/5-play uprights are now 9/5 for JoB, 7/5 for Bonus, and Ugly Ducks. The $5 JoB progressives are downgraded to 8/5. I strongly suspect this move was to bleed more from the New Year weekend visitors but doubt seriously they will be upgraded after the holiday is over. As of this afternoon the full pay 5-play quarter machines in the kiosks were still intact.

Ameristar has 25c/50c 9/6 JoB again, in the old location near the craps tables.

The dollar 9/6 JOB machines -- slant tops by the downstairs bar -- are gone. Replaces by new and short pay machines. The only dollar machines left are some old ones by the deli and I suspect they will soon disappear also. Looks like the best gamble in the Ameristar is a $5 9/6 JOB progressive in the high-limit area with over $25K on the clock.   5-play NSUD, 9/6 JOB, and 8/5 Bonus -- can also be found in two kiosks of 6 machines each in the first floor VP area near the bar.

Some of you may recall my reporting that the KC Argosy had added quarter AA to their GameMakers, but shorted the pay scale (4-of-a-kind pays 150 instead of the usual 200, 98.49% payout). I said I hoped the other casinos in the area would not follow their example. Well, I was at the Ameristar tonight and the AA there has been shorted the same way, on both the quarter and dollar versions. Jerks.

BTW Ameristar is fairly generous with discressionary comps. We have found it is better to ask a host for a comp rather than a clerk at the promotions booth. The clerk is likely as not to take the comp out of your points. There is a host office to the right of the main slot booth outside the casino (across from the rail car) and a host station near the high-limit area inside the casino. You can cash in points for comps at the rate of 100 points per $5 or get Cashback at 125 points for $5 (then in both cases, even dollar amounts above $5).