I have in DC visiting a good pal who is also a poker player. We decided we would spend the week being social rather than gambling 15 hours a day and this spent just one day at the card room and that room was Maryland Live. It couldn't have begun better as I dialed up the casino in transit to get us both on the $2-5NL list. We rolled in about 30 minutes later and got to sit next to each other at a new table. A baseball game was playing right behind the dealer's ear and the cocktail service was prompt unlike my recent experiences in southern California. It also looked nice. Half the poker rooms in Florida looked dinghy and some of the rooms in California look overgrown Moose lodges.

Casino & Hotel: Poker room - See 1,270 traveler reviews, 205 candid photos, and great deals for Hanover, MD, at Tripadvisor. Casino & Hotel: Great poker room. See 1,269 traveler reviews, 205 candid photos, and great deals for Hanover, MD, at Tripadvisor.

As a $2-5NL player I have a much better luck in rooms where they are playing higher stakes at other tables. Maryland Live was running a $10-25NL which meant there were fewer serious players stuck at $2-5. Still, this was a tougher $2-5 game than any of the Southern California casinos I played in May and tougher than my Florida games in Pompano and St. Pete. If I were 25 years old it would be tempting to become a congressional aid and spend my downtown playing poker on the side. This can't be more than 30 minutes from Capitol Hill although it will probably take a hit when MGM opens at National Harbor.

What made this game tough was younger and more serious players. I was down at least $350 before I came back to win $112 after about 6 hours of play. It helped that I was a new face and my early losses made the regulars see blood in the water. They had no trouble paying off my high hands when they finally arrived.

I would typically put this to the top of the list, but with National Harbor opening in December and so close to where my pal lives I might not make it back anytime soon.

Maryland Live Casino is the largest gambling facility in Maryland, featuring more than 4,300 slot and electric table games, 174 live-action table games, including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Mini-Baccarat, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, and a new Poker Room.

Located halfway between Baltimore and Washington DC, Maryland Live! Casino enhances the Arundel Mills Commercial District which offers 3 million square feet of retail, entertainment, and commercial space and 1,200 hotel rooms. The $500 million gaming and entertainment destination opened in June 2012. Casino guests must be 21 years of age.

Slot Machines

Maryland Live! The casino was built following a referendum that Maryland voters approved to authorize slot machine gambling across the state. The casino has more than 4300 Las Vegas-style slot machines including themes such as Wheel of Fortune, Monopoly Bonus City, Sex and the City, 5 Dragons, 50 Dragons, Lucky 88, Miss Kitty, The Hangover, American Idol, Burning Reels, Betty Boop’s Love Meter, Jungle Wild, Playboy Hot Zone and more.

The Poker Room

The 14,800 square foot, state-of-the-art Poker Room at Maryland Live! The casino is one of the largest in the country. With 52 tables, the Poker Room offers a variety of games to accommodate every level of player from the casual player to big games, including Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha and 7-Card Stud. Game limits and game types at each table are based on player demand. The 2-level room offers a variety of amenities including a dedicated cage, safety deposit boxes, a private bar, elevator, tableside food service, and phone charging stations built into the poker tables.

Rams Head Center Stage

The 500-seat venue with state-of-the-art light and sound features a full slate of live entertainment, seven nights a week, with headline performances every Thursday. Specialty theme nights, such as Football on Monday Nights, featured on the big screen; Ladies Night every Tuesday; Country Night on Wednesdays; retro 80s classics on Thursdays; and Classic Rock every Sunday night, will showcase some of the most popular local and regional bands, including Mr. Greengenes, Peterbilt, Hot Tub Limo, and Kristen and the Noise. All showtimes are 8:00 p.m. For information or to purchase tickets online, visit ramsheadcs.missiontix.com.

Restaurants at Maryland Live! Casino

• Bobby’s Burger Palace – from celebrated chef Bobby Flay
• Phillips Seafood – the region’s favorite crab and seafood restaurant
• ​The Cheesecake Factory – the nationally known restaurant offers a wide selection of menu items as well as 50 types of cheesecake
• LUK FU – Asian-themed restaurant features expertly crafted Dim Sum, traditional Congee and Pho, to Wok-fried and Steamed Noodles.
• Noodles – an authentic Asian wok and noodle bar
• The Prime Rib – premier fine dining steak and seafood restaurant
• Live! Buffet – international buffet including Italian, American, Asian and seafood favorites

Location

7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD 21076
The casino is located at the intersection of the Baltimore/Washington Parkway and Route 100 and Arundel Mills Blvd. See a map
Parking: The parking garage has 5,000 spaces. Self-parking is free, valet is available for $5.

Hours

Open Sunday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m. Beginning on December 27, 2012 at 8 a.m. (pending regulatory approval), Maryland Live! Casino will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Jobs at the Casino

Jobs at Maryland Live! Casino are posted regularly. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. The Employment Center hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Located at 7270 Park Circle Drive in Hanover, MD, recruiters on staff will assist with online applications and answer questions about the recruitment process. Walk-ins are welcome. Job descriptions and requirements are posted online at www.jobsatmarylandlivecasino.com. For information, call (443) 445-2500.

Official Website: www.marylandlivecasino.com

Hotels Near Maryland Live Casino

• Aloft – 7520 Teague Road (443) 577-0077
• Element – 7522 Teague Road (443) 577-0050
• Hampton Inn & Suites – 7027 Arundel Mills Circle (410) 540-9225
• Hilton Garden Inn – 7491 New Ridge Road (410) 878-7200
• Holiday Inn Express – 7481 Ridge Road (800) 601-7808
• The Hotel at Arundel Preserve – 7795 Arundel Mills Boulevard (800) 370-4023
• Residence Inn – 7035 Arundel Mills Cir (410) 799-7332
• SpringHill Suites – 7544 Teague Road (410) 799-7100 ‎

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