I realize that the post title ($40 and Free Borgata Nights) sounds good to be true, but stay with me until the end and I promise we’ll get there. As someone who loves to gamble but doesn’t love to lose, earning free stuff is the best way to offset my (meager) gambling budget. Ready to earn some cash and stay at one of the best hotels in Atlantic City for free? Here we go.

Step 1: Sign Up for Swagbucks (Free)

Swagbucks (This is a signup link and will give us a small referral bonus) is a rewards site that serves as a shopping/deal portal. Advertisers put their offers on the site, Swagbucks gets their cut, and offers you a reward for shopping, playing games, etc. I’ve personally redeemed thousands of dollars worth of rewards (No, not with referrals but by shopping/deals) on Swagbucks and can happily confirm that they’re legitimate. One of the more popular offers is the app MyVegas, which allows you to play slot games and earn points for hotel stays in Las Vegas and, yes, Atlantic City. Signing up will allow you take advantage of these offers!

Step 2: Use the MyVegas Offer and Download the App

MyVegas is an app that has officially partnered with MGM. You can view our full guide here, but if you signup for MyVegas through Swagbucks, you can earn $40 USD (4,000 Swagbucks) just for playing the game. You earn your rewards and you earn the cash, so there really isn’t any downside. Note that you’ll need to play consistently at first, which we’ll get to in the next step below.

Step 3: Reach Level 135 In 7 Days

Here is the most difficult task that awaits you, though it shouldn’t be too bad for most. Play consistently each day and gather XP (Be sure to send chips to friends and follow MyVegas on Facebook for extra chips). I was able to do this in about 5 days of consistent slot play. Once you reach level 135, you should see your 4,000 Swagbucks pending in your account. This will take 14 days to “settle,” but once done you are able to redeem those bucks for gift cards or directly to your Paypal account as cash monies.

There you have it! A quick and easy way to earn comps for the Borgata and a decent chunk of beer money in the process. If you run into any trouble during the process above, be sure to reach out to Swagbucks’ support team with any questions or concerns.

I have to admit that, while I love our Atlantic City trips, I have a tendency to try and stretch out our non-gambling dollars as much as possible. Usually this includes redeeming as many MyVegas rewards as possible, keeping an eye out for the best hotel prices, and saving up points/miles so I can stay for free. Those shouldn’t be the only weapons in your frugal arsenal, however. You shouldn’t forget about sites like Groupon, which offer steep discounts for hotel rooms, drinks, and food! Here are our favorite Atlantic City Groupons for you to take advantage of.

Important Note: Be sure to use Rakuten (Formerly eBates) when buying anything on Groupon. Rakuten gives you 2% cash back on any purchases made there (Affiliate Link).

1. Little Water Distillery Tour

No Atlantic City trip would be complete without sampling some of the local flavor, and Little Water Distillery has you covered! This Groupon includes a tour, tasting, and shotglasses as a nice souvenir to remind you of the good times and (hopefully) some winning.

2. Hard Rock Cafe

The Hard Rock Casino has been a recent newcomer to the scene, and this Groupon gives you a good excuse to go and check it out. While not the best food in the world, the Hard Rock brand is recognizable and affordable. Go eat on the cheap so you can put that money to work on the tables!

3. Absecon Lighthouse

OK, so I might be a little biased with this one. I think lighthouses are awesome, and I’m a sucker for a good view. This little piece of history is still hanging out just outside the range of casinos, so why not take a break from gambling and check out this neat little Atlantic City Groupon? Worth a shot!

Just about every smart Craps player out there knows the importance of the Odds bet, and Atlantic City is no different. It is the only bet in a casino that eliminates the house advantage (Meaning that the bet offers “true odds” and pays out accordingly) . The house knows this as well, of course, and limits how much a player can put behind their pass line bet. Given that knowledge, 100X Odds seems rather crazy then, right? Why would the casino allow the player such a huge advantage? It’s all about marketing. Casino owners would like to get as many players in as possible and hope that they play enough “dumb” bets to make up the difference.

In times past, 100x Odds Craps could only be found in a select few casinos in Atlantic City. These included the Wild West Casino and Bally’s AC (Bally’s changed hands 2 years ago. The new owners are Twin River Worldwide Holdings).

Where can I play 100X Odds Craps in Atlantic City Now?

Unfortunately, we have bad news for players on this front. Neither of these casinos offer 100X odds anymore. They’ve since lowered their maximum odds to 10x. While this is an unfortunate update, it isn’t all that surprising. A good streak at 100x odds could cost casinos a significant sum, though 10x is still very competitive for the area. Both Wild West and Bally’s also have the lowest craps minimums as well. Just about every other casino in Atlantic City will only cede 5X odds to players.

While there are a number of Poker variants out there (Criss Cross Poker, for example), Flop Poker is another fun twist that can be found at a number of casinos in Atlantic City. It’s a pretty straightforward game to play as it uses normal poker rules, with each player at the table trying to get the strongest hand that they can. A full list of Flop Poker rules can be found on the Borgata’s site here.

Flop Poker Basics

To summarize, play starts with a “pot” and “ante” bet from each player. You’ll receive a 3-card starting hand as well as a 3 card community “flop” to complete the best 5 card hand you can put together. Once your cards are received, you have the option of folding and losing their ante bet or raise with a flop bet that’s equal to their ante wager. Important Note: Even if you fold, you still may be able to win the pot, so you retain your cards.

Once all players have completed their actions, the dealer will put up 3 cards on the table. As a player, you’ll need to use 3 of your own cards and 2 of these table cards. Once tallied, if you placed an ante wager and a flop wager, you’ll win with at least a pair of jacks. There’s a pay table that you’ll receive that you can peek at here. The pot continues on like a regular poker game and the player with the best poker hand wins. Simple, right?

Flop Poker Table Minimums in Atlantic City

The pandemic has really thrown table minimums for a loop, but during my last stay at the Borgata in June of 2021, the table minimums were $10 per bet.

Where to Play Flop Poker in Atlantic City

Thankfully, Flop Poker is a fairly popular table game and can be found in most casinos in the marina and on the boardwalk. I prefer the marina properties myself, but your mileage may vary. These include:

• Harrah’s AC
  
• Caesar’s AC
  
• Borgata

When looking for new table games to try out in Atlantic City, you may want to consider Criss Cross Poker. It’s an interesting variant that was introduced to the gambling world in 2014. It’s popularity has only grown since then, so it’s definitely worth checking out. The game is also readily available in a number of casinos in Atlantic City, and we have a full guide for you pointing out where to play and what to expect for table minimums.

If you’re not familiar with how to play Criss Cross Poker, it’s easy enough to learn. You can find a full guide on how to play here. Basically, the player receives 2 hands and gets to use 5 community cards to build them out. The cards are placed in a “criss cross” pattern, hence the name.

Where to Play Criss Cross Poker

While the game is becoming increasingly common, here are a list of places that you can currently play:

• The Borgata
• Caesars/Harrah’s
• The Tropicana
• The Golden Nugget

If I had to choose where to play, I’d pick The Borgata. They have a classy setup over there in the Marina, and you also have a chance to find the mysterious $5 Blackjack table!

Criss Cross Poker Table Minimums

While minimums for all table games have been skewed upwards thanks to COVID-19, I saw most Criss Cross Poker Table Minimums end up around $10 per hand. You’ll see this spike to $15-$20 during the pandemic or during peak times, however.

Looking to improve your skills at Blackjack? You’ve come to the right place. While Blackjack is a great game that’s a ton of fun with a good group of friends, it can be intimidating to approach at first. Other players at the table will often question your decisions. Worse still, they’ll loudly complain if you make an “incorrect” play that results in them busting. Just a little bit of work will help you avoid these scenarios, however. With that in mind, here are some resources that will help you hone your skills at Blackjack and ensure that no one will think that you’re playing in the wrong manner. Here’s how to get started.

Important Disclaimer: I am not claiming that taking any of the actions below will make you a winning player at Blackjack. Like all casino games, the house retains the edge and you will lose over the long term. Still, it’s important to be prepared and be the best player you can be at the game.

1. Learn Basic Blackjack Strategy

When playing, you’ll often hear players mention “the book” and what action it dictates they should take. This book is basic Blackjack strategy. Given certain rules of the game, there are optimal actions you can make as a player. This will maximize your chances of winning and other players will take note and nod along even in the face of losses knowing that you made “the right” plays.

The best part about basic strategy in Blackjack is that’s it’s incredibly easy to learn. There’s an exhaustive Blackjack guide that you can view here.

Another common tactic is to bring a “strategy card” that tells you exactly what your optimal play is given certain cards, rules, etc. You can pick up a strategy card over at Amazon here. You can bring these to the Blackjack table with you or simply have them along in case you need to brush up on your strategy before sitting down.

2. Learn to Card Count

Once you grasp the basics, you may be ready to take your Blackjack game to the next level. While not illegal, card counting is a somewhat controversial practice. The basic jist of it is that as a player, you have the ability to watch and track what cards have come out from the deck. Under the right circumstances, you would increase your bet amount if those conditions are favorable, thus shifting the advantage to the player instead of the house.

Unlike in glorified movies like “21,” the reality of a card counter is that playing is a grind, and you need to be constantly alert in regards to how the game is flowing. Even if you play absolutely correctly, you’ll only be shifting the game edge to a slight advantage to you. I don’t card count myself, but if you’re interested, the best resource I’ve come across can be found over at Black Jack Apprenticeship.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

It can be helpful to practice your Blackjack game outside of the pressure of a live table. This is especially true if you’re just starting out and run into scenarios where you’re not sure what the “correct” play is according to the book. Nicole and I prefer to get a little something when we’re practicing, so we recommend using the MyVegas Blackjack app, which can be found over at Google Play and the Apple store. It’s free and allows you to earn comps for the best casinos is Las Vegas and The Borgata in Atlantic City. For a full run down of how MyVegas works, check out our guide here.