Bally's Atlantic City Review for May 2024

Part historic, but with many renovations, Bally’s Atlantic City sits in a prime location on the Atlantic City Boardwalk and has something for everyone.

With accommodations that have been recently upgraded, and as diverse a selection of restaurants as you will find in Atlantic City, there is a lot to like about this resort. 

For this review I’ll guide you through everything you need to know about Bally’s, from the casino to the many dining options, from the cool bars to the various accommodations on offer. 

Bally’s Atlantic City sits on a plot of land formerly occupied by two properties, the Dennis Hotel and the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel. The latter is famous for its “Park Place and the Boardwalk” address – two locations famously featured in the board game Monopoly.

In 1977, Bally Manufacturing, the world’s largest manufacturer of slot machines, leased the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel for 40 years with the option of another 100 years. The same year they also bought the Dennis Hotel for $4million.

In November 1978, Bally demolished the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel to begin building Bally’s Park Place Casino. It opened in December 1979 with a renovated Dennis Hotel providing the accommodation.

In 2000, Bally’s Park Place changed its name to Bally’s Atlantic City, and in 2005 Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesars Entertainment) purchased both Bally’s and Caesars Atlantic City, which is located next door. 

In April 2020, Twin River Worldwide Holdings (now Bally’s Corporation) agreed to buy Bally’s from Caesars for $25 million.       

Location

Bally’s Atlantic City sits on the four-mile Atlantic City Boardwalk which runs parallel to the coastline. The Boardwalk is filled with a number of other casinos as well as various shops, bars, restaurants, and the Steel Pier, which includes a Ferris wheel standing at 227 feet tall, imaginatively called ‘The Wheel.’  

Prior to this visit to Atlantic City, which was my first, I had been warned about some aspects of it. Words like run-down, down at heel, shady, and unsafe had been banded about. As a result, I arrived with fairly low expectations. 

That being said, and perhaps because if it, I was pleasantly surprised. I found the Boardwalk to be well maintained and patrolled by security staff, and at no point did I feel unsafe when walking from casino to casino. Granted there are some run-down buildings and old casinos now closed, but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the city at all, and I would certainly visit again.       

The location of Bally’s, directly on the Boardwalk, is ideal during the summer months, with easy access to the beach within minutes. Alternatively, you could explore all the Boardwalk has to offer by riding the Boardwalk Tram Service which runs from Ocean Casino at the north end to Tropicana Casino at the south. 

The tram runs throughout the day and early evening, and operating hours vary by season. Tickets start at $4 for a single ride ($2 for children under 12) and $10 for an all-day pass.

Bally’s Atlantic City is located at the southern end of the Boardwalk, just up from Tropicana and connected to Caesars via a walkway. Its location allows for some stunning ocean views from many of the hotel rooms in the property.

Bally’s Atlantic City boasts 83,000 square feet of gaming space, which includes over 1,100 slot machines and 80 table games. There is also a relatively new High Limit table gaming area and a remodelled High Limit slots area.

It is important to note that, as per local and state law, there are a few areas within the casino space where smoking is permitted. However, this is not allowed to exceed 25% of the official gaming area. Aside from this exception, smoking is banned throughout the rest of the hotel and casino.

During my visit, I found the casino to have a friendly vibe, although it was somewhat quiet overall. The regular casino floor is a little dated when compared to Caesars or Ocean casinos, but it was still clean and well maintained.

Table Games Selection

There is plenty of choice for the table game enthusiast at Bally’s Atlantic City, with over 80 on offer.

Blackjack, Craps, Roulette and Baccarat are featured in both low and high limit flavours, and whilst there are also various poker games, the dedicated poker room at Bally’s is no longer open.  

Tables are well-maintained, and roulette is played on brand new Blaze tables. 

Classic table games:

• Blackjack - six and eight deck on offer
• Double Zero Roulette – plus a single zero table in High Limit 
• Craps
• Baccarat
• Poker

Variants:

• Spanish 21
• High Card Flush
• Three Card Poker
• Four Card Poker
• Let It Ride
• Pai Gow
• Mississippi Stud
• Caribbean Stud

Six deck Blackjack minimums start at $25, eight deck at $10 and Spanish 21 at $15. Craps is typically $10, double zero Roulette is $10. 

Poker game minimums are $5 for High Card Flush, $10 for both Three and Four Card Poker, $5 for Let It Ride, $25 for Pai Gow, and $5 for both Mississippi and Caribbean Stud. 

For the Baccarat players among you, bets start at $25 and the single zero Roulette table in High Limit has a minimum bet of $100. 

Bally’s is also the only casino in the city to offer the Royal 9 Baccarat Progressive with a $5 side bet. Royal 9 offers quick hitting progressive jackpots that pay out several thousand dollars at a time, including a Must Hit progressive. These progressives are paid to a single winner, which is a unique offering for Baccarat. 

Slots

My game of choice tends to be slots and I found the selection to be reasonable, although a little dated in some areas. If you are a classic slots player then you will be catered for, with a number of old school three-reel games on offer. 

However, if you are looking for good representation of the very latest games then you may be left slightly disappointed. 

By far and away the best feature of the Bally’s slot area is the Lightning Link Lounge. As the name suggests this lounge features all the latest Link variations in one place, including:

• Dragon Link
• Lightning Link
• Lightning Buffalo Link
• Buffalo Link
• Dollar Storm

In total there are 34 Link slots in this area which is decorated with the game logos on the walls throughout. This makes for a really immersive experience, particularly when full and with bonus rounds going off simultaneously. More casinos should introduce themed areas like this as they are incredibly exciting for the slots enthusiast, and with me being a fan of all things Link I made a beeline to that area as soon as I saw it.  

Ultimately, I lost a little money at Bally’s but enjoyed my gambling experience overall. I did however enjoy the casinos at Caesars, Ocean and Borgata more due to them all featuring a larger selection of the modern slot games. If you're used to the best online casinos in terms of slot selection, you may feel limited at Bally's, but for most land based players it's just about sufficient. 

Waitress Service

Most, if not all, gamblers enjoy the perk of a free drink or two while playing their favourite games and I am no exception. However, as most gamblers also know, this can be somewhat hit and miss and the ease of obtaining free drinks almost as volatile as the slot games themselves at times!

During my visit to Bally’s I found the best service to be in the high limit room, which will surprise no one, and a tip of around $5 guaranteed a speedy follow up service. However, it differed on the main casino floor, which was inconsistent, and I ended up cashing out and buying myself a beer at the bar on more than one occasion.

To be fair to Bally’s, my experience there was no better or worse than many other casinos that I have frequented. However, when you take into consideration the automated drinks system which works exceptionally well at Caesars next door, it’s difficult to resist the temptation of walking a few yards down the Boardwalk to take advantage of it.

Bar-Top Gaming

As with most modern resorts, bar-top gaming is available at Bally’s Atlantic City.

This is probably your best bet for a free drink while gambling on the main casino floor. $20 into a bar-top game is usually enough for the bar staff to offer you a complimentary drink. It’s also a very sociable way of gambling with lively conversations between bar staff and other players often the norm. 

Whilst the gaming options at bar-tops are usually quite limited - video poker, blackjack and a few simple slots - it can still be a lot of fun for a chilled-out afternoon’s entertainment.

Bally’s Atlantic City Sportsbook

A FanDuel Sportsbook opened at Bally’s in 2021 and is located by the Northern Boardwalk casino entrance. Customers can enjoy a central 25-foot-wide LED video wall, flanked by two 10-foot-wide video walls on either side. Fans can place sports bets at one of five betting windows or 20 self-service betting kiosks.   

The Sportsbook also offers pub style food such as burgers and sandwiches and customers can serve themselves local and craft beers from the self-pour beverage dispenser beer wall. Yes, that’s every bit as cool as it sounds. 

It’s open Mondays from 11am until midnight, Tuesday through Thursday 11am to 11pm and Friday through Sunday 10am until midnight. Hours are extended to accommodate key sporting events.

High Limit Gaming at Bally’s Atlantic City Casino

Bally’s opened its new High Limit table room as recently as 2021 and as a result it’s one of the best in Atlantic City, as well as being comparable to similar rooms in brand new casinos everywhere. Featuring a green wall and chandelier and designed for “elite guests” you will find everything you need to meet your high limit gaming needs.

Within this area, six deck Blackjack minimums start at $100 up to $6,000, single zero roulette from £100 to a maximum of £300. Outside wagers are £100 to £10,000 on even money wagers and $100 to £5,0000 on 2-to-1 wagers. Mini Baccarat is $100 to a maximum bet of £10,000.       

2024 also sees a remodelled High Limit slots area with a new private entrance, dedicated host desk, exclusive cashier, and private restrooms. This slot area is spacious and features all the games you would expect, including Wheel of Fortune, Top Dollar, Pinball and Dragon Link.

For those of you who feel intimidated at the mere thought of trying out a High Limit slot room, I would suggest a casual walk around before you jump to too many conclusions. Minimum bets on many of the machines start at $5 (depending on denomination) and often the progressive jackpots on offer at that bet level are higher than on the main casino floor. The gaming space is also more upscale, and you enjoy far more privacy while gambling. 

My experience of Bally’s High Limit slots was that the atmosphere was great and everyone seemed to be having fun. To make it even better, the group I was with all clubbed together and we hit a Major jackpot on one of the Dragon Link games for over $5,000! 

Cash and Payment Options

In line with other gambling destinations in the US, most gambling is completed using cash. It’s therefore important that you bring enough to cover your estimated bankroll…and maybe a little more in case of emergencies!

Of course, credit cards are accepted at restaurants, bars and shows, and room charges permitted at bars and restaurants within the resort you are staying at. Gambling, though, is a cash business.

ATMs are available, however these come with withdrawal fees, and whilst cash withdrawals over your ATM limit are available at the cashier cage, these come with fees which can exceed $100 in many cases.

The biggest upside in cash, of course, is that you will get your winnings quicker than even at fast payout online casinos. At Bally's that means using one of the many automated cashout terminals or taking your TITO or chips to the cashier cage.

Bally’s the only casino run by Bally’s Corporation which is located in Atlantic City. However, Bally’s do currently operate 14 other casino properties spread across the US and all these properties operate under the Bally Rewards Players Club.

Players Clubs are a great way of getting something back for your hours of gambling, and Bally Rewards is no exception. Of course, the higher your status the better the rewards. Bally Rewards tiers and point requirements are as follows:

• Pro (0 – 3,999 points): Exclusive e-mail offers and exchange Bally Bucks* for free slot play.
• Star (4,000 – 14,999 points): Complimentary self-parking and annual birthday gift.
• Superstar (15,000+ points): Complimentary valet parking, complimentary Resort Fee, complimentary show tickets, annual trip to Biloxi or Lake Tahoe and free annual cruise.
• Legend (Invite only): VIP check in, priority customer service, complimentary suite upgrade and complimentary access to Legends Beach.   

(*Bally Bucks are earnt based on your play at slots and table games. 200 Bally’s Bucks = £1 in free slot play.) 

To sign up you need to be at least 18 years of age and have some photographic ID. Just go along to the Players Club desk at Bally’s to register. 

Once you have registered for the card, ensure you use it every time you gamble, which means either inserting it into a slot machine before you play or handing it to a dealer at a table game.

New players qualify for a promotion whereby you can “play up to $200 on us”. This means that losses from $50 - $200 are mailed as future rewards in two equal free play offers after the first visit. 

Additionally, there is an ongoing Atlantic City tier match offer where players from Borgata, Resorts, Caesars, Harrah’s, Tropicana, Hard Rock and Ocean can match their status at those resorts to Bally Rewards. For example, Diamond status at Caesars Rewards qualifies you for Superstar status at Bally Rewards. 

The newly refurbished Bally’s VIP Lounge, which offers panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean along with a bar serving cocktails and food, is open to Bally Rewards members who have achieved Superstar and Legend status from Thursday - Sunday each week.    

Should you join Bally Rewards?

My rule of thumb is I always join the Players Club at whichever resort I am playing at. In short, you never know what offers you may receive as a result.

Bally Rewards broadly looks to be in line with the programmes on offer at other Atlantic City casinos, and during my visit they were giving away the free annual cruise to Superstar members. It’s fair to say the Players Club desk was extremely busy that day so the promotion is obviously very popular!

One element in the Terms and Conditions which I did find alarming is that the offer of complimentary Resort Fees for Superstar members does come with a caveat stating that it is “Based on play. Management approval is required”. 

This caveat seems out of sync with many Players Clubs in that it is common to qualify for no Resort Fees for as long as you retain your status – regardless of play and Management approval.

My advice would be to sign up if you plan on gambling at Bally’s and use the card at every opportunity, then just see what offers you receive.

Bally’s Atlantic City Rooms

Bally’s Atlantic City boasts approximately 1,200 rooms spread over three towers: Dennis Tower (the former Dennis Hotel), Garden Tower and Bally’s Tower.

Rooms in the Dennis and Garden Towers have not been renovated in recent years so should be booked with caution. However, the Bally’s Tower includes 750 renovated rooms sporting a bright summer beach vibe and a clean, fresh look. 

As the name suggests Bally’s Tower Ocean Rooms enjoy a view of the Atlantic City coastline.      

There are also 112 corner rooms in the Bally’s Tower which are larger and function as Junior Suites. These rooms have great views of either the city or coastline from both the living room and bathroom. The 45^th – 48^th floors contain 16 renovated penthouse style suites which include dining areas, wet bars and a pool table.   

Along with the lack of renovations, guests should be aware that rooms in the Dennis Tower can suffer from noise pollution from The Yard, an indoor/outdoor beer garden which is located in the courtyard below. Whilst ear plugs are provided on request, I would suggest booking a different room type if you are in any way concerned about excessive noise.   

Ultimately, if you are looking to stay at Bally’s Atlantic City I would strongly recommend opting for a refurbished room in the Bally’s Tower.

Bally’s Atlantic City Pool

Bally’s Atlantic City has a small indoor pool included within the fitness facility and is limited to adults only (21+). Bally’s Pool & Fitness is complimentary to all hotel guests with valid ID and a room key, and is open Thursday to Sunday from 10am until 6pm.

One exclusive benefit for member of Bally Rewards who have achieved Legend status (invite only) is access to the new Bally’s Legends VIP Beach, located just off the Bally’s Beach bar. 

This area offers exclusive private seating, cool towels, private food and beverage offerings and is open seasonally from Friday to Sunday.   

Bars

Bally’s has three distinctive bars which all offer a unique experience:

• The Yard: This indoor/outdoor beer garden is located in the courtyard by the Dennis Tower and features yard games and live music every Friday and Saturday night.
• Phil’s Carousel Bar: The only rotating bar in New Jersey and has live DJs every Friday and Saturday night. Phil’s Happy Hour is Sunday through Friday from 3pm to 5pm where many drinks are half price.
• Bally’s Beach Bar: Perfect for a summer’s day, this bar is right on the beach and focuses on cool cocktails to enjoy in the New Jersey sunshine.

Restaurants

Bally’s Atlantic City offers a diverse selection of dining options depending on your mood and price point:

• The Yard: This indoor/outdoor beer garden offers a gastro-pub style menu.
• Bally’s Beach Bar: As well as cocktails this bar also offers bar food.
• Carluccio’s Pizza: As featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”
• Casino Café & Grille: Located on the 6^th floor and serving breakfast and lunch daily.
• Jerry Longo’s Meatballs & Martinis: Higher end dining serving traditional Italian dishes.
• Park Place Prime: New for 2024 with a menu of hand-cut steaks and seafood options.  
• Macau Kitchen: Authentic Asian food including noodle and rice bowls.
• Johnny Rockets: American Diner serving burgers and shakes. 
• Sack O’ Subs: The Sacco family has been serving submarine style sandwiches in Atlantic City since 1947.   

Particularly recommended from this list is Jerry Longo’s Meatballs and Martinis. I found the service to be a delight and as a lover of meatballs I was not left disappointed. This restaurant will be on my repeat list for my next AC visit for sure!     

Shows and Entertainment

Bally’s has its own showroom which features one off performances, as well as seasonal entertainment. 

However, the biggest new show in town is called ‘Hook’ and is the latest Spiegelworld production in collaboration with Caesars, with the Hook showroom located adjacent to Bally’s. The show is billed as “an adults only homage to Atlantic City’s glorious (and notorious) golden age”. 

Now, unfortunately, I was unable to see this show during my visit, but based on the Spiegelworld shows I have seen in the past, expect adult humour and dazzling in your face acrobatics in what is likely to be an exceptionally entertaining night out. I very much look forward to catching this show next time I’m in town. 

Overall, I think Bally’s Atlantic City has a lot going for it. It is in a prime location on the Boardwalk, minutes from the beach, and conveniently connected to Caesars next door. A tram service is available directly outside, which is the ideal form of transport to explore the Boardwalk during the summer season. 

A number of recent renovations have made Bally’s an attractive place to stay. Significant upgrades have been made to rooms in the Bally’s Tower, along with the high limit areas of the casino and some of the bars, with more to follow. The property also benefits from appealing food and beverage outlets to suit all tastes.

I would, however, have concerns booking a room in one of the towers that has yet to be renovated. This particularly applies to the Dennis Tower where you have the added issue of noise radiating from The Yard bar area in the courtyard below. There are sections within the main casino which are in need of refurbishment, and the slot selection is not as strong as some of the competition.

In terms of the Rewards Club, the caveat around the waiving of Resort Fees would concern me, as the small print states that management sign off is required and is based on play, even at the second highest tier level. This is totally out of sync with other reward programmes whereby Resort Fees are waived for the entire time you are at the required level. 

This was my first ever visit to Atlantic City, and despite some negative feedback I had received prior to my arrival, I loved it. The beach was fabulous, the Boardwalk exceptionally clean, and I felt safe everywhere I went. 

The trip as a whole certainly exceeded my expectations, and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting and gambling in Bally’s Atlantic City.