The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT)’s first stop of four at Canterbury Park in 2020 saw 485 entries logged over two initial starting flights with 66 players returning Sunday for an 11 a.m. The poker room at Canterbury Park is the biggest and best in Minnesota, offering a huge number of games and multiple tournaments each day. After this, the best rooms can be found at Fortune Bay Casino and Shooting Star Casino.

1. Canterbury Park Poker Room Reviews 2017
2. Canterbury Park Poker Room Reviews 2018
3. Canterbury Park Poker Room Reviews Las Vegas

You’ll be able to find some great action in Minnesota when it comes to Texas holdem poker. Due to state laws, you won’t find any no limit cash games as there must be a limit on how much each player can bet. The way that many poker rooms have gotten around this is offering spread limit holdem games with limits on the buy in amount which effectively make the maximum bet an all in bet anyway.

No limit holdem can be played in tournaments as per usual, which is nice. On top of the spread limit games you’ll also be able to find plenty of limit games at medium and high stakes which means if you’re looking to make some decent money you can still do so.

The poker room at Canterbury Park is the biggest and best in Minnesota, offering a huge number of games and multiple tournaments each day. After this, the best rooms can be found at Fortune Bay Casino and Shooting Star Casino.

Canterbury Park Poker Room Reviews 2017

Poker is still relatively popular in Minnesota, yet like many other states the game has taken a hit since black Friday and the attempted shutdown of online poker. You’ll still find many people taking to the felt and battling out. The general standard of play is much higher than 5 to 10 years ago, but you should be able to find an edge if you pick the right times to play.

List of Texas Holdem Poker Rooms in Minnesota

Black Bear Casino Resort

• Location: Carlton, Minnesota
• Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
• Tables: 4
• Games: No limit holdem tournaments are held on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday with a buy in ranging from $35 up to $120 on weekends. For the cash players out there they spread $2 / $10, $2 / $20, $2 / $40 and $2 / $60 spread limit holdem.
• Ambience: This non-smoking poker room features TVs on the walls to keep you entertained while you play. The tables and chairs are standard yet comfortable.
• Hospitality: You’ll be served with cocktails and food while you play in this poker room.
• Players: You’ll come across mostly older regulars in this poker room with the play being passive and slow. You should be able to do well, but you’ll need some patience and will have to pick your spots wisely.

Canterbury Park

• Location: Shakopee, Minnesota
• Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
• Tables: 32
• Games: You’ll find up to three no limit holdem tournaments here every day, with the buy in ranging from $50 up to over $1000. Call ahead to check on precise buy in figures. If you are looking for a cash game you’ll find $2 / $4, $3 / $6, $4 / $8, $6 / $12, $8 / $16, $20 / $40 and $40 / $80 limit holdem, $2 / $4 stud, $6 / $12 limit Omaha 8 or better and $30 / $60 mixed games. They also offer some spread limit holdem games to satisfy the no limit enthusiasts out there.
• Ambience: This nice poker room is open and spacious with TVs across the walls in a completely non-smoking environment. The green felt tables are comfortable and clean and sit amongst bright red carpet and beige and brown decor. It makes for a very nice looking room which is just great to play poker in.
• Hospitality: Comps can be earned at a rate of $1 to $1.50 per hour depending on stakes played through the MVP Rewards Card. On top of this you’ll receive food and cocktail service at the table and they also run jackpots and promotions to keep you coming back.
• Players: This is a poker player’s paradise; everyone is friendly and welcoming and loves the game, so if you are in the same boat you’ll really enjoy playing here. The play will be tough, but certainly still beatable. Dealers and management are mostly friendly and welcoming.

Fortune Bay Casino

• Location: Tower, Minnesota
• Hours: Open Thursday and Friday from 4pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm
• Tables: 4
• Games: No limit hold’ em tournaments are held on Friday and Saturday at 6pm with a buy in of $55 and $110 respectively. If you are looking for a ring game you’ll find a range of spread limit holdem games to satisfy your needs.
• Ambience: This non-smoking poker room is partially separated by a half wall from the rest of the casino. They have some TVs in the room to keep you entertained while playing and the maroon and white felt tables are clean and complimented by comfortable seating.
• Hospitality: This poker room features a progressive bad beat jackpot and some high hand bonus prizes. You’ll be served cocktails at the table and comps can be earned through the Wild Edge Players Club.
• Players: It will be quite random most of the time at the tables here, you’ll notice the same few regulars playing a lot of the time with visitors and amateurs making up the rest of the table. The vibe is welcoming and fun and no one takes it too seriously.

Grand Casino Mille Lacs

• Location: Onamia, Minnesota
• Hours: Open Monday to Friday from 10am, Saturday and Sunday open 24 hours
• Tables: 8
• Games: No limit holdem tournaments are held from Thursday to Monday with the buy in fluctuating from $40 to $100. Sometimes two tournaments are offered on a day. If you are looking for a cash game you’ll find $2 / $10 and $5 / $60 spread limit holdem and $3 / $6 limit holdem.
• Ambience: This poker room features black and grey table felt amongst a beige and brown decor. The poker room is well lit and features TVs on the walls for your viewing pleasure. It’s also completely no-smoking for your comfort.
• Hospitality: Comps can be earned at 50 cents per hour through the Grand Rewards Players Club. On top of this they offer players food service at the tables. They also run a progressive bad beat jackpot for their cash games.
• Players: You’ll come across a lot of local regulars in this poker room making the play quite tough. If you don’t have a super strong game, consider visiting during the busy hours when the tables are slightly softer. The general vibe in the room is fun and welcoming.

Northern Lights Casino – Walker

• Location: Walker, Minnesota
• Hours: Monday and Wednesday to Saturday from 10am, Tuesday from 12pm, and closed on Sunday
• Tables: 3
• Games: No limit holdem tournaments are held on all days they are open except Wednesday. They also offer a limit holdem tournament from time to time. The buy in will range from $20 up to $125. If you are looking for a ring game they spread $3 / $6 limit Omaha 8 or better, $1 / $5 stud and $3 / $6 and $4 / $8 limit holdem.
• Ambience: This small poker area is no smoking and has TVs that are viewable from the table to keep you entertained between hands. The tables and chairs are clean and comfortable and the lighting is decent for a long session.
• Hospitality: Players will receive 50 cents per hour in points and 25 cents per hour in points while playing here. Comps are doubled on Wednesdays. You’ll also be served cocktails and food at the table and they have a range of promotions and a jackpot.
• Players: You’ll come across softer players here who are mostly amateurs. While this sounds good it will take a lot of patience and skill to ride out the variance involved with playing such villains. You can probably find much better value in games elsewhere.

Running Aces Harness Park

• Location: Forest Lake, Minnesota
• Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
• Tables: 23
• Games: If you are looking for a cash game you’ll find $2 / $100 and $5 / $100 spread limit holdem, $4 / $8 limit Omaha 8 or better, $2 / $4 and $3 / $6 limit holdem and $2 / $4 stud games running. Sometimes they will open up higher stakes limit holdem tables if there’s sufficient demand. For the tournament players out there they run up to three tournaments per day. Most are no limit holdem with the buy in ranging from free rolls up to $150.
• Ambience: This room is spacious and open with red, green and gold carpets set amongst beige, brown and yellow decor. Tables and chairs are simple yet clean and TVs are viewable from most seats so you can stay entertained while you play. The room is also non-smoking for your comfort.
• Hospitality: Comps can be earned at $1 per hour through the Running Aces Rewards Club. If you are playing higher stakes games you can earn $5 per hour. You’ll also receive cocktail and food service at the table so you can push out your session that little bit longer.
• Players: Due to the size of this poker room and the fact there are always multiple tables running you’ll always find a game that suits you here. The play is solid with some amateurs softening this up a bit on weekends. Dealers and management are great and ensure that a fun time is had by all. This is a great option for poker in Minnesota.

Seven Clans Casino Thief River Falls

• Location: Thief River Falls, Minnesota
• Hours: Open Monday and Thursday to Saturday from 6pm
• Tables: 3
• Games: Only cash games are offered here with $2 / $100 spread limit holdem being the game.
• Ambience: This small poker area is no smoking with clean and well maintained tables and comfortable chairs. TVs are viewable from the table so you can stay across the latest sports scores while you play.
• Hospitality: You’ll receive food service while you play poker in this casino. They also offer players some promotions and a jackpot, as well as comps through The Club rewards program.
• Players: It’s going to be very random in respect to who you come across while playing poker in this casino. So take your time and assess each villain at the table before you start making moves.

Shooting Star Casino

• Location: Mahnomen, Minnesota
• Hours: Monday to Thursday from 4pm, Friday from 2pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11am
• Tables: 7
• Games: No limit holdem tournaments are offered Friday to Sunday with a buy in of $90, $80 and $60 respectively. On top of this they spread $2 / $10 and $3 / $20 spread limit holdem cash games.
• Ambience: This room features TVs on the walls and is no smoking for your comfort. The maroon felt tables are clean and the furnishings in the room are comfortable so you can push out your session longer.
• Hospitality: You’ll be served with drinks and food at the table while you play in the Shooting Star Casino poker room. They also run a bad beat jackpot and offer aces cracked prizes on certain days of the week, usually a Sunday.
• Players: The local regulars here are friendly and welcoming, which is great for the game. On top of this dealers and management go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. Throw in the loose players which come to the tables over the weekends and you’ve got a pretty awesome poker room.

Treasure Island Casino

• Location: Welch, Minnesota
• Hours: Monday and Wednesday from 4pm, Thursday from 8pm and open 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday
• Tables: 6
• Games: No limit holdem tournaments are held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a buy in of $110, $50 and $65 respectively. They also spread $2 / $6, $2 / $10, $2 / $60 and $4 / $20 spread limit holdem cash games.
• Ambience: This small poker room is partially separate from the rest of the casino and is completely non-smoking. The wooden decor is very nice on the eye with soft lighting and traditional chairs and tables. TVs are strategically placed around the room to keep you entertained while the guy on the button repeatedly tank calls.
• Hospitality: Comps can be earned through the Island Passport Club and you’ll also be served cocktails and food while at the table playing. They also have a range of promotions and a jackpot to push your drop and rake dollars further.
• Players: You’ll come across some tough regulars and some crazy amateurs in this poker room. Embrace it and you should have a lot of fun. The dealers are good here and have in depth knowledge of the game and always go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome.

Conclusion

Minnesota isn’t considered a Texas holdem mecca, but the state has plenty of options for player who are willing to travel a short distance. The next time you plan to visit the state, or look for a new game of holdem if you live in Minnesota, check out our in depth listings to find a great place to play.

Update 11/19 Update:

In accordance with Executive Order 20-99, Canterbury Park will be temporarily closing at 11:59 PM on Friday, November 20th.

On Wednesday Governor Walz issued Executive Order 20-99 in response to the worsening outbreak of COVID-19 across the state and throughout the Upper Midwest. The order mandates the temporary closure of entertainment venues, including Canterbury Park, beginning this Friday night at 11:59 PM.

Since the onset of this pandemic, Canterbury Park has been an industry leader in promoting the safety of our team members and guests. Canterbury Park was the first gaming property in Minnesota to close our doors this spring for the well-being of our community. Since reopening, our team has implemented a robust COVID Plan that has delivered a safe and secure environment while giving our fans something to smile about in this challenging year.

Canterbury Park Poker Room Reviews 2018

To our knowledge, Canterbury Park has not been the source of any transmission of COVID-19. For those team members or guests who have become sick or exposed to COVID-19, we implemented a proactive, onsite contact tracing program utilizing our surveillance and security systems to take any and all measures appropriate. Our adherence to CDC and state guidance for team member return to work policies has been as strictly enforced at Canterbury as anywhere in the state. I’m proud of the effort and responsibility our team and guests have shown during these difficult circumstances. To each and every one of you, thank you.

While we are disappointed Canterbury Park is included in this decision, we understand the current situation facing Minnesota and the need for the Governor to make difficult choices despite the real impact on businesses, communities and families.

We join others in the hospitality and entertainment industries making this tremendous sacrifice for the betterment of all of Minnesota. We will retain our commitment to protecting the health and well-being of everyone who works and plays at Canterbury Park when we are able to reopen.

The entire Canterbury Park family thanks you for choosing to play at Canterbury Park, and we look forward to welcoming you back when we can. We will keep you informed as we know more.

Cashing Mutuel Tickets: Beginning on November 21 until we reopen, any vouchers that need to be cashed can be sent via mail. Please be sure to send a return address and phone number when mailing tickets for cashing.

Tickets should be mailed to:

Canterbury Park
Attn: Mutuel Manager
1100 Canterbury Rd
Shakopee, MN 55379

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Update 11/13:

In accordance with Executive Order 20-96, Canterbury Park will not allow onsite consumption of food and alcohol between the hours of 10 PM and 4 AM. Canterbury Park’s Chips Bar and Restaurant will remain open for takeout service. Additionally, seating at the bars will be unavailable for the time being. We apologize for the inconvenience but are committed to creating a safe environment for our team and guests.

Dear Canterbury Guest,

Throughout this pandemic, the safety and well-being of our team members and guests has been, and will continue to be, our top priority. As Minnesota’s first gaming property to close at the outset of this pandemic, we stand by our core values of fun, family, community and integrity.
As we put our team back to work and welcome our guests back to Canterbury Park, we do so with the following guiding principles:

1. Creating a Safe Environment For Our Team & Guests
Canterbury Park is committed to providing our guests with a safe place to play. To deliver on that promise, we have implemented health screening standards to help prevent symptomatic or exposed guests, team members, vendors and horsemen from accessing the property.
We invite you to Come Play. But if you’re sick, please stay home – we’ll be here for you when you’re healthy enough to return.

2. Providing and Maintaining a Sanitary Facility
Canterbury Park is committed to following best practices for cleaning and sanitary measures. Our team has put together detailed cleaning standards, responsibilities and frequency guidelines to ensure all areas of high traffic and contact are disinfected regularly throughout the day.

3. Employing Best Practices at all Transactional Touchpoints
While we know Canterbury Park cannot be a 100% contactless environment (you still need to be able to stack your chips and cash your tickets!) we have reduced touchpoints where we can. In those areas harder to eliminate all contact, we have installed sanitizer stations throughout the property for your use. We ask that you help us by frequently washing and sanitizing your hands.

4. Following Social Distancing Guidelines
Social distancing is one of the most important things we can do to protect each other from the spread of COVID-19. Canterbury Park is following all recommendations from state officials and health experts to maintain adequate spacing throughout the property. From queuing line graphics on our floors to capacity limits our on building, we want everyone to have the space they need to play comfortably.
Across our building, you’ll see Plexiglas dividers in areas of high traffic where social distancing can’t be maintained – including our table games and poker games. Don’t worry … our team has been busy practicing ‘air’ high fives and fist bumps. After this much time away, we’ve gotten pretty good at it!

5. Ensuring the Proper Usage of Protective Equipment
Canterbury Park is continuing to follow the advice of state government and health officials to employ best practices for mask usage in public. We are requiring all guests at Canterbury Park to wear a mask in all indoor spaces. Additionally, guests are required to wear masks
outdoors unless seated and socially distanced. You’ll still be able to take it off to enjoy a cold beer or one of our premium pizzas – we just ask that you keep it to a minimum.

6. Providing Education, Training and Encouraging Continuous Improvement
As we have said throughout this process, the safety and wellbeing of our team members and guests remains our top priority. We ask you to actively participate in that process.
We’re all learning together. We understand not every decision will be right the first time, and are committed to an ongoing review of our guest experience and team member policies. If at any time, we are not meeting the expectations you have for your gaming environment or we have set forth for ourselves, we encourage you to provide us feedback.

If you have any feedback for us, please contact us at cbypark@canterburypark.com.

We are so thankful to finally be able to welcome our guests back to Canterbury Park. We will continue forward as we always have – together.

Canterbury Park Poker Room Reviews Las Vegas

Sincerely,

Randy Sampson