Grand Victoria Casino Opens New $4M Poker, Sports Betting Space

Poker Hall of Famer Chris Moneymaker was on hand as the Grand Victoria Casino Elgin unveiled its vast new betting space on the Fox River.

Caesars Entertainment operates Grand Victoria Casino. Altogether, the expansion adds 6,500 square feet of gaming space for nearly $4 million. Executives cut the ribbon in front of the new entrance on Friday, Oct. 21.

Moneymaker — a World Series of Poker Main Event champion — posed for photos and signed autographs in Elgin as part of the opening celebration.

Rolando Guerrero is Grand Victoria Casino Elgin’s senior vice president and general manager.

“We are proud to officially open this luxurious space for sports and poker fans who visit our property,” he said.

About the new space at Grand Victoria Casino

A 2,100-square-foot Caesars Sportsbook and the 4,400-square-foot WSOP room will occupy the new entertainment space.

The new poker room features 20 poker tables in the expansive new space. The casino has three betting windows for sports bets, plus five self-service betting kiosks. Bettors also have 20 large-screen, LED TVs to watch the games.

Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital, said the new space at Grand Victoria Casino “is another step toward treating Illinois customers and sports fans like royalty.”

Other features behind the ceremonial red ribbon include:

• The lounge area, where guests can enjoy pizza and other eats from Crave Deli or The Slice Pizzeria & Pasta, and
• A full-service bar equipped with bartop gaming.

New poker room is big-event ready

Moneymaker played in a shoot-out poker tournament with a $25,000 prize pool and a $5,000 bounty during the grand opening. There are bigger card events ahead, however.

Grand Victoria Casino Elgin hosts a WSOP Circuit Event from Nov. 10-21. Players have until 7 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, to register. Play begins at 9 a.m. that day, according to the casino’s event schedule.

The gaming venue floats on the Fox River and features about 675 slots. Caesars throws in perks from its rewards program, and the preexisting casino already offered Vegas-style table games before the expansion.

Food offerings include Buckinghams Steakhouse and Bistro, plus the pizza and deli offerings near the new lounge.

Gold Strike Resorts and Hyatt Corp founded Elgin’s casino jointly in 1994. Since, the casino changed hands several times. Caesars Entertainment is the most recent operator after picking up the floating casino for $328 million.

Of note: Players planning to attend the WSOP event must find lodging elsewhere. The Grand Victoria Casino doesn’t offer accommodations for overnight stays.