Best Casino with Live Entertainment
The casino experience isn't limited to the gaming floor. Many top-rated casinos are paired with luxury resorts, upscale spas, first-rate eateries and, of course, entertainment venues. The following casinos outside Las Vegas provide some of the country's best in live entertainment, hosting a wide range of musicians, comics and sport matches both in huge state-of-the-art music arenas and on intimate stages at nightclub lounges and country bars.
These 10 winners were selected by our expert panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.
1. Mohegan Sun—Uncasville, CT
Mohegan Sun is one of the country's largest casinos with over 300,000 square feet of gaming space including 4,000 slot machines and 300 table games. Consistently ranked as one of the top venues in the world, the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena plays hosts to music headliners. Enjoy the country music scene at Comix Roadhouse as well as comedy acts and popular entertainers at the Wolf Den, where shows are free.
2. Foxwoods Resort Casino—Mashantucket, CT
Over 2,900 slots, 250 table games and a 30,000-square-foot bingo hall await at Foxwoods Resort Casino. World-class entertainers grace the stage at the Premier Theatre with a year-round calendar of top-notch performances. You can also experience a vibrant nightlife at multiple bars and lounges with a great lineup of live artists.
3. Borgata Hotel and Casino & Spa—Atlantic City, NJ
Get ready to put your poker face on at MGM's Borgata Hotel and Casino, which offers over 80 poker tables and daily tournaments. You can intersperse your gameplay with popular music acts and standout comedians at the 30,000-square-foot Event Center, which features 30-foot ceilings and excellent acoustics, or at the impressive Music Box theater showcasing every musical genre from jazz to heavy metal.
4. WinStar World Casino and Resort—Thackerville, OK
With over 400,000 square feet of gaming space, WinStar World Casino & Resort is the largest casino in the US. Explore nine world-themed venues from table games in Beijing and video poker in Rome to your favorite slots in Rio, now entirely nonsmoking. Entertainment is larger-that-life here too with top names performing at Lucas Oil Live, a 6,500-seat venue with an exclusive club seating level and a private lounge.
5. Choctaw Casino & Resort—Durant, OK
Choctaw Casino & Resort boasts an impressive 7,400 slot machines for your enjoyment, with 3,200 slots and table games in a nonsmoking area. You'll also find plenty of fun in the poker room, with 25 tables and a dedicated staff. The three-story convention/entertainment complex showcases headliner names from a wide range of genres.
6. Thunder Valley Casino Resort—Lincoln, CA
Located in Lincoln, California, the Thunder Valley Casino Resort prides itself on pampering guests. They're certainly spoiled for choice with over 3,400 slots, table games, bingo and a poker room. Its newly opened entertainment center, The Venue at Thunder Valley, seats 4,500 and is already drawing top-ticket artists such as Ne-Yo, Gwen Stefani and Pentatonix.
7. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain—Wheatland, CA
With more than 1,600 table games and slots, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain brings its rock 'n roll energy to Sacramento gaming. Its Hard Rock Live concert venue seats 2,500 and boasts a 6,000-square-foot stage. Guests can catch big-name comedians and music acts as well as boxing and MMA bouts.
8. Live! Casino Hotel Maryland—Hanover, MD
Live! Casino Hotel Maryland features around-the-clock action with over 200 table games, 4,000 slots and one of the nation's biggest poker rooms. Its neighboring entertainment venue, The HALL at Live! spans 75,000 square feet and three stories. With 4,000 seats, this concert venue draws huge crowds and the best touring bands and comedians as well as championship boxing.
9. MGM Grand Detroit—Detroit, MI
Take your chances with nearly 2,500 slot and video poker machines or choose from almost 160 table games at MGM Grand Detroit. First-class entertainment comes standard in these facilities featuring standup comedians and top vocalists in an intimate setting. For a more relaxed venue, sip cocktails and enjoy live music in the posh AXIS Lounge.
10. Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hollywood, FL
Just 10 miles from Fort Lauderdale beaches, this casino provides a wide array of slots, table games and video betting. But the party doesn't end on the gaming floor, with big-name artists rocking the stage of the 7,000-square-foot Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Guests can also explore more than 20 lounges and even take the music to their rooms with guitar rentals.
About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards
Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.
Panel of experts
Linnea Bailey is an award-winning journalist specializing in travel and tourism. Her freelance work can be found in Southern Living, The Palm Beach Post, Florida Weekly, Modern Luxury, art&culture, The Palm Beaches Blog and more. A former newspaper reporter, she now owns a communications company in West Palm Beach. Linnea is an active member of The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), the North American Travel Journalists Association, the International Travel Writers Alliance, The Family Travel Association and The Adventure Travel Trade Association. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida's journalism school. Learn more about her travels at www.linneabailey.com.
Misty Milioto is a freelance writer and editor with 22 years of experience working with publications across the country. Publications have included Sunset; U.S. News & World Report; and Modern Luxury's suite of 80+ regional publications, such as Aspen Magazine, San Francisco Magazine and Scottsdale Magazine. She also oversees a luxury lifestyle blog at girlwilltravel.com. She loves everything from exotic destinations and outdoor recreation to exploring the bounty of foodie goodness in New Orleans, where she is currently based. You can connect with her on Instagram.
Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.