This is a story of how I discovered Kings Mountain, North Carolina while preparing to go to Las Vegas, Nevada.
My best friend’s bachelors party will be in Vegas this Summer. I’ve always wanted to visit the bright lights of Las Vegas and the famous casinos. The royal grand elegance of the atmosphere, the unpredictability of the outcome, and the chance of winning big had always intrigued me.
Yet, the actual idea of being on a crowded casino floor with its array of games, clinking of chips, and the tumultuous sounds of the slot machines have always seemed overwhelming and very intimidating. This, combined with knowing pretty much nothing about any card game or a slot machine has kept me from experiencing the thrills of Vegas.
Lucky for me, I found a casino training ground right in my backyard. Located 25 minutes from my home in Charlotte, Two Kings Casino became my place to learn about gambling without all the "distractions" of Vegas. With the weekend approaching I packed my suitcase and with my wallet in hand, I took the short trip to Kings Mountain, NC.
As I entered the main room of the casino, my eyes scanned the 29,000 square ft facility. Not a huge casino right now, but not that small either. Totally manageable and not nearly intimidating as I thought it would be. Only electronic casino games filled the room: Blackjack. Craps. Baccarat, Roulette. Slots….lots of slots. Everything I needed in order to learn the games and to build my confidence was right in this room.
First up was slots. Put in your money. Pull the handle. Watch as the tumblers line up in your favor or end up cursing at the machine. The learning curve is quite easy on this one. I found that there is no reward for "so close." Having said that, I did discover I have quite a lucky arm as I walked away about $150 richer from only thirty minutes of game play. Lady Luck must be on my side.
Next up was Blackjack. This was not the typical game of Blackjack where you have a dealer and other players seated beside you. It was just me and a screen. No dealer and the players that you are betting against are virtual. The goal of Blackjack is to have a hand higher than the dealer. In this case 21 is the magic number. Knowing when to bet, when to take a card or when to double down is what separates the novice like me from the high bidders and Rolexes wearers. As the game progressed, I learned the importance of reading other opponents and the art of bluffing. I was able to learn at my own pace without the pressure of other players or the dealer. I could make mistakes, learn from them, and improve my game. Nevertheless, within the learning process I lost about $75. But, what is more important, is that I understand clearly why I lost it.
The next game that was on my list was Roulette. Imagine a spinning wheel with black and red slot numbered up to 38. You can bet on a color or you can bet on a number. The wheel spins and a ball is dropped. Where that ball lands determines if you’re going home with a fatter or thinner wallet. For this purpose Roulette is commonly known as a game of chance, with no real strategy or skill involved. But the electronic version of the game at Two Kings Casino had a unique feature: it provided statistics and probability of plays. This helped me understand the odds and make informed bets. This wouldn’t be possible if I played Roulette the traditional way. Surprisingly, this was by far my favorite game and I walked away about $300 richer.
At the end of the day, I walked out of Two King’s Casino having added about $375 to my bank account. Not bad for a day’s work/play. To reward myself, I booked a hotel for the night, hiked a few trails the next day at Crowders Mountain state park and grabbed dinner at 133 West with friends that live close by. All in all, a very rewarding weekend.
As for the Casino itself, I’ll definitely be back to perfect my skills. Since it opened in July of 2021, plans for a 273 million dollar expansion have been approved. So, it looks like something more "Vegas" like is in the works. My goal is to be at the "Rolex-wearing" level before opening day or even have my bachelor’s party here. Save that VIP parking space for this high-roller in training.