Cripple Creek is Colorado's third gambling town, 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs. It's smaller and more remote than Black Hawk, but that's precisely why some video poker players prefer it — less competition for machines, a historic mining-town atmosphere, and casinos that actively court regular players with strong promotions.
The Cripple Creek Properties
Triple Crown Casinos (Brass Ass, Midnight Rose, McGills)
Three linked properties under one ownership, sharing a loyalty program. Triple Crown is known for linked progressives on Jacks or Better and Double Bonus machines. When the progressive Royal Flush jackpot grows past a certain point, the effective return exceeds 100% — making the machine a positive-expectation play.
Watching progressive meters is a core strategy in Cripple Creek. For a $1 Jacks or Better machine with a standard 4,000-coin Royal, the break-even point for the progressive is around $4,800. Any Royal jackpot above that and the machine favors the player.
Century Casino
The closest thing to a "locals' casino" in Cripple Creek. Century typically offers 9/6 Jacks or Better at quarter and dollar denominations — competitive pay tables that are sometimes hard to find at the more tourist-oriented spots. The loyalty program is oriented toward regular visitors with comp meals and free play offers.
Wildwood Casino (Golden Entertainment)
A modernized property with newer machine hardware. Wildwood has expanded its video poker section and often features multi-game terminals with Ultimate X and Super Times Pay variants alongside traditional Jacks or Better and Bonus Poker.
Bronco Billy's Casino
A renovated historic property that has grown significantly. Bronco Billy's now includes a hotel and expanded gaming floor, with a decent video poker selection at lower denominations.
Why Cripple Creek?
Progressive opportunities. The linked progressives across Triple Crown casinos are Cripple Creek's unique advantage. Black Hawk has better base pay tables overall, but Cripple Creek's progressives can create situations where the expected return exceeds 100%.
Less competition for machines. On busy weekends, Black Hawk's popular machines can have lines. Cripple Creek rarely has this problem — you can usually find the machine you want immediately.
Comp value. Smaller casinos in smaller markets tend to comp more generously relative to play level. The loyalty programs in Cripple Creek often offer room and meal comps to players who wouldn't qualify for the same at a Black Hawk mega-resort.
Historic atmosphere. If you enjoy the charm of a 1890s mining town — brick buildings, narrow streets, mountain views — Cripple Creek delivers something Black Hawk's modern resorts can't.
Practical Considerations
Distance from Denver. Cripple Creek is about 1.5 hours from Colorado Springs and 2+ hours from Denver. This makes day trips less practical than Black Hawk. Plan to stay overnight if you want a full session.
Altitude. At 9,494 feet, Cripple Creek is even higher than Black Hawk (8,500 ft). The altitude effects — fatigue, dehydration, impaired judgment — are more pronounced. Pace yourself.
Fewer high-denomination options. Cripple Creek's video poker is strongest at quarter and dollar denominations. If you play $5+ per credit, Black Hawk has more options.
Check progressives first. Before settling at any machine, walk the Triple Crown properties and note the progressive jackpot levels. A meter that's well above the break-even point is a better play than any fixed-pay-table machine on the floor.