Lake Bowl, Folsom CA.
Hours, Tables, Location
Open 24 Hours.
5 tables.
511 E Bidwell St, Folsom CA. A few miles east of Sacramento proper, a mile or two north of US Hwy 50. Lake Bowl is a combination bar/tavern, pool hall, bowling alley, and poker room. As you can imagine, on weekend nights the joint is hopping!
Games
Limit hold 'em: 2/4 and 4/8. With the electronic tabls, they will configure to fit demand.
No-limit spread-limit hold 'em: 1/2 blinds, $50-$100 buyin available 24/7. Their web page says they will spread higher games. (It also indicates Saturday nights they spread 3/5 and 5/10.)
There has been a 1/2 no limit game going on EVERY time I have gone to Folsom Lake Bowl. I have never seen a limit game, but I know that with their automated tables they would configure the game to whatever people want to play.
Pot Limit Omaha: 1/2 every Wednesday night starting at 6PM. 4/8 Omaha Hi/Low every Thursday night at 6PM.
This is a very small card club tucked into a hidden little room inside the bowling alley. Reachable from the bar or the alley, they will still check your ID and card you (and stamp your wrist) before you can get in, since they're primarily a bar.
Game Info
Frankly, a good percentage of the players are drunk, so the play is wild and insane, and unfortunately can probably get a bit violent if the drunk guy gets badly beaten.
At 2/4, the rake is $3 for 7-8 players, $2 for 2-6 players. At 4/8, it's $4 for 7-8 players and $3 for 2-6 players.
Your hand apparently can be turned face up at any time and continue to be played live. A drunk player did just this, to show he had only 3-5 offsuit. The floorman watched and ruled it was still live. As the player with pocket queens kept betting into him and he called, he caught 4-6 on the turn and river to make his straight (a deuce was on the flop). The hand was ruled live.
Posting: New players need not post.
Shuffling: Hand shuffled. No machines available. Dealers take unusally long hour-long shifts. Especially given they have to deal with the drunk guys all the time who seem to sort of fall asleep half the time.
Dollar chip from the Folsom Lake Bowl poker room
Wait Time
Not too long, even on a busy Saturday night.
Tournaments
- Monday, 6pm: NLHE $50+$10 (signup at 5pm)
- Wednesday, 6pm: NLHE $25+$10 (signup at 5pm)
- Sunday, 1st Sunday of each month, Ladies-only NLHE tournament, 6pm $25+10 (signup at 5pm).
Jackpots
No jackpots.
Atmosphere
Insanely noisy on weekend nights, and probably other times too. Connected to the jumping dance bar/pool hall by only a single swinging glass door, which is constantly opening and closing, and sometimes getting propped open, at which point you can't hear anything anymore over the blasting music.
A very crowded, small room with the four tables squeezed in there. Lots of TVs hanging on the wall (five or six in that small room) showing various sports or other shows.
I met a guy at my table who lives in Cameron Park and plays at the Blacksheep Casino Company there, but comes to Folsom to play low limit, since it's the only place that spreads 2/4 anywhere around. He's right. All other casinos in the Sacramento Area have a minimum of 3/6, and usually 4/8.
Neighborhood: Clearly a nightlife spot, it's busy and jumping, but sort of semi-remote, being in a business-y area just outside of town. Not sure how safe it is at night, frankly.
Parking: A large parking lot (60-100 spaces) that is barely paved; watch your tires and suspension!
Tables and Chairs: There are five tables, with 10 Player "Poker Pro" Electronic Dealers, the entire system is automated. Although the tables have positions for 10 players, only 8 may play at a time (Folsom ordinance that the floor-person told me the casino is working on getting changed.) Very comfy wheeled chairs for players.
Service and Comps
Every now and then, someone from the bar would walk through and ask if you wanted anything. That seemed to count as service. Beer comes in gigantic steins (what are they, liter mugs?) This, naturally, leads to drunk players.
Links
- Nearest competitor is probably Rancho's Club in Rancho Cordova.
Visited By Wiki Authors
Visited by MarkT in Feb 2006.