Southern California casinos are closing out 2022 with an abundance of exciting happenings. From the Central Coast to the southern border, there’s cash up for grabs, cars, concerts and New Year’s Eve extravaganzas.
Big cash giveaways all across SoCal
Online casinos are prohibited in California, so the only way to win big at a casino in December is to visit one of the 70-plus tribal-run resorts in the state.
Nearly 20 Southern California casinos are competing for business in December, and nothing is more attractive than cash. The following giveaways caught our attention.
“12 Days of Cash-Mas” at Yaamava’
Yaamava’ Resort & Casino takes the first spot of the month with the already-started “12 Days of Cash-Mas” promotion. It runs from Dec. 1-12, allowing players to win $85,000 in cash daily.
If nobody wins the $85,000 prize on a given day, it rolls over. That means the top prize could be $1 million on Dec. 12 if nobody else claimed it earlier in the month. Up to 300 players can win prizes throughout the promo.
The casino is also running promotions on Wednesdays in December with over $100,000 in prizes.
Get your 100% payback bonus at Agua Caliente
Coachella Valley players can take advantage of a 100% payback bonus at Agua Caliente Casinos’ three locations in Cathedral City, Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage on Dec. 4-5.
During those two days, all ACE club members (free to enroll) will receive 100% of their losses, up to $500, at all table games and slot machines. The minimum loss is $100, and members may redeem losses in free play or promotional chips, valid only from Jan. 2-8.
Video poker, video blackjack, video roulette and wide area progressives are excluded.
Big prizes at four San Diego casinos
A trio of San Diego-area casinos – Harrah’s SoCal, Sycuan Casino Resort and Jamul Casino – are filling up the calendar with giveaways of at least $25,000.
On Dec. 10, Harrah’s will run hourly drawings from 1 to 11 p.m., with the final winner collecting $25,000 in cash.
Every Monday in December, Jamul is giving away the green stuff. From 7 to 9 p.m., the casino will draw 10 winners to receive at least $500 cash. One winner each hour will also get to pick a purse (which they also keep) with more cash inside, totaling up to $25,000.
Sycuan has the next day covered, giving out $280,000 on Tuesdays from 8 to 10 p.m. At 8 and 9, five winners will win prizes of $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, $4,000 and $10,000, with the 10 p.m. drawing becoming a $20,000 grand prize.
At the end of the month, Casino Pauma is giving away $45,000 on Dec. 31, including a $20,000 grand prize.
Looking for a new set of wheels (or even more cash)?
Three more casinos are giving away cars in December: Chumash, Valley View and Yaamava’.
If you’re looking for a Toyota Highlander, Chumash is your place on Dec. 4, 11, 18 and 26. On those days, drawings start at 5 p.m., with winners every 30 minutes until the Highlander drawing at 10 p.m. Preliminary drawings award anywhere from $1,000 to $25,000 in free slot play to 23 winners.
Yaamava’ offers three chances at a luxury car this month on Thursdays. On Dec. 15, 22 and 29, there’s a drawing to win a 2022 Lexus LC500 or up to $100,000 in cash, with multiple winners of at least $2,000 in free play each day.
Or perhaps you’d like to choose your car? If so, head to Valley View on Dec. 30 to try and win your choice of an F-150, BMW X1, Ford Mustang or up to $100,000 cash.
Concerts and other events
Who can forget about entertainment this time of year? Even beyond the following list, casinos such as Sycuan, Pauma and Yaamava’ regularly feature local talent. At a minimum, most of the bigger casinos have lively bar areas with some form of weekend entertainment.
Upcoming events include:
- The Price Is Right (Live) – Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage, Dec. 3
- Adam Sandler – Yaamava’, Dec. 8
- Marlon Wayans – Morongo, Dec. 9
- The Nutcracker Ballet – Pechanga, Dec. 9-10
- A Boy Band Christmas – Yaamava’, Dec. 13
- Four Tops – Viejas, Dec. 15
- Live and Let Die, A Symphonic Tribute to Paul McCartney – Spotlight 29, Dec. 17
- LeAnn Rimes – Pala Casino, Dec. 22
- Bush – Yaamava’, Dec. 30
Ring in the new year at a SoCal casino
Casinos are some of the most exciting places to spend New Year’s Eve. Maybe you already knew that, or maybe this is your year to find out.
Pechanga boasts one of the biggest and most extravagant of all the parties, featuring a nightclub experience with a full light show production. General admission tickets start at $65 and will be $100 at the door until sold out. VIP packages are also available for $800 and $1,100. Guests must be 21 years or older and must “dress to impress.”
If the nightclub vibe isn’t your scene, other events worth checking out include:
- Sycuan is hosting a bingo party, with ticket pre-sales available. The celebration will include over $100,000 in prizes, plus a new car.
- Harrah’s SoCal is giving away half a million dollars to its guests in addition to providing entertainment on the casino floor. Harrah’s will hold drawings from 2 to 11 p.m., with one winner receiving $50,000 in cash at the top of every hour.
- Agua Caliente’s three locations will be throwing their own parties on the casino floor to ring in 2023, with drawings every half-hour from 10 p.m. until 11:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day. One winner will collect $2,023 in cash during the midnight drawing.
