Harrah’s Cherokee Casino

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in North Carolina is a land-based property owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and operated by Caesars Entertainment. 

Built on the site of a former theme park, the renowned property offers 150,000 square feet of gaming space. It broke ground in 1994 after a deal between the EBC and the State of North Carolina and officially opened its doors to visitors in Nov. 1997.

In addition to 3,000 slot games and 160+ table games, visitors can place wagers in the Caesars Sportsbook, which plays a vital role in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino since North Carolina legalized sports betting in July 2019. So far, it has been one of the leading retail sportsbooks at North Carolina casinos, where visitors can follow the latest sports games on a 90-foot-wide screen.

Harrah’s Cherokee also includes a 32-table poker room, one of the stops for the legendary WSOP Circuit series of live poker tournaments.   

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Caesars Sportsbook 
• More than 3,000 slots available
• Great poker room (WSOP host)
• Wide array of amenities for visitors

Cons:

• Relatively remote location 

About Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in North Carolina

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee, NC stands on the former land of the Frontier Land theme park. It’s a three-hour drive from Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA while the nearest big city is Knoxville, situated two hours from the casino.

The 1994 compact between the EBCI and NC led to a Class III gaming proposition and a fully operational site three years later. The casino hit the ground running from the start, making it one of the best casinos in North Carolina and boosting the economy along the Qualla Boundary. All additional revenue gets distributed to EBCI members as basic income.

The casino underwent several renovations and expansions. Visitors can enjoy various amenities, including a hotel, dining options, nightlife venues, shopping areas, pools, a spa, and a golf course.        

Sports Betting at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino

The Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino has been available since July 2019, shortly after the NC lawmakers gave the go-ahead to the sports betting bill. Due to Caesars Entertainment’s involvement, adding the sportsbook was a no-brainer.

The sportsbook is located as a part of the casino floor, allowing visitors to place bets using one of the several ticket windows and self-serve kiosks. It welcomes you with a massive 90-foot-wide screen with relevant games broadcast live right at the door.

Die-hard fans can book one of the three Fan Caves (VIP lounges) with comfortable seating, an 85-inch HDTV, two additional 43-inch 4K TVs, and accessible betting stations.

The minimum age for visiting the sportsbook and wagering on sports is 21 years or older. 

The sportsbook isn’t available round-the-clock. Current hours of operation are:

• Mon-Thurs: 10 a.m.–12 a.m.
• Fri: 10 a.m.–1 a.m.
• Sat: 9 a.m.–1 a.m.
• Sun: 9 a.m.–12 a.m.

Bets Offered at Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Cherokee 

Sports fans can bet on all popular US sports, including professional and college football and basketball, baseball, boxing, hockey, golf, auto racing, and more. All major sports leagues, including the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS, are covered, with a range of sports betting markets.

Overall, sports betting at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino is a unique experience due to Caesar’s status as one of the leading land-based and online sports wagering operators.

Although the sportsbook is available online in numerous states, online sports betting has yet to be legalized in the Tar Heel State, with bills vetoed on several occasions. Until it becomes available, all the best sportsbook promos and bonuses in North Carolina will be directed to land-based sportsbook visitors.  

Harrah’s Cherokee Partnership With Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Entertainment has been the official operator of Harrah’s Cherokee since the property opened its doors to visitors. In fact, many popular casino and entertainment corporations stand behind all Harrah’s properties in the US, so choosing the Caesars Sportsbook for Harrah’s Cherokee was only logical.

Accommodations at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino

Gambling at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee may be the primary reason to visit the property, but staying the night brings many other benefits for visitors.

The hotel comprises four towers with a total of 1,800 rooms, among which are premium and luxury rooms, but also more than 107 suites.

Harrah’s Cherokee underwent several expansions, with major renovations expanding the space in 2002, 2005, 2013, and 2021, making it one of the largest in the area.

Some standard hotel amenities include access to high-speed WiFi, a pool, self-check-in, free parking, a spa and salon, a fitness center, a pet stay, a business center, and essential accessibility features, including accessible parking and hotel rooms.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Customer Support

Interested parties can reach out to customer support by calling the toll-free number: 1-877-811-0777 or sending a letter to the casino’s address: 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, NC  28719. The email option goes through Caesars’ Contact Us link on the official website.

Overall, the customer support team takes little time to respond and is ready to provide assistance and answer your questions related to Harrah’s Cherokee.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Game Selection

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino offers more than 160 table games and 3,000 slots scattered over the 150,000 square feet of gaming space. With such a wide range of games available, Cherokee is officially the largest land-based casino in North Carolina with the second place occupied by its sister casino, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel. 

In addition to a generous casino games offer, the facility also features a poker room.

Playing Poker at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino

Harrah’s Cherokee poker room is popular for a reason, giving a be-all and end-all impression to visitors from around the world. That has to do with the fact that the poker room is a World Series of Poker Circuit tournament stop. 

The 32-table room is aptly named the WSOP Poker Room, but it also offers year-round cash games and tournaments with buy-ins between $80 and $250. From time to time, bigger Cherokee-organized tournaments take place, such as the $50,000 Guaranteed Tournament that features multiple flights and requires a $500 buy-in. 

Poker players also have a chance to win a Bad Beat Jackpot if they meet the criteria listed on the official poker web page. 

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Slots

The State of North Carolina compact required the casino only to offer games with an element of skill. Therefore, in most video slot machines, players have a chance to pick which reels they want to lock in place before they spin again. They need to hold the reels with valuable symbols, hoping the other reels will provide a better match after the second spin.

This approach changed recently with the casino finding alternative solutions, including the popular Cherokee Raffle Reels approach requiring players to insert their Total Rewards card into the machine before playing.

With more than 3,000 slots offered, Harrah’s Cherokee still holds the record for the largest slot offer in NC. Some popular titles you’ll find on the gaming floor are Monopoly, Buffalo, Wheel of Fortune, 88 Fortunes, and more. 

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Table Games

The casino initially focused only on slots, with live table games introduced in 2012. By 2014, the casino offered more than 100 table games, including a range of live poker options. Besides poker, players can enjoy a range of other popular table and card games, including blackjack, roulette, and craps.

Live Dealer Games at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino

All Harrah’s Cherokee Casino table games feature professional dealers like blackjack, craps, and roulette.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Mobile App

Since online sports betting and online casinos in North Carolina are still not legalized, there isn’t a dedicated mobile app for Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. However, the property is part of the Caesars Rewards program, which can help active players improve their experience. An award-winning app allows you to claim various offers and find the latest info about casinos, hotels, restaurants, shows, and everything else that’s part of Caesars Rewards. 

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino FAQ