Columbus Ohio Casino Advantage Play Guide
Columbus has an unusually concentrated downtown casino market — Hollywood Casino Columbus and JACK Columbus are adjacent properties in the Short North district with 4,200+ combined machines, and Scioto Downs Racino adds another 2,300+ VLTs 15 minutes south. For Penn mychoice tier building, the Columbus circuit is one of the most efficient in the Midwest.
Ohio Gaming Overview
Ohio legalized commercial casino gaming via 2009 ballot initiative (Issue 3). Four commercial casinos opened between 2012-2013: Hollywood Columbus, JACK Cleveland, JACK Cincinnati, and Hollywood Toledo. Ohio also has racinos operating video lottery terminals (VLTs) at existing racetracks — Scioto Downs (Columbus), Thistledown (Cleveland area), Beulah Park, and others.
VLTs at racinos play identically to slot machines in practice — they are slot-like machines that connect to the Ohio Lottery's network. For AP purposes, they function the same as traditional casino slots.
Hollywood Casino Columbus
Hollywood Casino Columbus is the Penn Gaming anchor property in Columbus, adjacent to JACK Columbus in the Short North area near downtown.
- 2,100+ machines; Penn mychoice loyalty earning
- Penn mychoice — same card as Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, Hollywood Joliet, Ameristar Kansas City, and 40+ other Penn properties nationally
- Full casino with hotel tower; restaurant complex; entertainment
- Adjacent to JACK Columbus — both properties walkable from the same parking structure
Columbus Penn mychoice Circuit: Hollywood Casino Columbus + Scioto Downs are both Penn mychoice properties accessible in a single Columbus day. Combined: 4,400+ machines on one card. Add Hollywood Toledo (2 hours northwest, also Penn mychoice) for an extended Ohio Penn circuit.
JACK Columbus Casino
JACK Columbus (formerly Horseshoe Columbus) is adjacent to Hollywood Casino Columbus with a separate independent loyalty program.
- 2,100+ machines; JACK Rewards loyalty program
- JACK Gaming network: also covers JACK Cleveland Casino and JACK Thistledown Racino
- Walking distance from Hollywood Columbus; efficient combined visit
- Sign up for JACK Rewards on first visit for independent sign-up bonus
Scioto Downs Racino
Located on the south side of Columbus, Scioto Downs is a Penn Gaming racino with Ohio VLT machines and live harness racing.
- 2,300+ VLT machines; Penn mychoice earning — same card as Hollywood Columbus
- 15-20 minutes south of downtown Columbus via US-23
- Racing visitor demographic creates different coin-in patterns than pure casino — useful for progressive hunting on VLT machines
Columbus AP Circuit Strategy
- Sign up at both downtown properties: Hollywood (Penn mychoice) and JACK Columbus (JACK Rewards) — two programs, one parking structure
- Primary Penn mychoice building: Hollywood + Scioto Downs in a single day covers 4,400+ Penn machines
- No Caesars or MGM in Columbus: for those programs, plan trips to Indiana or Las Vegas
- Ohio Penn network extension: Hollywood Toledo (170 miles northwest) and Hollywood Lawrenceburg (90 miles southwest) are both Penn mychoice and worth adding to extended trips
Access all 150+ machine guides covering Hollywood Casino Columbus, Scioto Downs, and the full Penn mychoice network across the Midwest.
View Membership OptionsFrequently Asked Questions
What casinos are in Columbus, Ohio?
Columbus has three main casino options: Hollywood Casino Columbus (Penn mychoice, 2,100+ machines, Downtown Columbus), JACK Columbus Casino (formerly Horseshoe Columbus, JACK Gaming, 2,100+ machines, adjacent to Hollywood), and Scioto Downs Racino (Penn mychoice racino, 2,300+ machines, south Columbus). Hollywood and Scioto Downs both earn on the Penn mychoice loyalty program. JACK Columbus is an independent JACK Gaming property.
Is Hollywood Casino Columbus good for advantage play?
Yes — Hollywood Casino Columbus is a Penn Gaming property earning on the mychoice national loyalty program. Penn mychoice covers 40+ properties nationally including Hollywood Casinos, Ameristar, and Boomtown locations. With 2,100+ machines in downtown Columbus, it provides strong coin-in volume and national tier building opportunities. Hollywood and JACK Columbus are adjacent properties in the Short North area, making a combined visit efficient.
What is Scioto Downs Racino in Columbus?
Scioto Downs is a Penn Gaming racino (racetrack + casino) on the south side of Columbus with 2,300+ video lottery terminals (VLTs). Ohio's racinos operate under the Ohio Lottery Commission and technically use VLTs rather than traditional slot machines, but they play identically. Scioto Downs earns on the same Penn mychoice card as Hollywood Casino Columbus — making the two properties a large Penn earning circuit within Columbus.
What is JACK Columbus Casino?
JACK Columbus Casino (formerly Horseshoe Columbus) was rebranded when JACK Gaming acquired the property from Caesars Entertainment. It has 2,100+ machines and is adjacent to Hollywood Casino Columbus in downtown Columbus. JACK Columbus is an independent JACK Gaming property with its own JACK Rewards loyalty program — separate from Penn mychoice. JACK Gaming also operates JACK Cleveland Casino and JACK Thistledown Racino.
Are there national casino loyalty programs in Columbus, Ohio?
Yes — Penn mychoice is available at Hollywood Casino Columbus and Scioto Downs Racino. Penn mychoice is a national program covering 40+ properties. JACK Columbus is an independent program (JACK Rewards) with Ohio-only reach. There are no Caesars Rewards or MGM Rewards properties in Columbus; for those programs, Columbus-area AP players typically plan trips to Indiana (Caesars properties) or Las Vegas.
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