Wind Creek Poker Room Review (Formerly Sands Bethlehem)

Located just over an hour outside of Philadelphia, Wind Creek Poker Room (formerly known as Sands Bethlehem) is one of the top choices for poker players in Pennsylvania. The poker room is open 24/7, features 26 tables, and is open to anyone 21+. 

Due to its proximity to Philadelphia, the room attracts locals in addition to players looking to get out of the city for a night. Because of this, Wind Creek has a nice mix of local regulars and tourists which keep the games fresh.

The room can be found at 77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Cash Games

Cash games make up the majority of play at Wind Creek. The games run 24/7 and are most packed on weekends and weekday nights. However, there is also a steady stream of action during the week from locals. Most of the games are at smaller stakes, but bigger games occasionally run when there is the demand.

Cash Games that always run:

• $1/$2 No-Limit Texas Hold’Em
• $1/$3 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi
• $3/$6 Limit Hold’Em
• $2/$5 No-Limit Texas Hold’Em
• $5/$5 No-Limit Texas Hold’Em

Cash games that run sometimes or upon demand:

• $5/$10 Limit Omaha 8-or-Better
• $5/$10 No-Limit Texas Hold’Em
• $10/$25 No-Limit Texas Hold’Em

To keep the games running, Wind Creek Poker Room offers a variety of jackpots and promotions. The biggest jackpot is the bad beat, which can be life-changing money for the player that hits it. At the time of this writing, the bad beat is up to over $250,000!!! For the most up-to-date information on promotions, check out the Wind Creek Poker Room website.

Poker Tournaments

While the room mostly known for its cash games, Wind Creek Poker Room also offers occasional tournaments throughout the week. The tournaments generally range from buy-ins of $75-$250, but occasionally bigger tournaments will run. For accurate tournament information, check out the card room’s schedule on Poker Atlas. Here is an example of what a typical month can look like for tournaments:

Wind Creek Poker Room Amenities

Wind Creek Poker Room offers comps to players ranging from $0.70-$1.05, which is on par with other card rooms in the United States. The room also offers tableside food and cocktail services. Players are also able to request massages for a fee. In addition to this, the poker room also has valet parking available to players.

Notable Reviews from Wind Creek Poker Room Players

“I would’ve given this place 4 stars but they’ve recently cut down the poker tables from 36 down to 27 for those loud & annoying $5 blackjack tables. Also they’ll have a live cover band playing in one of the bars close by (I personally don’t mind that type of background noise but I know not everyone’s the same). Air conditioning is not as strong as other casinos, but the thing that kills the potential in me loving this room is the 2nd hand smoke. THIS POKER ROOM IS NOT SMOKE-FREE, & SHOULD NOT BE FALSELY LABELED ON [POKER ATLAS] AS SUCH!”

-Anonymous

“Always games in action. Have never had issues finding a table. Wide range of players. Dealers are very social, and seem to invite action with their personalities. Some larger tournaments would be more inviting, of a few hundred players. Many people travel elsewhere for tournaments.”

-Jon

“The best and worst of any poker room is what you will experience here. Lots of tables and options are usually occurring. Prime-time and weekend tournaments tend to run on the expensive side, probably because it is over an hour drive to the next closeout poker room. Lots of fish and high variance in the 1/2 games, move up and there are some serious players who will challenge your game. It’s smack in the middle of the casino floor and next to the buffet area, so it is without a doubt the noisiest room outside of Planet Hollywood I have experienced. Overall I give this a 8.5 out of 10 for action.”

-Anonymous

The Bottom Line

For players in the Philadelphia area, Wind Creek Poker Room is one of the best options there is and earns a four star rating. The room features plenty of action for cash game players, though many wish that the room offered a wider variety of tournaments. Regardless, the room is generally well-respected and the overwhelming majority of people have had positive experiences at the Wind Creek / Sands Poker room.

For more reviews of poker rooms around the country, check out our guides and reviews page.