Ocean’s 11 Casino: San Diego’s Home for Poker

On the Interstate 5 Freeway in Oceanside, California, and a mile from the city’s pristine beaches, “Oceans” is the poker destination for serious and recreational players, as well as business travelers and vacationers, in San Diego, Orange, and Riverside counties. With year-round great weather, beaches, friendly staff, and 40 tables of poker action, it is no wonder that Oceans is one of the state’s largest and most successful poker rooms.

Ocean’s 11 has not always been the mecca for poker action it is today, having spent its early days as “Jerry’s Place,” a 10-table cardroom miles from the interstate. That was the case until 1997, when legendary casino owner Haig Kelegian and his partners purchased a large interest in the cardroom, joining founding owners Robert Carter, and Daniel Dreger in moving the club to its new location alongside Interstate 5. “The best phone call I ever took was from my good friend Doug Dalton [Bellagio poker room manager], who said I should take the short drive from Los Angeles to check out this small club with big dreams,” declares Haig Kelegian. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Oceans offers the largest array of poker games in the area, spreading no-limit hold’em games from $1-$1 up to $10-$20, limit hold’em action from $1-$2 up to $75-$150, and Omaha games starting at $1-$1 pot-limit. “Our $1-$1 no-limit game, with only a $20 buy-in, is not only a favorite for our regulars, but has proven to be a great entry point for new players,” proclaims casino manager and poker veteran Steve Gallagher. “New players love the chance to get their feet wet, with a large percentage moving to higher action games within a short time,” according to Gallagher.

Poker players today demand more than simply great action. Players want big jackpots, promotions, food specials, and amenities. Oceans delivers on all counts. A staple for years, its $500,000 Racing For Dollars promotion, lives up to its moniker, “the more you play, the more we pay,” returning nearly $2.5 million in collection drop to players in the last three years.

Since chasing jackpots works for some, Oceans offers them a steady menu. At Oceans, all hold’em jackpots start at $20,000 and increase daily. In the last two years, Oceans has paid out over $6 million in bad beat jackpots. “Our players never have to shop around to find a good jackpot,” says Gallagher. Come early and play for a guaranteed $40,000 jackpot from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. each day.

Oceans does not stop there and constantly adds new cash drawings and other reward programs. Currently, Oceans has cash drawings Sundays through Thursday paying $20,000 weekly. They pack them in on Tuesdays thanks to their famous free Steak & Lobster special. Earn three scans and Oceans picks up the tab.

“We will never rest on our laurels” declares managing partner Mark Kelegian, who assumed control of operations in 2010. “Steve won’t let us. From my perspective, ownership’s job is simple. Find the best person to run the casino, and give that person the tools to get it done,” adds Kelegian.

Ocean’s 11 debunks the myth that the best tournament action is in Las Vegas or Los Angeles. In 2011, Oceans introduced its $10,000 Guaranteed Deepstack offered every Saturday and Sunday morning at 10 a.m. with a $120 buy-in and $15 entry fee. “The word spread quickly that the prize pool is typically over $15,000. Players can’t get enough of it. Every weekend brings new players who rave about the 12,000 starting chips, and 30 minute rounds,” exclaims Erin Thompson, tournament coordinator.

Tournament players with a bigger appetite enjoy signature monthly tournaments with $300 buy-ins and typical prize pools of $50,000. Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day tournaments, with their famous outside barbeques, are perennial favorites. Morning tournaments are held Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. and nightly Monday through Thursday with buy-ins and entry fees as low as $40.

At Oceans, bad beat jackpots are not reserved for live games only. The casino offers a unique Tournament Bad Beat Jackpot, currently nearly $40,000, paying players whenever a four-of-a-kind is beaten by any hand.

Unlike some casinos, tournament play does not come to a complete halt in December at Oceans. Earn points throughout the year to qualify for the $100,000 Tournament Players Championship to be held this year on December 8. Be among the top 150 point leaders during 2012 and also qualify for the $25,000 Tournament Points Championship the following week on December 15. Championship points are easy to earn with two points earned for all weekday daily and nightly tournaments, four points for all weekend tournaments, and eight points for all monthly special event tournaments.

Management has worked hard to dispel the notion that you can’t find a great-looking poker room outside of Vegas or L.A. “We stepped up our game and now offer one of the most attractive décor and atmospheres in the business,” proudly proclaims Mark Kelegian.

In 2011, the casino completed a massive remodel of its gaming operation, including a new welcome center, gift shop, and customer service workstations. Oceans didn’t stop there, adding nearly 30 big-screen televisions, new poker board systems, poker tables, chairs, layouts, carpet, wall coverings, and a new cage.

The old saying that “an army marches on its stomach,” is equally true for poker players. For that reason, Oceans recently underwent an exhaustive remodel of its kitchen operation designed to get food out to the floor as quickly as possible. The casino also added new food and beverage stations in both poker rooms to increase efficiency.

When it comes to amenities, Oceans didn’t stop with gaming. In 2011, just in time for the new NFL season, Oceans practically gutted its restaurant and bar and opened its new Ocean’s 11 Sports Lounge with a dozen big-screen televisions, expanded seating, marble bar and table-tops, and one-of-a-kind memorabilia.

Ocean’s 11 Sports Lounge is the new home for pay-per view UFC Championship fights. Of course, at Oceans, there is no separate admission fee. For the first time, players looking for a brief break from the tables can relax and watch their favorite sports games whenever they want.

Leaving no stone unturned, food and beverage manager Tanya Mendoza introduced exciting new additions to the lounge and poker floor menu. “Our Kobe beef and BLT (that’s bacon, lobster and tomato) sliders are huge fan favorites,” adds Mendoza. Check out Steve Gallagher’s favorite, “the giant meatball.” Ask any player about the quality and variety of food at Oceans and they will say it is the best they have had in any casino or resort.

Poker is the king, but it is not the only game at Oceans. The casino has expanded its table games section by offering new games such as the incredibly popular EZ Baccarat, Progressive Three Card Poker, (Oceanside-style with the best payout structure in the country), Fortune Pai Gow, and No Bust Blackjack. Oceans is likely the only casino of its size that still hand-shuffles in blackjack, and has no collection EZ Baccarat and Fortune Pai Gow. Not surprisingly, the California Game section has a host of cash drawings, prizes, and its own Saturday Night Steak & Lobster giveaway.

Great poker action, jackpots, cash drawings, and outstanding food are great, but the true measure of success of any casino is customer loyalty, word-of-mouth, and the longevity of its employees. Again, Ocean’s 11 hits the mark on all fronts.

“The same players who came when we opened the doors 15 years ago have never left,” says 23-year Oceanside poker veteran and senior floor Ed Briggs. Steve Gallagher agrees, “it is hard to think of any player who has left the Ocean’s 11 family to play anywhere else. We must be doing something right.”

Maybe it’s the new blood that keeps flowing into the casino that keeps them coming back day after day. Despite the country’s economic struggles over the last two to three years, new players continue to come to Oceans at a record pace. According to casino administrator, Rachel Kinney, “over 6,800 new players have come to the casino in the last two years alone. New players average nearly 100 hours of play year after year. In fact, we registered more players in the last two years than we did in any two-year period during the poker boom.”

Of course, it could be due to Oceans’ employees. It is not uncommon for customers to plan their play around the working schedules of their favorite dealers or floor persons.

“On average, our employees have been here for nearly 10 years. By our estimates, we have the lowest turnover in the industry” says, 13-year employee Kathy Poelke, Ocean’s 11 Controller.

Oceans 15-year Anniversary celebration is planned for January 28. In addition to food and prizes, the casino will have special $1,000 cash drawings every hour from noon to 10 p.m. The Oceans family hopes to see you there.

Whether you are a regular poker player who has yet to try Oceans, a novice, or simply looking for a vacation destination where you can sneak away to play your favorite game, once you come to Oceans, you too will say, “I play at Oceans.”♠