Stoney Nakoda Resort & Casino floor

The casino has more than 300 slot machines. They run from 10 AM to 4 AM, Monday to Sunday, in Mountain Time. Slots open four hours before the tables and keep going an hour after the last table closes. Holiday hours are not published, so they should be checked with the resort before a late drive in.

Smoking is not allowed on the main casino floor. It is permitted in a separate, well-ventilated slot machine room at the back left corner of the casino. That room sits behind sliding glass doors.

Self-serve coffee, tea and water are complimentary throughout the casino. For someone who has just come in from Calgary, Cochrane or the Bow Valley, a cup costs nothing here. Other drinks are bought from servers, who take the order at the seat.

No-Limit Texas Hold'em cash games run on Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 7 PM. This is separate from Ultimate Texas Hold'em Poker, the table game that runs daily alongside Roulette and Blackjack.

For details, players can speak to a Games Manager or a supervisor in the main pit. The poker line is 403-881-2832, and email goes to poker@stoneynakodaresort.com. Either route works for a question asked before the drive from Calgary or Canmore.

Winner's Edge is Alberta's province-wide casino loyalty program. At the resort, a membership is opened at the guest services desk or at the Winner's Edge kiosk. Members earn 1 point for every dollar wagered on slot machines.

Members also get 10% off one menu item over $10 per bill. The discount applies to the highest-priced item on the bill. Alcohol and daily specials are excluded.

Age and self-exclusion rules apply: members must be 18 or older, and people enrolled in self-exclusion cannot become members. Members can use the GameSense My Activity and Budgeting Tools at the Winner's Edge kiosk in any Alberta casino, or in their online account. The tools include spend and time limits and alerts.

Sidelines Lounge sits in the casino area and is open daily from 10 AM to 2 AM. It serves comfort food, beer and spirits, with sports on screens and VLTs in the room. Food service ends at 11 PM from Sunday to Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, food is served until midnight.

Like the main casino floor, the lounge is non-smoking. It stays open after food service ends, until 2 AM. Holiday hours should be checked with the resort.