■ Those 50 and older (with valid ID and Caesars Rewards card) get 50 percent off at the Village Square Buffet every Wednesday.

■ There are several complimentary round-trip shuttles to the Horseshoe from downtown Chicago. Caesars casinos in Baltimore, Cherokee, New Orleans, Phoenix and Tunica – and perhaps others – are among those with similar policies. Simply remove your Caesars Rewards card from the machine, and any unused free slot play will automatically be re-deposited back into your bank. You’re no longer stuck playing the balance of what you downloaded.

Let’s say you download $50, have a big win and decide your machine isn’t going to hit again for a while. ■ You no longer have to use all your free slot play at one machine. Also, despite the best efforts of the casino's hard-working maintenance crew, the casino is littered with cigarette butts, ashes, empty cigarette packs and other debris, thanks to the inconsiderate players who don't seem to care about where they throw or leave their trash. ■ Those with an aversion to smoke should know that the casino is probably more than 90 percent smoking, though there is a small non-smoking section at one end of the casino. This casino is equipped with Caesars proprietary Total Touch system that allows customers to order drinks, redeem free play, check their Caesars Rewards account balances, and receive real-time offers based on play. There is no hotel, but qualified players may be accommodated at any number of partner hotels, some of which are in downtown Chicago ( Hyatt Regency McCormick Place ) or about a 10- or 15-minute drive down the road in Indiana ( Residence Inn - Chicago Southeast, Fairfield Inn & Suites - Chicago Southeast or Courtyard by Marriott - Chicago Southeast ). The vessel is adjacent to the pavilion that houses additional food outlets (see below), as well as a gift shop and ballroom/meeting facilities. The vessel boasts two public areas: a main gaming floor with special high limit, poker, and Asian gaming sections and additional gaming space, a 3,400 capacity entertainment space – The Venue, and a buffet. The current casino facility – a combination of the vessel plus a pavilion – opened on Aug. In 2004 Harrah’s Entertainment bought the Horseshoe and built a new vessel. It was re-branded as Horseshoe Casino Hammond on May 4, 2001. A 25-minute drive from downtown Chicago and located in the middle of an industrial area, Horseshoe Hammond was originally the Empress Casino, opening in 1996 as a 54,000-square-foot, four-level gaming vessel.

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