fairgroundsracecourse.com

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots offers two distinct gaming setups: a main gaming floor with over 600 slot machines, and video poker spread across 13 OTB & Casino locations. The main floor was recently refreshed with more than 100 new slots, and the OTB network carries the video poker side of the offering. Below is what the site confirms about each, plus the promotions tied to them.

The Main Gaming Floor: 600+ Slots

The casino floor at the Race Course & Slots location is the larger of the two gaming options. According to the site, it holds over 600 slots, and the floor has been "completely refreshed" with more than 100 new slot machines added as part of that update.

The site also notes that this location is home to Louisiana's only Steak N Shake, which sits alongside the gaming floor rather than at the OTB locations.

Featured Slot Titles

The "Hot New Games" section lists specific machines and where to find them:

So the two named slot titles sit at the main property, while the two named video poker titles are distributed across the OTB network.

Video Poker: 13 OTB & Casino Locations

Video poker is not concentrated at the main track. The site describes 13 convenient OTB & Casino locations, each offering "exciting video poker" and "the hottest video poker games." The pitch for these spots emphasizes friendly staff and promotions rather than a single large floor.

If video poker is your main interest, the practical takeaway is that you'd be choosing among 13 separate venues rather than one central room — worth checking which location is closest before you go.

Promotions and Giveaways

The site lists several active promotions, mostly tied to the slots side:

• Pick A Pumpkin Giveaway — guests pick up a pumpkin to win free slot play on certain Saturdays in October.
• $127,000 Rustling Richest Giveaway
• Rolling for Riches Hot Seat

The Pick A Pumpkin promotion is the only one with a stated mechanic (pumpkin pickup → free slot play) and a stated schedule (select Saturdays in October). The other two are listed by name without detail on the page.

Events Alongside Gaming

The property also runs racing and special events, which may matter if you're planning a visit around more than just the machines. Listed events include Rhythm & Racing Line Dancing, a Spooky Season Hatpiece Workshop, Trunk or Treat, and the Jambalaya Jamboree Cook-Off, plus a Thanksgiving Classic race with tickets on sale.

What to Confirm Before You Go

The page confirms machine counts, the refresh, the 13-location video poker network, and promotion names — but it does not list operating hours, minimum ages, or whether promotions require a players card. Those details aren't in the source material, so check the individual location or call ahead if any of them affect your plans.

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots lists a rotating calendar of themed parties, workshops, food competitions, and holiday events, plus slot-floor giveaways and hot-seat promotions. The official site currently shows four upcoming events and three featured promotions, with dates running from October into November 2026. Because the calendar changes, treat the dates below as examples and confirm current listings on the site before you plan a trip.

Upcoming Special Events

The site's "Racing and Special Events" section lists these entries:

A separate "Tickets On Sale!" banner promotes the Thanksgiving Classic race, with a "Buy Tickets" link. That confirms the race is a ticketed event, but the homepage does not state a price.

Featured Promotions

Three promotions are highlighted on the homepage:

• Pick A Pumpkin Giveaway — guests pick up a pumpkin to win free slot play on certain Saturdays in October. The listed date is Sat, October 17th 2026, 3:00 PM–3:00 PM.
• $127,000 Rustling Richest Giveaway — a cash giveaway promotion.
• Rolling for Riches Hot Seat — a hot-seat promotion, where players are selected on the gaming floor.

The site also notes "winning promos" as part of the slots offering, and a "View More" link leads to additional promotions.

What Else Is on the Calendar

Beyond one-off events, the homepage points to ongoing entertainment and gaming:

• Racing — billed as America's 2nd oldest track, featuring world-class thoroughbred racing.
• Slots — over 600 slots, plus LA's only Steak N Shake.
• OTB & Casinos — 13 locations with video poker and promotions.
• New games — Wheel of Fortune Cash On Reels and Buffalo Mega Stampede at the Race Course & Slots location; Fu Dai Lian Lian Panda and San Fa Pandas video poker at OTB & Casino locations.

How to Confirm Dates and Details

1. Open the "Racing and Special Events" section on the homepage and select "View All Events" for the full calendar.
2. Check the "Featured Promotions" area and select "View More" for the complete promotion list.
3. For ticketed events like the Thanksgiving Classic, use the "Buy Tickets" link to see availability and any pricing.
4. For promotions with eligibility rules (giveaways, hot seats), read the individual promotion page — the homepage only gives the headline.

The main caveat: event dates and promotion schedules shift, and the homepage shows a snapshot rather than a live feed. Verify on the site before traveling, especially for time-sensitive giveaways like the Pick A Pumpkin event, which is limited to certain Saturdays.

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots operates 13 OTB (off-track betting) and casino locations, according to the track's website. These satellite locations offer video poker and promotions, and at least one dining brand — Steak N Shake — is tied to a specific type of location rather than all of them. The site does not publish a single directory page listing every address and set of hours in the material available here, so the practical next step is to use the site's OTB & Casinos section to confirm the nearest branch before you go.

What the 13 OTB & Casino locations offer

The homepage describes the OTB & Casino network as "13 convenient locations" featuring "exciting video poker and great promos." That distinguishes these branches from the main Fair Grounds property in two ways:

• Gaming type: Video poker is the draw at the OTB & Casino branches, while the main Race Course & Slots floor is where the "over 600 hot slots" are located.
• Promotions: The branches run their own promos, separate from the featured promotions listed for the main property.

Two video poker titles are named on the homepage as available at OTB & Casino locations: Fu Dai Lian Lian Panda and San Fa Pandas. Both are listed under the "Hot New Games" section with the location tag "OTB & Casino Locations."

Where the slots and Steak N Shake fit

It's worth separating the three parts of the business, because the homepage treats them as distinct:

The Steak N Shake reference appears under the slots section and is described as "LA's only Steak N Shake," which points to the main Race Course & Slots property rather than the 13 satellite branches. If a Steak N Shake visit is part of your plan, treat that as a main-property feature until you confirm otherwise.

Two slot titles are tagged to the main "Race Course & Slots Location": Wheel of Fortune Cash On Reels and Buffalo Mega Stampede.

How to plan a visit to a specific branch

Because the homepage doesn't list individual addresses or hours, use this sequence:

1. Go to the OTB & Casinos section of fairgroundsracecourse.com.
2. Identify the branch closest to you and check its listed hours — these are separate venues, so hours may differ from the main track.
3. Confirm which games or promos are running at that branch, since video poker titles and promotions are assigned per location.
4. If you want slots, racing, or Steak N Shake, plan for the main Fair Grounds property instead of a satellite branch.

Common points of confusion

• "13 locations" refers to OTB & Casinos, not the main track. The main property is a single site in New Orleans.
• Slots and video poker are not interchangeable here. The 600+ slots are at the main property; the branches are described around video poker.
• Promotions are location-specific. A promo featured for the main property may not apply at a branch, and vice versa.
• The site is also hiring across Slots, Racing, and OTB & Casino locations, which confirms these are treated as three separate operating groups.

If your goal is simply to find the nearest place to play video poker, start with the OTB & Casinos section and verify the branch's hours before traveling, since the homepage does not provide them.

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans hosts world-class thoroughbred racing and bills itself as America's second-oldest track, operating since 1872. You can watch live thoroughbred racing plus themed race-day events, and for marquee dates like the Thanksgiving Classic you need to buy tickets in advance. Because the racing calendar and special events change by season, check the track's events page before you plan a visit.

The Racing Itself

The core draw is thoroughbred racing at a track that has been running since 1872 — the site describes it as "Racing America's 2nd oldest track featuring world-class thoroughbred racing." That means live horse racing is the main spectator sport here, alongside the property's slots and off-track betting locations.

If you specifically want the racing (rather than the casino floor), plan around the race calendar rather than just showing up, since race days and post times vary.

Special Race Events Worth Planning Around

The site highlights at least one marquee racing date:

• Thanksgiving Classic — promoted with a "Tickets On Sale!" banner and a direct "Buy Tickets" call to action. The copy frames it as "the thrills, the pageantry and the fun," which signals it's a ticketed, higher-demand event rather than a walk-up race day.

The practical takeaway: for named events like this, buy tickets ahead rather than assuming general admission at the gate.

Racing Combined With Themed Events

Fair Grounds pairs racing with social and seasonal programming. Examples from the events calendar include:

The Rhythm & Racing line dancing event is the clearest example of racing-plus-entertainment: an evening social event tied to the track's racing identity. The Jambalaya Jamboree Cook-Off starts at 12:55 PM, a time that lines up with a race-day afternoon, suggesting food and racing run together.

Promotions Tied to Race Days

Some giveaways are scheduled on race-day Saturdays. The Pick A Pumpkin Giveaway lets guests pick up a pumpkin to win free slot play on certain Saturdays in October, listed for Sat, October 17, 2026. Other promotions include the $127,000 Rustling Richest Giveaway and Rolling for Riches Hot Seat. These are casino-floor promotions rather than racing events, but they cluster on the same busy days.

Before You Go

• Check the calendar. The listed events carry 2026 dates, and the site notes racing and special events change — confirm current dates and post times on the events page.
• Buy tickets for named races. The Thanksgiving Classic is explicitly ticketed.
• Decide what you're there for. Racing, slots (over 600 machines), and 13 OTB & Casino locations are separate offerings on the same property.

If your goal is purely to watch thoroughbred racing, aim for a scheduled race day; if you want the fuller experience, target an event weekend like the Thanksgiving Classic or a themed evening such as Rhythm & Racing.

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots is a New Orleans entertainment venue that combines thoroughbred horse racing, slot machine gaming, off-track betting (OTB) locations, dining, and special events. It has operated since 1872 and describes itself as America's second-oldest racetrack. If you're looking for a single destination that mixes live racing with casino-style gaming and food, this is what the property offers.

The Three Main Attractions

The venue organizes its experience around three areas, each aimed at a different kind of visitor.

Thoroughbred Racing

Fair Grounds hosts world-class thoroughbred racing and promotes itself as America's second-oldest track. The racing calendar includes marquee events — the site highlights a Thanksgiving Classic race with tickets sold in advance. If live horse racing is your main interest, this is the core of the property.

Slots

The gaming floor features over 600 slot machines, described as "completely refreshed" with more than 100 new slots. Promotions and giveaways run alongside the games. Featured titles on the site include Wheel of Fortune Cash On Reels and Buffalo Mega Stampede, both located at the Race Course & Slots location.

OTB & Casinos

Beyond the main property, there are 13 OTB & Casino locations offering video poker and promotions. Featured video poker titles include Fu Dai Lian Lian Panda and San Fa Pandas, available at these satellite locations. This matters if you want the gaming experience closer to where you are rather than at the track itself.

Dining and Events

• Dining: A Steak N Shake is on-site — the site calls it "LA's only Steak N Shake" — serving steakburgers, tallow fries, and shakes.
• Special events: The venue runs a recurring events calendar. Examples from the listing include Rhythm & Racing Line Dancing, a Spooky Season Hatpiece Workshop, Trunk or Treat, and a Jambalaya Jamboree Cook-Off.
• Promotions: Giveaways such as the Pick A Pumpkin Giveaway (free slot play on certain Saturdays in October) and larger prize promotions like the $127,000 Rustling Richest Giveaway.

Who This Is For

Practical Notes

• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana.
• History: Operating since 1872; positioned as the second-oldest racetrack in the U.S.
• Tickets: Some events, like the Thanksgiving Classic, require advance ticket purchase.
• Hiring: The property also lists open roles across its Slots, Racing, and OTB & Casino locations.

The site does not publish general admission pricing or hours in the material reviewed, so check the specific event or promotion page before you go.