The casino at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack

Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack is located about 25 miles south of Rochester in the town of Farmington. The casino’s location welcomes players from both New York and nearby states, as well as those from Ontario, Canada.

Racetrack added casino games in 2004 with a couple of hundred slot machines. More terminals arrived over the years, with the current number sitting at more than 1,100 slot machines.

The biggest downside to the casino is that it does not offer table games, whether live or electronic. You also won’t be able to find a dedicated poker room like a lot of New York casinos have. Still, if video slots are your cup of tea, you’ll likely find plenty of entertainment at Finger Lakes Gaming, as all the machines are modern and come in various styles and denominations.

It’s worth noting that the casino has recently developed an app, allowing players to enjoy quality games on the go for free. The app can be downloaded from iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Kindle, and all new players will receive a welcome bonus of 30,000 free coins.

Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack runs various promotions through which you can receive free play credits and physical prizes. Here are a couple of current promotions that might interest you:

• 50 Plus — Every Wednesday, members of the Lucky North Club who are 50 or older can earn $15 worth of free play and an additional $5 in free play every time they earn 25 Base Points.
• Free Play Frenzy — You can earn free play credits every Saturday. Win $5, $10 and $15 worth of free play after you reach 25, 75 and 150 points, respectively.

Slot machines

As mentioned, Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack is equipped with over 1,100 modern video slot machines. The casino has games for every type of player out there, from penny slots for casual players to high-limit machines with progressive jackpots. The video slot library includes some of the hottest industry titles, with these being the most popular:

• Willy Wonka: World of Wonka
• Dancing Drums
• Titanic
• Wheel of Fortune
• Blazing 7s
• Double Diamond

You can expect these and many other video slots to feature incredible graphics and plenty of bonus rounds with interesting mechanics. The seating is comfortable, as well.

Many of the slots feature progressive jackpots, giving you a chance to win prizes of over $10,000. The casino has paid around $39 million to jackpot winners in 2020 and over $6 million in January 2021 alone, and the collection of progressive slots keeps increasing.

Note that you should sign up for the Lucky North Club to get the most out of your video slot play. As a member, you will collect points every time you place a bet, and you can redeem those points for free video slot play.

Table games

Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack in Farmington, NY, still hasn’t acquired a proper license to host table games. If that changes, we will be sure to update this review. Also, if you download the casino’s app, you can play a few table games for free, including online blackjack in New York.

Does Finger Lakes Gaming offer an online casino?

Real money online casinos are not currently legal in New York. Therefore, it is not possible to play online roulette in New York for real money, or any other casino game like blackjack or craps. If online casinos are legalized, Finger Lakes Gaming could consider launching its own site, possibly in partnership with one of the major operators expected to launch their products in the state. This list of potential online casino operators offering legal casino games and online slots in New York could include:

• DraftKings New York Casino
• FanDuel New York Casino
• BetRivers New York Casino
• Caesars New York Casino
• BetMGM New York Casino

Regualtion would also likely see the launch of many new online casinos in NY seeking to capitalize on the potentially lucrative market.

Lucky North Club rewards

Every dollar you wager at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack counts, even if your bets don’t turn out to be winning ones. This is due to the casino’s rewards program, the Lucky North Club. The program is not unique to this casino, either. It allows players from all casinos operated by Delaware North to participate and reap the benefits.

Signing up for the Lucky North Club is free. All you need to do is visit the casino’s service desk and show a valid photo ID, after which you will immediately get $10 in free play. Provide your email address to receive special offers, and you’ll get another $10 right away.

As a program member, you will earn points every time you play. After you’ve accumulated enough points, you will move to a higher tier level and receive a new card. Each level comes with its own benefits. There are five levels:

• Ruby — 0 to 499 points
• Emerald — 500 to 2,499 points
• Sapphire — 2,500 to 9,999 points
• Diamond — 10,000 to 19,999 points
• Black Diamond — 20,000+ points

You don’t earn points only when playing video slots, but also when buying merchandise, food and drinks. All members can redeem points for free play and get member-only promotions, email offers and discounts at participating dining venues. Higher tiers enjoy benefits like birthday and anniversary offers, invitations to exclusive events, complimentary valet parking, priority lines at the buffet, free check cashing and private lounge access.

Diamond and Black Diamond members can receive free night stays at Lucky North Club destinations. The collected points go back to zero after every six-month cycle, but you will have the option to preserve your benefits if you’re out of town for two or more months.

Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack live horse racing

While Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack attracts many slot players, the majority of people arrive for thoroughbred horse racing. The racetrack is open 160 days a year, and it features many notable races such as the New York Derby, New York Breeders’ Futurity, Wandsworth Memorial Handicap, George W. Banker Handicap, Niagara Stakes and Lady Fingers Stakes. The New York Derby is part of the Big Apple Triple, together with the Albany Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont Park.

The available horse betting options include win, place, show, daily double, pick 3, pick 5, exacta, exacta box, trifecta, trifecta key, trifecta box, superfecta, superfecta key and superfecta box. If you would like to watch the races but can’t be on location, you can follow the Finger Lakes Racetrack YouTube channel, where it posts streams and replays of key races.

Casino amenities

Hotels near Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack

Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack does not have a hotel on its premises, but there are several accommodation options nearby if you’re planning to spend a night.

The most notable of these options is the Comfort Inn & Suites Farmington-Victor, a two-star, three-story hotel just a 10-minute walk from the racetrack. You can also find accommodation across the road at the Budget Inn Farmington, which is a humble motel with free Wi-Fi. A little farther away is the Finger Lakes Hotel, a two-star hotel with standard amenities. All three places are very affordable and relatively close to the casino. For something a little more upscale, you will have to go further toward Rochester.

Dining options

While Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack lacks a hotel, that certainly isn’t the case with restaurants and bars. There are five dining venues inside the casino with various menus.

• Remedy Bar — Remedy Bar is a full-service bar with a large selection of alcoholic beverages and finger food. It is equipped with over 20 HDTVs and a big screen showing Sunday football games. The bar is open Thursday through Sunday until 10 p.m.
• Remedy Events — An area located inside the Remedy Bar dedicated to hosting live music and bands.
• Buffet — A classic all-you-can-eat buffet with a wide assortment of dishes and specials.
• Platinum Grille — Options include cheeseburgers, sausages and grilled chicken, together with specialties like roast beef, turkey wrap, chili cheese nachos and more. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sevens Bar — A bar with a cozy atmosphere serving home-brewed beer and cocktails alongside a versatile food menu.

Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack history

The Finger Lakes Racetrack started operating on May 23, 1962. It went through several ownerships that had their ups and downs with cycles of both fruitful and near-bankrupt years. The racetrack was home to several notable races and hosted a multitude of famous jockeys like Bill Shoemaker, Pat Day and Angel Cordero.

In 2004, it changed its name to Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack after the addition of gambling machines and a $10.5 million renovation, making it officially a racino. Ever since, the racetrack has been operating successfully and is one of the most-visited gambling facilities in western New York.