Lucky Chances Casino in Colma, just south of San Francisco, is a California cardroom offering live poker, California-style table games, and on-site dining. Its strongest draw is a card-focused outing without a distant resort trip, with the 24-hour Café Colma handy for a meal break. The main limitation is variety: there are no slot machines or on-site hotel rooms. I would put it on the list for a poker session, not a casino vacation with a little of everything.
Lucky Chances Casino: quick facts
| Location | 1700 Hillside Boulevard, Colma, CA 94014 |
|---|---|
| Property type | California cardroom |
| Minimum gambling age | 21 |
| Poker room | Yes; listed variants include Texas Hold’Em, Omaha Hi/Lo, and 7-Card Stud |
| Other listed games | Pai Gow, Double Hand Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’Em, Baccarat, EZ Baccarat, Three Card Poker, and Pure 21.5 Blackjack |
| Slots and video poker machines | None |
| Retail sportsbook | No |
| On-site hotel | No |
| Dining | Café Colma, listed as a 24-hour coffee shop, and Rene’s Fine Dining |
| Phone | (650) 758-2237 |
What kind of casino is Lucky Chances?
The word “casino” does a lot of work in California. Here, it means a cardroom, not a roomful of slot machines with poker tables off to one side. Cards are the reason to come, and dining makes a longer session more practical.
That focus is a strength if you know what you want to play. It is less helpful when half your group wants poker and the other half expects machines, a pool, or an upstairs hotel room. I would settle that question before organizing the outing.
The Colma setting makes Lucky Chances an option for San Francisco and northern Peninsula visitors. For the broader distinction between cardrooms and resort properties, see our guide to California casinos.
Poker room: games and planning your session
Lucky Chances offers player-versus-player poker. The casino’s official contact page lists Texas Hold’Em, Omaha Hi/Lo, and 7-Card Stud, along with a tournament inquiry number: (650) 758-2237, extension 765.
A listed variant does not guarantee an available game or seat. Before traveling for a particular format or limit, ask what is running, how the waiting list works, and what the buy-in range is. That call matters more than the length of the game list.
Texas Hold’Em and Ultimate Texas Hold’Em are not interchangeable. The former is poker against other players; the latter is a separate table game.
Hold’em versus Omaha Hi/Lo
Hold’em lets you use two, one, or none of your hole cards to make your best hand. In Omaha Hi/Lo, you must use exactly two of your four hole cards and exactly three community cards. You may use a different pair of hole cards for the high and low hands.
I would learn that distinction before buying chips for an unfamiliar game. A board that looks wonderful to a Hold’em player can mean something quite different in Omaha.
Cash games and tournaments
For cash games, ask about collections as well as blinds and buy-ins. For tournaments, check the full entry cost, structure, late registration, reentries, and any add-ons. The headline entry price is not necessarily your full session budget.
If you are new to live poker, tell the dealer, act in turn, and ask about unfamiliar procedures before moving chips. You do not need to pretend you know every house procedure to deserve a seat.
California-style table games
The listed games include Pai Gow, Double Hand Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’Em, Baccarat, EZ Baccarat, Three Card Poker, and Pure 21.5 Blackjack. Availability and limits can vary.
The California Department of Justice’s Lucky Chances rules document describes player-dealer arrangements and collection charges. In the games described, the casino provides the game and collects fees rather than taking the conventional house-banked role you might expect in Nevada. The document is undated, so its schedules are not a guarantee of today’s limits or charges.
My advice: read the game name, payout rules, and collection schedule before sitting down. Familiar-looking felt does not guarantee familiar rules.
Pure 21.5 is not ordinary blackjack
Under the published rules, a specially marked Bonus card paired with an Ace makes the special Pure 21.5 Blackjack hand. A winning special hand pays 3 to 2, while a qualifying ordinary win against a busted player-dealer pays even money.
On an illustrative $20.00 wager, those outcomes produce $30.00 and $20.00 in winning profit, respectively, before collection and excluding the returned stake. Both examples assume sufficient player-dealer funds. They explain the payouts, not how often you will win.
Pai Gow versus Double Hand Poker
The published rules describe Pai Gow as a tile game and Double Hand Poker as a card game in which players arrange seven cards into a five-card hand and a two-card hand. Do not assume every reference to Pai Gow means the poker version you know from another casino.
Collection fees and the real wager commitment
A low minimum wager tells you only part of the story. Collections, required follow-up wagers, and optional bonus bets can change the money needed to play. The following examples illustrate the published rules, not current table quotes or expected gambling losses.
Fixed collections matter at small wagers
One published Pure 21.5 schedule charges a $1.00 player collection for total player wagers from $5.00 to $100.00. Assuming that schedule applies and there are no side bets, the collection equals 20% of a $5.00 wager, compared with 4% of a $25.00 wager.
This is a fee-to-wager comparison, not a house-edge calculation. It is not an argument for betting more: a larger wager puts more money at risk even when the fee represents a smaller percentage.
Across an illustrative 30 hands, that rate would mean $30.00 in collections alone, separate from wins and losses. No session duration is assumed, and the example requires the same fee tier to apply throughout.
Side bets can change fees
The rules document contains both a combined-wager collection model and a model that separately collects on bonus wagers. Under the latter, an optional bet can increase fees as well as the amount wagered.
The published Pure 21.5 rules do not impose an additional player collection for doubling down or splitting, although those decisions still require additional wagers. I would ask, “What do I pay to play this hand?” rather than stopping at, “What is the minimum?”
Three Card Poker: the Ante is only the start
Under the published Three Card Poker rules, continuing after seeing your cards requires a Play wager equal to your Ante. A $20.00 Ante therefore becomes $40.00 wagered when you continue, before collections.
Add the optional matching $20.00 Bonus Bet, and the commitment becomes $60.00 when you continue, again before collections. The bonus is optional; the matching Play wager is required to stay in the hand. Budget for the decision after the deal, not just the chips needed to receive cards.
Slots, video poker, and sportsbook
Lucky Chances has no slot machines or video poker machines. Poker here means live cards at a table. If machines are your main attraction, choose a different type of casino.
There is also no on-property retail sportsbook, so do not plan the trip around placing a sports wager.
Restaurants: Café Colma and Rene’s Fine Dining
Café Colma is listed as a 24-hour coffee shop. That is useful for a card-playing visit: a meal break does not have to become a separate drive. Its listed contact is (650) 758-2237, extension 649.
For Rene’s Fine Dining, restaurant inquiries go to extension 648, and group reservations go to extension 649. Check service hours, menus, and prices before planning a meal.
I would treat these as convenient on-site options, not expect the restaurant variety of a major resort. A 24-hour coffee-shop listing also does not mean every dish or dining service is available all night.
Hotel, directions, and practical visit information
Lucky Chances has no on-site hotel. Book overnight accommodations separately, and check the actual route to the cardroom. An airport-area hotel is not automatically a walkable casino hotel.
Use 1700 Hillside Boulevard, Colma for navigation. Allow for Bay Area traffic rather than relying on a fixed drive time, and confirm casino hours and your preferred game’s availability before traveling.
- Parking: Ask about current arrangements and charges, plus accessible spaces or EV charging if needed.
- Transit: Plan the final leg and check your return timetable before settling into a late session.
- Shuttles: Confirm any service, route, and pickup time directly. Do not assume an airport or BART transfer is included.
- Age and identification: You must be at least 21 to gamble. Bring valid government-issued photo ID.
- Comfort and access: Ask about smoking rules and specific accessibility needs before arrival.
Keep trip-home money separate from your playing budget. If you will be drinking, arrange a sober driver or another safe way back.
If gambling is becoming difficult to control, the casino’s official website lists 1-800-GAMBLER and 1-800-522-4700 as problem-gambling support numbers.
Rewards and promotions
Ask staff about current player registration, dining benefits, or poker promotions. Read participation and qualifying-hand rules rather than assuming a displayed jackpot applies to every game or seat.
I would choose the game and stakes first, then consider the promotion. An incentive is not a good reason to play beyond your budget.
Who Lucky Chances is best for
Lucky Chances suits Bay Area visitors who want live poker or California-style table games, with a 24-hour coffee shop for a meal around their session. I see its Colma location and card-focused format as the main appeal: the outing revolves around playing, not a resort itinerary. The trade-off is a narrower experience, with no machines or hotel rooms. Groups wanting varied non-gambling diversions should choose a resort property instead, while table-game players should pay close attention to collections.
Frequently asked questions
Does Lucky Chances Casino have a poker room?
Yes. Listed variants include Texas Hold’Em, Omaha Hi/Lo, and 7-Card Stud. Call for active games, limits, buy-ins, waiting lists, and tournament details.
Does Lucky Chances have slots or video poker?
No. Lucky Chances is a cardroom and has neither slot machines nor video poker machines.
How old do you have to be to gamble at Lucky Chances?
You must be at least 21. Bring valid government-issued photo identification.
Is Café Colma open 24 hours?
The casino lists Café Colma as a 24-hour coffee shop. Check directly if you need a particular menu item or service overnight.
What are the table minimums?
Check the posted limits and collection schedule at the table. The undated regulatory schedules are not a quote for the game operating when you arrive.
Does Lucky Chances have a hotel or sportsbook?
No. Lucky Chances has neither an on-site hotel nor a retail sportsbook.
Sources and rules note
The official property contact page lists games, dining contacts, and Café Colma’s 24-hour designation. The regulator-hosted rules explain the game mechanics discussed above. Check posted rules, active games, collections, and schedules before playing.
Poker room and sportsbook
There is no on-site sportsbook.