Harrah's, Harvey's and the Montbleu in South Lake Tahoe aren't the only casinos on the shores of a lake within four hours of the Bay Area. Way up in Lakeport (Lake County), the Konocti Vista Casino sits on Clear Lake, and is beginning to draw a crowd of regular gamblers.

Bartop games available at the Point Bar! Join the Player’s Club and earn points while you play, then exchange those points for food, concert tickets, hotel stay purchases or download up to $300 in points per day at the slots. Player’s Club members also earn special promo drawing tickets when available based on their play. Valentino’s Konocti Vista Casino is ready to seat you. They’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, and open late until 11:30 on Friday and Saturday. They have pancakes, eggs, burgers, club sandwiches and more. Sunday brunch gets you a discounted Bloody Mary or mimosa.

Konocti Casino Promotions

The casino, which dates to 1994, is owned and operated by the Big Valley Rancheria band of the Pomo Indians. The facility is named for the view it affords of hulking Mount Konocti, a 4,299-foot (dormant) volcano that is the second-highest peak in the Clear Lake Volcanic Field.

Inside, the gaming floor spans 1,200 square feet and features eight gaming tables, including five blackjack tables ($5 minimums), two Pai Gow poker tables and one three-card poker table. The casino used to have a poker room, too, but shut it down at the end of 2007 to make room for more slots.

Speaking of slots, Konocti Vista now boasts more than 500 of them, including multi-denominational reel slots such as Triple Double Diamond, Sizzling 7's and Red White & Blue, as well as video slots like Lucky Larry Lobstermania, Wild Bear Salmon Run and Dolphin Treasure. There also are at least six kinds of video poker.

The casino also has a Players Club, which doles out free food and merchandise depending on how much time players spend on the gaming floor. David Arciero, director of marketing, says the club has 300 members so far, and notes that everyone receives $20 in free slot play when they enroll.

Arciero notes that while many casinos offer similar players club and gaming options, what makes Konocti different is the lake.

'When you combine the experience of being out on the lake all day with the experience of being in here, relaxing and gambling all night, you really can't beat it,' he says, noting that about 80 percent of the casino's customers are locals and fishermen. 'You can get here from the water in no more than 10 minutes. Where else could somebody say that?'

But there's more to Konocti than the lake and a casino. The Big Valley Indians also run an 80-room hotel on-site, as well as a 74-space RV park and a 92-slip marina. Through Jan. 31, Konocti is running a promotion in which visitors who stay one night at the hotel or RV park get a second night free.

(None of these facilities should be confused with the expansive Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa down the road in Kelseyville.)

Konocti Vista Casino Promotions

For the quietest time at Konocti Vista Casino, go now. Crowds pick up in February, when fishermen descend on Clear Lake for what Arciero calls 'prefishing.' During this ritual, bass fanatics spend their days patrolling the lake to find prime fishing spots they can hit during the official season, which runs March to November.

Konocti Vista Casino Promotions

Konocti Vista Casino, 2755 Mission Rancheria Road, Lakeport. (800) 386-1950. .