the ultimate guide to mohegan sun casino

Mohegan Sun is one of the largest casinos in the United States, and it is one of two very popular casinos in Connecticut. Known for its unique theme that was inspired by the Mohegan tribe's lore, Mohegan Sun is the perfect place regardless of what type of getaway you want. With two luxurious spas and over 40 bars, restaurants, and cafes, it can be a relaxing stay solo or with friends. If you're looking for something a little bit more exciting, Mohegan Sun has nearly 4,000 slot machines and over 300 game tables to gamble at, as well as a club, multiple bars, and three major entertainment venues. There are also countless stores to shop from and a Kids Quest/Cyber Quest family entertainment facility for kids over 6 weeks of age.

If it's your first time visiting Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, CT, let me be your guide! I'm a Connecticut native who has stayed at Mohegan Sun Casino so many times I don't think I could count, and I'd be more than happy to show you around before you come to visit and/or stay.

WHAT IS MOHEGAN SUN?

Mohegan Sun is both a casino and a resort located in Uncasville, Connecticut. It is owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe on 240 acres of their reservation, along the banks of the Thames River. There are two casinos at Mohegan Sun, spread out over 364,000 square feet of gambling space that is split into multiple different playing areas. There are also 40+ restaurants, bar, and cafes for guests to choose from, as well as countless other notable amenities like spas, entertainment venues for concerts and shows, a shopping center, and more.

THE HISTORY OF MOHEGAN SUN CASINO

Mohegan Sun’s history began in 1992 when developers partnered with the Mohegan Tribe to propose building a casino in Connecticut. The group, known as Trading Cove Associates, helped the tribe gain federal recognition in 1994, which officially allowed the project to move forward. The casino was built on a former industrial site that was cleaned and repurposed, and major investors like Sol Kerzner of Kerzner International became involved. The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority—now known simply as Mohegan—oversaw the project’s development and construction throughout the 90's. Mohegan Sun then finally opened on October 12, 1996 and it has been a major hotspot for tourism in Connecticut ever since. Both locals and tourists enjoy coming to experience the world-class gambling facilities, see a concert, comedy show, or sporting event, and eat at fantastic restaurants.

WHAT TIME DOES MOHEGAN SUN OPEN & CLOSE?

Mohegan Sun is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of holidays. This means the casino floor is always open as well as various entertainment venues. The only areas that have certain hours are the shopping center, restaurants, cafes, and bars. Alcohol sales are also prohibited during the hours of 4:00 am to 8:00 am every morning.

THE MOHEGAN SUN MAP & LAYOUT

With over 5.5 million square feet to cover, Mohegan Sun can be pretty hard to navigate, especially if you have a specific destination in mind. To view Mohegan Sun's full layout including both casinos, the arena, and all the restaurants, bars, and cafes, click the downloadable map here.

Ready to gamble? Mohegan Sun has two large casino areas known as the Casino of the Sky and Casino of the Earth. Both casinos have slot machines, blackjack tables, roulette tables, and servers ready to grab a free drink for anyone gambling. To get started, all you have to do is pull out some cash and put it into a machine. Once you're done gambling each time, a piece of receipt paper will be printed with your winning amount. You can put this paper into the next machine you use or you can go up to one of the teller stations to cash out.

WHAT ARE MOHEGAN SUN PLAYERS PERKS?

The Mohegan Sun player perks program is called the Momentum Rewards program, which separates players into different tiers based on how many points they've earned while playing at the casino. The first tier is known as the Ignite tier, which gives members 50 choice credits every month. Credits can be used for food, scooter rentals, and more. Leap members earn 2oo choice credits as well as 4 complimentary golf rounds and priority hotel check-ins. Ascend members, part of the third tier in the program, earn 800 choice credits each month as well as complimentary hotel rooms, priority check-in, and even more. Finally the top tier of the program is known as Soar and these members can enjoy VIP lounges, priority access at Player's Club booths, accelerated Momentum Dollar earning, and access to a Casino Marketing Executive.

WHAT ARE MOHEGAN SUN CHOICE CREDITS?

Mohegan Sun choice credits are credits that casino players can earn by playing slots, table games, and other qualifying activities. The way it works is the more you play, the more momentum dollars, status points, and choice credits you will accumulate. Based on how much you accumulate, you will be placed into one of four tiers and you will get monthly perks like credit towards food, priority parking, hotel rooms, and potentially more.

Are drinks free at mohegan sun casino?

Drinks are free at Mohegan Sun if you are gambling in the casino area. Gamblers in this area must be at least 21 years old to enter and you must be sitting at a slot machine or a table game for a cocktail server to give you a complimentary drink. Tips are highly encouraged. If you aren't actively gambling, you will need to purchase a drink at one of the restaurants or bars in the area.

MOHEGAN SUN DINING & RESTAURANT OPTIONS

Mohegan Sun has some of the best restaurants and bars in Connecticut. With over 40 options to choose from, it doesn't matter if you want to eat a high end steak house, experience the Asian fusion of Tao, or go for simpler classics at an Irish pub or sports bar- Mohegan Sun has it all. Below outlines some of the most popular restaurants sorted into categories based on type of food:

Mohegan Sun Concerts & Arena Info

The Mohegan Sun Arena is one of the largest event spaces in Connecticut, spanning across 30,000 square feet of exhibition space with 10,000 seats. Below showcases the seating chart of the arena. In order to see Mohegan Sun's upcoming events, click here. If you are visiting Mohegan Sun Arena, you're going to want to park in Winter Garage, since that's the closest garage to the arena. Parking is free there too, which is great. It's also advised that you park about 60 mins to 90 mins before a show so you have time to find a spot in the garage, get to the arena, get through security, grab a drink or a snack and then find your seat without stressing. It is a large arena so the more time beforehand, the better!

Where to Stay at Mohegan Sun

Mohegan Sun isn't just a casino- it's a resort too! In fact, there are two hotels: the Sky Tower and the Earth Tower. The Sky Tower is the original tower with 1200 rooms, a spa, and direct access to both the casino and shopping center. The Earth Tower, on the other hand, opened in 2016 with 400 rooms. It has its own lobby bar and coffee shop. Both are excellent options, and I've had the pleasure of staying at both on multiple occasions because of player perks.

Which Mohegan Sun Tower is Better?

Despite the fact that both Earth Tower and Sky Tower are great hotels, the answer to which one is better is subjective. The Sky Tower is an older but more luxurious tower with larger rooms, traditional finishes, and direct access to the casino, arena, Mandara Spa, indoor pool, and shopping center. The Earth Tower is a newer, more modern design with its own lobby, coffee bar, and quick access to outdoor areas. The rooms are less expensive, and its generally quieter because you need to walk through a long hallway to get there. This means that if you like luxury and convenience, you're probably going to want to stay at Sky Tower. If you want a more modern and affordable option where you will have to walk a little further to get to each attraction and there aren't as many amenities, go with the Earth Tower. I personally prefer Sky Tower if I can afford it just because I love how close it is to everything and I've stayed in beautiful rooms there, but I enjoyed staying in Earth Tower as well and did use the outdoor fire pits.

Hotels Near Mohegan Sun

If you don't want to stay on the premises and are looking for a quality hotel that's close to Mohegan Sun, you're going to want to choose one of the options below:

Explore More, Win More, Relax More

Whether you’re heading to Mohegan Sun for a weekend getaway, a concert, a round of golf, or just to test your luck, there’s truly something for everyone at this all-in-one resort. From world-class dining and entertainment to casino perks and family-friendly activities, Mohegan Sun is more than just a casino—it’s a destination. Scroll down to explore more guides on travel in the Northeast, and don’t forget to subscribe for tips on U.S. getaways, international travel, credit card rewards, and more!