<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-08-27</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000858339</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HARRAHS ENTERTAINMENT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HET</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001182188</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MICHAEL GARY G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>2000.00</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-08-27</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-08-27</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>9.44</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>41.099</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>1305.44</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>Directors Stock Plan</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">On July 24, 2003, the Issuer declared a cash dividend of $0.30 per share, payable to all holders of record at the close of business on August 13, 2003.  Pursuant to the 1996 Non-Management Directors Stock Incentive Plan, the plan administrator reinvested the dividend paid on shares held in the plan through an open market purchase, with the value of shares so purchased credited proportionately to each participant in the Plan.</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Gary G. Michael, by Angela P. Winter, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-09-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

