Re: Vegas Semi-Solo July 2008 Trip Report

Loved your trip report. Thanks for posting. A couple of comments:

1.) When one hits it big right off the bat, it can make one go into a
conservative mode in order to protect your winnings. This can put a downer
on the whole trip. That has happened to me, and it is much more fun to hit
it big at the end. Anyway, congrats.

2.) I frequently get vouchers for free play up to $300 at times. I am
instructed to find a machine that accepts these certain vouchers, then
plug in my PIN after I insert the voucher. I can immediately cash out and
receive the ticket out for $300, which I can cash. In my experience, you
don't need to play out the free play voucher.

Tom
On Jul 24 2008 11:02 AM, SteveT wrote:

Vegas Semi-Solo July 2008 Trip Report

Lowlights: Planing and deplaning and replaning and leaving four hours
late. Leaving a full order of paid-for steamers at airport restaurant to
catch plane.

Highlights: Hitting four deuces paying $2,500 and meeting Paul Pierce
(Boston Celtics).


Left home about 6:00 AM Saturday, July 19th for four-day (semi-solo)
Vegas trip from Boston. Scheduled to leave at 8:00 AM, but planed and
deplaned and replaned. Four hours later still on the ground because of a
mechanical problem, I was sitting at the gate starving so just before
noon decided to get an order of steamers nearby at Legal Seafood. Just
as the order was served I noticed people at my gate were reboarding the
plane. So now I was faced with a choice: Stay and eat my $15 steamers or
miss the plane to Vegas. The steamers lost. So far I was down $15 and I
was still six hours from Vegas.

After making people wait around the gate for four to five hours in
Boston you'd think US Air would have comped the box lunches they sold on
board. Yeah right; FU US Air!!!

Upon arrival in Vegas about 11 hours after arriving at the gate in
Boston (3:30 PM Vegas time), I still needed to get the rental car and
perhaps more important, get some nourishment before I passed out.

As planned, instead of taking the free airport shuttle to the McCarran
Rent-A-Car Center across I-215, I rented a car from the Dollar outlet on
Swenson St. just across Tropicana (actually closer to the airport
terminal than the McCarran Rent-A-Car Center). I got the CAT 108 Bus at
the airport terminal (which comes every 20 minutes) at a cost of $1.25
and was dropped off (first stop) on Swenson about a half block from the
Dollar outlet.

Why? The airport pickup rate for the car added airport fees of about
$30 to the cost of the car. I saved ($30 - $1.25 =) $28.75 and I could
return the car to the airport Rent-A-Car Center with no added airport
drop-off fees (just couldn't pick it up there).

Going solo for just four days, I only had a carry-on bag (on wheels).
But if you go with others a good strategy (I'm told) is to have just one
person go get the car via the CAT bus (leave the others and all luggage
at the terminal) and then go back to pick them up at the terminal door.
The round trip distance back and forth to and from Swenson is about the
same distance and time as the entire one way trip to the McCarran Rent-
A-Car Center from the terminal.

I've never done this before but decided to try it. The reality worked
out as well as the plan despite the brief 1/2 block walk in 112-degree
heat. The only time I ever experienced this level of heat was inside a
sauna. Things had that same dry hot-air sauna smell.

Once I got the car, I immediately drove to In & Out Burger on Tropicana.
This was my first time at In & Out: Exceptional tasty and fresh burger
for the price; the fries not so much.

I then checked into the Hilton (btw, the main strip area is closer to
the Swenson Dollar outlet than having to drive from the McCarran rental
center). Checked in for four nights including a Saturday night for a
TOTAL cost of $199 on a mailer offer. With not enough daylight left, I
decided to forego my planned North Vegas coupon run (thanks US Air)

Gamblin' and More Gamblin'

After checking in, I played my first MP at the Hilton and won a quick
$20. I also played some $1.00 x 5 coin Loose Deuces Wild (LDW). After an
hour or so, I broke even.

Having a number of $25 Station Casino MPs and $25 POV MPs good at Sante
Fe Station, I decided to drive out to this most northern major Vegas
casino/hotel to play some MPs and video poker at 5X points. I began
playing $0.25 FPDW. But I wanted to move up in denomination. Like most
casinos, however, they didn't have FPDW (100.7%) higher than at $0.25.
So I switched to $0.50 LDW (100.1%). After going sidewise for awhile, I
moved up to $1.00 LDW. On the third hand at a $1.00 x 5 coin, I kept a
sole deuce. I wasn't really looking at the result and then I heard a
loud bass-thumping tune. I had no clue why. So I looked down to play my
next hand and the machine was locked up and I saw four deuces. After a
miserable travel day, this brought a joyful tear to my eye, as LDW pays
2,500 coins for four deuces instead of the 1,000 coins of FPDW. And I
was playing $1.00 instead of $0.25 when the four deuces hit.

Sometimes life does not suck.

After three previous weeklong trips to Vegas playing primarily FPDW and
LDW, I've never hit four deuces at all -- or a royal. So to hit four
deuces playing LDW - and at the $1.00 level -- was a best possible case
other than a royal. In addition to getting my first set of deuces, I got
my first ever W-2G.

Being up $2,587 on my initial day, put me in gambling winnings
preservation mode. I wanted to be sure to take home at least $2,000 in
winnings when I boarded the plane.

Not wanting to push my luck that night I did not play any $25 MPs there
and left. Being a Saturday night instead I went to the Palms to view the
many good-looking, mostly skimpily clad, nubile women hanging out
throughout the place. On a Saturday night, this is one of the best free
shows in all of Vegas.

To also pass the time there, I played a bit of $0.25 FPDW progressive,
which conveniently provides an excellent view of the parade of lovelies
waiting in line to get into the various clubs. This rates up there with
the Bellagio fountain show for Saturday night entertainment (if you are
with the wife stick to the fountains, they also may pay dividends).

One other unexpected bonus was that while walking around, I saw this guy
that looked very familiar. Then it hit me; that's Paul Pierce of the
Celtics: c-o-o-l. He was at the cashier and when he was done, I yelled
over congratulations. He smiled from ear-to-ear and so did I (being a
long-suffering Celtics' fan). I knew the NBA summer league was going on
in Vegas that week but I didn't think he would be here (mostly rookies).


Sunday

Sunday morning I got up early and played another MP at the Hilton and
won $20, but lost $20 on VP, and then headed out to Henderson. I first
went to the Rainbow Club Casino, which is only one of two places in
Vegas that has $0.50 FPDW. I played for an hour but I couldn't get a
cocktail server to serve me (just wanted a coffee) so after about 45
minutes I left even, but dying for a coffee. I headed over to Fiesta
Henderson and played a $25 MP and hit a blackjack for a $75 profit and
also won a quick $20 at FPDW VP.

Next, at Green Valley Ranch (GVR), I got a cup of coffee at the Coffee
Bean and also used a 5X points coupon. I was hoping to run enough money
through the machines to get some mailer offers for rooms later in the
year without losing too much. Well it didn't work out quite as planned
and after much play with increasing denominations in an attempt to get
even, I dropped $400 on LDW.

Thankfully, I had to leave before 11:00 AM to pick up my brother at the
airport. He was in town for business but we planned to hang out together
today, Sunday. I picked him up and he checked in to the Renaissance on
Paradise. Nice, very modern. boutiquish hotel.

Last year, I directed him to a bunch of free play for slot signups on
the strip. This time I was going to show him the downtown (his first
time) and direct him to some freeplay (FP) signups there.

On the way, we stopped at Palace Station hoping to get him a chunk of FP
there. New signups get a random amount of $3 or higher of FP. Not
surprisingly he got $3.00. He likes two slots: Super Party and Village
People and he played his FP and a bit more. He was really hungry and he
saw a sign for the buffet for $8.99 PP. I warned him that this buffet
was the worst rated buffet in the entire Station chain and we could get
better food at the Main Street Station (no relation to Palace Station)
buffet or the Golden Nugget downtown. But he was really hungry, so I
caved. Other than the roast turkey and a few decent desserts, nothing
was really that good. No roast beef, no steak, but hamburgers. I'd give
it a 5 out of 10. Before leaving on the way out, I played a $25 Station
MP and lost.

We drove downtown and parked at the Vegas Club garage. We first hit the
Golden Nugget where new member signups get $10 in FP. I already had mine
from previous trips. The FP applied to most machines, but not to the two
he wanted to play. I tried to explain to him to play something else and
just count the coin-in (CI) and once he reached $10 CI he could cash out
and then take the ticket and put it into the machine he wanted to play.
He didn't get it and just kept playing past the point where the freeplay
had been used. Next we hit Binions that had $10 for signups about 6
months ago when I was there. Also I had $10 FP on account from a coupon
a gave them a while back but had not used. So he signed up and they gave
me my FP on a card. But after he signed up they informed him they were
no longer offering free play for new signups: FU Binion's! I played my
$10 FP through and had $2.50 left and just ran it through until it
evaporated.

We next hit 4 Queens that gave him $10 FP for signup and I got $10 FP
and had a $10 MP from a POV coupon. I made $5.00 on the FP and won $20
on the MP. Next, at Fitz there was no FP for either of us, but I had a
$10 MP and won $20. Last, we hit ElCo where I had $10 FP from ACG, $10
FP from POV, and $5.00 FP from an email-requested coupon. They loaded a
combined total of $25 FP onto my account and my brother got $10 in FP
from an ACG coupon. I turned the $25 FP to $20 in cash and a $5 MP into
$10.

My brother's co-worker was staying at the Venetian and I wanted to see
the new Palazzo, so we made plans to hang out there on Sunday night. His
co-worker loved to snag top shelf drinks at one of the nicer casino bars
by playing one coin VP at the bar. My brother had never played VP
before, so I coached him. In addition to getting free expensive drinks
he also won $40. Next they each found some Super Party and Village
People Slots and played these for quite a while. I just watched as I
refuse to play slots anywhere or VP there. The VP paytables at the
Pallazo have been watered down since their initial opening a few months
ago.

By about 9:30 PM we had not eaten, but they just wanted to continue to
play slots and get free drinks, so I walked over to the Venetian casino
food court to San Gennaro and had an excellent grilled Chicken sandwich
along with my favorite fries in all of Vegas.

About 11:00 PM we all called it quits at the Pallazo. Before heading up
to the room at the Hilton, I played some LDW VP and ended up $40, but
lost a $10 MP.

My $2,587 in winnings were now down to $2,327.

The next morning (Monday) I decided to do my North Las Vegas coupon run.
Before leaving the Hilton, I played some VP and won $10 but lost $10 on
a MP.

In North LV I hit the Cannery, Poker Palace, Silver Nugget, Bighorn,
Jerry's Nugget, Texas Station, and Fiesta Rancho. I won 6 of 7 MPs for a
$125 profit. But along the way, lost $210 in VP.

I then planned to go to the Palms to play their $0.25 FPDW progressive,
but first stopped at the Gold Coast (across the street) and played two
$5 MPs. I went 1 for 2 for a $5 profit. At the Palms, I played about 3
hours of FPDW VP for a $100 loss. A guy hit the $0.25 progressive royal
for $1,088 while I was playing. Next, I went back to the Hilton for a
short nap.

My $2,587 in winnings were now down to $2,162.

I fell asleep about 7:00 PM but didn't wakeup until eight hours later at
3:00 AM.

Well rested (to say the least), about 4:30 AM, I decided to go to the
Peppermill for coffee. On the way out of the Hilton, I played a $10 MP
and won. At the Peppermill with my coffee I had a small loaf of warm
banana bread: excellent coffee and excellent banana bread. Their prices
have really gone up, but I still love this place.

Today is my last day in Vegas.

So first, I did a local strip area mini-coupon run that included
Terrible's, Hard Rock, Ellis Island, the Sahara and then back to the
Hilton. I won 5 of 8 for an $80 profit. I then decided to hit a few
western LV area casinos that included the Rampart, Suncoast, and Red
Rock. On this run, I lost the two smaller MPs but won the larger $25 MP
at Red Rock for an overall $25 profit. Also while at Red Rock, I used a
5X points coupon, again hoping for reduced room rate offers later in the
year. I began playing 25c/50c and then $1.00 DW VP. After many hours of
play, I lost $300 on VP. While there though, I finally got to eat at
Capriotti's sub shop - a highly-rated Vegas sandwich shop (mini-chain).
The cranberry turkey sandwich was excellent.

From Red Rock, I took I-215 East to the southern portion of Las Vegas
Blvd. and drove to South Point (having never been there) where I had a
$10 FP coupon. I played 8/5 Bonus VP and parlayed it into a $35 profit.

Getting close to dinner time, I had a 50% off coupon for the Orleans
buffet, where I've never eaten (many people consider this to be one of
the best value buffets in Vegas). It was a quick drive up I-15 from
South Point. I think my final cost was about $7.00 for dinner with the
50% off coupon. I'd rate the buffet 6 out of 10, better than Palace
Station, almost as good as the Silverton, but surely not in the league
of GVR, Red Rock, or PH buffets.

My flight was leaving that night at 11:45 PM, so after dinner I briefly
watched a mediocre lounge act at the Orleans and then drove back to the
Hilton to shower and pack. I was going to play another MP and some more
VP at the Hilton before leaving, but when I realized my winnings were
down to $2,002, I decided to call it quits. I gassed up across from the
Hilton at $4.09 per gallon. Dollar at the Rent-A-Car Center took the car
quickly with no problem or added fees at all, but the shuttle to the
terminal took a long time since we stopped at Terminal 1 first before
going to Terminal 2.

Still, I made it to my gate with plenty of time as I already had my
boarding pass and had no luggage to check and there was no line at
security. My direct flight back to Boston actually left on time and made
it back to Boston one half hour early at 7:30 AM.

In the end, for MPs I won 19 of 27 for a $355 net profit plus FP offers
for another $60. I made it home with overall winnings of $2,002 (and got
to say hello and congratulations to Paul Pierce).

Hope to return around Thanksgiving (this time with my wife).

Thanks for reading this.

Steve T

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