Palms

Scouring for Casino Info

Scouring for Casino Info

I’ve often written that if you need more info about a specific casino, you should check their website for details — about their promotions, players club, restaurants, amenities, etc. Most casinos do better than they did years ago, but it’s amazing how many still do not realize that for so many of their potential and returning customers, the website is their first go-to contact. Sadly, many casino websites are only a brief and unsatisfying resource starting point.

Where can and should you go next?

In this post, I discuss where I often go and give you some of the information I’ve learned recently, even though I can’t use another good technique I recommend, visiting a casino in person.

THE PALMS

I wanted to find details about the Palms the minute it reopened, so I checked their website. There was general information, mainly about food offerings, but very few details a serious player would need: the name of the new players club and a photo with partial views of all the various tier cards, but absolutely no details. You can sign up there for email updates, but you can’t actually sign up for a card.

So I went to vpFREE2, my usual first step for getting the nitty gritty  info I need: VP inventory, sorted by machines or games, with locations, players club details, names of hosts, and general helpful comments.

Then I went to one of my best friends, Google, and found an article titled “Palms Casino Resort Opens with New Rewards Program For Las Vegas.” Bingo! Loads of details to fill in some of my information gaps.

I always liked Vital Vegas, Scott Roeben’s blog. Scott is a man about town who worked in Vegas marketing for a long time and is very well connected and knowledgeable. So I checked his article about the Palms re-opening, which includes a lot of photos and interesting  personal opinions. He also gives a link to a Twitter message that gives a valuable tier-matching chart. Check your loyalty cards and see if you can score a higher tier level at the Palms. In fact, you can see there what other Vegas players clubs you might want to join for higher tier-matching benefits.

Now I’m waiting to hear from some you who are lucky to be able to do eyes-on research!

CZR Properties

Speaking of personal reporting I really appreciate, I recently received an email from a frugal friend giving some updates from his recent trip to Harrah’s Cherokee. The food offerings are still in a period of frustration and confusion as most of the food court, which was in the casino, is closing as the Gordon Ramsey Food Market, outside the casino, is in a slow-opening phase. Seems like they’re repositioning dining options so that they’re available to families, since you have to be 21 to enter the casino proper. However, you see many children in the hotel and other non-casino entertainment areas.

While I’m on the subject of Cherokee, I had several requests for a photo of our recent jackpot there. Some of you may have already seen it in a recent LVA YouTube (# 43).

Another way that I discover new information that sometimes doesn’t ever make it into a website is by carefully reading all casino mail, both hard copy and online. That is how I learned that a CZR player who becomes eligible for free rooms as they go up in tier credits can use these room nights in other locales besides Vegas, which is the old offer. I’m not sure whether this covers all over the U.S. or just specific ones; you would need to check with a host. You would also need to check the details; it used to be a free night every 5,000 tier credits, but I’m not sure of the limit, perhaps 6 or 7 free nights a year? Also, I’m not sure if this is a permanent benefit or temporary promotion. Again, check with a host.

MGM

Sometimes I find new information that might be mentioned on a casino website, but not for a casino where I regularly play, so I don’t check it frequently for any additions or change of benefits. That happened just this morning as I was beginning to edit and post this blog. I got an email from Southwest (my airline of choice, because there is no charge if you have to change/cancel a flight) informing me they have become a preferred partner of MGM.

MGM Rewards members who are also Rapid Rewards® Members can now earn 600 Rapid Rewards® Points for each qualifying stay at all Las Vegas MGM Rewards destinations: Bellagio®, ARIA™, Vdara™, MGM Grand®, The Signature at MGM Grand®, Mandalay Bay®, Delano™ Las Vegas, Park MGM Las Vegas, The Mirage®, New York – New York®, Luxor®, and Excalibur®.

Now to end this blog on a lighter note, some comments that made me smile when that 2016 YouTube interview “How She Made a Million” was recently re-posted.  Seems nothing goes away online and people are still wanting to give their opinions – 463  of them at last count! Yes, there are many positive reactions, but so many of them are darkly colored by their personal painful losing casino experiences.

Commenter #1: This interview was done in 2016? How are they doing today? Wouldn’t Brad be about 90 years old?

My Response:  Yep, it’s 2022 and Brad IS 90 years old.

Commenter #2:  When they become a little bit off their game mentally as they get older, they will give their life savings back to the casinos. It’s just a matter of time.

My Response: Brad is in mental decline and doesn’t play unless I’m beside him helping him remember. I’m 83 and maybe not quite as sharp as I was in 2016, but with some review play with software on my computer, the few times I get to a casino these days, I think I remember accurate strategy pretty well. And I don’t lose enough to put even a small dent in that million dollars talked about in the YouTube interview. What does put a bigger dent in life savings is paying for senior assisted living.  🙁

Today, I’m very glad we always kept on the path of frugal advantage play  and didn’t squander in our younger days those big video poker winnings!

Answers and News

Answers and News

After my last Cherokee trip report, as usual there were reader questions, which I’m always happy to answer.

Q: Did it work out that your granddaughter could take a break from her Appalachian Trail thru-hike and meet you all?

A: Amazingly, the timing was perfect. Angela and Steve had to drive only about 20 miles to pick her up. In fact, they arrived at the meeting point a little early, so Steve could walk about a mile down the trail where he met her and they could walk back together to where Angela was waiting in the car. It goes without saying that Kaitlynn enjoyed a comfortable bed, hot food, and lots of hot showers the next day and a half at the hotel before being dropped back at the trail. If you’re interested, you can subscribe to her YouTube vblog .

Q: Do you ever plan to play at other casinos or go back to Las Vegas to visit?

A: Right now, Brad’s health limits how much we can travel. The only reason we can go to Cherokee is that Angela and Steve can help us with the travel and his care. However, at the urging of Angela (and my doctor), it seems that I need a break. So Angela and Steve are going to take over his care for four days in May and I am planning a trip to Harrah’s Tahoe and meeting with an old gambling friend I haven’t seen for over two years. Needless to say, I’m excited! And although I don’t miss living in Las Vegas, I look forward to a short visit there if circumstances ever make that a possibility.

A couple of trip notes: A big positive I forgot to mention in my trip report was how nice it was to be in a totally non-smoking casino. A negative was a new thing to which I had to adjust, for the first time: paying a resort fee. We’d always been at a high enough tier level for this not to happen. And Brad’s and my comped room did not get charged this fee since I am Diamond. However, Steve is only on the Platinum tier level and he did have $26.88 added for each of the 3 nights, even though two of the nights were comped, based on his rather light play in the past. “Comped” doesn’t always mean completely free.

From the comments:

I was at Cherokee when you were there. I sat down on a VP machine and commented to a lady beside me, “Has anybody ever told you that you look just like the Queen of Comps, Jean Scott.” To my great surprise, it was you!

It’s always great to meet “frugalites” who introduce themselves and such a pleasure to have a chance to chat with kindred souls. If you ever see us in a casino, please stop to say hello. I look forward to breaks in our play to meet new friends.

Now for some casino news.

Boyd Gaming has changed the name of its players club system, from B Connected to Boyd Rewards. Evidently, it did not cut benefits at the same time – I guess they figured their earlier massacre was enough.

This change in loyalty-club names seems to be the current “good idea.” CZR changed Total Rewards to Caesars Rewards. Wynn went from Red Card to Wynn Rewards. MGM went from M Live to MGM Rewards early this year and they did do a benefit massacre at the same time.

An important hint is to always check the casino website for possible changes (usually downgrades) in their player benefits whenever they change anything about their players club – the name, tier levels, etc. You should also check it carefully when their tier level “year” is up and especially at the beginning of a new year. Often, when they drop a benefit, there is no public announcement or player notification. That benefit is just not included in the new/revised tier-benefit section of the website.

Speaking of changes, sports arenas get name changes all the time to whatever company will pay the biggest bucks for that privilege, but airports not so frequently. I never did routinely say “McCarran” Airport, so I don’t think I will ever say “Harry Reid” airport. It has always been just the “Las Vegas Airport” to me.

And finally, it’s probably crazy that I’m so excited about the Palms reopening at the end of the month when I may never enter those doors again. But just seeing the name Palms Casino brings back so many happy memories for me. Brad and I were there the first day it opened and, living very close, we spent a lot of time there. It wasn’t just at the video poker machines, either, although it was one of our favorite places for that. We had comps for everything, the nice restaurants when we wanted to entertain fancy, the food court when we wanted a quick snack, and the buffet when everyone in our party wanted something different. Also a play place with a free dance machine when the grandkids were young and they could run up a comp bill that rivaled their frugal grandma. Free movies for years and free car washes until that popular perk broke down and to our sorrow was finally removed. (I kept those free coins for years, hoping I could someday use them!) And gifts, gifts, gifts! Someday I’ll walk around the apartment and list everything I see that came from the Palms. I go to Ang and Steve’s house and even sometimes spot something there!

So even if I never get back there, I’m excited for all of you who live in Vegas and the out-of-towners who will visit the new Palms. Maybe you can bring me joy by writing about it in the Comments. I’m hoping hoping hoping that you’ll find positive things to write about!

News and Views

News and Views

The mantra of the casino player is “the only constant is change.”

I found this quote online and it sums up the theme of my writings for the last 23 years. In fact, if all casinos had the same policies and never tinkered with them, if they always kept the same owners and management teams, and if they never never revamped their players clubs, I’m not sure I would have seen the need to write those first blogs in April 2000. For sure I wouldn’t still be writing one in January 2022. Change is the driver that has kept me on the gaming-writing road.

By the way, when I clicked on that 2000 archive link above just before I started writing this blog, I felt like I was in a time machine going backward. I hadn’t read many of these old blogs for years. A reader who just recently started casino gambling would probably think they were back in the Dark Ages. But if you’re a long-term gambler, it might bring back some happy memories, though tempered by a deep sadness as you’re reminded how good casino gambling used to be.

However, I did smile when I read some of the general advice I gave back then to help players gamble smarter. Yes, I’ve been pounding the same drums for over 20 years. Consider this excerpt from April 14, 2000:  Words I hate to read in a letter from a casino: “We’re improving our slot club.” I have NEVER, in 17 years of casino gambling, known the changes in a slot club to benefit me!  I could write and have written that recently, just changing the number to 39!

Okay, we must not dwell on the past so much that it keeps us from coping with the present as best we can. Here are some current news items readers have shared with me or I’ve read online.

Tuscany has changed its players club point system. Video poker now requires $2 coin-in to earn one point. Previously it was $1 per point. I could find no information about the players club on the website. On their page about promotions, they mention the DaVinci Rewards Players Club, but I could find no details about it. I finally found some info on vpFREE2, a valuable resource I go to frequently.

I don’t know whether Tuscany put the new information out on communications to players club members. It seems that this change took place at the beginning of the year. Good advice for players is to check casino websites at the beginning of each year. Sometimes casinos don’t notify their players club members when changes are made; they just put new rules up on the website. This may have happened with CZR. I wasn’t tracking this, but one of my readers said they reduced the number of tier credits you earned when paying for a hotel room. Seemed to me that I’d seen that they jumped it to 5 tier credits per dollar last year. Now I see it’s down to 1 tier credit.

It would be helpful if readers would post casino-change information. You can do it here in the comment section. And it would be great if more would post these sorts of details on vpFREE. This used to be such a great resource. but now there aren’t many members who post there. I’m not sure whether so many didn’t make the transfer when it had to find a new home  or whether so many have reduced their casino visits or completely abandoned VP since the pandemic struck. I do encourage players to post changes or other casino news they know about. Of course, we don’t expect “secret good plays,” but much helpful information can be shared.

Amidst all the bad news these days, occasionally there is some good news that many players will be happy to hear. The tribal leaders have voted to permanently ban smoking in both Harrah’s casinos in North Carolina, Cherokee and Murphy. For you smokers, the news is not all bad, since they did leave open the opportunity for Harrah’s to add dedicated smoking sections that employees could volunteer to staff.

Happy News: We all celebrated Brad’s 90th birthday on January 18.

Thinking about good casino news, I’m cautiously optimistic that after the pandemic effect is gone, casinos may have to start thinking that perhaps they will need to be more player-friendly to strengthen their bottom line. More promotions? More comps? More free play?

And perhaps some new owners will have some old-fashioned ideas about how to make their customers feel appreciated. I may not get to Vegas soon or ever, but I’m super excited — and hopeful —  about the reopening of the Palms.

I’m going to “steal” a great optimistic quote from my fellow blogger David McKee. If you want to read no-holds-barred casino news from all over the country, you need to read “Stiffs and Georges.” I love his tell-it-like-it-is attitude!

Quote of the Day: “Native American casino operators will undoubtedly bring their unique operating model, which focuses more on the long-term benefit of tribal citizens than quarterly results. I think they will give the big, corporate, publicly held companies a run for their money.”—Industry analyst Josh Swissman on the arrival of tribal-gaming operators on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Flexible Gambler

The Flexible Gambler

I’ve been reading over some of the blogs I’ve been writing recently, in which I’ve been trying to give practical hints for players coping with the difficult casino environment we’re up against these days. And it occurred to me that one word can sum up all that information: “flexibility.”

The most successful gamblers are flexible. Flexibility is so important, I’m moving it way up on my list of descriptions of an effective gambler, right up there with “self-disciplined” and “hardworking.”

Someone looking for the best plays rarely sticks exclusively with a “favorite” casino. When I’m asked the most frequent question by people who know we came from Vegas — “What’s your favorite casino?” — my stock answer is, “Wherever there’s a good game or juicy promotion!”

Back in my early writings, I recommended having a “core” casino before branching out to others. That was good advice 20 years ago. And it can still be a good start or a firm foundation on which to build. But a good gambler these days is always a searcher, looking across the street, down the road, in the next city. And those whose personal lives give them wider freedom, you may find in casinos anywhere across the country looking for good-value plays.

A flexible gambler is not just looking for value in various venues, but also exploring games other than their usual ones. Many live poker players add video poker to earn more comps. Brad and I gave up blackjack in our early casino days because we were getting more abundant rewards from the players clubs from video poker. And today there are game possibilities you might have never considered in the past.

Bonus slots is a recent major opportunity. I had just a taste of that way back when with Piggy Banking, one of the first slot machines that you could watch in order to step in for the bonus when the bank was almost full. These new bonus slots require some fairly complicated math to figure out when they’re playable with an advantage. The problem, which I can’t help you with, is knowing which machines to play and when to jump in and play them. There’s some help on the Internet, but not all of it is math-trustworthy. Most players find these opportunities by talking to their math-proficient friends, many of whom are in skilled-gambler groups who share such information with one another, but not with the general public.

Another new possible game opportunity (though like bonus slots, with an advanced-math requirement) comprises the new electronic table games, particularly craps and blackjack. If, like me, you aren’t a math expert, you need one as a friend! Recently, I ‘ve stressed how important it is to cultivate relationships with other players. In my conversations with skilled players over the years, I find that they almost always mention getting valuable information from a friend or acquaintance.

Another technique many players use to find good plays, more accessible to more players without being an Einstein, is watching for things that change in a casino. I won’t disagree that many casino changes aren’t good for the player. But it’s a little like panning for gold; sometimes, when you shake out all the dirt and debris, you’ll find something of value. Look for a change of marketing executives; a new one just might be more player friendly and loosen up the mailers, at least for a while. Look at a newly revised players club system. Some changes might work in your favor, even if others do not. Watch for a change of owners; don’t assume everything will be downhill. New owners sometimes run we-are-now-better promotions. (Thousands of us are hoping this for the Palms in Las Vegas!)

When a new casino opens, it’s a given that a flock of savvy players will be there, checking out the machines, the table games, the players club. There is always a chance that in the hustle and bustle of getting the casino open quickly, the casino will make mistakes that will provide a good player opportunity. But these players don’t limit themselves just to the big Vegas openings. They travel anywhere to look for new opportunities, big or small. In fact, sometimes gems will be found in the smallest and/or out-of-the-way gambling locations. They might not even be bona fide “casinos,” but instead, small slot parlors, or a few slots in a truck stop or convenience store, or games in a local bar. (The Las Vegas Advisor, for example, tracks the local-bar scene day in and day out.)

And not surprisingly in this digital age, many players are checking out online casinos. Obviously, you have to live in or visit a state that has legalized them. But if you do, you can explore them for possible advantage plays. Some have generous bonus programs – I call them “players clubs in space” – that can give you good value for online play on various games. I’ve never played online, so I can’t give you specific details. But I’ve had reports from readers. One was about some good VP games on a CZR-branded online casino where you can build up tier and reward points. On another, some are earning points to add to their M life players club account at MGM. The Wynn Rewards program is being integrated with its online platforms, so you can earn rewards both through mobile and desktop platforms, in addition to in-person play at the brick-and-mortar casinos.

A gambler committed to finding good plays is flexible in where or what he or she plays, but also when. A promotion starts at midnight? It doesn’t matter. A flexible gambler never expects a 9-to-5 schedule. He doesn’t set his hours; the opportunities dictate his timetable.
And when one opportunity goes away, you don’t find the successful gambler sitting around and crying about “greedy casinos.” He knows no good play lasts forever. He’s learned to stay flexible, so he can adjust to change.

The most successful gamblers are scramblers!

35 Years of Advantage Play – Part 17 – Q+A

Last week I finished leading you down that long winding path of advantage play we took, but I promised that I would answer the questions so many of you were asking during these last 16 weeks of reminiscing.  So, it looks like I will need to keep writing about our journey – at least for a little while longer.

One of the most frequent questions, not just now, but down through the years, has been about that wonderful “miracle mountaintop experience” that unites all video poker enthusiasts. For the nickel player plugging along unnoticed to the whale pampered by the casino while risking thousands of dollars in the high-limit room – the world stops turning for them, at least for a little bit of time, when a royal flush pops up.

How many have we had?  Which one of us has gotten more?  Which ones were the most exciting or memorable?

Brad and I have had a lifetime royal total of 1,317.  We always played out of one bankroll and it never mattered to us who “got more royals.”  We were a team and any royal brought joy to both of us equally no matter which machine it was on.

When we first started playing video poker, I did keep more detailed royal records.  Brad got the first one, December 31, 1991, $1000 on the quarter Full-Pay Deuces Wild coin-droppers at the Westward Ho.  We don’t have to check my records for that one – it is solidly etched in a brain cell somewhere in each of our heads.  The detailed royal record I kept through ’97 is an interesting read. Mostly $1000 at first with a few $2000 as we sometimes ventured up to 50-cent machines.  Then the momentous decision to go to dollars and the two $4000 ones I hit on July 6, 1995.  1997 was the last year I kept detailed records, and a summary showed Brad had 38 to my 24.  This was probably due to the fact that he played faster and took fewer breaks than I did – although many of our friends just thought he was the luckiest gambler they ever knew because he always seemed to hit royals more often than the rest of us. However, Lady Luck didn’t neglect me completely. Of the 5 dealt royals during that time, 4 were mine!

Starting in 1998, I listed our royals but with no details since we had started playing a lot of multi-line, and obviously were getting more of them.  This pumped up our total quickly since I counted each royal separately, even multiple ones from one hand.   If we ended up with 2 royals on a Ten Play machine hand, that added two to our royal total. When Brad was dealt a royal on Hundred Play, that added 100 to our royal total!

Our most exciting royals?  Of course, that very first one.  “You always remember the first time!”  And, not a surprise, the forementioned one dealt on Hundred Play.  And it’s always fun to beat long odds.  Once I was playing $5 Triple Play at the Palazzo and was dealt a flush that contained 4 royal cards.  Of course, I made the correct play by throwing away the off flush card, hoping to snag a royal. Double joy when 2 came up for a 40k win.

Another 40k win, one that was a shocker for me and the Harrahs casino supervisors who gathered around to discuss it, was a royal on a dollar Ten Play Double Super Times Pay Jacks or Better machine.  I was on a 10x multiplier and all I had to hold was a lone Ace.  I must confess I was mumbling not-so-nice words under my breath.  I slapped the draw button with disgust –  and a royal filled in that Ace on one line!

Here is a picture of what I called my “OH NO” dealt royal.

A back story is needed here.  I had been no-mailed by  Station Casinos for many years after hitting a royal on the top line of a dollar Multi-Strike machine.  You would think a big casino conglomerate could handle a 32 K+ jackpot without feeling I was a major danger to their bottom line.  But I digress…

So, after Stations bought the Palms, I was extremely disappointed; the Palms was our closest casino and had been a favorite since it opened.  They had good games with great players club benefits and mailed offers.  Now it would not be a good play if I got no mailings.

Fortunately, someone “upstairs” made a decision that they would look at the history of previous strong Palms players and add them back on the Stations mailing list.  I was very happy but decided to be cautious in my play selection at first since I felt I was kind of “on probation.”  In the past I had usually played quarter Hundred Play but instead of dropping down in the number of lines I would play, I decided it would be fun to still play all hundred lines but at the 10-cent level, which offered the same game, 8/5 Bonus.  So, I am starting to play, with Brad on one side and chatting with my usual playing buddy on the other side. Suddenly, I said, “Oh, no!”

I must have been pretty loud because both Brad and my friend stopped playing and turned to me with concerned looks.  When they saw the dealt red royal covering my screen, they started laughing.  They understood my reaction!

Fortunately, there was no negative consequence this time and I stayed on their mailing list and played there until major game downgrades sadly made this casino unplayable for us.

Stay tuned for more discussions of your questions next week.

From My “This and That” File

I collect casino information as an on-going routine when I read the newspaper and articles in magazines and as I check almost daily numerous online forums and gambling websites.  So, here is some info that has been piling up.

Updates on CZR News

A surprise for the lower tier level players:  Caesars Entertainment Corp. has announced that Gold tier rewards members can upgrade to the Platinum tier for a limited time “in celebration of the holiday season.” This upgrade includes free parking at all Caesars’ Las Vegas resorts, discounted rooms, the ability to transfer reward credits and other benefits.  You have to upgrade your Gold card by December 31, but your Platinum status and all the rewards it brings will be good through January 31, 2020.

I have found conflicting reports about this upgrade.  Some say it is just for Vegas locals and you have to appear in person at a Vegas Rewards Center to activate this upgrade.  I have not been able to find any information about this on an official CZR website. Perhaps someone from out of town has had personal experience with this promo and could give the details in the Comments below.

However, there is another short-term perk – verified – for all tier levels that IS limited to Nevada residents – a 2X Reward Credit Multiplier until December 31st.  This is only available for Nevada residents that visit a Las Vegas Caesars Reward Center and present a valid NV driver’s license.

Note: There are a couple of on-going ways for some players to upgrade from Gold to Platinum (and score the free-parking benefit) without the necessary play they would ordinarily need to reach the higher tier level.  Active military and veterans can get a Platinum card by showing official verification documents at the players club.  And signing up for a CZR credit card will get anyone a Platinum card.

One other CZR happening you might have missed:  In July 2018 Caesars Entertainment bought Centaur Holdings, adding the Hoosier Park Racing and Casino in Anderson, Indiana, and Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville, Indiana.  Neither of these properties have a hotel, but some Seven Star players have been able to take their annual retreat there, with comped accommodations at a nearby motel. The other retreat benefits may be limited.  You would definitely need to check in advance the current situation and be aware there might be a lot of changes here – as well as elsewhere – when the Eldorado take-over is complete.

A New Way to Learn How to Gamble

The best way to attract new players to table games? Take away the gambling.  That’s the theory behind Casino Quest, a casino game education space set to open at the Fashion Show mall. Run by Casino Education Group, which operates the CEG Dealer School in Las Vegas, the space would allow guests to rent a table by the hour to compete against friends or learn how to play.

“There will be no money. You pay to access the space,” said Casino Quest CEO David Noll. “It’s going to be (for) people who are risk-averse. It’s going to be (for) people who want to learn the game.”

The space is set to have a mix of table games — one craps, one roulette, one baccarat and four blackjack — and will give students from the casino school Noll manages a chance to practice dealing to players in a real-world setting.

For the players, Casino Quest offers a casual venue where they can take their time learning a game without being under the watchful eyes of pit bosses or more experienced players. The student dealers will be able to ease new players into the game, teaching them rules and helping them along as they play.

This new experience is set to open tomorrow – Black Friday.  Who knew that you could go to the mall and learn how to play casino table games!

Holiday Giving Ideas

The Las Vegas Advisor Holiday Gift Catalogue is now online, chock-full of ideas for the casino lovers and gamblers on your gift list.  My contribution to this was spending a couple of hours autographing umpteen copies of my latest book.  If you want to order an autographed copy of The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide, click here.  Or, if you want to be more frugal, order it in your favorite eBook reader format.

Searching for Words

Am I impressed by this most expensive hotel room in the world?

I would be more impressed by the introduction of some 9/6 JoB VP in the casino downstairs from that room.

———

Hope you all took the time to count the many blessings you have on this Thanksgiving Day – before you go out tomorrow and make your own personal Friday black by buying more than you can afford!

Mid-Month News and Views

As I discussed in my last blog, many casinos are ramping up the coupons and discounts for their eateries.

You can snag discounts with your Stations Boarding Pass players card at two coffee shops:  Lucky Penny at the Palms and the Brass Fork at Palace Station.  Discounts, valid 24 hours a day 7 days a week, vary from 10% off with the lowest card, Preferred, and rise 10% for each level above that, ending at 50% for Chairman. Important to note is this promotion goes to the end of the year and is valid both with cash purchases and point redemptions. This discount perhaps is evidence that business had suffered at both places because of the perception that their prices seemed too high for “just a coffee shop,” even though they tried to promote it as more upscale than a “regular” one.  Many people – Brad especially included – want a reasonably-priced restaurant with familiar comfort food, “Don’t try to make it fancier or different; I am unimpressed with upscale.

As with all promotions there are fine-print restrictions, many in this case:  Not valid on café specials, nor with My Generation ½-point dining, nor for alcohol. Must be 21 or older; dine in only.  Not valid on holidays or special events. (Whatever that latter exception means?)  Limit one offer per check, maximum of four guests per check. (This one is not clear; better check with the waiter before you order.)  Cannot be combined with any other offer. (This one could be a deal-breaker in some cases if that means you can’t use a coupon.) Management reserves all rights. (Of course they do, but lawyer-talk sounds so unfriendly.)

The Rampart has opened their newly-renovated buffet, with outdoor patio seating, an unusual casino buffet option.  There have been some favorable reviews, but as always – you can’t satisfy everyone – there have been complaints.  Although there are several specialty nights, some miss the deli night from the past.  Also, there is a downgrade for seniors.  The $5 buffet lunch on 50 Plus Party Tuesdays now requires first earning 100 points that day.

The Palms buffet still has unbelievably long lines because of the mass mailing of buffet coupons. One person commented on that report I put in my blog last week, giving one reason why the VIP line is always so long:

 The VIP line at Palms AYCE has gotten as long as the regular line due to all the “non-handicapped” who have figured out that they cannot be asked to show evidence of their “handicapped” status. The cashier can only ask if they are handicapped and as long as they reply that they are they are permitted to access the VIP line. Lately most patrons on the VIP line are not VIP cardholders but low-level players who figured out how to game the system. The cashiers say they are helpless to do anything.

 PLAYERS CLUB CHANGES AND DETAILS

(I use vpFREE for players club numbers, like below. Saves me a lot of math figuring!)

  1. Downtown Grand: After a no-point period for video poker, you can now earn them but the return % is very small:
  • $10 Coin-In = 1 Point on Video Poker
  • 250 Points = $1 Free Play (0.04%)
  1. Club Fortune in Henderson: In their new 4-tiered players club, members now earn both points and comps. They are running sign-up promotion in which new members that earn 50 base points on date of signup can play a kiosk wheel spin game for guaranteed free slot play.
  • $2 Coin-In = 1 Point on Most Video Poker
  • Free Play or Comps: 500 Points = $1 (0.10%)

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  • $3 Coin-In = 1 Point on “Up to 100%” Machines
  • Free Play or Comps: 500 Points = $1 (0.067%)

Points can also be redeemed for products and services from several local businesses.

  1. Casino Royale: Slot and video poker players can get daily rebates of $20 in free slot play for every $100 in losses. (I got this info from Scot’s “Vegas Values” – a valuable weekly report every Sunday on both current and ongoing Vegas promotions.  He covers many casinos, including some of the smaller ones that perhaps don’t do as much publicity.)

And now for some probably not very useful but perhaps somewhat interesting information – at least perhaps for old-timers like me.  I recently saw an article, with pictures, about a Snakes-and-Ladders slot machine.  I don’t know how long this slot has been around, but I had never come across one in my casino wanderings.  However, seeing mention of it took me back some 70+ years ago.  Chutes and Ladders was one of the first board games I ever played, first with my mother, and it then occupied many hours of my childhood as I taught my sisters the minute they could grasp the gaming concept – so I would have someone with whom to compete.

It was many years later that I learned that Chutes and Ladders was the Americanized version of the ancient Indian game of Snakes-and-Ladders, teaching children a morality lesson about good and evil. Go here to read more about this subject – maybe it will make the slot machine version more interesting?

Back on the Frugal Job

Just finished going through the 5 weeks of mail that piled up during our unexpected extended stay in GA.  Lots of expired comps pitched into the wastebasket!  But I looked them all over – and realized that although the casino environment is looking grim these days for the gambler searching for good value, there are some areas, at least in some casinos, where there seems to be a sudden realization by the powers-that-be that all those cuts suggested by the bean counters might be driving away customers!

Now I’m not saying the casinos are going back to those glory days of generous free play, easy comps, and good games. But I am seeing some positive moves.  Wynn/Encore have dropped all parking fees, even for valet.  It hasn’t happened yet but there is now talk that perhaps high and too “hidden” resort fees should be adjusted to attract those that are cutting down – or completely cutting off – their trips to Vegas casinos. And although it doesn’t seem that Boyd is thinking about getting rid of some of the onerous parts of their new players club – like Ruby players not earning points or being eligible for most promotions that are based on point earnings – there are some signs that they are trying to win back some of the customers that have fled.  Must have been a lot of them at the Gold Coast because they have been adding extra bonus-point days for the last few months – in October this runs for four days each week, 11x Monday through Thursday. (Remember, this is like 5.5X for VP players since it now takes $2 VP play to earn one point instead of $1 like under the old club program.)

However, the most common positive note for many casinos is that they are upping food comps. Every free or discounted meal you get, leaves you more money in your pocket.  Now not every casino is doing this increased food comp quite right. This has been a pet peeve of mine for 35 years.  A casino sends out a free-buffet coupon to – it seems – everyone who has ever been a player club member, some who haven’t played there for years and even some who can’t participate because they are dead!

Are you listening, Palms?  Does anyone from the ivory-tower offices in the sky ever come down to the casino floor and see the lines (both VIP as well as the regular one) snaked an unbelievable distance all over the place.  Do you see the tired, disappointed, and often angry looks on the faces of people in those lines who know they are looking at probably more than an hour of boring wait time?  When they finally do get seated and then finish their meal, how many are so mad by that time that the last thing they want to do is go to a machine or a table to gamble.  A food comp is supposed to be something that makes a player happy and glad to be in the casino – not something that makes them mad at a company that doesn’t use good sense in their marketing tactics.  Why can’t they spread out the dates for these coupons?  We no longer even try to use all those free buffet coupons we are getting in the mail; Brad, like many other seniors, just isn’t able to endure such a long wait.

Related to this food gripe, is the gift-giveaways.  These seem to be on the increase and I guess this is a popular perk for many players.  Not my favorite and probably not for many of my fellow seniors – we are trying to size down, not collect stuff.  It would be nice if there was an alternative free play choice.  For years in some casinos we would schedule our time to pick up gifts for late in the give-away period, knowing that if they ran out of the advertised gift, we would be given a gift card or extra free play.

There is also the same long-line problem during gift-giveaways I discussed earlier.  These often take place in cramped crowded areas and the lines have to snake through crowded slot machine aisles.  This should only happen once in a casino.  Someone in authority would see the problem and the next time it would be moved to a less crowded part of the casino and there would be enough staffing that long lines would not develop.  And a personal wish: They would train the employees to smile and act friendly when they are checking in the players and/or giving out the gifts.  So often we feel like these employees actually hate that we have shown up to ruin their day!

End of rant and a last technical note:  Some people have told me that they can’t subscribe to this blog.  We did have some problems with this earlier, but they have been resolved.  So, you might try again.  If it still does not work for you, drop a note to [email protected]  and we will subscribe you manually.

Some Immediately Important Information

I try to keep readers here up on current changes in casino conditions, especially in Vegas. Usually I gather up the information all month long and then put it in a blog at the beginning of each month. However, sometimes some of it is so important that I discuss it in mid-month blogs. And then occasionally something comes up that is immediately crucial and, like I am doing today, the information needs to shared right away to keep players from wasting their time.

The Stations Debacle

The Stations conglomerate really made a lot of players mad early this month. On their company website they spelled out their usual multiple-points under Gaming Promotions for August– Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays they would offer 6x/10x. So many local players made up their August casino calendar to include those days. Also, some out-of-towners planned an August vacation in Vegas to include those days.

However, starting August 1, some players starting questioning their local casino host or the players club management, wanting to verify this information because their mailers did not show this promotion on their mailer calendar, as usually is the custom. I got e-mails asking if I knew the situation. It was discussed on the gambling forums. But no one seemed to know a firm answer and the information remained on the company website. Finally, on Friday evening one player reached a playesr club manager who seemed to be sure of the situation. She said that promotion was NOT going on in August as it had been for many months. She said she would notify corporate about the mistaken entry online. Of course, whoever was in charge of that department probably was off on the weekend. (Wonder if he/she will still have a job?) So, it was not until Monday morning (or afternoon?) until that incorrect information was taken down.

In the meantime, many people had driven to their usual Station property that Monday, planning to play and get those bonus points. If they were lucky, they swiped their card before they started playing and noticed that promotion wasn’t listed on the kiosk. However, at Stations properties, you aren’t required to swipe before you play (like at Boyd ones), but could do it after your play was finished for the day. Those people who had waited until the end were not happy campers!

So hopefully this blog will keep some players from this disappointment in the upcoming days. Actually, the two Fiestas DO have this bonus-point promotion on Mondays and Wednesdays – the Fiestas seem to be a property category on their own for some promotions. And if you are 50+, there is STILL these usual multiple points and usual benefits on senior Wednesdays. Palms has never been included in those company-wide multiple-point promotions although they sometimes do have one of their own. This month it seems the only ones are for those who have one listed in their mailer. Other than those exceptions, do not plan to get bonus points at a Station property on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday as you might have been accustomed to do in the past.

Arizona Charlie’s

Here is an example that shows you must watch for promotions that a casino might change, in this case overnight. Arizona Charlie’s gift card promotion (both properties) now has the limitation that you can earn only one card per day – although they have not added that fact online.

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Keeping up with casino promotion details and changes is not an easy job for me and especially not for Scot Krause who tries to make his bonus-point list here on this site as accurate as possible. Although he constantly “bugs” the casinos to keep him updated, they are sometimes slow with this. We are both grateful when players let us know about changes by reporting them on the gambling forums which we both follow daily.

And I appreciate the personal e-mails giving valuable information and especially the comments here on my blog. But I do need to remind you that no comment is posted until I read and “approve” it. You wouldn’t believe the spam I have to delete. However, I don’t “live” at my desk computer – although sometimes Brad says it seems that way! 😊 I do try to get to blog comments almost every day but there will 24-48 hours delay at times before I can “approve” them. I ask your patience!

Food for Thought

I am going to hijack the saying “Man can not live by bread alone” and revise it for the subject of this blog: “You can not gamble in a casino 24 hours a day; you have to stop and eat once in a while!”

It’s not that I haven’t talked about food in previous writings.  I have given many frugal hints for getting good value for casino eats, like scheduling late buffet lunches, with their lower prices, that often spill into the availability of higher-level dinner selections.  But in this blog, I am going to talk about Brad’s and my personal eating habits, mainly because I get so many questions about this subject and realize many people have false ideas about our Vegas life.   They often compare it to their routine  when they come to town for a vacation and stay in a casino for several days.

Most Vegas locals eat about the same way they would if they lived in a non-casino town.  They do not eat in a casino every day but regularly cook meals at home.  However, like people everywhere, they do eat out frequently and, especially if they gamble at all, they often choose a casino restaurant where they play.  And even non-gamblers often look to casino eateries because of the wide choice of high-end and famous choices.  The picture changes a bit if you look at those local gamblers who are earning comps. Obviously, those people will be eating at the casino more often – how often depending on their comp level.

Brad and I did eat in casinos a lot after we moved to Vegas 20 years ago – even almost every day – because we were playing frequently and heavily and earning more comps than we could eat up!  We made a big effort to find friends and relatives to help us with this “task.” But we were never foodies and, even then, much preferred buffets, delis, and coffee shops over gourmet restaurants.  For years we would have hosts who would beg us to let them write us a comp for their top-level epicurean offerings – and they would just shake their head in disbelief when we turned it down.

Things are so much different these days.  First, all casinos have made significant cuts to their comp benefits.  This is true at every level – from the fanciest Strip properties down to the smallest local joints – hitting both visitors and locals. And, for us personally, we do not have the energy to play as much as we used to.  We go to a casino 3 or 4 days a week and are usually able to play only two-or-three-hour sessions.  Therefore, we do not have the flood of comps as in former days.  Believe it or not, my cleaning lady doesn’t just have to dust my stove; my return to some cooking after 35 years gives her some grease to remove!

But all that said, you will still see us eating in a casino fairly often.  You would never catch us eating one of these giant stacked-high-with-whatever “gourmet” hamburgers that seem so popular these days.  We aren’t big beef eaters in the first place, but we would always prefer a single-patty with cheese; Brad wants nothing added but pickle and onion and I would add just lettuce and tomato.  We like those at Steak’n Shake at South Point, combined with half-price milkshakes between 2-4 p.m.  We do hit other casino fast-food places occasionally.  Love the hot dogs at South Point and sometimes stop at the hot-dog cart or Subway at Gold Coast.  We like the sugar-free butter pecan ice cream at Java Vegas Coffee at the Gold Coast or at Kate’s Corner at South Point.  And we can grab a pizza slice at Little Tony’s near the sports book at Palace Station or have a great spaghetti meal to eat there or carry home.  (Stations run a senior special on Wednesdays with discounts on restaurants that vary from month to month.  Check these out on their website and watch for 50% off your favorite place to eat.)

We are a bit picky about buffets.  When we have comps, we take our out-of-town visitors to the widely publicized Caesars Palace Bacchanal over-the-top buffet, but we never choose that just for the two of us even if we have comps.  We aren’t big eaters and just don’t need so many “exotic” choices.  We like comfort food.  The Orleans and Gold Coast are good choices for us, especially their special weekend brunches.  We have mixed emotions about the new buffets at Palace Station and the Palms.  They both usually have sugar-free brownies and good soup selections so that keeps Brad from complaining too much about “weird food.”

Recently we have found a new meal idea that appeals to us even though it involves gourmet restaurants which we eschew.  Going to the Cornerstone lounge at the Gold Coast during happy hour – 4-6 p.m. – has become one of our favorite activities.  We like the idea of sharing small plates which gives us variety even though we are light eaters.  Many steak houses and other upscale restaurants run these with very reasonable prices on both food and drinks in a relaxing comfortable but still “gourmet” atmosphere.  Check  out this frugal option at your favorite casino’s fine restaurants!

Obviously, we eat in other places than casinos.  We always eat breakfast at home – and always the same menu for many years:  Hot oats, with walnuts and flavored with dark chocolate mix, a daily coco extract supplement that has proven to reduce inflammation in the body.  We drink green tea and V8 juice – low sodium – and add fresh fruit, like bananas, oranges, or berries.

Lunch is light – sandwiches or soup.  If we are out and about, we might stop at a fast-food place.  Our favorites include Wendy burgers or chili, Mexican pizzas at Taco Bell, and hot pretzel sticks and  sugar-free Dilly Bars at the Dairy Queen.

If we are having dinner at home, it is often left-overs brought home from a casino or a Nutrisystem selection.  If I am cooking, it is usually a one-dish meal like stir-fry.

We try to eat healthy as much as possible wherever we are.  More fruits and vegetables.  Less sodium. Very little red meat – more chicken.  We take some vitamins and supplements.  Nothing different than if we lived in a non-casino atmosphere.  Brad doesn’t gain weight, but I am always trying to watch mine.  And that is a problem in Vegas – buffets can jeopardize any healthy diet unless you have strong self control!

 

 

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