Spivderman # 12 | June 11-15, 2015 | Gold Coast

Initial Trip Preview

My brother (B14) and I will jet from ATL to LAS on Thursday. This will be my 12th trip to LV. B14 has been with me on four of my previous trips but there have always been other Wolfpack members along so this one will be cool since it is brothers only. One of my favorite parts about an LV trip is the build-up, anticipation, and planning on the front end. I plan to make numerous detailed updates over the next three days covering some plans and prep work. If you like that stuff, I will provide it. If not, simply tune in to the live stuff on Thursday when this thread gets moved to Trip Reports.
Almost all of my posts (including this one) will be via Tapatalk on my iPhone 5s.

Coming Up Next...Hotel Preview.

 

Hotel Preview

I am not the LV hotel aficionado that some VMB'ers are but I have stayed at (in alpha order): Gold Coast, Imperial Palace, M Resort, Palms, Plaza, Rio, Venetian. I would really like to take my wife (G) for a stay at Wynn or Bellagio but I keep coming back to the Gold Coast time and time again for my guys trips. Part of that probably has to do with the fact that I always get a rental car (12 for 12) and it is easy to use the GC as home base for all of the casino hopping that I like to do including downtown and the M and parts between. I also like to be able to walk to the Rio since many of my trips (such as this one) align with the WSOP and I play a few satellite tourneys. I also like $5 craps, $3 roulette, and a wide variety of machines to bang on. Their sportsbook is kind of fun too with lots of greyhound races to bet on. I have hit one trifecta but still plugging away towards that superfecta. Their gift shop and coffee shop are convenient and have good stuff at decent prices and Ping Pang Pong is delicious.

For this trip, B14 and I are staying a total of four nights, all on my account. Two nights are free, including no resort fee on those nights (standard), and the other two are $75 plus tax and resort fee which I believe might have increased from the $9.99 per night I was charged last July to something approaching $15 per night. I usually have two free nights and the other two at $49 per but I think WSOP inflation has set in. I am often able to get several dollars off (equal to or slightly exceeding the resort fees) on the back end and I will try again this time.

Coming Up Next...Dining Preview.

 

Pre-Trip Picture #1

I am still in search of my first handpay. This is my biggest payout to date -- Gold Coast WoF machine:

 

Pre-Trip Factoid #1

The June issue of my LasVegasAdvisor magazine was sitting in the stack of mail when I got home today -- perfect timing with three days to go!

 

Dining Preview

On my very first Vegas trip back in 2005, there were no preexisting meal plans other than "I want to eat at the Bellagio" which we (me and two Wolfpack members) did twice for buffet breakfasts. I have now morphed into a plan-every-meal kind of guy. We don't always follow the plan exactly, and that's okay, but like Hitch says in the movie -- "sometimes a guy would like to have a plan". Our scripted dining plans include [B / L / D]:

6/11 -- we arrive late and will hit In-N-Out per tradition
6/12 -- Mon Ami Gabi (early enough to play STH from the patio) / El Cortez cafe (free with points) / Ellis Island (steak special)
6/13 -- Peppermill / Skyline (shrimp special per LVA; likely 2-4 orders) / Charlie Palmer (Cut of the Week)
6/14 -- Ronald's Donuts (close drive from GC) / Border Grill (BOGO brunch) / Carson Kitchen (read about it on a VMB trip report recently)
6/15 -- we will grab something for breakfast on the way to the airport

I have Open Table reservations for MAG, CP, and BG. Obviously, some of these may change. I may end up in a poker tournament which conflicts with the plan -- it's happened before. Or our stomachs may not cooperate. Or I may have a craving for Ping Pang Pong. Or I may have to rush and find Earl to pay my $10 for betting on the "don't" regarding Wade's chances with the ladies on their trip. In any event, the planning is fun. My wife plans all of our meals for trips to DisneyWorld and I plan the meals to Vegas.

Coming Up Next...Gambling Preview.

 

Pre-Trip Picture #2

I ate at Garduno's (Palms) twice before they closed; the food was good and the LVA coupon was helpful.

 

Gambling Preview

Louis Theroux -- "Will you do any gambling tonight?"
John Romanelli -- "Isn't that why people come to Las Vegas?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJRYUZbxwyA

I watch this video a whole lot between trips. My favorite part is when High Roller #1, The Matress King, hits his roulette number (17) and goes up by $40-50k... and doesn't stop. Natedogg knows better and so do I.

My three favorite casino games are roulette, Crazy 4 Poker, and craps. I also like the entertainment of some machines now and again but I really like watching that little white ball go round and round just before it falls into my number. I know exactly what 5.26% represents and that's okay with me. I have both the LVA and the ACG so I will be cashing in some match plays and I have some free play and free bets at a few places that I will use. B14 and I will both be partaking of the $200 slot rebate at the Tropicana. My plans there are to go big or come back the next day (and on a second trip in August). I have plans to game at Gold Coast, Rio, El Cortez, Ellis Island, M Resort, Red Rock Resort, Bellagio, Wynn, Cosmo, and several other downtown properties. In terms of my favorite places to play my favorite games, I will go with roulette at El Cortez, Crazy 4 Poker at Rio, and craps at Gold Coast. I will also probably play some poker. Last trip (June, 2014) I played in a morning satellite at the Rio and won my table which included $1500 BIC and $120 of my $175 buy-in back so I bought into event 55 at last year's WSOP. That was cool to play in my first official event. I lasted just past the dinner break on the first day. I may opt for some time at a $1-3 or $2-4 Hold'em table. You will know as soon as I post it.

I decided to do this report because I have had so much fun reading those of others. Obviously Packer's reports are fun to follow and they make you want to be there but there are many others and I enjoy reading them all. I will not be betting bananas on this trip but I will let you know how I did. The obligatory BR picture will post on Thursday.

Coming Up Next...Beverage Preview.

 

Beverage Preview

If there is anyone on VMB who consumes fewer beverages in Vegas than they do at home, I would like to meet you... and buy you one in Vegas.

My two 'go-to' beverages on the casino floor are Macallan and house fruit juice into which I can add my own Ketel One from a flask. B14 is a Washington Apple guy -- shot or drink, matters not to him. Several VMB'ers have mentioned things that sound worth a try and we may do just that. I do plan to have a cosmo at Cosmo although I am not sure about that drink with the explodtastic flower thing in it. I have yet to set foot into the Cromwell yet and their bar and strawberry martini seems worth a visit. I also want to game a little in Whiskey Down although I won't be playing at JDVegas levels. This is probably the trip to sample a bunch of things and see what works for us.

Coming Up Next...Final Preview Thoughts.

 

Pre-Trip Picture #3

21 hours from lift-off...

 

Enjoying the reporting style, already vaguely planning my trip(in less detail) and love the build up! Good luck for your trip and plans!

 

Good luck! And i was stuck on $400 being my biggest ever payout since 2012 (twice at least) until i broke it in April. You can do it too! Good luck!

 

Thanks WHU66! The build up is the second best part; second to winning of course.

 

I will do my best Tring. Thanks for following along. If Beeejay can hit two royals in one trip, surely...

 

Pre-Trip Bankroll Picture

I use a different kind of 'envelope system' for my BR...

 

I stopped at the cigar store on my way to the airport. These are some nice ones. One set for me and one for B14 -- younger brother!!

 

Is it a good sign if you're driving to the airport to fly to Las Vegas and you hear the song "Drunk on a plane"?

 

"Right turn, Clyde!"

 

Parking...okay. Security...not bad, 25 minutes. Flight...DELAYED! Our 6:10 departure is now 8:30. PF Chang's is comfortable for now:

 

I did not write a trip report for trip #11 last summer but here is one highlight (while I wait throught this unexpected flight delay). I was playing in my very first WSOP event and I made it past the dinner (Ping Pang Pong) break on the first day. Action resumed and I busted out (AQ lost to JJ) and I was perturbed so I went to the Rio casino floor and bought ($120) in to a $5 C4P table and built up to this after a straight flush...



...cashed for $600. Let's hope I can do that again.

 

Just sat down on plane...losing about 2.5 hours...