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2017 CET Nor Cal Player Appreciation dinner. I won $2500 In FP!!!!

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Trip Reports' started by DaiLun, Oct 11, 2017.

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  1. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    My Trip Report

    I'm getting ready for bed, but more on this tomorrow.

    2500_FreePlay_a.jpg
     
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    • Wow! Wow! x 4
  2. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Congrats!
     
  3. nfajgmbr03

    nfajgmbr03 MIA

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    Very cool. Congratulations.
     
  4. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    So to use the proper terminology, it was the Nor Cal Player Appreciation Dinner.

    The CET team from Reno, Tahoe, and Las Vegas jointly hold 3 dinners. One in Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, and San Jose. The guests are invited by the Asian Marketing Hosts and are a mix of 7* and high(er) Diamond level players (DAL2 and select DAL1).

    These dinners have been going on for years, probably back to my father's time.

    The dinner in San Jose is usually held at the Mayflower, and I've reviewed the last two dinners. This year, my "dominant" property was switched to Lake Tahoe, and my Tahoe host invited me since she wouldn't be in San Jose tomorrow. My Las Vegas host didn't attend, but a team of Asian Marketing hosts from Las Vegas was in attendance. I did mention to the Asian Marketing VP what a good job my host at Harrahs LV was doing.

    It was a large gathering. I would estimate between 35-40 tables with 8-10 people per table. So count that to be about (guessing roughly) 140-150 "raffle eligible" guests. Raffle tickets are only given to the invited guests, and not to the "guest of the guests). I got mine on entry, memorized the last three digits, and put it in my wallet. There were four raffle ticket holders at my table.

    Dinner was scheduled for 7PM and started about 7PM "Chinese time", which was 7:40PM. It was a splendid layout, which included 1/2 lobster per person.

    This was the menu

    upload_2017-10-12_6-29-25.png

    No, I can't read Chinese, so please don't ask me to translate

    The first course was jellyfish salad.

    upload_2017-10-12_6-30-51.png

    The soup was abalone and chicken

    upload_2017-10-12_6-31-56.png
    Next came the lobster

    Then came soy sauce chicken.
    upload_2017-10-12_6-33-1.png


    Soy Sauce Chicken. I guess they couldn't afford duck because of the number of people, but they more than made up for it with raffle prizes (more on that later)

    upload_2017-10-12_6-35-48.png

    Steamed bass

    upload_2017-10-12_6-37-7.png
    A vegetable plate
    upload_2017-10-12_6-37-54.png
    the last of the entrees was a noodle plate
    upload_2017-10-12_6-38-48.png

    In the middle of the 5th and 6th, courses, the raffles started. The MC stated that 47 raffle prizes would be given. From Free Play ($500 and up) , French wine, Remy X.O., Crystal classes. I had been "shut out of the last two dinners, after winning in the first two. I had originally thought that mu luck was "spent" because of the two $8500+ jackpots I hit this year, but . . . let's wait and see.

    They gave out 35 raffle prizes, and the other three raffle ticket holders all one prizes. One won $1000 FP in Las Vegas, one won $500 FP in Reno, and the guy sitting next toe won a pair of crystal wine glasses (or something like that). Then they took a break . . . and we continued eating. All of the hosts made their way around the room, stopping at each table and toasting. My hosts from Reno and Tahoe stopped by to chat.

    They also handed out the "table" prize, a "year of the Rooster" statue that was given to the person who had a ticket attached to the bottom of their chair. That went to a non-Raffle ticket holder at our table.

    So, we ate the final two courses and I was prepared for my disappointment. They gave out three prizes, then they called out the fourth. "$2500 Free Play in Vegas" the MC said. 5-6-9-2-4, and then he said "not one, not four, not two, not three, but six".

    5-6-9-2-4-6, which happened to be my number!!! I got up and walked to the front, thanking the MC and the marketing director, thanked my hosts, and the VP of Asian Marketing told me to make sure that I told my host on Las Vegas that I had won, and she would take care of everything for me.

    It was 10PM, and I had an hour's drive home. I turned to my BFF and said "You ready to go?". He said "It was worth waiting for . . . ". We said goodbye to our fellow "winners and departed.

    I drove home. It was a happy drive. I was thinking of how I would "spend" my winnings.

    I got home and had the same feeling as when I would hit a handpay of that size. I couldn't sleep. But when I finally did get to sleep, it was a good and restful sleep.

    Well, I wanted to get this posted, and there are some side stories that I might add later about people I met at the dinner . . . new acquaintances and old ones.
     
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  5. bshowell

    bshowell VIP Whale

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    Congrats! That dinner looks amazing, too.
     
  6. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Final thoughts on last night.

    I emailed Auntie Doris on my win and told her that I would regret not seeing her at tonight's dinner in San Jose. She congratulated me and said that I would be missed.

    Part of the fun of going to these events is meeting new friends and old acquaintances.

    As my BFF and I sat down he turned and said to me: "Mr. X is over there".

    So, a little on Mr. X. As long as I've know my BFF (45 years), I may actually have known Mr. X longer. I consider him just an "acquaintance", but his father and my father used to belong to the same golf club (not a golf course club) and competed against each other. It was interesting to see him and I went over to say hello to him and his wife (who I also knew very peripherally). Small world, isn't it?

    Another part of the "fun" is guessing who in the couple is the 7* (or diamond) member. Of two of the couples that we sat with, in one the male was the 7* and the other the female was the 7*. "Oh my husband doesn't gamble.". The female said. The male 7* member complained about the Blackjack table chairs at Harrahs Lake Tahoe (his home property), something that I will need to check out.

    Some other things that are interesting to note:

    1)If you look at the FP cert, it says "Offer not available at Caesars Palace". CP also doesn't have an Asian Marketing host. I wonder why that is? I'll Have to ask my Las Vegas host then next time I'm there.
    2)I will also check to see when the blackout dates are.
    3)This has to be a "throwback" to the "Nevada only" days of gambling. AFAIK, Harrahs Reno and Tahoe have had a long standing relationship with the Asian (primarily Chinese) community.

    That's about it. Thanks for reading.
     
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  7. phantomfj

    phantomfj High-Roller

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    Sweet win, congrats!...........just curious, are there any tax consequences for receiving that much free play?
     
  8. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    No. Free Play is not considered cash, so no W2-G is issued. Now, if I hit something while playing it off (I'm torn between using $500 as 5 x $100, 10 x $50, or $20 x $25) then normal tax consequences.

    It's like when you go to one of these events and the prize is $10,000 cash. You can take it all as free play and there is no tax liability.
     
  9. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Oh, and one last thing. My Tahoe host told me that if I chose to take the DAL2 or 7* trip to Tahoe and drove to get there, they would apply the airfare as free play. I believe that this is only for "locals" whose home casino is Harrahs Tahoe or Harvey's.

    If you are 7* or DAL2 and have a "home" casino within driving distance, you might check with your host to see what you can do.

    Since I haven't taken either my DAL2 or 7* trip, I may consider it for the DAL2 trip. The 7* trip is more difficult since I typically don't stay in Tahoe long enough to eat $500.00 worth.
     
  10. meyers67

    meyers67 VIP Whale

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    Congrats on the win. Hopefully you can get lucky and “convert” most of the $2,500 to real cash. Let us know how it turns out.
     
  11. JosieCat

    JosieCat VIP Whale

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    That is awesome! Congratulations!
     
  12. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 VIP Whale

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    Congrats! I never win anything in the raffles so $2500 FP sounds like a great way to end a free dinner to me!
     
  13. Retrobabble

    Retrobabble CVF #37500: Director of Fun

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    Congrats! That's a nice prize for sure! (Dinner also looked pretty decent as well.)
     
  14. emmas

    emmas VIP Whale

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    Congrats on the raffle. The dinner looks good.
     
    I need all the luck I can get!
  15. Richard Alpert

    Richard Alpert LOST

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    Congratulations, @DaiLun! :D

    RICHARD
     
  16. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Thank you all!!!!!!
     
  17. Geogran

    Geogran VIP Whale

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    Congratulations @DaiLun ! Loks like a lot of fun and a great way to start your next trip to Vegas. I enjoy reading all the background information too. Thanks for sharing!
     
  18. todd7764

    todd7764 Low-Roller

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    Grats!

    Another excellent report Dailun!
     
  19. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Thanks to everyone! I've decided to take the $2900 ($2500 + $400 on a trip offer) in promo chips and "grind it out" at a 3:2 blackjack table, betting $50-$100 (I haven't decided yet) flat, and see how much I can convert it to. I keep trying to entice my BFF to accompany me. I told him that I'd give him $400 to take to the crap table and we'd split whatever he came back with.
     
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  20. amk121

    amk121 VIP Whale

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    Congrats!
     
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