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Planet Hollywood April 27-30, California April 30-May 3

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by mjames1229, May 9, 2019.

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  1. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Ugh, bad news that melissa got sick and annoying about the pharmacies. I'm not 100% over my cough from 7 wks ago that my Vegas and Tunica trips exacerbated... maybe 90% over it now. lol

    And nice hit on "Fast Fours"! Im not a fan of the game though because unless you read the detailed rules screen, you might not realize that face cards can make "Fast Fours" too! Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, and Kings = 13 for that purpose.
     
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  2. Vegasworm

    Vegasworm Finger Clicker Extraordinaire

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    Really enjoy all of your reports and enjoying this one too! You did a lot on your trip! I'm already wimping out thinking of how I'll keep going for a week on little sleep.

    Bummer Melissa fell ill and no love from the gambling gods, but still looks like a fun trip. Looking forward to hearing how it ends.

    Vegasworm
     
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  3. mjames1229

    mjames1229 # of visits includes only trips w/ hotel stays

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    Friday, May 3 - I hate, hate, hate the last day in Vegas. I don't care if I'm down two grand or not, but the entire day revolves around what time you need to leave for the airport... and the melancholy of leaving always prevents maximum funnage during the day. But the plane was leaving around 6:40 PM, so on we go.

    If we were at home, my wife would have called in sick from work. I had said that we could just chill in the room until checkout time, but she thought about it and said "The casino is attached to the hotel, maybe we could gamble a bit". That's my girl! So about 8:30 AM we headed to the upper level of the California for some slots and VP. Nothing horribly exciting happened, but when I hit this...

    20190501_231120.jpg
    I then also realized that I hadn't had any coffee, I treated myself to a nice cup of coffee from Lapperts. Was it my fault that it included a donut? I think not.

    My wife lost her money, I worked it down to even and we went up to pack. Our original plan was to head to the Whitney Library for the Vintage Vegas in Color exhibit. Just looking at the photos in a couple of these articles had me really excited to see it, but under the circumstances, staying close to home was probably the best bet.

    Breakfast was an old standby.

    20190503_103936.jpg

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    The discovery of wonderful breakfast places like Mr. Mamas and BabyStacks Cafe are great and all, but they just don't compare. Chef Natalie's gotta watch the prices, though... the Country Fried Steak is up to $16, five bucks more than when they first opened. But if it wasn't still worth it, I wouldn't be a regular.

    My wife was catching a wind so we decided to start the DCR (Downtown Coupon Run) using our LVA book. Since this was to (theoretically) be our entire day, I kept track of the results... I also knew I needed hours worth of content for this report. The first stop was back at the California, in part for a place to put the car, and in part for, well... another marker.

    CAL $10 MATCH PLAY - played one hand of blackjack. I was dealt 22. Dealer had a 10, then revealed blackjack. -$10

    MSS $10 MATCH PLAY - played one hand of blackjack. I was dealt A9. Dealer had a 3. I stayed, dealer drew to 18. +$20 (total +$10)

    While at Main Street, though, I stopped at the player's club desk to meet my host (who actually works at MSS). As I was in line, the lady in front of me wanted to sign up for the slot tournament's Noon start. The worker bee said that because there were not 6 players, there would be no qualifying and she would automatically be placed in the Finals at 4:00. My ears were on fire... I forgot all about my host, and "signed" up my wife and I for the Noon squad ($10 each). Just like that, we were placed into the Finals. That's my kind of tournament. My wife then went to the Plaza (where we were going to play bingo) and I made another coupon stop.

    GOLDEN GATE $25 MATCH PLAY - played blackjack in the High Limit area. I was dealt K8. Dealer had a 5. I stayed, dealer drew to 20 -$25 (total -$15)

    Frustrated with that loss, I played two more losing hands, and at that point I was down to my last green chip so I played it, won, won again, then won a third time to get even at the table. I did have a second coupon at the Golden Gate.

    GOLDEN GATE 2:1 ON FIRST BLACKJACK - I went to a $10 table, and was playing by myself. I had an A four times before I got that damned blackjack. I had a $15 bet, so it payed an extra $7.50 (total -$7.50).

    In the course of playing to that blackjack, I had lost $20. My wife contends that I should count that as a loss on the coupon run, but it wasn't the coupon's fault that I got greedy and split 7s against a 6 and lost.

    PLAZA $25 MATCH PLAY - This got a little frustrating as we had to make a minimum purchase to get the match play. Before I knew it, I was paying $62 out of pocket. I once again got carried away with the offerings, but after playing six previous games, I was due. I had to get as many cards as I could, right? -$25 (total -$32.50)

    PLAZA $10 SLOT PLAY - After bingo my wife played this one. She only won $3.80 with the free play, but she did hit a bonus shortly after that. I sat at the machine next to her and won a bonus of over $100. Being down an entire bankroll with five hours before our flight left, this was no time for small victories. I went up a denomination higher and pressed forward. I did stop before it was gone, cashing out for a $1 profit. +$3.80 (total -$28.70)

    BINIONS $10 SLOT PLAY - My wife played this one as well on a Betty White machine. She hit a bonus on the first spin and when her free play was done, she was up $25.43. While she was playing with those proceeds, I was in a video poker machine right behind her.

    20190503_144918.jpg
    This was becoming a non-horrible gambling day... as the clock clicked towards go(home) time. I cashed out with a $50 profit as we had time to use one last coupon before getting back to the slot tournament. +$25.43 (total -$3.27)

    DOWNTOWN GRAND $10 MATCH PLAY - I played Pai Gow at a commission free table. My hand had QQ in the big hand and 88 on top, the dealer had a low pair and A-high. +$10 (total +$6.73). I did lose $5 on the Fortune Bonus, but that doesn't count.

    It had gotten a little warm during the day and we hadn't stayed anywhere long enough to have anything to drink, so Melissa asked the bartender at the Furnace Bar for a glass of water. They didn't want to give her one, but offered to sell her a bottle for $2.50. She refused. A waitress, however, was at a bank of slot machines right behind the bar, so my wife slid in some money, the waitress brought her a water without asking, my wife tipped $1 and cashed out without actually playing. You don't refuse hydration to a sick woman in the desert.

    When all was totaled up, just the proceeds of the DCR netted a $6.73 profit. Maybe the expected value was a little higher, but we killed a lot of time and made a couple bucks. We were hoping to get to The D, but we needed to get back to the Main Street Station. We were in the Finals of the slot tournament, remember.

    We check in the player's club in plenty of time, and I find a slot machine and finally get a hit from the Buffalo. I cash out, draw for my machine and take a seat.

    20190503_155746.jpg
    Good Ol' 18. I hoped...

    The tournament starts and its Tap City. My machine was against a wall and I could only see the credit meter one machine to my left. After five minutes, I was keeping pace with her. Then I started getting some decent hits. At the halfway mark, my score was about a thousand ahead. More tapping. Then the time ended. I looked over at her score, and it was around 14,000. I looked down at mine and saw over 22,000. Everyone stood up and started comparing scores, and nobody was even close to 20,000. I won in a rout, with 2nd place around 17,000 points. The boothling handed me $90 and it was some of the sweetest money I had won.

    But then we were in a race to the airport. I got paid out at 4:30 and our flight left at 6:40. I made excellent time to the gas station, the Rental Car Center, the bag drop, and TSA (thank you, PreCheck) and made it to the gate 40 minutes before boarding.

    Having not eaten since about 10:00 AM, I was starved. My wife, on the other hand, had completely run out of gas, and the hustle through the airport also took a toll on her knee. All she wanted was a banana, water (over $6, by they way) and to fall asleep. I found a sandwich place with a short line, but there was only one sandwich maker moving at a snail's pace, despite the line. The lady at the register was wiping down aluminum tins as she waited for someone to pay her. I weighed my options, and I couldn't risk waiting my turn and missing my preboard assignment.

    20190503_182056.jpg
    Airport Burger King for my last Las Vegas dinner. Not how I had drawn it up, but... did I tell you that I won a slot tournament?

    I had cut it so close that I had to be "that guy" and eat my dinner on the plane, smelling up the area while watching everyone else board. Flight was good, wife slept, got the car, had George Webb for a proper dinner at 1:00 AM CDT and was in bed by 2:30. Then we slept for days.

    As I type this, just today I see this VMB thread titled "Another Losing Trip", where member LoveVegas! bemoaned yet another losing trip. Well, Love, I am right with you. I get slaughtered in Las Vegas no matter what game I play. I created a little spreadsheet with how bad it was this time.

    upload_2019-5-15_20-43-2.png

    There's a lot of red on that spreadsheet.

    As a post script, my wife was at the urgent care within hours of returning home, diagnosed as bronchitis. Nine days later (two days ago) she went back to urgent care and was told that she had a "minor" pneumonia. She's gone to work every day, and come home and gone to bed by 7:00 PM. She's got to get over the Vegas Crud soon, as she bowls the Women's Nationals in Wichita in two weeks.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2019
    USBC Nationals are back in Vegas
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  4. K-9treatbaker

    K-9treatbaker VIP Whale

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    I enjoyed your trip report. I sure hope your wife is feeling better.

    We also are from Milwaukee,lived there 30 + years, couldn't take the winters anymore and now live in Arizona.
     
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  5. NittyOne

    NittyOne VIP Whale

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    Thanks for sharing your detailed, pic heavy trip report with the community.

    Sorry about your wife, I hope she gets better shortly.
     
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  6. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Nice report!

    Hope the gambling goes better for you next time! And hope melissa gets better soon!
     
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  7. smerrian

    smerrian View from Bally's

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    Great trip report. Loved reading along. Never underestimate the power of a surgical mask and some sanitary wipes over your arm rests and tray table while on the plane. Looks dumb. Saves you from the crud.
     
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  8. mjames1229

    mjames1229 # of visits includes only trips w/ hotel stays

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    Actual conversation from 30 seconds ago...

    Me: "Smerrian says to wear a surgical mask and wipe your seat and armrests with a disinfecting wipe"

    Melissa: "I have disinfectant wipes, I'll have to try that".

    Me: "And surgical masks..."

    Melissa: "Nah, it'd steam up my glasses".

    The woman has her priorities, I guess.
     
    USBC Nationals are back in Vegas
  9. smerrian

    smerrian View from Bally's

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    Lol. I did surgery my whole career with masks. Never steamed up my glasses.
    Problem is the air is so confined that when the passenger in seat 12C sneezes, 10 minutes later you get those air droplets inhaled at your seat 27D. But, yes. More important to care what other people you will never see again think about you and go through being sick. :poke:
     
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  10. ffejry

    ffejry #1 Bears Fan

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    Nice report!
     
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  11. zerofan

    zerofan VIP Whale

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    What an excellent write-up, now I have to go back and read any of your previous TR's that I may have missed.

    I must say, you have some energy, with all the places you visited and had food, dropping people off, writing this awesome report, along with great pics. You have a way with words and I could read another 100 pages.

    Losing sucks but Vegas is fun anyway. Thank you for sharing your trip with us.
     
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  12. UnicornTX

    UnicornTX High-Roller

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    Loved reading! Thanks!
     
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  13. ffejry

    ffejry #1 Bears Fan

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    I definitely don't want to make a spreadsheet of my losses!
     
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  14. mjames1229

    mjames1229 # of visits includes only trips w/ hotel stays

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    Yeah, its hard to see... even harder as my marker statement arrived today from the California and I see how big a check I have to write this week.

    But I keep the records because some time, some day, I am finally going to hit a slot machine for a real jackpot and I need to be as prepared as I can be.

    The reason I posted it here, though, is because frankly I find that everyone that comes back and claims that they won (or came close to even) to be a bit dubious. Sure, people have to win or else they won't bother playing, but there seems to be some embellishment on this board. Or maybe its because there aren't as many people who offer their losses are there those who come back and write about another winning trip.
     
    USBC Nationals are back in Vegas
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  15. mjames1229

    mjames1229 # of visits includes only trips w/ hotel stays

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    I'll give you a brief hand... Here is my Trip Report file.

    February trips are for the Super Bowl, and I am there for 2 or 3 days, for me its a whirlwind.

    Reports from the spring (April thru June) are for various bowling tournaments. When I bowl well, there may be a little more bowling talk than this current one. My wife is generally with me, so other than the bowling, there are a LOT of touristy experiences. I always rent a car, so many adventures are off-Strip.

    Reports from trips in late-summer or autumn (August thru November) are my yearly poker trips with The Guys. Never any women on the trip, and lots of wonky poker talk. When not playing poker, I gamble. Sometimes I eat, too. But there is generally no sight-seeing or non-casino activities in the fall.

    One other note, Trip Reports from 2015 and earlier were done on my personal blog and just linked to VMB. However the site I had used (a sister site of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) has shut down the blog and has archived much of my content. Unfortunately, its like playing a game of hide and seek to find it. I have found all of my old trip reports (going back to my very first Vegas bowling trip report in 2009... my first ever Vegas Trip Report) so if you really, really want to read my old stuff, send me a PM and I can send you the links.
     
    USBC Nationals are back in Vegas
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  16. casinokid68

    casinokid68 Caesars Diamond Member

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    I couldn't agree with you more on this statement!! Love all of your reports, they are fun to read, great pictures and most important of all, honest!! Thanks!!:clap:
     
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  17. zerofan

    zerofan VIP Whale

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    Wow - thank you for the link, how did I miss all of those LOL.
     
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  18. Wallew

    Wallew VIP Whale

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    Another great trip report. Love reading about you and your wife’s adventures.
     
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  19. BobLasVegas

    BobLasVegas Low-Roller

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    Fantastic TR!

    Loved it! You have a great
    Sense of humor and turn
    Of a phrase!

    And yes, SO many people only
    Remember their “wins”!

    Uh....if you hit for $500,
    But you lost $700 just prior,
    You are still a$200 loser!!!

    I keep strict track of my gambling,
    Winning is hard!

    People who tell you they win all
    The time are liars or fools!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 17, 2019
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  20. casinokid68

    casinokid68 Caesars Diamond Member

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    Truer words could not be written:clap:
     
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