Lots of LUCK *&* LOVE™ ... June 27 - July 1

Lots of LUCK *&* LOVEâ„¢ ... June 27 - July 1

I've been to Vegas 5 times since joining this forum, so I guess it's time to contribute ... Nothing in this is meant to offend anyone in any way! This is my first trip report and it may not be as an extravagant of an experience as others as far as living it up big in Vegas with finer food and drink, but we sure had a blast. ... I LOVE VEGAS!

PRE-trip incident - June ?: my husband had a scheduled check up with the doctor in June. There was a Susan G Komen jar at the receptionist desk. I didn't have any cash on me so I asked him for $10 and he gave it to me without a word. I put the $10 in the jar. I ALWAYS donate to the causes that fight to cure breast cancer. My sister is a breast cancer survivor of 20 years. My husband usually isn't with me when and where I do, but this isn't the first time he was. Half way home he loudly states ... "OH, I get it ... you think donating that money is going to bring you luck in Vegas!â€... "You and your superstitions". Now that was funny as it came out of the middle of nowhere! That thought never crossed my mind. It's a habit to donate a little when I have it to donate. Just wanted to point out ... he claims to have NO superstitions, but he thinks I am very superstitious. He thinks everything I do is pre-meditated and that I over think everything I plan to do. ... Not so!

FRIDAY - Day 1 - June 27 It's a 50 minute drive to DFW from Azle without traffic. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 2:20pm. We left the house at 10am (earlier than we normally would) instead of 11am since it was a Friday and we didn't know what the traffic would be like. There wasn't any traffic and so we arrived at the airport in 50 minutes. We are there way too early. I'm too anxious to sit in one place, so every now and then I walk up and down the corridor. During one of my first walks I was passing by one of the other gates as the passengers were unloading. One guy looked really familiar. ... So familiar that I almost said "hi" to him, but he looked right at me and nothing. Wow, I almost embarrassed myself. This was obviously a case of mistaken identity, yet I couldn't place where I thought I knew him from. I will bring this up a couple of more times in this report.

We boarded our flight on time. We had seats 5A & 5B. Within a minute ... the guy that sits in 5C is the guy that I think I know. My husband nudges me and asked me if I thought this guy looked familiar. Glad it wasn't just me, but he couldn't place him either. I guess it doesn't matter; the guy doesn't seem to know us. There is a couple who must have purchased tickets at the last minute as their seats are not together. The women is seated in 3D ... her husband is seated in 5D. They try to get this (familiar looking) guy to trade with her, so they can be seated together. He is not giving up his seat for the lady. Claims he can't sit by a window or he'll get sick, yada-yada. The woman in 3C doesn’t want a window either, but ends up trading with the husband. I think I figure it out who this guy is later in this report. Anyway, we departed DFW about 1/2 hour late for no apparent reason ... we just sat there on the plane without leaving the gate. It was getting really HOT and the stewardess asked everyone to drop the window shades to help cool the plane. Just before leaving the gate, the American Airlines captain said we would be arriving only 10 minutes later than scheduled. That was okay! ... So we'll get to Vegas at 4:15 instead of 4:05. Not bad. ... But we didn't ... it was 4:35 ... still not bad! The fact that the flight wasn't canceled was all that mattered. The "snack" that was served was more like "lunch". At least we have a little food in us. I get really bad headaches when I am hungry or have gone a couple of days without caffeine.

We met our limo driver as scheduled one hour after the plane landed to allow my husband with his emphysema to take his time and not be rushed. The limo ride was HORRIBLE ... the air conditioner did NOT work ... it also felt like there was tooooooo much air in the rear tires, as with each bump on the road the car jumped ... very rough! Worst ride ever! The heat was unbearable so we said something to the driver ... she did apologize and told us she was parked in the sun all day, so it "takes time to cool the car". Really? ... Seems from the time she left the Hilton ... all the way to the airport and going back that it should have cooled by then. Like I said it was unbearable ... so we rolled down the two windows on each side of us and the driver rolled them back up and told us to use the over head control and turn the knob to the right to turn on MAX cool, that we were "not riding with the air running full blast and the windows down" (with attitude) we were shocked the tone she had when she said it ... we did as she said and it made it worse ... HOT air blowing harder on us. We attempted to roll the windows down again, but she locked the function and my husband got upset and I told her he needed air. She rolled the window back down half way on my husband’s side in a snappy way. ... I was ready for her to display road rage with an innocent by stander. This was a BELL limo that the LV Hilton contracts with. We have ridden in limos many times and never had an experience like this. A taxi would have been much better. To make the trip even worse ... she did not take Paradise ... don't ask me where we were, but it was the LONGEST trip to the Hilton ever (35 minutes) ... in a HEATED limo. Although the ride was comp'd ... she was rude and we felt she was responsible to make sure her limo was working properly. Finally, we get to the Hilton. What does this lady do, she does not open my door ... she walks around the back to the other side and opens my husband’s door ... so I slide out his. She is at the back unloading the two bags. ... My husband has 2 $20's in his hand and I hold out my hand and say "I'll take care of it". ... He hands me the money. At this point, I am planning to tip her a $20 (but not $40). I get to the back of the car while she is putting the bags on the curb ... slamming the trunk and at this point, many of you are not going to like this part .................................. I put the money in my purse (because she was not even calling the bell for our luggage), my husband sees me put the money in my purse and quickly digs in his pocket while she is slamming the passenger door closed and quickly passing me and my husband, but he catches her attention and gives her a $10 (that was meant for the bell). We normally tip $10-$15/person when we hire a limo. When its comp'd we normally tip $40 (20/person ... and a $50 flat at Christmas time). As far as I was concerned ... she deserved nothing! The bell did see her practically run around her car, get in and pull forward. He immediately came over and asked if he could bring our luggage to our room (??? we don't know our room yet), or have it stored. We tell him, yes please store it. He gave us our tag ... and he got a $20. Whatever ... better him than HER I guess?

We "people watch" for a bit and check out the casino ... from the lobby floor level (a few steps higher than the casino floor). So many different people from different walks of life. Great stories to be "read" from their faces as they go by. So many smiles ... you just know they are glad to be here. The casino seemed extremely cool, but it felt good ... every now and then it felt good to have the outside warmth hit us each time someone came in. We check into the VIP lounge (this is for invited guests and Ultra members - on this day we are both) ... our host is gone for the day ... no big deal ... the guy that checked us in was very friendly and accommodating ... exceptionally! Although we are always told ... that WHATEVER we need ... call them and they will take care of it ... we never had!

The room was comfortable as far as temperature, so we sat for a bit in the lounge drinking some ice cold water (full open bar available, but we don't drink). We were offered some snacks ... we passed. We are finally cooled off and head out to the casino. MAYBE a half hour passed ... It seemed that in the little bit of time that we had spent in the lounge till when we came out that the number of people had multiplied many times over, so I told my husband I was going to go to the room and have our bags brought up. I usually do this after I have checked out my new toys (new slots) and find where they moved my favorites to. So I go up to our room and call the bell desk. About 40 minutes goes by ... I call again. I am told they got very backed up but it wouldn't be much longer. While waiting, I decide to take some pictures of the room for this trip report. (Sorry … didn’t know the camera part of the phone was set to size “small†for the pictures.) I’m tired, I'm bored, I’m done taking pictures and I’m STILL waiting … It's now one hour - thirty minutes waiting, so I call again. This time I am told they are short handed and backed up and will get the bags up as soon as they can. I asked her to give me a guestimate as to when that would be ... she said she didn't know. WRONG ANSWER! ... other than using VIP check in, 2 free tickets to Barry Manilow last year and our host sending a limo for us when we visit, we have never utilized any other part of our players card status ... which is suppose to include "priority baggage service". I call the front desk ... ask for VIP services ... told him I had been waiting an hour and a half ... he told me he will get it taken care of immediately (yet he didn’t ask me for the claim check/ticket number?) ... asked me if I needed anything else ... asked if he could make reservations for dinner for us, did we want to see a show, etc., yada yada. ... I passed. Less than 5 minutes later, our luggage was at the room. When they checked us in, they did ask at that time if they could have our luggage sent to our room and we told them we would call for it later. From now on ... to heck with us having to be in our room to get our luggage, we will let them take care of it. After this trip ... we will always take full advantage of everything and anything offered to us. More on this later in the report!

I get back down stairs and my husband is upset ... he thought something was wrong ... he couldn't figure out the courtesy phone to call our room so he went into the VIP lounge and had them call the room to find out where I was ... no answer. Oops ... I hadn't opened the door from the bedroom to the other part of the suite until I took pictures. I am surprised they didn't try both phones. Anyway ... he did this BEFORE I had called VIP services; otherwise they would have told him I was waiting for the luggage. At this point, I really need some Advil ... my husband tells me to eat something ... I say I'm not hungry! I go to the gift shop to buy a $9 SMALL bottle of Advil ... need something to drink to swallow them with, so I stop at Fortuna to get a yummy Iced Latte and an orange juice for my husband. YUM! ... I am having another only this one will last longer!

It's now about 10:30pm (12:30am in Texas … I went to bed at 1:30am, woke up at 4:25 and lay in bed till 6am) and I am ready to call it a day, although the day never really started. I sit for a while ... not long and my head ache disappears!

Our bankrolls are $2000 each for 4 days, and set aside for the final day we had $300 bonus cash from the players club (to split) & our jarred coins/$1's since Christmas of $325 each for the last day ... we decided this extra money would be for regular play on Tuesday. We always start our play with checking out the machines by slot hopping. We usually play $1 slots ... if we are up a bit we play $2 and $5 machines. I always try and save $100-$300 to play in the high limit room at the end of each day.

Now it's time to play! ... FIRST, I do a "walk-thru". I get back and my husband hands me $500 (we split all single wins of $400 +). He had just won $1034 on a $1 - 2 credit - Quick Hit 777's. TIP = $34. Most of these slots hit before $1200 ... most of them. I split that $500 @ $100 added for each day. I go over to a bank of 5 of the same type of machine/2 of them are Black/White Tie Quick Hits ... I play $10 each in all five, do it again and nothing. DANG! ... I just lost $100 in less than 15 minutes! ... I need to rethink my strategy!

For Thorboy: The STRATEGY for slots is to slot hop ... find a paying machine and reap the rewards OR just ask ssfblue which "slot machine class" ... just kidding ... couldn't resist!

We'd like to believe we have a strategy, but it is really LUCK! I will add that I don't walk away from a paying machine when I have credits left to play. I think it's crazy when I see someone hit for some money ... then they cash out ... Not me!

It's almost midnight and I am very, very tired but decide to walk back towards the sports book where they have a new Wheel of Fortune room. I stop on the way and play some new $1 wheel slots called Monte Carlo ... no luck. These are too much like WOF, so I won't be playing them again, even though they hit much better for the smaller in between stuff than WOF machines (IMO). In all of my years playing slots ... I've played WOF twice ... just don't care for them ... no interest ... no luck. BUT this room has 3 - $5 machines, so I'm hoping the hits are better. I still have $350 available for the day’s play, so I decide I am going to play $50 in each. On the first machine, I was down to my last $10 ... hit a cherry for 4 credits. Normally, whatever I plan to play - that's it … and even if I only get ONE credit back, I will cash it out. I played another spin, nothing ... final spin, pulled my player card to walk away and WhooHoo ... WHEEL --- OF --- FORTUNE. My lucky number is 8, so I let it chime 8 times and hit the spin button ... $600. I cash out, put my ticket in my pocket ... put $50 in the next machine. 2nd spin ... WHEEL --- OF --- FORTUNE. ... Count out my 8 chimes ... whoohoo $225. ... Same machine ... final spin ... WHEEL --- OF --- FORTUNE ... do the 8 count ... yeah ... $300. I put my $600 ticket into the machine and cash out at $1125. Last machine, I put $50 in ... nothing! Boohoo!!!! ... (Overall ... not bad for $154 played). Of that, I owe my husband $300. … I add $225 for today/tonight and $150 for each remaining day. I'm done with this room ... I do not like $1 WOF machines. I'll come back tomorrow and play the 3 $5 machines again.

It's after midnight now ... so:

SATURDAY - Day 2 - June 28 ... I head back to the main casino floor; I've counted out $300 to give my husband. I find my husband sitting at some Blazing 7's machines counting his money ... he goes to hand me $900 at the same time I go to hand him $300. ...unfriggin' believable ... he put $100 in this machine ... first spin he gets the 3 Blazing 7's for $1,067. TIP = $67 ... $500 for me. He plays the rest of his $100 and on his LAST spin with nothing in between hits the same machine for the Progressive at $6,848. $6,000 is going home ... TIP = $48 (said he waited a long, long time for a slot attendant) ... $400 for me.

I wasn't there for any of this, but he hadn't put the TAX form in his pocket yet. I was in ahhhh!

We took a few minutes to figure the money out ... he ended up giving me $600. I'll add another $100 for each day and $200 to my $425 for the night. I then play $200 total in the not-so-friendly-to-me Blazing 7's while he watches. He loves WOF machines and wanted me to show him where this new room was. He wasn't too excited about the distance he had to walk to get to them. It took us a while but I went with him. He saw the machine I hit the $600 on and he put a $20 in (he likes $1/$2 slots) ... 2nd/final spin ... WHEEL ---- OF --- FORTUNE ... $125. He cashes out... puts the ticket in a $1 WOF ... gets a few spins ... a few small pays (he always replays small wins in the same machine) looks like this machine just ate $124+ ... then final spin ... what is going on??? ... WHEEL --- OF --- FORTUNE ... $1000 (top $ amount). That was a hand pay for whatever reason ... not sure why! He tipped a $20. He hands me $500 and jokingly says "when are you going to start winning something". He viewed it as he had given me several hundred more than I gave him ... :evillaugh I said "tomorrow" ... I now have $525 (added $100 from the $500 he just gave me) and I want to play $300 in the high limit room". ... He shakes his head in disappointment. Oh Well!

We headed back to the main casino floor and he is checking out the BJ tables. NOT ME! ... I tell him, I'm going to the high limit room. I slot hop on some $5 machines, getting back a couple credits here and there. I was in there for quite a while ... $300 never lasted this long in the high limit room before, I wasn't loosing, not gaining. I replayed my little hits on different machines ... bounced around, re-played a few machines ... till the ticket was at $300 for the HLR with $225 cash still in my pocket. I wasn't having fun in this room ... I was just going in circles. I walked up the left side stairs (to leave) ... looked back ... I don’t know what possessed me … I went back in the other side. My heart started racing ... I put the entire $300 in a $25 - THREE credit machine. OMG ... what am I doing!? I never play that big so early in the game ... I don't bat an eye lash if it's the last day and the casinos money. I'm tired ... been up for almost 24 hours ... why not be smart and go to bed??? 1st spin ... nothing ----- 2nd spin ... nothing ----- 3rd spin and my husband is now standing behind me (he didn't feel like BJ) and says "what the hell are you doing?†I smiled in disbelief that I was actually doing it ... nothing for the 3rd spin. He asked me how much I put in it ... I told him ... he shakes his head. ... I'm thinking how stupid I was to blow $300 in less than a minute! I actually started to laugh a little ... thought it was kind of funny and incredibly stupid ... I think because I was soooooo tired! Okay, here we go ... final spin .............................. WOW! IT HIT! ... For $3,750. I had forgotten to leave my cell phone in the room, so I took a picture of it. $3,000 going home ... TIP = $100 ... $300 each, and we finish off the room with $50 shared alternating spins on a 2-credit “ping pong†slot machine. Those machines SUCK!

I end the day with my original bankroll for the day plus $25 … walked into HLR with $525 … played $300 … and kept $300 of my $3,750 win for gambling monies. It was a good day/night, especially since it started so bad. I am putting this money aside to play at the Mirage on Sunday.

I am DONE ... I cannot keep my eyes open! We get up to the room and it is 3:30am ... 5:30 in Texas. I am hungry, I'm tired! I drink a soda and eat a handful of sesame sticks I bought at the airport (Vegas Nuts) and go into the other room to bolt the doors. Oh, surprise! ... Too tired to enjoy! HUGE gift basket with not much fruit .... Lots and lots of various nuts and LOTS of chocolates from Torn Ranch.... that is T O R N. SEES Candies was my favorite. I guess the "turn down service" is getting your bed ready for you, with more candies on the pillows. ... Done! They've never done this before, so I guess VIP services put whoever up to it after the luggage issue. Anyway, I've been awake for 25 hours after only sleeping 3 hours. I want to make sure my husband doesn't get up at his usual 5-6am ... so I pull the dark drapes ... to keep ALL light out. I'm hoping I will get to sleep-in a LITTLE. I am over tired ... I can’t sleep … I am dying of thirst. I drink almost the entire BIG bottle of water; get back in bed and its 5:10am. Guess I fell right to sleep. It didn’t take long for that 32oz. bottle of water to go through me … I had to get up at 6:10 … but fell right back to sleep.

SATURDAY - Day 2 - June 28 ... Continued
... My husband wakes me … “are you getting up?†Me: “What time is itâ€? Him: “10:30â€. … Oh no, I can’t sleep away my Vegas time. I get up … he is sitting at the desk … showered; dressed and ready to go … I slept through it. I get my clothes, go take a shower, blow dry my hair. I go back in the bedroom and he asks me “how much longer?†I tell him that I am going down to Fortuna to get him a juice and my latte before I put on my makeup. I feel like crap and my eyes are really bloodshot. I really NEED some caffeine. He tells me he is going down stairs … so we head down together. I don’t have money or anything on me. I was in too much of a hurry to get going. He gives me his room card and room key ... I get in a LONG line to get the juice and latte and he wants a piece of pound cake too. Eewww! He found an open little table for us, but I told him I was going back up to the room to put make-up on. He said “I’ll be ‘somewhere’ when you get backâ€. He’s not too hard to find … he’s 6’2†and starts with slot hopping so he’s not sitting and it is easy to look over the machines to find him. I get back up to the room and the clock reads 9:07. I look at my cell phone that reads 9:04????? I’m a little baffled, but put my make up on … put $950 in my pocket along with my driver’s license, room card (for charges), room key & players card and a few $2 bills for drink (water) tips … leave tip for the maid on the bed and head down stairs … the clock reads 9:35 when I walk out the door. My husband is still sitting at Fortuna. I asked him what time he has and he tells me “9:40â€. Me: “you told me it was 10:30 when you woke me up?†... Him: “Did I?†… laughs … “Did you come to Vegas to sleep?†I still can’t believe he did that to me. No wonder I feel like I haven’t slept. The night before we left … he went to bed at 10pm and got up at 6am. He got plenty of sleep!

The line at Fortuna is really long now ... stretching past the jewelry store almost back to the central elevators, but I NEED more caffeine. The line actually moved pretty quickly.

There were two HUGE conventions and a small truck show that weekend ... one convention being of the largest sorority in the world ... with hundreds and hundreds of women in blue everywhere! I have never been to the Hilton when it was that crowded before. I prefer being in Vegas when it is LESS crowded, such as at Christmas time (can't wait)!

Okay, time to play! ... We walk into the casino and although I don't like ... the Quick Hit 7's too much, the row of 5 that ate $100 last night had no one sitting at them, so what the heck. I was going to play $20 in each and re-play whatever they hit unless it was the jackpot. My husband followed my lead, except he played one machine in front of me. 1st machine ... nothing. I had to wait to get on the next machine till my husband played 25 credits it gave him ... and it did that several times. That is the only machine he played in that row ... after looking up and seeing they were all within a few dollars of $1,000 (meaning they just hit the jackpot recently) then he didn't want to play them. I got on the machine he just got off ... put a $20 in ... it teased me with a few 25 credit backs as it did my husband. At one point, I had 118 credits ... played it down to 7 ... YES! YES! YES! ... JACKPOT! ... $1,003.67 from 3 flamed 7's within the pay line. Too bad it wasn't 3 Quick Hit ... that would have been $5,000 or if on the same line would have been $10,000. I tipped $44 ($20 from my husband).

Question for all: Why is it that SEVERAL casino workers take part in the payout? For this win, I tipped the guy that quickly got the lady that paid me, and I tipped her. There was another one that gave another lady the money to pay me and stood there ... I didn't tip her. There was a 4th that wrote down machine information and watched the "count" - no tip. Not sure how I am suppose to be tipping? How do you tip in this situation?

This is when our host catches up with us. I give my husband $500 and tell him "make it last ... I don't think there is any more where that came from". Our casino host says "there's lots more, take it all, we have plenty". Small chit chat and thanks ... told him about the limo driver AND luggage. He said he would have the limo desk write a report and for us to ALWAYS call VIP services if he's not there for anything, and reminded us that we have his cell number. I believed him, my husband didn't. Our host leaves.

The gambling fool that I am ... I tell my husband that I am going to play my $500 of this win in the High Limit room. From the look on his face, I decided it was too early for that ... so I play the last 3 machines in that row ... nothing. That $500 IS going to the HLR later! No doubt in my mind!

I am feeling good! Crowd is not bothering me at this point. I will deal with it. It is VERY crowded, but not too many people playing slots. More than half of the tables were empty as well. I never expect to win, so I am having even more fun, because I AM winning. Each days bankrolls were almost doubled last night ... giving me more freedom to gamble (take chances I normally wouldn't). I've still got $830 + $500 set aside for HLR ... just for today!

We go across the big walk aisle to a row of multi-denomination machines ... $.25, $.50, $1 & $2. I will play $1/max credits on all machines. There are 8 machines in the rows - each side ... triple this, triple that ... different kinds. One side of the row requires 2 credits ... the other side 3 credits. I decide to play $40 in each of the 2 credit machines (keeping track and cashing out ANY win) and play $60 in each of the 3 credit machines taking back all wins if any. This took quite a while ... I cashed out and put the ticket in my pocket ... next machine ... put my ticket in to collect this machines given credits (accumulating on one ticket) and after playing the amount I designated for each machine through once ... I had $1,280 ($30 cash) ... up $450. My husband started on the other side and also played at $1. From his wins that he didn't replay, he had more cash to play with and put $100 in each machine. ... He ended the first round with $1700 but didn't know how much he was actually up. Foolishness got the best of me and I want to do it again at $2. My husband went to slot hop on the Red, White & Blue $1 slots that are a "casino bank" of TIGHT slots with a fairly large progressive. I take my $1250 ticket to the Cash Redemption machine and it tells me it's not valid ... WHAT? I immediately take it to the cashier cage ... and was told the machine doesn't cash tickets over $1199. No problem ... just as long as the ticket IS valid!

I go back ... do it all over again at $2 on the 2 credit machines and play $100 in each ... and I am doing much better too. My win ticket is $1472 after $800 in and I only played 1/2 of the machines. Back to the cashier cage for cash (I can keep better track of the money when playing cash vs. a large ticket.) My bankroll for the day has more than doubled. Hummmm ... guess I'll do $100 each on the other side too. ... $800 in and my win ticket was $480. OUCH!

I stopped at the same cashier cage that I had redeemed the two larger tickets to save time, since there were long lines at the two closest ticket redemption machines ... time consuming - bad choice ... the cashier gets on the walkie talkie and asks me to step to the back of the cage, that a "supervisor" would be right with me. I asked her why and she said because I had cashed winnings over $3,000. WHAT??? Will I ever figure out how Vegas operates? The supervisor wants my player card, driver license and social security number. I ask her what is going on, and she states this is a policy to keep their cashiers honest. ... Over my head! She writes everything into a log and asked me how much I WEIGH. That was over the top!!! I asked her who gets this information, which I do not understand, that I had never done this before. She tells me again, it's to keep the cashiers honest and not to worry ... it has nothing to do with the IRS. The IRS hadn't even crossed my mind. If the IRS wants in on this, then they need to start allowing a loss against your income, not just up to your winnings. Whatever! Lesson learned! ... Don’t add your tickets together to total over $1199 on ONE ticket so you can always use the machine, no matter how many you have. Even if it's $10,000 worth! Or ... if using the cages ... don't cash in $3K plus at one location.

Time for a break! I need to unload some of this cash. I find my husband and tell him I am going back to the room to put some of my money in the safe. Ask him if he wants a break and it's a "no", but tells me that when I get back we'll get some food. I ask him how much he has left ... he doesn't know and tells me he is way down ... probably about $700. DANG! ... What is he doing? He was up a lot more than me a while ago!

I get up to the room and it is after 6:30 ... WHERE DID THE DAY GO?

Out with all the money! I laid it all out on the bed ... I counted it and re-counted it. I decide to add $50-50-75 to the bankrolls for the 3 days left ... allowing $1,000/day. I add $400 to the money for the Mirage. I have over $1,000 left for the day/night PLUS the $500 set aside for the HLR. ... And we still have $9,000 going home with us. WOW! This trip is MUCH better than Christmas was!

I go back down stairs ... and my husband hands me $200 and I handed it back to him, knowing he was way down. He played $400 while I was upstairs ... and hit on one spin for $400. I had plenty of money to play with, didn't want to take his $200.

We were going to eat at Quarks, but decided to eat at the buffet since we were going to the Wheel of Fortune World room to play next. Both are at the sports book. Forget it ... the line is really, really looooonnng at almost 8pm. I suggest we do "room service" later, when we go to the room for the night. He is hungry now and goes to get us a hot dog in the sports book ... just to tie us over. If you want a good 1/4lb. hot dog ... the sports book at the Hilton is NOT the place to get it. As hungry as we were ... ANYTHING should have tasted good. Neither of us finished it. I guess the drinks in the sports book aren't comp'd??? We never saw a waitress ... everyone seemed to be going to the bar for their own drinks. I just wanted a soda or water, but no waitress around. My next choice ...I wanted an Iced Latte ... way back the other direction/other end of casino ... and John wanted an ice cold MILK. I go to Fortuna and get both. No line ... everyone was taking part in the wine sampling in front of the counter.

All of a sudden ... sleep deprivation kicks in! I get back to the sports book and tell my husband I will play a little in the WOF room, then the $500 in the HLR and I am done for the night. He agrees to be done for the night, but tries to talk me out of going to the HLR. That's not happening ... I've been waiting all day to go there.

We are now in the WOF room ... this time, I've committed $100 to each of those 3 - $5 machines. The machine that gave me $600 last night is the last machine I play ... it gives me $300 ... I am now at what I walked in there with. Holy Moly!!! ... Over to my right is a $100 WOF!!! Should I? Why not! $300 ticket in + 2-$100's ... Okay ... that wasn't good .... THAT WAS NOT GOOD ... OMG! ... (Glad my husband didn't see that one) ... maybe I should re-think going to the high limit room ... re-thought it, that's where I am going. My husband says he is going to zero out the credits on the $1 WOF machine he is on and will meet me at the room. I'm not waiting ... he's been on that same machine for a long time and still has 84 credits, so I agree to go back to the room after I PLAY in the high limit room.

I go to the high limit room. $1,000 in hand / $500 to play with (in here) ... I walk around the machines several times. The $3,750 win I had is still showing. I'm really torn on this one ... RULE to SELF ... don't walk away from a paying machine ... and then the reality of "pushing my luck". I really want to put this money in it. But, I am not going to! Damn! So I go to the back wall and play 2 spins on this and that, 2 on the next and so forth, these are multi-denom and I am playing 2 credits at $5. ... Do it again, do it again ... not what I WANT to be playing. I WANT to play that $25 machine!!! Money is building a little at a time with small hits. ... My $500 is now at $700. I've been playing quite a while in here. I decide to slot hop the $10 machines behind me. I could have selected $10 on the machines that I know were paying, that were giving me back a little here and there. Why walk away from a PAYING MACHINE??? These $10 machines behind me ate almost all of the $700 ... I am now down to $100 of the $700 I just had. I had skipped the Blue Sapphires on the back wall ... it's a $25 / 1 credit machine. ... Go for it, what's another $100 after instantly loosing $600? Here we go ... 4 spins! Damn, thank you, thank you, thank you ... I will take that, and that AND that!!! $800 ticket and I am OUTTA HERE! Played that last $100 in that machine ... I am not going to push my LUCK! I watched a guy win $24,000 on this Blue Sapphires two years ago. IF it hits 3 of the same, you get bonus spins that pay even on a single bar. ... With the bonus hits ... everything is wild ... kind of like getting a "cherry". The gentleman that won the $24,000 told us he bounced around on the machines like we do (slot hopping), but guessed that he had put $2,000 in the Blue Sapphires machine in the last two days. You just never know ... it is all LUCK!

My husband is sitting just outside the high limit room and was watching for a while. First thing he says ... "you were lucky" ... "you almost lost it all" ... "you know that won't happen again, don't you". Thought to self: No I don't know that, don't spoil my EXCITEMENT! ... This is what I am thinking, not what I say. I tell him that I WILL start my day tomorrow in here with this $800. ... He says he will join me so he can say "I told you so". I have gone a little wild with the slots this trip, but hey ... we are going home with more than we came with. ... All the money we put out for the trip ... everything paid is back in our pockets, including airfare! This has turned out to be a free trip to Vegas and part of the next trip is paid for.

Started my day with $950 ... ending it with $1,300. Lots and lots of slot play. Lots of ups and downs. Lots of fun!!!

We get up to the room and it is just after midnight (no wonder I am soooo tired!) ... this day went by FAST!

We are starving! There is so much on the room service menu ... do we want breakfast or supper? Do we want to go to bed with a FULL stomach? Decisions, decisions ... we will get some appetizers and salads. We call room service and it rings and rings ... no answer. We both get washed up and ready for bed. I call room service back and again - it rings and rings ... they finally answer "room service - please hold". I was on hold for about 10 minutes and when they re-answered I said I'd like to order room service for two. I was told there would be a 2 - 2 1/2 hour wait! WHAT?!?!?! We could be waiting till THREE in the morning! I immediately say ... all we want is a couple of salads (forget anything else at this point ... I figured the salads were already made) ... she tells me they MIGHT be able to get salads to us a few MINUTES sooner. I tell her "no thanks, we will be sleeping by then". No "sorry", ... nothing ... she hung up! I called the front desk and told them what was going on ... was told they have already had many complaints, yada yada. I just wanted them to be aware of the BS.

Now what? We need FOOD! We decide to get dressed and go down to the 24hr. cafe. There are 2 other patrons in the entire place and she wants to seat us in the middle at a little wooden table. We asked for a booth, which we were seated at after she looked around as if there weren't any available. ... They were all open. My husband got breakfast, I got a burger w/fries. Took a long time to get the food and when we did, it was cold ... no warmth to it at all. Paradise Cafe will not be revisited by us!

Back to the room and it is almost 2am. Into my PJ's, brush my teeth and I pull the dark drapes so the light doesn't wake up my husband in a few hours. My husband is already out cold. I get into bed and fall right to sleep.

SUNDAY - Day 3 - June 29 ... I wake up at 7am ... my husband is still sound asleep. I don't think I can fall back to sleep, so I shower, get dressed and blow dry my hair ... husband is still sleeping. I felt like I should wake HIM up and tell him its 10:30 ... but, that would be mean! I didn't ... I headed downstairs to get juice and a latte.

I get back up to the room and my husband is up ... drapes open ... he's counting money. While he is doing that, I put make-up on and when I come out he asks me to get the money from the safe. He's got a few different "stacks" going, with "notes". I sit and watch for a few minutes without a clue as to what he was doing ... he asked me to give him $1,000. For what? ... He said "so we don't do something stupid ... we don't need to spend all this". "I'm putting $2,000 in ... you put $1,000 in." I give him $1,000 and along with his $2,000 ... it goes into the pile of $9K that is going home with us. I just gave him $500 from last night (still have my $800 ticket for the high limit room :evillaugh and my bankroll of $1,000 for today) ... I took the other $500 from the money I set aside for the Mirage later. That's fine ... now we're going home with $12K. I asked him how he could put $2,000 into that and he told me he ended the day with $3,200, ... he got a bunch of $200-300 hits on a different row of Blazing 7's with one of the machines hitting $200 - 7 different times on the same $100 he put in it. I want that machine! I asked him about being WAY down ... he said he WAS at one point. He adjusted his bankrolls for each day ... told me to take the $200 he tried to give me last night ... you bet I did. He was doing better than me! That $200 went back into the money for the Mirage. He asked me how his hair looked, if he could get by until we got ready for the Mirage later. He was ready to head down to the casino in less than 5 minutes.

I told my husband that if I saw our host I was going to say something about whatever came to mind that I wasn't happy with. My husband says "you think he cares? ... he did his job ... he got us back here". Seems to me it would be his job to make sure we will be back.

Now ... It's just before 9:30 am at this time, so we head down. The elevators are NOT stopping. When one finally does about 15 minutes later, it is too full for us to get on. Same thing with the next two over a 10-15 minute period. Geez ... 1/2 hour to get an elevator? We decide to push the UP button and within a few seconds an elevator stops with 4 people on it. We took it UP and stopped once on the way back down. MUCH faster!

The casino is PACKED ... the other convention is now here ... something to do with spas??? My husband asked me if I was going to the high limit room, and I told him I wanted to see the machine that kept hitting, repeatedly for him. It was on the way to high limits, so I stuck $100 in it ... and NOTHING ... absolutely NOTHING ... not even 2 credits ... that is what is called ZERO % payback!!! My husband commented "I've never seen that happen before". Well it just did and I am not happy! He finds my change in attitude a bit humorous, but I am not laughing ... he's trying not to laugh ... this is not a good way to start the day. He says "You're luck has run out". Please John ... keep your comments to yourself.

Here comes our host to say "good morning". Looks at the machine I just lost my money in and says "Oh, I thought you won ... thought I saw the light flashing." Whatever ... I could not hold back ... I had to say something nicely about wishing he would have let us know about the crowd, that we would have come another time when there weren't soooo many people. He knows we don't like crowds. I tell him about the 1/2 hour wait to get an elevator ... that the line for the buffet was ridiculous ... the 2-2 1/2 hour wait for ROOM SERVICE issue. Of course it's not HIS fault!!! He asked if we presented our "line passes" for the buffet and we should have been seated right away. ??? I let him know that we were not given any line passes. Wrong! ... The room card that they stamped VIP Guest on is an automatic line pass and so are our Ultra player cards. ... Nobody told us that! Told him we didn't know that and passed on the buffet. Now we know! He asked if we called VIP Services after we were told of the wait for room service, that it would not apply to Ultra members. VIP Services would have immediately talked with the "kitchen captain" and our food would have been delivered in about 30 minutes or less. NOW we get it! ... Just never thought we should get any special treatment. ... For all of you out there with higher "earned" status ... USE IT! You deserve the special perks if you earned it ... take advantage of it. We always will from now on! The part I am not comfortable with ... feel we "should not have to ask"! Our bad for not ... so I can't complain! My fault! I believe their "system" should "show" their VIP guests when the call is put through! It shows our name and room number ... why not our status!?!

I watch my husband play for a while ... nothing is happening ... no pain, no gain! I tell him that I am going to the High Limit room. He wants me to wait for him to finish on this teasing machine ... dang it ... he just hit again ... 80 credits. ... 40, 4, 4, 4, 120 ... says he'll play it down to $300 and cash out, to go ahead. He tells me it's stupid to walk away from this machine that it's going to hit the jackpot. I don't FEEL it!

I go to the high limit room ... no one has played that $25 machine ... my win is still showing. I do NOT have a problem playing money behind a win. I watch people all the time that find the machine they want to play then select a different one if it shows a good win. I have to play this machine! It bugged the heck out of me last night. I put my $800 ticket in ... one of the girls that was present when I won the $3,750 ... chants ... "come on, Lisa, you can do it" ... she remembered my name? Decisions, decisions ... should I take the $800 back and play $500 in other machines FIRST? ... The attendant is still chanting, so I can't think! Enough is enough! I cash out with my $800, go to the lounge part of the High Limit room for water ... nothing in there?!? So I ask her to let me know when she sees the waitress, that I need a water or soda. ... She asks me what kind of soda I drink and tells me she will get it ... "just win some money, Lisa, I know you can do it!" She's gone ... no one else in the room ... husband still hasn't shown up yet. I decide ... to put the $800 ticket back in this $25 3-credit machine and just play 4 spins. ... Here it goes! ............ ARE YOU KIDDING ... NO WAY! ... I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT! ... All of these thoughts and more are going through my mind ... 1st spin ... it hits for $7,500. :banana: ... right behind my $3,750 win! Whoa! Where is my husband? I don't have my phone to take a picture. ... Geez! No one is ever going to believe this! I don't think I would. What's worse, right NOW ... no one knows I won! The attendant has gone to get me a drink! A few minutes pass, now I stand up and look around like what am I suppose to do? ... UH OH! ... Here comes JB (a supervisor) ... he's looking around and I immediately tell him she went to get me a drink at the same time ... here she is with a bottle of soda AND water for me. Whew! He goes over to the computer for a minute, she takes my card and driver license ... she's more excited than I am. She's over at the computer with JB and both are talking on the walkie talkie. Another lady comes in ... JB leaves while talking on his walkie talkie ... the 2nd lady follows him. I go over to the attendant and tell her I want a picture of this, but my phone is in the room. She tells me to go ahead and get it, that I have time. I leave and find my husband is STILL on the same machine he was when I left ... his credits are now over 800. I tell him to go to the high limit and "guard" the machine that I won the $3,750 on, that I just won again. He immediately cashes out ... he goes to the high limit; I go to the room and get my phone. I get back and my husband has a 1/2 smile on his face while shaking his head in disbelief. HE says to me ... "no one is ever going to believe this". I know ... that's why I had to get the camera (phone). The attendant wants to take the picture, so I let her. Here comes the 2nd girl with the money and JB, but they go to the computer ... print out my tax form. The 1st attendant has me sign their copy. The 2nd girl then gives the 1st one my money. She then counts it out to me. JB tells me to spin it once more ... why do they do that? Whatever ... I spin it 3 more times like I planned and cash out. They all do the congrats and turn around to leave. That's weird! On the regular casino floor ... they stand there like vultures waiting for a tip. I thank them ... give the girl that went after the money $20 (from my husband) and the attendant that paid me, got my drinks and took the picture ... I gave $100. I already knew from the $50K two years ago, that JB can't accept tips! Not sure he did anything anyway ... other than supervise. I hand my husband $200 and he's holding his hand out - wiggling his fingers and says "where's the rest?†I tell him it's going home ... he still has his hand out and tells me that HE will hold it, I'll lose it. He was kidding of course, but I gave it to him less my $200 that I will put back into the money for the Mirage.

This has my husband re-thinking about playing the "high limit" room! He goes over to the $10 machines that ATE my money yesterday and puts his $800+ ticket in. I tell him, they did nothing ... I warned him! I am not going to play those. There are two different $25 machines ... one on each side of this "Hearts" machine I just won on. They didn't catch my attention at all this trip, but might as well see if they have anything for me. I put my $500 ticket in one of them that takes 2 credits ... 4 spins - nothing! ... Cash out ... put the $300 in the other ... 4 spins - nothing! OUCH!!! I don't like when that happens ... now I've lost my high limit gambling money. I walk slowly over to my husband while thinking how FAST money can be lost in here. He is staring at a pay table on one of the machines. I asked him if he is going to play anymore... he said he just did and lost it all. Nothing needs to be said ... we both start walking toward the steps to exit ... with him mumbling .... "That was pretty damn stupid". It's best if I don't say anything right now.

It's close to 12:30 now ... we need to think about getting ready to go to the Mirage ... we will be seeing Beatles LOVE at 7PM. We bought the Tapis Rouge package that includes hors d'oeuvres or snacks (not sure at this time). My husband convinces me we need something to eat, so we decide to get a turkey sandwich at Fortuna that we split.

We get back to the room to get ready. My husband showers and doesn't want to wear what I laid out for him. Says he wants to be "comfortable". Fine, I don't feel like wearing what I bought either. We allocate the money we are taking for slots at the Mirage. I have $880; my husband only wants to spend $500-600. That $7,000 is added to the $12K. Whoohoo!!! ... Going home with $19,000.

It's now about 1:30 ... we head down stairs ... stop at Fortuna for a water and latte. Look outside and see a couple hundred women standing out there. We are thinking it is going to be an hour + wait for a cab. I ask my husband if he wants me to ask our host to have a limo ride to the Mirage that he offered a couple conversations back, before we got to Vegas. He doesn't want me to ask him for anything. Says he doesn't want to feel like we are "expected" to play so much $$$. We exit the lobby and all of these women are just standing there, talking (maybe waiting for shuttles???) ... no one is in line waiting for a cab!

We arrive at the Mirage and the place seems lightly populated. I was expecting more people. My husband checks out some machines while I go to check in/get tickets at the box office. No one is in line there either. (???) I am told be at the Revolution Lounge at 5:30 for the pre-show reception.

I find my husband playing at a $1 7 x's machine. The Hilton has these but they are only $.25 machines. I don't know the Mirage casino/slots at all. I don't know where to begin to slot hop (to learn the machines). It's been years since we've been here, but our cards are still working. They are supposed to be "linked" ... we will see. I break my $100's into $20's. The section we are in is almost all $1 slots, so I just start playing $20/per machine. I get a LOT of play with a bunch of little hits to keep me on each machine for quite a while. Thing is ... I am slowly losing money ... not winning. The digital display for the player card shows 3 points being added after every $4 played at the rate being every other, going 1 - 2. I am down to $500, so I am hoping that playing the $2 machines will have better payouts. ... NOT! I played $200 through those. They didn't rob me, I did get a lot of play, just what I would consider tight. On top of that, it changed the point payback. The reader shows we are now earning 1 point for every $3 played. I am going to check out the other side of the casino. WOW ... there are lots of different $5 machines. :confused2: These are even tighter. I have $100 left, so I head back to the other side. My husband tells me "these machines aren't any good". Guess his luck is a good as mine here. I think the Mirage has an awesome selection of slots ... MANY different ones. ... We just didn't know where the good ones were. Maybe next trip! There is a $1 machine behind me with several reels ... I've never seen anything like it. I quickly go over to play it, since there are only two of them and a couple had walked by and is coming back. I put all money in ($100) and spin ... nothing ... spin again ... nothing ... I try to spin again and it won't do anything ... I'm looking around, trying to figure out if I WON! I'm tired of hearing this: My husband says "What the hell are you doing?†I say "What do you mean ... what happened?†He tells me I'm playing $45. WTH? OMG! ... I had no idea, I was not paying attention. This multi-real, multi-line used 45 credits per spin (play max button). Maybe if the place wasn't so DARK! So much for this place ... it's not taking my last $10. I watch my husband for a while ... he's on a machine that he can probably put $100 in and be on it for over an hour. The points are no longer registering. I don't understand the Mirage point scale at all. It seems the system instantly rates you and changes your average award based on the AMOUNT played. He checks his watch and its 5:10 so we need to be done with the slots anyway and head toward the Revolution Lounge. We had about a 5 minute wait, before they allowed us in to what was posted "Private Reception".

Tapis Rouge™: The Tapis Rouge™ tickets are an additional $135/EACH. We ended up buying this VIP package $597 for 2, ONLY because I was trying to get "preferred seating" due to my husband’s health issues ... so he would have few - if any steps to climb and best view. For the money paid, we wanted to get the entire experience out of it. The "behind the scenes" they mention is a "film" being projected onto the wall in bits and pieces showing production and training. Beatles music is playing (should have been louder). They passed around different trays of "custom" drinks ... like the 4-vodka FabFour and others I don't remember the names of. We don't drink. I went to the bar and got us sodas. There were only about 20 people in the lounge. Not many willing to spend the extra $$$? MOST of the people that took part in this reception work for Cirque, so they don't pay anything ... they had some type of credential they used to get in. There were about TEN hosts. I guess these hosts are schooled very well on the history of the Beatles and are there to strike up Beatles conversation or answer questions. We were in there for about an hour ... very bored! One of the hosts stopped again and I asked when we would be going to the theater. He said "we wait till the last minute, so you can enjoy every minute of this experience and then we will quickly get you to your seats just before the doors are opened for everyone else ... it will be a few more minutes." HUH? ... I tell him, we will meet him there, that it is going to take us a while to get there. We stand up and thank him ... handshakes, yada-yada.

We start to head out the door. One of the go-go girls jumps in front of us and hands us each a "gift bag" and says "I'll be escorting you to your seats", and started to lead the way. She talked non-stop about the show all the way there, with two "rest stops" on the way. She introduced us to an usher and told him where our seats were. We took the elevator up and then we're handed off to a girl in the blue uniform. She points and tell us that our seats are a little way down and then around the corner and then DOWN stairs. I immediately asked how we were getting OUT and she said the same way we came in. That's not happening! I asked her why we were brought UP, just to go back DOWN and that we would not be able to get back UP???! There was a lady in black with a walkie talkie that she "signaled" to that came over ... they both stepped back to whisper. The girl in the uniform said: "this is my supervisor; she will be able to help you". I repeated myself to the supervisor, adding that we were supposed to have preferred seats. I added that I had to purchase the VIP package in order to get them and that I was assured, prior to purchase, there would only be TWO steps; that we would enter from the lower level. The supervisor said that is how it is in THIS section, but not where our seats were and told us to give her a few minutes ... apologizing that the box office clerk/reservationist made a mistake, that she would be right back. She was only about 20' from us talking on her walkie talkie, but we couldn't make out what she was saying. She came back over and asked for our tickets ... looked at them and told whoever she was talking to "I'm giving you back 206-K, 1 & 2." Verified: 200-N, 23 & 24 on the walkie talkie. Told us we were going to be seated right over here ... a few feet over ... a couple steps down and we would exit by going down a couple more steps. Great! We didn't know just how GREAT until the show started. We had the BEST seats! Worth every cent ... except for the $$$ for the VIP reception.

The show started about 1/2 hour late and there were MANY empty seats. That surprised us! Maybe because it was SUNDAY? While waiting, I checked out the few things (3) in the gift bag. ... It contained the Souvenir Program for Love, a gift boxed martini glass, and a set of 4 coasters. Both the coasters and martini glass have the psychedelic designed Beatles Love graphic on them, but the boxes are imprinted with Tapis Rouge. Nothing about the Revolution Lounge.

IMO ... They need to move the awesome wall that lists Beatles songs. This wall is on the left before entering the lounge and several people asked those of us waiting to get in, if we could move so they could get a picture of it. Bad location since it seems to be a hot attraction ... tourists want a picture of it. Should be on the main path, not around a corner at an entrance where people are gathered.

The Beatles LOVEâ„¢: Fabulous! This is a must see/hear!!! We enjoyed every minute of it! Awesome! Sure didn't seem like we listened to 91 minutes of the Beatles music/recordings. ... Give me more! At times ... the show itself got "busy" and was always "fast paced" ... I know there were things we "missed" being focused on something else. I KNOW there are things we missed, because the "program" has pictures of things I didn't see in the show. ... And I must have missed something with the white tarp (???) ... I don't have a clue what that was all about even though the instant disappearance of it was pretty cool? We will definitely see this show again. Good seating is a must ... I think we would have seen a lot less if we would have been seated in section 206 ... I could be wrong.

This was the 2nd Cirque show we have seen ... we saw Zumanity back in 2004. Both are at opposite ends of the spectrum! We enjoyed both!

Show is over ... easy exit! We already know we are not hanging around the slots here anymore. There are a lot of people out front and a small line for the taxi ... but as soon as we get up there, we are next. The taxi driver spoke fluent English - not over bearing with small talk - cab fare was under $10 ... it was just over $15 going ... he got the $20 anyway. We don't like the % tipping rules! Getting us back to the Hilton within a few minutes is SERVICE. ... He deserved the $10+ tip.

We're back at the Hilton; my husband wants to go to the room for awhile (???), so we do. He unloads his pockets and lies on the bed, turns the TV on and tells me he doesn't want to go back down ... "go ahead if you want ... I don't feel good ... if I feel better in a while, I'll come back down". I let him know I'm going back down for a LITTLE bit and asked if he wanted anything from Fortuna when I come back up ... he tells me to bring him back a cheese danish and milk IF I'll be back within one hour. I head down, but go to Fortuna first and back up. HE IS SLEEPING! It was only for a few minutes so I wake him and tell him to get ready for bed and eat his danish. He was kind of startled and asked me how long I was gone ... he was out of it! He was up long enough to wash, undress and eat his danish. While I finished my latte ... he started snoring. DANG! ... What the heck hit him?

I still have $900 of today’s bankroll ... I only blew $100 this morning. I am going to play! $600 is going into random machines and I will hold $300 for the high limit room. It is just before 11pm ... the night is just beginning.

I checked out the machine that my husband was certain is going to hit ... no one won it. It robbed me this morning, but maybe after a not so lucky afternoon at the Mirage, my luck has changed. I'll work my way over to that machine ... there were 5 others of the same type in a carousel type of layout that I hadn't played yet. I will play $20 in each. Nothing! I feel like a sucker right now ... I know I am going to put money in that machine my husband does so well with, but I am doing my best to hold off. I walk back to the Wheel of Fortune room ... nah! ... Walk back and there were 10 machines that I ALWAYS played and had good luck on for years in front of the main casino cage. I never saw them this trip until now ... I thought they got rid of them. They were the same machines ... same numbers ... but they had been converted to multi-denoms. 5 of the machines are 2 credit, the other 5 are 3 credit. I'll do the $40 slot hop dance with the 2 credit machines at $2. I'll cash out and keep any hit(s) OVER my initial play. Nothing to cash out! I've got $100 left + the high limit monies, so I'll put this $100 in my husband’s favorite on the way to the HLR. I am adding it up in my head as I play, what this machine is giving back to me ... I'm down to 36 credits of which only 12 are from little hits of a couple here and there. Spin again ... $300 ... thank you VERY much, I needed that! I needed to have a video camera going for the next few minutes for this .................................................. The next 5 spins in a row hit the EXACT same combination for $300/each. Now my heart is really throbbing and my hands are sweaty ... I have a few nervous "shakes". I honestly believe this machine is BROKEN and someone is going to come over and tell me I can't keep the money from a defective machine. I cash out! I wouldn't normally do that, I never walk away from a paying machine when I still have credits to play. I did better than hitting the jackpot on this one that was at $1142. I get my $1,818 cash from the cashier cage and head up to the room. I HAVE TO tell my husband about this!!! I nudge him a few times while saying his name ... I do it again a bit harder and louder, but he is in a deep sleep. Dang ... no one to share my excitement with. This was the most excitement so far! May not have been as big a payout as some of the others, but I was getting very hot in the casino ... lots of anxiety! I stayed in the room for a few minutes to cool off ... making a few noises to accidentally/on purpose try and wake my husband ... he didn't wake up. I left the $1,800 on the desk and headed back down. I am going to press my luck and put the $18 in that machine I just won the $1,800. Darn it, I can't ... someone else is playing it ... a lady with 3 of her loud friends watching. I have to bob around them to SEE that she has over 400 credits. I am wondering if she WON on that machine or put a big ticket in it ... then I over hear "ALMOST DID IT AGAIN!" ... so I knew then that she was winning on it and wasn't leaving any time soon! I head to the high limit room to play $300.

It's well after midnight:
MONDAY - Day 4 - June 30 ... I go to a redemption machine to break down the bills into $20's, so I don't get suckered into playing more than I want in each machine. I get to the high limit room and ask the attendant what time it is ... he tells me its 1:30. Yikes ... maybe I should just leave and save it for the morning. I should be tired, but I don't feel tired and so I am not ready to call it a night yet. I really like the machines on the back wall, but I'll skip the Blue Sapphires machine. These machine are multi-demons, but I play at $5/max credits ... all are 2 credits except the last two machines are 3. I am going to "random" hop the 2 credit machines at $20 ... I usually do them in line ... next one, next one. Nothing is happening ... I am down to $200 ... I am now going to do them "in order". I start on the left with $20 ... nothing ... skip the Blue Sapphires ... $20 in the next one which is a Triple 3x ... it hits on the second/last spin! I don't know what yet, but the light is on, so I know it’s over $1,200. ... Slot attendant comes over and I asked him how much I won because the symbol isn't on the chart with 3x 3x (9x) ... he looks and points at the digital reader and says $1,200. I NEVER knew that reader showed the win amount. ... Now I do! Cool, but darn ... a tax form for one damn dollar! Whatever! He never leaves the room ... but gets my forms done for me to sign. Another guy comes in with the money and pays me. I tip them each $20. (???) Next machine ... I look at the payout chart, just to see what's what and I instantly see the $1,200 ... so I hope I do much better than that or a bunch of smaller ones that total more than it. I put my $20 in ... second/last spin ... NO WAY! ... I say out loud ... "Not again!" ... only because I knew what it hit ... $1,200. Of course I'll take it, but ANOTHER tax form??? Geez! ... Same procedure, same guys, same amount, tipped $40 each. Okay ... $20 left for this room, what do I want to play? 2 years ago, my husband won $50,000 on the 10x, 10x machine behind me. It is the same machine / the cabinet is the same anyway, but it has been converted a couple of times ... the pay scale is different and it is now multi-denom starting at $1, $2, $5 & $10 instead of just $5. Say bye $20! I guess I'm finished! I start heading back and those women are gone from the Blazing 7's ... $18 burning a hole in my pocket I don't feel soooo nervous about the machine as I did earlier. I am getting very tired and $18 isn't going to last long. WRONG ... a few small hits ... $300 ... machines turn to take a little ... my turn ... $300 ... something MUST be wrong with this machine ... now I am getting nervous again. ... I've been on it for about an hour now ... still playing the little wins ... going back and forth, but I won't let it get below the $600 I've just won on it. 4 credits left ... $200. I have $801 and cash it out. That's it! Cash my ticket! ... Going to the room! I get to the room and my husband is sleeping in the same position ... he hasn't moved! ... Just snoring louder! He doesn't normally snore ... just when he's sick or VERY tired.

Its 3:40am ... I unload my pockets ... put the WIN $$$ on top of the $1,800 I brought up earlier ($5,000 my husband doesn't know about) ... put the tax forms just to the side of that. Wash, get into PJs, and get into bed. I fell right to sleep!

Monday - Day 4 - June 30 ... Continued
I wake up ... very thirsty ... get a soda and sit at the desk. My husband is still sleeping ... IN THE SAME POSITION (???). I finish my soda, get my clothes ready and bring them to the back bathroom. I come back in the bedroom and my husband is sitting on the edge of the bed ... he JUST woke up! I look and the clock reads 10:02. WHAT? ... That can't be possible! I say "It's after 10!" ... he looks at the clock, opens the drapes ... we both look out at the same time and it looks pretty busy down there. WOW! We really slept that long! My husband tells me that he thinks he's "coming down with something". That's not good! He must be to have slept almost 12 hours straight in Vegas. He's sitting at the desk and doesn't notice the money or forms, but I want him to so I go take my shower, dress, blow dry hair and makeup is on before I come back in the room. He's now in the bedroom shower, but I noticed the money had been moved.

When he comes out, he asks me why I took all that money "out" ... tells me I don't need to spend it. I get the money I know he's talking about from the safe and put it on the desk. NOW he gets it, but looks confused! ... You can probably guess what he said ... "What the hell did you do?!" For real??? "John, I won!" ... "I am not spending any of it ... we're taking $24,000 home!" John: "you didn't win this." My thought: Did he really say that ... Please WAKE UP John ... you are not making any sense. I roll my eyes, shaking my head and tell him the tax forms are right there and HIS machine gave me $1,800 with SIX - $300 IN A ROW. Now I am laughing and shaking my head after he says "you expect me to believe that?" We go back and forth on what I played; what paid; yada-yada. He says "No one will ever believe this". My thought: Probably not! His demeanor changes and he wants to know when I will be ready! I AM ready ... let's go!

I have a bankroll of $1000 for the day ... I haven't concerned myself with how much my husband has left or how he allocated small wins and adjusted his bankrolls for each day, but ask him now, because it looked like he counted out a LOT of money. He tells me he has $2,100. I ask him how can that be and smart a$$ says ... "because I'm smart ... I'm not crazy like you". Of course this is all in fun and he is just being sarcastic, but dang. He can pretty much go "crazy" without any worries of running out of money. He didn't bring as much to the Mirage to spend and still had monies from yesterday ... because he went to bed and SLEPT.

We head down; stop at Fortuna for my latte and juice for him. I buy him two ... he only drinks one. I was trying to get some additional Vitamin C into him. We drink our beverages and "people watch" for a while.

I am very hungry but don't want a danish or a tasteless sandwich from Fortuna, so I ask him if he wants to go to the buffet before we start ... it's noon! We're not sure of the buffet "schedule" so we agree to wait a couple of hours to make sure we get lunch and not breakfast.

We start walking and John asks me what I am going to play ... I tell him that I found our old Triple Stars machine (the one I was winning on when we met CHEF/Andy last year) along with the rest of the machines that were in line with it and will start there. He is going over there as well. Neither of us hit anything to cash out ... and the real "crazy one", John, played $100/per machine. We're both disappointed and he asks "now what?" ALSO tells me ... "you know we are JINX'd now, don't you?" Where did THAT come from? I don't say anything because I am not going to be part of this one and add fuel to whatever he is thinking.

I'm a little concerned about my bankroll. I played a bit too loose too early ... now I'm down $300. I stop and break a couple $100's. I tell my husband I am going back to the row of 5 Quick Hit 7's. No one is playing them. Either people did a lot of play on these and they've recently hit again, or no one has played them. Except for the one on the far right side, they are all within a few dollars of $1,000. I am going to play them anyway. My husband stands behind me and watches. I usually start on the left and work my way right, no reason, just more comfortable moving from one to the next. I don't usually play two machines at once ... I am going to use both player cards, put $40 in each machine ... starting on the right. The machine on the right is at $1139.xx and the machine to the left of it is at $1012.xx. I am not spinning the reels at the same time; I am alternating them ... and need to play slower. I played for a long time ... little hits back, and I was replaying them. The machine on the right ran out of credits first, but the other had built up to 164 credits at one point ... I was going to cash it out at $100 even though the biggest hit on it was only 25 credits a few times. I continued to play till I was actually getting bored. I asked my husband to "buy me out" on this machine so I could go play the end two. He looked at me like I was nuts and put $100 in the machine to my right. FINALLY ... the machine I am on is at 110 credits ... just a few more spins. I am not expecting anything out of this machine ... this is "passing the time play" ... and LUCKy me ... it hit the jackpot at $1014.01. I needed that! An attendant comes over immediately, pulls my card and puts his in. While waiting for the payout, I move over to the next machine on my left. I put $40 in ... it hit for 25 credits twice in a row ... a few more credits ... I will cash it out at $100, but it hits the jackpot of $1000.xx the next spin. The attendant(s) get back with my money a few seconds after it hits and they're congratulating me ... THEY are really excited ... and the comments THEY are making are drawing a spectator crowd. I didn't win a million bucks folks! Geez! ... And people literally rubbed me! I take my payout and the original attendant tells me he'll be right back. He's already replaced my card in the 2nd machine with his. The attendant(s) are back within a couple of minutes with the 2nd payout. I tipped $120 (for both payouts) to the original attendant and felt like I was on the spot, so I told HIM to divide it up "how it should be". They all thanked me. I handed my husband $1,000. I now have $1,680 to play with, but I am hoping to add $1,000 to the money going home. We’ll see how the days play goes. My husband puts another $100 in the machine on the right ... plays for a while ... nothing to cash out. I watched him loose it all while I waited to get on the two machines on the end. Seemed like everyone was waiting to get on these machines, so I'll come back later. He gets up and says "JINK’d!" ... here he goes again with that JINX stuff ... I'm not biting!

I asked him if he wanted to go play in Space Quest and that was a big NO. That casino has never been friendly to us so we haven't given it anymore of our money the last couple of trips. I asked him if he was going to play the Blazing 7's machine that he insisted was going to hit soon. He said "later". He's in a strange mood, like he doesn't want to be here. I ask him what he's going to play and he tells me he's taking a break and will watch me for a while.

Now I'm wondering just how much he lost in those first machines we played. I ask him how much he has left ... he tells me $1,700 with the $1,000 I just gave him. NO WAY! ... He lost $1,400 in a couple of hours (???). OMG! He says again "I told you, I’m JINX'd". What a ridiculous thing to say ... now this isn't funny! I asked him WHY he is playing $100 a pop and he shrugs his shoulders. Whatever!

Maybe a break and getting some food will change his mood. I tell him the buffet must be serving lunch only by this time, so we head down there. It's closed! We missed lunch! We have a 1 hour - 20 minutes to wait for dinner.

He says he's just going to relax here in the sports book until it opens. I tell him that I will be in the WOF room behind him to play the 3 - $5 machines, then I am going back up to play those 2 Quick Hit machines. I go into the WOF room ... those machines are being played, so I go back to the main casino floor and the Quick Hit on the end (right) is open. I put $40 in ... max hit was 10 credits. As I start to walk away, the lady on the next machine gets up and leaves. The man next to her slides over. I am looking around wondering WHAT to play and see that he puts a $5 bill in the machine ... plays 1 credit - 5 times and goes to the end machine. That's a strange way to slot hop. I take that machine and put $40 in. Last hit, I get 4 credits ... replay, again on my last hit, I get 10 credits. This is a "tease" machine and it will NOT get any more of my money. Last spin ... JACKPOT! ... $1019.84. ... And it still will NOT get any more of my money! GREAT row of slot machines. I won 3 of 5 jackpots!!!

Okay ... maybe another $500 will cheer my husband up. I go back to the sports book and it looks like he is sleeping. He almost was ... he was just dozing. I give him the money and told him it came off the 2nd machine on the right at the Quick Hits. He tells me that it's the same machine he won his jackpot on. He's still in a bummed mood. HORRIBLE getting sick in Vegas! There is a long line for the buffet and it's not open yet.

I still have a while before the buffet opens so I go back to the WOF room. ... the machines are open. I have $2,100, but I am definitely putting $1,000 in the safe to take home. There is a cashier just outside, so I break 6-$100's. I blow $60 in each ... didn't get anything at all. Over to my left is a $25 WOF ... I didn't see it before ... directly opposite wall from the $100 one. I put $100 in the $25 machine ... nothing! (Stupid) At this moment, I feel like I am finished with the room and won't be back at all this trip.

I go back out and sit with my husband. He's not talking. We see the ropes separating the "general" vs. VIP entrance to the buffet, but wonder if we are just suppose to "cut the line". I don't think that would go over very well with those people who have been standing in line for a long while. Finally another couple goes up to the right side of the line while the cashier is getting ready. We see that they have Ultra cards, so we get up and line up behind them. That was easy! I am starving, my husband says he's not that hungry, but put quite a bit on his plate. ... So did I. Our stomachs have shrunk. We have eaten very little the last few days. We like the Hilton buffet. ... Nothing special, but it's all good! We're finished and my husband asked me if I saw the "carrot cake" (my favorite). Guess that means he wants me to make a trip for dessert. I get us each 3 different little gourmet desserts (the designed like art ones, that you don't know what they are until you eat them and everything is edible.) We ate them! YUM! Not as good as the desserts at Caesars buffet they had several years ago, but the next best thing!

We leave the buffet and sit in the sports book again. I am getting antsy and say "let's play". My husband says "just a minute, I want you to hear me out". Hummm ... Sounds like I am about to find out why he is in the mood he's in and what is bothering him. He asks what I think about how the player card system works ... If the casino knows WHEN we are NOT playing, or if they log what was played by day. I said "both". I told him our host already told us that their system is real time that is how he knows where to find us on the floor. I had asked him a couple years ago, when he came up to us and addressed us by name when he had never met us. My husband continues with "So they (the Hilton) know we weren't playing for several hours yesterday? ... Don't you think it's strange how the card reader shows the same numbers it did yesterday morning? ... Because we went to the Mirage and played ... we are JINX'd." ... WHAT? We've done more winning than we could dream about and the system is ALWAYS going down, but continues working in the background. He REALLY believes that the casino is controlling our wins and losses. I don't have any idea where this all came from. HE has always been the one to set me straight. I can get off a machine, the next person will sit down at it while I am on the next one and they HIT. Even though I KNOW it was random and LUCK ... I can't help it but, I always feel like 'it would have been me, IF I would have stayed and played it'. HE is always the one to repeatedly tell me "don't expect to win ... you probably won't ... you just never know". I throw it back at him ... "it's all LUCK" and he says "I'm not so sure anymore". This is all because of the Mirage and the instant changes in the payback points yesterday ... he has convinced himself that the casinos have total control over what they payback in points & wins and there is nothing I can do to convince him differently. I tell him he's not playing like he usually does ... dumping large amounts of $$$ in each machine, that we ALWAYS do better slot hopping with small amounts. He shrugs his shoulders and tells me again that he thinks there is more to it and it's not right. I ask him if he wants me to get our host to explain it all and that's a NO ... He doesn't think we will get a straight answer. Okay, so what ... we came to have fun whether or not we win, we expected that the money we brought would be played and lost ... time to get passed this ... why over-think any of it ... let's play!

I tell him I am going back to the casino and ask what he is going to do. He tells me he's probably going upstairs for a while. I shake my head and leave.

Now that all that put a damper on my excitement ... what do I want to play? I look outside at the lobby entrance and it is getting dark. I've played everything I wanted to ... I should just go for broke in the high limit room, but I'll wait. I don't want to spend the entire $820 I have left in the HLR.

I decide to go outside and sit on the bench for a while. I pass by the "check-in" counter that has a very long line. LOTS of people are still coming in. I would have thought Monday would be less crowded. It was not the case this trip. I sit out there being bored till it is dark.

I go back in and head toward the HLR following the path of the wall to the right. My husband didn't go upstairs ... he is playing the Red; White & Blue machines (the tightest machines at the Hilton, IMO). My first words to him are "WHY are you playing these?" He smiles and pulls several tickets out of his pocket and hands them to me. He's got tickets that range from $20 to $480 ... over $2,000 worth. I asked him what he won all this on and he told me that he is going around in circles on THESE machines, playing 5 spins at a time. He moves on to the next machine and I immediately tell him he forgot to put his card in. He tells me he's not playing his card with an "I told you, they are controlling it". OMG! He REALLY believes that! I give his tickets back to him and tell him he can find me in the high limit room.

There are too many people in there and only one machine on the back wall is open ... the Blue Sapphires and I am not playing that one. I go back out to rejoin my husband, but he's already gone. Here he comes, walking back from the redemption machine counting his money. His head is down, so he doesn't know I am back on the floor and he goes to the Blazing 7's machine. I walk up as he's putting $100 in it telling me this is going to hit. WHY would he believe that, when it has paid out MUCH more than it has taken in, while we have been there? The same type of machine in the carousel layout behind it has one that is now at $1,339 ... so they don't ALWAYS hit before $1,200. The jackpot ... it's now at $1193. I start at the other end with a $20 in ... nothing. I go back and watch him loose his $100. I ask him what he is going to play now and he asks me if I want the machine he is on, that it is going to HIT ... "No thanks, not after that." He puts another $100 in it. I go back to the other end and put a $20 in the next machine, his machine is kind of loud and I am hearing HITS music and look over ... he smiles and holds up 3 fingers, meaning $300. Now I am certain the machine he is playing is defective! Lost my $20, move to the next machine and put $20 in ... I get a few small hits and look over at my husband ...

... I need to explain the placement of the machine he is playing before this next part. Each row is double sided. If you are facing the wall by the "show entrances" this machine is on the right side of the row ... 2nd one from the end. There is a machine on the END CAP, so if you are looking AT this machine ... it is two machines to the left of the end cap. There ARE many people walking by to the right ... this line of people is about 5' from this machine. Very close.

This trip report is to share our entire experience this trip. You are either going to love this part or think I am cruel for posting it ... Anyway, I look over at my husband and he is turned slightly toward me. He has his RIGHT elbow on his LEFT knee. He looks at me with his eyes WIDE open and rolls them back while shaking his head slowly. I don't have a clue why he is acting so WEIRD. I smile and shrug my shoulders and show him that I am confused ... that I don't know what he is trying to tell me. I keep playing, keep looking over and he's still doing it. I finish out my credits and move to the machine just to the left of him and sit down. He seems relieved, but continues with the facial expressions and sits back a little. I saw the lady playing on the first machine next to him ... what about her? OMG! This lady is 70's *ish* PLUS in age. She is casually dressed, wearing lots and lots of costume jewelry that has no rhyme or reason to it and she is barefoot. I thought she was sitting at the machine but she is short and standing. Then I hear "I love you, please be good to me, I'll be very good to you, I love you". My husband sits back just a little and I look right at her. She doesn't see me, even after I bob a little to try and get her attention. She is staring at the back of his head and continues to say "I love you, come on, baby". She is pressed up against the machine and "caressing" the reel view window and gives the machine little kisses in between her verbally and physically seducing it. I am shocked! Did I tell you how old she is? I tell my husband to cash out but he is kind of waiting this out, ignoring her and waiting for her to leave. I stand up and OMG ... the movement of my standing up, disrupted her focus so now she is staring right at ME and going through the same lines. She pushes the play 1 credit twice and strokes the handle before she pulls it. Nothing ... she tells the machine it can do better than that, that didn't satisfy her. I am thinking that she is going to start peeling her clothes off any second. This lady needs help. I step over and ask her if she is here with anyone. She puts her hand on my shoulder, closes her eyes and slowly licks her top lip. That's it! I see 3 security guys at the end of the BJ tables and go over and tell them that this lady (while pointing to her) is about to give a machine a lap dance. That didn’t sound good. If I had taken just two seconds to stop and think before blurting that out they (security) would not be smirking at me right now. They all looked at each other and two nod to the other who steps up close to me, like he was going to take care of this (ME) and I immediately said "don't go even there, don't even think it, I am completely sober." YES! ... JB (floor supervisor) has the best timing. He walks by and sees me - doubles back while saying "Hello Lisa - how are you and John tonight?" I tell him "I'll be fine if someone would help me out over here." They all chuckle and realize I am not the one flipping out, I didn't get a chance to say anything else to JB, they let him know they have it handled ... that was BS. If JB hadn't come through, I believe they would have been escorting ME out. They walk over there with me, my husband steps aside and one of the shorter security guys stands in front of the machine my husband was playing. This lady does her seduction act to the machine again while focused on him. The other two cannot hold back from laughing out loud. It's funny but it's not! The security guy whispers something to her and she does the "blushing act", she tells him how "beautiful and strong" he is and tells him she will take care of him. She cashes out her ticket, puts her arm through his. He is escorting her OUT (I think) being followed by the other two! ... Although I don't think she knows it at this time. I wonder how long this woman has been living in her own dimension. I've seen a lot of strange things in my 50 years and been a part of a lot of wild things ... but this tops them all. This lady is very sick. SAD!

My husband still has lots of money/credits in his machine and sits down to play. One couple comes over to us and asked us if we knew that lady (dumb question) ... a few other people come over asking questions about the little old lady. WOW! Many people watched the “freak show", yet no one said or did anything. I'm not sure what was done is/was right. I don't believe she gets around by herself. Someone had to be there with her and lost her. Well, I am just glad it's over for us. My husband says he's going to stay on that machine ... it's going to HIT. I go to the carousel behind him and play the machine that went OVER on the jackpot. I put $60 in it ... played a long, long time and my credits are running out since it hasn't hit anything for a while for me to replay. From where I was sitting/playing I had a good view of my husband and his machine. He had accumulated over $700 on the machine and finally ... 3 Blazing 7's ... JACKPOT! He lets out a loud AHH and claps once. Turns around to see if I saw that with an "I told ya" look. He takes his hand pay of $1,195 and cashes out ... tips $95 ... comes over and gives me $500 and tells me he's done for the night.

I had a couple more spins. I stand up and tell him to come and watch ME in the high limit room, so he didn't think I was trying to get him to play in there. He asked me how much I was going to play and I said between $200-700. He said he would come and watch IF I only played $200 ... he was tired and didn't want to be down here all night. I agreed to the $200! I tell him I need a latte and will meet him there. He wants me to bring him back water. A waitress is walking by at this time saying "cocktails?" ... I say "water please, two of them" (I'll get my latte on the way to the room) ... she smiles and tells us she will be right back. My husband takes out a $5 for a tip. She is back pretty fast and sets two waters each down. When I asked for 2, I was asking for 1 each, but that's okay, I'm thirsty! She offered change for the $5 (???).

My husband tells me it's after midnight ... let's just call it a night. He doesn't want me to play in the high limit room.

LAST DAY - Tuesday - Day 5 - July 1 ... We get to the high limit room there is still a bunch of people in there, but only about 1/3 of them were playing. The rest were "happy" friends cheering on their buddies. ALL of the 2 credit machines on the back wall are open. That's where I wanted to play. I once again, do my slot hop dance with the machines ... little hits that I cash out and take to the next machine, repeating several times. I'm at the Triple 3x, third time through on the last spin and it hits "something". Oh ... just look at the reader ... YEAH! ... $1,800. I take my tax form; take my payout and my husband is holding $100 out for the attendant. WHY is he being so generous and tipping on MY win? My husband asked me if I'm done. Nope ... Can't take this $20 upstairs. Next machine ate it up, you win some, and you lose some. One of the other slot players that were playing to my left on a WOF with two of his friends watching is being persuaded by them to play the machine I just won on. We watch as he quickly loses $100. I said to my husband “So, you're really NOT going to play in here?". He said "that's right ... it's too easy to get sucked in, in here, look at you". Yes, I love the high limit room, but I certainly don't think I'm out of control. Whatever!

We head back to the room and stop at Fortuna for sodas, juices and my latte. Once back at the room ... I immediately unload my pockets on the bed ... my husband unloads his onto the desk. I head to the back bathroom ... wash and into PJ's. I am actually in a hurry to get to sleep, so I can wake up and play. I set my cell phone alarm for 5:15. I am planning on being out of the room by 6am. My husband doesn't ask me what time I set it for ... just asked why I was setting it and I told him I didn't want to sleep late. I get the money from the safe ... put the $24,000 on the desk and re-count my money from today ... I have $3,800. I am adding $3,500 to take home. My husband asked me what I just put it ... then counts out his money and puts $2,500 in. Wait a minute ... he should have a lot more than that to add to it. NOT ... He didn't divide his money to have a bankroll for the last day. ... None! Its 12:40 and time to go to sleep. I tell my husband goodnight and rub it in a little ... that "it was a good day". He says "not as good as you think ... we spent a lot more than you think". Not another word ... I fall asleep with the thought *better than YOU think ... we're going home with $30K.*

LAST DAY - Tuesday - Day 5 - July 1 ... Continued
My cell phone alarm goes off and wakes me, but not my husband. I go get ready ... my husband is still sleeping, so I start packing. It's now 6am, so I wake him up. He asked me why I set the alarm for so early. UH ... silly question. He's up and about ... slowly. I call the front desk and ask for a 1pm check out, so I can leave my purse and money in the safe. It’s now 7:20; everything is packed; my husband is ready so we call the bell desk to store our luggage. The bell was at our room in less than 5 minutes. All that remains in the room is my purse with the money. I make sure the doors are bolted with the hang tags on the outside door handles "Do Not Disturb". I don't want the maid in there until after we have officially checked out. I will use the automated phone check out system when I come back up. We don't need to wait in any line at any desk (VIP or front desk) to check out ... the hotel will mail us a copy of any charges we made to our room that won't be comp'd ... everything that was charged should be taken care of by our host ... and it isn't much ... a LITTLE food and drinks.

We head down stairs and as we are walking by Space Quest it dawns on us both at the same time that we didn't eat at Quark's!!! We both like Quark's and eat there at least once every trip. It may be CLOSED the next time we visit. I read the entire Star Trek experience will expire at the end of this year.

We stop at Fortuna and get our usual latte and juice. We have a little table and drink these while we people watch. Everyone seems a little "hurried"; not too many "smiles" going by. (What is there to smile about, when you know you are LEAVING Vegas?) The sorority convention that's here with all the women that dressed in blue each day ... now they are all dressed in white today and it looks like they are checking out too since most of them are toting their suitcases. We reminisce about the days gone by here in Vegas. What a great trip! My husband feels it would have been better if it wasn't so long ... He feels we were here ONE day too long. He got tired of it. I am already talking about our trip at Christmas and he tells me that we may want to re-think WHEN we are coming back ... that we'll take a look at everything once we get home (???).

We go into the casino and head over to the Quick Hits 7's. I watch as my husband plays and loses. (I guess he forgot about making sure HE had control and not the casino, because he is using his player card again.) At this point, there really isn't anything left that I WANT to play, so I tell him I will be slot hopping. I have $1,000 bankroll for today after many $$$ adds to the original $475 that was set aside and $300 from last night that ... of course ... will be played in the high limit room. I break down 10-$100's into $20's. I will cash out ANY and ALL wins, no matter how small and combine them on one ticket. One by one the $20's are disappearing and my win ticket is less than $100. I'm bored! I go back over to our OLD favorites ... nothing! I have no idea what to play.

I head over to the Blazing 7's ... and one of the "happy" guys from last night that played the machine I won on remembers me. I remember him and his friends. They stood out last night because they were all TALL. My husband is 6'2 and the shortest of the 3 of them is about my husband’s height. They are all tall, clean cut, well dressed - 30*ish* in age. They just stood out. He tells me that he played an "All or Nothing" in Space Quest a little while ago, that this was a great start to his day with a big win of $1,000. He tells me he plays that machine every time he comes to the Hilton, FIRST. He tells me it's hit for him 8 times in the last 3 years. I don't know what machine he is talking about and I thought I knew where every machine was. He asked me to tell him where the "good" machines are. I don't do that. He points at the carousel of Blazing 7's and tells me he won over $1300 on one of those last night. I am not a very "sociable" person ... but this guy isn't overbearing. He just wants someone to talk to and share his excitement with. He won't be talking to anyone in a few hours ... he already has a bottle of beer going and it's before 9am. I start at the left and get a few small hits, not much to add to my ticket. I move to the next machine. My new buddy puts $100 in the machine I moved from and it hits for $80 credits. I move on to the next machine and my friend cashes out and moves to the right putting his ticket in the machine I just left. Same ol' with both of us getting a few small hits and we BOTH move over again ... HE IS COPYING ME! He could have left a machine between us so that it wasn't so obvious. I look at him (now wondering if I should be "concerned" or cautious) and he just smiles. I'm really not worried, this guy is harmless. My new friend asked me what my name is, I tell him ... he tells me his name is John and I let him know that is my husband's name. This was a "little" uncomfortable but, kind of cute and I am humored. My husband comes over and puts his ticket in the machine just to the left of this guy. I asked my husband if he did anything and he shakes his head NO. My friend John turns to my husband John and it's a quick "John? ... John" with handshakes. (???) Now the 3 of us are slot hopping, but my husband doesn't know this guy is part of it yet. I get to the "defective" machine, 2nd from the end and after a few spins ... it hits for $300. This guy is YIPPIN', YEAHIN' and Whoohoo-in' for ME. OMG! That draws his friends over to us and they watch and laugh at him. They are all having FUN. I take the machine down to $300 credits and cash out. I am just standing there waiting for my husband. My friend puts his ticket in the machine I cashed out ... a few spins and he gets $200 and IMMEDIATELY cashes out. He's one of those that takes the win and leaves (walks away from a paying machine). His friends are pushing each other, joking around about WHO got to it first ... they both want to play this machine. My husband takes his ticket and looks around the corner at the Red, White & Blues. I asked if he was going to slot hop them and he said "probably". I said "not me". My husband starts on the backside on the left ... my friend is eying the WOF fortune machines to the left of this (just passing time), but keeping an eye on what my husband is doing. My husband moves to the next machine. This guy immediately puts his ticket in the machine my husband just cashed out of. I KNOW what he is doing ... but, my husband hasn't caught on yet. I have a smile on my face that I can't control. Next machine ... NOW my husband gets it and he thinks it's pretty funny. They are having pretty good conversation about gambling, slots and BJ. I'm surprised ... my husband is usually pretty quiet ... less sociable than I am. I tell my husband I am going to play $300 in the high limit room. So much for loyalty ... now my husband's new buddy asked me to "hold up" and then asked my husband if WE (meaning him and my husband) are heading that way. My husband tells him "not me". This guy tells me "go ahead, I'll play here." WHAT? I have a HUGE smile on my face and say to him "thanks for giving me permission".

I get to the high limit room and there are attendant TAGS in every machine on the back wall except for one that is being played by an elderly lady. Behind her is a man in a wheel chair that is watching her. I walk around for a few minutes waiting for the slot attendant to finish whatever they need to do with the machines so I can play. It's been quite a while with no changes to any machine and then the elderly lady gets up, moves the man in the wheel chair over to her left a few feet; moves her purse over one machine and takes the slot attendant tag and puts it in the machine she just played. ???????????????????????? Then she puts her player card (RED) in the machine that had the slot attendant tag in it. She can't do that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I go to the slot attendant desk to "tattle" on her ... and I was wrong ... my bad! I was told I would probably be able to play those machines in about an hour, that she doesn't usually stay too long. I said "Excuse me? ... You're kidding, right?" She wasn't kidding! It seems they allowed her to HOLD all of those machines. I thought you could only do that with ONE machine and it had to be the one you are currently playing. I thought this service was available only if you needed a potty break, food ... yada-yada! Will I ever figure out how Vegas operates? Of course, I know that the HIGH ROLLERS can have their way with tables and what not, but this lady has a RED card ... which means she spends less than $3,000 in a YEAR. This $3,000 is inclusive of any credits won and replayed, so the actual amount ... is much less than $3,000. My idea of a High Roller is someone who comes in with several thousands and can play a few hundred a pop without thinking twice about it. The ones I would expect a casino to bend over backwards for would be the high rollers that play a few thousand a pop. This really turned me off about the Hilton. I don't care if it is status, who ya know, nothing ... I would never HORDE machines to keep someone else from playing.

I go back out to the casino floor and find my husband and all 3 of his new friends playing at a carousel of $1 WOF machines. There is another guy that is DRUNK ... very DRUNK (about 50*ish* in age and sort of a ragamuffin) and trying to get them to come and watch him WIN at some VP machines against the wall. They are all trying to ignore him, but can't. They politely try and brush him off. This drunk is rambling on about the secrets to winning and how HE has it figured out. My husband is getting annoyed and cashes out his ticket. The other 3 do the same. The 5 of us head toward the high limit room and stop at a row of "6" multi-denom machines ... followed by this drunk. I, my husband and our friend, John sit down to play while the other two think about it and are counting their money. The drunk sits down on the other side of our friend, John. The drunk is really bothering him, so John cashes out his ticket (he didn't play at all) to give this guy some attention. I think he figured if he hears him out ... he can get rid of him. The other two friends think this is funny and come a little closer; they are teasing their friend John and mocking the drunk. He doesn't have a clue. ... So we thought at the time! John had put his ticket under his cell phone on the lip/shelf of HIS machine. Before the drunk gets started to explain HOW TO WIN AT SLOTS ... he is spewing out BS ... he stands up and casually picks up Johns ticket and tells him this is $hit and he'll show him the secrets to winning BIG. He hands John's ticket back to him. I was shocked this John had let him TOUCH the ticket, but he really didn't see it coming. The drunk tells us all to hold on ... he'll be right back. We are all laughing and talking about "making a run for it, before he gets back". All in making fun! Here comes this drunk with 3 securities, one is talking on the walkie talkie and they are joined by 2 more security before approaching us. Something is NOT right ... they are coming AT us! I look around, wondering what is going on and 3 more security are walking up behind us. The drunk gets really loud; pointing at our friend John, telling security HE took his ticket ... HE has my $450 ticket! WTH? We all voice a defense for John that this DRUNK is trying to scam us. John's friends start getting upset and they are a little bit drunk, so each of them has 2 securities standing in front of them. Two securities talk the drunk into walking a few feet away with them. The drunk is yelling the entire time, demanding they do something. The other two securities are now LISTENING to me, my husband and John. While we are talking to them, a man and woman come to John's defense as well, telling security that the drunk tried to befriend them and show them how to WIN, but all of a sudden turned and started accusing them of taking his money he set on his machine. They said he didn't argue it too long and had walked away from them apologizing that it was in his pocket. They told security that the drunk had approached many people with the same line all morning. Security now has an idea of what is really going on and apologizing to all of us. They go over to the 4 security that are holding (for lack of a better word) John's friends. They step aside. Now that they have John's friends all worked up ... it is creating a huge scene. How embarrassing!!! I've never seen anything like this at the Hilton. These 6 securities go over to the two that are with the LOUD drunk. Without even touching him ... they have him backing up ... and are telling him he needs to leave. Their bodies formation, and forward movement is "guiding" the drunk to the exit ... and he is yelling "don't touch me, you can't touch me" ... and they weren't.

OKAAAYYYYY ... what other excitement can we find? LOL!

I ask my husband what time it is ... it almost NOON. Oh no ... we only have an hour left! My husband tells me he is going to play more on the WOF. I tell him I am going to the high limit room. Buddy, John jokingly tells my husband "Ill be your wife's body guard in case that punk comes back, I won't let him bother her". My husband tells him "she has a $300 allowance; don't let her blow anymore than that". How weird! Was that supposed to be funny?! John's friends have sat at the VP machines and I think they had the waitress bring them rum and coke. They are just hanging out.

So, my new friend and I head to the high limit room. That lady STILL has the machines on hold. I tell John I think I am going to the WOF "room". He gets all excited and tells me "wait ... here are two I was winning on last night". I shake my head no, and he goes to put his ticket in and can't find it. He doesn't say a word ... he just RUNS out and in less than a minute he is back with a big smile and waving his ticket. He had set it down on the last machine when we were talking to security. His friends and my husband saw him run out and back in and wondered what the heck was going on, so now they are all in the high limit room. We are all laughing and talking about it. The lady that has all the machines on hold is getting upset. She is showing it physically and verbally. She is making all kinds of ARGH, TKS noises and shaking her head. She is acting like she is disgusted with something ... she is even waving her hand in front of her face as if something STINKS really bad. (I don't smell anything). She gets up with her purse, moves the man in the wheel chair to the exit; goes back and pulls all the attendant tags, then goes over to the desk and throws them at the attendant. We are all speechless and in shock. She leaves the man in the wheel chair and comes right back with security that "lifts" him out of the high limit room.

I break the ice and said "finally". My husband sits at the carousel behind the machines I am going to play. John is finally going to do his own thing ... he puts his money in the WOF machine. His friends sit back and watch. I think he has a fairly large bankroll and his friends are along for the free drinks. Anyway, I start slot hopping except I will also play the two 3-credit machines on the right AND I will replay any small hits in the BLUE SAPPHIRES. First round I get 15 credits ... so with that I play 3 spins on the Blue Sapphires and NOTHING! Second & final round: 1st machine, nothing ... skip the Blue Sapphires ... back to what is probably my favorite of this row (the Triple 3x), 2nd/last spin ... ALL RIGHT! $3,600!!! I look back and smile at my husband ... He has 1/2 smile on his face, shaking his head. I'm done! DARN IT! ... My cell phone (camera) is in my purse in the room. I tell my husband I want a picture of this. He tells me to hurry and that I should "check-out" while I'm up there and make sure we didn't forget anything. I get back and the attendant was just about to let him sign my tax form, but I did and took the payout ... tipped $100. DAMN IT, as soon as I turned the camera LIGHT on to take the picture it went out. My cell phone is dead!

I tell my husband he needs to get the cash we earned. I put my card in and the amount for cash/comps is $704. He tells me we should just save it for when we come back that we only have 20 minutes. States (while asking) what we did this trip is good through 2009, right? I tell him that the cash/comps AND the tier score will be cleared out at the end of THIS year, but the tier level earned this year will be good through 2009. I tell him we don't want to leave it on there anyway, because their billing department will use that against our bill FIRST, before our host can do anything. Our host walks in during this conversation and tell us yes ... take the cash, I will take care of your bill. I ask him how everything is earned and got an evasive answer ... it's different ... it's a percentage and depends on what you play, yada-yada. He thanks us for coming, lets us know that he won't be there this year for Christmas ... he's taking a MONTH off and will be back on New Year's Eve. He tells us the limo will be waiting to give a ride back to the airport, that he updated the information last week, so we are all set. We thanked him for all he's done and that we can’t wait to come back. Our friends come over ... we all say good-bye. Our host introduces himself to them and vice versa ... and our host knows JOHN's father ... whatever he said his last name was ... our host knew him.

So we head over to get our cash. John gets the check and goes to the main cage to cash it ... I take our jackpot certificates and cash them in for the polo shirts and hats. Humm ... too many to fit in our bags. I ran back to the high limit room. Our host is STILL talking with these guys (must be some history there between our host and his father?) ... I gave them all a polo shirt and hat, smiled and left. They must have thought I was crazy.

I stop and cash my win ticket. I get back to the player club at the same time as my husband. I asked him if he cashed his ticket(s) ... Yes. We get to the limo desk and give them our last name. Both women took a turn scrolling through the reservations, and then the 1st lady asked us to spell it. Again, she asked us to spell it ... she tells us they are not finding anything. I say it again, and tell them our casino host set it up last week for 1pm today ... that we just spoke to him minutes ago. A guy comes from around the corner and tells the two women that HE wrote the order up last week and tells them it is there. They are shaking their head "no it's not". He looks and says "I don't know what has happened, but you're fine" and holds his hand out to take the luggage ticket from my husband. Tells us the driver will meet us at the door, right over here. That was a small issue, but what happened?

We get into a nice COOL (air conditioner is working) limo. We mention to this driver that the limo we were picked up in didn't have working air. He tells us, he overheard a little bit about it. Oops ... so our host did take our complaint with intentions of doing something about it. That's cool! From now on when I get the feedback/surveys, I will be sure to fill them out. I thought that it would be similar to the surveys that that are sent out after buying a car, but the dealers want you to bring them back in person in exchange for a free oil change. I was told years ago, that on those surveys ... anything less than a PERFECT score is "failing" ... so the dealers don't want the surveys going directly back to the manufacturer.

We get to the airport, no issues. We probably could have stayed at the Hilton another hour ... we're very early. Time goes by slow. It's been a while and my husband looks at his watch and tells me we have about 40 minutes before we board the plane. I went to the bathroom to count the money I had in my pocket from the WIN and my cashed in tickets. I had $4,708 on me. I asked my husband what he had, he said about $2,800. Then he takes it out and counts it ... in the open! He has $2,860 plus the $704 in put in his wallet from redeeming the cash/comp we earned.

I ask him if he thinks the limo driver from the "pick-up" had deleted our reservation for the return to the airport. He tells me "I thought of that ... what are ya gonna do about it?". The drivers log into the reservation "computer". She had access. That is the only thing that makes sense.

I see THAT guy that looked so familiar on the trip to Vegas but I didn't say anything to my husband. I just start racking my brain trying to figure out where I know him from. A few minutes later, I am watching the people that are unloading from the plane. I look back across from where we were sitting and that guy is gone. It's bugging me that I am not able to place him. We load the plane and a few minutes later ... THAT guy gets on. He is seated directly in front of my husband in 4B. After everyone is loaded, again there is an issue of a couple being separated. The lady in 4A is with the guy in 4C. The guy in 4C asked THAT guy in 4B to trade seats with him. THAT guy claims he can't sit on that side ... he has a bad back and has to lean to the right. What a bunch of CRAP! He sat on that side "coming" to Vegas. He wouldn't give up his seat the first time because he couldn't be by a window without getting sick. The guy sitting in 4D offered his seat to the wife, so they traded. WHY wouldn't THAT guy in 4B give up his seat? I think this is all odd and now it's really bugging me. A few minutes after we are in the air, I tell my husband ... "I'll bet he is a Marshall". John gives me a 1/2 smile and shakes his head NO. Now I AM over thinking. I've seen this guy before (so has my husband) ... I think on previous flights prior to this trip. I saw him get off one flight in Dallas and get on ours. Now he is on ours again. The fact that he is on the same flight back is nothing! We've been on the same flights coming and going before with others ... same days, same times. I think this guy polices flights all day ... on board. ... maybe 3-4 trips a day and goes back home. I tell my husband, I don't think he has any luggage. My husband looks at me like I'm really nuts. As soon as we land ... this guy is getting his small bag from under the seat. I'm still curious about him. It's going to take my husband a while to get to the luggage carousel, so I go ahead. The luggage was slow coming. During the wait, I see THAT guy pass by the carousel and go OUT the door to parking. I tell my husband THAT guy never picked up any luggage. He says "So". SO? So I was right! The little bag he had wasn't even big enough to hold a pair of pants. He didn't go to Vegas for FIVE days without a change of clothes. I feel somewhat better thinking I am certain why he looked so familiar. ... not that it matters.

Heres parts of the conversation going home ...
John: When did your friends get there?
Me: What friends? Where?
John: John and his friends.
Me: I don't know ... how would I know? He didn't tell me ... you had more conversation with him than I did. The first time I saw him was in the high limit room last night.
John: Why did you wait until today to meet since he was there yesterday? You didn't know it was him?
Me: Him who? What do you mean?
John: Isn't he one of your online buddies from that message board you read all the time?
Me: No. I've never met him until today.
John: You were playing slots with a stranger?
Me: WHAT? I was slot hopping and he joined in. He did the same thing to you, I thought you knew that.
John: No, I thought he was a friend of yours.
Me: Well he's a friend to both us now if we ever see him again.
John: I can't believe that, I thought he was one of your friends like Andy (Chef) we met last year?
Me: No
John: What am I going to do with you? *he laughs*
Me: I thought they were harmless and I thought they were all kind of fun, John more so than his friends ... I thought you felt the same and that is why you let a stranger take off with me to be my body guard ... you didn't?
John: They were alright! ... I thought John was a friend of yours. *shaking his head*
... So, John ... if you are a member of this board ... just PM me and say hi. I think my husband would feel better about this. Thanks for the laughs ... it was fun!

We started our trip with just under $5,000 total to split between the two of us ... came home with almost $40,000 ... $38,272 to be exact. WOW! We talked about the fact we should have had the Hilton make us out a check for all this cash and should have stopped at the bank on the way to the airport. Next time ... IF there is one. Will we ever experience this kind of LUCK again? ... probably not! Doesn't matter ... we go to Vegas because we love it, with no expectations of winning, especially like this. I wanted to book our flights for our return at Christmas as soon as we got home. That is still on hold while my husband "thinks about it". My countdown timer will remain right where it is. We ALWAYS go at Christmas. I refuse to believe that we won't.

I am still waiting for the win/loss statements I ordered last week. We really want to know exactly what we played, lost and won. The statement will show coin in, coin out and then either net gain or net loss. We don't have a clue.

I wish everyone this kind of LUCK! I know this was looooonng! ... but, if you want MORE ... here are the pictures of the room, tax forms and a couple slot wins that I took. I didn't carry my cell phone around with me for all the little/big stuff in between. There was no way to know we would have won so many times.

(Thank you, thank you ... to Sonya and SH0CK for the new photo gallery).
LMP884's Vegas Summer 2008 Click the 1st picture to get actual sizes. Room pics are small.

Thanks for reading!

LISA

 

THAT'S TOTALLY STINKIN AWESOME!!!! WAY TO GO!!!!!

I CAN'T IMAGINE SOMETHING LIKE THAT EVER HAPPENING FOR ME....OH...AND THANKS FOR THE ADVICE!:Þ

 

Nice work, both in gambling and the write up!

 

What an exciting trip, congrats on all the wins and thanks for putting in so much detail in the report.

 

excellent TR. way to go on all the wins. thats the way to do it!

 

Great TR. Fun to read.

Won't let me look at your pictures for some reason...

I don't think I'll let my wife read it. Although I'm sure she'd enjoy your report, she might also decide to try some $25 slots!

 

Unreal! And all the winnings from one casino??

Great TR!!!

 

Great trip report!!!

Loved it! I want this to happen to me!! My bankroll was 300.00 a day and I didn't hit much. I think I played too many nickel and penny slots to really win anything! Really enjoyed the report!

 

Nice to see someone have some luck at the machines. Amazing details!

 

This was the most detailed and informative TR on slot play that I have read in a long time. What a trip! Congrats on all your wins.... my head would still be spinning from it all.

I really like your "system"...slot hopping. I am going to try to get my husband to try it with me when we go next week. Do I have it right that you and your husband always split the winnings? I think mine would cheat a bit, LOL! I won't be playing with your bankroll, but on a smaller scale I think it could be done... will be something fun to try anyhow.

Thanks for the trip report, very enjoyable.... it lasted through 2 loads of laundry so you know it's a good one!

Sue

 

WOW!!! What a trip! I am impressed at the detail you recalled and wrote! Congrats on the wins.

 

nice win

Awesome report and great win !

 

Very good report. Isn't it fun when you just keep winning and winning. Happened to us once. Best trip ever.

And I loved it when your hubby told you it was 10:30 in the morning just to get you up. Sounds like something my man would do. LOL

Really enjoyed the read. Thanks.

 

On my "luckiest day" gambling...

I had 18k in cash crammed into my pockets. I remember turning to my brother and saying: "I bet God's not going to let me get home".

I was so used to losing, that finally..a change in luck must be bad!

Again...Great TR

 

g

degen....

 

What a great TR -- it was like reading a novel. We'd all love to come home with winnings like you two had -- congratulations. How much did you start with? I am confused because at the beginning of your trip report, you wrote:

"Our bankrolls are $2000 each for 4 days, and set aside for the final day we had $300 bonus cash from the players club (to split) & our jarred coins/$1's since Christmas of $325 each for the last day ..."

but at the end of your TR, you indicated a significantly lesser beginning bankroll:

"We started our trip with just under $5,000 total to split between the two of us ... came home with almost $40,000 ... $38,272 to be exact."

 

Looks like your LUCky day is almost here. Congrats in advance!

I don't think I will play $25 slots again ... unless it's the casinos money! Pics aren't all that ... just many of the room, some PRETTY pictures of the $25 slot machine and the TAX forms.

WOW ... you're luckier than I am right now ... YOU get to go to VEGAS! Have fun! and good LUCK ... win some money!

Yes ... all at the Hilton! Our "home away from home".

$300 is plenty to play with. We had $500/day and built it up. The LUCK helped.

We split all "single" hits of $400 or more. It was $200 when we use to play $.25 machines. My head is still spinning. We ALWAYS slot hop. Started doing that many years ago at Lady Luck ... and always had LUCK there. When we use to go to lady luck ... it was for a day with $200-300/each and always won there. I wish they would do something with that place, but when they do ... I don't think their machines will be so loose.

Next week? I wish it was me! Good LUCK! (I love that word)

It's the perfect trip when my husband shares my excitement. It turns sour when he gets in a "mood".

That's funny ... The talk I had with my husband that we should have gone to the bank, was kind of for the same as you felt ... what if we didn't make it home? Glad you enjoyed it. Good LUCK ... you're almost there!

WOW ... That would have been awesome ... to have $2000/day!!!!! Sorry for the confusion ... We EACH had $2000 for the 4 days ... Fri., Sat., Sun. and Mon ($500 each day ... EACH), and we had our coin and dollar jar that was $650 AND the casino gave us a coupon to cash in for "$300 Bonus Cash". MY bankroll of $500 each day was gradually added to from the smaller wins and jackpots from the Quick Hits and Blazing 7's.

Thanks to EVRYONE that responded with the congrats and kind words ... glad you liked it .... made it worth it ... It took HOURS to write.

 

Two more questions Lisa -

First - what did you do with all the winnings? Any special purchase(s) when you got back? And, I have to give you credit for some strong discipline - if I was winning like that, I would have extended my trip a few more days!

Second - who was that guy in the airport? Did you ever figure it out?

Again - congrats on the win - I'm definitely making it to the Hilton on my next trip!!!! LOL!!!

 

My jaw kind of dropped just thinking about a $2,000/per day bankroll. All I can say is great job to both of you.

 

1.) We haven't done anything for ourselves with the money! This trip was PAID for ... our "planned" trip at Christmas (now on hold?) would be paid for. I asked my husband today, WHY he wants me to wait to book the flights ... his answer "what's the hurry?" Not that there is any "hurry" ... but having the flights booked is assurance to me that we WILL be there at Christmas. He talked about paying off my car ... just getting rid of some debt. No talk about any special purchases. Gave a little to our SUN.

Our son had an opportunity to spend this past weekend at the Venetian with some industry reps as a guest of one of the guys from Tucker Rocky....room, food & drink all paid for. This all came about mid week last week after someone backed out of the trip, so he was invited. He asked us to "borrow" $300 for his flight one way (he has a credit with Orbitz that doesn't expire till December.) Of course we wanted him to go to VEGAS! His birthday is next month, so I told him to use our credit card for the flight difference ... then I deposited $500 into his checking account. I did that Friday morning. He was suppose to leave Friday morning. I sent him a text Friday afternoon ... with a Happy Birthday $500 to spend in Vegas. He called me and told me decided NOT to go He wants to go in October for US Open SX. I think he said that is at MGM Grand, but he might stay with friends at Mandalay Bay.

DISCIPLINE is key....discipline is learned. It would have been EASY to really start blowing some money ... we have before. Learned many years ago ... it's EASY to get sucked in. That's why my husband doesn't like the high limit room ... because he DOES get sucked in. I plan what I will play in there and that's it. Sure I've bent a little here and there, but who doesn't. I have no regrets for the way I played this trip, but I did learn that I will stay away from the $100 WOF and probably go back to saving the high limit room for the final day of our stay. I don't want to press my LUCK.

2.) I THINK the guy was an Air Marshall. No, I don't know that for certain, but nothing else makes any sense. ... just little things that added up to it in MY mind. IF he's on our next flight ... no one will convince me any different.

If you go to the Hilton ... I've talked to many people since we've been back home and they have all convinced me that the Blazing 7's machine ... is LOOSE (not defective) ... and it's location is set that those standing in line will SEE someone winning on it and come out of the show and PLAY. It's set just far enough away ... they can't just drop money in it ... and not where they come out.

Thanks ... LUCK! My jaw drops every time I go to Vegas and witness people playing with what seems and endless supply of money. I'm like ... DANG! Must be nice! I'm happy with what we go with, if I had to ... I could get by with ... ummm $200-300/day (that would be hard after this trip), but we always plan and put away $500/day.

... would just be really cool to play ONE day like that ... play whatever I wanted and forget about budgeting my bankroll. ... I love to dream!