TWAS the night before X-MAS

I am so mad, as I typed for a couple hours!, before submitting my report and having it say (too many images? 8 max, hit the back button to correct), well the back button wiped out my 2 hours of typing,... So here goes again, without the F...ing images!

Arrive in Vegas on the 19th of December.
We had 4 free nights at the harrahs. I decided to try the $20 trick and we told the gal at the counter that it was a kind of a second honeymoon and that the last time there, we got a view of the air conditioner! Well she took the bait, hook, line, and sinker!!! She gave us an 1,100 square foot suite with a hot tub in a huge bathroom and seperate bedroom including a view of the volcano and the Mirage!
After playing slots a bit, we went to the Garden Cafe for the $9.95 prime rib, all you can eat, which was excellent as always. Then we played a bit more before trying out the hot tub!
Day -2
We got up and headed to the slot tourney Harrahs where we had 2 free entries and bought 2 more for $10 each... While waiting to play, we slipped over to the Mc Donalds, next door (which is new and I was unaware of before) to catch breakfast. Then we had a Bloody Mary compliments of Harrahs while playing VP before hitting the tourney. Well, luck was not with us today as we had no luck in the tourney. Too bad as the prize was $7,500... Oh well.
We then played slots at harrahs for a while before trecking to Casino Royale? What a joke. Dirty, small, and we signed up for the lamest new member promotion of all time. A supposed $50 free play. Well, it was on "select machines and you literally had to hit the jackpot to get anythang! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!!
Back to Harrahs and played slots awhile. We had free show tickets to Clint Holmes - it was a great show Especially when free. He is a really good singer-performer. Then we had reservations at the Cafe Andretti. It was Excellent as always and Chrisann enjoys alot as she is Italian. The food was good and reasonably priced, as compared to the labor day excursion we made (Ceasers Palace Italian Terrezo? It sucked and was WAY OVER PRICED!!!)
Well after dinner, Chrisann had plenty of good Gin & Tonics as they gave us Tanguaray with the comped drinks! So she was off to bed. Party time for me on a Saturday night!!! I headed right to the Party pit where I colored in for 2 onions ($200) and played a couple hours of Super Fun 21 while teaching others the game and carrying on! I know the odds suck at this game but the Party pit is a blast. Speaking of Pary Pit, after a morning of bloody mary's, Gin & tonics in the afternoon, a bottle of good Merlot at Cafe Andretti, and several Bud Lights in the party pit, I was well equipped to hit the Craps tables!
So off I went and luck have it I find a $5 table at Harrahs. Well, the table was clearing as one player was betting the dark side. He cleared them all off. but the worst part was he was not shy, he bragged about his method and let everyone know!
In my drunken Stuper, I was to have no part of that attitude and so, when it was just him left. I colored in for $4 onions! Him and I went toe to toe for awhile. He seemed to be getting the best of me and I blamed it on my position (far end, vs. his next to the stick man). Couldn't have been my drunken state?
Well, he wore me down more than I did him, so I decided to go with him on the next roll and bet big in $25 on the don't pass. This flustered him as I switched gears. I told the dealers that if I was going to lose, then we both were! Low and behold he rolls an 11 and we both lose. Now I am really in deep! So after he rolls a quick 7 and wins, I decide to roll and seven out right away. This time on his roll, I place a pass line for $25 and switch back. He ends up rolling a 4 and is estatic about his odds at a 7 before the point. So I reach in to my pocket and put odds on my 4 for the max (only 3X)or $75 at Harrahs for the 4... Well on the second roll, he hits a 4!!! Front line winner 4!!!
Now that I am almost back to even after my total stupidity in gambling, I start to sober up enough to get the Heck out of there and told the dealers that I had enough fun for the night "messing with this guy" and cashed out!
After wondering around a bit, I check back and sure enough, his bankroll and his sorry A@S are both gone! I only took pleasure in this because of my total Drunkeness...
Day 3:
While the Mrs caught some beauty sleep, I got up and tried to make back some of the 2 onions that we were now down. I hit a $1 blazing Stars single progressive that looked primed. After putting in an onion and being down to $20, I hit $300.! Time to cash in and make a couple sports bets. I picked TB (why?) and Duke in BB (score). Then headed back to get Chrisann up. We had the MC D's breakfast again and played some more at Harrahs. No luck, so headed to the Trop to take advantage of my $50 - $5,000 scratch ticket. While there, I kept hitting double on my nickel slots. $20 here $10 there... After being up almost a $100, we went to the booth for our scratch ticket, of course, only $50...
So, being up at the Trop, we headed back to Harrahs and caught the shuttle to the RIO. While the Mrs. shopped there, I hit the Nickels again. Luck have it I find a Kenny the Gambler, which I hit for $60, then next to it, I have no idea what goofy machine for $40, then next to it on Money Storm for $20, then I am tempted to move next to it for what would be a win of $10, but the Mrs shows, so we head back to Harrahs for our Range reservations Sunday night. The Range is excellent as always, wonderful service, food and a reasonable price (as compared to home - Santa Fe)...i have never been to Delmonicos, but I cannot imagine it being that much better for the extra price one would have to pay!
We then decide to hop over to the Monte Carlo for some Sunday night Poker. My wife roams the casino, while I color in for 2 onions. I played awhile holding ground, which I was happy with being my first time at poker in a casino! Then after I sent the Mrs back to bed, I was moved to a consolidated table, where I continued to gain confidence. Being I seemed to have the biggest stack in this $2-4 game, I was able to bluff by going to the river a few times, then when I had pocket Aces, the pots were fatter! The highlight of the night was when I drew into a Full house when a local was betting and raising! I kept raising back. When I caught the full house on the turn, I new the pot was mine. I tried to re-raise on the river , but I must have bet in increments, so they did not let me re-raise. Oh well, I won big anyawy. The local was cleaned out and soon a couple "Rookie young girls" tongue in cheek... as I am too, sat down and all of us licked our chops! We proceeded to clean them out and I played a couple more hours before realizing it was after 3:00am so I cashed in up a little on my 1st poker Run!!! and WALKED back to the Harrahs... Long walk, but the weather was nice that night.
Day 4:
We were to meet Rob-In-Ohio at Gold Coast. First, we tried to check in early for our 2 free nights at the Flamingo. No such luck. They assinged the room but we would have to return for the key. So I saw the 25 cent Jeopardy that has not hit for over 2 years, so I played $120 in it before finally cashing back $80 of it... Then back to Harrahs to catch the RIO shuttle. My wife met Sasha from the players club at RIO to go shopping, and I headed to the GC to meet Rob.
Hard as it was for a Hawkeye fan to find Rob in a Buckeye polo shirt, I managed and found him at a $5 BJ table there. He soon colored in and we exchanged greetings and stories. Then, we checked the sports book odds before sitting at a DDBJ $5 table where Rob colored in for an onion and me for 2... We played a while and Rob had more luck than me. I kept getting a pair of 8's which basic says to split always. But I had little luck at that. So with Rob still up, we decided to take a break and wondered about, checking the lines again. Rob placed a parley on Bowling Green, Virginia, and Ohio State, (how did that come out Rob)??? while I bet against my Hawkeyes in BB (which ended up a push) and took Green Bay (a win). Then we sat down at the race book for a bit to catch a free drink which came right away! I bet $2 on a horse and lost. The clerk seemed smug and pleased that I lost. He then suggested that I try Harness races? As if I never had done that before. Well to his suprise I picked the winner and the 2nd place for $15 (why did I not box them?) and took the ticket to him saying - did I win???
Rob and I then hit the BJ again, where Chrisann met up with us. We both had good sessions that time and I made back most of my earlier losses as Rob won more$... We then got a comp for the GC buffet. After dinner, Rob headed to the hockey game and Chrisann and I were to meet Sasha to go to the Voodoo lounge. Her boyfriend was sick, so she could not go. As Rob could attest, by now we were really tired and actually glad to not go... So, we checked in at the Flamingo - (good view of the Belagio fountains! but a old room in an old hotel)... So we stayed our last free night at the harrahs Suite!
Day 5:
Had to check out of the awesome room at Harrahs and move to Flamingo for the last night... We then played slots there most of the day before going to the Orleans which was much better odds. We did manage to get $20 in comps and had a $10 off meal at the Flamingo, so went to the Italain Resuarant at the Flamingo. It was good and the main dishes were reasonable as well as very good. But, I think we both caught a touch of food poisioning form the H'dourve platter.. We decided to go back up the strip to try to win back some money, no luck and as our tummys were turning by then, we crashed for the night, watching the last of the fountain shows while falling asleep.
Day 6:
Had to catch the early flight out to Des Moines to see the parents for Christmas... The highlight of that trip, besides seeing family, was on the way back to Santa Fe, we got bumped and scored $400 vouchers each!!!
Next trip to Vegas paid for!

Trip Highlights:
1) Meeting Rob from T2V
2) Scoring the Suite upgrade with $20 trick
3) Range and Cafe Andretti dinners
4) surviving the bout against the dark sider in my drunken stupidity!
5) Orleans loose slots
6) Clint Holmes show- Excellent
7) Vouchers for a future trip!!!
8) poker at Monte Carlo - Excellent for beginners


Trip lows:
1) Casino Royale (dump.dump.dump) new slot promo a JOKE!!!
2) Flamingo slots very tight and the place is a relic...
3) Did not make Voodoo lounge this time
4) Big Elvis was not showing that week
5) Ended up down close to a grand on the trip

 

Hey Neon--

Great report. Sounds like you had a good time. Man, I was hoping you would crush the dark side jerkoff! Don't ya hate having somebody like that at the table? If I was on the end, every time I tossed the dice I'd be aiming to knock his stack over.

So when is the next trip?

Mikey

 

Mikey,
Ya, there was just something about his cocky attitude in taking the dark side that struck a nerve "in the state that I was in" and I was willing to lose $400 just to see him losing too!
Luckily, I got almost back to even while depleating his bankroll! Now darksiders, don't get me wrong, I am willing and understanding of your thinking, but this guy carried way too much attitude with it and he had to go down!

Mikey, I will be there for the March Madness festivities as always! Get in on the 17th for 5 nights. Not sure where we are staying. Probably Harrahs, but I am still waiting for the free room offers! Last year I think they came in late January?

 

Hey Leon,

Great trip report! I'm flattered that I made it in at #1 for your trip highlights! Great meeting you and I hope we can do it again sometime! Too bad Bowling Green's spring break isn't during the madness again this year as it looks pretty solid that we'll miss each other by a week in the Spring.

Sorry to hear about your lost trip report...it would have been nice to see the pictures. I usually write the trip report as a Word document, and then cut and paste it into this Board to cut down on the chance of losing it all.

By the way, my parlay was doomed from the start...I actually ripped up the ticket in my seat at Ford Field for the Motor City Bowl game. At least the Falcons pulled it out !! The only game I got right was the Bucks !! Go Bucks! I believe Iowa had a good Bowl game too if I'm not mistaken!

Take care,
Rob

 

Hey NEON, my ex-wife deals blackjack in the Party Pit at Harrah's, 'Mary from Kansas City' do you recall seeing her?

 

Sorry to hear about your lost report. It has happened to me several times......you'd think I'd learn. Always seems like it was a great report when you lose it and then the 2nd time besides being no fun to do over doesn't come out quite as good!

When I think of it I do in in Word or somewhere where I can save it if I don't do it all at once and can copy and paste. What I usually do is hit preview to proof, and instead of hitting edit I hit back and find it "page expired" and end up losing the content as I panic and search hopelessly. Oh well, at least you are not alone in your frustration. Thanks for sharing your trip!

Jimbo

 

Hey DutchGuy,

I do recall a Mary in the party pit. I lived in KC a few years... I cannot at this time put the face to her name though, is she the short gal with blonde/grey hair in her mid 40's to 50's?
All the dealers in the party pit are fun and nice to the clientelle... (Go figure) thats the whole concept. To suck you into the entertainment part, so you forget how bad the odds are on the games in the pit...

Rob and Jimbo, thanks for the Word suggestion! I'll use that suggestion for my March Madness report!

 

I forgot in my original report the week before X-MAS, to mention on the last night when we wandered back up the strip, we went to Harrahs and played a little slots. I was feeling the affects of the food poisoned meal at Flamingo and went to the bathroom. When I came back, my wife had 3 DRINKS lined up!!! I asked her if she got me one, she said no , that the drink lady kept coming by and she wanted to get the free drinks so she kept ordering, but that she did not know how long I would be gone so she did not order me one.... Oh well, I was not up to par at that moment anyway.
Also, right when I got back from the boys room, A slot tech came by and opened up each of the Spooky slot progressives that we were playing. He flipped through screens and recorded the numbers. Must have been some year end counting. Anyway, I noticed that the screens all said something like -

coin in: 7,832,458
coin out: 6,942,000
Payback percentage: 88.63%

I thought this was interesting because it affirmed the thoughts on the paybacks of the nickel machines on the strip, about 85-88%.

After playing a bit more, my stomach was not improving, so I hit the bathroom again briefly and when I washed my hands, I noticed a crumpled up paper towel on the counter. On top of this towel was a giant GOLD RING with a Horsehoe engraved in silver enlayed in the face. Almost like a rodeo ring or something. Knowing that it could not have been cheap, I picked it up and took it to the players club that was next door accross and gave it to a clerk there. I just hope the rightfull owner was able to get it back. I felt bad. I could just imagine, someone coming to Vegas and losing their shirt in the casino, then on top of it, losing the valuable sentimental (perhaps) ring that they had...

Final notes:
- The free drinks came very quickly and often for us at Harrahs all the time!
- Never take your ring off in a public restroom...
- We never got to the Margaritaville that trip...