I Like it Like That !

OK, here's how it went. By the way, I've hung around here for a long time but this is my first trip report. Warning: Have Story Will Ramble.

This was my 47th trip to Vegas. Usually go about 3 times a year. Rebound trip this summer is set for July 19.

I know lots of folks here want ALL the details down to a review of the shampoo and lotion but this will skew a little more toward the gambling because...well...because that's mainly what I go to do.

Wife and I blast off Thursday 10:30AM on the daily SW non-stop from Birmingham. It's not hard to catch the internet special and do round trip for two for about $550 which ain't too bad. We usually stay at Ballys/Paris 'cause they will do us basic RFB. My priorities are 1. Gambling 2. Food 3. All the rest of it. My wife's are 1. All the rest of it.

Now, before I get started, I've got to say this. I'm going to tell you what I play and how I play. I'm not saying it's the best way but it is the best way for me. Gambling can be a humbling experience and we've all been there. I try to learn something new about how best to gamble every trip I take.

I brought $11,000. $500 goes to my wife. Look, before somebody calls me nasty names, that's all she wanted. Another $500 goes in my right pocket for spending funds. The other $10K goes in my left pocket as pure bankroll. I know some folks think I'm trying to come across like Mr. Big Shot for carring that much out there but this is a progression over many years. Years ago we'd do a long weekend with a $600 bankroll and we have a blast.

Back then, we'd put $100. in six envelopes...one for each of us x 3 days. If you ran out of $$$, you couldn't open the next envelope till the next day. Anyway....

I only play three games. Craps, slots and 21. Slots are the most risky but I will only play the lowest jackpot machines in the highest denomination possible (for me, anyway). That's usually Double Diamond or Triple-Double Diamond.

We check in Thursday and start to play. I lose $150 and dice. Then $200 at BJ, then more at both. We take a break to Mon Ami Gabi which is our favorite restaurant in all of LV. They've got this hot, genuine french bread (the kind you break, not slice) that we fight over for the first piece. It really creates a scene when a grown man and woman are knocking over chairs and tables, rolling around on the floor like a cock- fight over that piece of bread! Just kidding. We didn't knock over a single table.

Anyway, by 11:00 I'm down about $800. Wife goes to bed. I go to $5. slots, Triple Dbl Diamond machine in the middle of the row.

Now here's the way I've learned to play slots. If I'm at a 2 coin dollar machine, I buy $100. If I get nothing at all in 12 spins, I walk....but I'm always counting the spins until I've done 50 spins. So I've just run my entire $100 through. I check my credits. If I'm up and I feel good about the machine, I may run another 50 spins. If I'm down on credits, I'm gonna walk. With a bad machine, 50 spins may only generate 30-40 credits. OK, so I invested $100 for a $35 return. At least I've got $35. Doing it that way keeps me from running the machine down to $0.

Back to the story. I'm into it about 20 spins and then...and then...Triple Diamond, Purple 7, Triple Diamond. 120 credits x 3 x 3 = 1080 credits x $5. = $5400. From the outhouse to the penthouse! I go to bed and I'm up $4600 the first day.

That's real nice but now I got 3 days to give it all back. Here's abother thing I've learned about gambling. You can't be too worried about that kind of thing or you'll be playing with scared money which is an automatic killer. So Friday we check out Wynn. I'm a general contractor so speaking from my profession...Wynn is a knockout and now edges out Bellagio. By the way, from pure quality construction, Mandaly Bay is 3rd and Venetian is 4th...my opinion.

Other places we ate (oops, dined). Les Artists Steakhouse in Paris. One of those places where people are holding their drinks with their little finger sticking out. Good steak though.

Don Miguels Mexican at Orleans. Always very good and priced right. Emerils at MGM. Outstanding. I saw Lefty Rosenthal in there once a few years ago. We got to know Rusty, the manager there and he pointed Lefty out to us in a wisper. I said "I thought he was banned from Vegas" Rusty says "He sneaks in". Rusty now slices ham at the Circus-Circus buffet. Just kidding, Rusty is now manager at Delmonicos.

Since I'm rambling...other favorite Vegas eating places. Commander's Palace, Delmonicos, Hugos and Michaels.

OK, the rest of the trip I played my normal way...short sessions, try to get up ...and walk. Here's what I know about gambling. There's an ebb and flow to it. You've got to flow with the upswing and color up. My average session at dice or BJ is 15-45 minutes. If I buy in for $800 and I get up $200 after 20 minutes, I'm outa-there! Not trying to lecture as to how to do it...just saying it's how I do it.

When you play like I do, you'll never will make a killing because you color up so much. You will miss out on some good runs for sure. But at dice, you can make a super run IF you can catch a good shooter to hold the dice 40 or 50 minutes. I said IF, but it does happen.

I just believe it's best to mimic the casino. They make all that money in small tiny bites. Return the favor!!!!

So anyway, the rest of the trip I'm trying to make $50-200 get-up-and color up, rotate between tables, take lots of breaks. I sat down at Caesars and bought in for $500 and lost every single hand and every single dollar. Here's something else I've learned. You lose discipline and go brain-dead for just a few minutes and now you're an instant dork.

Oh yeah! Almost forgot! Friday we're at TI and I look at this girl and I'm thinking "This gal looks just like the missing girl from Georgia"...only the hair is shorter but the eyes...dead ringer! Still not sure but I really think it was her!

Other stuff we did...Blue Man Group. Great show and lots of fun! (if I can figure out what it was!) and at Harrahs, they had a karaoke host dressed like Elvis, anyway, he had the place rockin! We went downtown Friday night. At Golden Gate I looked for a big guy dealing dice but guess I missed Mikey. Made, as always, the best lounge band in Vegas, Catdaddy at Indigo lounge at Ballys.

Final tally. Just over $7K removed from Nevada and redistributed into the Alabama economy. Is that Marxism? Nah!

Your Vegas Buddy,
Big Louie

 

Great first report! I sense a bit of John Patrick in your philosophy. My wife and I do the envelope thing too. Hopefully after 47 trips I will do $10K in the left pocket. Great slot win.

 

Wow...what a super read for a first report. Experience does count !

 

Always great to look over the shoulder of someone who's put that much time and thought into the games. Keep 'em coming, Louie.

 

Hoo!Hoo!Hoo!Nice TR.

My winning trips in any casino are alot like yours: playing hit and run. Whenever I go for the long term sessions after getting up early I usually give it all back.

Do you still "Love the Govner" in Birmingham?

Marty

 

Louie--off track since you weren't there this trip, but would you tell me more about Michael's?? Something about that place has always appealed to me--I want to try--but I don't think anyone here has ever been (or, posted a review at least) Thanks!!

Love your comments about construction--the first time I saw Venetian (March 2001) I was with a contractor & my husband who could be a contractor but isn't and that's all they could talk about.

Another quick question--did your wife enjoy "all the rest"??

 

That's funny because that is what I do every time I go gambling for more than two days. I put TRAVELER's CHECKS in the envelope for each day I will be there. I always come home with at least one traveler's check. Works out great!

Awesome report. I understand your strategy for gambling and glad that it works for you.

I have always wanted to do a $5 slot machine but was too chicken. Maybe this year I will try it, lol.

Sounds like you had a great time.

 

Words to live by.

I really enjoyed the read. Nice take home as well!! Someday I'd love to play some 21 with you.

 

Nice report. Just love reading a first TR. I think my first TR was 5 pages long because I wanted to include everything.

Thanks for sharing.

 

This was an entertaining TR. Never once did I feel you were "rambling on".
BTW, where is Michaels?

 

Michaels is in the Barbary Coast. I have a lot of friends that have eaten there and have never heard a bad thing about the place. Quite of few people in the know eat there also.
Here is their menu: web page

 

Don--and Louie--I would LOVE a first hand review of Michaels, as I mentioned, it's long fascinated me. I haven't found any first-person "real" person reviews though.....