Vegas trip report day 1

Arrived Sat late afternoon into Vegas. Went downstairs to get the bus. 20 min wait for the express bus to downtown. I see the 109 and its heading downtown. I'm worn out from the flight and just want to get to my room so I get on. Big mistake, made a slow crawl north making every possible stop on the way. Finally it leaves me 3 blocks from downtown. Oh well, hike the 3 blocks to the 4 Queens. Finally get to check in, its about 7pm, try the 20 dollar upgrade trick, doesn't work, hotel sold out. Oh well, cheap clean room is all I need. Walked over to the Freemont for the buffet, line. Played some video poker, went back, no line. Ahh, fast food heaven. Pay for the buffet, grab a plate, pig out, leave a tip and I'm out of there. Love it. Got a full stomach, ready to grind at video poker at the 4 queens. I play 3 games all requiring different strategy. Dbl bonus 100.17 but with progressive 100.30. Job 99.54 and I like to play at the bar. Best game at the bar is 2 wild with progressive 99.00. Play 25 cents one line 5 quarters. Most trips I average about 100 bucks loss a day on playing vp. So far no royals but I've been killing it on 4 of a kinds. Been hovering in the 300 range so up 200 on video poker so far. Early Sunday orning, decide to play craps at the freemont. A crowded table with 3 buck minimum, I walk up and buy 60 in chips. Not a crsps player, rookie but not a virgin. Game plan is to lose 60 or win 40. I lay 3 dollars on dark side, after point made, take minimum odds. The casino craps guy actually helped with my bets, telling me the minimum dont odds bet for each point set. We actually got to talking, he was from China and very friendly and helpful. It was a crowded table and he liked the bets neat on his side kindle showing me exactly how to place my chips for a odds bet oon dont. Table wasn't doing well which meant I was. It was fun, couldn't contain myself with a "yea" remark after a 7 roll when shooter tried to roll a point. Nobody said anything and no dirty glances. Probabbly due to a 8am game, gamblers, not drunks. Well I easily got above 100, to 104. Took my 40 profit and gace the casino craps dealers 4 buck tip. It was fun and didn't want to press it. Later walked over to the downtown grand. It was ok but there isn't anything there for me. No decent quarter video poker, no poker room, no buffet. Bet on a bunch of Nfl football. So much fun watching a game when you have money on the line. Bet a bunch of underdogs with points and about broke even. I did make a moneyline bet on the bucs to win. Boy that was an exciting game for me. They took a huge early lead but couldn't hold on. My measily 10 buck bet would have paid 100 for 90 profit. Very fun game for me to watch. This is what I love about vegas, nfl so much more fun out here. 4 queens has a fantastic food deal here. I ordered wings and filet mignon sliders , coke and bottle water. 22 bucks. I eat and pay. Take the receipt to players club, they load 22 freeplay bucks onto my card and give me 10 dollar match play coupon for a table game. Essentially you are making a profit on a free meal. Was playing video poker and woman next to me flopped a flush and only 1 card off the royal. She showed me and I told her to drop the flush and go for the royal. She kept the flush. Nickle player. Was at the bar and the bartender was making an interesting drink, Dantes inferno. It lights on fire and looks neat with with layers of green red and yellow. May have to try one of these before I leave. Stopped by the plaza 5pm sun afternoon to check out the poker room with no dealers, all automated. Nothing going on, sad, was interested in trying it had. Looks like this room wont last. Well its monday morning, thinking about pinball hall of fame and wsop at the rio tonight.

Quote: terapined

Arrived Sat late afternoon into Vegas. Went downstairs to get the bus. 20 min wait for the express bus to downtown. I see the 109 and its heading downtown. I'm worn out from the flight and just want to get to my room so I get on. Big mistake, made a slow crawl north making every possible stop on the way. Finally it leaves me 3 blocks from downtown. Oh well, hike the 3 blocks to the 4 Queens. Finally get to check in, its about 7pm, try the 20 dollar upgrade trick, doesn't work, hotel sold out. Oh well, cheap clean room is all I need. Walked over to the Freemont for the buffet, line. Played some video poker, went back, no line. Ahh, fast food heaven. Pay for the buffet, grab a plate, pig out, leave a tip and I'm out of there. Love it. Got a full stomach, ready to grind at video poker at the 4 queens. I play 3 games all requiring different strategy. Dbl bonus 100.17 but with progressive 100.30. Job 99.54 and I like to play at the bar. Best game at the bar is 2 wild with progressive 99.00. Play 25 cents one line 5 quarters. Most trips I average about 100 bucks a day on playing vp. So far no royals but I've been killing it on 4 of a kinds. Been hovering in the 300 range so up 200 on video poker so far. Early Sunday morning, decide to play craps at the freemont. A crowded table with 3 buck minimum, I walk up and buy 60 in chips. Not a crsps player, rookie but not a virgin. Game plan is to lose 60 or win 40. I lay 3 dollars on dark side, after point made, take minimum odds. The casino craps guy actually helped with my bets, telling me the minimum dont odds bet for each point set. We actually got to talking, he was from China and very friendly and helpful. It was a crowded table and he liked the bets neat on his side kindle showing me exactly how to place my chips for a odds bet oon dont. Table wasn't doing well which meant I was. It was fun, couldn't contain myself with a "yea" remark after a 7 roll when shooter tried to roll a point. Nobody said anything and no dirty glances. Probabbly due to a 8am game, gamblers, not drunks. Well I easily got above 100, to 104. Took my 40 profit and gace the casino craps dealers 4 buck tip. It was fun and didn't want to press it. Later walked over to the downtown grand. It was ok but there isn't anything there for me. No decent quarter video poker, no poker room, no buffet. Bet on a bunch of Nfl football. So much fun watching a game when you have money on the line. Bet a bunch of underdogs with points and about broke even. I did make a moneyline bet on the bucs to win. Boy that was an exciting game for me. They took a huge early lead but couldn't hold on. My measily 10 buck bet would have paid 100 for 90 profit. Very fun game for me to watch. This is what I love about vegas, nfl so much more fun out here. 4 queens has a fantastic food deal here. I ordered wings and filet mignon sliders , coke and bottle water. 22 bucks. I eat and pay. Take the receipt to players club, they load 22 freeplay bucks onto my card and give me 10 dollar match play coupon for a table game. Essentially you are making a profit on a free meal. Was playing video poker and woman next to me flopped a flush and only 1 card off the royal. She showed me and I told her to drop the flush and go for the royal. She kept the flush. Nickle player. Was at the bar and the bartender was making an interesting drink, Dantes inferno. It lights on fire and looks neat with with layers of green red and yellow. May have to try one of these before I leave. Stopped by the plaza 5pm sun afternoon to check out the poker room with no dealers, all automated. Nothing going on, sad, was interested in trying it had. Looks like this room wont last. Well its monday morning, thinking about pinball hall of fame and wsop at the rio tonight.

Great trip report, terapined! Sweet craps win, too. I envy you getting to go to the WSOP thing; be sure to tell us in detail what that's like, please.

I ordered wings and filet mignon sliders , coke and bottle water. 22 bucks. I eat and pay. Take the receipt to players club, they load 22 freeplay bucks onto my card and give me 10 dollar match play coupon for a table game.

Is it limited time offer or all the time??? One timer or you can do it everyday???

Quote: speedycrap

I ordered wings and filet mignon sliders , coke and bottle water. 22 bucks. I eat and pay. Take the receipt to players club, they load 22 freeplay bucks onto my card and give me 10 dollar match play coupon for a table game.

Is it limited time offer or all the time??? One timer or you can do it everyday???

Think he is referring to this promo Food promo

Also yeah thanks to terapined for the trip report. That's a big paragraph but you are probably typing on a phone or something and spacing might be tougher. Always fun to read these.

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Heres the rundown on the rest of the trip. Got up Monday and made my way over the bus stop to go to the strip. Got on the double decker and got my favorite seat, front row top deck. My favorite ride in Vegas, just sit back and take it all in from a great vantage point. Its such a wonderful view, I decided to take the bus all the way to the end of the strip at Mandalay bay.
Had the brunch buffet there. Another great fast food experience, no line, pay, pig out, leave tip and I'm out of there. Took the tram to Excaliber then walked the bridge to MGM.
On the bridge the venders are gone but a bunch of rappers have taken their place. They try to give away cds of their raps and then when turned down, they want a donation. The donation request bothers me because it borders on being aggressive.
Got on the bus at MGM and headed over to the pinball hall of fame. I got there and started playing. I was looking for machines I played as a kid in the early 70's. At first I couldn't find them, spoke to person running the place and she pointed me over to he early 70's machines I passed by earlier. I was shocked, these machines she pointed me towards I considered before my time. As I started playing, it all came back, yes these are the machines I played on. They were state of the art back in the early 70's, now they seem so stone age.
Decided to head back downtown to gamble. I just cant bring myself to gamble on the strip when I get better odds downtown. That nite decided not to go to wsop, its at the Rio which is off strip and a bit difficult to get to on the cheap. Another fast food buffet, Golden nugget, hit it about 830pm, no line, pigged out and left a tip and out of there.
Got some digestion problems that nite and following morning. Maybe I need to rethink this buffet thing. No line means its slow andfood sitting out longer. Anyway a bit slowed down due to some digestive problems so I take it easy my 3rd day staying downtown and pretty much playing video poker.
Freemont found the 4 99.54 25cent job machines. Stuck in a hundred and started playing. Noticed no sound, asked slot attendent to turn on sound, she shrugged her shoulders and said she couldn't do it. I was surprised, they always adjust the sound for me at 4Queens and Palms. I noticed one of the other job 99.54 machines made sound and person got up and left. I cash out to move and oh no, 95 bucks in coins starts dropping. Yikes. I stay at my machine playing old style, dumping 5 quarters a play. Finally get tired and grab a bucket so I can cash out. I go back later in the day to play again. Want to give some action to boyd to hopefully get some mailers. This time I know not to stick in a 100, put in a 20, I play for a while, I hit quads and some full houses, my 20 has turned into 100. I am determined to keep playing till its gone hopefully get a royal. Dont want to deal with 400 coins. I'm doing great, hovering around 100. I get tired of playing , grit my teeth and hit cash out dealing with 400 coins. Typical vegas, trying to play down your stake and you cant do it. Maybe the secret to Vegas is not trying to win but still using optimal strategy.
My final day in Vegas, decide to hit the El Cortez for some 3 dollar blackjack, I get there about 8am, its all 5 dollar minimum. So I ask a dealer at an empty table, he says 3 dollar bj starts at noon. Ridiculous, empty table, lowroller customer ready to play, and I have to come back at noon. Who runs this place? Came back at 1pm, bough in for 60. Played awhile with a strategy card. Not embarassed by it, I dont play this game much and why not be certain. Another player saw I was splitting 10 10 against a 6. He said dont split, you have a winning hand, forget your strategy card. I split and won. We had a good time, he teased me when I stuck on 12 with dealer showing 6 asking why I didn' hit. I told that play is close to 50 50. Eventually cashed out with 50 after about an hour of playing only losing 10.
Anyway kind of sucked I got digestive problems. Wanted to get into a poker tournament but these things can take a long while if you go deep and I was in a condition that I needed a nearby bathroom occasionally, Even had a lite breakfast at mcdonalds which I would never consider eating at while in vegas. No offence mission146. Anyway due to digestive proplems, didn't gamble as much as I wanted but came out ahead overall about 140. Not bad considering I was willing to lose up to 1k. Back to Vegas dec21 to have fun and videotape nugget challenge

Quote: terapined

its at the Rio which is off strip and a bit difficult to get to on the cheap

It's too late now, but there is a free shuttle from Bally's or Harrah's to Rio:

http://www.harrahs.com/casinos/harrahs-las-vegas/casino-misc/maps-and-information.html#null

Quote: terapined

Played awhile with a strategy card. Not embarassed by it, I dont play this game much and why not be certain. Another player saw I was splitting 10 10 against a 6. He said dont split, you have a winning hand, forget your strategy card. I split and won.

For what set of rules is it correct basic strategy to split 10 10?

you are right, I'm supposed to stand, lol. the box on my sheet has a S for stand, I thought S meant split. lol
I got lucky and got face cards on my split and won both hands. I'd rather be lucky.
Now I know, stand on 10 10 always. Good thing I only played an hour, most of my 10 10 I stood, forgetting to spilt due to table eventually being empty so I needed to make a faster decisions.

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Quote: JimRockford

For what set of rules is it correct basic strategy to split 10 10?

Yeah I was going to ask the same question.

EDIT: whoops should have refreshed.

With an empty table you can take longer. The casino is there all day.

At a full table is when other players will start to get on you about taking too long.

Quote: terapined

Heres the rundown on the rest of the trip. Got up Monday and made my way over the bus stop to go to the strip. Got on the double decker and got my favorite seat, front row top deck. My favorite ride in Vegas, just sit back and take it all in from a great vantage point. Its such a wonderful view, I decided to take the bus all the way to the end of the strip at Mandalay bay.

That makes (at least) two of us. You should try the SDX bus, which goes farther south and has fewer stops.

Quote: terapined

its at the Rio which is off strip and a bit difficult to get to on the cheap

Considering how many buses you took, I assume you had a pass, and the 202 stops in front of the Rio. The only problem is, the bus that goes back to the Strip is across the street at the far corner, and you can't just walk from the front entrance there; you either have to go to the other corner of the street and walk the extra block, or go out the back entrance (near where the aforementioned shuttles to Bally's and Harrah's stop) and walk from there, which is about the same distance.

On the bus ride from Downtown to the strip, got my favorite seat, front row double-decker .
Video taped the whole ride down the strip usually pausing the video camera at stops.
Kind of long 18 min, I may have forgot to pause at some stops. Anyway, here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGFMqeoPFAw

Quote: terapined

On the bus ride from Downtown to the strip, got my favorite seat, front row double-decker .
Video taped the whole ride down the strip usually pausing the video camera at stops.
Kind of long 18 min, I may have forgot to pause at some stops. Anyway, here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGFMqeoPFAw

Not sure if it is only for me but the link isn't working. Due to me not being at home currently (my home is in LV), I'm getting withdrawal symptoms to such an extent that I watched The Hangover again last night :) Only for about the 16th time.....and only last night did I realize they had Caesars dealers dealing in the Riviera :)

Hope you enjoyed your trip bud. Study up on BJ basic strategy before hitting the tables again. It is a little tough in the beginning but well worth it squeezing a little out of the casino without counting :)

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