Super cheap overnight trip to Vegas trip report, Day 2

First day report here:
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/15791-super-cheap-overnight-trip-to-vegas-trip-report/2/#post289741

I was going to sleep in till 10, but I woke up at 8 and couldn’t go back to sleep, which was okay. I checked out of the hotel and headed to the corner of Fremont and Casino Center. SDX bus arrived shortly, which took me to the strip. My flight was at 4 PM, so I wanted to get a few more Players’ Card and check out the Bauman Rare Books (frequently featured on Pawn Stars).

Quad:
I first went into the Quad, thinking given that I probably won’t gamble much on the Strip in the future, I’ll target the smaller Strip casinos. I signed up for the Total Rewards Card, which came with a free drink voucher I didn’t use (“It’s 10 AM in the morning. I get it that that’s why Mimosa and Bloody Mary were invented in the first place, but no.”), a free admission to the Auto Collection, which I did check out, and some other worthless coupons, I didn’t bother to comb through. I sat down at an 8-deck BJ table to give them some action (Come on, mailers!). Waiting for an 8-deck shoe to turn to a good count is like waiting for Edgar Martinez to run bases in his final year of playing. After a half shoe, I also realized that it’s a 6-5 table. I promptly got up. I got to the pit on the other side of the casino and found a $10 3-2 table. I played for one shoe and got up because at this point I’m in the keep-what-I’ve-already-won mode and I was getting really hungry. I walked through Harrah’s and out.

Casino Royale:
I did hear that this small casino in fact does have a hotel, but the players’ club line was really long, so I didn’t bother. I think their only BJ table open was 6-5. Their Free Bet was also 6-5. Isn’t pushing on 22 enough for you!!??

I had Chipotle for lunch. Then went to the Forum Shop, but realized that Bauman Rare Books is in the Palazzo Shop. Off to Palazzo! I walked through the Palazzo casino floor. I saw that the roulette min was $25. How much do people who gamble at these nicer casinos bring? $5,000? $10,000? $50,000? Good for them.

Bauman Rare Books:
This is the bookstore that the rare book expert in Pawn Stars Rebecca works at. I didn’t see her personally, but the store did smell of rich mahogany. I asked whether they had any Camus book, which they did in their New York store for like $16,000. Let me run down to the roulette table and bet $500 on one number. They were nice though, probably because I was dressed business casual.

General rule: People treat you better if you’re dressed nicely when you travel, not the clubbing dressed, but business casual dressed. I’ve been in a part that is not open to the public at the Tower of London solely because my group was wearing suits.

I had about 2 hours to kill till I need to be at the airport, so I hopped on the Deuce and went down to Tropicana where the Westcliff Express stop is. I walked through Tropicana, which was super nice inside. I always envisioned Tropicana to be decorated in a weird tropical island style with robotic birds making noises.

Hooters:
I wanted to gamble one last time, so went to Hooters. I was in the full keep-what-I’ve-won mode, so didn’t want to play the $10 3-2 single deck (I’ve played enough of 3-2 single deck in Wendover a month ago). I played the $5 6-deck, which didn’t get the count up for a long time. I was down about $100, then the count picked up and ended up $25. I’ve been inside the Hooters casino probably 6 or 7 years ago before I started gambling. They renovated the floor, so it was much nicer than I remembered. Good for them. I think they do have a niche they can carve out because although Hooters is “off-strip,” it’s still a good location.

I got on the bus to the airport, which was running on time. I flew back and got home. The final stats are:

Total time of the trip: 29 hours
Airfare: ($200)
Bus pass: ($8)
Incidental expense: ($7)
Total gambling winnings: $386
New players' cards signed up: 6

Conclusion:
I’d totally do the overnight trip again if I get more free hotel stays, as long as I don’t get the gravy at Du-Par’s. Seriously, Du-Par’s was the only thing that I didn’t like about the trip.

Nice report. I have never done a weekend trip because I cant justify a 4 hour flight for 2 days. However I can justify a 6 hour drive to AC. Go figure that one out.

Great report, really enjoyed reading both day reports.
Thanks for the info on Bauman Rare Books.
I had no idea they were right on the strip.
I'm a huge Pawn Stars fan , will definitely check out the bookstore on my trip next month.

Quote: GWAE

Nice report. I have never done a weekend trip because I cant justify a 4 hour flight for 2 days. However I can justify a 6 hour drive to AC. Go figure that one out.

Well maybe because with security and waiting on both ends a 4 hour flight is really about a 6 or 7 hour experience.

Thanks for the report. I enjoyed reading it.

Note that Binion's is now owned by the same guy that owns the Four Queens, so the hotel offers split the two properties.

Too bad about DuPar's. The breakfast, and the shrimp cocktail are still great.

Nice report and a FREE trip. Hahhaaaa.

Nice report. By the way, Casino Royale gives out the Funbook at the player's club, which has the "blackjack pays double" coupon ($25max) and you can get this funbook every month.

Thanks for the day 2 writeup. Glad you went home up some money.

Quote: Ayecarumba

Note that Binion's is now owned by the same guy that owns the Four Queens
.

Are you sure about that? What happened to the Binion's family?

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Quote: Ayecarumba

Note that Binion's is now owned by the same guy that owns the Four Queens, so the hotel offers split the two properties.

Does that means Binions will open the hotel again?
I love that old place.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

He's correct. Jack is working for Wynn Macao.

That would be quite shocking, and is funny to even think about. Macao ain't no Las Vegas. You can't shave your body to hide your illegal substances and life isn't so precious in Macao. I'm surprised the American companies are doing so well there but that a subject for another day and place.

Quote: EvenBob

Does that means Binions will open the hotel again?
I love that old place.

I don't think there is any activity to re-open Binion's hotel rooms yet. But I just got a free slot play offer from them that included comp rooms at the Four Queens, their "sister" property.

The poker room at Binion's is kind of sad now. It is so different from their heyday as the home of the WSOP.

from wiki
Days after the purchase by Harrah's closed, while retaining the Horseshoe and World Series of Poker brands, they sold the physical property and the Binion's brand on March 11, 2004, to MTR Gaming Group.

Binion's reopened in April 2004, with MTR Gaming operating the hotel and Harrah's Entertainment operating the casino, while MTR Gaming completed the process of acquiring the required gaming license. Harrah's continued to operate the casino under a temporary contract until March 11, 2005, when MTR officially took control of the operation of the casino and renamed it Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel.
On March 7, 2008, MTR sold the hotel-casino to TLC Casino Enterprises, owner of the Four Queens, for $32 million