Trip report from a chip collector round 2

I gotta say I am not a big fan of southern food. I don't like how they bread everything with corn meal. Also don't care for creole. Last year I was so excited to get southern cooking since people rave about it but was so disappointed. I so much prefer a good Ole steak, lobster, and crab legs.

Quote: GWAE

I gotta say I am not a big fan of southern food. I don't like how they bread everything with corn meal. Also don't care for creole. Last year I was so excited to get southern cooking since people rave about it but was so disappointed. I so much prefer a good Ole steak, lobster, and crab legs.

I get that, it all depends on your preferences. I love creole and Cajun flavours. So much good flavour in every bite. I also pic seafood which is prominent down here.

Yesterday was a long driving day going from Kinder, LA to McAlester, OK. I drove 546 miles. I started off driving to Lake Charles to visit the three casinos there and what I saw stunned me a bit. I was expecting a beautiful resort town because of the casinos. Nope all industrial chemical plants. It smelled and was so smoggy.

I played BJ at Isle and won $20. Nothing exciting just a good old hit and run. At both GN and L'auberge the limits were so high that I barely played, just enough to get my chips. I won $11 at L'auberge and lost $24 at GN.

I then drove about 5.5 hours through Texas to Choctaw Grant. I lost at BJ but hit quads on VP so I only lost $8.50. Next was another Choctaw this one in Durant and I managed to win a whopping $9. They got me on their arcade though, I just can't say no to those basketball shooting games. Also tried Smashburger for the first time and I thought it was pretty solid. I'd eat there again.

My last stop of the night I was pretty sure that there were no chips to collect but I figured I'd check anyways. I had heard about a month ago that the Choctaw casino in McAlester used chips from Durant and sadly this was correct. I went anyways because that was where my hotel for the night was. I lost $30 btw.

Oh I almost forgot! My drive from Durant to Mcalester was supposed to take about 75 minutes... That didn't happen. There was a sulphuric acid spill on highway 59 which rerouted me around the highway. All told the mess added 45 minutes to my drive which wouldn't have been a big deal normally but I was dead tired at that point and the delay was not welcomed with open arms.

Today I'm doing a route up to Shawnee and then down to Winstar with a ton of collecting on the way. I'm looking forward to absolutist no long drives today.

Chips collected 104 (26 for my collection)
Total miles - 3125
Gas - $203,50
Hotel - $212
Food - $229.50
Tolls - $6.50
Arcade (which is like a toll) - $11.75
Shopping - $21.50
Gambling - +265.60
Poker +$931
FP - $150 turned into $153.80
Match play - $10 turned a big old zero

So you've gone how many days and only spent $212 on hotels. Did you leverage offers at these places from the last time you made your rounds?

Keep the story going! I want to see Poker Wins over $5k =).

Quote: Romes

So you've gone how many days and only spent $212 on hotels. Did you leverage offers at these places from the last time you made your rounds?

Keep the story going! I want to see Poker Wins over $5k =).

Well in Kansas City and Biloxi I only paid the resort fees at Harrah's. So those four days only cost me about $75. Poker winnings in the 5k range seems super unlikely as I don't see a ton of poker being played each day. Too tired by the end of the day. I've only played 12 hours of poker on the trip so far. I am planning to play tonight at Winstar if I'm not too tired.

Quote: PokerGrinder

Well in Kansas City and Biloxi I only paid the resort fees at Harrah's. So those four days only cost me about $75. Poker winnings in the 5k range seems super unlikely as I don't see a ton of poker being played each day. Too tired by the end of the day. I've only played 12 hours of poker on the trip so far. I am planning to play tonight at Winstar if I'm not too tired.

Great read PG! I am enjoying it very much.

I am curious when you get up from the table and call it a night. Is there a particular combination of conditions that cause you to cash out? e.g., time, number of players, lack of fish...? I ask because I often stay too long, and later realize that fatigue influenced me to miss reads and make greedy mistakes.

I'm just checking into to say I just got to WinStar and WOW!!!

This place is both ridiculous and beyond cool at the same time.

Quote: PokerGrinder

I'm just checking into to say I just got to WinStar and WOW!!!

This place is both ridiculous and beyond cool at the same time.

Isn't that casino like the 3rd or 4th largest in the country.

Quote: GWAE

Isn't that casino like the 3rd or 4th largest in the country.

Second to Foxwoods

Quote: Ayecarumba

Great read PG! I am enjoying it very much.

I am curious when you get up from the table and call it a night. Is there a particular combination of conditions that cause you to cash out? e.g., time, number of players, lack of fish...? I ask because I often stay too long, and later realize that fatigue influenced me to miss reads and make greedy mistakes.

I have a bunch of reasons to leave or stay. Fatigue, game quality, and overall quality of room that night. If my game is bad and there isn't much better in the room then I won't play. To sit at a substandard game is a waste of my time IMO. If I'm fatigued the only time I will stay is if the game is amazing. In that case I will take ten minutes to refocus so that I can play properly. It's a lot of going by feel. How I feel and my feel of how the games are that night. Sorry if I'm repeating the same thing over, it's hard to explain lol.

Yesterday was nice because although I was stopping at 8 casinos I only had one drive over a hour and that one was only 90 minutes. I drove to Shawnee, OK to the Black Hawk casino. I won money on FP here but didn't win a single BJ hand so I ended up down $20. They don't charge an ante here or on my next stop at the Grand casino. At the Grand casino I played my FP and then played free bet BJ. I ended up winning $15 but ran so bad on my doubles and splits. I lost almost $90 worth of free doubles and splits. Too bad.

Then I went on an adventure trying to find the Kickapoo casino. I drove for 40 minutes when it was only 15 minutes away. I'm not sure how I missed it cause it was visible from the main highway. Anyway I won a bunch on FP but again as was the pattern of the day lost almost every hand on BJ. Got them for a whopping $4 after everything.

My GPS then took me to Fire Lake casino, oh no wait it didn't... my GPS has Fire Lake casino but with Grand casinos address. They are owned by the same tribe but have two different names. So I left Grand casino again and drove to Fire Lake. I should have stayed at Grand lol. I lost $80 winning only one hand of BJ.

Next stop was Ada gaming. Little casino, nothing to write home about. I won $1 at BJ which I gave the dealer so I was even. Next stop was the Artesian which is a beautiful building which is a replica of the original Artesian hotel. They kicked my butt here too for almost $80. At this point I was starting to think that today's gambling couldn't get any worse. I was wrong it would get worse before it got better.

I again missed the casino that is visible from the main highway. After backtracking I ended up at Treasure Valley and proceeded to lose 7 of 8 hands of BJ and left down again. This time only $35 though.

My last stop of the day was Winstar. Wow! This place was both enormous and spectacular with how amazing it looks from the outside and inside. I lost $20 on a horrible slot machine and then decided to play VP. That's when I hit this:


I ended up cashing out up about $65 before I went to play poker. I played a short session but I had a great table plus I made a friend with a nice guy from Dallas so the conversation was good as well. I made a straight and got paid. Had a few bad hands and some good ones that evened eachother out and in the end I made about $230. Pretty stoked that I got unstuck for the day after how badly it started. Today I head north again stopping at 9 casinos. Wish me luck.

Btw it's really difficult doing these write ups on my iPhone lol.

Chips collected 136 (34 for my collection)
Total miles - 3436
Gas - $233.50
Hotel - $262.85
Food - $258.50
Tolls - $9.15
Arcade (which is like a toll) - $11.75
Shopping - $23
Gambling - +144.75
Poker +$1159
FP - $200 turned into $210.30
Match play - $10 turned a big old zero

Quote: PokerGrinder

I have a bunch of reasons to leave or stay. Fatigue, game quality, and overall quality of room that night. If my game is bad and there isn't much better in the room then I won't play. To sit at a substandard game is a waste of my time IMO. If I'm fatigued the only time I will stay is if the game is amazing. In that case I will take ten minutes to refocus so that I can play properly. It's a lot of going by feel. How I feel and my feel of how the games are that night. Sorry if I'm repeating the same thing over, it's hard to explain lol.

Thanks PG, I think I understand what you are getting at. I tend to stay too long, even when things are choppy, especially if the room is running a bad beat or high hand jackpot with a table share. I hate to miss out. I also hate to be the one that breaks a table, especially if the other players are friendly. Continued good luck on your play. I am enjoying your reports.

Just curios- was
The main objective of trip collecting chips or turning a profit? Just curious - also how are you getting Freeplay from all these places??

Quote: Wizardofnothing

Just curios- was
The main objective of trip collecting chips or turning a profit? Just curious - also how are you getting Freeplay from all these places??

I was just about to ask about the free play as well.

Quote: Wizardofnothing

Just curios- was
The main objective of trip collecting chips or turning a profit? Just curious - also how are you getting Freeplay from all these places??

Free play is from club card sign ups. The main objective is chip collecting. I'm playing way too many -EV games to be looking for a profitable trip.

Gotcha - so it's just for fun- that's makes sense then- I can't even imagine how much casino mail you must get

Not that much actually most of them don't want to mail out of country.

Totally forgot

Quote: Wizardofnothing

Totally forgot

They let PG across the border into the US, we are still trying to be friendly to our northern neighbors. That's what we keep chanting to ourselves down in the Deep South. Let them in, they may lose, let them in they may lose.......
We don't necessarily have to let them out again ,-)

On my recent trip to our northern neighbor (four border crossings), the lines were a lot longer trying to get out of the USA than to get in. And the performers I saw on stage in the Niagara Fallsview Casino were making lots of jokes about it.

Yesterday I drove 331 miles. My first stop was at Kiowa casino in Devol. I played my $10FP into $34 by hitting quad jacks and aces on nickel bonus poker. I then started biscuitgate 2016 by accident. I went to their bar/restaurant for breakfast and ordered the egg/bacon/toast combo. Then the problem came! I asked to sub a biscuit for the toast as I do everywhere cause I like biscuits. The bartender says sure, the kitchen says no, the manager comes and isn't sure what to do. I said at this point just charge me for the biscuit I don't care. Manager says no we'll figure this out. They were trying to figure it out how to make this change on the computer. Eventually after ten minutes and me laughing quite a bit they get another manager. The three of them fiddle around for another five minutes before disappearing into the back. I'm not kidding you this was all over a biscuit. They come back and finally say we had a vote (yes an actual vote on a biscuit lol) and we have decided to just give you a biscuit. Wow! I start drama apparently. So my food comes, with a biscuit I might add. The funniest part to me was that might have been the worst biscuit I've ever had. I then played a little BJ and basically broke even.

My next stop was at Comanche Red River. I got kicked on BJ but hit the Friends slot machine for a $65 payout which gave me a $25 win. I then went to their sister property Comanche Nation and donated $16 to the tribe.

Next up was Apache casino and boy did they kick my butt. They have no VP so I played my $10 FP on a slot. I didn't have one winning line in $10 of play. I then played BJ. I lost my $10 match play 19<dealer 3. I then didn't win a hand of BJ. All told I only lost $38 but wow they kicked my butt.

My next stop was Chisolm trail where I find out that they no longer have tables. I've always wanted to play the Anerican slot machine but back home the minimum bet is $9 and here it was $0.25 so I played it. I got the bonus twice and won $20. Guess what my slot of choice is now, just kidding I hate slots.

Next up was SaltCreek where I almost lost my shirt. I lost a bunch on VP and was down a bunch on BJ before making a late comeback and running out of there only down $60. They should have gotten me for a couple hundred.

I skipped Kiowa casino in Verden cause I was informed at my first stop of the day that they only have slots. Then I got to Gold River where they had no tables. I'm not sure where I got my info that they did but they thought I was nuts asking for BJ. Anyway I turned $10 FP there into $12.50 so the jokes on them lol.

At this point I was exhausted and not enjoying my last hour of driving. I got to Lucky Star casino played FP and BJ for a big $9 win and got out of there.

Stupidly I went to the Chinese buffet across from my hotel for dinner. Bad idea! Never go to the Chinese buffet across from your hotel!

Today I finish up Oklahoma and will get to Wichita Kansas tonight.


Chips collected 160 (40 for my collection)
Total miles - 3740
Gas - $274
Hotel - $300.50
Food - $296
Tolls - $10.65
Arcade (which is like a toll) - $11.75
Shopping - $23
Gambling - +134.15
Poker +$1159
FP - $240 turned into $262.60
Match play - $20 turned a big old zero

Sweet TR there PG!
Noticed the poker winnings.
Noticed Doc mentioned the long lines leaving the US.
THEY might be detaining individuals that think they can just come down here and run off with our $$!

Looking forward to the chip pics later.
Assuming of course they don't confiscate them on the US side of the border!

Drive safe, don't drive like GWAE.
Happy trails!
2F

Been a very long couple of days. Good gambling wise just long. I am in council bluffs and will update thread tomorrow.

Quote: PokerGrinder

... The funniest part to me was that might have been the worst biscuit I've ever had. ...

Hehe... that's the funniest thing I've read all week.

Blues Brothers

Great report and sounds like the trip is going a bit on the plus side =).

In your report totals, is the free play and match play separate from the "Gambling" total? Or is that in the gambling total but you're letting us know the exact line items?

Just get a loosey goosey NLH table and make $1k-$2k...!

Quote: Romes

Great report and sounds like the trip is going a bit on the plus side =).

In your report totals, is the free play and match play separate from the "Gambling" total? Or is that in the gambling total but you're letting us know the exact line items?

Just get a loosey goosey NLH table and make $1k-$2k...!

Aye that was a weird video lol.

Romes that's just me breaking the gambling down. The gambling total includes the FP and well it would include the MP too if I ever won one of those lol.

On Saturday I drove 380 miles with a whole bunch of stops in between. My first stop was supposed to be Lucky Star Casino in Concho. I wanted some breakfast and I saw a sign for a Sugar Creek casino advertising their breakfast so I decided I would stop, grab some FP and breakfast. Turns out they have BJ there and I didn't know, oops. Problem was it didn't open until noon so I had two hours to kill. I played a bunch of random stuff, had breakfast, went for a drive among other things. At 12:05 there still wasn't anyone at the BJ table so I asked and they said they were on their way. At 12:15 they showed up with no cards. At 12:30 a very rude dealer told me they were looking for cards. At 12:45 a rude pit boss finally showed up and didn't understand why I was bothering them. I don't know maybe cause I want to play the game that was supposed to open at noon. Obviously I didn't say that. Finally at almost one the table opened I played very little because the dealer was a miserable f*ck even after I tipped her. All together it took me three hours to get my chip, yes I am nuts! Btw I won $20.50.

I then got to Lucky Star Concho where they had a promo for Saturday's from 11-2 you get $10FP so I played that and some BJ and got away with about $17 profit. Next up was supposed to be Newcastle Casino but I passed it on the highway (yes I do that a lot) so I ended up at Riverwind first. I got there and found this on an Ultimate X machine:

Sadly I completely bricked this monster.
I then played some Bonus Poker where I hit this for the fourth time on the trip (3rd on quarters):

After a little table play I left up $90.

Next stop was back to Newcastle thanks to the GPS on my iPhone where I lost $24 pretty quickly and left. I then won $20 at Cimarron which I can't seem to remember at all. Ask Doc about that he knows all about the forgetting of places.

Next stop was the new 7 Clans in Perry. I won $20 on BJ ante free and found a cool cash out method I've never seen before. They do not have a cashier in the casino so when you cash out from the BJ table they take your chips back and print you a Tito that goes into a machine like a slot ticket. If someone wins more than a thousand bucks on tables or slots the manager pays it out himself. Weird but cool.

Next up was another 7 Clans casino, paradise this time where I lost $16.70 while leaving quick cause it was getting very late. I then found Two Rivers casino boarded up as I had heard that it had closed. I searched the grounds for a chip but... Just kidding even I'm not that nuts.

I visited the fourth and final Osage casino with tables and lost $25 ante free. My last Oklahoma casino was First council where I won a whole dollar and got $5FP from the slot house next door so I was up $7 between the two. In total I paid $89.50 in antes in Oklahoma so I basically lit a $100 bill on fire.

Next up and yes I got lost again was Kansas Star Casino. Once I did find it I was up a dollar after FP and craps. I then grabbed IHOP and went to my hotel in Wichita. Very long and tiring day.

Chips collected 200 (50 for my collection)
Total miles - 4120
Gas - $283
Hotel - $356.50
Food - $327.50
Tolls - $12.65
Arcade (which is like a toll) - $11.75
Shopping - $23
Gambling - +244.66
Poker +$1159
FP - $295 turned into $303.86
Match play - $20 turned a big old zero

You're doing amazing things, so this is not criticism, but you went right past my favorite OK casino. Had you already been to Downstream on a previous trip?

Quote: beachbumbabs

You're doing amazing things, so this is not criticism, but you went right past my favorite OK casino. Had you already been to Downstream on a previous trip?

Thanks Babs. I visited Downstream about a year ago now. I enjoyed it a lot. Where is your home base Babs? You've mentioned living in more places than I can count.

Not too much to report from yesterday. I left Wichita in the morning and drove to the middle of nowhere in Kansas to Boot Hill Casino. I won $22 between FP and BJ. As I was leaving I was looking for something for lunch when I noticed a smell. I followed my nose and it took me to a lobster buffet. I asked how much, she said $17.45 and I said well I guess I found lunch.



True to form as nugget champion on WoV I ate six of those bad boys. They were pretty good too! They lost money on me IMO.

I then drove 6.5 hours to my free room in council bluffs. I arrived exhausted, grabbed dinner, played a little VP (+$40) and called it an early night. I'm here for a couple days before I head north.

Chips collected 204 (51 for my collection)
Total miles - 4671
Gas - $329
Hotel - $366.50
Food - $376.50
Tolls - $12.65
Arcade (which is like a toll) - $11.75
Shopping - $23
Gambling - +306.41
Poker +$1159
FP - $305 turned into $310.61
Match play - $20 turned a big old zrep

Without a doubt, one of the most interesting threads on here ever. Thanks for all the details and information. Would love to do this trip sometime, in a slower way.

That is some trip; makes our Bossier City-Tunica-Biloxi five day seem like nothing at all. We did hit about 10 casinos but not with the distances between them as you have done!

Quote: Boz

Without a doubt, one of the most interesting threads on here ever. Thanks for all the details and information. Would love to do this trip sometime, in a slower way.

I'm so glad that so many people are enjoying this thread.

I slept in today to recover from the last couple of long days. By the way I love the Caesars properties in Council Bluffs, I get my two nights comped, two half food coupons for both properties, $10 cash and 7.50 in rewards credits. I know none of that is that amazing but it all adds up. Anyways after I woke up, I headed to the Horseshoe to play poker. First I used one of my 50% offers at the restaurant there and had an awesome BBQ chicken and bacon pizza and cheesecake. I then played a session making $250. Poker room was pretty slow since it is Monday.

I went back to my room to relax before dinner tonight at Jack Binion's Steakhouse. I got the 8oz filet and Mac and cheese. Sadly they changed the Mac from a bacon Mac to a four cheese and it wasn't as good. Still a great meal and it was half off!


Perfectly cooked filet!


After dinner I checked out some UX machines cause I am addicted to vulturing now. I found three, first two were small 2x or 3x and I bricked. Then I hit this! I know it's only nickels but this is my largest hit since I started vulturing.


Tomorrow I'm heading home with one stop at the new Shooting Star Casino that just opened up in Bagley, MN.

Chips collected 204 (51 for my collection)
Total miles - 4671
Gas - $329
Hotel - $366.50
Food - $425
Tolls - $12.65
Arcade (which is like a toll) - $11.75
Shopping - $30.50
Gambling - +402.66
Poker +$1410
FP - $305 turned into $310.61
Match play - $20 turned a big old zrep

The ux picture didn't post

Is the free play in addition to your profits for the trip and listed separately or is it included and you just gave a breakdown


Are you counting the -ev of all those miles on the car?
Sounds like an awesome time though

Quote: Wizardofnothing

The ux picture didn't post

Is the free play in addition to your profits for the trip and listed separately or is it included and you just gave a breakdown


Are you counting the -ev of all those miles on the car?
Sounds like an awesome time though

I fixed the picture. Gambling is the total, the rest is the breakdown. I think you are thinking way too much as an AP as far as the -EV on the car lol. It's a car, it's meant to be driven.

Lol nah just learned the hard way/ decided to buy a car last year - put a ridicules number of miles on it and had to get rid of it- guess I was so focused on ap I didn't realize you needed oil changes as least once every 75 k miles so I let the engine, put a new one in it and sold it- lesson learned

Quote: Wizardofnothing

Lol nah just learned the hard way/ decided to buy a car last year - put a ridicules number of miles on it and had to get rid of it- guess I was so focused on ap I didn't realize you needed oil changes as least once every 75 k miles so I let the engine, put a new one in it and sold it- lesson learned

75k miles? You need an oil change every 10k max lol.

Oops. !!!

Quote: Wizardofnothing

Oops. !!!

Lmao! Btw apparently not going to Shooting Star tomorrow as they opened without tables. Oh well.

Quote: PokerGrinder

Perfectly cooked filet!

You like all that blood in there? Gross!

Been following you through the U.S. and enjoying your story.

Thanks for posting.

Don

Quote: PokerGrinder

Thanks Babs. I visited Downstream about a year ago now. I enjoyed it a lot. Where is your home base Babs? You've mentioned living in more places than I can count.

I'm currently living on the East coast of Florida, near Kennedy, but doing a lot of traveling.

I've had 44 legal residences now, lifetime, in 10 different states, including childhood moves, and I've always loved to travel, so yeah, I've been around some.

FWIW, my mom was born in Winnipeg, so I've been up there many times as well, though not recently. I think it's very cool that both you and Charles Mousseau from WoV are from there.

Again, great thread PG. So all cleared you're going to make ~$500 for this awesome trip, and that doesn't include the value of the chips you collected?

Quote: beachbumbabs

...I've had 44 legal residences now, lifetime, in 10 different states, including childhood moves, and I've always loved to travel, so yeah, I've been around some...

Wow babs! You need to make a thread about all the places you've lived, give us some insight on each and your favorite tips/spots/etc. One could learn a lot about a lot of places (in the US I assume) from you =).

IBYA that is a perfectly cooked steak!

Thanks Don!

Babs that's cool that you've had the opportunity to live so many places. I think you mentioned before in the chip thread about your mom being from Winnipeg.

Romes I haven't checked the final numbers but ya it's nice that a trip that I had planned to cost $1000-$1500 will end up netting me a couple bucks. I'm going to take a couple days off when I get home cause I am heading to Edmonton, Alberta for a tournament series in a few weeks. I always try and make sure I don't burn out with my lifestyle.

Just got home. Nice to be home for a couple weeks before I leave again. There is something to be said for sleeping in your own bed and not living out of a suitcase lol.

Fun trip report, PG. Nice win too.

Quote: PokerGrinder

Just got home.

What an adventure! And, with almost 3,000 views (with more to come, probably), you sure carried a lot of us along with you. Many thanx for all your effort to report with so many descriptive posts.

Thanks for taking us along with your adventure, PG! Awesome that you came out on the plus side in the end!

Quote: PokerGrinder

Just got home.

So when do the new CCotD posts begin?