Vegas trip 30 AUG to 8 SEP
September 11th, 2018 at 1:32:46 PM
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It was my second time in vegas, first time of my brother.
We stayed at treasure Island, but visited the majority of hotels in the strip and downtown(and few others). I am discribing here my thoughts, expericnce and updated info about any of which.
Important to know: I am a very low roller, and casino gambling is not allowed in my county(friendly poker games with very low limits are allowed). I play BJ, craps(only 1x odds I can afford myself), video poker(JOB and Deuces wild), few slots, and no limit holdem.
The hotel is OK, great location and good price. The casino itself is not busy(sometimes too empty), high minimums, seems to have bad Ventilation but wasn't busy so it wasn't smoky.
The poker room is permanently down! And the buffet is temporarily down. Which is not good... The pool is generic.
As for the casino:
Too pricey! All the games where 10$ or more. Which is too much for me.. At least they have good 3:2 BJ but I did not play there. The quantity of tables is not amazing and most of the time only small fraction were actually active.
There are lot of slots with great variety but surprisingly no megabucks(we will get to that).
The strong part of the casino is virtual/stadium table games: They have 2$ virtual craps(hate this machine), 1$ virtual roulete with only one zero, and the new stadium gambling with decent rules for BJ: 3:2, 1$ weekday(3$ weekend), surrender allowed! But I found the stadium betting to be boring, slow and not exciting enough.
The player card is very good: lot of promotions. New players get a draw(virtual pull tabs), I got 2x multipliler for the first day. After 50 points only you get another, better draw. I got 10$ freeplay! And the points are accumatled quickly. I found a machine(with three wheels) with very low variance and lot of small wins, 9 cent for a pull. I played 1-2 hours almost every day on it, barely lost(maybe 10$, got few 10$ or below winnings) and got the promotion draw! While two years ago at excalibur I played most of my games at MGM casinos, much more slots, and got nothing...
The rest of the casinos, by order:
Mirage:
Liked the vibe, but somewhat smoky. Joined 65$ poker tournament, finished 4th place(of 24 players)and won 190$! Okay structure with very nice dealers, room, players and waitres. One problem: too close to a very smoky sport room where people smoked cigar sometimes... My brother lost to a two-outer. I reached the money(5th place) with only 2-4 blinds... and managed to be 4th place!
The rest of the tables were too pricey for me.
Excalibur:
My previous trip's hotel, still low minimums: 5$ to almost any game. BJ was 6:5 in 5$ and 3:2 only in 15$. I played craps 5$, sometimes with 1x odds, ended with +50$. My brother lost 55$ in 3 card poker without a single win. Then we player 45$ poker tournament 1pm. Very easy players but blinds increase quickly and short levels made me(and him-different tables) be short stack and our after an hour. Okay room.
New York:
I like this casino! Very nice vibe, very high ceiling and almost not smoky, and most of the games are 5$(3:2 BJ is 10$). My brother played some 10$ 3:2 BJ(our only time) for an hour, ended even. I won 2 for 1 rides in the roller coaster using Konamy slots and MyVegas on Facebook! which was nice.
The waiters were very nice and gave me Cola despite the fact I didn't play and just watched my brother. I gave tip of course.
Luxor: Didn't play, but saw lower minimums than in 2016, 5$ mostly.
Mandalay bay:
Beautiful floor, but I didn't play, visited to seee the sharks because I thought it was free. However a friend requested me to play 30$ for him in a megabucks machine in my trip. I found few without smokers and gave a try. won 300$!!! But I promised to give him the winnings... Still was fun to win big(100x) but why only for other people?
The rest of the tables where pricey.
Rio: We saw Pen and Teller. Very nice show, although I expected a little more. I was very dissapointed that the free shuttle from ballys is not working anymore and needed to use bus. The casino is pricey and I didn't play. Even the voodoo zipline is much more expensive than my previous time so I didn't take it. The poker tournaments structre is terrible when it is not WSOP...
Gold coast:
I was told it is smoky and not nice, but I actually found large section of full pay JOB, 25c, with no one smoking nearby. Won about 40$ with two quads and many small wins. My brother didn't go well and lost 40$. We used the wizard's "simple strategy".
Than saw 3:2 5$ non-smoking blackjack table, double deck! With a friendly and funny dealer from our country! I didn't like to play with cards face down, but still enjoyed. Won about 20$, my brother ended even. One man near us got a large side bet win of 250$(from 5$).
There were tons of 5$ 3:2 BJ, and craps(didn't play), and 10$ asian games. And the chips are very beautiful! Smoky, but not in our table.
Palms:
Gave a try to the full pay deuces wild. Run badly and lost 20$ without a major win. I could not find the 5$ tables(including 3:2 BJ) I played there in 2016, just 10$.
Center strip trip and Wynn:
First time saw fall of atlantis. Actually nice! The fountains of bellagio and the volcano are better of coursre...
Wynn: Just went to see the beautiful temporary flowers exhibition (like bellagio has always), the casino is very beaiful but so pricey... Didn't play of course.
Harrahs:
Played 70$ poker tourmanent. Huge house edge: only 40$ go to the prize pool! But amazing structure(300 blinds I think and 20 minutes levels). Very noisy, messy party-like casino and also poker room. The game was very weird, hilarious and funny with tons of rebuys(not me). Me and my brother got to the final 3, than agreed to chop the price with a third, better player than us. 190$ win again!
I also tried the zombie shooting skill-game. Too hard, but nice idea(I am a gamer). lost 30 cent...
Saw "Mystery" show in our hotel(TI), very good! I strongly recommend.
Next day we took a trip to downtown:
4 queens:
They gave free pull of a special machine in the entrance. Both got nothing, and the casino didn't seem to be very fun. All 5$ BJ I saw were 6:5! Didn't play
Binons:
The million dollars to take picture with isn't fun enough. We played few full pay JOB 25c, ended even. Table games looked like 4 queens.
The D:
Played sigma derby for the first time! They still have one in the upper floor. Only D and MGM grand have ones. I know the house edge is high, but I was fun and we both hit big wins and ended up 30$-40$ profit! When man smoked near us it was very smelly and bothersome, but I went(lost?) very quickly. The waiters were very good even at this floor! We saw a man with a full cup of quarters in another(non sigma derby) coins machine, lol... I like the sound of the falling coins! Bring them back!
El cortez:
I hears this place is smoky and unappealing, but I wanted to ride the zipline and see the fermont experience in the evening so I gave a chance.
Found a 5$ 3:2 BJ with two decks, this time cards faced up! More fun together with my brother. Won about 15$ each after playing for an hour, than they started chips checking(in their "pot") and we left. A man smoked but since the table was empty at start, I moved to the other side of the table and he understood and pointed the smoke away from me, and it was okay from now(I am usually very sensitive). Didn't get any drinks... But this place is okay when not to busy(no smoky).
Golden Nugget:
Nicest casino I saw in downtown. However too high minimums(10$ mostly). Joined 50$ tourmanenet, they forced me to get a player card. I got 10$ match play with it, put on craps and lost. My brother too.
The poker was very poor: bad vibe, angry and noisy players that I am sure some of them co-operated(they played very odd against each other and normally against me). Had a bad beat (runner-runner) and went out disappointing without any fun. I so disliked this one I didn't want to play any more poker tournaments!
Next day: trip to north strip, almost no betting day! Stratosphere was as fun as my first time. Circus acts at Circus hotel were also good for a free show. We spent time witnessed people playing and eating in good restaurants.
Stratoshpere:
I didn't play, but I almost wanted to play when I saw 5$ 3:2 BJ! However, only one table and the whole table smoked... I also saw 5$ on craps and other games.
CIrcus:
Played 10$ on the 0.5$ full pay aces and eights. Didn't get a single win... But I had to try the EV+ machine.
Slots a fun: so empty! Only us visited the casino. We wanted to play pool. It is actually very cheap but the vibe didn't exist.
Next days:
Flamingo:
Their site states they have 1-1$ no limit holdem cash game, and 1-3$. But actually they have only 1-2$, and I came for the 1-1. Rest of the tables were 5-10$(good games are 10$), 3:2 BJ is 15$. Left without playing. Another day I played little 6:5 5$ BJ is the restautrnt nearby(which is also belongs to flamingo) just to get free drinks. Was fun, but lost 10$ Didn't get any blackjack so the 6:5 didn't matter at least... Just the dealer had insane luck with tons of 20s and 21s.
MGM Grand:
Huge casino but easy to navigate! An huge plus IMO. Tried 1-2$ cash poker. On my third hand I got high pair, raised all-in against a flush draw in the flop and he hit the flush... Lost 100$. My brother meanwhile on other table played well: won 350$ and also got full house with pocket pair for extra 100$ promition (50% he gave to me). The sigma derby was busy, the tables are 10$ and over. At least I had tons of slots to watch...
Cromwell:
Played full pay JOB 25c. I ended even, my brother won 30$. Didn't get any drink service.
Ballys:
Played some 3 card poker, lost almost every hand, minus 25$ very quickly. Rest of the games were 10$. Didn't get any drink! But we played the nice twilight minigolf(only 9$0 each)
Paris:
Nice looking but 10-15$ for tables games-didn't play.
Linq: My brother gave try to the artillery angry-birds style skill game. Lost 30 cent... Rest of the games were raised from my previous trip in 2016, from 5$ to 10$.. Didn't play
Bellagio: didn't play, but the hotel is amazing!
Venetians: like bellagio, however they have 5$ 3:2 virtual blackjack(non stadium). Palazo has large 5$ stadium baccarat and is very clean from smoke.
FInal day I saw somone playing 5$ wheel of fortune at airport and god 500$ Nice timing... I didn't play this very tight machines.
Totally: both about 50-100$ profit!
About restaurants: I won't write reviews, but I liked: outback steakhouse, pizza rock(downtown), broadway burger(NYNY), strip burger(fashion mall) and chicha(venetian).
Hoped you enjoyed reading! What do you think about my feelings?
We stayed at treasure Island, but visited the majority of hotels in the strip and downtown(and few others). I am discribing here my thoughts, expericnce and updated info about any of which.
Important to know: I am a very low roller, and casino gambling is not allowed in my county(friendly poker games with very low limits are allowed). I play BJ, craps(only 1x odds I can afford myself), video poker(JOB and Deuces wild), few slots, and no limit holdem.
The hotel is OK, great location and good price. The casino itself is not busy(sometimes too empty), high minimums, seems to have bad Ventilation but wasn't busy so it wasn't smoky.
The poker room is permanently down! And the buffet is temporarily down. Which is not good... The pool is generic.
As for the casino:
Too pricey! All the games where 10$ or more. Which is too much for me.. At least they have good 3:2 BJ but I did not play there. The quantity of tables is not amazing and most of the time only small fraction were actually active.
There are lot of slots with great variety but surprisingly no megabucks(we will get to that).
The strong part of the casino is virtual/stadium table games: They have 2$ virtual craps(hate this machine), 1$ virtual roulete with only one zero, and the new stadium gambling with decent rules for BJ: 3:2, 1$ weekday(3$ weekend), surrender allowed! But I found the stadium betting to be boring, slow and not exciting enough.
The player card is very good: lot of promotions. New players get a draw(virtual pull tabs), I got 2x multipliler for the first day. After 50 points only you get another, better draw. I got 10$ freeplay! And the points are accumatled quickly. I found a machine(with three wheels) with very low variance and lot of small wins, 9 cent for a pull. I played 1-2 hours almost every day on it, barely lost(maybe 10$, got few 10$ or below winnings) and got the promotion draw! While two years ago at excalibur I played most of my games at MGM casinos, much more slots, and got nothing...
The rest of the casinos, by order:
Mirage:
Liked the vibe, but somewhat smoky. Joined 65$ poker tournament, finished 4th place(of 24 players)and won 190$! Okay structure with very nice dealers, room, players and waitres. One problem: too close to a very smoky sport room where people smoked cigar sometimes... My brother lost to a two-outer. I reached the money(5th place) with only 2-4 blinds... and managed to be 4th place!
The rest of the tables were too pricey for me.
Excalibur:
My previous trip's hotel, still low minimums: 5$ to almost any game. BJ was 6:5 in 5$ and 3:2 only in 15$. I played craps 5$, sometimes with 1x odds, ended with +50$. My brother lost 55$ in 3 card poker without a single win. Then we player 45$ poker tournament 1pm. Very easy players but blinds increase quickly and short levels made me(and him-different tables) be short stack and our after an hour. Okay room.
New York:
I like this casino! Very nice vibe, very high ceiling and almost not smoky, and most of the games are 5$(3:2 BJ is 10$). My brother played some 10$ 3:2 BJ(our only time) for an hour, ended even. I won 2 for 1 rides in the roller coaster using Konamy slots and MyVegas on Facebook! which was nice.
The waiters were very nice and gave me Cola despite the fact I didn't play and just watched my brother. I gave tip of course.
Luxor: Didn't play, but saw lower minimums than in 2016, 5$ mostly.
Mandalay bay:
Beautiful floor, but I didn't play, visited to seee the sharks because I thought it was free. However a friend requested me to play 30$ for him in a megabucks machine in my trip. I found few without smokers and gave a try. won 300$!!! But I promised to give him the winnings... Still was fun to win big(100x) but why only for other people?
The rest of the tables where pricey.
Rio: We saw Pen and Teller. Very nice show, although I expected a little more. I was very dissapointed that the free shuttle from ballys is not working anymore and needed to use bus. The casino is pricey and I didn't play. Even the voodoo zipline is much more expensive than my previous time so I didn't take it. The poker tournaments structre is terrible when it is not WSOP...
Gold coast:
I was told it is smoky and not nice, but I actually found large section of full pay JOB, 25c, with no one smoking nearby. Won about 40$ with two quads and many small wins. My brother didn't go well and lost 40$. We used the wizard's "simple strategy".
Than saw 3:2 5$ non-smoking blackjack table, double deck! With a friendly and funny dealer from our country! I didn't like to play with cards face down, but still enjoyed. Won about 20$, my brother ended even. One man near us got a large side bet win of 250$(from 5$).
There were tons of 5$ 3:2 BJ, and craps(didn't play), and 10$ asian games. And the chips are very beautiful! Smoky, but not in our table.
Palms:
Gave a try to the full pay deuces wild. Run badly and lost 20$ without a major win. I could not find the 5$ tables(including 3:2 BJ) I played there in 2016, just 10$.
Center strip trip and Wynn:
First time saw fall of atlantis. Actually nice! The fountains of bellagio and the volcano are better of coursre...
Wynn: Just went to see the beautiful temporary flowers exhibition (like bellagio has always), the casino is very beaiful but so pricey... Didn't play of course.
Harrahs:
Played 70$ poker tourmanent. Huge house edge: only 40$ go to the prize pool! But amazing structure(300 blinds I think and 20 minutes levels). Very noisy, messy party-like casino and also poker room. The game was very weird, hilarious and funny with tons of rebuys(not me). Me and my brother got to the final 3, than agreed to chop the price with a third, better player than us. 190$ win again!
I also tried the zombie shooting skill-game. Too hard, but nice idea(I am a gamer). lost 30 cent...
Saw "Mystery" show in our hotel(TI), very good! I strongly recommend.
Next day we took a trip to downtown:
4 queens:
They gave free pull of a special machine in the entrance. Both got nothing, and the casino didn't seem to be very fun. All 5$ BJ I saw were 6:5! Didn't play
Binons:
The million dollars to take picture with isn't fun enough. We played few full pay JOB 25c, ended even. Table games looked like 4 queens.
The D:
Played sigma derby for the first time! They still have one in the upper floor. Only D and MGM grand have ones. I know the house edge is high, but I was fun and we both hit big wins and ended up 30$-40$ profit! When man smoked near us it was very smelly and bothersome, but I went(lost?) very quickly. The waiters were very good even at this floor! We saw a man with a full cup of quarters in another(non sigma derby) coins machine, lol... I like the sound of the falling coins! Bring them back!
El cortez:
I hears this place is smoky and unappealing, but I wanted to ride the zipline and see the fermont experience in the evening so I gave a chance.
Found a 5$ 3:2 BJ with two decks, this time cards faced up! More fun together with my brother. Won about 15$ each after playing for an hour, than they started chips checking(in their "pot") and we left. A man smoked but since the table was empty at start, I moved to the other side of the table and he understood and pointed the smoke away from me, and it was okay from now(I am usually very sensitive). Didn't get any drinks... But this place is okay when not to busy(no smoky).
Golden Nugget:
Nicest casino I saw in downtown. However too high minimums(10$ mostly). Joined 50$ tourmanenet, they forced me to get a player card. I got 10$ match play with it, put on craps and lost. My brother too.
The poker was very poor: bad vibe, angry and noisy players that I am sure some of them co-operated(they played very odd against each other and normally against me). Had a bad beat (runner-runner) and went out disappointing without any fun. I so disliked this one I didn't want to play any more poker tournaments!
Next day: trip to north strip, almost no betting day! Stratosphere was as fun as my first time. Circus acts at Circus hotel were also good for a free show. We spent time witnessed people playing and eating in good restaurants.
Stratoshpere:
I didn't play, but I almost wanted to play when I saw 5$ 3:2 BJ! However, only one table and the whole table smoked... I also saw 5$ on craps and other games.
CIrcus:
Played 10$ on the 0.5$ full pay aces and eights. Didn't get a single win... But I had to try the EV+ machine.
Slots a fun: so empty! Only us visited the casino. We wanted to play pool. It is actually very cheap but the vibe didn't exist.
Next days:
Flamingo:
Their site states they have 1-1$ no limit holdem cash game, and 1-3$. But actually they have only 1-2$, and I came for the 1-1. Rest of the tables were 5-10$(good games are 10$), 3:2 BJ is 15$. Left without playing. Another day I played little 6:5 5$ BJ is the restautrnt nearby(which is also belongs to flamingo) just to get free drinks. Was fun, but lost 10$ Didn't get any blackjack so the 6:5 didn't matter at least... Just the dealer had insane luck with tons of 20s and 21s.
MGM Grand:
Huge casino but easy to navigate! An huge plus IMO. Tried 1-2$ cash poker. On my third hand I got high pair, raised all-in against a flush draw in the flop and he hit the flush... Lost 100$. My brother meanwhile on other table played well: won 350$ and also got full house with pocket pair for extra 100$ promition (50% he gave to me). The sigma derby was busy, the tables are 10$ and over. At least I had tons of slots to watch...
Cromwell:
Played full pay JOB 25c. I ended even, my brother won 30$. Didn't get any drink service.
Ballys:
Played some 3 card poker, lost almost every hand, minus 25$ very quickly. Rest of the games were 10$. Didn't get any drink! But we played the nice twilight minigolf(only 9$0 each)
Paris:
Nice looking but 10-15$ for tables games-didn't play.
Linq: My brother gave try to the artillery angry-birds style skill game. Lost 30 cent... Rest of the games were raised from my previous trip in 2016, from 5$ to 10$.. Didn't play
Bellagio: didn't play, but the hotel is amazing!
Venetians: like bellagio, however they have 5$ 3:2 virtual blackjack(non stadium). Palazo has large 5$ stadium baccarat and is very clean from smoke.
FInal day I saw somone playing 5$ wheel of fortune at airport and god 500$ Nice timing... I didn't play this very tight machines.
Totally: both about 50-100$ profit!
About restaurants: I won't write reviews, but I liked: outback steakhouse, pizza rock(downtown), broadway burger(NYNY), strip burger(fashion mall) and chicha(venetian).
Hoped you enjoyed reading! What do you think about my feelings?
September 11th, 2018 at 3:16:02 PM
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Sounds like it was fun. Hurry back. There is much more still to see!
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
September 11th, 2018 at 4:19:13 PM
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Thanks for the trip report lavifighter! I enjoyed it very much. You went almost everywhere.
What is "twilight minigolf(only 9$0 each)"?
What is "twilight minigolf(only 9$0 each)"?
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
September 11th, 2018 at 4:26:34 PM
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I had few typos...
It is a minigolf in Ballys, in the dark(shinning stuff). Cost 9$ each person. Actually nice activity for the hot days
It is a minigolf in Ballys, in the dark(shinning stuff). Cost 9$ each person. Actually nice activity for the hot days
