To go or not to go.

Well. I have $70 in my name (which is currently a lot all things considered).

And im trying to decide between the following choices.

A) Take a bus trip to Tampa to the seminole casino and pay $35 for the bus, and I will have: $80 in free slot play, $55 in food credit, a $25 free bet for BJ or bac. Ill have to leave at 8:15am to get there around 11:30am- and leave there at 5pm. Slow drive, no hours of flexability- but save $25 over paying for gas (and the $35 I pay for round trip is turned into $30 free play on slots and $5 in food.

B) Drive my own self down to Tampa- paying about $60 in gas. But Ill get to set my own time table and get down a hell of a lot quicker 45 minutes to an hour one way)- Ill still have $50 in free slot play, the $25 free bet, and $50 in food credits.

C) Forgoing the freebies and just go to local poker room on a friday night for the nightly $500 / half hour high hand promotion and play 1-3 spread limit.

Im thinking with all the freebies being given to me (pretty generous for someone whos not beein there in FOREVER.. I should go to Tampa and take the bus since its less and turned into comp anyhow.


What you guys think? Paying $35 to ride on a bus and stay down there for 5 hours with $35 in cash left on me- but with $80 in slot play, $25 free table bet, and $55 in meal vouchers worth going? .. I would say that the expected return on that much free stuff woudl be worth the trip. I figured outside of a damn good meal for $50 (I like the food down there, they have a couple nice restraunts) I coudl expect a return of about $70 on the $105 in free play.

I would go with D) None of the above. But if you must gamble on the last $70 you have, I go with A).

Its not the last $70 I have. it just happens to be $70. Ive been out of work a long time- but I got my bills down to nill. This is just $70 to use one way or another. I figured I could take advantage of the offers.. just pay the bus fare and whatever cash I got from the freebies Id come back home with- so it woudl cost me half my money to get down there to use them (they would expire at end of month).. and if I have an expected return over $35 then Id be making a profit while having a good time and having some good food as well. I didnt really see a loss side to it.

The funds for this trip come from a few weekly poker games I deal. Tips honestly. So if I deal again Tuesday Ill have the $70-80 again.. its not hard work by any means, and the $70 is not irreplaceable. Im not ignoring bills with it (well, not ones I could make a dent in while unemployed).

Take the bus. It forces you to leave (hopefully with $) by 5. If you drive you might stay longer and loose the $.

I think I'd quit going to casinos for the time being, but on the other hand might as well use up the freeplay etc. The bus, forcing you to quit, might be best, depending on whether you need the control.

Quote: Malaru

Its not the last $70 I have. it just happens to be $70. Ive been out of work a long time- but I got my bills down to nill. This is just $70 to use one way or another. I figured I could take advantage of the offers.. just pay the bus fare and whatever cash I got from the freebies Id come back home with- so it woudl cost me half my money to get down there to use them (they would expire at end of month).. and if I have an expected return over $35 then Id be making a profit while having a good time and having some good food as well. I didnt really see a loss side to it.

The funds for this trip come from a few weekly poker games I deal. Tips honestly. So if I deal again Tuesday Ill have the $70-80 again.. its not hard work by any means, and the $70 is not irreplaceable. Im not ignoring bills with it (well, not ones I could make a dent in while unemployed).

I just assumed it was the last $70 you had for a week or whatever...I have been unemployed for terribly too long myself...and have ~$10k to my name...it blows; fortunately like you, I have no debt.

A, take the bus. You should have made it a poll. You have to consider the worse case scenario when you're short on funds. If you drive you could get a speeding ticket, blow a tire, hit a deer, etc. Plus, you get extra free play for taking the bus.

Quote: Miles1

A, take the bus. You should have made it a poll. You have to consider the worse case scenario when you're short on funds. If you drive you could get a speeding ticket, blow a tire, hit a deer, etc. Plus, you get extra free play for taking the bus.

Yeah the bus ride is very inexpensive when considering the extra slot play.

Quote: Malaru

A) Take a bus trip to Tampa to the seminole casino and pay $35 for the bus, and I will have: $80 in free slot play, $55 in food credit, a $25 free bet for BJ or bac. Ill have to leave at 8:15am to get there around 11:30am- and leave there at 5pm. Slow drive, no hours of flexability- but save $25 over paying for gas (and the $35 I pay for round trip is turned into $30 free play on slots and $5 in food.

"A" is probably your best choice due to the time constraints and avoidance of gas expense.
The poker session might hone your skills more though... pulling a slot machine's handle ain't much of a skill.

What about the Gulf cruise from Tampa into international waters for a buffet, craps and miniBacc? Any freebies there? I think its called TradeWinds and the craps is 2x odds.

What about the Victory casino at Cape Canaveral? You can get a 40.00 dollar motel room and a 51.00 check from the casino ship, free pickup and delivery and a one-pass buffet. (Check the details, since I'm going on memory on this). They also have a bus program but its not at extensive Drive and Park program.

Quote: Malaru

Im not ignoring bills with it (well, not ones I could make a dent in while unemployed).

I hope this doesn't mean you're carrying credit card debt or other high-interest debt. Your $70 would be more well spent paying that down than gambling.

Yes, no brainer going on the bus, but have discipline while you're there. Really 5 hours is a long time to be in the casino and 90% of the people are broke by the time they leave. I would be sure to eat and bring something to read to occupy the time. No point in going under the circumstances if you're not going to come out ahead.

I also recommending booking it as often as you can while you still have offers, because you're going to be burning bridges with that casino and will not get mail at one point soon.

Take the bus to the casino and only play your free play through once and cash out. Then take your meal vouchers and eat well. Do not do any other gambling. Think of this as a work trip. You are paying $35 and they are giving you over $100. A huge advantage for someone with only $70.

Quote: Malaru

....B) Drive my own self down to Tampa- paying about $60 in gas. But Ill get to set my own time table and get down a hell of a lot quicker 45 minutes to an hour one way)- Ill still have $50 in free slot play, the $25 free bet, and $50 in food credits....

At 45 minutes to an hour each way, the most you'd be on the road is two hours.
Assuming the fastest you'd average is 60 mph, you're looking at 90 to 120 miles total distance round trip, tops. You'd get 17 gallons for that $60 (@$3.50 or so), and at 20 mpg highway for a real guzzler, you could go 340 miles.

For 45 minutes to an hour each way, $20 should cover the entire trip's gas.

You could add $40 to your bankroll by driving yourself there. No freebies, though.

Quote: Paigowdan

At 45 minutes to an hour each way, the most you'd be on the road is two hours.
Assuming the fastest you'd average is 60 mph, you're looking at 90 to 120 miles total distance round trip, tops. You'd get 17 gallons for that $60 (@$3.50 or so), and at 20 mpg highway for a real guzzler, you could go 340 miles.

For 45 minutes to an hour each way, $20 should cover the entire trip's gas.

You could add $40 to your bankroll by driving yourself there. No freebies, though.

I disagree. For his $35 bus ticket he gets $30 in free play and $5 food. Saving the $25 in gas and getting $30 free play definitely seems like the right move for someone with only $70 to their name.

Quote: Paigowdan

At 45 minutes to an hour each way, the most you'd be on the road is two hours.
Assuming the fastest you'd average is 60 mph, you're looking at 90 to 120 miles total distance round trip, tops. You'd get 17 gallons for that $60 (@$3.50 or so), and at 20 mpg highway for a real guzzler, you could go 340 miles.

For 45 minutes to an hour each way, $20 should cover the entire trip's gas.

You could add $40 to your bankroll by driving yourself there. No freebies, though.

Yeah, I thought about tossing this into my argument as well, but then I wondered if he meant he would save 45 min to an hour each way by driving vs. the bus. If the trip by car is really is 45min to an hour and costs him $60 in gas, he really needs a more efficient car or to stop driving > 100MPH.

Consider driving. If you take the bus and blow through your freeplay in half an hour, what will you do with the 4 hours after you eat? Probably gamble your $30 in cash away. Better to pack it up and come home right away.

That is a factor, but I also think we can attribute some sort of self control and initiative to him rather than assume that if he happens to reach gamblers ruin promptly he will be unable to find some sort of diversion.

The gambling cruises offer buffets and booze but also offer a pleasant sea voyage if you've run out of luck too promptly. A little sun shine, watch roulette for awhile, you can fill the time even if you do lose your bankroll way too promptly.

I am quite familiar with Gambling in Tampa.
Seminole Hard Rock - I highly reccomend the buffet. This is a huge casino, bigger then anything in Vegas. I think 6th biggest in USA.Slots have terrible odds. Quarter Video poker pay table with perfect play around 97.5% Great poker room. Usually around 20 full tables. I've played lots of poker there. Great place to play poker. Not a good place to watch sports while playing poker,many tables not close to a screen.

Tampa Bay downs. Another nice poker room. Not as busy as hard rock but usually about 10 full tables. The food at the bar is awesome. I've actually considered going to the poker room just to get a meal. A great place to watch sports, lots of high def screens close to every table. Can bet on horses at other tracks.

Derby Lane. Nice poker room but thats about it. Food sucks. Not a good place to watch sports while playing poker. Can bet on live dog races.

Take the bus. It's better E.V.

Plus, you might kill yourself while driving.