My first trip report:
Thanks to the vpfree database, I found many full-pay machines
without hours of scouting. As usual, there was a lot of turnover of
machines - I will summarize my database updates in a separate note.
Checked in to circus-circus around 12:15. flight + 3 nites room deal
thru Alaska Air only $151 from Seattle. after a brief walk-thru of
the circus casino, my friend & I parked at the 0.25 FPDW progressive
uprights bank next door in the Silver Legacy. 8 machines along the
south wall. chairs with backs, music was a little loud with annoying
constant commercial interruptions and the nickel slots in the same
aisle had their chimes turned up a little too loud. earplugs and good
waitress service helped. Hitting quad deuces in my 2nd hour helped
too. Spent at least 20 hours at this bank of machines in the 4 days
of my trip.
I'd been practicing Double Bonus before this trip, but there was only
one 0.25 10/7 DB at the Legacy, an upright next to the SE entrance.
I also tried some $1 10/7 DB's, 8 machines just north of the BJ/table
games at the Legacy. I hit quads on the $1's twice during my trip,
for a good profit. Definitely budget-busters had I not hit quads.
Day 2 I wanted to try Cal-Neva which on my last trip 2 years ago, had
a bank of 8-5 JoB progressive's with separate suited pools. I think
they're still there, upstairs between the restaurant and the new
addition, but the stools looked uncomfortable and I guess my
standards have gone up - I'd much rather play a 9/6 JoB slant-top,
which there were many of in the upstairs "addition". I also worked a
9/6 DB progressive bank near the poker room, without any big payoffs.
I scurried back to the Silver's FPDW. I got dealt 4 deuces for the
2nd time on the same machine. 2 mini-jackpots like this is all I
could have hoped for on a 3-night junket. Little did I know. I
scored two more 4 deuces hands before dinner. About now my accomplice
began to remind me that I was "Dipped". He ended up with zero
jackpots for the trip.
Time for a positive word about Legacy comps. No cash-back, true, but
the food comps were hassle free. I ate well in the food court across
from the comp desk. Thick prime rib and lobster tail, also chinese
food that was very fresh. The last day we ate at the Victorian
buffet, yeow, what a feast. First class service, great food, even
compared to Vegas buffet standards. As a free comp, and maybe because
my bankroll wasn't hurting, I felt good over-tipping.
We found a soothing venue for post-dinner digestion. multi-game slant
tops adjacent to the keno lounge at Circus-Circus, with relaxing 9/6
JoB. Quiet music and killer bloody mary's. My friend says he
can "smell" the Royal coming....
So, Day 2 evening, feeling good about 4 four-deuces, but I was not
done. Back to the Silver Legacy. An Asian lady had hit the FPDW
progressive pot of $1400+ before dinner. There was somewhat of a
scene because she lacked ID, but her husband went with her as
management moved the discussions to a back-room. It was my turn
after dinner. I kept A-10 spades and the machine froze up before I
could see why - the KQJ had fallen in on the draw. This was my first-
ever Royal, and you can appreciate the magic. OK, so it was
tarnished a bit because I had gone off what the strategy cards say to
do with A-10 suited. The jackpot was 1070 and the money-lady must
have known I was a rookie: "Hold your hand out, honey!", said she. I
tipped her $10 and the waitress $10 also.
After a couple more hours on the FPDW bank, I drifted over to the
multi-play machines. There is a bank of triple/5/10-play multi-games
north of the BJ tables, near the high-limit SLOT area. I had been
training on triple play, but I was reluctant to gamble my bankroll on
it before now. I hit it good for a while, taking out $40 profits
every half-hour or so. Then, just as I am ready to call it a night, I
hit my 5th quad deuces on the draw on one line in NSUD triple-play.
For some reason, it's an attendent payout on anything over 1000
credits, but I get the cash in my palm fairly quickly. I learn the
drill quickly, eh?
What a day, and what fun counting hundreds in my room before I sleep.
Day 3 is spent mostly at Silver. around noon I'm back on the triple-
play. Did I mention it has progressive jackpots on the deuces, on
each separate line? So that makes it a NSUD progressive. Well, I keep
KQJ diamonds and the A and 10 diamonds fall in to make a
coincidentally sequential Royal on the middle line. That progressive
was up to the just high enough amount of 1193. ding-ding-ding Two
royals in 2 days. I took it easy for the rest of the day, but pulled
one more 4 deuces hand from the FPDW bank. I also began buttoning up
my back pocket more concientiously.
These FPDW at Silver were full-up at certain peak times between lunch
and about 8PM, but they were comfortably empty most times. I met a
lot of the Reno locals who are keenly aware of the good pay tables on
this bank. "Hello" if any of you are reading this! The locals all
bemaoned the fact that they took out the FPDW that were upstairs at
the Legacy near the Sweetwater Cafe. There was a LOT of construction
going on at the Legacy, machines being moved and carpet being
replaced. Contrast this with the Cal-Neva, which, even though they've
constructed a nice addition, I think they used the same old carpet -
the place is musty and the waitresses were gruff. Most cashiers cages
closed at the Cal-Neva. Legacy has self-serve coin machines which
are really convenient.
So, DAY 4, I drift over to The New Golden Phoenix. Wide aisles and a
new staff anxious to please and bring in customers. 9/6/4700 JoB
slant tops near the north entrance. Many 50-play/100-play multi-
game/multi denom. I try 50-play nickels Deuces, (Very poor pay
tables) & get dealt 2 deuces on the 10th hand, one draw hand hits 4
deuces for +$50. I end the short session up $100. Many machines are
set up for ticket payoffs, but the attendent said they won't be
operational until mid-January. So it's hand-pay until them, somewhat
inconvenient. Lots of Double Double bonus and plain old Bonus VP
here, but I don't recognize the pay tables, so I don't play much
else. After a comped buffet at the Legacy, I go and collect my free
goodies: fanny pack, cards, dice, slot gloves, a hat & a visor. The
folks at the comp desk are generous and fast, let me re-iterate.
Next trip I qualified for free room comp. (for 500 pts/day; 1 point =
$10 play).
We explore the upstairs VP slant tops, Bonus deuces and Aces Bonus,
play them slow because we are bloated pigs and stay about even. A
final run through the triple-play and I drop a hundred or more, happy
that I didn't get such bad deals through-out the trip. Shuttle off
to the airport around 7PM.
As my flight is boarding, I hit 4 deuces for the 8th time on the
trip, at a deuces machine near my gate. "Attendant pay" means
someone is called out from the main terminal. I am last to board the
plane, $250 richer from airport money, sweet icing to a dream trip. I
bring home the Royals jackpots money, but the 4-deuces money is the
cost of VP play for about ten hours per day for 4 days.
This is my first time in 7 Nevada visits going home PLUS money. Feels
good. I tried the Singer money management system Day 1 only. Love to
chat about it by e-mail. Next trip for me is early May to downtown
Las Vegas.
~ Mark "Time"
in Seattle