Trip Report Reno Peppermill July 23rd to August 1st.
We flew in from Houston on our regular 9:05 A.M. flight, which was
very full, arriving early about 11:20 A.M., Cereal and muffin for
Breakfast. I hate Continental's bran/Cinnamon/Spice Muffin, I can't
even eat it.
We picked up a rental at the Airport as my husband will be driving to
classes in the evenings (the reason for the trip) and were at the
Peppermill in about 10 minutes. We were going to use our new Platinum
parking privileges and not park valet but by Monday we were told to
not to use the back parking lot as they were gearing up for the Hot
August Nights Kickoff, the next Monday that eventually took over the
entire lot. We got $5 free play for using Valet Friday and Saturday
and if the valet ever took over 5 minutes (which it never did) you
got an additional $5.00 free play.
Found the new temporary valet parking area pretty easily. By the time
we left they had opened the permanent new bell station by the gift
shop, which I think will also be the valet. A lot of construction was
going on to connect to the new parking garage of which they are very
proud. Ramps will be heated with electronic boards at each level to
indicate available parking places.
Anyway back to the story. We checked in at VIP, room not ready, so
lunch at the coffee shop. We scouted the machines to see if they had
changed any of our favorites. We did not really feel like putting a
big day in on Sunday. So my husband just cashed in his $225 of free
play on the Hundred Play machine 1 cent. Apparently they realized
their mistake on the 2 cent machine we played in April, as it was
changed to /5c/10c/etc I think. I switched around trying my luck and
even lost $50 on video blackjack, $2.00 a hand.
Monday was our first real gambling day. We were side by side on the
hundred plays by the buffet. My husband of course stayed steady still
gambling on his free play. I quickly lost $100. So I moved to the
Spin Poker one seat down to play NSUD, which is my favorite anyway
and is not on the hundred play. I used it as a quarter 3 play, I
started with about $50 and after about 10 minutes hit the 4 ducks
which cheers me up no end. So I moved back to the hundred play JOB.
We had a Peppermill coupon for a free Mr. Money on a Royal Flush with
no restriction that it be the original line on multiplay so my
husband got the first one of course. Mine came an hour later, only
$40 but still nice. I had held one and he had held two. We played
some more. We usually got up about 5:00 am had breakfast and played
these machines for about 4-5 hours as it was hard to get on them
later in the day. I usually play some craps before or after lunch.
Never say a big roll the whole trip but stayed pretty even until the
last day.
Tuesday after the hundred play morning session where I had 4 dealt
FH, but no 40k and 1 royal on 2 held, I chased the JOB progressive at
the main bar. It was very attractive at I think about $2800 for the
royal and close to $300 for the straight flush with a return of close
to 103%. I lost the exact numbers. I couldn't even get a 40k and lost
a couple of hundred.
Wednesday we had another Mr. Money coupon that required a 40k in
Jacks thru Aces on the first line of a multiplay or a regular
machine, so we were both racing to get that, I had 3ok 3 times and
could not draw the forth. So of course Mr. Lucky, (my husband) holds
a single king and gets the other 3 on the draw. I had several of the
required 40k's after that of course. I am losing again on the hundred
play and move over again to the NSUD and soon get another 4 ducks
after being dealt 3. Then I go lose another hundred on the 100 play.
I move back to the NSUD and soon hold 2 Deuces and get the other two
on the draw. Both times my husband was on the phone to his very lucky
assistant. I told her that I thought I would call her while playing
for the progressive that night. She said she has people do that from
Casino's to change their luck. When she came to Reno with us for a
class, I know that I played a slot machine next to her and hit. We
also were wandering around the casino and I said I had a dream about
the Blazing 7's so we went over fed in the dollars in for one spin
and hit for a hundred. Once we went to the Cal-Neva and she found a
Wheel of Fortune and two of us were ferrying buckets of quarters to
the change booth for about half an hour. She gave me $5.00 with
instructions to play another machine and pretty soon I had over a
bucket of quarters. My mistake was never calling her again this trip.
Also on Wednesday, I was playing the 3 play quarters NSUD when I
watched the 10, J, Q, K of Diamonds pot up, held my breath and
nothing. Sort of the story of my trip with regards to Royals.
Wednesday we had lunch with some e-mail friends at Oceana. I had the
mixed grill, recommend the sea bass, skip the shark.
Thursday. Same morning routine. I started using the 100 play as a 10
play 10c machine, 1 dealt 40k helped but I still lost about $300.
While playing 10 play 5c, I was dealt a straight flush K-9. I had my
husband double check the strategy card to be sure that I held them.
As an update on my husband, he was still playing on the house money.
At one point he had doubled his original amount. I don't think he
played anything the entire trip but that machine, other than the free
slot tournaments. He did get two free roulette bets from the card
swipe, which the huge gambler that he is put on black, and won one
and lost one. I got a free bet also but put on a 4 number bet and
lost. We swiped and got a total of 4 free ace blackjack tickets, 3
for $50 and one for $25. I lost the $25 when I drew a 2, won on a $50
when I got blackjack. Got a 5 on the other $50 and wimped out with
the dealer showing a 2 and did not draw, of course the next card was
a six and I eventually lost. That bothered me the whole trip because
I knew I was supposed to draw. I lost on the other $50 as well with
drawing another 2 and losing.
We did the free slot tournament Thursday and while waiting at the
machines around the drawing area, I played some NSUD to pass the
time. I casually held a deuce and watched the other 3 pop up. What I
noticed most was how big the cards were on those machines after
playing the multiplay.
Friday night they had a drawing as well and we had all of one ticket
in the machine. I was playing the Big Split game and losing after
doing pretty well on it before dinner. So I moved over to the Spin
Poker by the Steak house. Feeling a little poor I decide to play 3
hand 10c. On the first spin I get nothing but when I hit draw I get 4
deuces on the first line. I then got about 3 WRF in the next two
hands. I quit up about $100.
Friday night we used our $50 dining coupon at Romanza. Contrary to
everyone else I have never enjoyed a meal at either Romanza or the
Steak House. My husband enjoyed his but I made the mistake of
ordering the Gnocchi as an entrée. Don't. It is a mass of gooey
potato pasta. I could only eat about 3 or 4 bites. Good for the diet.
But this should not be an entrée.
Saturday I had a pretty good day. We played some on the 50 play and I
was up about $50. My husband was resting that evening so I went down
to get our free play from valet parking on Saturday (a special for
Diamond and Platinum players since our self parking lot was closed) I
had spent about $20 at Video BJ at the Steak House Bar getting
a "free nightcap" so since I have been lucky on NSUD I go back to the
Spin Pokers by the Steak House since I had been lucky that day I go
back up to quarters. On the 3rd spin I had 2 deuces and sure enough
got the 4 again. I took the money and ran.
Sunday morning we were back at the 100 play penny JOB (sorry to hear
that they are gone, I don't know what my husband will play now) Again
nothing so I switch back to the Spin Poker NSUD and draw 5OK and then
about 30 minutes later I hit the 4 ducks again holding 2. All in all
I hit the quarter ducks 5 times and once on dimes. This adds credence
to my theory that the Deuces fairy and the Royal Flush one are not
friends and you get one or the other. My last trip 1 had two
improbable royals and I don't think a single 4 deuces.
I stopped taking notes at this point so I don't know what happened
Monday other than roaming the parking lot looking at the classic
cars. I did notice that on one bank of spin pokers by the Steak House
that the penny play had been restored. Tuesday I flew back to Houston
after taking a dip in the multistrike pool. My husband had to stay
another 3 days to finish his class. He reports that he slowed his
play to come away a winner with some of his free play left. He
returned with $12.43 of the casino's money so he felt it was a
successful trip. I didn't make a sports book bet with my $50 free
play coupon because I lost it so that probably saved me some money
also.
Since this was a business trip we didn't need comps so of course when
checking out my husband was informed that our host had comped the
whole room cost. We had told him when we first met him that we only
wanted room comps when we vacationed. Of course we have never gotten
them then, only what could be paid for from our hard comp account.
When we go back on vacation in October we will have to try and see
him and explain again. I also want to check and see if our comp
account was drained when the rooms were comped. Last trip we were
told by VIP checkout lady that all comps came from account and that a
discretionary comp was very rare. We wanted to save the comps we
earned this trip to pay for vacation. We probably played about $100-
120k but were there for almost 12 days and we stayed in a nice suite
but were very frugal on food.
So my best to everyone and happy gambling.
Trish