Monday:
I arrived in Las Vegas early in the morning. Since I was only going to be in town for 3 nights, I wanted to maximize my playing time.
I had made a last minute decision to accept a favorable offer from the Golden Nugget, and squeeze in an extra LV trip in October, despite having been there in September. The deal was sealed when I was able to snap up a $198.00 fare on UAL's Ted. The flight was non-stop, with an early morning departure time and a late afternoon return flight, the schedule that I favor most.
For some reason VIP check-in was not available on Monday morning. However, the wait was
minimal, and I was checked in quickly by a very polite clerk. She informed me, without my asking, that the room had been comped by my host, and that I had $100 in freeplay as well
as a $100 food & beverage credit. Though I was aware of the offer details, I was pleased that she made sure that I knew the applicable credit amounts.
I was in my room by 10:30 am. Amazingly, the room had actually been cleaned and was ready for occupancy at that early hour.
As usual, I noted that GN rooms are at least as nice as most mid-level Strip Hotels. The furnishings, darperies and carpet were fresh, attractive and immaculately clean. There was a very comfortable make-up table, large wall mirror, bench, and a lighted magnifying mirror for applying make-up. ( Actually, I could have done without the magnification ! ) There were also full length mirrors on the closet doors, a feature sadly lacking in many hotels. The bathroom was small, but quite adequate. The bedroom was very spacious and also contained 2 double beds, a desk and chair, 2 comfortable armchairs for reading and a large armoire containing drawers and a TV set.
I also noticed that the closet contained a "do-it-yourself" safe deposit box , where valuables could be stored. I eschewed this convenience, for a "safer" safe deposit box at the front desk. I have read warnings about utilizing in-room boxes, and have heard of instances where the entire safe deposit box has been pried out of the wall, and carted off. Additionally, I observed that it appeared to be a relatively easy task to remove the door from the box, if the proper tool was available.
Despite rumors that Landry would change much about the GN ( and not for the better ) when they assumed ownership, I found that not a single change had been made to the physical plant, nor had any VP machines been removed or downgraded since my last stay there in April. I was both relieved and gratified. Hopefully, things will not change drastically in the future either
After visiting the 24 Karat Club to access my freeplay, I checked all the VP that I was interested in playing, for freeplay stickers. It appeared to me that freeplay could be used on every VP & Slot at the GN. I found this to be a welcome change from some other venues where freeplay is much more restricted.
I was pleased to see the freeplay sticker on my favorite GN machine, the .05 10 play 10/7DB machine near the buffet. The GN used to have a few of these machines, as well as .05 3 & 5 play 10/7DB. This is the the only multi-play .05 10/7DB left. The rest of them went MIA last Spring. Now, all the 10/7DB are single play nickle machines. These are very popular with the tourists and with the very low roller locals.
The 10 play is usually monopolized by a series of knowledable locals, or by a ploppie, playing
1 to 10 nickles, per draw. That morning I was delighted to find it vacant and ready for me.
I downloaded my $100.00 freeplay and was elated with the results immediately. When I finally quit that lovely machine, about 4 hours later, my $100.00 had grown to $604.00. This was a result of hitting 4 Aces 6 times, as well many other quads ( including quad 8's on the bottom line ) and even snaring a Royal, drawing to the AQ of hearts. The Royal showed
up a few hands after I drew to a bottom line hand of AKQJ of Clubs, and made only ONE straight!
Unfortunately, though the machine was still being kind to me, I could not sit any longer at this upright machine. It was very high, and I am very short. Even though I dragged over a high chair with a back, to sit on, replacing the low stool that had been there, I could tell that my sacroilliac was rebelling.
After taking a short walk and consuming a tasty Kosher Hot Dog at the snack bar, I attempted to go back to my profitable machine, but, alas, it was occupied. I did notice that the gentleman playing it, had credits of about $400.00. It appeared to me that he was hunkered down for the long haul, so I left the vicinity. I would have bet that he was an experienced local player, and even, perhaps, a fellow vpFREE member. I considered asking him, but decided that it would be presumptious.
I wandered over to a long row of comfortable, slant-top, multi-game, single line .25 machines that included 8/5BP, among several short-pay games. Though I know that the EV of 8/5BP is a few points lower than that of 9/6JOB, I actually enjoy playing BP more. IMO, it combines
the best aspects of Jacks (low varience) with the excitement of large bonus quads. Because I DO like this game, I can always find SOMETHING to play at the GN.
Leaning over the slant-top was both comfortable and relaxing. While sitting, there I hit 4 Aces twice, and cashed out $150.00 for my initial $20.00 investment. Things were going well indeed.
By pre-arrangement, I met two vpFREE friends for dinner, at the buffet. We had a lovely time, with many laughs and some interesting VP war stories. It was a fun evening, and I was enjoying myself so much that I wasn't in my usual hurry to get back to the machines.
I think that the GN dinner buffet has a good selection of fresh, well prepared, and nicely presented food, at the attractive price of $12.99 plus tax. Besides an abundance of prepared salads, salad fixings, pickled herring, cold meats and cheeses and peeled shrimp, they have a variety of hot entrees, vegetables, and hand-carved prime rib and turkey. Their dessert bar offers some tempting treats as well as their very excellent bread pudding. It is possible to completely pig-out, or stay on a low-carb or low calorie diet, while dining at this buffet.
After my friends went back to their hotel, I walked over to the 10 play, but once again, it was unavailable. I settled for a different bank of 8/5BP, where I again snared 4 Aces. I played a few hours, until I felt as if my eyes were no longer focusing accurately. This was proved to me conclusively, when I held a "flush" consisting of 4 hearts and a diamond ! I had also given back the profit from the latest 4 aces, and had lost $50.00 more besides. Though I could have played more, I knew I was not playing well and so I sent myself to bed. I was up about $800.00 for the day. A good start to the trip.
Tuesday:
I appreciate the fact that all of the machines at the GN are TITO. No more lugging buckets, with grimy hands, and waiting endlessly for coin fills ! Though infrequently it is necessary to wait for the ticket bin to be replaced, I think that this is a minor inconvenience compared to messing with filthy coins
I started the morning's play at about 6:00am, on the 10 play machine. I inserted the $50.00 ticket left over from the previous evening. By breakfast time, I had hit several quads, including the Aces three times, and cashed out a ticket for $254.00.
The breakfast buffet at the GN is a bargain at $6.99. In addition to juice and coffee, there is an omelet station, pre-made scarmbled eggs, bacon, two kinds of sausage, hash browns, corned beef hash with poached eggs, biscuits and gravy, bagels, lox and cream cheese, many salads, cereals, cold meats and cheeses, and a tempting sweet table, containing the ubiquitous bread pudding. Considering that eggs/bacon/toast/juice/coffee are almost twice
as much in the coffee shop, this is an outstanding value.
After breakfast, my 10 play was still available, so I sat down for another session. Three hours later I cashed out my original $254 ticket, for a nicer $454.00 ticket, after again snaring a few sets of 4 Aces and another Royal. I was beginning to think of this machine as my personal ATM !
After a short feet-up rest in my room, I decided to cross the street and visit Binions new FPDW machines. They were exactly where Ms.vpFREE posted that they would be ; along the west wall, past the Sports Book, and at right angles to the snackbar.
There are four machines in this bank. Two 10/7DB alternating with two FPDW. No one was playing at this bank, though the casino was relatively crowded. I played $50.00 through each FPDW coin-dropper, and while they keep me playing for a couple of hours, they eventually swallowed my Bennie. I looked at the JW machines on the opposite wall, but they both paid
85 coins for 4OAK, with 4700 coins for a RF. I went back to the GN.
I headed back for the 10 play. This time there was an elderly lady sitting in MY chair, hitting the draw button on the NEXT machine, each time that her husband played 2 nickles. They were playing 8/5DDB, even though 10/7DB was available on the same machine. I watched them for a few minutes, thinking that they might leave soon, but gave up when he hit 4 aces, ( with her help on the draw button ). While waiting, I did observe a few of their more unusual plays. When their initial draw contained a suited A/Q, A/K or A/J, they kept only the Ace. I presume 4 Aces was more important to them than a royal. They also kept a single pair of
3's and dumped the 2nd pair, giving up a guaranteed refund, for the chance, I suppose, at quad 3's. Perhaps they believed in certain "special plays" ( or perhaps they simply overlooked the 2nd pair ). I don't really know what their strategy was, but it was painful for me to watch. Since they showed no signs of leaving, and I didn't have the heart to ask a sweet looking and smiling old lady, to move to the machine on the other side of husband, where she would have had to reach across him, to hit the Draw button, I left.
Walking back to the area containing the slant-tops, I noticed a DW prog. that was at $1125 for the royal, $335 for 4 deuces, and $42.00 for the WRF. Though the pay table was a poor
1-2-2-3-4-13-16-25-200-250 with a single coin bet, the prog. amounts, with a 5 coin bet, made it more appealing to me. Additionally, even 4OAK was a prog.! Whenever I hit 4OAK, unless another player on the bank had just hit 4OAK seconds before, the payoff was at least 21 coins. The highest 4OAK payoff that I received, was 23 coins. This was an interesting and amusing play for me, and I sat there quite awhile, eventually cashing out with a $60.00 win, the result of a couple of WRF's.
My 10 play was still in use, so I wandered over to the .25 3 & 5 play machines. The best game available at this denom. is 8/5 BP. I played this for an hour or so, staying within $10.00 of my original Bennie. I finally hit 4 Aces, and cashed out $200.00.
As I was walking back to see what was happening with the 10 play, a "Blazing 7's" slot
machine caught my eye. My little inner voice told me to play a $20.00 in this machine. When this voice speaks, I usually listen. On the very first pull, my $20.00 turned into $300.00+. I quickly cashed out.
I played various machines at the GN the rest of the day, without much excitement.
After a good Chinese Lemon Chicken dinner at Lilly Langtrys, I went back to Binions, and once again made a $100.00 deposit into the two FPDW machines.
I did stop at the players club booth, on the way back the GN, to pick up a new player's card, and check my comp balance. The new card is red and white, and only contains the name "Binions". The "Horseshoe" logo is no longer theirs to use. I had 8000+ points, which meant $8.00 in earned comps. Binions no longer offers CB.
I went up to my room fairly early, after a couple of non-productive BP sessions. The casino was VERY crowded. Most machines in the Sports Book area were occupied with folks watching Game 3 of the World Series. This game went on for hours, the longest game in WS history, with both teams tied. It was a raucous crowd with lots of Chicagoans making
their voices and feelings heard ! Since I am a Cub's fan, and root for the Cubs OR whoever is playing the White Sox, this was not music to my ears. Therefore, I opted for the peace and quiet of the 15th floor. I watched the 13th inning of game 3 from my bed. Before I feel asleep, the Chicago WS had nailed game 3. But I was up $600.00 for the day. A more satisfying event.
Wednesday:
At 6:30am I was once again enscounced in my high chair, in front of the 10 play machine.
Within a few minutes, I pulled up quad Jacks on the bottom line, for a nice win of 2500 coins.
A few hands later a pretty royal appeared for 4000 coins. Then, as quickly as a sharp pin will deflate a balloon, the good hands disappeared. After a half an hour of playing 50 coins a hand and receiving "winnings" of 5, 10 or no coins per hand in return, I cashed out $250.00
( down from over $400.00 ) and went to breakfast.
After breakfast, I tried the 10 play again. In 10 minutes I lost $80.00 and decided to take a walk down Fremont Street.
The weather in LV was beautiful every day I was there ( a high in the high 70's and a low, at night, in the high 50's) except for Wednesday morning when it poured buckets of rain. Sticking my nose out into the deluge, I quickly retreated back to the friendly and dry confines of the GN.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a friendly machine for the rest of the morning, and finally, at noon, went up to my room for some feet-up rest and relaxation. After an hour of this peace and quiet, I looked out the window and saw that the sun was shining again.
I decided to walk down to the El Cortez, and use up my $25.00 Dining Coupon which would expire before my next downtown LV stay.
Before eating, I tried out the bank of M/D M/G TITO machines which contain FPKBJW. These nice machines are in the alcove across from Roberta's. Unlike my September trip, I couldn't catch much of anything good. I did have a few quads, but that money was soon disipated on these very fast machines. I decided it was lunch time.
My $25.00 coupon, which I used at Careful Kitty's Coffee Shop for my late lunch, bought a Porterhouse House steak, salad, potato, vegetable, Iced Tea and dessert. It was OK, but not great. I could have had an appetizer as well, but simply didn't have the capacity.
After lunch, I braved the JW TITO's again. When I finally quit, my $25.00 dining coupon had cost me $150.00. I can take a hint. I trudged back to the GN.
Of course I headed straight for my ( usually ) very friendly 10/7DB machine. I was surprized to find it unoccupied. I had a feeling that it was ready to produce some lovely hands again. I was correct in this assumption. My Bennie grew and grew. After a couple of hours, and several regular and bonus quads, including 4 Aces four times, I snared another royal flush. I now had almost $600.00 in credits, and badly needed a bathroom break. I turned on my change light and hoped for the best. No slot person appeared. Finally, I turned to lady sitting next to me and asked if she would watch the machine for me, promsiing to be gone less than five minutes. "Of course," she said. "You don't even have to print your ticket. I won't let anyone touch your machine". "Oh, that's OK," I replied politely. "I'll just take the ticket with
me in case you need to leave before I return. I appreciate the offer though".
When I returned, a few minutes later, the lady had indeed held my machine ( sans ticket ) for my return. She seemed like a very pleasant person. Though I was quite sure that she had no intention of stealing my ticket, I cannot imagine anyone, who was in full possesion of their senses, leaving several hundred dollars with a complete stranger.
After I had thanked her and begun to play again, she told me that I was smart to have taken
my ticket. She went on to say that a friend of hers had been playing at a downtown casino, the previous week, and asked the woman sitting next to her to watch her machine for a few
minutes. When she returned, the helpful woman, her $100+ ticket and the sweater which she had left on the seat back of her stool, were all gone. She called security but it was too late ; the miscreant had left the casino.
I had consumed such a large and late ( $150 ) lunch that I decided to forego dinner in exchange for another crack at Binions FPDW. I was sure that they they wouldn't be there for long, and I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity to play them. Again, they were too tough for me and I yielded another $100.00 to Binions bottom line. I did have a nice long chat with a local lady who was playing the other DW machine. She wanted to know how I had "found" the machines since they are off in a rather obscure corner at the back of the casino. I answered that "a friend" had tipped me off. "Blabbermouth !", she exclaimed. Then she looked me right in the eye, and said, "I'll bet you found out through one of those damn internet boards. They kill off every good play in town." I ignored her comment, and continued to play, in my fruitless quest for the deuces. I reminded myself about the vagaries of VP, as I ruminated that my biggest losses of the trip were on the very
positive FPDW.
As I was leaving Binions, I glanced at the wall across from where I had been playing the Deuces, and noticed that the two JW machines looked "different" than they had the day before. I walked over and was amazed to find two FPKBJW ! Apparently, they had been installed that day or late the previous evening. Of course, I had to immediately play both of them. To repay Binions for their new and surprizing generosity of spirit, I quickly donated another $100.00 to their cause.
Back at the GN, the 10 play was in use, the casino was a busy zoo, and I finally settled on a BP in the little alcove area near a change booth. I soon realized why there were a few empty VP machines in that area. There are several banks of Bonus Slots, including two banks of the Wheel of Fortune in that alcove. Apparently, all the players either knew each other, or had made some kind of pact to cheer each other on. Whenever one player would spin, the rest of the players would stop playing and try to loudly root the spinner on to "big money". After the spin, they would loudly commiserate with the unlucky spinner, who, once again, stopped on the slot which awarded them a paltry 25 quarters. After a short while, this noise began to seriously get on my nerves. I did appreciate that the WOF players were having a VERY good time. I, on the other hand, was not only losing and but also getting a headache.
I moved through the casino trying to find an unoccupied VP with a decent pay table. All the proprietory GN Bonus Flush machines were in use. All the 9/7DB with the Sequential Royal jackpot, were being played. The entire bank of BP machines were in use. ( I later learned that the GN was full due an invitational slot tournament beginning the following day.) I moved to the Sport's Book area again, and grabbed the end M/G in the bank, before the seat was cold from the prior tenant. I played BP, and listened to the cheers and shouts from the crowded SB, as the Astros battled the Sox in a scoreless tie. Since I also dislike the Astros, I had little rooting interest in this WS. If it had been possible for BOTH teams to lose, that would have pleased me the most. Finally, the Sox prevailed. So did I. I cashed out a $225.00 ticket, and retired for the evening. It had been a roller-coaster sort of day, but still it ended on the positive side of $300.
Thursday:
Knowing that I'd be off to the airport at 1:00, I was down in the casino by 5:30am. I headed right for the 10 play, and there in MY seat, was a strange woman. Even worse, she was playing the max 50 coins per pull, and seemed to know how to play. Though I played the .25 9/7DB behind her, for an hour, waiting for her to leave, I could see that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
I was going to meet a friend and her husband for breakfast, at the buffet, at 10:15. I still had a lot of playing time before breakfast. Fortunately, I hit a quad on the DB, and the $62.50 payoff kept me playing for an hour or so. I kept glancing at the 10 play. Soon the husband of the usurper of my 10 play arrived and asked if she wanted breakfast. She said that she did, but didn't want to give up the machine in order to eat. The husband heroically volunteered to play
the machine until her return. That's when I gave up my wait.
I called the front desk and asked if someone there would print my airline boarding pass. It saves loads of time at the airport, if you can go right to security. I was told that there was a Business Center in the South Tower, and that they would print the boarding pass for me.
When I arrived at the business center, a very young woman pointed out a computer on a desk, and, looking closely at me, asked if I knew how to use a computer. Straightening up to my full regal height of 5'1", I looked her squarely in the eye and said, " Of course, I do, dear. How may I assist you with your computer ? " That concluded our conversation.
After printing my boarding pass, I logged on to vpFREE and posted the news about the addition of the FPJW to Binions inventory. I hope some list members are able to take advantage of them before they become history.
I played a little BP and a little Bonus Flush Poker, as well as a good session of quarter 3 play, still losing about $100.00 for the morning.
After that, I meet my friends at the buffet, glancing on the way, at the 10 play, which was still in use by the husband/wife team.
We had a nice breakfast, and after the husband left for a live poker tournament, some good girl talk as well as some VP stories. I told my friend about my fav 10 play machine, and she promised to keep it company after I left.
After breakfast my friend pointed out that the 10 play was finally available. I ran to it, grabbed my high back chair, and played for an hour or so. Unfortunately, the magic was gone, and for the first time, I lost a Bennie on that machine. I was having such a nice time, talking to my bud, who was kind enough to keep me company, that it was a painless loss.
Finally, it was time to leave the GN. I was down about $200.00 for the day with no time left
for a grand comeback. Then I remembered cashback. I looked at my points, and realized that I had 12,000 points ; at 1c per point, the equivilant of $120.00 in cashback. On VP, the points accumulate at 1 point for each $3.00 of coin-in. I was astounded to realize that I had been running through about $12,000 per day.
I retrieved $100 of CB from the 24 Karat Club, and was now down only $100.00 for the day. Not bad at all, in the scheme of things. I had had positive results on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. My room and all my meals had been comped, and I had been given a $100.00 of seed money besides!
I'll be back in Las Vegas in Mid-December, and hope that trip is no worse than the last two trips have been.
I thank all the hardy readers who have stuck with this LOONNGG TR until the end.
Best regards,
-Babe-
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