Brenda and I were in LV January 10 - 20. We stayed 3 nights at Gold Coast,
two at Sunset Station and five at MSS. As in the past, rooms and most meals were
comped.
We spent our first nights at GC on a three night offer and gave them minimal
play. Instead of playing at GC, we played 8k at both ST and FH on a couple of
those days to establish with someone else. On our first day of play I got a
royal within the first 30 minutes. I always like to get that one out of the way
early. Helps me avoid heartache later on.
On Championship Sunday we watched the football games at Casino Montelago's
sports bar. The bar has quarter FP KBJW and DB and we had no problem getting a
seat. The bar area was crowded but few people were playing VP. It is fun to
play positive expectation video poker while watching football on nearby plasma
television screens.
On the two nights at SS we played about 4k with them and played more at
Casino Montelago and FH. I doubt I get another offer from either SS or GC but we
never know. I expected GC would have given me the boot last year.
As usual, we enjoyed our stay at MSS and downtown. We played some at the 4Q
DB progressive and did okay. At LVC we played 4k over three days to get
established with them. Before we began playing at LVC I asked a slot department
administrative assistant named Emely (who funtions somewhat as a host) about future
comps. I told her we usually play 7 - 8k and asked if that would cover a room
and reasonable meals. She said it would probably be okay but we would need to
ask the floor supervisors about meals while we are playing. After playing a
bit I realized there are not enough hours in the day for me to generate 7 - 8k
of play on their machines. Sooo Slooow.
With Binion's down we had to go elsewhere to get our triple play fix. Played
quite a bit on Texas Station's NSUD TP progressive a couple of days. It was in
positive range most of the time. Played TP DB at ACW also.
Fremont Street seemed strange with Binion's closed. The first night we were
there they still had the exterior lights on and the place looked normal with
the exception of no foot traffic directly in front. The second night the
exterior lights were off and it looked downright spooky. Like a dark shell of
something that was once vibrant and lively and would never be again. I hope it opens
with the TP's intact but I doubt it. I once talked with a young VP player at
Orleans (when they were loaded with FP games) who said he was a newly hired
financial analyst with Harrah's. His job was to run analysis on various
properties to determine if they should be possible acquisitions. I told him I hoped
they did not buy anything else in LV since they have screwed video poker at the
other properties they bought and caused frequent players to stay away from
them. He agreed casinos should consider more than machine hold percentages when
determining inventory. I wonder if he is still with Harrah's and if he still
agrees with that.
One evening at MSS I broke my three year run of not hitting a royal with a
one card draw. I did not count how many dealt 4 card royals I went through
during that time but it was way past the 1 in 47 average. An hour later I was
surprised by a dealt royal. The VP gods were trying to make up for ignoring me on
all those one card draws I missed.
We always see the oddest things in LV. This trip it was a woman playing vp
while encouraging her machine to play well by caressing and hugging it while
saying words like "Come on Honey, I know you can do better than that" and "You
better quit being bad and be good for Mommy" and "If you don't play right I will
leave you here by yourself." Her husband or significant other, who did not
play, was sitting next to her apparently accepting this as normal behavior. I
wondered if she talked to him the same way when they got to their room and if
they skipped FITR and went straight for WITR. You know, weird in the room.
Financially it was a good trip. I got 3 royals and deuces 10 times with one
of those on DT Deuces at LVC. Brenda had one royal and 7 deuces. For the trip I
was up $4500 making up for the $3500 loss I had last year which caused us to
have our first losing year since we started paying attention to such things
several years ago. Brenda, bless her heart, finished the trip slightly under
even. We also collected $240 in CB and scratchers. We got several of the $5
scratchers and one $20 at MSS.
We are next in LV March 9 - 20. Hope to see some of you then.
Don Forsythe
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