FWIW:
The trip was Friday the June 29th through July 1st. This will
be rather long report, but it at least something for the group.
There is the delete button. I will compose this in Microsoft
Works and hope it formats reasonably to the Forum.
I combined two offers (Harrahs and Edgewater). Harrahs gave us
bus transportation, two nights and 2 free brunches. The Edgewater
offer was for two nights and 2 tickets to Kenny Loggins. The
concert was the main purpose of the trip.
I have a host at Aquarius. I asked her if she would match the
Loggins ticket offer. She could not give me tickets, but we could
have free rooms. The suggestion was only raised since I had no
desire to gamble at the Edgewater/Belle. However, if I accept an
offer, it is my policy to reciprocate with gambling at the host casino.
I would have preferred to do my gaming at Aquarius.
The Edgewater offer was based upon just a couple of previous
stops where I gave them exactly $1,000 of coin in each time.
I thought that a couple of days of this level might be a fair
reciprocation. I gave them exactly $1,000 through each of the
3 days in Laughlin. They are currently sending me $15 weekly
free play, $25 a month in food and many free 3 night offers.
I actually got to use both the June and the July free play this
trip!
Day One:
Caught the Harrahs bus at 99th and Bell in Sun City. It also
picked up a few passengers in Sun City West. There was one
interesting thing about this offer. The offer came in a letter
with all of June's bus trips from Phoenix to Laughlin. I call
the phone number about 10 days prior to the trip. The phone
answers "Harrahs Laughlin Air". I gave the offer code, not my
account number or name. I was put on hold for a few seconds.
Upon return, I was told it was sold out. They asked if I wanted
to be placed on the waiting list. I declined. These bus trips are
about the only offers that I receive from Harrahs Laughlin. I have
refused to play there since they decimated their video poker.
Once in a while we would take advantage of the Diamond
Lounge. My wife has a Diamond Card and still receives offers
from her doing a "DIAD" in December of 2010. By the way,
stopping in the Diamond Lounge no longer requires swiping your
card. A visit will not trigger a trip. However, they may ask to
show your card! The entry way has changed a little and now
basically nobody monitors your entry.
Back to the trip. I knew that I would drive if I did not take
the bus trip. This would have been my first bus trip to Harrahs.
I have flown to Harrahs on Allegiant Harrahs Charters, but
Gateway Airport (Mesa, AZ)is not convenient to where I live
in the Phoenix area. It take 3 and one half hour to drive.
The bus trip took about 5 hours traveling time.
Upon being told that there was a waiting list, I mentioned the
offer to my Harrahs Ak Chin host and asked her to book the trip.
I did not tell her of my previous effort and that there was a
waiting list. She seemed very confident and said she would booked
it on the Tuesday before the trip. I spoke to her on a busy
Saturday night and she had Sunday and Monday off. To my surprise
we were booked! The additional benefit was that she got us a suite
for the two nights. What happened? I do not know. Did they lie to
me and not have a waiting list? I think they routinely keep a few
seats for hosts? When we left Phoenix There were still 2 empty
seats.
So now we had two rooms and two play obligations. I played the
$5 (3 hand) Bonus Poker in the High Limit Room at Harrahs. I gave
them 1,200 tier points on Friday and Sunday. This is 800 hands
each of these days. This does not take too long.
A significant amount of play this weekend was done at Aquarius
and I will report on that play this later. I took a trip down the
river each of the 3 days. I walked "over the hill" one day and
took the Water Taxi two days. I actually walked back over the hill
(alone) to Harrahs on two of the nights. I get a free water taxi
and my wife can get one for $2 each way with her Diamond Card.
Harrahs did not see my card anytime on Saturday, so a free water
taxi was not available on Saturday!
I walled "over the Hill" after playing 1,200 tier points and eating
at the Harrahs Buffet It is not a bad hike and I was one day short
of my 70th birthday. This is not for everyone, but I like the
adventure! I stopped at the River palms. Here I gave them a couple thousand points on their "High Definition" 3/2 Video Blackjack machines. The minimum bet is $3 or $2. I get this machine mixed
up with the one at the Pioneer. One of them is $3 and one is $2.
If you know and use the proper blackjack strategy, this is a very
low volatility way to put some money through a casino. I do get
free room offers from River Palms based upon an occasional $1,000
or so play on this machine.
I then walked to the Golden Nugget. There I played 200 hands, or $1,000, on the sole $1 9/6 Jacks or Better game. This is the "Old
Gold Coin Dropper". I have done this each time in town. $1,000 in coinage on this machine gave me $3.64 in comps and 37 Points!
Unlike the Edgewater, they are not sending me any free rooms
offers with this amount of occasional play!
After the Nugget, I stopped at the Pioneer. They do have some
playable games, but I decided to again be conservative and play
their "high Definition" video blackjack game. Minimum bet on
this machine is either $3 or $2. I was doing well do I earned
1,627 points. Every 1,000 points is $5 in cash back which takes
$2,000 of play.
My next stop was the Colorado Belle. I had to stop her since
this is actually where my room was assigned. I checked in, found
the room and then went to the Edgewater. The room was clean,
but old. It certainly did not compare well To the suite on top of
the hill! After checking in I left for the Edgewater to play my
first 200 hands of video poker, or $1,000 for the comped trip.
The next stop was the Riverside. Here again I played $1,000
through, or 200 hands of 9/6 Jacks or Better. I have done this
same routine on my last 2 trips ($1,000 through at $1 9/6 Jacks.
They have not sent me any mailers as of this writing. I do not
expect any, but we will see. To me it is $1,000 more of 9/6 Jacks
that might mean something in the future. I currently have 600
Points and $11.21. $1,000 earned me 200 points and $3.74 in
comps.
After these stops I went to the Aquarius. I have a Green Card
and have until June of next year to earn 100 tier points to
maintain this hosted card. level Some of my purpose is to inform
the group of exactly what I did and how my tier and comp situation
changed on this trip.
I started the weekend with 90,602 points and $360 in old comps
that must be used by April 20th of 2013. I played 3 times on the
trip (once each day). The first night my wife Played a little
$.25 9/6 Jacks or Better on my card and I played 1,000 hands of
$2 9/6 Jacks. She earned 216 points. On these video poker machines
you earn 3 point for every $10 with a Green Card. The combined
play earned me 17.2 tier points
On the second visit I played exactly 1,000 hands of $2 9/6 Jacks
or Better ($10,000) coin in. This play earned 16.3 Tier Points.
On the third visit I played 1,200 hands of $1, 9/6 Jacks or Better
($6,000). This play earned 9.8 Tier Points.
I think they gave me 6,000 dividend points for qualifying for
a continued Green Card. At the end of the second day I had 9,104
Dividend Points and At the end of the third day the amount was
12,037 points. It appears that it takes a about $615 of coin on
9/6 Jacks to earn one Tier Point. In the future I will try to
monitor this closer. My account shows that I have 43.3 current
tier points, 144,218 points and 13,797 Dividend Points. I believe
any additional Dividend Points earned, will be converted to
regular points on 6/16/13 if I earn another Green Level at or
before that date. My current 144,218 points are worth $240.36
in cash, or $288.43 in slot Play, or $480.72 in comps. I think
the addition of the 4th card level might have helped the status
of the Green Card a little. There was one change at the Cove
Bar where I often play. The private room is now open every night.
This bar and the surrounding area is now smoke free as of June
27th. They have an appetizer menu from the Vineyard Restaurant
and thus the reason for the area now being smoke free. I was told
by the bartender that Green and Red card holders can ask to an
appetizer coupon from a host and use the private room between
the bar and the river.
Day 2:
This day was basically a rest day. My wife took the water taxi
and I meet her at the Aquarius in time for the concert. I planned
On not using my card for anything at Harrahs on the second day
I did not ask for any free water taxi tickets. I walked over the
hill and my wife, Marjean, came on the water taxi later in the
afternoon. On the previous night, I had earned a couple of Slot
Tournament entries at the River palms. I played these two 10
minute rounds back to back. From my score, I know there was
no reason to check back. I also stopped at the Golden Nugget
and the Pioneer just for a break and to cool off a little.
I did a little routine scouting.
I am amazed at the Double Double Jackpot games at the Nugget.
These are old coin droppers. Some have 9/6, some are 8/6 and
some are 8/5. There seems to be enough 9/6 machines to go
around since many customers will be sitting right next to a 9/6
and be playing an 8/5 version! Also I do not believe there are
no 16/10 Deuces games at the Pioneer. VpFree2 states in the
southwest area against the south wall. Maybe I just cannot find
them. I question some of the other listings also. Is there a
regular Pioneer visitor in this group?
We went to the Kenny Loggins concert. This was my wife's reason
for making this trip. I must admit that I was impressed with
the venue at the Edgewater. From the outside if look like just
a big tent. I was wondering how comfortable this was going to be. Other than the hooked chairs being too close together, it was a pleasant atmosphere. Kenny Loggin put on a good show. However,
I might be an exception, but even if it is a good show, I am
almost immediately hoping for the end of the concert! Often the concerts are too loud for my taste, but I also see little value
in just sitting there and listening. Often one can barely see
the performers and one is usually uncomfortable in the seating.
Why look up a monitor and be stuck is a crowded venue. It
certainly does not take too long and I am hoping for the end
of most concerts! I am thinking how many songs before I can leave!
After the concert I went to the Aquarius and play 1,000 hands of
$2 9/6 Jacks or Better as describe earlier. They had a fireworks
display. It was not too long since they divided the show into two
parts. The second part was to be on the 4th of July!
Day 3:
I played 400 hands of $5 (3 hand-$15) Bonus Poker at Harrahs
before going down, actually up, the river. I then got two free
water taxi tickets with a promise to be back by 1:30 PM for the
bus to Phoenix. My wife remained at Harrahs and she ate at the
Harrahs brunch with a free brunch ticket that I had received.
I have food comps at every casino, but did not use any. I did
have a $25 Edgewater food coupon that was good July 1st. This
will probably go unused if we do not return in July. Not likely
that we will make it in July, but maybe! I did manage to have a
"Bloody Mary at both the Edgewater and the Aquarius. I usually
do not drink when playing, but one has to eat sometime! I did
$1,000 (200 hands) at the Edgewater. I suppose I could have
checked out of my room, but I did not even bother to see the
room for a second time. I will double check my credit card, but
I do not anticipate any problem. I had limited time to play at
the Aquarius. This is where I played 1,200 hands of $1 9/6
Jacks. The point information is in the earlier paragraph about
the Aquarius.
Well that is about it. Not too exciting. I hope this contains
some useful information, especially about the new Aquarius
card system. I did not talk about specific results. I do not
break results down into casino session, days, nor necessarily
even trips. I do lump all 9/6 Jacks or Better play into one
continuous session. Obviously I do keep very accurate records,
but what happens at any particular casino, or on any particular machine is rather meaningless. I just consider that I have continuously played at an honest random number generator on
a 9/6 Jacks or Better pay schedule. I do not care where it
happened, or when it happened. It is just the next hand! Actually
two sessions were spectacularly good. However. I did not hesitate
a second to stop when my play level was met. The next hand could easily be at a new casino and definitely a different machine.
But I just remember that I am playing at a basically identical
Random Number Generator. It is almost like I am taking the same
RNG with me to the next casino or to the next play date!
Thanks for your patience. You must have read all of this "crap"
to get to this line!
Bob