I am not sure if I am going to fit in here or not. It is puzzling.
I feel a bit out of place. I don't know the math %, but I know enough that joining slot clubs brings me mailboxes full of offers every day. I know how to book my vacations so that my only (non-gaming)out of pocket expense is airfare, tips, and cabs.
I get "stuff" from the slot clubs, rooms, food etc as a result of my playing at various properties.
I like to play VP, get thrilled when I hit the elusive RF or premium hands, understand that I will lose more than I make, but I still enjoy it. I also love the GB Packers even though it may be quite awhile before they become a winner again also.
My vacation expense is limited to what I decide I want to spend on VP, not unlike when in casinos in past, (before I started VP) I was a live poker player who traveled the tournament trail on a regular basis since 1989 as I could schedule between work, family, and friends.
There were many of us who were poker players well before poker became "cool" due to the "Moneymaker" effect and online poker. There was even a documentary that aired back in January 2000 about me and the contrast of a midwest corporate business woman, married with kids who regularly left home/work to use much of my hard earned vacation time and money to play poker and enjoy casino vacations.
It appears that many of you on this forum seem to have similar interests in VP that are in common with me, but then others who do the math do the 3rd decimal that totally are beyond my ability or desire to comprehend. It seems like some of you want to make me feel bad or guilty because I still enjoy it while VP in general is being downgraded. It is still fun!
I have read many books on VP and practice, since the more I practice and learn, the more I seem to keep of my money. I play a decent game but far from perfect. I read every paytable at each denomination before I decide to sit at a particular machine. But if I want to play 100 hand poker and the best I can find is 8/5DDB I will play it. Heck sometimes I play it at "gasp" 7/5 since that's the best I can find in the Indian casino at home.
Boycotting casinos doesn't make sense -- as some have advocated or at least not to me. When I have a concern or problem, I will contact someone in management, my host, or others in a position to do something and put my concerns in writing.
Call me dumb and happy ----- but I like the comps I get, a few things have been downgraded, but since this is my discretionary vacation time to do what I want, I am still fine with it. What I do pay attention to though is the promotions so that I am only going to a casino location when there is some extra incentive. No incentives, I wait. I can take my vacations whenever I want, so its not like I can only go during the summer for example, like a teacher might be restricted.
I admire those of you that HAVE done the math and more homework than me to ensure you have found the absolutely best opportunity for right NOW. But this is fun and not a job for me. I go where I "want" to be at any given time. It might be a -EV or not, but the important thing to me is that its where I want to be at the time.
To be candid, I am not really even sure why I am posting this, except perhaps to make the point that I am not fooling myself in terms of what I spend or how little overall I might possibly win. I just plain and simple like LIKE VP. I like being treated as special when I go to a casino RFB and I like the offers that come.
I track my total spend AND total estimated value of freebies I take advantage of during the year. I track wins and losses at end of each session, by game, and location. I know what "gains" and what "pains" me.
Things change, we can't get gas for a quarter a gallon like when I first started driving at age 16 either, but at least we still can get gas. Diamond lounges get downgraded, I don't like it, but I understand it. But I still like VP and Vegas and look to learn more to be an even wiser VP and casino patron.
Diane