Q: I don't mean to be personal, but do you and your husband actually make money playing the video poker games in the casinos, or is your income from the sales of your products?

A: Yes, we make money playing VP; lots of money some years, just a little other years. Since we started playing VP in 1991, we have had only one losing year and that was a very small monetary loss. Some would say it was not a losing year at all since we don’t count comps, but have $20-40k worth of them each year. Much of our cash profit, especially in the last few years, comes more from slot club benefits and promotions rather from the games themselves. We find that our choice of good plays is much broader when we consider the total EV (expected value) of slightly negative games with high cash benefits and/or strong promotions than if we limit ourselves to positive games.

The money we make from the sales of my products is overall much less than what we make playing video poker. Writing is more an act of love!

Q: A comment from a poster on the Atlantic City VP Internet forum, mentioning Brad’s propensity to hit big jackpots, the latest being dealt a royal on a quarter Hundred Play machine, $100,000. “My wife and I have a deal. The one who hits a high jackpot shares 25% of the win with the other. Now if you guys aren't pooling funds, this is a good time to start that policy!”

A: We play out of one bankroll - our finances have been co-mingled from the git-go.

Q: I really appreciate the sacrifices of soldiers like your Army son-in-law. Can we send him a box?

A: The family appreciates your offer, but he is “out in the field” right now where mail delivery is very uncertain - and he is scheduled to come home in a few weeks. But click on this video for a great idea on how we all could show our appreciation when we see a soldier anywhere.

A: Yes, I dye my hair. And I vary the shades – Brad likes a variety of women.

A: Yes, I watch my weight. But remember - - - 'STRESSED' spelled backwards is 'DESSERTS'

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Q: How are your eyes?

A: Thanks for your concern, everyone. It has now been 2 weeks since the surgery on my second eye, and after almost 60 years, I no longer have to wear glasses my every waking hour. My long- and medium-distance sight is great. I do need reading glasses for small print but the doctor says that even these may not be necessary when my eyes have had more time to adjust. These new clear, premium lens implants developed in the last couple of years usually eliminate the need for any kind of glasses, including bifocals. 

My only problem now is some eyestrain by the end of the day, caused by formerly inactive eye muscles learning new moves – plus a feeling of “nakedness” going around with no glasses.   But by the time I go back to the doctor in three months for a quickie laser procedure to zap scar tissue, I’m sure I will no longer reach for my glasses the minute I wake up. 

Q: Since you had a weekend at the Palazzo, can you tell me if they remembered to put drawers in the room?  I stayed at the Venetian last year in one of the remodeled rooms and it had NO drawers.  Had to keep my underwear, etc. on the shelf in the closet. 

A: Palazzo rooms do have drawers for your drawers! 

Q: You haven’t mentioned your Army son-in-law since back when you were writing Frugal Fridays. Is he safely back home from Iraq?  

A: No, Steve is still in Iraq, but I have been too nervous to write about him. His unit is scheduled to come home the middle of May but in the meantime he and his men are out somewhere in the middle of the Iraqi desert on a very dangerous assignment. I am guessing, by what I hear on the news, that they are tangling with the Al-Qaeda guys who have been pushed out of Bagdad. He calls Angela whenever he can but he can’t tell her very many details. He has mentioned they have “taken fire,” so that means they are in a place of active fighting. The talk in Washington is now about slowing down the troop withdrawal so I’m afraid that means his unit might not be coming home as soon as planned. The government already increased their assignment from 12 to 15 months; I suppose they can increase it more.

The one thing that is keeping up his spirits and those of Angela and the kids (and mine) is that his September retirement has been okayed. We were afraid the Army might slap on a retirement freeze before that happened and he would have to return to Iraq. His unit is already scheduled to return as soon as their year stateside is over. We don’t think his retirement papers can be rescinded – but after 20 years in the Army, Steve never is absolutely sure of anything until it actually happens. 

My thanks to everyone for their expressions of concern and prayers for his safe return.

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From one of the LVA Question-of-the-Day staffers about my complaint (2/11) of no coffee makers in so many Vegas hotel rooms: “We did this as a QoD on 5/11/05. Number-one reason was getting people out of the room. Number two: expense. Number three: health department regs.” (If you are a LVA subscriber, you not only can access the current QoD as everyone can, but you also have access to the archives, a veritable gold mine of Vegas information.) 

Q: Re the Palms:  “I just tried to use my 3X point POV coupon but was told it would not apply to the FPDW. Same with my 3X swipe. I don't understand how you get all your offers if you are a net winner. 

A: We would use restricted offers like these on less-than-100% games. In fact, we often play slightly negative games when coupons or promotions or slot club benefits are so valuable that it makes the play better than one on a better machine. 

One outstanding example: Brad got his $100,000 dealt royal on a Hundred Play machine at the Palms that had a lower EV (expected value) paytable than some other games in that casino. However, we were playing it, just for a short time, because we could earn tickets faster for a drawing and we also had a coupon we couldn’t use on better games.   It also would give us some future slot club benefits. Adding all this up made this machine the best play for us for the short time we would be playing it. 

Q: Should I play at just one Coast casino to maximize my offers, like additional point days, free play, cashback, etc.?

A: Some casino chains, like the Stations, combine your play from all their casinos for one monthly mailer. However, each Coast casino sends out its own mailer and it is based on your play at that particular casino only. And you have to be careful in this area – not all Coast properties have the same offers, i.e., bonus-point days. Read your mailer and newspaper ads carefully.  However, the tiers for their players card are standardized for all properties and are based on coin-in over a 90-day period: $0 to $19,999 for Ruby, $20,000 to $124,999 for Sapphire and $125,000+ for Emerald.

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