Category: Advice for Players

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Bobby Vegas — Bad Beats and Keeping Cool

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

My crew and I were relieved that during my December Golden Week trip to Vegas, on the boot heels of NFR, I didn’t end up in the hospital. Kinda broke that curse. But that history also went on my long list of things I’ve done in Vegas twice: hospitalized twice, pulled over twice (sober), seen it snow twice, and been propositioned twice before breakfast.

It was a great trip and a great time to be there—if you didn’t mind bumping into A LOT of cowboys. Funny thing, there was no parking on the first floor of Rio self- park the last Saturday of NFR. It was full of horses. But the winning and dancing were wonderful.

Still, as bad beats just seem to keep coming, I had an unexpected and unwanted Christmas present on Christmas Eve back at home. While otherwise in a great mood and having a good day, at 1 p.m. I started having vertical stabbing pains across my left chest and down my arm.

Just days before this I thought I was having a heart attack when I woke up at 5:30 a.m., drenched in sweat and the room spinning. When I sat up, I started to retch.

Called 911 and in the ER they determined it was vertigo. I was out in seven hours after being given Meclazine.

Three days later, I actually had a “small” heart attack and found myself back in the same ER. Being Xmas Eve, they told me I’d be there a few days, as only critical patients get treated on Christmas. I had a stent put in Friday morning. Duke Hospital is top notch, though being there three times in five months, not so much.

So I’m taking a few weeks to get back and as soon as I can I’ll be blogging, about the new MRB, matchplay runs, and more.

For now, I can report I was happy to receive an invite to Wynn with an old-school offer: $25 in freeplay, $25 in resort credit (the waterfall at the spa is a wonder), and two tickets to Awakenings (it’s a few years old and I’m guessing Sphere is taking a lot of business), all for $174 a night, resort fee included. And I barely play there. I mostly go to see an old dealer friend.

Taking out the tickets and credits, that’s $75 a night for two nights. At Wynn. Free parking, no triple zero roulette, some JOB, and all is well.

See, folks, there’s hope on the horizon and as for me, well … The Cat in the Hat? With maybe nine lives.

It’s apparently very hard to kill me. And no worries, scufflers, I’ll be back soon so … Keep cool and know when to cash in.

The adventure continues.

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What Will I Do for Bonnie?

Bob Dancer

Author’s Note: When I originally wrote this, I was planning to quit gambling January 1. Since then, I’ve changed my mind about that, as I wrote in my 12/23 blog. When I was still in my “I’m going to quit gambling” mode, several readers asked me what I was going to do after I quit. Since many gamblers will be quitting, I decided to run this one anyway.

Before we were married, I told Bonnie that I was not a guy who would give her presents on traditional days (birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc.) but I often received gifts from casinos which I would pass along to her, and she wouldn’t be shortchanged gift-wise. Although this initially struck her as odd, and not at all what she was used to with her first husband before he died, she decided she could put up with that.

When Bonnie comes along with me on casino trips (which is my hobby, not hers), often I find a way to reward her. When we went to the ROW in Reno, we’d each get $400 in Resort Credit a month, which Bonnie usually spent at one of the gift shops, and sometimes they had purse or jewelry giveaways which she enjoyed. She found herself well “taken care of.”

At Harrah’s Cherokee, we each got $200 in spa credit a month and most of our trips crossed monthly boundaries, so she would have two $400 spa days every trip, which we usually took four times a year or so.

Every additional casino I play at gives me something she can enjoy — whether it’s gift shop credit, free shows, meals, or whatever.

During our 11 years together, we’ve spent an average of three weeks a year cruising on NCL in balcony suites courtesy of casino largesse.

While in Las Vegas, I get free meals to the tune of $1,500 a month or so. In addition to feeding Bonnie, she has some in-town and out-of-town relatives, and we regularly treat them too. 

I didn’t provide this list to say, “See, what a nice husband I am” or “See how rich I am.” I provided it to indicate that when I stop gambling, all of these goodies will be going away. Some will linger awhile until the casinos figure I’m not coming back, but eventually they will all terminate. Casinos aren’t in the business of providing goodies to former players. 

I may periodically receive a “come back again” present from a casino. Going in to collect those things without playing at all is the surest way to stop receiving them in the future.

So, what will I do to keep Bonnie happy? The answer is some version of, “I haven’t figured it out yet.” It would probably cost $40,000 a year or more to give Bonnie what she’s used to receiving “for free.” While I still have some revenue from non-gambling sources and some accumulated capital (which I’m used to thinking of as “bankroll”), spending money on things I used to get for free requires developing some new habits and procedures.

Bonnie is not a greedy lady. She can understand why casinos won’t be giving us as much in the future. But still, she is used to a certain standard of living, largely supplied by me, and that was part of an implied contract when she agreed to marry me. Taking all that away from her is like a form of punishment she did nothing to deserve. Nor did I “screw up” somehow to cause this problem.

Bonnie brought assets into the relationship — some of which provide an income stream. I’ve paid for the bulk of expenses because I had both more assets and more income — and got a lot of things “for free.” We’ll probably shift to a more equal sharing of expenses. How we will do that, and how she will react to that, is unknown at this point. We haven’t had that conversation yet.

We’re both relatively frugal and figuring out how to do this is a puzzle to solve together. We’ll work it out somehow. We’re nowhere near destitute. We’re old enough that our assets will probably outlast us. (Hopefully. Unless the doomsday clock strikes midnight.) And the relationship works well for both of us. 

This is one of my blogs with more questions than answers. But that’s all I have for now.

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Bobby Vegas — The Smart Money Dance

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

A very interesting article (for me anyway), just posted in The Economist on the lengths smart money bettors go to once they’ve been ID’d. Mostly referring to UK betting, there’s plenty of info for U.S. bettors too.

I don’t consider myself “smart.” Possibly enlightened. Maybe swimming with the smarts, happy being a catfish, a scuffler.

When North Carolina opened sports betting, like any half-conscious advantage player, I took every sign up, netting over $1,000 (then used my NFL futures strategy, which I’m told is NOT smart, though I won three out of four seasons, then stopped).

But what really struck me in the article wasn’t just the inventive covers smarts used to avoid detection and get their bets in (like using beards, especially whales), but how thoroughly the books could detect and ID a square or a smart by the first bet, or sooner.

Did you use a debit card (square, good) or e cash? (smart, bad). Male? Or female? (Bad.) Type of bet placed? When was it placed? At posting? Bad. Are your bets smarter than the house’s from day one? (Very bad.)

Though illegal in some states, the smarts’ bets were restricted immediately.

The continuing automation of gaming makes it harder every day to implement advantage plays. It becomes increasingly important not just to play smart, but also coy or with covers. Or both. Using every advantage you can.

A Huntington Press book on blackjack strategy focused on how to effectively throw off the house by making certain bets that LOOKED square, but barely affected the player’s edge. Taking the minimal loss in edge was worth it compared to the reduced house heat.

In sports betting, a simple strategy is to throw in parlays. They’ll leave you alone.

There are areas in electronic game software that appear to deploy additional randomization when the software detects betting patterns particularly in e-roulette.

When e-roulette first came out, many games were deployed without software pattern-detection settings. Certain bias patterns occurred that could be exploited — for almost two years. Eventually, the house turned on the pattern-detection software, probably because the game wasn’t earning “enough.” Then when you played that same machine, as soon as a betting-pattern bias was detected, the ball speed changed. End of pattern.

Reading the manufacturers’ manuals revealed that the software was implementing “cheating-prevention” techniques almost as bad as old-school magnets.

I’m deploying strategy. So are they. Mine’s advantage play. There’s is illegal. Beyond calling Gaming Control, there was little I could do to stop it, except continue my relentless pursuit of advantage play … elsewhere.

They want losers. Period. In reality, I’m neither a square nor a smart. Just a scuffler. My goal? I don’t like to gamble. I like to win money. Play as long as possible, win some and lose as little as possible. The house doesn’t like that either.

Example: Just came back from a week in Vegas. My trip was free. The secret? Stay under the radar.

The adventure continues.

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Bobby Vegas: So Many Casinos, So Little Time

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Back in my town after a long hiatus, I was greeted like a conquering hero by the hosts and band at the Pinky Ring and Royal and Pedro at Downtown Grand. And, thank you very much, open wallets. A successful trip is when you keep putting Jacksons BACK in the safe.

Oh, and I didn’t end up in the ER or UMC Hospital.

I also didn’t get to the Plaza or South Point (hence, the title of this post), but like Ahnold, “I’ll be back” soon.

Now folks, Santa Vegas has a wunnerful wunnerful present for you. It’s the RIO and a flood of 9/6 Jacks or better everywhere. 9/6 at all bars! It’s like 20 years ago. And all over the casino floor! You may like Deuces Wild (too high a variance for me), but I love to “play long time” and 2-for-1 on two pairs on 9/6 really stretches it out. Of course, hitting lots of full houses and (this trip) ONLY five 4-of-a-kinds (awwww, Bobby, we’re weeping crocodile tears for you) makes for this very happy scuffler.

So, people, go to the Rio. Haven’t asked Anthony if there will be another RIO no-resort-fee coupon next year, but this year’s saved me hundreds.

Years back I wrote a “Santa Vegas” article about my Golden Week coupon good karma adventures, giving away end-of-year expiring MRBs. This year again, I had another good karma incident — picking up an antique from an online auction over near Durango. The 92-year-old lady didn’t want to sell the item I won, so I gave it back to her. Immediately after, I was meeting Bobby Wilson for lunch at the (AWESOME) Durango and walking in, I immediately won over $200. Karma? Whatever, I’ll take it.

BTW, their food court is off the chart. Great $10 burgers, a Hawaiian spot with Bruno Mars pic, awesome noodle and oyster bar.

Now for the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Rio wins the super-good prize for this trip, hands down (tapping the 9/6 hold buttons).

As for the bad and ugly, I don’t know what they’re thinking at Downtown Grand. I love staying there, but they keep pulling the good games. The two-story ad facing Fremont says $1 blackjack and $5 roulette. The $1 electronic BJ is gone. (Is live still $1?) Meanwhile, roulette was $10. And please reopen Freedom Beat. At least the matchplays are still viable.

Four Queens pulled or downgraded their 9/6 bank. They still have $.25/$1 9/6 over by the FISH slots. Again, I love Four Queens, but come on.

Out in Henderson, Emerald Island pulled their bank of full-pay Double Double Bonus. Sigh. Still a great diner and Rainbow next store was fab as always. Their Super Multipliers? Incredible.

Overall, a great trip. So Happy New Year, people. Share with others. Spread joy.

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Bobby Vegas — Thanks to Slot Players, Apologies to Casinos

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Another mea culpa. In a recent post I said, “Happiness is positive cash flow. Ours not theirs!”

I’m updating that to, “Happiness is positive cash flow. Ours and theirs,” with apologies to all the — well, many — casino operators presently bleeding money like a river.

We need you to be here. We need you to make a profit.

Without you, there are no games, no fabulous meals, no outlandish and unforgettable shows, no wild nights, no parties till dawn. I don’t hate to say it; in fact, I admit it readily: We need you.

So please, for God’s sake, get it together! Bring back the value and not for a week, but ALWAYS.

And then there’s the other underappreciated group, slot players, the backbone where all, or at least the vast majority, of the profits lie.

Every day, you come to Vegas to play, to drink, to forget for as long as the cash holds out (and hopefully you don’t go to the casino ATM and drain that, too, chasing losses) and for that I want to thank you. Also, thanks for being okay that you most often lose. Are you? I like to think that you’re happy with your gaming experience and the comps that go along with it.

So please, keep feeding the Benjamins into the slot maw, because without you, we couldn’t squeeze out the advantages. There’d be no advantages to squeeze. You allow us to do what we do. And thank you. Really. Keep playing Golden Dragons, Buffalos, and Wheel of Fortune Cash Link Big Money Mega Tower Super Spin. Whatever.

I love Vegas. It’s unique. Yes, I have a local casino, but I don’t go there. I feel captive.

I like the depth and breadth of Vegas. The back alleys, the places where the club girls hang out afterwards, Ellis Island at 3 a.m. for steak and eggs under $10. I like searching, experimenting, treasure hunting all kinds of experiences only Vegas can provide, from rubbing shoulders with Bruno Mars to Rainbow’s Triple B Diner in Henderson.

So thank you, slot players; without you, I couldn’t do what I do. And thank you, casinos, for letting us, the weird 2%ers, the advantage players and even the wannabe APs, the scufflers or even just the well-read, give it our best shot at near full pay. Sure, we often lose, too, but at least we have a fighting chance of winning and can still have as good a time as the slot players.

Casino operators, I know you read this. Many of you have told me so. So do the slot players, the APs, the scufflers, and yourselves a big favor and get your friggin’ act together, okay? Bring back the value. Make NRF (no resort fees) and free parking as common next year as free drinks, free spectacles, and free play are this year. And please, dump triple zero.

You’ll still get our dollars if we feel like you’re giving us a shot. If you do, we’ll be back. In droves. Trust me. I’m Bobby Vegas and I approve this message.

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Bobby Vegas — How To Look for Advantage Plays (and Van Halen)

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

This post could also be titled, “The One That Got Away.”

Treasure hunts require patience and lots of false starts. Discover an opportunity that gets shut down by the house? Join the club. But finding that elusive 102% game or major house miscalculation? JUMP! (My nod to Van Halen.)

I didn’t jump. I found it. Then missed it. That’s the VIP lesson today. Find. Confirm. Jump.

I’d been studying non-linear recurrence theory and discovered the Birthday Paradox. This is a counterintuitive expression where, within a surprisingly small group of people, two can have the same birthday.

Most people assume, okay, two people, 365 days, half of 365 would be 183 people. Right? Wrong. The correct answer is 23. From 365.

The birthday paradox is Any X = ANY X.

With each pair, the match percentage increases exponentially, because ANY 2 can match. It’s not two people matching one number; it’s any two numbers matching.

With 23 people, its breakeven is a 50% chance of a match. With 30 people, it’s 100%. Believe it or not.

So what does this have to do with advantage play?

Double-zero roulette has 38 numbers. A new game, Double Action Roulette, was introduced at the M years ago. It had two wheels, one inside the other. You could bet on either wheel or both. You could also bet on when one number lands on both wheels. Max bet $5. Payout 1,200-to-one. Massive house edge (17%). And major house mistake.

They’re thinking: two wheels, one number, 1,444-to-one — and not any two numbers matching with just 38 numbers. Jackpot. I’m very excited, but am leaving that day. So I called a roulette AP associate, with whom I was working on another roulette project. “Go to the M right now and hammer this! It’s going to pay off 5 to 10 times a day!” (In other words, $24K to $60K. A day.)

Due to other time commitments, he declined. My plane took off. I looked down at the M, sighing.

Back a few weeks later, I headed straight to the M. Double Wheel Roulette was nowhere to be found. Innocently, ahem, I asked the floor manager, “Where’s Double Wheel?”

“Oh, we had to take that out. It was hitting at least five times a day.”

Go ahead. Hit me. Again. Harder.

My mistake? I never should’ve left town. I should’ve confirmed and jumped. I’d identified a major opportunity. Great! But I also missed a potential $24K a day. Not so great. Painful lesson learned.

Still, that’s the nature of the beast. Keep seeking. And when you find, confirm, then go ahead and … JUMP !

Note: Maybe I was spared. To overcome the massive edge, you’d have to eliminate seven numbers through charting wheel bias. Aspects of live roulette that no longer exist allowed for wheel bias to overcome the house edge. Roulette manufacturers eliminated that possibility with shallower wheels, which are now much more random.

An updated lower-payout Double Wheel version exists at El Cortez. Don’t play it. Also, don’t play Quad Roulette at Palazzo.

And remember, “Friends don’t let friends play triple-zero roulette.” Ever.

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Bobby Vegas—Ask and Ye Shall Win

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Advantage players search for edges. In addition to the usual techniques at blackjack, video poker, sports betting, and tournaments, they keep their eyes out for opportunities where the house offers a promotion, but miscalculates the odds.

A good example comes from Anthony’s YouTube channel interview with Jonathan Jossel. The Plaza offered a 30% rebate on W9 taxable wins for 24 hours. APs swept in and played keno — yes, keno — till the cows came home. Not exactly the usual AP game. Being a stand-up guy, Jossel didn’t cancel the promotion when he realized the mistake, even though it cost the Plaza several hundred thou. In 24 hours, no less.

That’s how significant exploiting a loophole can be.

Now, some APs will grouse at me again for publishing this, as they have when I wave the flag about advantage play VP opportunities or stacking promos, but that’s my job, helping you see the (value) light pointing the way to the promised land before the house catches it. And they’re watching, so you have to move quick.

A favorite expression comes to mind: “Happiness is positive cash flow.” OURS, not theirs!

The purpose of this post is to MAKE YOU THINK, to ask, “What if …?”

You should realize that you’ll make mistakes, hit dead ends, find out your hunch was, a buncha hooey. Are you willing to take that risk? Look dumb? Get the door slammed in your face? If so, I can tell you that when you’re RIGHT, it’s so sweet. Positive cash flow sweet.

Ken, an Arizona reader, told me about his experience calling the Virgin attempting to get info on their tier bump requirements. Reaching the player’s club, a very uncooperative staff member hung up on him. Customer service? Fuggedaboudit!

He didn’t get the info needed but that’s okay, because Ken’s ASKING was key. He was SEARCHING.

BTW, Ken got a free Bobby Vegas T-shirt for the tip. “Avoid the Virgin!” Ever since they transformed the truly legendary Hard Rock into this no-winners no-fun land of boring games and well corporate tomfoolery, the “Virgin” is more like a (I shouldn’t be that vulgar, so let’s just say) washed out.

Here’s another example of my thought process.

If less people are coming to Vegas for the foreseeable future, where can I find an undiscovered advantage — beyond great hotel deals? Like if bingo has 30% less people, but the payouts are the same, does that raise our odds for winning substantially
compared to bingo’s edge? YES. Get my drift?

Check it out. Try being wrong. ASK, and win.

Where else have you found an edge or tried to? Share your discoveries and mistakes.

Next up is my favorite math formula (nerd alert):

It’s not “Any X equals X.” It’s “Any X equals ANY X”!

O.M.G. The Birthday Paradox. I love it. We’ll get to it in my next blog. Stay tuned.

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If I Could Do It Over Again

Bob Dancer

I’m approaching the twilight of my life and career, and I sometimes reflect on whether I could have done it better. My readers are, for the most part, younger than I am, and at least some of them would like to pursue successful gambling as a career. Perhaps there are some lessons for others in my musings.

For the sake of today’s blog, I’m going to take it as a given that I became a successful gambler, writer, and teacher. This ending was never a foregone conclusion. That’s just the way it turned out. 

Education:

At the time I stopped going to graduate school in the mid-70s, I had never heard of video poker. While I was reasonably proficient at games and just beginning to play backgammon professionally, I didn’t envision my life turning out the way it did.

I studied a lot of math and economics in school, which was a good choice. Gambling is mostly applied math, especially probability, and the more I knew about that the better. When I attended UCLA, economics was taught as logic applied to the real world. That’s a perfect background for a gambler.

Today I wish I knew more math and computer programming. There were many video poker games that arose which needed to be analyzed by computer programs. Commercially available computer software came of age during my career, but there were many problems these software programs couldn’t solve. Sometimes I hired others to do the programming for me, but I could have addressed these games more efficiently had I known how to program myself.

I had no idea I was going to be a writer. Somehow, I went all the way through school while never having to write a term paper. I never completed my Ph.D. dissertation, largely because I didn’t know how to write well. Today I get my blogs edited before you see them.

The irony of this is that if I had been a competent writer, I probably would have completed the dissertation and become a professor of economics — or at least started out that way. Others have gone from academia to the world of gambling. Perhaps I would have too.

I took some public speaking classes along the way, including debate. This was valuable training for teaching classes. Debate teaches you the principles of argumentation. There have been a lot of disagreements with casino players and other players. Knowing how to present my case clearly has led me to have a better-than-average results in these arguments.

I’m fortunate that my career included both teaching and writing. I wouldn’t know the subject nearly as well as I do without all the study required for these two activities. 

Consulting: 

I consulted for a variety of casinos and game manufacturers — although I haven’t for several years. The effects of this were both good and bad.

On the good side, I was paid well to look at casinos and their inventory all across the country. I wrote reports to the casinos that hired me to do this, but I also learned so much while I did this. Plus, getting paid well was a nice cushion when my gambling activities weren’t going so well.

On the down side of consulting, there were a lot of players who were very uncomfortable with me doing this. Basically, they wanted me to “pick a side and stick to it.” If I were going to write for players, fine. If I were going to write for casinos, that’d be okay too. But writing for both led to a lot of mistrust because they didn’t know where I stood. Many believed I was doing something shady or detrimental to players’ interests. I don’t believe I was doing either of those things but convincing some players of that proved impossible for me.

I took a lot of abuse from a large number of players over the years. In the early days of the internet, a lot of people using pseudonyms anonymously criticized and ridiculed me on video poker forums. I tried responding, but when the abuse is coming from several different directions with many choosing to believe the worst about me no matter what I did or said, it became an impossible situation. The only available response for me was to shut up and try to ignore it. No fun at all.

Love life:

My love life has been nothing to brag about. While I believe that humans should mate for life, I haven’t been able to manage that. By a long shot.

Still, for some reason, I ended up okay. Bonnie and I have been happy with each other, and we didn’t get together until we were both senior citizens. I’m used to the debate concerning “skill versus luck” in gambling. Finding Bonnie when I did was definitely good luck.

Podcast:

I was interested in doing a podcast at the same time Frank Kneeland was. Unfortunately, Frank and I were not a good fit together, and we lasted only six months before I asked him to bow out. 

Richard Munchkin was a miraculously good replacement. He gambled successfully for decades at table games — which is different from my expertise. He knows tons of people in the gambling world and is universally well-respected. At his first stint as co-host, he still lived in Southern California. He felt the podcast was better if he did it in person, so he drove four-or-so hours each way each week. Understandably that got to be a drag and he asked to find a replacement for him after a while.

I talked Michael Shackleford into being a co-host, and that worked pretty well for a while. Michael was far more mathematical than I was, and the guests he knew — game designers, other mathematicians, and sports bettors — were a change-up from the guests Richard and I attracted. Which wasn’t a bad thing.

After a year and a half, Shackleford became bored with the podcast. Richard had moved to Las Vegas by this time and was willing to resume cohosting the show. I was delighted.

For more than 10 years, we aired more than 50 podcasts per year. We attracted professional gamblers and wannabe professional gamblers as an audience. I was preparing for the podcasts more than playing video poker — which was good.

I learned details about winning at other forms of gambling — especially blackjack and sports betting. 

For whatever reason, I started being criticized less and respected more.  I’m not exactly sure why, but I’ll take it. My best guess is that many of the people who previously criticized me had not met me but had merely heard things about me. Now they heard me on the podcast and figured out I wasn’t the monster I was portrayed to be. 

My detractors will never go away completely. My style/personality/sense of humor rubs some people the wrong way. I am what I am.

Health and Diet:

For the most part, I’ve been good at this — with some lapses. I struggle to keep my weight under control, but it’s not terrible. I’m up to date on my vaccines and hope I’ll always be able to get them regardless of whomever is in charge of the CDC.

I’ve done a lot of study on longevity and believe I’m doing things that will give me a decent chance to reach my 90s or maybe beyond. We’ll see.  

Conclusion:

Yes, I could have done things differently, but I’ve had a good life and a good career. And my writings will leave a legacy of sorts behind me. Not such a bad result.

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Bobby Vegas — More on Golden Gate, Being Nice, and Vintage Vegas

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Got an excellent reader tip about still using Golden Gate matchplay chips.

(BTW, if you send a tip I use to [email protected], I’ll send you a Bobby Vegas T-shirt (“fweeee!”). 

LVA’s QOD established you can exchange Golden Gate table-game chips at the D or Circa. Meanwhile, Circa, Golden Gate, and the D give out non-expiring matchplay chips, (way better than expiring 24-hour paper coupons). You may have received some using your LVA MRB matchplay coupons for Golden Gate and the D.

My bud was able to exchange his Golden Gate matchplay chips That’s a 2-for-1 payout on a 50/50 bet. Sweet.

The lesson here, as Jean Scott used to say, is honey attracts more bees than vinegar, so it never hurts to ask and be nice!

Oh — and a late-breaking bulletin. Thanks to Matchplay Bob, who clarified he had a Golden Gate players club manager sign his Golden Gate MRB matchplay coupon and it was accepted at Circa. So take your unused GG MRB matchplay coupon, have someone at GG sign it, and it “should” be accepted at Circa for their matchplay chip.

I didn’t double check the other two matchplay “show your Southwest ticket” at the D or Circa before posting, but I believe both are still active. Anyone?

Here’s one more Bobby V downtown-scuffler special.

I’m not a fan of Garage Mahal at Circa — parking fees and it’s inconvenient. If I’m going to Circa’s sports book or to use my LVA MRB free champagne coupon at Circa’s fabulous rooftop Legacy Club or to play or eat at the Plaza, I valet park at Golden Gate’s tiny lot.

“Checking in or will you be long?”

“Maybe an hour.”

Be a George and give the valet a few dollars *up front* and a few when you pick up*.

And be cool. Go INTO the Golden Gate. Going to the Plaza or Circa? Go out through the front of GG.

Hey.. I just had a why-I-love-downtown Vegas revelation (“Praise full pay VP and pass the cash!”) over the Strip. I don’t like crowds reminding me of midtown Manhattan on New Year’s Eve, bad games and overpriced … well … everything. Downtown is more personal, on more of a human scale. I like that experience, that connection. Why?

“I’m special!”

Plus, better games, rock n roll on every corner, and a meal that doesn’t require you to pawn your jewelry all fill the bill quite nicely.

Growing up, I was more a pinball-at-the-bowling-alley grab-a-deli-“sammich” and go-to-the-state-fair-midway kinda guy. So sue me.

Speaking of pinball, granted it’s wayyy down past the South Strip near the “Bobby Vegas” (oh wait — that change hasn’t happened … yet) “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, but you can have some vintage fun for spare change at the Pinball Hall of Fame.

Then head on down to South Point for a super selection of full-pay VP, very affordable LIVE table games, and a decent buffet and nobody’s charging you for parking at all three!

I’m old school. Sue me. Again. My kind of Vegas.

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Bobby Vegas—Desperation Breeds Great Deals

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Haggard corporates huddle over their conference-table laptop spreadsheets revealing red lines pointing down, empty coffee cups, half-eaten pastries, hair askew, bloodshot eyes.

“Ya think if we just get them in the door, we can make it up in …?”

Next month? Next quarter? Next year? Ya think?

Like this is a new idea? Maybe they’re catching on. See, an empty hotel room night is lost revenue forever. By my calcs, they’re staring at 15,000-25,000 empty rooms every weekend night. Midweek. more like 50,000. We may be seeing their breakeven revealed.

And as any good scuffler worth their stacked coupons knows, that’s good news.

Here’s Bobby Vegas’ common-sense recipe for success:

1) lower your costs coming in,
2) spend as much time as humanly possible on their dime, through comps, deals, coupons, WHATEVER,
3) and play the best games for you with the lowest edge.

Winner winner steaks for dinner! You’d prefer salmon? Fine.

Folks, there’s something you must always keep in mind: Time is your enemy. The longer you play with even a slight negative edge, the more likely they’ll win your money. Slots? Fuggedabouddit. The casinos know that many players like to forget it and hope for the best, tipping back the free drinks.

So if you care to win, or at least break even and have a grand old time, use EVERY advantage they give you, playing on their dime and on their time, eat on their comps, and use every free play, matchplay, two-fer, and discount and coupon you can beg, borrow, or fish out of the trash. (Thank you, Jean Scott.)

Old scuffler reminiscing.

“Now way back in the spring of ’25 when the cracks started to appear, there was the Plaza and that young Jonnie Jossel. My oh my, a smart boy, even bringing them in with bingo. Maybe try Bobby Wilson?

Then Downtown Grand followed, almost matching Plaza’s all-inclusive $125 a night deal, food, drinks, parking, and NRF. Now everyone from Boyd at the Fremont to Caesars at the Flamingo is offering two- night stays with $50 food credit for $150.

There’s that NRF again, a Bobby Vegas abbreviation for NO RESORT FEE.

Maybe it’ll catch on, like, a Bona Fide Bobby Vegas-Approved NRF Deal!

Plaza’s doing it, Downtown Grand does it, Four Queens, Golden Nugget, Treasure Island sometimes, and a few others dipping their toes in the NRF pool.

Yo, MGM, Caesars. Maybe you can work on those Strip food and drink prices, so we might get more than French fries and a Coke for our $50. Fremont? No problem, but can comps be used in the very nice new food court?

Me, I’m waiting for them to pay us to walk in. Remember the Stardust? $17 a night, complete with a $10 bounce-back and buffet coupon.

Just wait, people. It’s like fishing or hunting. Patience … patience … patience … then POUNCE!