Category: Lifestyle & Travel Tips

Did you say get paid to win free gas, Bobby?

How many ways do I love Rainbow? Let me count the ways. Like five. Should you drive way out to Water Street in Henderson? Do bears …? From all my previous flag-waving, guess. It’s a resounding yes.

I never thought it possible, but Rainbow/Emerald Island’s monthly contests just got even better. With so many simultaneous promotions going on (often three at once), now they’re paying you to win free gas.

Rainbow’s Monthly drawing is for eight $250 gas cards. It’s just 100 points per day ($100 coin in) to get your daily entry. Then they give you $10 in free play for it. All month long, every day. Drawing at EOM. That’s not just crazy, it’s crazy good. There’s more.

At Anthony’s favorite, Emerald Island, (I’m more a Rainbow/Triple B guy, but play both), I swear I heard Judy Garland singing “Somewhere … over at Emerald Island …” Yep, their June 19drawing is for eight pairs of tickets to The Wizard of Odds. Oops! Sorry (they’re not giving away Michael Shackleford). I mean the Wizard of Oz at Sphere.

These promos are base points only, but no ticket limit of one a day for Oz like on the gas cards, so as Prince tells us “Let’s go crazy!”

Now about those stacks.

Both casinos have super points multipliers spread throughout the day every day —  regular 25x periods, along with 50x, 75x, and even two 100X periods. They’re good on all games except DDB. But no worries, mate, 9/6 JOB, etc., are still positive EV with even the “lowly” 25x multipliers.

Hmmm, maybe try out the new LVA advantage slots? Ya think?

You’re also in for daily free spins, free gifts, free food, and some other damn freebie (so many freebies, so little time). Pick up all the promo sheets at the cage. Try keeping track of it all. When are the XXX periods? MY GOD! What a burden. Call the casino and ask. We need a spreadsheet. Anyone?

 I concentrate on 75x, bouncing from Rainbow to EI earning boatloads of points.

 Hungry after all that frantic button tapping? Try any of the excellent daily specials starting at $10. Or Emerald Island Grille’s Saturday filet mignon & lobster tail dinner for $29. Or Rainbow’s four-course prime rib at Triple B. for $24.

But hold your horses, cowboy. That’s before paying with points and combining your LVA MRB coupon for 50% off or 2-for-1 with points. Can you spell S.T.A.C.K?  All while playing positive-expectation video poker.

I died. This is heaven.

Vanna? Guess there really is a Wheel of Fortune gold at the end of Water St.’s Rainbow So? Go.

And downtown off Fremont, Downtown Grand’s got a great July 4^th deal: $125 a night for two nights, plus $25 in free play and $25 in food. FOR THE 4^th!

 God bless America. No one else will.

A reader asked about the best games to play at Caesars. My four-letter answer? NONE.

Wanna play 9/6 JOB? You can — for $25/$125.

At the Rio, just behind Caesars and across the freeway, its $.25. That’s a buck twenty-five max play. One percent the level at Caesars. Play while Rome burns? Or Samba at the Rio?

I’m a dancer. Guess where I play?

Our reader, let’s call him “Joe Player,” also wanted to know whether my Frugal Video Poker Strategy Guide ebook, combined with my “Best VP on the Strip” booklet, which I value together at $50, are worth my price of $19.88. (Pssst! Hey! Yeah, you. The coupon code is: advantage 10 at BobbyVegas.com.)

My answer? Place open palm to forehead. Slap repeatedly.

I’ve personally won over $3,500 with info gleaned from my worn-out hard copy of Jean Scott’s FVPSG. I actually used it so much, I had to buy bought a second copy before I ended up republishing it. Now it’s on my phone. Yours can be too, kids.

Gold doesn’t come close to the value of Jean’s guide. It’s worth 100 times the price.

Progressive breakevens at a glance? For ANY SCHEDULE? Where NOT to PLAY? It’s not just how much you MAKE, it’s how much you KEEP.

Now, Joe Player was 1150 tier credits away from Diamond and wanted to get to “waived resort fees” at Caesars. According to VPfree2, Caesars’ resort fee is $62.50.

Here, just take my wallet.

Over the bridge at Rio, use the AWESOME NRF (that’s NO RESORT FEE) coupon from LVA’s Member Rewards Book and get the RF waived for nothing.

BTW, Rio has a VERY nice pool, 9/6 JOB EVERYWHERE, Penn and Teller, KISS, and Star Wars Burlesque. (The Palms and Gold Coast across the street combined have nearly two dozen restaurants, all good. Also, there’s a Walgreen’s nearby for water, snacks, and meds — and the Strip is a short ride away; you can even walk it, if you dare.)

Back to playing for Diamond.

Joe Player had a 10x-points offer, which would make the Triple Double Bonus 99.68% or the 99.54% JOB $25/$125 games at Caesars positive expectation.

Again, at VPfree2 under the Players Club tab (which I always check; thank you, VPFree2 people; you’re the best!), you can check the points comp levels at any casino.

So, risk thousands to waive the resort fee or use a coupon for NRF? Conclusion? NO BRAINER.

Remember, people, “Play where you want to play and stay where you want to stay.”

PS. Go see the biopic Michael and if you don’t think Jafaar Jackson (Michael’s nephew) is incredible as MJ, I’ll give you a free ebook. Just save your ticket.

Life is chaos. Everyone’s “Kung Fu fighting.” Feeling assaulted by AI? $5 gas? $6?! Me too.

I did have a great birthday, though. Friends showed up, big time. Cards, letters, songs, CAKE! (by the ocean), meals, gifts — it’s really nice being appreciated.

And for a kid who was surprised to make it out of high school alive (remember the very unPC term “juvenile delinquent?” Yeah, honors in THAT class) and survived two years of hell recently (including five surgeries) seven-oh’s a big number for me. Okay, they haven’t named a street after me … yet.

Then there are all the fab birthday deals spanning days and nights of free food, play, and fun to tickle my scuffler fancy.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make Vegas for this year’s birthday. I just wanted to play some VP and go dancing, but I broke my toe banging into a coffee table leg, so no
“breaking” for this dancer.

Even when I’m not IN Vegas, I monitor email offers, mailers, etc. and was happy to see all the deals going on at Four Queens (and elsewhere). However, the cost of their Silver Slots tourney seemed a LOT higher. Signing up for the $12K event was 360 smackolas. They do give a $75 one-ounce silver token, so call it $285. Still didn’t it used to be $99 or $149?

During December and again now, Wynn’s standard offer to me, $174 a night (includes the $55-per-night resort fee), $25 each free play and food credit got very good by adding two tickets to Awakening. Two nights minus all that is, as Anthony counts it, $28 a night at Wynn. Winner winner XS Nightclub for dinner.

Then I almost had a heart attack (bad joke; been there). My new Rainbow Emerald Island mailer came without their super points multiplier pay schedules. Noooo!!

Called in … still in place … phew! And being their top-notch “Rainbow is customer service,” she wanted to know, “Do you play at the bar? Different schedules.” And “Do you want me to READ the multiplier schedule over the PHONE?” Wow. Some casinos won’t even answer the phone. Oh, I can also “pick up the printed schedule at the cashiers booth.”

Besides amazing monthly food deals, you can now use your points for Lyft to and from the casino and at many nearby Water Street venues. Innovative.
There still is gold at the end of Water Street’s Rainbow.

Last question. Timeshares? Ever done the deed? In a fit of lunacy, I took the $200 offer.
Let Hilton try to close me — heck, why not? True story: Years ago, my ex and I went on a timeshare weekend on the Outer Banks. I just said, “Honey, in the presentation, I have THE LAST word.”

She chatted on and on about curtains and colors so much that the salesman was already spending his commission. Then he finished. I looked him in the eye and said one word. “No.” He got it.

Keep scuffling.

Once again, MGM is doing a tier-match promotion, this one through June 2026. These promos usually give you tier status for three months and you need to meet the actual tier requirements to continue at that tier level after the three-month period.

This one is different. At MGM, I had about 100,000 tier points when I applied for the tier match. 75,000 is Gold and 200,000 is Platinum. I used my Caesars Diamond Elite card and was given Platinum status. But on my card, it shows Platinum status for the entire year.

Here is a link to the status-match program.

Here are the challenge rules.

Here is a link to all the MGM Tier match offers by state.

You don’t get the really good benefits (airfare, cruises, etc.) until you actually get to the point level required for the given status.

So what does Platinum get me that Gold doesn’t? Lounge access (but only for one person). 30% slot point bonus (20% for Gold). $100 in cruise ship free play ($75 for Gold). There are also some gift shop bonuses, expedited valet and taxi service, etc., but these are minor benefits.

The rules say only one status match lifetime, but this is the third one I’ve done with MGM.

Is it worthwhile to do? You should consider the following factors.

• How much do I use MGM properties?
• What is free parking at MGM worth to me?
• If I am a current MGM player, does moving up a level really benefit me?
• Should I use it now or save it for next year?

Now, I don’t know what the lounges in Las Vegas are like. The lounge in Detroit is functional. The food is good, but the lounge is small and alcoholic drinks are about the same price as on the casino floor. I’ll be checking out the Las Vegas lounges at the beginning of June and will report back.

I’m using the match as a stopgap until I get full Platinum status. There is enough value in that for me and there is enough to play in Detroit. Your situation will vary greatly based on your state and situation.

Also see my Las Vegas Savings Tips page for more ideas.