suddenly mail offers showing up again

I'd say the Saturday and Sunday crowds were definitely down. Thursday and Friday I didn't see a lot of difference from prior years, but some of the others in my party thought it was less crowded. As I said in a trip report, we bought into a watch party on Saturday at Palace Station ($90 for the morning session which gave us $75 food and beverage credit). We were the only ones in the whole place. They ended up just charging us for whatever we ate and drank. 

At the free watch parties we visited (Orleans, GVR) there were plenty of seats available (which hasn't been the case in prior years). 

   I predict that with today's economy and all of the gouging currently happening across the board in Vegas, that it won't be long before Vegas will lose it's luster. Those who enjoy visiting Vegas repeatedly will fing other things to do. There will be a downside, possibly sooner than later. 

They certainly jacked the room prices as if they expected the town to be packed last weekend. Maybe gas prices alone did it? I'm skeptical, though: if you're paying $400 a night for a room, will an extra $50 at the gas pump really slow you down?

I hope my theory is correct: that while there was a big post-pandemic rush to Vegas, many of those people aren't coming back a second time, not after being ruthlessly ripped off at every turn. And Vegas does depend on repeat visitors.

Airfares are higher, way higher in many cases.  Might have discouraged some who usually came in for the Final Four NCAA games. 

Plus so many empty (closed) tables.  Rows, sections that stay closed even during prime time, compared with pre-pandemic.  And when open, higher minimums.

A quick story:  Table minimum for 3 Card Poker was $15.  I could handle that and I waited for a spot.  A player got up, I sat right down, had money and card in hand to give the dealer.  Supervisor walked over and raised the minimum to $25.  She said "All of you are still in for $15.  You (pointing to me) are in for $25."  I always keep my cool at tables, but I gasped and said "Oh, but I'd already sat down and had my money in hand."  Other players and even the dealer vouched for me.  Of course the house can do what they want, but she relented, not in a friendly way but I got in for $15.  I thought of leaving the table to show protest, but she wouldn't have cared and I did get in for the lower minimum, so I stayed.  (I would have left if she didn't let me in for $15).

Candy

 This "tactic" of raising table game limits has been the norm for seemingly forever whenever the demand for playing table games is high. Whenever this happens to me, I walk. To sit there and allow this to happen and to continue to play negative expection games at higher minimuns only increases the chances of  losing even more money more quickly. To me, the remarkable aspect is that people seem to not care about losing more money more quickly and will continue to play. Intelligent people walk or refuse to play, others, well, they just continue to donate while being "entertained".

What's appalling about that is that since you're forced to make an additional equal-sized bet in order to play the hand out, a $15 minimum game is in actuality already a $30 game. I've never seen a 3 Card Poker table with a minimum higher than $15, not that I've looked all that closely.

Coupled with that is the fact that 3 Card Poker has a HUGE house edge (more so if players make the horrible progressive side bet). They're already making money hand over fist at $15/30. Greedy bastards!

But the $15 question is: are you thinking about never playing there again, especially now that you might walk in and find that you have to play $25/50 or not play at all? Also--is there really no place available to you where you can play this game for lesser stakes?

What's appalling about that is that since you're forced to make an additional equal-sized bet in order to play the hand out, a $15 minimum game is in actuality already a $30 game. I've never seen a 3 Card Poker table with a minimum higher than $15, not that I've looked all that closely.

Coupled with that is the fact that 3 Card Poker has a HUGE house edge (more so if players make the horrible progressive side bet). They're already making money hand over fist at $15/30. Greedy bastards!

But the $15 question is: are you thinking about never playing there again, especially now that you might walk in and find that you have to play $25/50 or not play at all? Also--is there really no place available to you where you can play this game for lesser stakes?

I know the cost of 3 Card, and the $15 ante is certainly not the total cost unless one can stand getting a big paying hand or a progressive and not having bet those spots (gambling psychology of course favors the casino greatly).  Then at a minimum there is the cost of raising one's bet, which makes a $15 game actually a $30 game, assuming you get a lot of playable hands, which still may lose.

Yeah, the minimum thing is frustrating.  I mostly play craps.  On a $5 table I'll usually spread stuff around and have $30 worth of chips down (or more) at any given time except for the initial come out roll.     They should base the "minimum" on how much money you have on the table at any given time - not the denomination of the chips.

I think its ultimately a moot point in the long run.   Tables will be all electronic in 5 years with no dealers...and no minimums.    

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Define 'normal'. The  reality is we're all spending more to get less in Vegas ( and everywhere else, too) relative to the recent past. Rooms, rental cars, airfares, and dining costs are hiked ( indicating cost factors that are way beyond what the official government reported CPI index suggests..which is currently and supposedly @ 7 to 8 %; that figure is terribly shy of the way it is, imo). There are some legitimate reasons, but all these Vegas travel / hospitality related factors and companies are milking us..because they can.

The casino house edges / hold percentages and minimums just perpetually increase on the majority of games and now most if not all the notable player rewards clubs (MGM, Stations, Boyd, CET - Elwhackodoodle) have cut perks / paybacks to players. So we the players are duped on both ends. The incentives have really tanked for most gamblers ( maybe excluding the very highest tiered folks who can afford it regardless). If we're honest about it, these trends observed in Vegas have been ongoing for decades...but we've definitely hit some kind of wall here lately. The Vegas resorts don't have to offer deals or incentives currently..the visiting public just seems to continue lining up at the trough / torture chamber.

When enough players eventually tire of being poked with the gouge stick, things might ease up a bit. Players can make choices to mine out a few remaining deals that require a lot of effort these days and educate themselves about the power of the word 'no'. Those that do in enough numbers will eventually send a strong signal to the resorts, but it'll be a while before we can ascend that hump..or until the entire system collapses.

So, we either adjust (mine out deals/promos and learn to say no) or go fishing.