As someone who loves to go to casinos It is always nice to remember those big days you had at the casino. I was thinking about one of those days the other day and decided I would write about mine. Since it seems we have so few postings I was hoping to maybe get some others to write about their big days. I don't have pictures for those days. Just recall. The criteria for a "Big Day" for me is rather modest for many. I consider a big day a net win of $500 or more. This is considering that I mainly play poker and video poker usually at the nickel level. I don't have really big days winning, but I don't have the big loses. Some of you probably would have to go to $2000 or above to consider it a "Big Day". But anyway, in the hopes of maybe getting a few more threads going here are my "Bid Days" from 2006 to 2010. I will add the later ones unless it's just too boring to read.
June 22, 2006.
This was my last day in Las Vegas after a week there. I was scheduled to fly out around 7:30 in the evening. I checked out of my room at the Fiesta Henderson and played a match play coupon and a little video poker and slots. My results was a $35 lost. I drove by Ellis Island and Terrible’s for a couple of match plays. Both those resulted in another $15 lost. My next stop was the Sahara Casino to use some coupons there. I first used one of my favorite coupons which was the $50 in nonrefundable chips for $40. I played six deck blackjack and cashed out with a $22 win. I then decided to play in the 2:00 poker tournament that had a $60 buy-in. I messed around with some video poker and slots until the tournament started and came out another $5 ahead.
The tournament had around 70 entrants and I was doing pretty well from the start. We got to the 2nd break a little after 4:00 and there were still 28 players left. I started to get concerned a little about my flight. We eventually worked down to the final table about 5:30. We quickly dropped players until there was only 3 of us left. The bad news was that it was 6:00 already. One player had considerably more chips than the two of us. The pay outs were $1000, $500, and $400 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I tried to get the leader to chop and take $900 and the other guy and I to take $500 each but he wouldn’t go for it.
After about 20 minutes of play was left the other guy got knocked out. I again asked the leader for a $900-$600 chop and he refused. We had a break at 6:30 and I was thinking there is no way I will make my flight. A couple of players watching came up to me and said not to chop, I could take this guy. I thought I could, but did I have the time. He had more than double the chips I had.
We started back after the break and about 5 minutes into the round I was dealt A-Q of diamonds. I made a small raise and he called. The flop came 3 diamonds. I was first to act so I checked. He moved “all-in”. I called right away. He turned over the 3 and J of diamonds and had flopped a flush as well. I had doubled up in that one hand and realized I actually had more chips than him. The very next hand I was dealt a pair of queens. He made a raise before the flop, I made a little bigger raise. He then went all in. I called and he had a pair of four’s. My queens held up and I won the tournament by 6:50. I collected my money and high tailed it to the car rental. I ran into the airport and saw my flight had been delayed for 45 minutes. I had some time to even drop a little in the machines at the airport.
Total Win for the Day: $905
January 24, 2007
I was coming home from a two day trip at Tunica. I was checking out of Sam’s Town and played a little video poker on their nickel game. I eventually lost my $20 buy-in and decided to play some wheel of fortune for quarters. I hit the wheel spin and won $100 and played it down to cash out an $80 win before leaving.
I headed home to central Arkansas to get back just in time for my usual Wednesday night home game. We play 1-2 no-limit Texas Hold-em. It was one of those nights where I couldn’t go wrong. I cashed out a $480 winner after 6 hours of play.
Total Win for the Day: $540
September 26, 2007
Another good night in the home game at Greenbrier. I played for 5 hours and cashed out $595 ahead in the 1-2 game.
Total Win For the Day: $595
December 12, 2007:
I get an early Christmas present cashing out $500 even ahead after 6 hours at the Greenbrier home game. I play a fairly tight poker game so I don’t have a large amount of variance when I play. I’ve never had a loss bigger than $300 so I try to limit the marginal calls. This is why a $500 is noteworthy to me.
Total Win for the Day: $500
December 12, 2007
Back at the home game in Greenbrier. I got on a heater and I cashed out exactly $500 ahead.
Total Win for the Day: $500
January 4, 2008
This was another home game, but this one was in Heber Spring, Arkansas. The game was dealer’s choice with two options. Option one was no-limit hold-em with $1 and $2 blinds or pot limit hi-lo Omaha with the same blinds. This game is usually about 7 to 8 handed. I got on a heater and scooped a couple of big pots in Omaha over a 5 hour session.
Total Win for the Day: $600
July 1, 2008
I decided to go play poker at a casino a couple of hours from my home. It is the Cherokee Casino in Roland, Oklahoma. I ended up staying for a 12 hour marathon session and cashed out with 2 $215 winning playing 1-2 no-limit. I lost $3 in the machines waiting for a table. The big win however was that I won the cash drawing at 9:00 PM. It was for $1000
Total Win for the Day: $1212
July 12, 2008
Another trip back to the Cherokee Casino in Roland, Ok. I was trying to qualify for a free roll based on hours so I put in another marathon session. After 10 hours of play I cashed out $500 up. I added $2 to my total playing slots for a few minutes waiting to get my seat before playing.
Total Win for the Day: $502
January 10, 2009
I was back playing the home game at Heber Springs. I had bought in for $100 and was running really good for the night. I had around $400 in front of me when it was called for last hand of the night. We were playing Omaha Hi-Lo pot limit with $1-$2 blinds for the last hand. I was dealt and hand that had the 2 and 5 of hearts and a jack and queen of spades. I called the $2 bet and it was raised to $10. I would usually fold this hand at this point, but it was the last hand of the night and I was running good so I decided to call.
The flop came A-3-4 with the ace and 3 being in hearts. I had flopped the nut low. One guy bet $25 so I just smooth called along with two other players. The turn card was the 4 of hearts. I now had a 5 high straight flush. Everyone checked around. Well crap. The final card was another ace. So the board was double paired. The first guy checked. I fired in $50 hoping to get at least one caller. To my surprise the first player to my left went all in. The next player to his left went all in. The remaining player on my right folded. Mine was a no brainer so I moved all in. I figured I was splitting some of the lows in the worst case scenario. The first player to my left had a pair of aces and had quad aces. The next player had quad 4’s. Neither of them had the low. So my straight flush beat both of their four of a kind. I scooped a $1300 pot in what started with $1 and $2 blinds. This would have been a bad beat in a casino was the only said part of it.
Total Win for the Day: $1300
January 17, 2009
Just a week after winning my biggest pot ever in poker I was again in eastern Oklahoma. I had gone to the Cherokee Casino in Roland earlier in the evening. I played a couple of hours of poker but the game broke up. I was down $100 when the game broke. I had also lost $10 playing nickel video poker before I left. I went across Fort Smith, Arkansas to the other close Indian Casino which is the Choctaw Casino in Pocola. They had a poker game going so I sat down and played. I played a couple of hours and was down $60 when I decided poker wasn’t going to work for me that day plus it was getting late and getting close to time to leave.
Choctaw does have some decent video poker for the Indian Casinos. They have a set of quarter single play progressives. They have 9-5 Jacks or Better, 7-5 Bonus, and a 4-4 Deuces game that’s not too bad. The bonus game was at $1468 when I sat down. I quickly lost $100 and by now was not a happy camper. I was just about to quit when I was dealt A-Q-10 of clubs. The J and K popped up and I hit my first W-2 ever at $1471. It took a few minutes to get paid, when I did I high tailed it out of there happy to recoup from my earlier loses.
Total Win for the Day: $1107
February 9, 2009
I’m back at the home game at Heber Springs. It was just one of those nights that I couldn’t do anything wrong. If I drew to the low I got it. I was flopping sets. I didn’t have the one big pot, but I played for 5 hours and left $900 up. This concluded the best one month run I’ve ever had gambling. I was up $3350 after this night for the year.
Total Win for the Day: $900
July 17, 2009
It wasn’t until summer that I had another big day. I was back at the home game at Heber Springs. I cashed out a $515 win after 6 hours of play. At this point I was up $4296 for the year. This was my last big hit of the year. However I went on to have my best year ever by netting $7942 for the year.
Total Win for the Day: $515
June 22, 2006.
This was my last day in Las Vegas after a week there. I was scheduled to fly out around 7:30 in the evening. I checked out of my room at the Fiesta Henderson and played a match play coupon and a little video poker and slots. My results was a $35 lost. I drove by Ellis Island and Terrible’s for a couple of match plays. Both those resulted in another $15 lost. My next stop was the Sahara Casino to use some coupons there. I first used one of my favorite coupons which was the $50 in nonrefundable chips for $40. I played six deck blackjack and cashed out with a $22 win. I then decided to play in the 2:00 poker tournament that had a $60 buy-in. I messed around with some video poker and slots until the tournament started and came out another $5 ahead.
The tournament had around 70 entrants and I was doing pretty well from the start. We got to the 2nd break a little after 4:00 and there were still 28 players left. I started to get concerned a little about my flight. We eventually worked down to the final table about 5:30. We quickly dropped players until there was only 3 of us left. The bad news was that it was 6:00 already. One player had considerably more chips than the two of us. The pay outs were $1000, $500, and $400 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I tried to get the leader to chop and take $900 and the other guy and I to take $500 each but he wouldn’t go for it.
After about 20 minutes of play was left the other guy got knocked out. I again asked the leader for a $900-$600 chop and he refused. We had a break at 6:30 and I was thinking there is no way I will make my flight. A couple of players watching came up to me and said not to chop, I could take this guy. I thought I could, but did I have the time. He had more than double the chips I had.
We started back after the break and about 5 minutes into the round I was dealt A-Q of diamonds. I made a small raise and he called. The flop came 3 diamonds. I was first to act so I checked. He moved “all-in”. I called right away. He turned over the 3 and J of diamonds and had flopped a flush as well. I had doubled up in that one hand and realized I actually had more chips than him. The very next hand I was dealt a pair of queens. He made a raise before the flop, I made a little bigger raise. He then went all in. I called and he had a pair of four’s. My queens held up and I won the tournament by 6:50. I collected my money and high tailed it to the car rental. I ran into the airport and saw my flight had been delayed for 45 minutes. I had some time to even drop a little in the machines at the airport.
Total Win for the Day: $905
January 24, 2007
I was coming home from a two day trip at Tunica. I was checking out of Sam’s Town and played a little video poker on their nickel game. I eventually lost my $20 buy-in and decided to play some wheel of fortune for quarters. I hit the wheel spin and won $100 and played it down to cash out an $80 win before leaving.
I headed home to central Arkansas to get back just in time for my usual Wednesday night home game. We play 1-2 no-limit Texas Hold-em. It was one of those nights where I couldn’t go wrong. I cashed out a $480 winner after 6 hours of play.
Total Win for the Day: $540
September 26, 2007
Another good night in the home game at Greenbrier. I played for 5 hours and cashed out $595 ahead in the 1-2 game.
Total Win For the Day: $595
December 12, 2007:
I get an early Christmas present cashing out $500 even ahead after 6 hours at the Greenbrier home game. I play a fairly tight poker game so I don’t have a large amount of variance when I play. I’ve never had a loss bigger than $300 so I try to limit the marginal calls. This is why a $500 is noteworthy to me.
Total Win for the Day: $500
December 12, 2007
Back at the home game in Greenbrier. I got on a heater and I cashed out exactly $500 ahead.
Total Win for the Day: $500
January 4, 2008
This was another home game, but this one was in Heber Spring, Arkansas. The game was dealer’s choice with two options. Option one was no-limit hold-em with $1 and $2 blinds or pot limit hi-lo Omaha with the same blinds. This game is usually about 7 to 8 handed. I got on a heater and scooped a couple of big pots in Omaha over a 5 hour session.
Total Win for the Day: $600
July 1, 2008
I decided to go play poker at a casino a couple of hours from my home. It is the Cherokee Casino in Roland, Oklahoma. I ended up staying for a 12 hour marathon session and cashed out with 2 $215 winning playing 1-2 no-limit. I lost $3 in the machines waiting for a table. The big win however was that I won the cash drawing at 9:00 PM. It was for $1000
Total Win for the Day: $1212
July 12, 2008
Another trip back to the Cherokee Casino in Roland, Ok. I was trying to qualify for a free roll based on hours so I put in another marathon session. After 10 hours of play I cashed out $500 up. I added $2 to my total playing slots for a few minutes waiting to get my seat before playing.
Total Win for the Day: $502
January 10, 2009
I was back playing the home game at Heber Springs. I had bought in for $100 and was running really good for the night. I had around $400 in front of me when it was called for last hand of the night. We were playing Omaha Hi-Lo pot limit with $1-$2 blinds for the last hand. I was dealt and hand that had the 2 and 5 of hearts and a jack and queen of spades. I called the $2 bet and it was raised to $10. I would usually fold this hand at this point, but it was the last hand of the night and I was running good so I decided to call.
The flop came A-3-4 with the ace and 3 being in hearts. I had flopped the nut low. One guy bet $25 so I just smooth called along with two other players. The turn card was the 4 of hearts. I now had a 5 high straight flush. Everyone checked around. Well crap. The final card was another ace. So the board was double paired. The first guy checked. I fired in $50 hoping to get at least one caller. To my surprise the first player to my left went all in. The next player to his left went all in. The remaining player on my right folded. Mine was a no brainer so I moved all in. I figured I was splitting some of the lows in the worst case scenario. The first player to my left had a pair of aces and had quad aces. The next player had quad 4’s. Neither of them had the low. So my straight flush beat both of their four of a kind. I scooped a $1300 pot in what started with $1 and $2 blinds. This would have been a bad beat in a casino was the only said part of it.
Total Win for the Day: $1300
January 17, 2009
Just a week after winning my biggest pot ever in poker I was again in eastern Oklahoma. I had gone to the Cherokee Casino in Roland earlier in the evening. I played a couple of hours of poker but the game broke up. I was down $100 when the game broke. I had also lost $10 playing nickel video poker before I left. I went across Fort Smith, Arkansas to the other close Indian Casino which is the Choctaw Casino in Pocola. They had a poker game going so I sat down and played. I played a couple of hours and was down $60 when I decided poker wasn’t going to work for me that day plus it was getting late and getting close to time to leave.
Choctaw does have some decent video poker for the Indian Casinos. They have a set of quarter single play progressives. They have 9-5 Jacks or Better, 7-5 Bonus, and a 4-4 Deuces game that’s not too bad. The bonus game was at $1468 when I sat down. I quickly lost $100 and by now was not a happy camper. I was just about to quit when I was dealt A-Q-10 of clubs. The J and K popped up and I hit my first W-2 ever at $1471. It took a few minutes to get paid, when I did I high tailed it out of there happy to recoup from my earlier loses.
Total Win for the Day: $1107
February 9, 2009
I’m back at the home game at Heber Springs. It was just one of those nights that I couldn’t do anything wrong. If I drew to the low I got it. I was flopping sets. I didn’t have the one big pot, but I played for 5 hours and left $900 up. This concluded the best one month run I’ve ever had gambling. I was up $3350 after this night for the year.
Total Win for the Day: $900
July 17, 2009
It wasn’t until summer that I had another big day. I was back at the home game at Heber Springs. I cashed out a $515 win after 6 hours of play. At this point I was up $4296 for the year. This was my last big hit of the year. However I went on to have my best year ever by netting $7942 for the year.
Total Win for the Day: $515
