Reaching for the Stars – Chapter 3
I received an email from Jon McDonald, an Executive Host at Rincon, who informed me that he would now be my host. I suppose I’ve been traded. But that was okay with me. We spelled our names the same, so that might be worth something. I emailed him back asking if he would book my third level Diamond perk, a round trip ticket to Cleveland including hotel and limo to and from the airport.
When I could have chosen anywhere in the country that has a Caesars property, you might wonder why I picked Cleveland. I mentioned in Chapter 2 I was considering going there because I didn’t get the chance to go through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when I had visited there during my National Casino Run as they were just closing. Add to that I have been to all of the Caesars properties and this one is new. It turns out there is no hotel attached to the casino, a Horseshoe brand, so my host booked me for four nights in the neighboring Ritz Carlton (yea, that would be okay). It’s all a pretty smooth process. He emailed me the airline confirmation numbers and times (San Diego to Chicago, transfer and on to Cleveland) on American Airlines. He also said the limo would be there waiting for me and also gave me the name of the host who would be my contact at the casino. Easy-Peasy.
I also asked him to book me at Rincon on Wednesday, October 2. All Wednesdays in October are multiple point days and as a 7 Stars holder, I now get 5x on video poker and 10x on slots. It’s not that I need to play much anymore; however, I’m still toying with the idea that I have plenty of time to possibly shoot for the second level, which would require an additional 50,000 tier points. I figure that as long as I’m not losing money, I might as well give it go; however, if I run into a long losing stretch, I would have no problem with giving it up. The two 50-cent Royals last month has ballooned my gambling budget (I call it my toolbox—more on that later) a little, so let’s see where it goes. If it weren’t for this journal and my wish to add as many experiences as possible, I wouldn’t bother. Besides, I have an assortment of bonuses and free-play I can use.
I arrived early on Wednesday so I could get a good start. The plan was that I should at least go for the 1000 tier points, and if I’m even or ahead, go ahead and shoot for the 2500 tier points (as previously noted, making these thresholds give bonus 1000 and 5000 tier points respectively). I had $40 in free play script I had brought with me from the last trip, I also had $105 in freeplay for the play I had given them the previous month, plus, another $45 in free play that’s offered each week of month, and finally $35 in reward credits (I don’t know why I got that, but I did). So, before I put in a dime, I have $190 seed money. Add also a $25 voucher for food (to become $60 a week for the rest of the month). Things went well with the free play as by the time I had used it and had to finally put in my own money, I had already managed 535 tier points ($5,350 coin-in).
Now I should mention to those of you who play here at Rincon or know of it, they are one of the very few Caesars properties that have a few full pay schedules. Here there is a bank of VP machines against the wall with 8/5 Bonus is denominations from $.25 to $5. HOWEVER, I arrive today and discover that, like Laughlin, they have put in these new Game Kings with the scrolling ticket showing which games to play. I checked all the schedules and all of the games are short pay. The once stellar 8/5 Bonus is still there BUT they are now the “all quads pay 150” variety. So, they have lessened the pay schedule (though still better than the rest of the Caesars properties). Fortunately for me, the two Dream Machines are still there and they still have the full pay Bonus Poker schedules (just stay clear of the Dream feature).
I alternated between quarter 5-play and fifty cent 3-play. I had finally reached the 1000 tier points and was only down $150—not bad. I took a break just before noon and headed over to the front desk to as if Mr. McDonald was on the property. He was and came down so I could meet him. In most places, there’s an office that the hosts use, but to my knowledge, I don’t know if Rincon has one. Every time I’ve encountered a host, they came to meet me in the lobby. I don’t think this is good etiquette. I don’t like talking personal information in quiet tones in the lobby of the hotel. Perhaps, I’ll mention that sometime. Mr. McDonald approached me. Not only do he and I share the same name and spelling, but he rather looks like me as well, though a bit younger, a bit larger, a bit better looking, and shaves his head (I’m considering doing that soon). We had a brief chat confirming the details of the Cleveland trip and he also informed me that Rincon, like Laughlin, also gives 7 Stars free Internet and free movies in the room. Rincon does also give two buffet comps every day as well.
We said our goodbyes, and I headed over to the buffet to use one of my daily buffets and things went smoothly. 7 Star card holders have a separate line even from the Diamond members and you’re waited on immediately. At your table they put a small tent-card that says 7 Stars on it, but I’m not sure it serves any purpose other than to stroke the ego of the customer. I didn’t eat much as I knew I’d be using the dining voucher for dinner later. The Rincon buffet is very good—not great—but above average. I was also told that I get two free buffets each day, but they must be used at the same time. So, if you’re single, you still only get one buffet per day. This is specifically different than what I was told by Mr. McDonald, so I’ll have to mention it to him in my next email.
I went to check in and was given a La Jolla suite. The clerk asked if I wanted a nut basket or a pastry basket. Turns out that they give you your gift basket up front—not delivered to your room as I experienced at Laughlin. I chose the nut basket as pastries are not a good idea for me. The basket had a stash of almonds, pistachio nuts, and dried fruits. It’s not as nice as the Laughlin baskets, but a nice perk nonetheless. I was just a tad disappointed because I have been given a La Jolla suite as a Diamond member, and I suppose I was expecting one of the corner suites that are three times the size and have a balcony overlooking the pool. I imagine I could have requested one of these rooms, however, I’m only staying one night, plus the La Jolla suite is a very nice room regardless.
Before going up to the room, I decided to drive into town (Escondido is the closest city about 30 minutes from the casino) as I wanted to buy a couple of things for my car and also pick up the DVD “The Croods” which I plan to show to a couple of classes that I’m subbing for tomorrow (when I sub for the Band class—I don’t know the difference between a tuba and flute—so I can’t really teach them anything, so we watch a movie—the kids don’t mind). I drove back to the hotel and the room was great. One thing they do is crank the air conditioner in these rooms, so the first think I do is turn all the fans off.
I brought my laptop (to write this report) and signed up for the Internet. Here at Rincon, they offer you either just your room $12.99 or “roaming the property” for $24.99 per day. This charge is outrageous, and I’d never pay it, but I get it free as a 7 Star member, so I charge it up. I expected to get a pass code number for the roaming aspect, but there wasn’t one there. I called the front desk (was put on hold for almost ten minutes) and was told that not only was the Internet chart “per devise” but the roaming is only good in the lobby area. It’s not good in the Diamond lounge. So, I asked her if I wanted to use my Ipad on the property away from the room, I’d have to put another $24.99—and it really does not roam the property—clearly misrepresenting the information given to you when you order it. Of course, I wouldn’t have to pay for any of this, but I could imagine the outrage of people who do and then are surprised. I’ll certainly add this negative wrinkle to my comment form. By the way, like Laughlin, when I order the Internet or the in-room movies, I do charge it to the room. When I check out, they take it off the bill. When my host told me about the free movies, I wondered to him who would spend their vacation watching a bunch of movies—especially 7-Star holders considering they have to play so much. He said (with a wry smile) I’d be surprised how many people will watch six or seven porn movies a night—as a host he clears all these purchases, so he’s seen some pretty crazy stuff over the years.
I went back to down to play some more. This turned out to be a good decision. While playing the quarter 5-play, I hit a Diamond Royal holding three. About thirty minutes later, I hit a Heart Royal, also holding three. One of the nice things about hitting a royal on these particular machines is that there is no hand pay. It simply racks up the $1000 on the machine. No waiting—not tipping.
When I finally reached my 2500 tier point threshold, I walked away with a $2200 win for the trip (that’s right, without those Royals, I would have lost $800 as I had brought $1000 to play). For those of you who don’t play video poker, losses can come in long stretches. You’ve got to be able to afford and mentally withstand these losses because if you play properly and enough, you should get your fair share of Royals, which can bring you back. This brings me to The Toolbox I mentioned previously. This is the way I sustain my play. Admittedly, this works for me and I don’t necessarily say that it would work for you and anyone else. When I first decided to go for Diamond years ago, I set up an account that would be my “gambling budget.” I call this fund, my toolbox—not unlike any other job, these monies are the tools used for my hobby. Like any other hobby people set aside money for that four-wheeler or that speed boat, I use this money for my hobby—gambling.
As I have said before, I do not gamble to make money. That’s a very key mindset. If you do this to make money, you’re most likely not only going to lose (the old cliché, casino games are rigged in their favor), you’re going to have fits over long losses. You’re going to think, “Damn, I could have paid this bill, or bought that thing.” People with gambling problems are those that love the rush when they make a big score. I absolutely know I’m not going to win money in the long run. My attitude, as with other Advantage Players—so named because we play knowing when all the comps are added to our losses; we maintain an advantage over the casino. We do this by taking advantage of every promotion (note that I tend to do most all my playing on multiple point days), we play and master the games that have the lowest casino edge (video poker and blackjack are the best).
I keep track of the money in my toolbox. When I win, I don’t buy anything with the winnings. It simply is added to my toolbox—I know full well that I will hit a couple of losing streaks and I want to have the tools to withstand them. Last month when I won $4000 in one day after hitting two 50-cent Royals, a family member asked if I was excited. I said I was, but not like someone who just plays occasionally and gets lucky. I know that this money is going into the toolbox and chances are I’m eventually going to lose that $4000 (hopefully later than sooner). It’s simply a great feeling to know that I will weather a few bad losing streaks along the way. So, if I’m not doing it for the money, why? Not unlike a golfer who spends thousands of dollars on clubs, green fees, and golf balls, it’s the CHALLENGE. Can I take one or two strokes off my game? Can I finally make par on this course? I find that the challenge of beating the casino at their own game is something I enjoy. Whereas, I’m not making or losing much money, I am getting free food, free concert tickets, free trips across the country, free suites, free gifts, and it goes on and on.
Today I won almost $2000. It will go into the toolbox. Would I ever use the toolbox money to buy something for myself—occasionally. Has the toolbox ever run out of money? Certainly, and then I’d have to restock it (fortunately, that hasn’t been necessary the past couple of years). Here’s the part that I didn’t expect: I’ve become somewhat jaded about all these freebies. It was exciting getting a suite—for a while. All the free food has resulted in an expanded waist line that I fight every day to keep reasonable. These free trips are new for me. I’m looking forward to the experience and wonder if I’ll begin to become a little complacent with these as well.
Every year, I say the same thing: This is my last year. It’s been a good ride. But then after a few weeks, I again start to get the itch to ply my skills and enjoy the fruits. I’m already wondering what I’ll do next year. Will I be satisfied with going back to Diamond status, or am I so spoiled that I’ll begin to expect 7 Stars every year. The whole point of this journal is for me—and you—to figure out if it’s all worth it. So far, I have to admit: It’s looking good.
I received an email from Jon McDonald, an Executive Host at Rincon, who informed me that he would now be my host. I suppose I’ve been traded. But that was okay with me. We spelled our names the same, so that might be worth something. I emailed him back asking if he would book my third level Diamond perk, a round trip ticket to Cleveland including hotel and limo to and from the airport.
When I could have chosen anywhere in the country that has a Caesars property, you might wonder why I picked Cleveland. I mentioned in Chapter 2 I was considering going there because I didn’t get the chance to go through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when I had visited there during my National Casino Run as they were just closing. Add to that I have been to all of the Caesars properties and this one is new. It turns out there is no hotel attached to the casino, a Horseshoe brand, so my host booked me for four nights in the neighboring Ritz Carlton (yea, that would be okay). It’s all a pretty smooth process. He emailed me the airline confirmation numbers and times (San Diego to Chicago, transfer and on to Cleveland) on American Airlines. He also said the limo would be there waiting for me and also gave me the name of the host who would be my contact at the casino. Easy-Peasy.
I also asked him to book me at Rincon on Wednesday, October 2. All Wednesdays in October are multiple point days and as a 7 Stars holder, I now get 5x on video poker and 10x on slots. It’s not that I need to play much anymore; however, I’m still toying with the idea that I have plenty of time to possibly shoot for the second level, which would require an additional 50,000 tier points. I figure that as long as I’m not losing money, I might as well give it go; however, if I run into a long losing stretch, I would have no problem with giving it up. The two 50-cent Royals last month has ballooned my gambling budget (I call it my toolbox—more on that later) a little, so let’s see where it goes. If it weren’t for this journal and my wish to add as many experiences as possible, I wouldn’t bother. Besides, I have an assortment of bonuses and free-play I can use.
I arrived early on Wednesday so I could get a good start. The plan was that I should at least go for the 1000 tier points, and if I’m even or ahead, go ahead and shoot for the 2500 tier points (as previously noted, making these thresholds give bonus 1000 and 5000 tier points respectively). I had $40 in free play script I had brought with me from the last trip, I also had $105 in freeplay for the play I had given them the previous month, plus, another $45 in free play that’s offered each week of month, and finally $35 in reward credits (I don’t know why I got that, but I did). So, before I put in a dime, I have $190 seed money. Add also a $25 voucher for food (to become $60 a week for the rest of the month). Things went well with the free play as by the time I had used it and had to finally put in my own money, I had already managed 535 tier points ($5,350 coin-in).
Now I should mention to those of you who play here at Rincon or know of it, they are one of the very few Caesars properties that have a few full pay schedules. Here there is a bank of VP machines against the wall with 8/5 Bonus is denominations from $.25 to $5. HOWEVER, I arrive today and discover that, like Laughlin, they have put in these new Game Kings with the scrolling ticket showing which games to play. I checked all the schedules and all of the games are short pay. The once stellar 8/5 Bonus is still there BUT they are now the “all quads pay 150” variety. So, they have lessened the pay schedule (though still better than the rest of the Caesars properties). Fortunately for me, the two Dream Machines are still there and they still have the full pay Bonus Poker schedules (just stay clear of the Dream feature).
I alternated between quarter 5-play and fifty cent 3-play. I had finally reached the 1000 tier points and was only down $150—not bad. I took a break just before noon and headed over to the front desk to as if Mr. McDonald was on the property. He was and came down so I could meet him. In most places, there’s an office that the hosts use, but to my knowledge, I don’t know if Rincon has one. Every time I’ve encountered a host, they came to meet me in the lobby. I don’t think this is good etiquette. I don’t like talking personal information in quiet tones in the lobby of the hotel. Perhaps, I’ll mention that sometime. Mr. McDonald approached me. Not only do he and I share the same name and spelling, but he rather looks like me as well, though a bit younger, a bit larger, a bit better looking, and shaves his head (I’m considering doing that soon). We had a brief chat confirming the details of the Cleveland trip and he also informed me that Rincon, like Laughlin, also gives 7 Stars free Internet and free movies in the room. Rincon does also give two buffet comps every day as well.
We said our goodbyes, and I headed over to the buffet to use one of my daily buffets and things went smoothly. 7 Star card holders have a separate line even from the Diamond members and you’re waited on immediately. At your table they put a small tent-card that says 7 Stars on it, but I’m not sure it serves any purpose other than to stroke the ego of the customer. I didn’t eat much as I knew I’d be using the dining voucher for dinner later. The Rincon buffet is very good—not great—but above average. I was also told that I get two free buffets each day, but they must be used at the same time. So, if you’re single, you still only get one buffet per day. This is specifically different than what I was told by Mr. McDonald, so I’ll have to mention it to him in my next email.
I went to check in and was given a La Jolla suite. The clerk asked if I wanted a nut basket or a pastry basket. Turns out that they give you your gift basket up front—not delivered to your room as I experienced at Laughlin. I chose the nut basket as pastries are not a good idea for me. The basket had a stash of almonds, pistachio nuts, and dried fruits. It’s not as nice as the Laughlin baskets, but a nice perk nonetheless. I was just a tad disappointed because I have been given a La Jolla suite as a Diamond member, and I suppose I was expecting one of the corner suites that are three times the size and have a balcony overlooking the pool. I imagine I could have requested one of these rooms, however, I’m only staying one night, plus the La Jolla suite is a very nice room regardless.
Before going up to the room, I decided to drive into town (Escondido is the closest city about 30 minutes from the casino) as I wanted to buy a couple of things for my car and also pick up the DVD “The Croods” which I plan to show to a couple of classes that I’m subbing for tomorrow (when I sub for the Band class—I don’t know the difference between a tuba and flute—so I can’t really teach them anything, so we watch a movie—the kids don’t mind). I drove back to the hotel and the room was great. One thing they do is crank the air conditioner in these rooms, so the first think I do is turn all the fans off.
I brought my laptop (to write this report) and signed up for the Internet. Here at Rincon, they offer you either just your room $12.99 or “roaming the property” for $24.99 per day. This charge is outrageous, and I’d never pay it, but I get it free as a 7 Star member, so I charge it up. I expected to get a pass code number for the roaming aspect, but there wasn’t one there. I called the front desk (was put on hold for almost ten minutes) and was told that not only was the Internet chart “per devise” but the roaming is only good in the lobby area. It’s not good in the Diamond lounge. So, I asked her if I wanted to use my Ipad on the property away from the room, I’d have to put another $24.99—and it really does not roam the property—clearly misrepresenting the information given to you when you order it. Of course, I wouldn’t have to pay for any of this, but I could imagine the outrage of people who do and then are surprised. I’ll certainly add this negative wrinkle to my comment form. By the way, like Laughlin, when I order the Internet or the in-room movies, I do charge it to the room. When I check out, they take it off the bill. When my host told me about the free movies, I wondered to him who would spend their vacation watching a bunch of movies—especially 7-Star holders considering they have to play so much. He said (with a wry smile) I’d be surprised how many people will watch six or seven porn movies a night—as a host he clears all these purchases, so he’s seen some pretty crazy stuff over the years.
I went back to down to play some more. This turned out to be a good decision. While playing the quarter 5-play, I hit a Diamond Royal holding three. About thirty minutes later, I hit a Heart Royal, also holding three. One of the nice things about hitting a royal on these particular machines is that there is no hand pay. It simply racks up the $1000 on the machine. No waiting—not tipping.
When I finally reached my 2500 tier point threshold, I walked away with a $2200 win for the trip (that’s right, without those Royals, I would have lost $800 as I had brought $1000 to play). For those of you who don’t play video poker, losses can come in long stretches. You’ve got to be able to afford and mentally withstand these losses because if you play properly and enough, you should get your fair share of Royals, which can bring you back. This brings me to The Toolbox I mentioned previously. This is the way I sustain my play. Admittedly, this works for me and I don’t necessarily say that it would work for you and anyone else. When I first decided to go for Diamond years ago, I set up an account that would be my “gambling budget.” I call this fund, my toolbox—not unlike any other job, these monies are the tools used for my hobby. Like any other hobby people set aside money for that four-wheeler or that speed boat, I use this money for my hobby—gambling.
As I have said before, I do not gamble to make money. That’s a very key mindset. If you do this to make money, you’re most likely not only going to lose (the old cliché, casino games are rigged in their favor), you’re going to have fits over long losses. You’re going to think, “Damn, I could have paid this bill, or bought that thing.” People with gambling problems are those that love the rush when they make a big score. I absolutely know I’m not going to win money in the long run. My attitude, as with other Advantage Players—so named because we play knowing when all the comps are added to our losses; we maintain an advantage over the casino. We do this by taking advantage of every promotion (note that I tend to do most all my playing on multiple point days), we play and master the games that have the lowest casino edge (video poker and blackjack are the best).
I keep track of the money in my toolbox. When I win, I don’t buy anything with the winnings. It simply is added to my toolbox—I know full well that I will hit a couple of losing streaks and I want to have the tools to withstand them. Last month when I won $4000 in one day after hitting two 50-cent Royals, a family member asked if I was excited. I said I was, but not like someone who just plays occasionally and gets lucky. I know that this money is going into the toolbox and chances are I’m eventually going to lose that $4000 (hopefully later than sooner). It’s simply a great feeling to know that I will weather a few bad losing streaks along the way. So, if I’m not doing it for the money, why? Not unlike a golfer who spends thousands of dollars on clubs, green fees, and golf balls, it’s the CHALLENGE. Can I take one or two strokes off my game? Can I finally make par on this course? I find that the challenge of beating the casino at their own game is something I enjoy. Whereas, I’m not making or losing much money, I am getting free food, free concert tickets, free trips across the country, free suites, free gifts, and it goes on and on.
Today I won almost $2000. It will go into the toolbox. Would I ever use the toolbox money to buy something for myself—occasionally. Has the toolbox ever run out of money? Certainly, and then I’d have to restock it (fortunately, that hasn’t been necessary the past couple of years). Here’s the part that I didn’t expect: I’ve become somewhat jaded about all these freebies. It was exciting getting a suite—for a while. All the free food has resulted in an expanded waist line that I fight every day to keep reasonable. These free trips are new for me. I’m looking forward to the experience and wonder if I’ll begin to become a little complacent with these as well.
Every year, I say the same thing: This is my last year. It’s been a good ride. But then after a few weeks, I again start to get the itch to ply my skills and enjoy the fruits. I’m already wondering what I’ll do next year. Will I be satisfied with going back to Diamond status, or am I so spoiled that I’ll begin to expect 7 Stars every year. The whole point of this journal is for me—and you—to figure out if it’s all worth it. So far, I have to admit: It’s looking good.
