Received an offer for a $99 weekend rate at Ameristar - near Hammond - with $5 free play and $5 food/beverage credit...can you tell we roll low? If there was ever something such as Copper or Iron or Tin Level - that would be our player's club designation. However, I was recently intrigued by Caesars new bonus tier promo and thought if there ever was a time to reach the next level, maybe it's now.
So, we left our three young daughters with Grandma and departed suburban Milwaukee at 9:15am on Saturday morning. Arrived in the Horseshoe parking garage by 11:15 am. Note: Chicago is a breeze to drive through on Saturday mornings, but I'd never do it during the week, it'd take twice as long!
We brought a bankroll of $775 with us to the casino. The plan was to play together and put anywhere from 500 to 1000 points on my husband, Tony's, card and see how we'd come out. After a quick stop at the TR booth to print new cards, we found the bank of $1 full pay JOB. Had the whole row to ourselves. I immediately deposited three Benjamins to get us rolling. I would say it took about an hour - maybe an hour and a half, and it was gone. I don't think we suck that bad at strategy. We both practice on tutorial software, and having two people watch the cards definitely helps avoid mistakes. After the big loss, though, we needed a break so we moseyed up to the casino bar. Not used to paying $4.50 a beer when I'm gambling! Played a little black jack there and then headed back to our machine and threw in another $100. Turned that $100 into $240 and had now earned 500 tier points. It was about 2:00 and they announced that you should go swipe your card for an evening drawing. We went and swiped Big T's card, where he'd earned 20 entries. Names would be drawn between 5 and 10 pm. We decided to hang around awhile longer. Played and played and played. Had a few more $5 beers and finally got that damn 1000 points on the card. It costs us though - we were down to less than $50 in cash. I never lose that much money in a whole WEEK in Vegas...but, strangely, it didn't feel as bad as I thought it would.
So now it's time for the drawing. They are calling five names an hour and if someone doesn't show, they re-draw those names at the end of the night. They called the first five names for the 5:00 drawing. Everyone showed up. We went to the VIP area to see what they won. EAch winner got to choose an envelope out of a drum, and some got the amount multiplied by three or five. I saw several people throughout the night win anywhere from $3000 to $12,500...pretty good drawing. After the 5:00 winners were announced, we went upstairs to eat at the buffet and wait for the 6:00 names to be called. Used points to pay (had earned 10,000 each in RC's last summer during the race to rewards promo) and came back down to listen for the next five names to be called. Our names (of course) weren't called so off we went to Ameristar to check into our hotel.
Ameristar is about 6 miles from the Horseshoe...but what an eerie six mile car ride. Especially when it's dark and you're from Wisconsin and don't know you're way around and the main highway between the two casinos is closed! Thank goodness for smart phone navigation apps.
Now, if you've never been to this area of the country, GOOD. Stay away. Tony calls this place, Freddy Krueger town. Yick. Giant industrial smoke stacks belching out by-products of who-knows-what into the atmosphere. Electrical grids and transformers everywhere. This is just a nasty, blighted town and I feel for the people who have to live and work here. No wonder there are so many casinos in the area - one definitely needs an escape from this depressing landscape - Hammond, East Chicago, wherever the hell we were - it's a real DUMP.
Conversely, in the middle of this apocalyptic city, sits the Ameristar hotel (MGM property). It's a stunning gem with friendly staff, well appointed lobbies, public areas and hotel rooms. They have this Asian theme going on. I liked it a lot. Our room was gorgeous, spacious, clean - I just kept the drapes closed so I didn't have to look at the BP refinery and power plant in the distance. We dropped our bags off in the room and headed to their casino. It's actually an old riverboat, attached to the hotel with four levels. We bolted to the fourth level because it's non-smoking. I made quick work of my $5 free play on a penny machine and threw in another $20 maybe. We didn't stay long. Decided if were were going to continue throwing money into machines, we might as well do it at the Horseshoe.
We made it back to the Caesars property in time for the 8:00 pm drawing. No luck. By now after tipping servers, and bell hops, and valets, and buying a few more beers, were really were BROKE. So I pulled another $300 out of the ATM and paid a $6 fee to do it. Highway robbery! This time we played penny machines and used my card to play. Farted around another two more hours waiting for our names not-to-be-called at the hourly drawings and losing more $$$ while doing so.
We got back to Ameristar about 11pm. Thought about heading down to their casino one more time to play table games, but instead stayed in the room and had a bubble bath in the giant whirlpool tub and watched a movie on HBO.
Up by 6:30 am and wandered down to the casino. Far less smoky in the morning. We went our separate ways for awhile. I played some spin poker and other random VP for about 2 hours finished up just a little, then I got on a roulette table - met nice people, drank coffee and had some fun, even came out $5 ahead when I finally cashed out. Eventually I found Tony on a 50 play VP machine - and he was down about $60. We decided to take what we had left of our $300 (now about $200) and head back over to Horseshoe. We ate, on our way out, at the Ameristar buffet - very good - and cost $15 total with my food comp.
Checked out. Loaded our bags back into the minivan and headed back to Horseshoe for one more crack at the $1 JOB game. And guess what - Freddy Krueger Town isn't any prettier in the daylight. The smell of methane and sulfur and whatever else permeates the air is overpowering. GAG.
It's a new day though, and Tony's tier score for the day is set back to zero. Our goal was to put another 500 points on his card...but with only $200 left in our bank roll - unlikely. The first $100 disappeared right away - poof - on the JOB game. We decided to switch to 9/7 double bonus poker. We're not as familiar w/this strategy but figured using the JOB strategy would be good enough. Hit several flushes, full houses, and 3OAKs, eventually even hitting quad Kings. Cashed out with $365 and 250 points on the card. I knew if we stayed and worked towards earning the 500 points we set out for, the money would be gone. Not worth it to me after the beating we took the day before. So at the end of the day, we came home with $365; a small consolation prize.
Now, I'm hoping Tony's ADT has gone up enough to get him some offers. He put on a total of 1250 tier credits, now 2250 with the bonus, over two days. We're planning a trip - late March to Tunica where we'll try to get Tony to Platinum - for whatever amount of good that will do us. Then a week in Vegas in June - already have the plane tickets.
As I reflect on it all, and talking about it w/the DH on the car ride home. We actually had a relaxing, peaceful weekend together - despite losing lots of money and swirling around in the armpit of the world. We'd definitely return to the Horsehshoe Casino - but will likely spend the night in Chicago - or drive directly home - next time.
So, we left our three young daughters with Grandma and departed suburban Milwaukee at 9:15am on Saturday morning. Arrived in the Horseshoe parking garage by 11:15 am. Note: Chicago is a breeze to drive through on Saturday mornings, but I'd never do it during the week, it'd take twice as long!
We brought a bankroll of $775 with us to the casino. The plan was to play together and put anywhere from 500 to 1000 points on my husband, Tony's, card and see how we'd come out. After a quick stop at the TR booth to print new cards, we found the bank of $1 full pay JOB. Had the whole row to ourselves. I immediately deposited three Benjamins to get us rolling. I would say it took about an hour - maybe an hour and a half, and it was gone. I don't think we suck that bad at strategy. We both practice on tutorial software, and having two people watch the cards definitely helps avoid mistakes. After the big loss, though, we needed a break so we moseyed up to the casino bar. Not used to paying $4.50 a beer when I'm gambling! Played a little black jack there and then headed back to our machine and threw in another $100. Turned that $100 into $240 and had now earned 500 tier points. It was about 2:00 and they announced that you should go swipe your card for an evening drawing. We went and swiped Big T's card, where he'd earned 20 entries. Names would be drawn between 5 and 10 pm. We decided to hang around awhile longer. Played and played and played. Had a few more $5 beers and finally got that damn 1000 points on the card. It costs us though - we were down to less than $50 in cash. I never lose that much money in a whole WEEK in Vegas...but, strangely, it didn't feel as bad as I thought it would.
So now it's time for the drawing. They are calling five names an hour and if someone doesn't show, they re-draw those names at the end of the night. They called the first five names for the 5:00 drawing. Everyone showed up. We went to the VIP area to see what they won. EAch winner got to choose an envelope out of a drum, and some got the amount multiplied by three or five. I saw several people throughout the night win anywhere from $3000 to $12,500...pretty good drawing. After the 5:00 winners were announced, we went upstairs to eat at the buffet and wait for the 6:00 names to be called. Used points to pay (had earned 10,000 each in RC's last summer during the race to rewards promo) and came back down to listen for the next five names to be called. Our names (of course) weren't called so off we went to Ameristar to check into our hotel.
Ameristar is about 6 miles from the Horseshoe...but what an eerie six mile car ride. Especially when it's dark and you're from Wisconsin and don't know you're way around and the main highway between the two casinos is closed! Thank goodness for smart phone navigation apps.
Now, if you've never been to this area of the country, GOOD. Stay away. Tony calls this place, Freddy Krueger town. Yick. Giant industrial smoke stacks belching out by-products of who-knows-what into the atmosphere. Electrical grids and transformers everywhere. This is just a nasty, blighted town and I feel for the people who have to live and work here. No wonder there are so many casinos in the area - one definitely needs an escape from this depressing landscape - Hammond, East Chicago, wherever the hell we were - it's a real DUMP.
Conversely, in the middle of this apocalyptic city, sits the Ameristar hotel (MGM property). It's a stunning gem with friendly staff, well appointed lobbies, public areas and hotel rooms. They have this Asian theme going on. I liked it a lot. Our room was gorgeous, spacious, clean - I just kept the drapes closed so I didn't have to look at the BP refinery and power plant in the distance. We dropped our bags off in the room and headed to their casino. It's actually an old riverboat, attached to the hotel with four levels. We bolted to the fourth level because it's non-smoking. I made quick work of my $5 free play on a penny machine and threw in another $20 maybe. We didn't stay long. Decided if were were going to continue throwing money into machines, we might as well do it at the Horseshoe.
We made it back to the Caesars property in time for the 8:00 pm drawing. No luck. By now after tipping servers, and bell hops, and valets, and buying a few more beers, were really were BROKE. So I pulled another $300 out of the ATM and paid a $6 fee to do it. Highway robbery! This time we played penny machines and used my card to play. Farted around another two more hours waiting for our names not-to-be-called at the hourly drawings and losing more $$$ while doing so.
We got back to Ameristar about 11pm. Thought about heading down to their casino one more time to play table games, but instead stayed in the room and had a bubble bath in the giant whirlpool tub and watched a movie on HBO.
Up by 6:30 am and wandered down to the casino. Far less smoky in the morning. We went our separate ways for awhile. I played some spin poker and other random VP for about 2 hours finished up just a little, then I got on a roulette table - met nice people, drank coffee and had some fun, even came out $5 ahead when I finally cashed out. Eventually I found Tony on a 50 play VP machine - and he was down about $60. We decided to take what we had left of our $300 (now about $200) and head back over to Horseshoe. We ate, on our way out, at the Ameristar buffet - very good - and cost $15 total with my food comp.
Checked out. Loaded our bags back into the minivan and headed back to Horseshoe for one more crack at the $1 JOB game. And guess what - Freddy Krueger Town isn't any prettier in the daylight. The smell of methane and sulfur and whatever else permeates the air is overpowering. GAG.
It's a new day though, and Tony's tier score for the day is set back to zero. Our goal was to put another 500 points on his card...but with only $200 left in our bank roll - unlikely. The first $100 disappeared right away - poof - on the JOB game. We decided to switch to 9/7 double bonus poker. We're not as familiar w/this strategy but figured using the JOB strategy would be good enough. Hit several flushes, full houses, and 3OAKs, eventually even hitting quad Kings. Cashed out with $365 and 250 points on the card. I knew if we stayed and worked towards earning the 500 points we set out for, the money would be gone. Not worth it to me after the beating we took the day before. So at the end of the day, we came home with $365; a small consolation prize.
Now, I'm hoping Tony's ADT has gone up enough to get him some offers. He put on a total of 1250 tier credits, now 2250 with the bonus, over two days. We're planning a trip - late March to Tunica where we'll try to get Tony to Platinum - for whatever amount of good that will do us. Then a week in Vegas in June - already have the plane tickets.
As I reflect on it all, and talking about it w/the DH on the car ride home. We actually had a relaxing, peaceful weekend together - despite losing lots of money and swirling around in the armpit of the world. We'd definitely return to the Horsehshoe Casino - but will likely spend the night in Chicago - or drive directly home - next time.
