Pre Trip Report

Driving from Tempe, AZ to LAS on Friday (about 3.5hr trip) and decided to list our pre trip plans here. Following, I will post what actually happens and we can see how close I am to predicting reality:

Leaving Friday about 10am after dropping the dogs off at the dog sitter. Will stop in Wickenberg (about an hour into the trip) and pick up some fast food to eat on the way...no unnecessary stopping).

Arrive in Vegas about 2pm...stopping at the self-proclaimed "Royal Capital of the World" the Fiesta where my wife and I will each put $100 into a triple play VP machine and see what happens.

After we get our Royal at the Fiesta (did I mention it IS the Royal Capital of the World, we will head to the M where we are comped for three nights to take part in their VP tournament. Following hotel check-in we will go to the tournament reception, sign-up, check out the food/drink and at about 4pm take the car to Ellis Island to get our name in for the BBQ Dinner (see coupon book). Play some VP at Ellis and am optimistic although I think I am the only person who has yet to win on video poker there...always bad luck.

Back to the M after a great dinner and they are having a wine/music celebration at 8pm in their wine cellar. We will hang out there or I might play some BJ. After midnight we will hit the triple play VP machine to build points which impact our tournament scores.

Saturday there are two tournament sessions. In between I will be at the sportsbook betting on whatever games are available but, also concentrating on the horses. Wife will probably hit the spa as they have a pretty good deal for $100 and besides, that means she is not losing money elsewhere. There is a pool party that night with live music and, of course, it will be back to the triple plays to build points and win money...I'll predict one more royal for one of us...probably my wife as usual but, when one hits, the other pockets $100.

Sunday morning at the M buffet (coupon comped) and then our two tornament sessions. The top 25 of 150 get cash from the tournament so I will predict one of us is in the money with an eye on the top prize of $10,000.

Following the second tournament session we are heading down to Southpoint to grab a few $2 tequila drinks (upstairs bar) and settle into a sportsbook booth to watch the NBA game (a Dallas victory). Undecided on the food as we may do Steak and Shake, the sportsbook deli (one of the best in Vegas) or if we have time use the prime rib coupon. We will slip in some VP there and usually do well although we have always hit more four aces than anything else...I'll take that with a kicker.

My wife gets up at about 5am each day to get an early start on the machines and will do so Monday. We will have some breakfast and try to get out of town by about 10am...that is unless we win that $10,000 tournament.

At your buffet at the M be sure to get in line at least a half hour early or you'll be stuck there for an hour or more. Hopefully you'll have a line pass. I love their buffet but that's an area the M really needs to improve upon.

Ave a fun trip and I look forward to reading your TR when you return and just how NOTHING went according to schedule.

Sounds good!! But I want to know how in the heck do you drive from Tempe to Las Vegas in just 3.5 hours. Even with the new bridge. Do you exceed the speed limit??

I was wondering the same thing. It takes me about 4.5 hours to get from North Phoenix to the 215 and Green Valley Parkway. This includes a quick 10 minute stop in Wikieup.

Me too, Lisa! We left from central Phx, drove the speed limit all the way...with a 10 minute stop in Wikiup and it took 4.5 hours. And that is with the new, wonderful bridge!! You approach the bridge and in 2 blinks you are over and on your way. Very cool. But doesn't shave the drive to 3.5 hrs. Arizona Robert, please tell us your secret!!!

Anxiously awaiting the comparison report. Good luck, hope you are close

Figured I'd update using my original post with new comments headed by ***.

Driving from Tempe, AZ to LAS on Friday (about 3.5hr trip) and decided to list our pre trip plans here. Following, I will post what actually happens and we can see how close I am to predicting reality:

***Posters are right on the 4.5hr trip but, I should have gotten more detailed as we visited friends in Wickenberg the night before and left from there ending at the Fiesta which in Henderson, south of the strip. Trip went fine with limited traffic even for a Friday afternoon.

Leaving Friday about 10am after dropping the dogs off at the dog sitter. Will stop in Wickenberg (about an hour into the trip) and pick up some fast food to eat on the way...no unnecessary stopping).

Arrive in Vegas about 2pm...stopping at the self-proclaimed "Royal Capital of the World" the Fiesta where my wife and I will each put $100 into a triple play VP machine and see what happens.

***The Fiesta didn't live up to its reputation as there were no royals to be found. I was dealt a straight flush on a triple machine so I walked out a winner although that didn't cover my wife's losses.

After we get our Royal at the Fiesta (did I mention it IS the Royal Capital of the World, we will head to the M where we are comped for three nights to take part in their VP tournament. Following hotel check-in we will go to the tournament reception, sign-up, check out the food/drink and at about 4pm take the car to Ellis Island to get our name in for the BBQ Dinner (see coupon book). Play some VP at Ellis and am optimistic although I think I am the only person who has yet to win on video poker there...always bad luck.

***Tournament reception included free drinks so we had one before driving down to Ellis Island. Check in went great and the M staff is very personable. It's too bad the casino is so far away from the strip as there are many pluses there but, most people don't have time for the drive or don't have a car. Room was great as always and even though we were on the second floor, we had a very good view of the strip and a great view of the pool. Traffic, of course, was very bad as we neared the strip. Got to Ellis Island about 6pm and was astonished to learn the BBQ wait was only 20mns. Lost $40 on BJ in that time and was called to dinner.

***Everyone should take advantage of this coupon. We had two full racks and one beer and the bill was less than $20 AND, more importantly, the meal was very very good. Luckily we had a cooler in the room so we were able to bag up the leftover ribs. We would eat here even without the coupon deal. Following the meal we then lost about $60 on VP (that's why they have the coupon deal right) but, all-in-all a great visit even though I still can't win anything at Ellis Island.


Back to the M after a great dinner and they are having a wine/music celebration at 8pm in their wine cellar. We will hang out there or I might play some BJ. After midnight we will hit the triple play VP machine to build points which impact our tournament scores.

***Decided to take a nap before hitting the wine bar and I never got back up. My wife started playing VP after midnight but, had no luck at all.

Saturday there are two tournament sessions. In between I will be at the sportsbook betting on whatever games are available but, also concentrating on the horses. Wife will probably hit the spa as they have a pretty good deal for $100 and besides, that means she is not losing money elsewhere. There is a pool party that night with live music and, of course, it will be back to the triple plays to build points and win money...I'll predict one more royal for one of us...probably my wife as usual but, when one hits, the other pockets $100.

***Got up early on Saturday to build some VP points but, even though I was successful at that, could not win any money on the machine. NOTE: As you may have read the M now has progressives on its VP machines and on the 25 cent ones that I play, the royal was hit at least four times during the weekend with the highest payout being $1561.

***Tournament was well-run played on single line, double pay VP machines. Cutting to the chase, each of us hit a few four of the kinds but, ended up with under 20,000 total points and 28,000 points was the cut off for any rewards. We would do the tournament again.

***Horse racing was split into two outcomes...lost every race before 2pm and won/placed every race between 2 and 4:00...all in all, a slight loss. The M sportsbook (run by Cantor) is very restrictive in giving out drink tickets...a disappointment. Played some BJ and 3-card Poker but, that was before 2pm when I could not win a dime on any game. Wife played VP in the morning and throughout the day without any winning sessions.

***Decided to hit the buffet for dinner since we had earned enough points for it to be free. The dinner buffet is fine but, just about at the same level as others we have had in Vegas. I don't rate it as outstanding although I will not complain about complimentary food. Following, we played VP together (side by side) and managed to lose about $300 playing for about four hours. We did hit four three's on the bottom line (couldn't draw a kicker) and then four aces with and then without a kicker all within about 15 spins. All in all, a losing and disappointing day though.

Sunday morning at the M buffet (coupon comped) and then our two tornament sessions. The top 25 of 150 get cash from the tournament so I will predict one of us is in the money with an eye on the top prize of $10,000.

***Skipped the buffet and went to our two tournament sessions. Lost on VP again in the morning and wondering when our luck was going to turn around. Played a couple hundred on craps and started with some wins but, ended up down $35. One roller hit four hardways in a roll which was fantastic for all on the hardways. FYI...M typically always has $5 craps tables.

Following the second tournament session we are heading down to Southpoint to grab a few $2 tequila drinks (upstairs bar) and settle into a sportsbook booth to watch the NBA game (a Dallas victory). Undecided on the food as we may do Steak and Shake, the sportsbook deli (one of the best in Vegas) or if we have time use the prime rib coupon. We will slip in some VP there and usually do well although we have always hit more four aces than anything else...I'll take that with a kicker.

***Left for Southpoint at about 3pm and, since my wife is from STL, went to Steak and Shake. Following, we played together on VP and I hit four aces but, between us we lost again. Hit the sportsbook for a Dallas loss (bad at predicting basketball too) and then we debated seeing Hangover 2 there or heading back to the M.

***Walked from the garage to the room and on the way I asked if my wife wanted to throw $100 each in a VP machine so we did. I hit a few four of a kinds and then (FINALLY) hit a ROYAL on a non-progressive machine (three clubs, drew the last two). That seemed to turn our luck and we hit four of a kind on the bottom and fours with the kicker twice. All in all, I got my wife back to even for the trip and myself with a few extra dollars in my pocket. Next morning my wife gave back $200 but, it was too late for me to bail her out again so we hit the road about 10:30.

My wife gets up at about 5am each day to get an early start on the machines and will do so Monday. We will have some breakfast and try to get out of town by about 10am...that is unless we win that $10,000 tournament.

***All in all a good trip. We always feel like (at least) we have a chance to win at the M and Southpoint on VP whereas it seems like (at Harrahs) it's a miracle to get even four of a kind (used to be Diamon at HET). Usually our trip last a few more days so this time we were limited to these two properties. No luck on any card game this weekend but, that is just the way it goes. Usually I try to play BJ, 3-card poker, craps and VP and I will be able to win at one and then stick with that. I know there have been reports of the M buffet not being as good as it used to be but, I think the majority of gamblers are not paying for it anyway. Ellis Island is a must visit and I can also endorse the steak dinner special there.

YES! data i can use about the frank'n'bob progressives. i can now abandon my silly-@@@ plan of trying to learn seven new games, post haste, at wildly divergent strategies. Thanks, and congratulations on the RF!

Thanks for the update. Have a great time and I look forward to reading your trip report.

Thanks for your update, congratulations on your Royal (which I see helped your trip not be as losing as it earlier was) and as for your thoughts about doing better at Southpoint and M, that could very well be due to better pay schedules there than at Harrah's places.

Better pay schedules are more likely to leave you around for better hands to end up showing up!

Bad pay schedules can help your money drain away at a quicker rate than at machines with better pay schedules (although it also definitely helps to play without a lot of strategy errors) as well as to get a good return from the Slot Club.

RecVPPlayer