Summer of Cal/Nev – Day 43
I was up early today. I decided I was going to pick one day of this Laughlin trip where I’d go gamble and today is that day. My hope is to gather 2500 points ($25K) at Harrahs to collect the bonus 5000 tier credits; however, if it comes out a losing day, I will stop and 1000 points and settle for the 1000 bonus tier credits. Either way, it’s going to take the majority of the day.
I first finished all the morning routines and went down to the breakfast buffet to use one of my comps given to me at check in. They open at 7AM, and I was there ten minutes early along with a few other die-hard “early-birds.” As I was enjoying my omelet, looking out at the river, I saw a lone fisherman casting from his small boat that had the engine turned off and was just letting the river carry him along. I wonder who these people are and how did they find this their thing to do.
It's 7AM and this guy is drifting along the Colorado River fishing.
A few people have had some nice things to say and that my reports may sway them to come to Laughlin. I will say that it has its own personality—much slower—much smaller than Las Vegas. It’s really only one street of casinos, and only one casino, the Tropicana Express, doesn’t sit along the river. When I was younger, I didn’t like it here—not enough to do, not enough action, not enough places. However, as I became older, I found that it simply fit my pace more; and considering I’ve experienced or seen “most of what Las Vegas has to offer,” I come to appreciate the more relaxed atmosphere. At 62 years old, I continue to be one of the youngest people around, excluding the summer crowds of families and teens that only come for the river activities. So if you do come, be prepared to slow down, dodge a few walkers, and be patient when you get stuck behind folks that just mosey along.
I dove to Harrahs and began playing the 50-plays Super Double Bonus for nickels ($5.00 per had dealt). Things were going poorly. I just couldn’t get dealt any trips or high pairs, so I switched to Bonus Deuces Wild (5,5,15,15,20,65,100,200,400,125,1000,2000,4000—would someone run this for me for the percentage? From the full pay schedule, full houses pay only 15 instead of 20, but pay 65 instead of 45 for the straight flush—I’d like to know between this and the 8/5 Super Double Bonus, which is the better percentage—RecVPoker?)
Anyway, after about a half hour, I was dealt quad 4s playing Bonus Deuces Wild—had I been playing Super Double Bonus, that would have been a $400 win—but NOOOOO, I’m playing the other game. I did manage one good dealt hand (and the only truly good dealt pat hand) of five 9s.
The only good hand all day...and it only paid $100
Other than that, it was a bad day. I simply couldn’t gather the momentum needed—that one big hand that rescues you from your small losses as you go. There were no royals, no dealt four-to-the-royals, and only twice while playing Bonus Deuces was I dealt three deuces. So, it was simply bad going. I did manage the 1000 points, but it was a brutal day and I end up giving back a little more than half the royal from Ballys—at least I had it to give it back, is how I see it. As we like to say, “Dem is the da brakes.”
I did spend most of the day at Harrahs playing and quite honestly I was bushed. Going after 7-Stars at $5 a hand can be brutal and at times fills like a full time job. People who really deserve this top tier are usually the $500 per hand and higher players, and the video poker types who play at the $5 and $25 machines. I’m trying to pull this off as a small time, go it slow and a steady, don’t lose much money guy. I’d quit right now, but I’m almost to 100,000 points and I’m close enough to checking it off my bucket list that I have every intention of finishing it. I still have five more months.
I stopped by the Mobil gas station here in Laughlin where there’s a Subway outlet and picked up a sandwich to take back to my room and I called it a night.
More tomorrow.
I was up early today. I decided I was going to pick one day of this Laughlin trip where I’d go gamble and today is that day. My hope is to gather 2500 points ($25K) at Harrahs to collect the bonus 5000 tier credits; however, if it comes out a losing day, I will stop and 1000 points and settle for the 1000 bonus tier credits. Either way, it’s going to take the majority of the day.
I first finished all the morning routines and went down to the breakfast buffet to use one of my comps given to me at check in. They open at 7AM, and I was there ten minutes early along with a few other die-hard “early-birds.” As I was enjoying my omelet, looking out at the river, I saw a lone fisherman casting from his small boat that had the engine turned off and was just letting the river carry him along. I wonder who these people are and how did they find this their thing to do.
It's 7AM and this guy is drifting along the Colorado River fishing.
A few people have had some nice things to say and that my reports may sway them to come to Laughlin. I will say that it has its own personality—much slower—much smaller than Las Vegas. It’s really only one street of casinos, and only one casino, the Tropicana Express, doesn’t sit along the river. When I was younger, I didn’t like it here—not enough to do, not enough action, not enough places. However, as I became older, I found that it simply fit my pace more; and considering I’ve experienced or seen “most of what Las Vegas has to offer,” I come to appreciate the more relaxed atmosphere. At 62 years old, I continue to be one of the youngest people around, excluding the summer crowds of families and teens that only come for the river activities. So if you do come, be prepared to slow down, dodge a few walkers, and be patient when you get stuck behind folks that just mosey along.
I dove to Harrahs and began playing the 50-plays Super Double Bonus for nickels ($5.00 per had dealt). Things were going poorly. I just couldn’t get dealt any trips or high pairs, so I switched to Bonus Deuces Wild (5,5,15,15,20,65,100,200,400,125,1000,2000,4000—would someone run this for me for the percentage? From the full pay schedule, full houses pay only 15 instead of 20, but pay 65 instead of 45 for the straight flush—I’d like to know between this and the 8/5 Super Double Bonus, which is the better percentage—RecVPoker?)
Anyway, after about a half hour, I was dealt quad 4s playing Bonus Deuces Wild—had I been playing Super Double Bonus, that would have been a $400 win—but NOOOOO, I’m playing the other game. I did manage one good dealt hand (and the only truly good dealt pat hand) of five 9s.
The only good hand all day...and it only paid $100
Other than that, it was a bad day. I simply couldn’t gather the momentum needed—that one big hand that rescues you from your small losses as you go. There were no royals, no dealt four-to-the-royals, and only twice while playing Bonus Deuces was I dealt three deuces. So, it was simply bad going. I did manage the 1000 points, but it was a brutal day and I end up giving back a little more than half the royal from Ballys—at least I had it to give it back, is how I see it. As we like to say, “Dem is the da brakes.”
I did spend most of the day at Harrahs playing and quite honestly I was bushed. Going after 7-Stars at $5 a hand can be brutal and at times fills like a full time job. People who really deserve this top tier are usually the $500 per hand and higher players, and the video poker types who play at the $5 and $25 machines. I’m trying to pull this off as a small time, go it slow and a steady, don’t lose much money guy. I’d quit right now, but I’m almost to 100,000 points and I’m close enough to checking it off my bucket list that I have every intention of finishing it. I still have five more months.
I stopped by the Mobil gas station here in Laughlin where there’s a Subway outlet and picked up a sandwich to take back to my room and I called it a night.
More tomorrow.
