Summer of Tournaments – Day 12
Today begins the Paris slot tournament. I voiced my dislike of slot tournaments many times in the past. There is absolutely no skill involved aside from pushing a button and you’re chances of winning are no different than pulling a name out of a hat. However, they do come with three free nights and a little free play at registration, so that’s nothing but good. I was in the very first session this morning at 9:00 AM. It turns out the boothling at registration gave me some wrong info. I spoke with the tournament director and they’re not paying the top 250 people, they’re paying the top 500 people with the highest scores. And there are 1600 players, so that’s still just short of a 1 and 3 chance of coming out in the money (paid in free play) though admittedly, places 51 to 500 is only $50.
Paris is still using the old-school Red White and Blue slot machines: 50 machines per session; 8 sessions.
I scored a middle-of-the-road 6100 points. With these machines, I’ve learned over the years that you need to have two sessions of +10K to have a chance for the win and least one day of 10K or more to be above the lowest paying tier. If I have the same score tomorrow, I’ll at least be in the money for fifty bucks.
After the tournament, I had breakfast at the Paris buffet (might as well—I have reward points to pay) and after ordering my crepes and was about to sit down, I was approached by a gentleman asking if I belong to the LVA. I’ve thought many times about updating my picture on the site as I’ve gotten older and heavier, but people still seem to recognize me, so I suppose I’ll just leave it on there. Mark from Texas City, Texas (who knew?) was there with his family and it was nice meeting all of them. Mark has been reading the reports for a long time and just wanted to say hi. I was disappointed that they were leaving later that day because I would have loved to be able to sit and chat for a while. I’m hoping our paths will cross again someday down the road so we can do just that.
Mark of Texas City, Texas and I at the Paris buffet. Sorry the pic is a little out of focus
After breakfast, I decided to pick up my ticket for the Cirque Du Soleil production Zarkana at the Aria. I won a free ticket to the show on the MYVegas game on Facebook. I’m sure most of you are aware of this site, the only game that doesn’t cost you anything to play but you actually win real prizes from the MGM properties. Last month I had a nice buffet at the Aria and today I’m getting a premium seat at this show. You’re allowed to use as many as three offers every 90 days and I plan on using my third of this trip next month at the Excalibur.
The Aria is across Las Vegas Blvd and down the street, so I crossed over to the Bellagio and took a couple of pics along the way. I’m always surprised at just how many people are here and gambling on a Monday morning in the middle of June. Las Vegas is just buzzing with visitors and conventions. It occurs to me that if you place the Bellagio, let’s say, in Springfield, Missouri, people would come from hundreds of miles around to be there and see it. It would be a major attraction for the entire city; however, here it’s just one more of many mega-resorts that line this street and it seems all of them are cram full of people. I read somewhere that all of the people we see in Las Vegas taking in the sites, playing the machines, and laying down $5 bets at the blackjack tables; all of our gambling and hotel stays only pay the bills for these hotels. The PROFIT comes from the high rollers, or whales. So, regardless of how many people I see everywhere, we’re all only keeping the lights on. Interesting.
Today at the Bellagio atrium
The chocolate shop next to the atrium has this huge train engine made totally of candy
By the time I finally made it to the Aria, it was noon. I stopped at the club card booth and was told asked if I had called and made my reservation, which I hadn’t (I really do need to read directions). You have to call first the toll-free number, they give you a confirmation number, and then you go to the box office to pick up your ticket—lesson learned. I called and fortunately, they did still have a spot open (they reserve only so many seats for this promotion) and gave me the number. I walked upstairs to the box office and picked up my ticket. On MYVegas, you can choose a standard or premium seat (more gold coins needed) and I went for the premium.
I stopped downstairs to play the 25-play video poker machine. I don’t give MGM properties much play at all simply because even when I did, they never sent me offers and with their club, you never know where you stand. Like Caesars, their video poker schedules are poor. However, on this machine (the only one I’ve found), they do have 7/5 Bonus, 9/6/5 DB, and 9/5 DDB in nickels and dimes—very rare. The best game is the Double Bonus, but I’m terrible at the strategy so I stuck with 7/5 Bonus for nickels. In no time, I was up $50 and I cashed out, happy to take some of MGMs money.
I walked back to the Paris but stopped along the way to take another pic of the progress of the Bazaar shops construction in front of Bally’s. I’ve done this for years—take pics of works-in-progress. Go back in trip reports from many years ago, and you’ll find pictures of Center City when it was just the demolished Showboat casino, and further still, I have a pic of a huge hole in the ground I took while staying the just completed Wynn that is where the Palazzo now stands.
The shops in front of Bally’s are coming along and expected to be done by the end of the year
I went up to my room for a little while to check emails and other little chores. At 4PM, I was to meet LVA reader Dean in front of the Flamingo Diamond Lounge. When I got there, the line was already forming to go inside and Dean came up and introduced himself. When they opened the doors, the lady asked for 7 Stars members first so we were let in and took the cushy lounge chairs down in the front. We ordered drinks only to be told that the bar won’t be open for a while (what?) and so we settled for a beer and water. We later learned that the bartender on duty called in sick and the word didn’t get out for a sub bartender to come in, so when they opened there was not only no bartender but no one had done all of the prep work needed to set it all up. Drinks weren’t available for almost an hour.
The Flamingo Diamond Lounge is the only one that doesn’t serve chicken wings every day. They have different foods such as chow mien, hot pockets, and beef dishes. It’s also one of the most crowded, so they have tables and chairs set aside for 7 Star members, which I’m undecided if I’m in favor of or not. Dean, it turns out, is one of the few LVA readers who actually live in Las Vegas. Originally from Illinois, he came here years ago as a radio ads salesman and has been here ever since. He loves living here and takes advantage of every promotion offered. We discussed the differences in the promos given locals versus if you live out of state. We had a nice visit for an hour or so, and I had to say my goodbyes, as it was time for me to walk back over to the Aria to see my show (of course I went to the early 7PM show, the late show at 10PM—too old)
Note the seats down the front that are more like sofas. These are the premium seats.
I had really good seats only six rows from the stage and in the premium sofa-like seats that were as comfortable as any seat I’ve ever had at a theater with plenty of leg room and a little shelve for your refreshments, which you were allowed to bring in the theater. As for the show itself—not so good. As with all Cirque shows, the live music and visuals were amazing. However, the show is nothing more than tumbling and acrobatic acts and tying it all together was a troupe of costumed clowns that would do comedic routines while they set up the next act. There really is nothing new or fresh about this production, but for the free admission? Not bad.
The summer nights in Vegas are so refreshing (though the wind has been an issue the past couple of days). I hung out for a while watching the water show in front of the Bellagio and finally made it back to my room for a little TV and to bed.
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 8 Cost: $115 Won: $1000 Balance: $885
Today begins the Paris slot tournament. I voiced my dislike of slot tournaments many times in the past. There is absolutely no skill involved aside from pushing a button and you’re chances of winning are no different than pulling a name out of a hat. However, they do come with three free nights and a little free play at registration, so that’s nothing but good. I was in the very first session this morning at 9:00 AM. It turns out the boothling at registration gave me some wrong info. I spoke with the tournament director and they’re not paying the top 250 people, they’re paying the top 500 people with the highest scores. And there are 1600 players, so that’s still just short of a 1 and 3 chance of coming out in the money (paid in free play) though admittedly, places 51 to 500 is only $50.
Paris is still using the old-school Red White and Blue slot machines: 50 machines per session; 8 sessions.
I scored a middle-of-the-road 6100 points. With these machines, I’ve learned over the years that you need to have two sessions of +10K to have a chance for the win and least one day of 10K or more to be above the lowest paying tier. If I have the same score tomorrow, I’ll at least be in the money for fifty bucks.
After the tournament, I had breakfast at the Paris buffet (might as well—I have reward points to pay) and after ordering my crepes and was about to sit down, I was approached by a gentleman asking if I belong to the LVA. I’ve thought many times about updating my picture on the site as I’ve gotten older and heavier, but people still seem to recognize me, so I suppose I’ll just leave it on there. Mark from Texas City, Texas (who knew?) was there with his family and it was nice meeting all of them. Mark has been reading the reports for a long time and just wanted to say hi. I was disappointed that they were leaving later that day because I would have loved to be able to sit and chat for a while. I’m hoping our paths will cross again someday down the road so we can do just that.
Mark of Texas City, Texas and I at the Paris buffet. Sorry the pic is a little out of focus
After breakfast, I decided to pick up my ticket for the Cirque Du Soleil production Zarkana at the Aria. I won a free ticket to the show on the MYVegas game on Facebook. I’m sure most of you are aware of this site, the only game that doesn’t cost you anything to play but you actually win real prizes from the MGM properties. Last month I had a nice buffet at the Aria and today I’m getting a premium seat at this show. You’re allowed to use as many as three offers every 90 days and I plan on using my third of this trip next month at the Excalibur.
The Aria is across Las Vegas Blvd and down the street, so I crossed over to the Bellagio and took a couple of pics along the way. I’m always surprised at just how many people are here and gambling on a Monday morning in the middle of June. Las Vegas is just buzzing with visitors and conventions. It occurs to me that if you place the Bellagio, let’s say, in Springfield, Missouri, people would come from hundreds of miles around to be there and see it. It would be a major attraction for the entire city; however, here it’s just one more of many mega-resorts that line this street and it seems all of them are cram full of people. I read somewhere that all of the people we see in Las Vegas taking in the sites, playing the machines, and laying down $5 bets at the blackjack tables; all of our gambling and hotel stays only pay the bills for these hotels. The PROFIT comes from the high rollers, or whales. So, regardless of how many people I see everywhere, we’re all only keeping the lights on. Interesting.
Today at the Bellagio atrium
The chocolate shop next to the atrium has this huge train engine made totally of candy
By the time I finally made it to the Aria, it was noon. I stopped at the club card booth and was told asked if I had called and made my reservation, which I hadn’t (I really do need to read directions). You have to call first the toll-free number, they give you a confirmation number, and then you go to the box office to pick up your ticket—lesson learned. I called and fortunately, they did still have a spot open (they reserve only so many seats for this promotion) and gave me the number. I walked upstairs to the box office and picked up my ticket. On MYVegas, you can choose a standard or premium seat (more gold coins needed) and I went for the premium.
I stopped downstairs to play the 25-play video poker machine. I don’t give MGM properties much play at all simply because even when I did, they never sent me offers and with their club, you never know where you stand. Like Caesars, their video poker schedules are poor. However, on this machine (the only one I’ve found), they do have 7/5 Bonus, 9/6/5 DB, and 9/5 DDB in nickels and dimes—very rare. The best game is the Double Bonus, but I’m terrible at the strategy so I stuck with 7/5 Bonus for nickels. In no time, I was up $50 and I cashed out, happy to take some of MGMs money.
I walked back to the Paris but stopped along the way to take another pic of the progress of the Bazaar shops construction in front of Bally’s. I’ve done this for years—take pics of works-in-progress. Go back in trip reports from many years ago, and you’ll find pictures of Center City when it was just the demolished Showboat casino, and further still, I have a pic of a huge hole in the ground I took while staying the just completed Wynn that is where the Palazzo now stands.
The shops in front of Bally’s are coming along and expected to be done by the end of the year
I went up to my room for a little while to check emails and other little chores. At 4PM, I was to meet LVA reader Dean in front of the Flamingo Diamond Lounge. When I got there, the line was already forming to go inside and Dean came up and introduced himself. When they opened the doors, the lady asked for 7 Stars members first so we were let in and took the cushy lounge chairs down in the front. We ordered drinks only to be told that the bar won’t be open for a while (what?) and so we settled for a beer and water. We later learned that the bartender on duty called in sick and the word didn’t get out for a sub bartender to come in, so when they opened there was not only no bartender but no one had done all of the prep work needed to set it all up. Drinks weren’t available for almost an hour.
The Flamingo Diamond Lounge is the only one that doesn’t serve chicken wings every day. They have different foods such as chow mien, hot pockets, and beef dishes. It’s also one of the most crowded, so they have tables and chairs set aside for 7 Star members, which I’m undecided if I’m in favor of or not. Dean, it turns out, is one of the few LVA readers who actually live in Las Vegas. Originally from Illinois, he came here years ago as a radio ads salesman and has been here ever since. He loves living here and takes advantage of every promotion offered. We discussed the differences in the promos given locals versus if you live out of state. We had a nice visit for an hour or so, and I had to say my goodbyes, as it was time for me to walk back over to the Aria to see my show (of course I went to the early 7PM show, the late show at 10PM—too old)
Note the seats down the front that are more like sofas. These are the premium seats.
I had really good seats only six rows from the stage and in the premium sofa-like seats that were as comfortable as any seat I’ve ever had at a theater with plenty of leg room and a little shelve for your refreshments, which you were allowed to bring in the theater. As for the show itself—not so good. As with all Cirque shows, the live music and visuals were amazing. However, the show is nothing more than tumbling and acrobatic acts and tying it all together was a troupe of costumed clowns that would do comedic routines while they set up the next act. There really is nothing new or fresh about this production, but for the free admission? Not bad.
The summer nights in Vegas are so refreshing (though the wind has been an issue the past couple of days). I hung out for a while watching the water show in front of the Bellagio and finally made it back to my room for a little TV and to bed.
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 8 Cost: $115 Won: $1000 Balance: $885
