About 12 years (? maybe more) ago, a "new" slot machine was being "introduced" in Biloxi at the MGM Grand.
I believe it was "Cleopatra", and she was there to make a personal appearance to launch the new game.
Every hour or two, she would "appear", make a proclamation, and all the machines were opened and a switch inside flipped. (Probably "tournament" mode) And for exactly 5 minutes, those lucky enough to be on a machine were nicely rewarded.
Unfortunately for me, I arrived and "found" this promotion too late. Only two more periods scheduled, and I could not get "near" one to play.
The players were most likely all "advantage" players, because as I watched, it was "slow play one unit per pull maybe twice per minute" city, waiting until the promo, when it became " frantic button pushing" city.
THAT was the beginning of my education into advantageous slot play. A poker player took me under his wing, and taught me the basics and much more. We went to several casino's, he showed me every machine in each, explained what to look for, etc. He was headed "home" and had no plans of returning to Biloxi.
Years later, I now know how very profitable those hours of education were. (I knew it at the time when we hit one "play" for $600.00. ) The internet, subsequent casino visits and many conversations with slot personnel, allowed me to expand my knowledge in this area.
Like me, he preferred poker, learned/ knew machines, and during his poker game "breaks", would walk the slot floor looking for banking games to play. He would spend 30 minutes away from the poker game every 90 minutes or so.
What a promo that "Cleopatra" thing was. Doubt it worked out well for the casino, since I now know that the bank of machines was occupied by advantage players.
And if I knew than what I know now, I would have arrived days earlier to participate also. :::shrug:::
OH, yeah, the machine was in some special mode. Not certain it was actually "tournament mode" as we now know it, since TITO's were issued and cash accepted.
This was "way back", just a month or two after the MGM Grand converted it's machines to TITO. How unpopular those TITO's were at the time. :::shrug:::
That was back in the days when the casino was moored on a barge, and Lyle Berman owned them. The poker rooms always served free hot dogs, (with or without chili) , Krispy Kreme, fresh fruit, had soda and coffee/expresso/cappuchino machines, and much more in the poker room, free to all players. Also all poker players got buffet/meal comps for the asking (one per shift "if played 4 hours or so)
Too bad they got destroyed by Katrina or Wilma. Whichever. They were truly poker player friendly, due to Lyle Berman being a poker player.
Those days are gone. Forever.
I believe it was "Cleopatra", and she was there to make a personal appearance to launch the new game.
Every hour or two, she would "appear", make a proclamation, and all the machines were opened and a switch inside flipped. (Probably "tournament" mode) And for exactly 5 minutes, those lucky enough to be on a machine were nicely rewarded.
Unfortunately for me, I arrived and "found" this promotion too late. Only two more periods scheduled, and I could not get "near" one to play.
The players were most likely all "advantage" players, because as I watched, it was "slow play one unit per pull maybe twice per minute" city, waiting until the promo, when it became " frantic button pushing" city.
THAT was the beginning of my education into advantageous slot play. A poker player took me under his wing, and taught me the basics and much more. We went to several casino's, he showed me every machine in each, explained what to look for, etc. He was headed "home" and had no plans of returning to Biloxi.
Years later, I now know how very profitable those hours of education were. (I knew it at the time when we hit one "play" for $600.00. ) The internet, subsequent casino visits and many conversations with slot personnel, allowed me to expand my knowledge in this area.
Like me, he preferred poker, learned/ knew machines, and during his poker game "breaks", would walk the slot floor looking for banking games to play. He would spend 30 minutes away from the poker game every 90 minutes or so.
What a promo that "Cleopatra" thing was. Doubt it worked out well for the casino, since I now know that the bank of machines was occupied by advantage players.
And if I knew than what I know now, I would have arrived days earlier to participate also. :::shrug:::
OH, yeah, the machine was in some special mode. Not certain it was actually "tournament mode" as we now know it, since TITO's were issued and cash accepted.
This was "way back", just a month or two after the MGM Grand converted it's machines to TITO. How unpopular those TITO's were at the time. :::shrug:::
That was back in the days when the casino was moored on a barge, and Lyle Berman owned them. The poker rooms always served free hot dogs, (with or without chili) , Krispy Kreme, fresh fruit, had soda and coffee/expresso/cappuchino machines, and much more in the poker room, free to all players. Also all poker players got buffet/meal comps for the asking (one per shift "if played 4 hours or so)
Too bad they got destroyed by Katrina or Wilma. Whichever. They were truly poker player friendly, due to Lyle Berman being a poker player.
Those days are gone. Forever.
