JULY PROMOTIONS

Las Vegas is hopping, turning the one-day 4^th of July holiday on Wednesday into a whole week of celebrations.  But don’t let down your guard when you are looking for promotions and end up getting fooled!  You must always read the fine print and check out details carefully.  Here are some danger areas, many I have talked about in the past:

1. All the children properties in a mother casino company do not always have the same promotions.  For example, there is a full 2-page Station Casino splash in today’s R-J newspaper describing multiples offers and events but at the bottom of those pages there is no Palms logo. So, don’t expect any of those there.  There is another page which describes the on-going Wheel jackpot promotion (through September 3) and you will see the Palms listed in the bottom logo section since that promo does covers all Station properties.  You will notice the same thing in the big Boyd newspaper ads.  Check the casino names under each promotion to be sure you have the right details for each individual casino.
2. Not all promotions are open to all players.  Some are for locals only; sometimes out-of-towners receive different offers. Some may be available only to those who receive a mailing mentioning that promotion; this is often true with Boyd property multiple-point promos.
3. There are many different ways to activate your participation in a promo. Sometimes you need to swipe at a kiosk before you start playing, such as at Boyd properties.  Play for an hour and then remember you didn’t swipe first?  No multiple points will be earned on that hour’s play.  Go swipe and then you will start earning that bonus.  At Station casinos you can swipe anytime – before, during, or after your play – and you will get those bonus points on the full day’s play.  There are also many different rules for drawings.   Be sure to check time schedules for earning tickets and activating them – the virtual drum often closes 15 minutes or longer before the actual drawing time.     

THE D VEGAS AND GOLDEN GATE

These 2 downtown casinos not only have the same owner but they are now linked together in the Club One players club.  Learn about this club at their website.   There you will find details about a new-player bonus, how to earn points on all their games, and the various rewards for which you can qualify, like discounted room rates, free play, cash, comps, and invitations to special events. It describes their promotions, which includes an exotic car giveaway and a holiday shopping event.

TUSCANY

The all-month 20% senior discount moves to the Piazza and Toscana bars for July.

The Pub 365 is offering a special brunch menu on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to which you can add bottomless mimosas for $12.

Tuesdays in July, for earning 100 slots – which you get to keep, you can receive a coupon for a 2-for-1 entrée at Pub 365 or Tuscany Gardens, their excellent Italian restaurant.

PALMS

The Palms now has the newer players club software on their machines, matching the more modern look of card readers at other Stations, with the side panel being a different color at each property.  A friend of mine confirmed what I had written about a year or so ago when I heard they were getting rid of the “railroad” theme: “I think they’re phasing out the Boarding Pass name in favor of myRewards.  Much of the slot club literature says myRewards and now the top of the side panel says myRewards.”  My tech-savvy friend also talked about the new capability that would allow customers to access their account at the machine without using their players card: “A tech at the Palms told me that they’re installing the hardware needed for a system called Cardless Connect and will have it in the future.  I said that I use it at Red Rock and he asked me if I thought it was worth it. Probably not, I said, it’s faster to use your card and I’ve never seen anyone else using it.

SOUTH POINT

Good news for almost all players – locals or tourists – the return of the gift-card promotion.  This July you can earn cards for Chevron or Walmart.  The points you earn are worth twice as much if you redeem them for gift cards; it’s like 2x points on the days you are playing for cards.  It takes 8333 points to earn one $50 gift card; limit is a total of 10 cards for the month.  See more details at the South Point website.