This is a good time to mention another technique that I may not have talked about recently but one that is becoming a very valuable instrument in my promotion toolbox. I’m talking about giving an e-mail address to all casinos where I have a card and regularly play or even might want to play in the future. Some may refrain from doing this to reduce the junk mail that clogs our Inboxes. However, I quickly scan all casino e-mails and delete those that are just ads for activities and entertainment options that don’t appeal to me but lately I have been finding some real gems among the “trash.” Maybe they are offering me extra free play that wasn’t scheduled in my regular mailer. Or there is a by-invitation-only bonus point multiplier for one day or even a designated day once a week.

I see a trend of casinos using e-mails to encourage players to come in on extra days with these mid-month or last-minute surprises – perhaps free show tickets or an extra nice gift for those in the higher club tiers. Brad and I play almost exclusively at Vegas locals casinos these days, not on the Strip, so my experience with these e-mails has been limited to those casinos. But I would not be surprised if in other areas casinos that cater to locals would not be doing the same thing. Feel free to use the “Comment” section below to share this information.

Now to some specific details.

CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT

From a press release: Wyndham Rewards, recently unveiled a new loyalty partnership with Caesars Entertainment and its award-winning Total Rewards program with more than 50 million members, upping the ante for members of both programs with a host of industry-leading perks. The move brings the immediate benefit of complimentary status match to members of both programs—a first for any Total Rewards hotel partner—with additional perks slated to come online later this summer. Once complete, Wyndham Rewards members will have the ability to book Total Rewards destinations across the U.S. and Canada directly through Wyndham Hotel Group and Wyndham Rewards channels; earn and redeem Wyndham Rewards points for qualified stays at those destinations; bid on one-of-a-kind hotel, restaurant and entertainment experiences; and transfer points between the two programs.

BORGATA (Atlantic City)

Borgata has finally dropped their rewards club which was established when MGM and Boyd Properties were co-owners. Now that MGM has assumed full ownership of the casino, on June 7 they put into place the M life players club which is the rewards program in their other properties. And overview of that program gives copious amounts of details.

*****Warning: I must tell you about a danger area in the MGM players club AND in any players club in a casino that is part of a larger company that includes more than one property. This is especially true when that “mother company” has many properties and/or is in more than one part of the country, i.e. Caesars Entertainment and Boyd Gaming. But it can be the same tricky situation even when fewer “sibling casinos” are involved. Here is what you need to know: Although the programs will have some organizational details that are the same across the board, at all properties, there may be many crucial differences in other areas. Earning points and/or comps may be at different rates; redeeming points may be done in different ways, and there may even be a different number of tiers. A wise player will need to research each of the “children casinos” individually, not assuming what you do at one will necessarily be the right thing at another. As is true with all casino information – the devil is in the details!

BOYD PROPERTIES (The Orleans, Gold Coast, Suncoast, Sam’s Town, California, Fremont, and Main Street Station)

And that same devil needed to be watched in a promotion that took place at the Orleans and Gold Coast last month and is continuing into this one. He even caught me, someone everyone knows who constantly says, “Read the fine print.” They ran and continue to run a promotion called “Double Your Royal.” That title is in big print on all the promotional literature. But what did I – and many other players – miss? In smaller print “up to” and “a chance to…” If you happen to get lucky and hit a royal, you get to pick from a container that contains slips of paper with various “prizes.” Who knows what your chances are to get the doubler prize! Knowing the usual odds for casino drawings – not much chance for the top prize, players don’t expect much. Getting a small bonus for hitting a royal is always nice, of course, but this is not what experienced players expect on usual “double-royal” promotions. It was our bad, of course, for not reading the fine print closely, but is the sort of thing that makes many players feel the casino is out to trick them to get more of their money.

SLS Las Vegas (former the Sahara)

From a press release: SLS Las Vegas® will celebrate the launch of its new player rewards program, Club 52, with $52,000 Summer Extravaganza Drawings, $2,500 weekly slot drawings and more throughout the month of June. Promotion details here.

DOWNTOWN GRAND

This downtown casino is running summer deals on Tuesday for their senior players 50+. Check out the details here.

PALMS

I’ve talked to low-level employees and managers trying to find information about future developments here. There seems to be a lot of “I’ve heard” but hard facts seem impossible to pin down. First, at the cashier everyone is sure that they have no idea when their computer system will be integrated with the one in place at all the Stations – so that means that dinky check-cashing wheel will disappoint me probably for a long time.

About the food establishments, here is what I have heard but I don’t guarantee any of this information. The new coffee shop will be in the same place as the previous 24/7 and will be called the Lucky Penny Café. Supposedly it will open around the end of June/first of July. The buffet will close about the same time for a 6-month remodel, expanding to the Mint which will disappear. I’ve gotten a couple of different “facts” about the closed Hooter’s area. One person said there would be a temporary buffet set up there while the main one is closed. Another said it would become a new food outlet called the “Social Table.” No verification of any of this or any time schedule revealed.

We live near the Palms and go there frequently to play, eat, and watch movies. So Brad and I will be your “boots on the ground” there and I will report on the changes as we see them.

The following players club information came from press releases, thus some flowery language! 

RENO

Eldorado’s new distinctive loyalty program ONE Club will reward guests with exclusive benefits nationwide. With ONE Club, guests can receive comps at over 50 restaurants and lounges, 4,500 hotel rooms, and dozens of entertainment options throughout the Eldorado Resorts portfolio. ONE Club debuted in August 2016 at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort, Presque Isle Downs & Casino, and Scioto Downs Racino. ONE Club is now available in Reno at Eldorado Reno, Silver Legacy Reno, and Circus Circus Reno, allowing guests to seamlessly earn and redeem at Eldorado Resort properties. ONE Club will come to Eldorado Shreveport later this year.

LAKE CHARLES

Golden Nugget – Lake Charles today announced that it now gives premium 24K Select Club Members the most luxurious amenities ever offered with the new Billionaire’s Club, the highest level of the casino’s 24K Select Club player rewards program. This Billionaire’s Club tier level is exclusive to the Golden Nugget Lake Charles and is an invitation-only level above the regular tiers of the 24K Select Club tier, which go up from 24 Karat to Premier, Chairman and Elite. The Billionaire’s Club players’ cards will work at the other Golden Nugget Casinos, in slot machines and at table games for Point, Tier Credit and Comp Dollar earning, and for Comp Dollar redemption. Members can also present their Billionaire’s Card at Landry’s, Inc. restaurants nationwide to redeem their earned Comp Dollars, just like they do now. Each Golden Nugget Casino location has a separate program, so check with each property’s 24K Select Club Booth for specific rules and details.

ATLANTIC CITY

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, part of MGM Resorts International, announced today that it will be launching the Company’s M life Rewards loyalty program, presenting members with personalized offers, exclusive benefits and special access across MGM Resorts’ portfolio. Beginning Wednesday, June 7, M life Rewards will supplant My Borgata Rewards loyalty program, allowing guests to play and earn at their favorite MGM Resorts destinations including Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage in Las Vegas as well as resorts in Detroit, Mississippi and Maryland.

After celebrating an early Christmas in Columbus, our next stop was at granddaughter Kaitlynn’s apartment in Atlanta, where she is working on her master’s in communication, specifically video production and related areas.  She has connected her hobby of geocaching to her studies with a YouTube site chronicling her adventures at home and abroad.

Then it was on to Cherokee Harrah’s in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains, one of our favorite casinos, where Kaitlynn (now over 21 and can enjoy casinos), daughter Angela, and son-in-law Steve helped us use up $500 worth of comps that came with this freebie Harrah’s Seven Stars trip. Although the weather was cold and rainy, the 3 of them were intrepid, doing some major hiking in this beautiful area that they love.  (A park ranger gave them advice on hiking trails, avoiding those affected by the recent Gatlinburg fires.)

Brad and I stayed in the warm hotel and casino, enjoying the nice heated indoor pool and unlimited free movies in our mini-suite.  (Perhaps the only Harrah’s casino that still gives this unlimited benefit for Seven Stars?)

All of us enjoy the food options at this casino.  Although we could have chosen the two upscale restaurants, we prefer more casual dining:  grabbing quick breakfast options at Starbucks; grazing in the food court on the casino floor; or, visiting the Diamond Lounge where major meal options are available during dinner time and extra selections in the room reserved for Seven Stars.  We especially liked the breakfast/brunch buffet in the Selu Garden Café.  And the main buffet we consider one of our favorites among all the casino buffets we have every visited, wide selection of high-quality food choices and no mysteries – every item was labeled!

And of course we all gambled.  Brad and I played $5 single-line NSUD since anything at lower levels had schedules with much lower EVs.  When we arrived on a Thursday, I saw signs promoting a mystery-multiplier for all Thursdays in December.  Checking at a kiosk, Brad found he had a 2x, but I snagged 3x so we played on my card that day, saving his play for the next one.

Angela likes to play VP but since there were no good games at a lower denomination, she joined Kaitlynn and Steve who love the penny slots.   I am always amazed at how long they can play on a small bankroll.  Yes, they will lose unless they hit a big jackpot but they do get a lot of entertainment at a small cost by bouncing around from one machine to another, betting minimum amounts per hand.  In fact the last evening we joined them and had a ball – hooting and hollering whenever one of us on the bank had a bonus round.  When we quit for the night,  I  surprised myself by winning $10 for the session!  Kaitlynn was especially proud of herself.  She had won $75 on her first day of play.  She said she ought to quit then – that was a big amount for her.  But then I told her that she could look at it as a way to “pay” for further entertainment and so she played on that for the next two days.  She finally lost the last of it that last night and she decided to quit.

“Look, I had fun for 3 days in a casino and it didn’t cost me anything,” she beamed.

She is now a proud member of our Frugal Gambler club:  Breaking even is a wonderful thing!

The food coupons in the Boyd property mailers seem to exclude Subway except for the Suncoast branch, but we have been able to use them at the Subway in the Gold Coast.

The social Facebook game myVEGAS has added Rewards for the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City.  Read the details here.

If you want some discussion about the Stations free football contest, you can read Kevin Lewis’ last comment – and then perhaps add to the discussion.

Someone recently asked:  “Are you guys doing some resistance exercise in addition to the swimming?”  The answer is “Yes.”  Plus I am doing heavy physical therapy for cervical pain!  Brad has to do exercises he learned in PT for lumbar pain.  Old age isn’t for sissies!!!

Have a good Columbus Day 3-day weekend.  If you are going to “work” at the Gold Coast on Monday, look for us and stop and say hi.  Sometime that day you can bet your bottom dollar that we will be there – and perhaps at the Orleans too – taking advantage of the 10x points on video poker.

Go to  his site for a rich source of his ideas for frugal gambling, accommodations, food, and entertainment.  He is a big fan of bus transportation to get around town and shares those money-saving experiences here.

Here are some of the Websites and Internet forums he and others use to keep up on the ever-changing casinos in a city that is constantly reinventing itself:

https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/resort-fee-hotels/

ACG forum

Vegas Message Board

A number of LVA forums on various gambling subjects, some free and some for LVA subscribers only.

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Another frugal resource, from The American Casino Guide:

Travelers looking for savings at U.S. casinos can now get the FREE American Casino Guide app that allows them to instantly download casino coupons directly to their iPhone or iPad. [Available for Android planned for the near future] The app was developed by the publishers of the American Casino Guide, which has been published annually for the past 24 years and is the #1 bestselling book in the U.S. on the subject of casino gambling and travel. A special new feature of the app is its “Instant Coupon” section which allows users to download coupons for FREE, or on a paid basis, for only 99 cents. However, as an introductory 90-day offer, all coupons can be downloaded for FREE, until October 31, 2015.

Sometimes I get e-mails or comments complaining that Brad and I can find so many good plays because we live in Las Vegas but that an out-of-towner is out of luck.  So I thought I would tell you how I planned an out-of-town trip and perhaps it would show you some techniques that could be helpful to you when you come to visit Las Vegas or travel outside your home gambling area.

1.  I found out about this event and its benefits through a mailing.  Mail from single or umbrella properties that you have visited in the past is the #1 way to get free or discounted rooms and sometimes other freebies like show and food comps.  I used a host to make arrangements, but often that isn’t a requirement.  Just call the reservation number given in the mailer.
2. One of the first things I always do is make up a schedule, filling in the various activities that come in the mailed offers.  The first thing that caught my eye from this Atlantic City mailer was that there were two 7x-point days.  VP play would be the main activity for those two days.  The rest of the activities would be scheduled on the other days.  Setting priorities is one of my strong suits!  The other one is being flexible!
3. Next I went to vpFREE2, the #1 place to look for good VP games we could play on the bonus-point days.  This saved us literally hours and hours of scouting since we could play at any of the four Caesars properties.  We found the best paytable was 9/6 JoB.  We would have preferred to play this game at $5 single-line but we couldn’t find that in an open machine at the time we wanted to play.  So we played the next highest denomination we could find, $1 ten-coin at Bally’s.
4. When we are going to a new casino or area, we always ask for help on our favorite VP forum, vpFREE.    (Subscribe at vpFREE-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.) We ask if there are any new changes that haven’t made it into vpFREE2 and for any information that will make our trip more enjoyable on and off the casino floor.  We always get some good advice.
5. We also talk to other players with whom we meet at the various events or at the machines.  (It’s amazing how many friends we have made down through the years as a result of chatting with other players at the “good” machines.)  On this visit the buzz was about Revel matching tiers for people with players cards from other casinos – and giving nice joining bonuses.  That chatting made Brad and me an extra $500 because we hadn’t planned on going way down the Boardwalk to visit Revel.

If you are an out-of-towner planning a trip to Las Vegas, you can use these same basic methods.  Someone wrote that Brad and I must have some “secret” plays and that is why we are successful.  Some Vegas players do work hard on scouting out super plays, but they usually share them only with a very tight-knit group that I have not been asked to join.  I usually find out about them when they are over!!!  I just looked over our playlist – and we do not play any game that is not in the vpFREE2 data base.  You can check the same LVA list I do for multiple-point days.

There is one important thing that Brad and I – and other Las Vegas resident players – enjoy and that is mailers from local casinos, which usually do not mail to out-of-towners.  These usually have free play offers but often they tell about promotions that are not publicized widely in other places.  But you are in luck.  I’m going to start sharing here in this blog at the first of each month the promotions that I know about that I think might be of interest to out-of-towners as well as locals.  And I will be urging other locals to contribute in the “Comments” section.

I have found that detailed pre-planning helps to side-step many problems, and then frequent double-checking will help to avoid or smooth out last-minute snags.  Fortunately we had an extremely helpful host, one from another casino where we play but who was on property while we were in Atlantic City, who gave invaluable support both before and during the visit.  A good host is golden!

Another thing that helped us was that I had read on Internet forums about previous Seven Star events and knew that there were always some problems when you have several thousand customers in one area and all are high-level players who have been promised – and expect – VIP treatment.  Sometimes lower expectations will decrease the disappointments.

But with all that said, we did have some rough spots and sometimes it was a little difficult to make lemonade out of the lemons.

• Transportation #1.  We encountered problems first with Southwest Airlines.  In the beginning it looked as if we might be able to take a bump on the non-stop flight from Las Vegas to Philadelphia.  That would have been good since we were going a day early for the event anyway and the reward would have been substantial.  However in the end, the plane was not overbooked – but it was delayed for two hours.  That was not so good since our already scheduled arrival at midnight – which we had reluctantly chosen to keep from changing planes – was now 2 a.m.  And just as we predicted, that caused confusion about our previously-scheduled limo ride from the Philadelphia airport.  I didn’t want to wake up a host in the middle of the night to solve this problem.  Fortunately another couple on the same flight was already calling Bally’s when we met up at baggage claim and there was no Harrah’s rep there as we expected.  Finally after a long walk to the limo pickup area – thank goodness we didn’t have too much luggage – and a short wait, our limo appeared and we finally arrived at Bally’s about 3:30 a.m.  Two very tired seniors!!!!

• Transportation #2.  We would have had big transportation problems on the return trip since our pre-arranged limo was wrongly scheduled.  But I am experienced enough to always check on that the day before.  So our limo ride from Bally’s to the Philly airport was pleasant and got us there with plenty of time for what turned out to be a long security line.  One new wrinkle – travelers over 75 do not have to take off their shoes or light jackets any more – I guess they realize that Brad’s age group doesn’t have the energy to be terrorists.  I have just a year and a half to join this privileged group – although I am already too tired for any dangerous activities.  Although Brad didn’t have some restrictions, security still became a time-consuming activity because he has a pacemaker.    Philly doesn’t have any of the new scanners, so a lengthy pat down was necessary.  But fortunately we had plenty of time so no problems here.  The trip home took longer because we had to change planes in Chicago, but we almost enjoyed this break with a walk to get the cramps out of our tired long-flight legs.

• Parties.  They were a mixed bag, the welcome pool party and the big dinner.  The one at Harrah’s pool had little seating room, although we finally found plenty of tables in a “secret” outdoor area on the second level.  That turned out well in the end since that was where we were having a Frugalite get-together.  The food selection was rather limited and “strange” but after all it was just a cocktail party.  It was fine for us to “pick” on, and others went elsewhere for full meals.  The big dinner had wonderful food and we enjoyed the surprise guest, Tony Orlando. He sang all the old songs that brought back so many good memories.  Also it was impressive that the top Caesars company honcho, Gary Loveman, was there and said a few words.    As usual at many of these events, the biggest problem was music that was too loud.  We like to socialize with other people at our table but this was impossible.  We exchanged names with the couple next to us, but gave up on meeting the rest – you didn’t want to shout.  The music was very danceable but, although this used to be one of Brad’s and my favorite activities, our legs have given out on us.  (We get our exercise by swimming now!)

• Fees.  We did get an unwelcome surprise at hotel checkout.  We assumed since our room was fully comped there would be no bill, like at Harrah’s properties in NV – advertised as no-resort-fees hotels –  and other places we have stayed.  Instead we owed $65 for the six nights.  I checked with a host and she told me that these were state “taxes” that could not be comped.  We paid the bill, with a Harrah’s gift card we had from a promo from a previous visit at another property, but  found out later that other people have had different experiences with these fees, not all required state taxes it seems.  Some could pay them with Reward Credits; some could get all or part of them comped off.  And the amount of the fees seems to vary at each Atlantic City property.   We probably won’t take the long trip to AC for a long time or even ever again, so I’m going to forget about this.  But if you go there you might want to investigate this in advance.

If you are interested in more details about this Atlantic City Seven Star event, including the good and the bad and the ugly, I suggest you go to the excellent SevenStars Insider Web site, where there is a very detailed report.

“Hey,” you may be saying to me now, “you haven’t said anything about gambling yet.”  Yes, we did play video poker on this trip and the next blog entry will cover that important part of our trip.

• The Diana Ross concert.  It’s hard to pick one entertainment option that appeals to a large group of people of varying tastes and ages, but I found that most of our fellow 7 Stars enjoyed this one.  Brad had one complaint about this concert but it is the same one he has at any music event we attend, probably due to a generational gap – that the instrumental background music is too loud and overwhelms the singer(s) that he wants to hear.  I could have avoided this little problem for Brad but I forgot to ask for non-VIP seats for us – as far back from the booming speakers as is possible!

• The Pickles deli at Bally’s.  We love the food there and the Dr. Brown’s Diet Cream Soda.  We had food vouchers as part of this event package but we didn’t even use all of ours since we don’t enjoy big meals.  There was food at a couple of the activities and we liked going to the various Diamond Lounges where we could do small pickin’ whenever we got hungry.

• Unlimited movies in the room.  We watched one or two every day.  Okay, the new “The Three Stooges” wasn’t a high point for me – but Brad liked it, said it was much better than he expected.    (Some Harrah’s properties now limit the free-movie benefit for Seven Stars – perhaps just two a visit.  So check in advance.)

• Double dipping on airfare.  We were able to use gift cards that we had earned previously at another casino to purchase our tickets, and then Harrah’s refunded the amount in cash.  (Harrah’s will not reimburse free trips, i.e., frequent-flyer award tickets, but they will reimburse tickets that you “pay” for, whether with cash, travel vouchers, or gift cards.)

• Shopping using the vouchers that came with the benefit package.  We got Brad a pretty shirt at one shop, but most was spent at Brookstone, where we found they would ship our purchases free.  Brad and I no longer need or even want much “stuff” so once again the Frugal Princess family in GA benefited – they can always find a way to use casino gifts!

• The cruise.  The weather kept us in the bay instead of out in the ocean looking for whales, but it was a pleasant outing.  They plied us continually with great hors devours and drinks.

• Friends.  It was so much fun to meet so many Frugalites, both in the two organized get-togethers and as our paths crossed during the event.  Some were friends whom we have known and with whom we had visited off and on for years, and others were players who had known Brad and me from my writings and on the Internet forums but never met in person before.

Stay tuned for the few problems we faced and how we solved them.

First a prequel story: Although the 1985 trip was Brad’s and my first trip to Atlantic City together, it was not my first visit there.  Back several lifetimes ago, in 1959, I was there on my first honeymoon.  No casinos yet, just the beach and the Boardwalk beckoning two so-young and so-poor but wide-eyed adventure-seeking Midwest lovers.  (I had been dreaming of a romantic vacation there since my little-girl days of playing Monopoly!)

Okay, so much for really-long-time-ago nostalgia.  In August, 1985, Brad and I drove from our home in Indianapolis to Atlantic City.  We were still very new to casino gambling, with only 3 short trips to Las Vegas since our first one in March of 1984.  We knew only a little about the comp game, mainly just from Westward Ho mailers generated by our play there.  And our bankroll was microscopic.  So after calling several casinos and finding their room prices were too high for our budget, we opted for a very cheap motel a block or so off the Boardwalk.  We have always preferred fun over fancy – basic accommodations gave us 10 days of vacation instead of the 5 we could have afforded in more deluxe digs.

In 2012 we don’t have to make such choices.  We can have fun and fancy both.  We are comped into deluxe rooms, and often it is a big impressive suite.  This trip was an invitation one, an event exclusively for Harrah’s Seven Stars.  We can ask for extra free nights in addition to the basic offer, and we did this for this trip.  Our host knew we needed time to adjust for the long cross-country flight and the jet lag from the 3-hour time change.  The airfare was comped as were most of our meals so our expenses were minimal, mainly just tips.

So now our choices are made, not on financial constraints, but energy levels!  Case in point, those rolling chairs on the Boardwalk – I had always looked on them with longing.  How romantic it would be to hop in one and let someone push us up and down the bumpy boards while we gazed at the ocean waves on one side and the quirky shops on the other.  But in 1985, and for the several trips we took there in later years, we chose to eschew that luxury so we could build our gambling bankroll.  Besides we were walking 3-5 miles a day just for exercise anyway.  This year there was no choice in the matter.  If we wanted to go from our hotel, Bally’s, to the new Revel to pick up a joining bonus, way down on the other end of the Boardwalk, we would have to find something with wheels since our legs are fast giving up on both of us.  Actually, it turned out to be a very frugal event even though we could have easily faded the now-it-seemed-reasonable price of the ride.  Revel was giving Harrah’s Seven Star card holders $250 in free play and, as a nice surprise, we turned our $500 free play into $500 cash playing a $1 9/6 JoB VP machine.  The rolling chair ride back to Bally’s was really romantic – Brad says free money always turns me on!

Stay tuned.  I will continue with this report later this week.  I am still in a catch-up mode after 2 out-of-town trips in 5 weeks and mailers filling our mailbox demanding to be put on our July calendar.

Brad isn’t satisfied just to be 7 Stars!