Gambling Resources

Answering Your Questions

Every once in awhile I check my “Question File” and try to address those subjects that need more explanation or details.

Q:  Do you know anything about bus transportation between Las Vegas and Laughlin?

A:  This seems to be a very fluid subject. I remember taking free bus day trips from Las Vegas many many years ago that usually included a sightseeing feature or two on the way down and a free lunch buffet after you got down there. I have heard of several such programs down through the years but don’t know if any are running now.  And sometimes I’ve heard of inexpensive bus schedules both ways.  Best advice is to google for current info.  Someone recently mentioned a Silver Rider bus and I found this phone number on their website where you might get more information – 702-298-4435.  If you have taken one of these bus trips recently – free or with a paid ticket, it would be great if you could put details in the “Comments” section below.

Q:  You often mention promotions or information you find in the local Vegas newspaper.  Do you think that I should subscribe to it even if I am an out-of-towner?

A: Although as a local and a person who reads “The Review-Journal” daily, and I do find out some helpful information this way, there are almost always online resources where this same information could be found for free.   Here are the ones many people check frequently:

  • Individual casino websites
  • Scot’s Bonus Point List
  • The ACG’s “Vegas Values,” a weekly report that gives you details on the best Las Vegas Casino Promotions.  
  • Then there is this blog, where I scour many other sources and try to fill in with details that might not be given in other places.

Q:  Was there a Blackjack Ball this last year?  I didn’t read any reports about it.

A: Yes, although the usual date in January was changed to April this year.  Henry Tamburin attended this event and wrote a detailed description of all the action.  Part 1 of the “Inside Scoop on the 2018 Blackjack Ball” talked about the famous and always insanely difficult test that the attendees faced.  Part 2 gave the answers to that test and named the winner who gets bragging rights as the “World’s Best Blackjack Player.”

Smile of the Day

I love schoolteacher jokes and here is one that made this English teacher chuckle:

Q: What do you say to a crying grammar teacher?

A: There, they’re, their.

ZorkFest Frugal Fee Deadline Extended

Did you look at the ZorkFest website earlier and knew this travel and gambling conference had a lot of interesting events but you just couldn’t organize your schedule to take advantage of the frugal early-bird registration I recommended?  Well, you last-minute planners are in luck; the deadline has been extended to April 30!

And if you are reading this, you are also lucky that you can get the best event and combo discount deals by using these LVA codes:

  1. Zorklva – $10 off a regular ZorkFest Conference ticket
  2. Zorkdinnerlva – $20 off the ZorkFest VIP dinner! (remember, VIP “High Roller” ticket INCLUDES DINNER)
  3. Zorklvaroller – $25 off! ZorkFest VIP “High Roller” ticket which includes VIP dinner, breakfast, t-shirt, and VIP reserved seats at the podcaster event
  4. Zorkcraps – discount for charity craps tournament

(Depending on your schedule and interests, you can register for individual events – like the VIP dinner or the craps tournament or the Award Travel Bootcamp – without purchasing the Conference ticket.)

Zorkfest is also running an exclusive contest for LVA members:

ZorkFest will provide three (3) Friday VIP dinner tickets to raffle off for LVA members. Potential winners will be any LVA member who buys a Zorkfest conference ticket (with the LVA code). Those three winners will sit with Anthony Curtis or Jean and Brad Scott at dinner Friday night. If the winner of the LVA contest for dinner already has purchased a dinner (or High-Roller ticket which includes dinner) they will get a $100 Treasure Island Casino Chip, at registration.

So, check out the ZorkFest website and see what all will be offered, no matter what your interests are:  a crap tournament, smart casino gambling, travel bargains, credit card awards, podcasts.  It looks to be a cornucopia of money-saving information!

Brad and I hope to see a lot of our frugal friends!

 

April Casino News and Promos

I am reading that the casino business in Vegas is booming, but my local April mailers are so extra heavy with promotions that it makes me wonder.  However, I’m not complaining – I love it when the casinos are stepping up their marketing efforts!

Although I mainly look for gambling-specific promotions, like multiple-point days, to write about, I know most players are also interested in other promotional categories, especially food offers.  Obviously if you can save money on meals when you are in a casino, then you will have more money to add or keep in your gambling bankroll. This month I know about three play-for-a-buffet promos.

SOUTH POINT

From a press release:  South Point Casino Club members have the chance to earn a lunch or dinner voucher for the Garden Buffet every Monday through Thursday throughout April. To earn one lunch buffet, slot machine players must earn 300 same day base slot points between 3 a.m. and 1 p.m. Club members can receive a dinner buffet voucher by earning 600 same day base slot points before 8 p.m. To receive the earned buffet vouchers, Club members must present an ID and swipe their Casino Club card at any kiosk to verify their points by 2 p.m. for a lunch buffet and by 9 p.m. for a dinner buffet. Players must then redeem their lunch and/or dinner tickets at any Casino Club kiosk between 7 a.m. and midnight to receive their Garden Buffet coupons. All players must be 21 years of age or older and can only be awarded one lunch or dinner buffet per day per player, based on same day play points. The Garden Buffet vouchers are valid Monday through Thursday only and expire Thursday, May 3.

SILVERTON

Tuesdays in April you can earn either (but not both) a free lunch buffet by earning 50 points or a free dinner buffet for 100 points.  This is one of our favorite value-priced buffets.  And the promotion has one extra feature.  You can earn and print out the coupon at the kiosk on Tuesday and it is good through Thursday of that same week.

RAMPART

Rampart has an every-day on-going earn-and-redeem (you don’t keep the points to use for other purposes as you do in a simple earn promo) buffet offer. They also offer a similar spa promo.

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PALMS

I don’t always give you all the details of every promotion I mention here since you can go to the casino website where these are usually well covered, including requirements, limits, and restrictions.  I constantly remind you to read all the fine print!  However, there is one casino I talk about – the Palms – that has not yet followed its new “mother” (Stations Casinos) by covering their promotions on their website.  So, I will try to be more detailed here so that those who do not get the regular monthly mailer will have enough info to at least have a general idea about their promotions, many which out-of-towners as well as locals might find attractive.

First, I need to mention that the popular earn-a-buffet promotion that they ran since their new A.Y.C.E buffet opened is no longer in effect.  I am assuming that they think their frugal introduction offer has produced a healthy number of fans who will continue to be customers at the regular price.  Most people I talk to think this is a high-value choice for a reasonable cost.  And there have been some changes that have improved the overall experience.  Even Brad – who wasn’t thrilled at first – likes to go there.  And the lunchtime sliders I panned earlier now have the soft buns I like better.  We both like the navy bean soup and light-style cornbread, and our favorite desert is the fudgy sugar-free brownie topped by vanilla sugar-free gelato.  Yummmmm!

Although the buffet offer is gone, they have several other promotions this month. A couple small ones are kiosk games on Mondays and Fridays that you can play after earning 5 base points.  I haven’t done these very often, but in my experience and talking with others who have done these at other Station properties, the prizes are fairly small and probably not worth a special trip for many players.  But if you are on property those days anyway, it is a small added bonus.

The popular promotions to earn movie tickets and car washes have been combined in April into one day – Tuesdays.  Earn 300 points for one or 600 points for both.  You keep the points. Also, the Palms continues to participate with the other Station properties in the Wheel of Fortune bonus, where each individual property jackpot starts at 10K and must hit by 20K.

The biggest promo that may be of interest to many players is earning Chevron gift cards on Thursdays in April.  You can find the complete rules and schedule at the Rewards Center, but there are many levels.  You can earn a $5 gift card by earning 300 slot or 1500 VP points.  If you earn enough points for all 5 levels (that’s 19,500 for slots; 57,000 for VP), you will have earned $190 of those gas gift cards – and you still keep the points for free play, cash, and comps.

Miscellaneous Promos

Not interested in long gambling sessions or no interest in gambling at all?  Casinos these days try to offer free or low-cost activities to bring in customers who will spend money at their property outside of the gaming action.

Silverton offers free admission to “Pub Trivia” on Wednesday nights; and with your players card, on Thursday evenings you can enjoy a classic rock band show.  You can stop by a craft show there on April 1, a garage sale on April 7, and a weekly farmers market on Sundays.  On Tuesdays you can enter two slot tournaments, free with your players card.

Rampart Casino is offering free table game lessons every Saturday at 10 a.m.  At South Point there are free show options, and many events in their Arena are open for free to the public.

If you are age 50+, almost all local casinos have freebies and discounts for you on their designated “senior day.”

Scouring local casino websites will help you discover promotions for all type of activities – gambling and otherwise – many which may surprise you, especially if you don’t get their  mailers.  And there is one resource that I forgot to put on my list I gave last week here in my blog, one that is a must-read for those always on the hunt for all kinds of good promotions.  Go to the weekly Vegas Values where every Sunday Scot Krause gives you a report on the best current casino deals and you can also check on-going promotions.

My Basic Resource List

Off and on I mention good resources for gamblers and Las Vegas casino visitors, but I am still getting a lot of questions from readers that the answers could be found by anyone in the same resources I use.  So, I thought it might be useful if I compiled a list of the resources that I check frequently to find helpful up-to-date information. Of course, you already know you need to regularly check individual casino websites!

This list is not in any order of importance and not all-inclusive by any means, and I welcome input in the “Comments” about other resources readers find valuable.

vpFREE – [email protected] – Valuable forum for video poker players where I pick up little gems of money-making and money-saving information.

vpFREE2 – This free site not only has an extensive database base where you can find the best VP, but information on every casino in the US. This includes host lists and players club details that will help you figure those valuable extra benefits.

Vegas4Locals – One of the best places to find free and/or inexpensive things to do in Vegas, with tons of information for frugal locals and visitors alike.  

Seven Stars Insider –   From this website, you can subscribe for a free monthly newsletter and read former issues. Originally designed exclusively for Seven Stars cardholders, I find that there are plenty of new and valuable details here for any player who is trying to squeeze more value from their play at a Caesars property.    

Mark’s Las Vegas – This has unique coverage with information you might not readily find elsewhere, including a great “Players Club Comps and Tier Advancement Cheat Sheet” that shows how you can spend/buy your way up to a higher tier in many casinos! Mark also covers social gaming programs.

https://wizardofodds.com/ – I go to the Wizard for the math of anything in a casino.

https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/ – I’ve saved the best for last. Yep, that’s the website here where my blog lives. But I am wondering if you have explored this site since it was revamped some months ago and where there are just so many interesting and helpful pages.  Start out by checking the “Top Links” on the homepage.  “Bonus Point Days” will give you the schedule for the month where you can find extra benefits for your play.  And then there is the list of blogs (besides this one!) and I can’t emphasize enough how valuable they can be in helping you become a more successful gambler and also enjoy your time more frugally in Las Vegas.  Check the tabs at the top of the homepage for tons more information.

What other resources do you check regularly?

A Vegas Frugal and Fun Travel Festival

Many of you are probably already familiar with the TravelZork website as a resource for tons of frugal hints to save you money on travel – covering airlines, hotels, casinos, Vegas, and loyalty programs.  Now they are sponsoring a “travel festival” in May where you can immerse yourself in 3 days of travel frugality at the ZorkFest at Treasure Island in Las Vegas.  Brad and I are happy to announce that we have been included in the group of experts who will be sharing their practical money-saving information for all aspects of travel.

For complete information about this fun and informative event go to ZorkFest. There you can scroll down and find schedules, pictures and bios of the speakers, preliminary session subjects, host hotel rates, and registration details.  Of course, I want to tell you about all the ways you can reduce the cost of this educational and entertaining event – talking about how to get more bang for your buck is what I do!

First, remember this valuable code:  zorklva.  This will give you discounts for many parts of the registration fees.  And second, remember this still-wise cliché – the early bird gets the worm.  The Super Early Discount rate available if you register before March 20, coupled with the LVA code, will be the best bargain.  But there are other discounts for add-ons and combo offers.

Then there are special LVA promotions. Use the code zorklvaroller for $25 off the High-Roller ticket, offer good until April 30.    And here is one Brad and I are excited about because we love to chat with our fans:

ZorkFest will provide three (3) Friday VIP dinner tickets to raffle off for LVA members. Potential winners will be any LVA member who buys a Zorkfest conference ticket (with the LVA code). Those three winners will sit with Anthony Curtis or Jean and Brad Scott at dinner Friday night.  If the winner of the LVA contest for dinner already has purchased a dinner (or High-Roller ticket which includes dinner) they will get a $100 Treasure Island Casino chip, at registration.  Those who purchase the dinner (or High Roller Ticket which includes dinner) will also get a chance to sit with AC or Jean and Brad Scott, on a first- come- first basis.

I am really enthusiastic about this event because it covers such a large range of subjects of interest to people who work at being thrifty.  Of course, my niche is frugal gambling, but we spent a lot of time over the years making our travel budget smaller – think of those many airplane bumps we chased –  so we would have a bigger bankroll when we got to the casino.   And we are really looking forward to chatting with many of our frugal readers, some we have met in person in the past but many have wished for such an opportunity as this May event will bring.  Hope to see you there!

Gift Ideas +CZR News

Do you have hard-to-buy-for names on your holiday gift list?  If they are gamblers, you could look for ideas in the LVA Holiday catalog, accessible at a link on the LVA homepage.  One frugal suggestion: you will see there that you can order my new book, The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide, autographed and with a  discounted price.  I wrote this book specifically for recreational gamblers, covering not just the usual video poker basic information but specific advice for smarter play of all  casino games, including both tables and machines.  It would be a money-saving gift for almost anyone who visits a casino, no matter what game they play.

CZR

Since CZR exited bankruptcy, there has been a flurry of changes at their properties – some good news and some not-so-much for their players. I am going to mention a few, but not in detail. For full coverage with all the ins-and-outs I am steering you to a resource that concentrates on this company, the website Seven Stars Insider. Don’t be misled by the name; yes, it is a valuable source of information for players who have reached the top tier of Seven Stars. However, so much is covered that will be of great value to players at all the lower levels who need to keep up in order to make wise gambling decisions.

Here is some of the recent news:

  • Parking and shuttles: The regular Rio shuttle is history, as is free parking for Vegas locals. You can read my recent blog that covers these changes and some available alternative options.
  • New benefit program for veterans: The SALUTE Total Rewards card will be available to all active-duty military, members of the National Guard and Reserve, veterans and retired military personnel, as well as their spouses. They will receive special discounts on rooms, restaurants, shows and attractions, as well as an automatic upgrade to Platinum status, with even more valuable benefits, including free parking.
  • New partnership with Wyndham Resorts:   Transfer Wyndham Rewards Points to Reward Credits® & Reward Credits to Wyndham Rewards Points. Link your Seven Stars® Total Rewards account to a Wyndham Rewards account and your status will be matched to enjoy their Diamond perks. Check here for details and limitations.

You can always go to the CZR website to try and find the details of new programs or changes, but the 7 Star website will give you some feet-on-the-ground and behind-the-scenes input, including information that might not have made it to the company website. And there is valuable advice on whether a promotion is a good one, giving the pros and cons and personal opinions from other players. For example, you can see whether the new short-term promotion of booking your retreat trip to Las Vegas in November/December and getting a full airfare refund in Reward Credits makes financial sense in your particular case.

If you are new to this 7 Star website, you can go back and read the monthly newsletters from the past for some information that is still current – and then sign up to get them regularly by e-mail in the future. But in-between those newsletters, you can keep up with current happenings by clicking at the top of their homepage on “News and Views.”

 

GAMBLING INFO FROM THE INTERNET

I was recently interviewed on the popular “Cousin Vito” gambling podcast. This 40-minute chat covered wide-ranging topics, from our first casino visit 33 years ago right up through the recent publication of The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide. It was a fun-filled discussion with a lively and knowledgeable host, starting about 11 minutes into the podcast.  You can stream the interview on the website or here is a direct link to the MP3.

New Casino Offerings

Casinos are always looking for new ways to attract a younger generation of potential casino visitors.  Many of them would not interest me or most of the people of my age group.  Take the new free-roaming virtual reality arena in the MGM’s Level Up gaming lounge.  Fighting zombies is just not on my bucket list.

However some of the new concepts, particularly the new electronic versions of the old standard table games, do interest me.  I’ve been reading about the new “stadium-type” format for traditional casino games and have seen some smaller electronic versions of these, but really didn’t know many of the details.

Therefore, I was glad to see a very comprehensive discussion of stadium-blackjack, written by fellow gaming author Henry Tamburin, at the 888 Casino website.   This piece includes pictures, description of the set-up and how it is played, and explanation of the rules.

 

 

INTERNET RESOURCES

(I am re-sending this blog since many readers have noted that they no longer get an e-mail notice when a new blog is up, as it should if you have subscribed.  There have been some technical problems, but hopefully they have been resolved.)

I have been gambling in casino with successful results for 33 years. Do I no longer need to read about this activity to continue being successful? Do I “know it all” by now?

The short and sweet answer to those questions: I spend just as much time researching and studying now as I did back when I first started. In fact, perhaps more! Although there is more information available now with the ever-expanding Internet, a wise gambler needs so much more to cope with a much more challenging casino environment.

Of course, I myself continue to add to this Internet flood of information available to gamblers. My latest contribution has been added to the very extensive American Casino Guide YouTube video series. In this interview, I talk about my new book, The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide, and the new focus I have in helping recreational players lose less and thus stretch their bankroll for longer casino entertainment time.

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Here are some interesting gambling articles I have read recently

This and That

Limiting Bumping Opportunities

Are you an airline passenger who likes to reap financial benefits by volunteering to be bumped? This will not be an option after today if you fly only on Southwest. This airline has given notice that they will stop overselling starting May 8. They say they have been contemplating this policy change for two years, but expedited its implementation after the recent United Airlines PR disaster, with videos blanketing TV and the Internet of a customer being dragged from his seat because the flight was oversold.

This new SW policy will not affect us much now since we don’t fly as often as we used to and we don’t have the energy to cope with delays as much as when we were younger. More important at our age now is being able to cancel and/or change flight plans without a penalty fee.

Reaching for Higher CZR Tiers

Recent recommendation from a  savvy fellow gambler:  An excellent thread about “Best Ways to Seven Stars or Diamond in a Day” on Dan Druff’s  pokerfraudalert website.  He lists many CET properties around the country, their best games, the theoretical costs, and other extremely helpful information. I have been Seven Stars for years and done extensive research on this subject but I found some new details that will help me going forward.

New Book Online

The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide is now available as an eBook, a frugal option for many of you. And for those who want to have a little taste of the book before you decide whether to tackle the whole meal, go to this Kindle sample. There you will find a list of the chapter titles and some extensive text from the first chapters.

You might also be interested in this well-written review of the book, geared both toward gambling readers and casino executives.

A favorite dinner activity for Brad and me, plus anyone else joining us, is reading aloud round-robin the words of wisdom from our fortune cookies. Here’s one I had recently that the whole table decided was very appropriate for  my new book: It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck, even while waiting for it!

Resources for Slot Players

I wrote in a recent blog about how even VP enthusiasts like Brad and me enjoy playing slots once in a while just for fun. And for many purely recreational players this is their primary game choice.  So since this blog is for gamblers who play many different casino games, I like to provide a variety of helpful resources.

I recently came across one for slot players that graphically explains how a slot machine works. Make sure you press the 360 degree button and move the graphic in and out with your mouse.  Maybe these pictures aren’t worth a thousand words but they are a great supplement to the long chapter in my new book, The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide, explaining all about playing slot machines.

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