Health

35 Years of Advantage Play – Part 15

I will now take you on the last leg of this long winding path we have been describing for many weeks.  It is now 2019 and this is definitely a downhill journey.

Good video poker opportunities, which have been steadily declining since the Great Recession, have became an endangered species.  When you could find a positive play, the edge was usually razor thin.  At 80 and 87, I would often tell Brad that I wasn’t sure we would live long enough to get to this now much longer “long term.”

I had slowly been losing my passion for advantage play for several years.  I was missing the excitement of special games we loved, like Chase the Royal, Spin Poker, Multi-Strike, Super Times Play.  And I especially missed multi-line VP versions, from Triple Play clear up to Hundred Play, which had bounced up the fun factor for many years.  Now, we found almost all of the good plays – wanting to have as high an EV as possible – were single line.

Brad didn’t seem to mind sticking with single-line. Gambling – any kind – was still the challenge he had enjoyed since he played Tonk for pennies with his brothers at five years of age.  However, in early 2019 I noticed a subtle change in him.  He had a take-it-or-leave-it attitude when I was planning when and where we would go to a casino.  And when we did go and play, he was often the one who was ready to quit a session.  This was a definite change since in the past he would always play “forever” until I made the decision to quit.

As the months went by, the change in him became more evident.  He was having serious cognitive problems and he was forgetting the VP strategies he had known and used for years.  For a long time we had been playing together  when we were at high-level denominations and especially when our advantage edge was getting smaller.  We would like to sit side by side and take turns playing “our” machine while the other watched.  This would make sure of our accuracy but it was also more fun, especially when we were playing multi-lines and could share the excitement of good hands and sympathize with the disappointment of bad results!  However, now we needed to play together so I could help him remember proper strategy.

I had said for several years that I was ready to quit casino gambling, but as long as Brad was enjoying it, I would go along.  It was still our main entertainment option and also the center of our social life as we met with friends often to play together and enjoy our comped meals.  So, we continued to visit casinos, but on fewer days and with shorter playing sessions.

However, in September Brad’s physical problems became an emergency situation.  We had been dealing with his medical issues for 17 years, since his heart attack in 2003.   For a few years, we were on first-name basis with the ambulance drivers who would take him to the hospital emergency room.   Fortunately, modern medicine had many answers over the years:  7 stents in a heart artery, a pacemaker after a 5-minute cardiac arrest episode, a stockpile of meds, new cutting-edge procedures when his plumbing system malfunctioned.  But I just put multiple doctor appointments on the calendar with all the free play pick-ups and other gambling scheduled activities and for many years Brad’s health had not hindered our casino routine.

When the major health setback came in September, we were in Georgia visiting the family and I was so appreciative that they could provide the support I needed while Brad was in the hospital.  They took turns staying with Brad so I could get a good night’s sleep back at the house.

We stayed in Georgia several weeks until Brad was able to fly back to Vegas, but this was the beginning of his physical and mental health decline.  And it was the time when I realized that we needed to move to Georgia where we had a good family support system.

We played VP only about a dozen more times the rest of 2019.  Brad was very frail, using a cane and a walker to get around.   We still had many free-play pickups and food comps from our past play history so would visit a casino several days a week.  He would want to sit down and play VP but just didn’t have the energy to continue very long – and after a while would just want to watch me play.

I wasn’t very interested in playing since I was now deep into plans for our move to Georgia at the end of the year.  When we moved from Indianapolis to Las Vegas in 2000, we had joked that we wouldn’t ever be leaving our condo unless it was feet first.  Moving is always a big and exhausting project – doing it when you are in your 80’s is almost an impossibility.  Thank goodness – again – my family stepped up.  Daughter Angela took off work a couple of weeks and helped me…no, forced this  frugal squirrel to throw away, give away… Then Steve and granddaughter Kaity came to help out and we were able to spend Christmas together.  Movers came to load up 3 “pods” and we got on a plane and said good-bye to the city we loved.

Next week I will give a summary of these 35 years, and some of the highlights and the lessons we learned along the way.

Keeping our Balance during a Crisis

Everything is relative these days.  I battle allergies every spring – and that hasn’t changed with our move from Las Vegas to GA.  That same yellow pollen covers our car and the table on our porch.  I go from sneezing and coughing and runny nose to a sinus infection that goes to a sore throat and an inner ear problem that causes dizziness.  What is different this year is my reaction – and my attitude:  I don’t complain as much – I feel grateful that at least I don’t have the Coronavirus.  (At least I don’t think I do!)

For years I have talked about balance in one’s life, particularly for regular casino gamblers, which we were for many years before we recently retired.  I always reminded people that there is a danger if your gambling negatively affects the other parts of your life or makes you self-centered and uncaring for those around you.  I wrote how Brad and I down through the years, until we had to deal with failing health concerns, were active in volunteer activities.  And maybe some of you got tired of hearing me talk about our children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  But our family was always our first priority – and we wrapped family activities into our casino activities constantly.

So now, I was wondering what I should write in this blog.  Some would say that with the seriousness of this pandemic people shouldn’t be thinking about gambling at all, that they should be concerned about serious medical subjects.  But I go back to my belief in balance in life.  You are heeding the advice to stay at home, but that does not mean you need to just sit around worrying.  That is not good for your mental health.  The TV is sending out tons of information about how to keep yourself and your family occupied.

Each person has special interests that can keep them from dwelling on the negative.  For some of you, reading about gambling subjects can be your way of coping with this crisis.  So that is why I will try to keep writing this blog.

We need to keep the faith that life will eventually go back to “normal,” although it may be a “new normal.”  If you were a VP player and casino visits were an important part of your life before, then I see no problem with you doing things that will help you be a smarter gambler when they re-open – whenever in the near or distant future that will be.

We have no idea what casinos will be like for the VP player when they re-open.  Some of the extreme tactics they used during the last recession seemed to hang on, like downgrading VP paytables and cutting comps.  That may happen again – but on the other hand, they may need to make some positive changes to get players back.

I predict that they will need to run more and stronger promotions.  With that in mind, now might be a good time to expand your skills.  Learn a new VP game.  Maybe you said you were sticking to Jacks or Better because that was the only game for which you knew the strategy.  Get a software training program and learn NSUD (Not-So-Ugly-Deuces) which was probably the most common “good game” when the casinos closed.

Here are some of the other ideas you might consider:  You may get out those gambling books you have in your personal library – some you never read or some you may decide to re-read to refresh your memory.  You may want to order some new titles.  Here on this website many of them are available at a discounted price.  If you are a newbie VP player, you might want to go back and read some of my blogs of the last couple of years since I have been covering the changing VP scene.

There is another resource I want to suggest, for all skill levels and all games – “Casino City Times.”  They have a ton of information on their site, much from old files, but there is also up-to-date writing, by many of the experts in the gambling field.  I especially recommend the writings of John Robison, who covers both slots and VP as he relates many of his own gambling experiences.   A very good up-to-the-minute article, covering some of the same things I am discussing in this blog for gamblers to do, is by Gary Trask.

Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation.  We can still reach out to each other virtually if not physically.  Feel free to use the “Comments” below to share:  your fears, your hopes, your desire to stay connected.

A New Kind of Life with Corona

Yes, Columbus, GA, may seem like calm backwater South compared to bustling cities like Las Vegas, but there is still fear and uncertainty as to when the virus will come to attack here.  “Will come” – not when it might come, for the prediction is that no area in the world is absolutely “safe.”

Obviously, Brad and I realize our added risk of old age and, with Brad, underlying medical problems.  So, we do not plan to gather with large groups.  I did go to our nearby Wal-Mart yesterday to do some stock-up shopping so I wouldn’t have to go out so often in the future.  It was extremely crowded, and the sign I was definitely in the South – can you guess which shelves looked the emptiest?  Grits!!!

Unfortunately, last night we had to go to the one place a person doesn’t want to be to avoid bugs of any type – the hospital emergency room.  Some routine blood work Brad had in the afternoon turned up a dangerously high potassium count that required immediate attention that evening. Thanks to our wise decision to move close to family, we had a convenient ride to the hospital, with Angela and Steve being Johnny’s-on-the-spot.  I have taken over driving responsibilities since Brad gave up his license, but some vision decline makes night driving unsafe for me.

Hoping to have a short waiting time with a roomful of sick people – and only some wearing masks – did not come to pass.  It was over 3 exhausting hours until an emergency room curtained-off cubicle became open so Brad could lie down.  The delay wasn’t because of coronavirus fears and people with symptoms wanting to be tested – seemed to be none of that.  Actually, it seemed to be due to gang violence – there was at least one gunshot victim, police all over, and the hospital was put on lockdown – I guess in case that violence would follow into the emergency room.

We didn’t know many details, but the guy in the cubicle across from Brad seemed to have a foot injury and there was a cop sitting next to him at all times.  When he was finally leaving, limping, escorted out by two cops, a medical supervisor asked, “Can he take crutches?”

“Not where he is going,” snapped one of the cops.  Oh, he wasn’t the victim of the violence but a perp that was shot by the police.

Actually, all this drama made the visit a little interesting.  However, it majorly delayed getting to Brad’s problem.  But after an IV and multiple blood tests and long waits, good news came back.  His potassium level was normal – maybe the earlier high one was a mistake??

At 4 a.m. we quickly passed through the still-crowded waiting room to go out in fresh warm GA air while we waited a few minutes for Steve to pick us up.  We were ready to go back to our cozy apartment and be hopeful that we hadn’t picked up any bug – Corona or otherwise!

The Power of Love and Friendship

We are totally enveloped in the warmth of love as the flood of well wishes pour in for our upcoming retirement and move to GA. They have come here in the Comments, on Facebook, in my Inbox, and when you see us in a casino.  So many many friends! We have met many of you in person down through the years, but we are amazed how many of you we “know” even though we have only “met” in cyberspace and recognize you only by your Internet moniker.  And we are finding out that we have had many more friends than we knew about – those secret ones who we never saw in person or were never visible on the Internet but just now are revealing their long-time closeness to us via my writings.

If we didn’t have a dollar to our name, we would be super rich in friendships!

Many of you have responded to my call for questions you’d like me to answer before I close out my blogging here.  One friend who has kept track of our families remarked that I hadn’t posted a recent picture of my sisters.  Well, here is one that was taken recently when middle sister, from North Carolina, came to visit the two Vegas sisters and we were able to have one of our every-five-year pictures taken.  Here, right-to-left, is Starr, 70, then June, 75, and finally the 80-year old!

Others have asked questions about Brad’s health, with those seeing him in person remarking that he is “looking good.”  And he does get around pretty well, mostly with a cane and only using a walker when there are longer distances.  He has recently been diagnosed with the beginnings of heart failure (a heart pumping problem) and with vascular parkinsonism,  in which parkinsonian symptoms (slow movements, tremor, difficulty with walking and balance) are produced by narrowing or blockage of blood vessels, rather than by gradual loss of nerve cells as seen in the more typical neurodegenerative Parkinson’s disease. This is on top of his previous long-time heart problems after a heart attack in 2003 – A Fib and coronary artery disease – but thankfully modern medicine has had many answers for him – a pacemaker, 7 coronary stents, and an extensive menu of meds.  He is slowing down – but with lots of naps, he continues to get out and about.  As he says, he is probably doing better than most men coming up on age 88!

Many of the questions pertain to our future.  I have already mentioned that I will continue this blog through December and into January.  I may want to do some other writing but I don’t know what form that might take – I do love to write.  I will probably continue to read and contribute to the vpFREE forum whenever I come across helpful gambling information.  And I definitely plan to use my Facebook account to chat about Brad’s and my future activities.  Search for “Jean Scott” and ask to be my friend if you aren’t already.  But one thing I am pretty sure about:  I won’t tackle writing another book or take any writing assignment with a deadline.  I am retiring from stress!

And probably the most frequent query is about what gambling we will do once we leave Las Vegas.  And most people don’t believe this answer – very little if any!  It is hard to explain – but we almost never gambled in a casino just for fun after our first trip to Las Vegas in April 1984.  After that trip, we decided this was the fun-est time we had ever had, but we knew we wouldn’t be in a financial position to lose $3000 very often– as we had that time – for this kind of vacation.   So, I went to the library to start studying how we could have this fun without losing money.  And the rest is history.

Actually, we have been “practicing” for our retirement from casino gambling these last couple of months in Vegas.  First, we were learning to accept the reality that physical and mental limitations would majorly cut down on  casino visits.  And then, it had been very obvious for a long time that there are very few advantage plays that don’t depend on future benefits, like mailers with bonus-points dates and free play. So, we have played a few times just for fun since we would not be here to collect those future benefits.  For example, instead of playing the higher EV but more boring single line NSUD video poker game, we would choose an 8/5 Bonus Poker game on Spin Poker, with a lower EV but  more fun for us.  We never had played the very exciting Ultimate X at the higher denominations in the past because we didn’t want to study a new very complex strategy.  But finding it at 10-play nickels – or even pennies – paytables be damned – sometimes has provided us an hour or so of fun with just a small “entertainment fee.”

The closest casinos to Columbus, GA, are Harrah’s Cherokee and Biloxi, both a 4-5-hour drive away.  We probably wouldn’t make a special trip that far just for fun play, and with no comps.  Flying is getting very difficult for Brad so that rules out a trip to Vegas or any other casino city just for fun.  We’ve had about all the fun we can stand in the 35 years visiting casinos.  If we just happen to be in a casino sometime, perhaps on a family vacation, we probably would give the grands a few bills and watch them play the slots.  Or, we might find a new VP game that looks interesting in which to invest some of our fun money.  But we are definitely retiring from advantage play and leaving the casino lifestyle.  And with no regrets – it’s been a fantastic life that will give beautiful memories forever.  But now we are ready for a new  adventure – just perhaps one a little less busy and more peaceful.

Next week I’ll answer more of your questions.  Fire away!

And by the way, if you want to have a book autographed or just want to say good-bye, Brad and I will be at the Gold Coast on Wednesday, December 18, between 4-5 p.m.  We will be in the drawing area.

A Story – Under a Harvest Moon (Part 2)

Last week we left our elderly couple outside the El Cortez pondering their next move.  They actually were surprising themselves by feeling perky and even a little adventurous.  So instead of calling Uber and heading home for a usual early bedtime, they decided to head a block south.  The Fremont East area was only moderately crowded at this early evening time, but they knew all those bars would be hopping later. However, they started encountering heavy crowds once they crossed Las Vegas Boulevard and entered under the Fremont Experience canopy.

The Heart Attack Grill in the Neonopolis building was full of diners dressed in hospital gowns.  Although the couple had passed it before in former visits, it still amused but didn’t attract their business.  The old man commented, “I’ve had one heart attack – don’t need another! And that goes for riding the zipline too.”

However, close by, a new food outlet since their last downtown visit did attract their attention, a memory jolt-back to their days living in Indianapolis where they would often head to a White Castle restaurant for a late-night fast-food snack favorite.  Although there had been some food at the cocktail party, one can always eat a couple of these little sandwiches anytime, so they stopped in.  The man parked his walker beside a tall stool to enjoy a rest, while the lady stood in the long line to order.  When she got to the cashier, she ordered just like she had done for decades – “burgers,” – refusing to call them the fancy new name of “sliders.”  A White Castle is not a slider!

On they went down the street, stopping to enjoy some of the sidewalk entertainers performing in their assigned “circles.”  They were pleasantly surprised that they were, on the whole, in good taste, not the crude or skimpily dressed presentations they had had seen in past years – at least those they saw on their brief walk on just part of the street. The couples energy level was going down fast – and progress had come almost to a stand-still because they were running into a packed-in raucous crowd in front of the 3rd Street stage where a very loud band performance was going on.  The man was muttering, “They call that noise music?”

“Should we duck into the D Casino and discuss what we want to do next?” asked the woman.

The man quickly agreed, “Anything to get out of this pandemonium.”

Resting at slot machine seats, the lady pulled out from her purse their LVA coupon books and found the D coupons:  “Two $25 matchplays.  Should we do these?”  It would involve finding a ramp for the man’s walker to get up to the raised players club to activate the offer, but he was re-gaining a little strength and said he was up to it.

Back down on the casino floor walking amongst the table games, they discussed whether to use the matchplays on roulette, where their loss on this one-shot play would be limited to $50.  If they chose blackjack, they could lose $50 if they lost both coupons – and even more if they had to double-down and/or split.  But as they were discussing this, they passed by a blackjack table where a jovial lone player noticed their indecision and gave a loud invitation as he pointed to sloppily scattered piles of green and black chips in front of him, “Come sit with me.  This is a lucky table.”

Now this couple had been looking for an uncrowded table.  When using a coupon for a one-time play, you don’t want a bunch of players ready to complain about your “holding up a game.”  But here was just one player and he wanted  company.  And you never know, a cheery inebriated player was just as apt to give you a lucky tip as a stone-cold sober grouch.  So, the couple sat down, each putting out $25 with the phantom $25 chip given to them at the players club.  Each was dealt a “9” and a “2” and the dealer turned up a “6” – that added risk they had discussed.   But there was no way they wouldn’t double down!

The woman whispered to the man, who had the bankroll in his pocket, “Get out a $100 bill.”  When the dealer gave him four green chips, the woman quickly grabbed them and added $50 to each hand.  Sometimes when you do this fast, the dealer will then give you a card right away.  Sad to say, this time it didn’t work. “Sorry, you can double only on your own money.”  Well, it never hurts to try when you don’t know the casino policy on this.

The disappointment didn’t last long, however.  She slapped a face card on each of the couple’s hands, and then pulled a face card and another “6” on her hand.  She smiled as she paid off, and the intoxicated cheerleader fellow player gave them both high-fives, laughing boisterously.

The couple didn’t really like this kind of hit and run, but while they were coloring up explained that they had to get back to their machines, that they really weren’t good at table games – perhaps only a partial truth.  But this excuse was good enough for a smile from the dealer after the man slid her a $5 tip as they were leaving.

Now it was time to proceed down Fremont, pressing through that concert mob – a pretty slow process with a walker although much of the friendly crowd was thoughtful to step aside and make way for the oldsters.  They wanted to get to the Four Queens, their old stomping grounds so many year ago.  Actually, back then the woman had been memorized with other VIP players with her name on the cement sidewalk in the front of the casino.  But fame is fleeting – and all those sidewalks have now been torn up for new more modern renovations.

Did the couple want to go in and look around, maybe use their two $10 free-play coupons? They looked at each other’s tired eyes. They were thinking about protecting that $150 profit from the D and $5 from the El Cortez.  Their muscles and bones were making a strong bid for a major rest.  And a nearby security guide was ready with directions for the nearby share-ride pickup area, in front of the entrance to the Binion’s garage, just a half a block up Casino Center Boulevard.  Some things never change – a few pedestrians were still taking their lives in their hands and crossing this traffic-heavy street against the light.

It was time for the ending of a perfect evening.  An unexpected $155 in their pocket.  And a big bright full Harvest Moon lighting the Uber ride back home as they snuggled in the back seat thinking of how they were still making happy Las Vegas memories.

Food for Thought

I am going to hijack the saying “Man can not live by bread alone” and revise it for the subject of this blog: “You can not gamble in a casino 24 hours a day; you have to stop and eat once in a while!”

It’s not that I haven’t talked about food in previous writings.  I have given many frugal hints for getting good value for casino eats, like scheduling late buffet lunches, with their lower prices, that often spill into the availability of higher-level dinner selections.  But in this blog, I am going to talk about Brad’s and my personal eating habits, mainly because I get so many questions about this subject and realize many people have false ideas about our Vegas life.   They often compare it to their routine  when they come to town for a vacation and stay in a casino for several days.

Most Vegas locals eat about the same way they would if they lived in a non-casino town.  They do not eat in a casino every day but regularly cook meals at home.  However, like people everywhere, they do eat out frequently and, especially if they gamble at all, they often choose a casino restaurant where they play.  And even non-gamblers often look to casino eateries because of the wide choice of high-end and famous choices.  The picture changes a bit if you look at those local gamblers who are earning comps. Obviously, those people will be eating at the casino more often – how often depending on their comp level.

Brad and I did eat in casinos a lot after we moved to Vegas 20 years ago – even almost every day – because we were playing frequently and heavily and earning more comps than we could eat up!  We made a big effort to find friends and relatives to help us with this “task.” But we were never foodies and, even then, much preferred buffets, delis, and coffee shops over gourmet restaurants.  For years we would have hosts who would beg us to let them write us a comp for their top-level epicurean offerings – and they would just shake their head in disbelief when we turned it down.

Things are so much different these days.  First, all casinos have made significant cuts to their comp benefits.  This is true at every level – from the fanciest Strip properties down to the smallest local joints – hitting both visitors and locals. And, for us personally, we do not have the energy to play as much as we used to.  We go to a casino 3 or 4 days a week and are usually able to play only two-or-three-hour sessions.  Therefore, we do not have the flood of comps as in former days.  Believe it or not, my cleaning lady doesn’t just have to dust my stove; my return to some cooking after 35 years gives her some grease to remove!

But all that said, you will still see us eating in a casino fairly often.  You would never catch us eating one of these giant stacked-high-with-whatever “gourmet” hamburgers that seem so popular these days.  We aren’t big beef eaters in the first place, but we would always prefer a single-patty with cheese; Brad wants nothing added but pickle and onion and I would add just lettuce and tomato.  We like those at Steak’n Shake at South Point, combined with half-price milkshakes between 2-4 p.m.  We do hit other casino fast-food places occasionally.  Love the hot dogs at South Point and sometimes stop at the hot-dog cart or Subway at Gold Coast.  We like the sugar-free butter pecan ice cream at Java Vegas Coffee at the Gold Coast or at Kate’s Corner at South Point.  And we can grab a pizza slice at Little Tony’s near the sports book at Palace Station or have a great spaghetti meal to eat there or carry home.  (Stations run a senior special on Wednesdays with discounts on restaurants that vary from month to month.  Check these out on their website and watch for 50% off your favorite place to eat.)

We are a bit picky about buffets.  When we have comps, we take our out-of-town visitors to the widely publicized Caesars Palace Bacchanal over-the-top buffet, but we never choose that just for the two of us even if we have comps.  We aren’t big eaters and just don’t need so many “exotic” choices.  We like comfort food.  The Orleans and Gold Coast are good choices for us, especially their special weekend brunches.  We have mixed emotions about the new buffets at Palace Station and the Palms.  They both usually have sugar-free brownies and good soup selections so that keeps Brad from complaining too much about “weird food.”

Recently we have found a new meal idea that appeals to us even though it involves gourmet restaurants which we eschew.  Going to the Cornerstone lounge at the Gold Coast during happy hour – 4-6 p.m. – has become one of our favorite activities.  We like the idea of sharing small plates which gives us variety even though we are light eaters.  Many steak houses and other upscale restaurants run these with very reasonable prices on both food and drinks in a relaxing comfortable but still “gourmet” atmosphere.  Check  out this frugal option at your favorite casino’s fine restaurants!

Obviously, we eat in other places than casinos.  We always eat breakfast at home – and always the same menu for many years:  Hot oats, with walnuts and flavored with dark chocolate mix, a daily coco extract supplement that has proven to reduce inflammation in the body.  We drink green tea and V8 juice – low sodium – and add fresh fruit, like bananas, oranges, or berries.

Lunch is light – sandwiches or soup.  If we are out and about, we might stop at a fast-food place.  Our favorites include Wendy burgers or chili, Mexican pizzas at Taco Bell, and hot pretzel sticks and  sugar-free Dilly Bars at the Dairy Queen.

If we are having dinner at home, it is often left-overs brought home from a casino or a Nutrisystem selection.  If I am cooking, it is usually a one-dish meal like stir-fry.

We try to eat healthy as much as possible wherever we are.  More fruits and vegetables.  Less sodium. Very little red meat – more chicken.  We take some vitamins and supplements.  Nothing different than if we lived in a non-casino atmosphere.  Brad doesn’t gain weight, but I am always trying to watch mine.  And that is a problem in Vegas – buffets can jeopardize any healthy diet unless you have strong self control!

 

 

Free Fresh Air

Yes, there is more in Nevada than casinos – some would say many healthier places to spend your time. And during the next two weekends these places are FREE to enjoy.

In celebration of National Park Week, the National Park Service will offer free admission to national parks all over the US on the weekends of April 15-16 and 22-23. National parks in Nevada include Great Basin, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. Not terribly far away there are choices in Utah, California, and Arizona. Click here to find a list of national parks near you.

Red Rock Canyon, near Las Vegas, is not exactly a “national park” but a National Conservation Area. However sometimes there is free admission there in conjunction with national park promotions. I haven’t been able to find out if that is the case for the above-mentioned dates. I’ll let you know if I find out this information closer to the time.

More October Promotion Notes + Misc. Info

Ellis Island is continuing their Coin Exchange but with a 10% bonus on free play, down from the former 20%. Other details are the same as I reported in previous blogs and have been discussed in the “Comments” the last couple of months.

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

BREAKING MY OWN RULES

Some days just aren’t ordinary or routine – and on those days it is sometimes hard to be “perfect.” I had one of those days recently.

First, Brad’s and my schedule included going to five casinos, doing some major play at 3 of them and minor play and/or pickups at the other two. At ages 76 (me) and 83 (Brad) and a decrease in our energy level (both) I am trying to organize a more relaxed calendar of activities, especially for playing video poker. Usually this is working pretty well these days because there aren’t as many good plays as in the “good old days.” We do major plays together 2 or 3 times a week; Brad does free play pickup and minor plays several days while I am ensconced in my office working on updated versions of Frugal 1 and Frugal 2. But my main goal is not to schedule too much for one day.

However, that day casinos outdid themselves with good promotions and we found ourselves wanting to take advantage of 3 of the best. So we did although, as a rule, we don’t usually play that much in one day. Fortunately, there were no promotions the next 3 days – so we are able to rest up now.

HOLIDAY BITS AND PIECES

First, for Las Vegas area residents only:  House Seats is running a 2-4-1 offer through tomorrow, May 25, TWO years for the price of ONE, for a membership that gives you the opportunity to see scores of Las Vegas shows for free.  Details at https://lv.houseseats.com/.

————-

Another locals-only promotion:  multiple points on Memorial Day at all Las Vegas Boyd properties, including those downtown, 15x for penny reels, 11x for slots, and 7x for video poker.  In the newspaper ad there is this *:  “Multipliers are valid for local residents in 89000-89199 zip codes.”  Another note you MUST take seriously:  “Some restrictions apply.  See B Connected for details.”

Before you start playing at any property, check whether it is a 24-hour promotion or limited hours.  Also check if there is a cap on the number of point that can be multiplied.  I know there is a 10K cap on VP at the Gold Coast, but not all properties have the same details.  Also, don’t forget to swipe BEFORE you start playing or you won’t get these multipliers.

Brad and I won’t have the energy to get around to all 7 Boyd properties by any means – but you might see us at the Gold Coast and the Suncoast.  Stop and say hi if you spot us.  Brad is still recovering from the change-out of the pacemaker put in over 6 years ago.  It is taking a little longer for him to get back his strength.  But with a new pacemaker with a fresh battery, he plans to soon be at the top of his game as the Energizer Casino Bunny.

——————

Station Casino also has an ad in the newspaper about multiple points on Memorial Day.  Again you need to read the fine print:  “Multipliers are based on $1= 1 point.  These cannot be combined with the daily 3x points.”  Therefore the 10x slots/6x video poker promotions isn’t as juicy as it sounds.  Compared to what you get every day it is really 3.33x on slots/2x video poker.  Don’t be fooled!

2 of 5
12345