VETERANS DAY – Monday, November 11

Boyd Gaming is offering a 11x multiplier for all players with a Sapphire tier card and above.

Silverton is offering 10x on reels and 2x on VP.  They are also advertising a BOGO buffet that day for all players club members.

Many casinos will offer a free buffet for military members and veterans on this day. Most require a players card and verification of their status to be shown at the cashier, with military ID, VA ID, or a DD-214.    This includes the Rampart, South Point, Silverton and Boyd Gaming properties.

The Station casinos also offer a free military buffet, but the procedure is a bit different. You have to swipe your military Boarding Pass at any kiosk to redeem voucher.  If you don’t have the military flag on your card, you can take your official documents to verify your active or veteran status to the players club and get that military card.  (That will also qualify you for extra benefits for the on-going Military Mondays promotions.)

South Point’s offer is the plum one since the buffet freebie is not only for the qualified person but he/she can bring a guest who can also eat free.  The lines are long at all the casinos offering this free meal, even at those who have separate VIP lines, but you might find the wait at South Point excruciatingly long all day long – there doesn’t seem to be any “off time.”

There is another plum offer for all active or retired military personnel with verifying credentials but it involves a bit of a drive for Las Vegas residents, about 90 miles.  The Virgin River and Casa Blanca casinos in Mesquite are offering free buffets all day for both the qualified person and guest.

No free buffet at the El Cortez but you might not have to waste time waiting in line that day to eat – free White Castle hamburgers will be passed out to the active players on the casino floor, both at the tables and the machines.  And you don’t have to even be military or a veteran!

THANKSGIVING DAY – November 28

Boyd Gaming is running their 11x multiplier all day – and as usual only Sapphire tier and above can take advantage of this bonus.  So sorry, Ruby players.

South Point is running a Hot Seat promotion from 8 a.m. until midnight Nov. 28.

And almost every casino restaurant is serving a special Thanksgiving menu.  The lines may be long everywhere – I think very few in Las Vegas cook a holiday dinner at home!

MONTH-LONG PROMOTIONS

Here is a newly-released promotion, one which was not mentioned in the monthly mailer but which I first learned about from an ad in the R-J.  The Gold Coast is continuing their mid-week multipliers for all of November:  11x all day Monday through Thursday.  Check Scot’s player club bonus list for the varying multiple-point days for other Boyd properties – they are not all the same!   The same warning for Station Casinos:  The Fiestas and the Palms often march to different orders!

South Point is running their popular 1/2 -price player club point “sale,” this month for Amazon gift cards.

Tuscany is having a “Play and Win” promotion:

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An important note for all players who are looking for extra value: Always check out possibilities for double-dipping, combining monthly and holiday promotions.

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And finally, a hint for getting around during the Las Vegas Marathon coming up later this month:

Once again, the Las Vegas Monorail will be the only Strip transportation option available during the 2019 Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon & ½ Marathon. The Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon & ½ Marathon event gives participants a one-of-a-kind nighttime running experience as the only private event to close Las Vegas Boulevard at night. The largest event on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series tour will take place on the Las Vegas Strip at night on Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 16 – 17, 2019. Year after year, thousands of runners and spectators attend the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon & ½ Marathon and its four days of events, relying upon the Monorail for getting to and from the start and finish lines of the weekend’s races. The Monorail also has a station at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which is the site of the events three-day Health & Fitness Expo, held on Thursday – Saturday, Nov. 14 – 16.

This is a phenomenon called surge pricing, something you need to consider all year long when you are booking a Las Vegas stay.  Room rates are definitely not static. Some visitors are more familiar with higher rates during holiday periods, but they can also occur during big convention dates.  It pays to check the schedule you can find at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Now for November news and promotions. But first, a note about all the promotions I mention here in my blog.  I usually give just a summary, with some of the basic details.  But I do not always mention every single limitation or exclusion.  So, to get complete information you must go to the casino websites, where hopefully all the fine-print warnings will be given.  However, sometimes you eventually need to actually show up at the players club desk to check on specifics and see if there are any last-minute changes.

South Point is running one of my favorite promotions this month – with your players club points worth twice their regular value for Amazon gift cards.  You can earn up to a total of ten $50 cards by redeeming $25 in players club points for each card, and this is equivalent to double points during your earning period.

Arizona Charlies Decatur – I am hearing reports – and complaints – about major downgrades in this casino –both in the VP paytables and in the players club and comp benefits.  The only positive thing I hear is that there are some good food specials, especially for breakfast in their coffee shop.

Gold Coast – “Get Your Grub On” buffet special every Tuesday in November.  Earn 10 tier credits and get a free buffet. After you play, print out your voucher at the kiosk; it is good that day or save it and use it the next day.  And by the way, the voucher you get on Wednesday’s Young at Heart for the free breakfast or lunch can also be saved to use the next day.

 El Cortez – Just saw an ad in the R-J about this check-cashing promotion, one that I think has been going on for quite a while.  But perhaps some have missed it.

Cash any Tax Return, Government Check, or Payroll check from any Clark County Gaming property and receive 5% off your check in free play, up to $50. Must be a Club Cortez member. For promotion details, see posted rules at Casino Cage/Slot Club.

And now for a non-casino freebie/discount:

Mob Museum: To celebrate Kefauver Day, Nov. 15, The Mob Museum announces FREE admission (9 am to 9 pm) for Nevada residents and buy one admission, get one free for non-residents, sponsored by Zappos. Throughout the year, it extends free admission to Nevada residents through designated annual Free Days.  Check it out here.

Lots of food and gambling promos coming up for Veterans Day, the 11th, and Thanksgiving, the 28^th.  I’ll cover them next week when I have gathered more details.

You can snag discounts with your Stations Boarding Pass players card at two coffee shops:  Lucky Penny at the Palms and the Brass Fork at Palace Station.  Discounts, valid 24 hours a day 7 days a week, vary from 10% off with the lowest card, Preferred, and rise 10% for each level above that, ending at 50% for Chairman. Important to note is this promotion goes to the end of the year and is valid both with cash purchases and point redemptions. This discount perhaps is evidence that business had suffered at both places because of the perception that their prices seemed too high for “just a coffee shop,” even though they tried to promote it as more upscale than a “regular” one.  Many people – Brad especially included – want a reasonably-priced restaurant with familiar comfort food, “Don’t try to make it fancier or different; I am unimpressed with upscale.”

As with all promotions there are fine-print restrictions, many in this case:  Not valid on café specials, nor with My Generation ½-point dining, nor for alcohol. Must be 21 or older; dine in only.  Not valid on holidays or special events. (Whatever that latter exception means?)  Limit one offer per check, maximum of four guests per check. (This one is not clear; better check with the waiter before you order.)  Cannot be combined with any other offer. (This one could be a deal-breaker in some cases if that means you can’t use a coupon.) Management reserves all rights. (Of course they do, but lawyer-talk sounds so unfriendly.)

The Rampart has opened their newly-renovated buffet, with outdoor patio seating, an unusual casino buffet option.  There have been some favorable reviews, but as always – you can’t satisfy everyone – there have been complaints.  Although there are several specialty nights, some miss the deli night from the past.  Also, there is a downgrade for seniors.  The $5 buffet lunch on 50 Plus Party Tuesdays now requires first earning 100 points that day.

The Palms buffet still has unbelievably long lines because of the mass mailing of buffet coupons. One person commented on that report I put in my blog last week, giving one reason why the VIP line is always so long:

 The VIP line at Palms AYCE has gotten as long as the regular line due to all the “non-handicapped” who have figured out that they cannot be asked to show evidence of their “handicapped” status. The cashier can only ask if they are handicapped and as long as they reply that they are they are permitted to access the VIP line. Lately most patrons on the VIP line are not VIP cardholders but low-level players who figured out how to game the system. The cashiers say they are helpless to do anything.

 PLAYERS CLUB CHANGES AND DETAILS

(I use vpFREE for players club numbers, like below. Saves me a lot of math figuring!)

1. Downtown Grand: After a no-point period for video poker, you can now earn them but the return % is very small:

• $10 Coin-In = 1 Point on Video Poker
• 250 Points = $1 Free Play (0.04%)

2. Club Fortune in Henderson: In their new 4-tiered players club, members now earn both points and comps. They are running sign-up promotion in which new members that earn 50 base points on date of signup can play a kiosk wheel spin game for guaranteed free slot play.

• $2 Coin-In = 1 Point on Most Video Poker
• Free Play or Comps: 500 Points = $1 (0.10%)

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• $3 Coin-In = 1 Point on “Up to 100%” Machines
• Free Play or Comps: 500 Points = $1 (0.067%)

Points can also be redeemed for products and services from several local businesses.

3. Casino Royale: Slot and video poker players can get daily rebates of $20 in free slot play for every $100 in losses. (I got this info from Scot’s “Vegas Values” – a valuable weekly report every Sunday on both current and ongoing Vegas promotions.  He covers many casinos, including some of the smaller ones that perhaps don’t do as much publicity.)

And now for some probably not very useful but perhaps somewhat interesting information – at least perhaps for old-timers like me.  I recently saw an article, with pictures, about a Snakes-and-Ladders slot machine.  I don’t know how long this slot has been around, but I had never come across one in my casino wanderings.  However, seeing mention of it took me back some 70+ years ago.  Chutes and Ladders was one of the first board games I ever played, first with my mother, and it then occupied many hours of my childhood as I taught my sisters the minute they could grasp the gaming concept – so I would have someone with whom to compete.

It was many years later that I learned that Chutes and Ladders was the Americanized version of the ancient Indian game of Snakes-and-Ladders, teaching children a morality lesson about good and evil. Go here to read more about this subject – maybe it will make the slot machine version more interesting?

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!

STATIONS

Some good news to report here. After months of decreasing promos, including the recent disappearance of any multiple-point days, the Palms has finally been folded into the Stations bonus-point program.  This was not mentioned in the master chart of Multiplier Days listed in our April Palace Station mailer, and I didn’t see it the first time I checked the April 1^st full-page Stations ad in the Review-Journal. (I always check for that early each month.)  But I didn’t remember my own persistent advice to read all promotional details carefully and not assume everything will always be the same as in the past!  But after a friend alerted me, I went back and there was the “PALMS” (in bigger print no less) that had been added to the “Guaranteed 10x/6x” for Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in April!!

The Palms still does not participate in the “My Generation Senior 50+ Wednesday.”  They still don’t “get” that we oldsters would still like to play there in spite of it going “pop art” – and I don’t think the youngsters would mind some gray-haired company if they happen  to wander from clubbing to a machine.  And besides, we probably have more discretionary money than they do to feed them.  Let the kids have the evenings and the nights.  We don’t like to drive after dark anyway.  We could fill the casino in the mornings and afternoons when they are in bed recovering from a night of partying.  Just saying…

The Palms also does not participate in the Monday Military promotion.  At all the other properties, there are food and drink benefits you will see (if you have once registered at the players club) listed at the kiosk.  Be aware that the 2-for-1 buffet will show up only once a month.  Once you use it, it will not appear again until the next month.

If you are confused about which promos are offered at which casinos, go to the Stations website and click on “Promotions.”  In most cases, there is a list (often in fine print) of participating properties for each promo.  The only exception I found was that there was no list for the “My Generation Wednesday” so you would not find out there that it is NOT at the Palms. (There IS a list of casinos with this senior promo in my April mailer and it does not include the Palms.)  Do be sure to check each Station promo monthly, including the senior Wednesdays, since some of the benefits (especially the food discounts) change from month to month.

BOYD PROPERTIES

We are still “blue” about the downgrades here – literally!  Now having blue Sapphire players cards, we miss the green Emerald ones and those benefits we had for years. Brad never did like to wait in long lines, but now is unable to do so because of crippling hip pain.  Most of the time we can use a shorter handicap line, but we found, for some unknown reason, the Orleans buffet doesn’t have a designated one. And since handicapped parking spaces are often full, we miss the closer location of Emerald parking.

We still play at the Gold Coast occasionally on 11x days since we live very close, but probably will not ever play often enough to get to Emerald again unless they revamp their tier system to be more appealing to the average local player, especially those who prefer VP to slots.

One negative about their new players club which you must keep aware of.  Whenever you take your players card out of the machine, the tier count-down goes back to zero.  This is especially a problem for VP players since it takes a lot of play to get one tier credit.  If you like to jump around looking  for hot machines, your tier credits may accumulate very slowly.  This is also a problem if you need to take out your card often for a promo (like the Main Street scratcher) or qualifying for a drawing.

SOUTH POINT

No multiple-point days here this month, but they are running a pretty good food comp. especially if you earn it on the best VP paytables.  You can earn free buffets every Monday thru Thursday.  Check their website for the rules to earn a comped lunch and/or dinner.  No redeeming of points – you keep the points you earn for this comp.

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Note:  Brad and I don’t play at or get mailers from as many casinos as we used to – so I don’t cover as many.  But I encourage readers here to use the “Comments” to share info about good promotions you are coming across and the little details that may help other players in their search for added value.

I don’t know whether a lot of people complained or just stopped playing as much, but much to my surprise – and delight – suddenly mid-month the Stations newspaper ads and signage in their casinos now promoted 6x/10x days, with the “up to” replaced with “GUARANTEED” in big bold lettering.  And in our March mailers not a “up to” can be seen.

Good move, Stations, and hopefully that wicked witch “Up To” is dead for good!

The Stations run a lot of promotions but their website and mailers and ads require careful reading.  Not all promotions run at all properties.  You need to check the logos carefully for each promo.  For example, bonus multiplier days vary from property to property, as do gift giveaways.  And importantly, there seems to be no promotions at the Palms in March except for the company-wide “Monopoly Big Time Bonus.”   Locals who get mailers from their “core” casino will see many of the promos, but if they want to check on those at other properties, they will need to check the Station website.  For out-of-towners who do not get these local mailers, checking the website is absolutely necessary to get promo information.

BOYD PROPERTIES

I give the same advice as above to Boyd players, especially out-of-towners.  Read promo information carefully because not all offers are company-wide.  And some point multipliers are only for players who get a local mailer.  Scot’s Bonus Point List will include only those that are available for the general public.

Check here for the details of The Young at Heart (YAH) senior Wednesday at the following six properties:  Aliante, The Orleans, Gold Coast, Suncoast, Sam’s Town, and Eastside Cannery.  For the 3 downtown properties – Main Street Station, California and Fremont – the YAH details are here.

SOUTH POINT

No multiple-point days this month, but here are a couple of frugal finds:

• Steak ’n Shake – Happy Hour – ½ price all drinks and shakes, Sunday-Thursday, 2-5 pm. and 10 pm-close.
• $4 movies for seniors, 50+, all day Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. $5.25 movies all day Tuesday for all ages. Click here for restrictions.

Watch for lots of food specials around St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, and look for drink specials during March Madness basketball.

First, a short report on our 7* visit to Harrah’s Cherokee.  Still our favorite location for a casino; you can’t beat the Smoky Mountains for a fall trip.  We were a little early for the full-blown leaf color change, but after living in the desert for the last 20 years, miles and miles of nature green is a welcome sight.

Although we love this casino, this might be our last trip there.  The main reason for us choosing it is the availability of NSUD machines, the only ones left in the Caesars kingdom.  But even with the high EV of 99.7% and the fact that we love deuces, we found playing them this time was “work” and not “fun.”  Bad maintenance with mostly sticky buttons that slowed down our play to a crawl, having to check every hand carefully that the machine was holding the cards we had chosen. One doesn’t want to make even one mistake when you are playing $25 a hand.  Fortunately, we hit one set of 5K deuces to pull out a nice win for our swan song.

For years Brad and I had both reached Harrah’s  7* status, but as the benefits have drastically been reduced, we decided this year to play just enough to keep me at this tier level and be able to have the one retreat trip for family visits.  Most of our play has been or will be in Harrah’s Tahoe, our 2^nd favorite casino location, and hopefully it will keep the 9/6 JoB machines that are disappearing in so many places.

One perk we enjoyed in Cherokee was the ability to opt out of daily housekeeping and receive a $20 free-play voucher.  We teased the grandkids that they could clean up the three rooms we had and they could split the $120 in vouchers to add to their gambling bankroll!  This is becoming a more frequent casino policy but sometimes isn’t widely publicized.  So, if you are interested, be sure and ask when you check into a hotel if there is such a program in effect.

Caesars Palace Buffet

They are no longer serving a separate breakfast and lunch schedule. Instead they offer brunch 7 days a week. Most frugal option is to go on a weekday, just before brunch ends at 3 p.m.  You will pay the lowest price available at this venue, $39.99, and then can enjoy the expanded dinner selections that start at 3 p.m. – without paying the higher dinner price.  Prices go up on the weekends but you always save if you enter and pay before the changeover from brunch to dinner.

This is one of the best money-saving techniques all over town you can use when a buffet does not close between meal changeovers.  Related to that is the hint that when a restaurant serves both lunch and dinner, the lunch menu is almost always lower in price!  And sometimes there is a reduced early-bird budget dinner option.  It pays to check out restaurant time schedules if you want to save money!

Switching Games

My friend Henry Tamburin, a long-time BJ player, wrote an interesting article about how he made the switch to mostly VP in later years. He tells about how Lenny Frome, the pioneer VP guru, got him interested in this new game choice, but then he said, “But what pushed me over the edge was Jean Scott.”

Once in awhile I’ve had people say I’ve gone a little “far out” on some frugal gambling techniques, but I guess Henry was complimenting me here!

1. That read-the-fine-print drum I have been pounding on for a thousand years must be mentioned again here to be sure you didn’t miss this recent downgrade. Station’s MyGeneration program has long time offered 10x/6x points for senior Wednesdays. Now that 6x for video poker is “up-to 6x.” This has been changed on their website, a reason that I have encouraged you in the past to check the benefits each month as the details can change. If you get the monthly Station mailer and check the calendar, you will see that change, but get out your magnifying glass to see that tiny “up to.”  Actually, many of you recently missed this same “up to” in their newspaper ads telling about special multiplier days.  And did you notice that the Palms logo is missing on many of these promotions described in the newspaper ads?   And remember that the Palms does not participate in the MyGeneration program that is in place at all the other Station properties.  No special benefits for us oldsters there!

2.  Here’s a policy at Station casinos I didn’t know about – one that isn’t widespread, I don’t think – but might be wise for some players, especially elderly ones who want to be sure that benefits aren’t lost if one member passes away.

Up to two (2) eligible Boarding Pass members residing at the same address may link accounts to share Boarding Pass points. Both members must be present with valid photo identification at the Rewards Center to link accounts. Either member may request that a link be removed from his/her account in person at the Rewards Center with valid photo identification. Each Member of a linked account will be issued an individual Boarding Pass program card and account number. However, all Members on a linked account may modify any linked account data and will share Boarding Pass points. Visit the Rewards Center for additional linked account details.

3. Palace Station’s new buffet is very similar to the new one at the Palms. Although the prices at the Palms are reasonable compared to other more-upscale buffets in town, the prices at Palace Station are even lower. Check them out here.  And if you are at one of the top two tiers, President and Chairman and paying with your points, you get that hefty 50% discount on top of these low prices for a party up to four.  Platinum tier gets a 25% discount for party of two.  (These discounts are in place for buffets at all Station properties.)

4. At Harrah’s Laughlin, if you have a Las Vegas address, you are considered a “local” and can get their half-off local discount on the breakfast/lunch (brunch) buffet. I didn’t ask how far “local” goes but perhaps it goes wider in NV and/or includes Bull Head City and wider areas in Arizona. Just ask!

5. More and more food coupons require careful reading. Here are some fine-print restrictions I have recently run across:

•  “One coupon per table” rather than the more usual “One coupon per person.”
• “Not valid on holidays.”
• “Offer Monday through Friday only.”
• “Not valid for Specialty or Seafood dinner”

You might be asking now why I am not adding new details and explanations about the new Boyd Gaming players club here.

I will tell you why not!  I am exhausted trying to find verified answers to the many questions this drastic downgrade has raised.  I have read everything from official company sources I can find and so much is not spelled out clearly. I have talked to numerous employees, many in management positions, but I am getting extremely conflicting explanations.  If the employees don’t know what is going on, how do we players have a chance of understanding? (Be careful reporting a “fact” because you heard it from a host or someone in management – most employees mean well, but it seems corporate has put out a “line” that the employees are to parrot, but it often seems just like hype, and doesn’t always make math sense!)

I will keep up my research, and just as soon as I find out some definitive information I will post it here.  In the meantime, the discussion is still raging on vpFREE.  You can check out resources I gave in my last blog.  I do have one more to add – the Young at Heart rules for the downtown Boyd properties. One of the differences from the others uptown is that they still have a cap on the number of bonus multiplier points.

The huge number of comments on my last blog will be helpful reading for many of you, suggesting ways to cope with this major change, including new casinos to which to move their play.  More discussion is encouraged following this blog, by using the “Comments” feature.

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.

5,000 points = Gold pull tab
Top Prize of $10,000

2,500 points = Silver pull tab
Top Prize of $5,000

500 points = Bronze pull tab
Top Prize of $1,000

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“REAL BODIES” human anatomy exhibition just opened at Bally’s Las Vegas –located on the lower level.  I think this is the one that used to be at Luxor and perhaps other casinos before that?

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As usual, Mark’s Las Vegas will keep you up on the casino social media news.  A recent report gives details about MYVEGAS adding a new app and other updates.

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Suncoast – 5 for $5 Tuesdays

• $5 Breakfast or Lunch Buffet at St. Tropez Buffet*
• $5 Craft Beer at The Game
• $5 Blackjack
• $5 Jumbo Margaritas at all Casino Bars
• Play $10 Get $5

*With B Connected card, swipe at any kiosk to redeem. See B Connected Club for Details All prices do not include tax or gratuity. Must be 21 or older. Management reserves all rights.

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The coin promo (a bonus on coins put through their coin-changer machine) has been discontinued at Ellis Island.

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Binion’s Gambling Hall is celebrating their 65th Anniversary all during August with some special promotions. But check carefully on the details; I heard one report that some promotions were limited to one per person.

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And a correction/update on my report last week on the change in expiration date of MGM players club points:  A kind reader put this in the “Comments,” from the M-life FAQ about express comps expiring:

Do my points and Express Comps expire?

A member’s accumulated points and Express Comps may be subject to forfeiture if the member’s M life Rewards account does not reflect any activity (which means earning points or earning Tier Credits) for a period of six (6) months for Sapphire Members or a period of twelve (12) months for Pearl, Gold, Platinum and NOIR Members.

I wasn’t “done dirty” by MGM.  I hadn’t been playing there for a time, and didn’t realize that I had slipped down to Sapphire.  My bad for not taking my own advice and failing to frequently monitor my players club account to be sure I was staying current!