Our trip back to Vegas for the BJ Ball seems like it was in a different lifetime, although it was just a little over a month ago.  It will go down in our memories as the last big good thing before the virus war began.

It was a wonderful experience.  We knew it would very likely be the last time we would be in our favorite city, a place which had provided for us an amazing almost-fairy-tale life for almost 36 years.   We could once again experience the excitement of the bright lights that always beckoned with their message of countless possibilities.

Most of all, we felt honored that we were invited as special guests at this get-together of distinguished gamblers. It was like the cherry-on-the-top as we were retiring at the end of our long frugal casino journey.

It had been many years since we attended one of these gatherings, in fact not since back at the very beginning of the BJ Ball in the late ‘90s.  And being at this one became especially memorable since this year my “boss,” Anthony Curtis, was voted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.  Brad and I and Anthony had all three been at those early get-togethers, and now here we were together again, celebrating Anthony’s high honor.

For those who want more details about this year’s Blackjack Ball and perhaps learn more of its interesting history, I am giving below some links to articles about this event, some of which are extremely detailed.  And just to answer one question I often get, “No, although it is called a Ball, it is not a dance.”  I find most professional gamblers are the last persons you would find on a dance floor! (Although Brad and I were avid ballroom dancers for many years!)

https://www.blackjackreview.com/wp/2020/02/28/the-24th-blackjack-ball-2020/

https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/betting/blackjack-ball-brings-worlds-greatest-gamblers-to-las-vegas-1969539/

https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/the-24th-annual-blackjack-ball/

https://www.888casino.com/blog/tags/blackjack-ball  – 4 articles detailing 2018 and 2019 Balls

Here is a picture of Brad being transferred from the military hospital at Fort Benning to a civilian one in Columbus, the latter one having a better cardiac department.

Brad is still a little weak, but with strong meds kicking in and the help of a walker (and a wheelchair which is complimentary at the casino), he feels he is up to a short 4 ½-hour road trip from Columbus, GA to Harrah’s Cherokee, with Angela and me and tough ex-Ranger Steve as his “nursing assistants.”

This trip is my Harrah’s 7* retreat that we had to cancel for last weekend.  So, for those of you on property this weekend who might want to stop and chat, we will be on the casino floor or at the buffet or the Laurel Lounge (Formerly called the Diamond Lounge) on this Friday evening (20^th), off and on all day Saturday, and Sunday until early afternoon when we will be driving back to Columbus.

I don’t want to clutter up this blog with personal details but if you want to follow more of our “real life,” as opposed to our casino one, you can join us on my Jean Scott Facebook page for updated news.  I’ll be happy to friend you if you are not there already.

Now for some details for those who don’t know much about this beautiful Indian casino, managed by Harrah’s.  We have visited here once or twice a year for many years.  In my opinion it is located in one of the prettiest areas of the U.S, the Smoky Mountains.  (Tied with Lake Tahoe at the top of our casino favorites.) We especially like to visit in the fall to see the leaf-changing spectacular – something we miss in Las Vegas.  And it is always a good place to take the family, with many non-gambling options, like sightseeing, hiking, and fishing.  It also has our very favorite casino buffet, bar none.

Cherokee has many advantages for those in the Harrah’s 7* players club tier.  Unlimited comped movies.  Free Internet access for 5 devices.  Large selection of free beverages at check-in.  Opt out of daily housekeeping and get $20 free play per night stay.  A special set-aside room in the Laurel Lounge, with additional food selections.  And very valuable, you can get cash instead of free play when you cash in your Reward Credits.  If you are on your 7* retreat, you can use your $500 folio money in the many shops, not just for food and beverage.

A friend recently sent me this good hint, one which I didn’t know:

You can use Celebration “vouchers” for room service.  Before we used ours, I checked at the Rewards Center and was told that I could use the voucher for room service, but I needed to tell the room service people when I placed our order.  I did and it worked perfectly.

Perhaps this will work at other CZR properties?  You could check.

If you want more hints about this property and extra benefits, go to the Seven Star Insider,  where you will find tons of very detailed information about Cherokee and all other CZR properties.  Although this website zeroes in on 7* benefits, there is much information that would help lower-tier players maximize the value of their play.

The main drawback for many VP players is that there are not good paytables at the lower denominations.  The best ones are at the $5 machines.

——-

If Brad continues to gain his strength back, we plan to return to Vegas on September 28th – and I can be back here with more Las Vegas casino frugal information.

But recently the mail brought Brad a surprisingly juicy promotional offer from Harrah’s Tahoe – too good to pass up.  We surmise that this might have been generated for former Seven Star players who had dropped down from that level in 2019, as Brad has done.  We figured this because I, who did make Seven Stars for this year, did not get that same good offer.  But who knows why casinos do what they do – after 35 years in the casino trenches I still don’t have a clue most of the time!

General CZR Information

While I am on the subject of Harrah’s Tahoe, here are some notes I have collected about CZR in general.

A common question: “Can your host at one CZR property make reservations for you at other properties?”

The general answer to this is “Yes,” and you will even probably get mail from your host promoting this benefit.  However – as you must always watch for – individual properties may have variations of this policy.  I had one player tell me her host said she could book any “event” at other properties, but not rooms.  But I have had success with cross-booking for years, both using regional marketing directors and individual-property hosts.

Another frequent question is concerning the amount of play you need to do when you use the complimentary Atlantis resort benefit that CZR offers at some tier levels. This fine print makes a lot of players nervous:  If you accept this offer and do not show any rated casino play, the Atlantis may charge you for some or all of your upfront complimentaries including rooms, food & drink, limos, etc.

Words like this make me nervous.  Brad and I are on a number of mailing lists for comped cruises and casino resort visits because of our heavy play in past years, and most have this kind of scary fine print.  Example is a recent invitation from an independent host for Live Casino in Maryland: All pre-comped offers and hotel arrangements are at the discretion of the casino.  You must qualify, based on your rated play history.

The problem with benefits like these and the Atlantis one from CZR is that it is extremely difficult to find out the play required.  There is almost never any printed information on “rated play.”  So, you must launch a thorough investigation on your own.  First you can check with a host – and hopefully that is one who is knowledgeable and knows your play history.  Then I would use my trusty ask-a-lot technique.  Talk to several hosts for a consensus opinion.   You could talk to other players who have used this benefit but remember their experience was based on their personal play and history, which may be quite different than yours.  And finally, the day before you leave, you should talk to a host at Atlantis to see how your play is being rated.  Then if not up to basic requirements, you can decide whether to play more or just pay the bill for charges that won’t be comped.  Sometimes that latter option is the cheapest!  But in any case, you won’t have a heart-stopping bill surprise when you check out.

______________________

Back  to the subject of our upcoming trip – Tahoe is just about our most-loved CZR property, so this will be a fun “working vacation” for us.  Stop by and say hi if you see us pounding away at a VP machine!

I would like to give a big shout-out to Lindsey Trujillo, the General Manager of the Tuscany Pub 365, who was a super party planner for this get-together in the adjoining event space. She suggested and organized the food and drink menu and worked with my daughter Angela to provide a beautifully decorated room. I would recommend her to plan any private event you might have in this multi-purpose room.

I want to thank everyone who came to the Open House and for the many cards they brought, with such thoughtful notes enclosed.  Those birthday messages plus so many that came via the Internet have blessed my heart – and will probably delay my retirement for umpteen years.  As long as people say my words are a big help to them, I’ll probably keep writing them!

P.S.  You probably won’t be surprised by this little note:  Yes, we could use the $1500 comp balance we had been carrying here for years even if we don’t play there regularly anymore.  Nothing like a party that was mostly comped!  (Be sure that you don’t lose any old comp balances at casinos where you don’t regularly play.  Check the club rules – but you usually need to put on at least a few points every 6-12 months so balance don’t disappear.)

On Saturday, December 29, 2018, believe it or not, my Mom – Jean Scott – is turning 80 – and that is an occasion to celebrate!

As you can imagine, a gambler who has been chasing casino promotions for 35 years doesn’t need any birthday presents!  What she REALLY wants more than ANYTHING is to visit with friends and with those who enjoy what she loves – the frugal casino lifestyle.

So, my husband Steve and I and granddaughter Kaitlynn want to invite you to join us at the Las Vegas Tuscany Casino, in the party room at the back of the Pub 365, for a Frugal Friends Open House on Saturday, December 29, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

There will be laughter, reminiscing, and story-telling with The Queen of Comps and, of course, with the King of Kindness (Brad), who is always by her side.  Jean would be so happy to see long-time friends, and especially old video poker cohorts that she rarely runs into at casinos anymore.  And she would love the opportunity to meet in person the many fellow casino frugalites that have become Internet friends through the gambling forums and her blog.

You don’t need to RSVP – just pop in anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. to join in a birthday celebration of friendship!

——-

Caesars has released some dates you might want to mark on your calendar:

World Series of Poker at the Rio – May 29 to July 17:

Great Gift Wrap Up (GGWU) Shopping

Nov. 1 to 5: at Caesars Palace

Nov. 28 to Dec. 2:  at Bally’s

I find articles about  artificial intelligence (AI) fascinating, and this one especially so since it discusses how AI  can be used to keep gamblers hooked.  It is specifically talking about bookies in the UK but sheds some light on how this could eventually affect players in a casino near you!

This article from the Vegas R-J is a little dated since it was written right after that October First horrific shooting, but I kept it in my to-share file because of the last section, “The future of loyalty cards.”  I may be able to get rid of my baggie casino file system and lighten my purse.

I can barely keep up with all the technological advances that are coming at us gamblers at such a rapid pace!

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!

It is easy to keep up without going back and forth between blogs and scrolling to the bottom of each one for possible comments.  When you are on my blog page, look for the section titled “Recent Comments” on the right side of the page and you can click on those you would like to read.   Not everyone reads my blogs or comments on them the day I post them.  But that list on the right side of the blog page will keep you up to date on current comments and those that may appear later.  (Other reasons to check on the right side of my blog page:  you can “Subscribe” so you will get an e-mail when I post a new blog, and you can also search in the “Archives” and find every Frugal Fridays and Frugal Vegas blog I have ever posted – from way back in April 2000!)

BRIEFS

The usual free slot tournament South Point runs on senior Mondays will not be held on Monday, March 19.  Also remember the all-day Monday $4 movie promo for seniors is “not valid on holidays or special events.”

Hooters Casino Hotel has opened the world’s largest Steak’n Shake location – and with a bar and slot machines to boot.  We old-time Midwesterners would never have believed those would ever be added to their juicy hamburgers or thick milkshakes!

Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is the latest casino company to offer a room discount to active and veteran military, police, fire fighters, teachers, and other service personnel.  Also, their new players club will give all active and retired members of the United States Military Gold Tier status, with extra benefits.  As with all casinos and players clubs, you will need to check their websites for specific requirements to get extra benefits, and more importantly, you will need to check the limitations.  Many of these special programs have tons of fine print to wade through!

THE ZORKFEST

My March 4 blog gave you many of the details about this fun feast of frugal information to help you save money on travel expenses and casino visits.  (I like alliteration!)

I also gave you the link to complete details of the Zorkfest event which is sponsored by TravelZork, a website covering airlines, hotels, casinos, Vegas, and loyalty programs.  There you will find the pictures, bios, and subject material of the many experts who will be speaking, and details of event schedules and registration fees.

However, I am writing about it again because the deadline to take advantage of the lowest registration fee is coming up fast – in fact it is this coming Tuesday, March 20.  You will be able to register later, of course, but the cost will be higher.  And you know me – I like to be sure my readers are aware of the most frugal options!  I truly believe that many – even most – attendees will learn a few new frugal techniques that will save them more money in the future than they invest in the registration fees.  (And when you register, be sure to add the code zorklva for extra discounts!)

The seminar speakers are experts in a variety of travel and casino fields, and more subjects have been added to the wide range that were initially listed.  Here are some of them:

-Learn the Best Travel Award Redemptions

-Expert Tips to Book Travel and Credit Card Strategies

-Casino Comps, VIP Status and Offers

-Miles & Points – Tips and Tricks

-Family Travel and Cruise Promotions

As I said in the earlier blog, Brad and I will be there most of the time during this event, both before and after I speak, and we look forward to meeting new and long-time fellow frugalites.

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!

Another frugal resource I highly recommend: Vegas4Locals has many free printable coupons for locals and visitors alike and an extensive list of “Free Things To Do and See in Las Vegas.”

CZR News

Here is a great new option for high-level CZR players who have earned a free trip. Although these details mention only the Seven Stars Retreat, this is also an option for the lower Diamond trip. A welcome change from the hassle of going through the unbearably slow casino travel booking program.

We will be at Harrah’s Tahoe until October 3. If you see us there during the slot tournament or at a video poker machine, be sure to stop and say “hi.”