Video Poker

Answers and News

Answers and News

After my last Cherokee trip report, as usual there were reader questions, which I’m always happy to answer.

Q: Did it work out that your granddaughter could take a break from her Appalachian Trail thru-hike and meet you all?

A: Amazingly, the timing was perfect. Angela and Steve had to drive only about 20 miles to pick her up. In fact, they arrived at the meeting point a little early, so Steve could walk about a mile down the trail where he met her and they could walk back together to where Angela was waiting in the car. It goes without saying that Kaitlynn enjoyed a comfortable bed, hot food, and lots of hot showers the next day and a half at the hotel before being dropped back at the trail. If you’re interested, you can subscribe to her YouTube vblog .

Q: Do you ever plan to play at other casinos or go back to Las Vegas to visit?

A: Right now, Brad’s health limits how much we can travel. The only reason we can go to Cherokee is that Angela and Steve can help us with the travel and his care. However, at the urging of Angela (and my doctor), it seems that I need a break. So Angela and Steve are going to take over his care for four days in May and I am planning a trip to Harrah’s Tahoe and meeting with an old gambling friend I haven’t seen for over two years. Needless to say, I’m excited! And although I don’t miss living in Las Vegas, I look forward to a short visit there if circumstances ever make that a possibility.

A couple of trip notes: A big positive I forgot to mention in my trip report was how nice it was to be in a totally non-smoking casino. A negative was a new thing to which I had to adjust, for the first time: paying a resort fee. We’d always been at a high enough tier level for this not to happen. And Brad’s and my comped room did not get charged this fee since I am Diamond. However, Steve is only on the Platinum tier level and he did have $26.88 added for each of the 3 nights, even though two of the nights were comped, based on his rather light play in the past. “Comped” doesn’t always mean completely free.

From the comments:

I was at Cherokee when you were there. I sat down on a VP machine and commented to a lady beside me, “Has anybody ever told you that you look just like the Queen of Comps, Jean Scott.” To my great surprise, it was you!

It’s always great to meet “frugalites” who introduce themselves and such a pleasure to have a chance to chat with kindred souls. If you ever see us in a casino, please stop to say hello. I look forward to breaks in our play to meet new friends.

Now for some casino news.

Boyd Gaming has changed the name of its players club system, from B Connected to Boyd Rewards. Evidently, it did not cut benefits at the same time – I guess they figured their earlier massacre was enough.

This change in loyalty-club names seems to be the current “good idea.” CZR changed Total Rewards to Caesars Rewards. Wynn went from Red Card to Wynn Rewards. MGM went from M Live to MGM Rewards early this year and they did do a benefit massacre at the same time.

An important hint is to always check the casino website for possible changes (usually downgrades) in their player benefits whenever they change anything about their players club – the name, tier levels, etc. You should also check it carefully when their tier level “year” is up and especially at the beginning of a new year. Often, when they drop a benefit, there is no public announcement or player notification. That benefit is just not included in the new/revised tier-benefit section of the website.

Speaking of changes, sports arenas get name changes all the time to whatever company will pay the biggest bucks for that privilege, but airports not so frequently. I never did routinely say “McCarran” Airport, so I don’t think I will ever say “Harry Reid” airport. It has always been just the “Las Vegas Airport” to me.

And finally, it’s probably crazy that I’m so excited about the Palms reopening at the end of the month when I may never enter those doors again. But just seeing the name Palms Casino brings back so many happy memories for me. Brad and I were there the first day it opened and, living very close, we spent a lot of time there. It wasn’t just at the video poker machines, either, although it was one of our favorite places for that. We had comps for everything, the nice restaurants when we wanted to entertain fancy, the food court when we wanted a quick snack, and the buffet when everyone in our party wanted something different. Also a play place with a free dance machine when the grandkids were young and they could run up a comp bill that rivaled their frugal grandma. Free movies for years and free car washes until that popular perk broke down and to our sorrow was finally removed. (I kept those free coins for years, hoping I could someday use them!) And gifts, gifts, gifts! Someday I’ll walk around the apartment and list everything I see that came from the Palms. I go to Ang and Steve’s house and even sometimes spot something there!

So even if I never get back there, I’m excited for all of you who live in Vegas and the out-of-towners who will visit the new Palms. Maybe you can bring me joy by writing about it in the Comments. I’m hoping hoping hoping that you’ll find positive things to write about!

A Rambling Trip Report

A Rambling Trip Report

Off to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino from Columbus, Georgia, one way 270 miles. First, filling up the tank for Angela and Steve’s truck. Ouch! We no longer have a car, so this was my first experience with the gas-price shock.

Down the road a couple of hours, looking for a quick lunch at Subway. Brad and I get bored with the “fine dining” at our senior home; we crave fast food! First one where we stopped was closed. Subways never close in the middle of the day! Must be another sign of the times; can’t get dependable help. Fortunately, there was another one just a few miles down the road that was open.

Long line at hotel check-in. I looked over at the short Seven Stars line. Just a momentary twinge of … well … memories. Those VIP perks gave us many many years of exciting casino adventures. But now I’m learning to appreciate a more relaxed and peaceful lifestyle.

The helpful check-in clerk made the extra effort to find us adjoining rooms. They were in the Creek Tower, where we’d stayed many times in the past. They had a microwave, something I didn’t remember being there before, and a couch with a pull-out bed. We’d stayed in other towers with newly furnished rooms before and often found them too minimalistic, with not enough comfortable seating.

As I reported from our last trip here in October, the food situation was still challenging, due to the severe employee-shortage problem. Fortunately, we didn’t have to go out and look for options locally in the community. Paying real money for food outside while comps went to waste inside would have hurt my frugal soul! ☹

We were able to hit the food court on Thursday evening. Not all outlets there were open, but the lines at others moved fairly quickly. We enjoyed sandwiches and salads and our favorite soup, broccoli & cheddar, at Earl of Sandwich. However, wait lines there were impossible on Friday and Saturday. We’d made advance reservations for Selu Garden Grille and Brio Tuscan Grill on Open Table for Friday and Saturday, but we saw that walk-up patrons early in the day could get reservations for later that same day. Departure Sunday morning, we love the breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks, but always plan for a bit of a wait.

Did we win? Well, not exactly, but we left feeling like happy winners. For the first six or so hours of play, I got deeper and deeper in a depressing hole while playing through $90,000 coin-in, holding one, or two, or even three deuces and never catching the fourth. Brad played a little during that time, but got tired and  just wanted to watch, so he was there part of the time to share my groans. However, just when we were resigning ourselves to a “bad trip,” suddenly a no-skill-needed hand popped up, four beautiful deuces! I was so happy Brad was there beside me and we could share our joy, just as we’d done for 38 years. That $5,000 jackpot didn’t quite get us out of the hole and we didn’t have good luck as I played the last $10,000 coin-in to maximize our bonuses. But when you go home just $1,000 down, you’re happy for the jackpot that kept you from being $6,000 down. That’s what I call being a happy loser.

We gamblers are funny people, aren’t we? Or maybe we’re just acting human!

We did have one temporarily scary half-hour on this trip. Angela was “watching” Brad taking a nap in the adjoining room. We don’t know exactly when he woke up, saw that I wasn’t in the room, remembered that I’d gone to the casino, and decided to join me. Long-term memory was kicking in. Never mind that he had on lounging pants, but they were flannel, so he wasn’t cold and really didn’t see the need to put on proper slacks; nobody dresses up to go to a casino anymore, he always said. He did remember to put on his shoes. Then he must have quietly navigated his walker/wheelchair out of the room, so he wouldn’t wake up Angela, who had fallen asleep watching TV.

This Cherokee property is humongous and the multi-towered 21-story hotel and sprawling casino floor are in two buildings connected by a long arched indoor walkway. Our room was on the 15th floor. So, to get to the casino, Brad would have to find the elevator down the hall, push the button for the 2nd floor, wind through the halls past shops, navigate the long sloping walkway, enter the next building, and make his way down to the ground casino level. About a 10-minute brisk walk. Then, of course, he would have had to find me.

We alerted security and everyone was looking for an elderly man with a head full of curly gray-white hair, wearing a red long-sleeved T-shirt and gray lounge pants. We really weren’t very worried – okay, maybe a bit when he hadn’t been spotted for a half-hour. He’s very frail and can’t walk far without resting. But if he’d fallen, plenty of people everywhere would have reported that.

However, if you do get lost, a casino is a good place to do it, with cameras everywhere. So that was the next step – to check the tapes and follow him from the time he left the room and got on the elevator. We were instructed to stay near the escalator that went down to the casino floor, but Steve decided to head back in the direction of the walkway. A couple of minutes later, he returned to us, pushing a tired but smiling Brad in his walker/wheelchair.

We’ll never know what all happened on Brad’s long trek. He’d walked this route so many times down through the years when his mind was sharp, but his memory now is not good at all. I guess the map was still in his brain; he was heading to just the right place to get down to the casino. I pressed him for some details. Did he ask someone for help or did he find benches or soft chairs where he could rest? But he finds it difficult to find words these days. All he said was, “It wasn’t easy.”

Prepping for an Enjoyable Casino Visit

I’ve been busy the last couple of weeks preparing for our trip to Harrah’s Cherokee October 24-26.

It has reminded me, as has been the case for 39 years, that my preparations for a casino visit can actually take more time than I spend at video poker machines when I get to the casino. This was true when Brad and I lived in Las Vegas and made frequent trips to local casinos. And although the preparation may be a little different for a visit like this one, a once-every-few-months out-of-town longer stay, the basics are the same.

Having a host is always good! Having a host who’s taken care of us for many years is invaluable. Our corporate (as opposed to a single-property) host knows our wants and wishes. So my first task was to contact him to make reservations.

My 2021 play made me Diamond Elite, so I was eligible for three comped nights over the weekend. Our host also knows my family, making a room reservation for our “drivers,” daughter Angela and son-in-law Steve. As an Army veteran, Steve has the Caesars Rewards Salute card, which puts him in the Platinum tier and eligible for room discounts. Our host got him a comped room for two of the three nights, but his former play wasn’t heavy enough to get the Saturday night comped when Cherokee is always extremely busy. (I miss the days when Brad and I both played heavily and could always get two or more completely comped rooms for family.)

The host also takes care of the little details that are important, like putting in the request that our rooms be near each other. He also checks to see that my credit line is up to date, since I hadn’t accessed it since our last visit in October. (I’ll contact a property host after we check in to talk about discretionary comps for food or other charges.)

My next task is to carefully scour all my paper mailings and my online account to see what free play, food offers, and promotions will be available during my stay. I also check my account on the CZR app on my phone. Often, extra offers will pop up there that did not appear anywhere else. This trip I have three different free-play coupons, specific to certain dates. There also are two drawings. But all are on the hard-copy old-school calendar I’ve used for 39 years, so I won’t miss a thing!

The last and perhaps the most important prepping item for me is networking. This is an ongoing process year around; I correspond regularly with friends to share information about changing casino conditions all over the country. But I ramp it up just before I’m planning a visit to a casino at which I don’t regularly play. I check online resources, like Facebook groups that concentrate on specific casinos. And I put out a call on my own Jean Scott Facebook page for recent information from players who’ve been to Cherokee recently. I was pleased to learn that my favorite machines are still intact. That’s always good news.

But these family trips to Cherokee aren’t just about gambling. I’m interested in room recommendations, food options, and the general service and atmosphere. And I’ve been flooded with valuable particulars that will help this visit be smoother and more enjoyable.
So now that most of the advance technical details are taken care of, I can concentrate on refreshing my video poker skills, practicing, and testing myself on a computer software program.

As is common for us, this casino visit is also a family vacation. Angela and Steve, as well as enjoying outdoor activities, will be helping to take care of Brad and enjoying some casino action themselves. However, it looks like it’s going to work out that we will have a surprise family member who will join us.

Many long-time readers have followed our family casino adventures since our grandchildren were babies and visited us in Vegas in their strollers. I might have written how toddler Zachary and Grandpa Brad were chasing each other, crawling all over the hotel-room floor, howling like the animatronic wolf they had just heard at the noisy light and water show in the lobby at Sam’s Town Casino. And perhaps I shared that baby Kaitlynn didn’t enjoy the show at all, so her stroller had to be quickly pushed away and she had to be comforted to get her little screams go away.

Well, 27 years later, evidently Kaitlynn is no longer afraid of wild animals. On March 13, at the southern gateway in northern Georgia, she embarked on a thru-hike, 2,194 miles, of the Appalachian Trail. And it looks like she’ll be on the part of the trail that goes very close to Cherokee while we’re there. We’ll be so happy to provide a soft bed, hot shower, and hearty non-trail-mix food for a short break I’m sure she’ll welcome.

 

A Few Words about the “New” Video

A Few Words about the “New” Video

I’m pausing my book-report series to address a subject that is causing some heated discussion online: a video that has popped up on YouTube, one in which I was interviewed by Steve Bourie.

The first problem is that many viewers didn’t read the explanation that came with that video, that it was an edited re-post from 2016. Steve has re-posted some of his older videos, since he has a new American Casino Guide website.

Many of you have been following Brad’s and my 39-year casino adventure for a long time, have seen this video before, and know many of the stories of our journey. Many of you are also long-time video poker advantage players, having been on the same path and dealing with the same problems I talked about in 2016. And you know that it has been a steady decline since that time, especially exacerbated by the pandemic.

To those who point out that what we did back then is impossible these days, I agree. However, many of the techniques I talked about in this video are still valuable for casino visitors today. Casino gambling has never stayed the same. However, most players have always entered the casino with the same unchanging goals: stretching their bankroll so they have longer fun time and, if they can’t always win, losing as little as possible.

I’m reading all the comments from those who watched this rerun from 2016 and there are an amazing number of them, way over 270 the last time I checked. I ignore all the negative rants, but many have posted thoughtful comments and honest questions that deserve an answer. I especially enjoyed hearing about the positive experiences of those who have been traveling with Brad and me on this path of wise gambling, validating the facts that this was something that could be and was done by many players back in the time period I described in the video. It always warms my heart to hear when my words have helped someone have a better casino experience. (I think this is the main reason why I keep putting off retirement! 😊)

First, some answers to technical questions. The white car we won at the Stardust was a Mercury Mystique. (Actually, we didn’t need a new car at the time, so we sold it back to the dealer.) And yes, you do need to take into consideration the tax implications of gambling. Once we started serious play, we filed as a business and that allowed us to deduct our losses and expenses and pay taxes only on the net win. Recreational players have never been able to do that and recent tax changes have made that even a more severe hindrance for many. The book Tax Help for Gamblers will help you navigate those treacherous IRS waters.

A couple of updating items. I actually didn’t revise the first two Frugal books, as I mentioned I’d do at the end of the video. I soon realized when I started that project that there were just too many changes in the casino environment, so I had to write a whole new book. In The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide, I suggested new paths for the wise gambler. Also, I no longer have my own website, but I am still continuing to look for helpful information to put in this blog.

Perhaps for some people the biggest problem with the video is that they misunderstood that flashy title, “How She Made a Million Dollars Gambling in Casinos!” That “million” did not happen on one lucky trip to Las Vegas. In 2016, we’d been playing in casinos for over 30 years, living in Vegas for the last 16 of them. Yes, we hit some big jackpots; anyone who plays a lot will have some lucky hits. But I was careful to explain that we also had to suffer through many long losing streaks. Almost all successful gamblers will talk about “grinding out a win,” sticking with the best mathematical plays through thick and thin, whether you’re winning or losing.

Some wondered whether Brad and I are still playing video poker or did we go broke. We rarely visit casinos anymore, because we moved from Las Vegas in 2020 when Brad’s physical and mental health was declining, and there are no casinos nearby where we live in Georgia. But not only did we not go broke, thankfully we remained financially frugal during all the years of our casino life and now our gambling winnings help support our stay in a lovely senior-living home.

We’re planning to go to Harrah’s Cherokee the weekend of March 24. And that answers one last question from a video viewer. “Are they dead?”

Expanding Gambling Knowledge

Expanding Gambling Knowledge

I recently read three books about blackjack. You may wonder if I’m thinking about switching my core casino game away from video poker. I know some players are doing that. Not me.

So, you might ask, “Then why would you waste your time reading books about blackjack?”

Down through the years, I’ve read a lot about many other casino games besides video poker and never considered it a waste of time. I almost always find at least a kernel of usable information from the writings of a successful gambler who plays another game, something I can use to improve my video poker play. In fact, I’m often surprised by how much successful gamblers are alike no matter what game they play.

I was once again reminded of that as I read these three recent blackjack titles:  The Blackjack Insiders, The 21st Century Card Counter, and Radical Blackjack. Three very different personalities, three extremely dissimilar storytelling styles, three widely diverse casino experiences – yet I found so many common threads running through all three books.

I’ll begin by discussing The Blackjack Insiders, by Andrew Uyal, then tackle the other two books in future posts. I chose this book first because it is the easiest to read, with almost no complicated math details that keep many people from even starting to look for possible valuable information.

Two groups of casino gamblers will enjoy reading this book. The first is made up of readers who just love a good gambling story, whatever the game. And this is a good story, as the cover says, about “how two pit bosses beat the casinos at their own game.” You might not have thought much about whether casino employees gamble in their off time, but in my 39 years of spending a lot of time in casinos, I’ve come across many who do. In fact, many have approached me and told me that they’ve read my books and followed my blogs so they can gamble smarter; even some hosts have asked for details about what I do. But I’ve never been acquainted with a pit boss who worked both sides of the table and it was interesting to see how Andrew’s casino job experience helped him have more gambling success.

The second group of casino gamblers who may want to read this book consists of those who mostly play another game, but have dabbled a bit with blackjack and wonder if they could be more successful in making this their new option. Or a casual recreational BJ player might be wondering if he should set a goal to play it on a more serious level.

For this second group, I need to emphasize that this is not a BJ how-to manual. I mentioned earlier that there are not a lot of math details in this book. The general concept of counting cards is discussed, but you would need a nuts-and-bolts book that gives you the math information you need to learn this game well even on the beginner’s level. And at the beginning of the book, Andrew emphasizes that this is not a book that gives any advanced advantage-play techniques. What The Blackjack Insiders will give you is the emotional and psychological side of playing this game. And that’s why this book will be a valuable read even for a gambler who plans never to play blackjack. The struggle to improve your game, the agony of losing streaks, the stress of balancing family responsibilities, the constant research and practice – these are issues that players of any game will face.

This book discusses some techniques that I’ve recommended for years when talking mainly to video poker players. But these same ones worked well for Andrew in his blackjack journey. He used the comp system. He had a mentor to help him start on the road to success and then they became partners. This mutual support system not only helped with the technical details, like scheduling and bankroll management, but the emotional rollercoaster.

Most gambling books are written during the latter years of a skilled player’s life. Although they often begin with how-I-got-started stories – that’s how I started most of mine – the bulk of their books is usually a discussion and summary of all the things they learned through many years of casino experience. And these are valuable resources. However, The Blackjack Insiders is different. Andrew writes about his blackjack journey that lasts for only two years, an “experiment” to see if a completely unknowledgeable novice could become a successful – that is, winning – gambler during that time.

Yes, he had to learn the mechanics of card-counting, but more important, he had to learn to cope with the emotional ride. With vivid details, he takes readers on this trip with him.  We rejoice during the glorious mountaintop moments when he returns from the casino and covers his motel bed with the day’s winnings. But he doesn’t skip the many many bad moments, when the pain of long losing streaks is almost unbearable. If you’re an experienced player, you can sympathize with Andrew as he had to learn how to cope with these ups and downs. If you’re a new player-to-be, this book might help you be cautious with future gambling decisions!

News and Views

News and Views

The mantra of the casino player is “the only constant is change.”

I found this quote online and it sums up the theme of my writings for the last 23 years. In fact, if all casinos had the same policies and never tinkered with them, if they always kept the same owners and management teams, and if they never never revamped their players clubs, I’m not sure I would have seen the need to write those first blogs in April 2000. For sure I wouldn’t still be writing one in January 2022. Change is the driver that has kept me on the gaming-writing road.

By the way, when I clicked on that 2000 archive link above just before I started writing this blog, I felt like I was in a time machine going backward. I hadn’t read many of these old blogs for years. A reader who just recently started casino gambling would probably think they were back in the Dark Ages. But if you’re a long-term gambler, it might bring back some happy memories, though tempered by a deep sadness as you’re reminded how good casino gambling used to be.

However, I did smile when I read some of the general advice I gave back then to help players gamble smarter. Yes, I’ve been pounding the same drums for over 20 years. Consider this excerpt from April 14, 2000:  Words I hate to read in a letter from a casino: “We’re improving our slot club.” I have NEVER, in 17 years of casino gambling, known the changes in a slot club to benefit me!  I could write and have written that recently, just changing the number to 39!

Okay, we must not dwell on the past so much that it keeps us from coping with the present as best we can. Here are some current news items readers have shared with me or I’ve read online.

Tuscany has changed its players club point system. Video poker now requires $2 coin-in to earn one point. Previously it was $1 per point. I could find no information about the players club on the website. On their page about promotions, they mention the DaVinci Rewards Players Club, but I could find no details about it. I finally found some info on vpFREE2, a valuable resource I go to frequently.

I don’t know whether Tuscany put the new information out on communications to players club members. It seems that this change took place at the beginning of the year. Good advice for players is to check casino websites at the beginning of each year. Sometimes casinos don’t notify their players club members when changes are made; they just put new rules up on the website. This may have happened with CZR. I wasn’t tracking this, but one of my readers said they reduced the number of tier credits you earned when paying for a hotel room. Seemed to me that I’d seen that they jumped it to 5 tier credits per dollar last year. Now I see it’s down to 1 tier credit.

It would be helpful if readers would post casino-change information. You can do it here in the comment section. And it would be great if more would post these sorts of details on vpFREE. This used to be such a great resource. but now there aren’t many members who post there. I’m not sure whether so many didn’t make the transfer when it had to find a new home  or whether so many have reduced their casino visits or completely abandoned VP since the pandemic struck. I do encourage players to post changes or other casino news they know about. Of course, we don’t expect “secret good plays,” but much helpful information can be shared.

Amidst all the bad news these days, occasionally there is some good news that many players will be happy to hear. The tribal leaders have voted to permanently ban smoking in both Harrah’s casinos in North Carolina, Cherokee and Murphy. For you smokers, the news is not all bad, since they did leave open the opportunity for Harrah’s to add dedicated smoking sections that employees could volunteer to staff.

Happy News: We all celebrated Brad’s 90th birthday on January 18.

Thinking about good casino news, I’m cautiously optimistic that after the pandemic effect is gone, casinos may have to start thinking that perhaps they will need to be more player-friendly to strengthen their bottom line. More promotions? More comps? More free play?

And perhaps some new owners will have some old-fashioned ideas about how to make their customers feel appreciated. I may not get to Vegas soon or ever, but I’m super excited — and hopeful —  about the reopening of the Palms.

I’m going to “steal” a great optimistic quote from my fellow blogger David McKee. If you want to read no-holds-barred casino news from all over the country, you need to read “Stiffs and Georges.” I love his tell-it-like-it-is attitude!

Quote of the Day: “Native American casino operators will undoubtedly bring their unique operating model, which focuses more on the long-term benefit of tribal citizens than quarterly results. I think they will give the big, corporate, publicly held companies a run for their money.”—Industry analyst Josh Swissman on the arrival of tribal-gaming operators on the Las Vegas Strip.

New Year, New Updates

New Year, New Updates

I did plan to take a blog break over the holiday season, but I didn’t think it would end up being so long.

In the photo below of our family’s Buffalo-plaid Christmas celebration, you won’t see the intruder that disrupted our lives the following two weeks. It’s invisible!

Yes, unbeknownst to us, COVID was there and it attacked every adult who hadn’t been infected previously, despite all of us being fully vaccinated. Brad and I are just finishing our 10-day isolation period. He had no symptoms, but I got hit pretty hard and am still battling residue upper respiratory infections and bronchitis.

But no matter how bad I feel, I still “rest” a lot at my desk chair. And my computer keeps me connected to the outside world, including important casino news that may affect many of readers here.

TAXES

First, a lot of you are beginning to work on your 2021 tax returns and wondering if the 4th edition (eBook) of Tax Help for Gamblers will still be a good resource. There was no major federal legislation last year that required updates. The IRS clarified some cybercurrency regulations, so anyone with concerns about crypto should check with a tax professional. A change in one state’s law will make some taxpayers happy: Michigan residents can now claim a state-income-tax deduction for gambling losses they claim on their federal tax return. The law is effective for the 2021 tax year and beyond.

RESOURCES

Sadly, with the death of Darryl McEwen, we’ve lost “Seven Stars Insider,” the valuable resource for CZR players. However, I’m hoping that more VP players will join or re-join and participate more at vpFREE, which had to move to another site. (Subscribe at their new home.) We all need to help our fellow players by sharing information about VP conditions wherever we play. And vpFREE2 is still actively providing information about where the most generous games can be found, players club data, and other details from casinos all over the country.

Scot Krause still maintains the valuable Players Club Bonus Points list here on this website. He also continues to provide information on good casino promotions in “Vegas Values” on the American Casino Guide website, but now with a new once-a-month format on the second Sunday of each month beginning on January 9. The ongoing promotions page will be updated throughout the year.

Mark’s Las Vegas covers Vegas news and sometimes gives updated information about the MGM players club. Recently he posted that they were extending the Tier Credit-earning period for 2022 status by 31 days. They will count any Tier Credits earned in January 2022 toward both 2022 and 2023 status.

MGM

Speaking of MGM, I’m seeing a lot of online chatter about major changes in the players club at MGM properties and there seems to be utter confusion about what’s new and when and where the changes will come. Evidently, some changes started in November and some will be coming February 1. I haven’t played at a MGM property for many years, so I don’t have the experience to know the impact of these changes, and unfortunately, their website gives conflicting and often incomplete information.

Here are some of the details I’ve heard from experienced MGM players and internet sources, with some good news, but more disappointing downgrades. The new player loyalty system, now called MGM Rewards, will be universal at all properties instead of differing from those in Las Vegas and other regional areas. The five tier levels remain the same: Sapphire, Pearl, Gold, Platinum and NOIR, with only the threshold for reaching Pearl reduced.  Tier credits for non-gaming spend (food, lodging, etc.) have been drastically reduced. Players in the company’s sports betting and igaming system, BetMGM, can now earn rewards and tier credits.

There are too many changes for me to cover here, so I’ll give you several links that will keep you busy for many hours of study. Don’t forget to check the Q+A’s sections, which sometimes explain things more in detail.

The change that will hit video poker players the hardest is this phrase that appears over and over again: “Adjusting the way we calculate, basing it on your time played, average bet amount, and GAME TYPE.  (Caps are my emphasis!)

https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/mgm-rewards-is-coming-countdown.html

https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/mlife-rewards-program/point-calculation-change.html

https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/mlife-rewards-program/loyalty-program-changes.html

For those who coordinate with the Hyatt loyalty program, you’ll find more change info here.

FINAL GROAN

Whenever I see a casino wax eloquent about their new players club:

When we set out to reimagine our rewards program, we listened to your feedback and we did it to give you more …

To reward you appropriately we are adjusting …

We’ve completely reinvented the opportunities to reward you by …

I’m never excited … just sad!

Odds and Ends from the Frugal File

Odds and Ends from the Frugal File

It’s the Thanksgiving season and I want to tell all of my readers here and on my Jean Scott Facebook page how thankful I am for the constant stream of encouraging words so many of you have written to me while I care for Brad. Some of you I’ve met in person, but it’s amazing how well I know many of you just through the magic of online friendship.

Many have asked how Brad is doing. He’s very frail physically and losing weight since he doesn’t want to eat much. He sleeps 18-20 hours a day, but is still able to walk short distances with his walker.  Mentally, he seems to be happy in his own little silent world. I’m sometimes able to coax him out into my world, but he struggles to find words to communicate with. However, everyone here at Legacy loves him and his smiles when he can’t respond with conversation. And when there’s music, he sometimes still remembers how to dance.

3-year old great gran Cooper loving the Cat in the Hat Halloween dance.

CZR Notes

Some have asked for more information we found when we were at Harrah’s Cherokee in October. Like most businesses of any kind anywhere these days, the casino is having a terrible time getting enough help. They have billboards up all around the area, saying they need 700 new employees for both this casino (which just opened a new hotel tower) and their smaller sister, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Hotel & Casino in Murphy, NC.  Therefore, that factor and pandemic restrictions are a double whammy causing a decrease in service. There’s no routine room service during your stay, although you can request supplies you need. We still find the employees very friendly, even though they have to bustle around to cover more duties. Masks were required when we were there, but I have read that this restriction has now been lifted.

The biggest problem we had was in the food area. Of course, the buffet we loved is still closed and sadly not to be opened; the area is already being remodeled for the two-story Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen and Bar. When we were there, the Food Court options had been cut, with sometimes an hour’s wait to even enter, then long lines at the few choices. All the other restaurants had hours-long waits or were closed because of a lack of help.  Selu Garden Café is still our favorite, with the breakfast buffet back, and it wasn’t as crowded. But once you leave the hotel side, there just aren’t enough dining options in the casino, especially casual ones for players who are anxious to get back to the games.

Those specific issues about Cherokee are probably part of the reason why I’m seeing so much criticism of CZR properties in general. I understand player discontent with this new era of benefit cutting and service decline. However, I’m seeing the latter not just in casinos but at all kinds of other businesses. The pandemic is still wreaking havoc everywhere.  Hopefully, some good business practices will eventually come back, even in casinos.

I think a lot of casino visitors who have been playing for a number of years just can’t cope with change. However, wise veteran gamblers know that casino conditions have always been in a state of constant change and they have to be quick to adapt in order to stay successful.  They have to leave thoughts of what-used-to-be and look for what-can-I-do-now.

That has been the theme of most of my blogs for over a year, giving hints on what you might be able to do now.

I know I play at a higher level than many wish to, but there are many things I do to get more value in a casino that others can do, whether video poker or slot players, whether serious advantage hunters or recreational fun-seekers. I’ve been getting extremely good offers since my three trips to Cherokee this year, especially free charter flights to various CZR properties around the country. However, I’m hearing from many who are playing at a much lower level who are also getting these same free offers, especially slot players or those that mix in some slot play with their VP. And some at the very bottom levels of play will get these offers for a very frugal package price considering the convenience: straight-through flights, free rooms, and baggage handling and transfers from airport to hotel.  Especially helpful for seniors! Check out the website to see what is available in your area.

And for all those who used to check the “Seven Stars Insider” website for detailed information about CZR properties and wonder why it’s no longer available, here’s the sad news about the passing of its author, Darryl McEwen.  You can read a good tribute here.  I will miss his very helpful detailed writing. And to someone who suggested I do something similar, that is a big NO.  A site like that takes an unbelievable amount of time-consuming research.

I’m still taking your questions, so continue to fire away in the comments, on Facebook, or with a personal email.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

A Good-News Trip Report

A Good-News Trip Report

I’m always glad when I can write a cheerful and positive casino trip report. And I’m very happy to be able to do just that for a recent trip to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

“Oh, you hit a big jackpot!”

Actually, no, we lost this trip.

“Well, you enjoyed the leaf change at its gorgeous peak in this mid-October drive to the Smoky Mountains?”

No, it was pretty scenic on the drive north with some color change, but the peak was predicted for two weeks later.

“Then why can you write an upbeat optimistic report?”

For 37 years, we’ve never entered a casino expecting a guaranteed win, not even when we had the biggest edge. Sure, the more of an advantage we had on a particular play, the more winning sessions we’d pull out over the long term, but short-term results can never be predicted. Of course, we’re human and we want to win every time. But the more casino experience you have, the more you find out that the next best thing to winning is not losing more than you planned for or could afford.

Therefore, Brad and I always went into a casino with a plan: Play until we got xxx number of points; or play until we were going to meet someone for dinner; or just play until one of us was tired and wanted to go home or to our hotel room. We always had more than enough bankroll for any of our plans, whether in cash in our pockets or with a check or credit line. I don’t even really know how to use an ATM – I’m allergic to fees!

So my goal for this trip (our third one this year to Cherokee, a CZR property) was to reach the Diamond Elite tier, which I was happy to achieve with a reasonable loss, considering it was a slightly negative play. It would have been an increasingly positive play IF I’d been able to pick up all the extremely generous free play in the mailers that were filling my physical and virtual mailboxes. However, that would have meant visiting once or twice a week. This is one of the big mistakes many casinos make and is a major frustration for non-local players. This casino has my zip code and could have figured no one will drive upwards of 10 hours round-trip to visit that often.

However, although we haven’t been able to pick up most of the free play this year that would get us to positive territory, I’m already looking ahead and seeing some benefits we’ll have next year that might make up most of the loss in our negative play this year. I’ll share them in later blogs as those plans develop.

But now, I want to return to the reason I call this a “winning” trip. On our previous two trips to Cherokee earlier in the year, Brad showed very little interest in playing in the casino, spending just a couple of short periods of playing VP beside me.  Then he wanted to go back to the hotel room, heading straight for bed where he fell asleep the minute his head hit the pillow. Not a surprise, since he regularly sleeps 18-20 a day.

I figured this visit would be the same as before, especially the first day after the 5-hour road trip. And when we first got to the room, he did hit the bed immediately. Two hours later at 7:30 p.m., he woke up. I thought that he’d go right back to sleep for the night, as he usually does. I said I was going back down to the casino and casually asked whether he wanted to go with me, expecting a negative reply. Instead, he sat up with a surprised look on his face and exclaimed, “Of course I want to go!”

And go we did. The dementia has greatly reduced his range of emotions and he usually stays in everything-is-just-okay mode. But now he really looked excited, eager to find our favorite bank of  VP machines. We sat down side by side, just as we’ve liked to do for over 30 years. He was anxious to start playing, so I took the watch-for-accuracy job on the other machine. From his brief plays on the two earlier visits, I knew he remembered NSUD strategy fairly well, but playing $25 a hand, I wasn’t taking any chances!

I assumed he’d tire easily and we’d have to switch the play-and-watch jobs, but he was fully absorbed for long periods before he needed a rest.  I hadn’t seen him so engaged in one activity for months. We groaned together when we just missed getting a good hand and laughed together when we unexpectedly made a good hand out of nothing. For two hours we were together again, just like we had been for the first 35 years of our casino life.

The second day the magic lasted an hour. The third day it was gone. But the joy of that first night is a memory of a “winning” session that will last forever.

Thumbs up!!

Comments and responses, questions and answers, fall colors and jackpots

Comments and responses, questions and answers, fall colors and jackpots

The Comment Folder

I love your comments here on my blog, whether they add valuable information, ask a question, express your feelings, or even disagree with my viewpoint. I never change their main ideas, although I do edit them a bit sometimes, especially spelling, punctuation, verbosity. I can’t control my inner English teacher; I’m afraid she’ll never retire!

Here are some samples (in italics) and my responses to them:

 It’s a time for advantage players to show the patience and discipline that led them to that designation in the first place. Use your feet – they’re the only leverage you have. Hustle around to look for something decent and if you can’t find anything decent, do not succumb to the powerful urge to just play a lousy game. The casinos will come back to us; they do need us, just not right now. Learn from this; it’s a big challenge; they are trying to get us to forget what we learned over time and sweat.

Tired of scrambling for a good play? That is one player’s advice. I hope the casinos will come back to us, but I’m not optimistic for a big move. Hopefully, maybe just a few small ones?

The interesting thing I’ve now noticed is if you have a nice winning month, do not expect a mailer the next month. Last year, I had a great month at Green Valley Ranch. Hit a nice royal and won almost every day that month. No more mailers for 3 months after that.

I used to write that it didn’t matter whether you won or lost, that the casino would reward you on a scale that tracked how much play you gave them. That time is long gone!

Don’t be afraid to use strategy cards in the casino.

I would have to add this warning: Be discreet if you do. Don’t set up the card (or an 8½ by 11 printed-out strategy sheet, which I’ve also seen) on the machine. Casinos may not be as paranoid about smart gamblers as they used to be, but it’s always best to stay below their radar.

I don’t always choose my casino game for its math EV (expected value). I have another EV I look for – “enjoyment value.”

Nothing wrong with either of those definitions!

When I lose in a casino, I just sing the Dire Straits song that goes, “Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug.”

😊

The Q+A Folder

I get a lot of questions about comps, which I’m always glad to answer. But sometimes a question has already been asked – and answered – in the Question of the Day section of this website. Here’s one example. And yes, sometimes that QOD guy (Deke) shoots me a question to answer!

Q:  What resources do you like for finding out about all the new technology we see popping up all the time in casinos, like cashless options and everything computerized, even comps.

A:  My favorite is “Frank Floor Talk.” These two Franks, Buddy Frank and Frank Legato, are super knowledgeable and write in a clear way to help players understand the new complex high-tech stuff you are seeing in today’s casinos.  You can check out their archives for a wealth of information they have covered over the years.  It’s fascinating stuff, some that amazes an old-timer gambler like me!

Q:  What is going on with the “Seven Star Insider”? No newsletter or website updates since July.

A:  I haven’t been able to contact Darryl McEwen to see if this is a temporary or permanent situation. This was my first go-to place when I wanted to learn details about CZR properties and benefits. It still has some good usable info, but be aware some will be quickly outdated. I really miss it.

And speaking of good resources, because of the pandemic, many are disappearing or changing their form. Here is the latest word about The American Casino Guide: 

 Due to the COVID-19 crisis, we were not able to publish a 2021 edition of our book. We were hoping to come back with a 2022 edition, but due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 situation, we will be unable to do so. Therefore, after 29 years of continuously publishing our book, we have made the decision to discontinue the printed version. We will be transitioning all of the detailed casino information from our printed book into a digital format that will only be available on our website, or on our FREE iOS and Android apps. Using these platforms, we will also have the ability to offer coupons to our customers and we anticipate that those coupons could be either printed out, or displayed on a mobile device, for redemption at the casinos. We look forward to offering these coupons in the future, however, we don’t see that happening until the COVID-19 situation is less severe.

Now for a personal note. I’m sorry to share the sad news of the passing of one of our dear friends, Hedy Valledolmo. She and her husband Tom (CoachVee) were enthusiastic members of the large group of VP players who over many years became friends as we met in casinos all over the country – at the machines, at the casino parties and tournaments, and on the cruises. Our sympathies are with a grieving husband – Hedy and Tom were a real team! Here is her obituary and a place to leave memories and condolences.

Another note: Angela and Steve are taking us to Harrah’s Cherokee October 14-17 if Brad’s health stays stable. We are hoping to hit the prime beautiful leaves-changing period outdoors and maybe a jackpot indoors too. Also, always looking forward to seeing some frugalites. Email me and we can set up a time to meet: [email protected]

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