People keep asking us where we play these days now that so many casinos have either downgraded their video poker inventory and/or reduced their comp and slot club benefits. I usually don’t like to mention specific casinos where we play because they might not fit your goals, your bankroll, or your location. Some of the plays we do in Vegas are profitable only if you can go pick up the free play that is available several times a week. Others offer denominations that are either too low for your financial goals or too high for your bankroll.
Brad and I are definitely slowing down because of our declining energy levels – so we aren’t as concerned about the reduction of good plays that someone younger and/or healthier might be. And we have always had adequate income from other sources so video poker has never been a financial necessity for us. It is just a hobby that we have made profitable by working hard at it. This extra money has provided the “gravy” in our lifestyle and enabled us to help our families enjoy some luxuries that they otherwise couldn’t have afforded on their own. But most of all it has provided us with more years of fun than we could ever have imagined.
All that being said, I can tell you some of the general ways we are adjusting to the changing video poker scene. First, we aren’t playing as much as we used to. Second, we aren’t playing regularly at as high a level as in the past. This is not because we don’t have the bankroll since we have the same or a bigger one than we have ever had before. We just aren’t finding as many good plays at the higher denominations. Although we will occasionally find and play a good Multi-Strike or multi-line game that takes $75-$125 a hand, you are more likely to find us these days at a $1 or $2 single-liner. At this lower level we can earn all the food comps our waistlines and cholesterol levels can stand – and we can still get enough comped rooms to put up any of our relatives or friends who want to come visit us.
Another thing we are doing to find good plays is taking more trips out of town. In many cases, these casinos where we are “tourists” will give us more than Vegas casinos will give us as locals – and sometimes provide the airfare to get there to boot. In the last year we have visited casinos in Indiana, New Orleans, Laughlin, and Reno, this last one from which we just returned.
(Yes, that’s why this blog went dark for a while – after we are gone for four or five days, I am slammed with paperwork/computer backlog/casino catch-up when we get back.)
How do we find out about these good out-of-town plays? I read the vpFREE forums daily, including the regional ones for any area in which we are interested. (Subscribe at [email protected]) I search the database at vpFREE2. And I have a network of friends who share information.
The only downside of going out of town is that air travel is getting more and more tiresome for us. However, the chance of getting a bump “comp” still usually excites me. And we try to look for the humor in an airport. It amused us both when Brad gets elaborate alternative security attention. (He can’t go through the regular security machines with his pacemaker.) Does a 78-year-old grey-headed slow-moving man really need a 5-minute feel-everything patdown? We just smile and figure they are just practicing in case they ever meet a real terrorist!
CHALLENGE, I bet you can’t go a year without reading Jean’s blog.
I can’t.
Good Day R E A L gamblers.
You just flaunted your lifestyle. Vic, I challange you to not read the Jean’s blog if you are upset. My guess is that won’t happen.{;-}
To G.D. and N.D.:
I haven’t paid for a room in Las Vegas for years either and I don’t follow her “advice” at all. I am not a sore loser..in fact doing quite decently at my VP play.
To offer her expertise at saving money in Las Vegas can be a good thing for today’s readers, but she continues to rehash old columns (#12 is particularly fraught with dumb suggestions), does not have any idea what the average gambler is faced with in the present gaming environment (her shoestring days are too far behind her), and would rather flaunt her lifestyle than anything else. I would challenge her to continue this blog for 1 year without mentioning anything pertaining to her high roller life and just stick to sound and solid advice for the masses. My guess is that it won’t happen.
Hi Jean, I sent you an email yesterday, I am sure you get many.
Our website will be filled with beautiful jewelry on Thursday evening.
I signed up with the VP insider. Thank you so much. I am trying to find where your CD that my hubby purchased along with cards & all of your books, can be updated – it is the trainer. I NEED that as I am on a 2 yr old Vista Notebook that won’t take the old version. Therefore, I surely would appreciate the update as on the CD, it says to come here for it.
We moved out here & staying at an Extended Stay last week..Hubby lived here for 4 yrs. & is pretty knowledgeable thanks mostly to you !! Your amazing & great minds think alike, after having successful businesses since I was 18, 46 now, My health is not the best so, hoping to have less humidity (and it is sprinkling today – lol)…so, we are here 2 months for me to decide according to my health. I can see the beautiful lights from our door ! I am a City Girl for sure & if I get to feeling better, I can get back to modeling, yes, over 40 modeling 🙂 as I look on avg by guesses 15 yrs younger. Thank God for great genes & I started my skin regime at 8 yrs old & have 85% SPF so, no worries about ruining the skin. My worries are not being able to gamble along side my husband without the trainer CD that he purchased. It is hard to sit up for long lengths of time until this cold rainy front rolls out in order to use it on his 32bit computer, mine is 64. I hope you have that update that the CD talks about.
God Bless you & Brad ! & Thanks for what I have learned thus far.
~Meredith
Las Vegas
Jean, I am glad you are still enjoying gambling and the trips you are able to take and spend time with family. Your posts always make me smile, you are so positive about everything.
I know what you mean about slowing down, I am in my late 40’s and tire more easily, have less patience and have those walk into a room and forget why I am there moments, LOL.
Keep gambling, keep traveling & most of all keep smiling.
Jean, please don’t let people like Vegas Vic get you down, they must be sore losers. They forget about how you started, the time you took to learn and how much time you put into your play. I, and more people than you realize, appreciate your advice and your comments. Keep up the good work, we’ll be in Vegas Nov. 8 through the 19, maybe we’ll see you and Brad playing, take care.
Careful, Jean. If you’re still filing Sch C as a professional gambler, describing your gaming as a “hobby” might attract unwanted interest from the IRS.
Vic, you need to cut the Scott’s some slak. They are living the gamblers dream. I/you should be so lucky.
I have used Jeans advice and have never paid for a room in the last seven years. The thing that helped me and the Mrs. on our October 2010 trip was the tips on South Point having a good VP selection. We took home enough to pay for a round trip San Antonio to Las Vegas.
Thanks Brad & Jean. Write that book!
As another reader responded to a different column:
PLEASE LET EVERYONE KNOW (confess)THAT YOU SCOTTS HAVEN’T PLAYED QUARTERS IN YEARS. ALL YOUR SUCCESS, WINNINGS, FREE TRIPS AND INVITES ARE DUE TO PLAYING $5 AND $25 DOLLAR VP.
You are completely out of touch with the average player when you complain that you are now down to $1 and $2 one-liner machines. There are thousands of players who are barely fortunate enough to risk dabbling some play on those very machines you now find yourself relegated to..sob..excuse me while I reach for a tissue to dab away the tears.
Your reputation for writing about frugality continues to erode as your penchant to brag about your more-lavish-than-others lifestyle becomes the norm. Aside from rehashing old columns that have no actual application in the fast changing environment of today’s gaming, your columns have diverted from the “how can the tourist of today stretch the vacation dollar” to “thanks to our high level play, we visited blah blah and cruised blah blah and only get to visit 8 different casinos, 6 days a week blah blah because we’re slowing down blah blah”.
But you go right on thinking that the “frugality” of a high roller who lives in Las Vegas = the budget crunched every-day tourist from Main Street U.S.A. who takes that once a year dream vacation to Las Vegas as being the same thing.
Just came back from vegas like frank i go more than i should but i love vegas and i have a great time win or lose won 600$ on a 10 cent triple play VP machine i was dealt 4 aces with the kicker also i went to the Ellis Island Casino never been there before had a great time it was kind of like how Vegas used to be i sure miss that.
It’s good to hear that you and Brad are both well. We were beginning to worry about you both. Like Frank, we would like to run into you again when we visit in Dec. We used to see a small list from time to time of where you and Brad would be visiting or book signing but we can’t remember where we saw that. Could you help us by telling us where to look for that info. Keep up the good work – “if you rest, you rust”.
I visit vegas often (probably more than I should :)) I’d love to meet you aometime. Maybe I’ll run into during one of my trips.
Honestly, soon I think the airlines will be checking the seams and linings of everyones clothes for bedbugs. Hate to have to go in some little room and be stripped searched for bedbugs!!