Watch for food specials in November, including free buffets for veterans at many locals casinos on November 11. Most casinos have special menus for Thanksgiving Day dining for those of us who don’t want to cook. However, be careful if you decide you want to use a food coupon that day. Read the fine print. Many coupons will say “Not valid on holidays.”
THE PALMS
Construction is still in progress here, with terrible pounding and drilling racket especially in the morning and early afternoon hours. If that bothers you, wait until after 3 p.m. when many of the workmen go home. At any time, be sure to check the signage; you never know when a temporary wall goes up and your path through the casino will change. And although some machines have been taken out, you will probably find your favorites eventually, albeit in new locations. It’s an exploration adventure every time you walk in the door.
Two favorite promotions of many locals – and of interest to some visitors – continue in November. Earn 300 points on Tuesdays for a free movie ticket to the Palms Brenden Theater. This ticket does not have to be used the same day you earn it; it is good any day Monday through Friday. Tickets earned now don’t expire until the end of 2018. The second promotion, earn 300 points on Thursdays, is a coupon for a Terrible Herbst anytime basic exterior car wash. Coupons have no expiration date. For both these offers, you merely earn the required points, not “redeem” them; they are not taken from your account.
One important note: Often when I go up to the Palms Reward Center, I overhear a conversation an employee is having with a frustrated customer who is showing a mailer they received that said they had such-and-such offer or gift. The clerk will have to explain that is a “Station’s mailer,” not a “Palms mailer.” This is a confusing situation with a lot of customers. Although the Stations company now owns the Palms, the transition to make Palms a Station has been a very long and drawn-out process that is still going on. Some programs and promotions include all Stations and the Palms, i.e., The Wheel of Fortune hit-any-time jackpot, but the Palms still sends out mailers to its customer base that include offers and coupons that are specific only for this one property. Station players get a Station mailer with different offers and promotions. If someone plays regularly at both places, they might get both mailers. Keeping this straight also involves reading newspaper ads carefully and checking what property logos are under each promotion described.
SOUTH POINT
Throughout November, South Point Hotel will offer slot club players half price groceries. Players can redeem $25 in slot club points and receive a $50 Smith’s Food & Drug Stores gift card. Check their website for details on this “Bounty Bonus Buck” promotion. This is one that gives both locals and out-of-towners an opportunity for a positive play, depending on the game you choose. It’s like getting double points for the first 83,000 points you put on your card to get the maximum of ten $50-dollar cards you can earn. And don’t worry if you live somewhere with no Smith’s grocery stores; you can use the cards at any store in the Kroger family.
If you are 50 and older, you could organize yourself to combine that promo with “Prime Time Mondays” senior day and play in the $5,000 Free Slot Tournament that runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also you could take in a movie anytime that day for $4 (additional fee for 3D & XD, and not valid on holidays or during special bingo events). You know how I love to find what I call a big ice-cream-cone promotion with lots of “dips.”
THE ORLEANS AND GOLD COAST
Both these casinos for many months have been running the promotion “A Chance to Double Your Royal,” but neither Brad nor I have been able to cash in on this. However, last Wednesday Brad finally got a $4000 royal playing a $1 single-line NUSD game at the Gold Coast. We were hoping, of course, he would draw the $4000 doubler for his bonus, but he had to be satisfied with the minimum $100. However, the promotion continues in November – so there is always “next time.”
Martin in San Diego wrote to me about his Vegas casino experiences: “Still playing as frugal as possible in a less frugal-friendly casino world. I’ve found the Boyd weekly slot and/or VP tournaments to be a good promotion for visitors.” Don’t forget tournaments as a way to pump up your EV in playing VP – or any game, for that matter. Many casinos, especially off-Strip, run regular weekly tournaments and/or drawings. Don’t think these are just for locals. Check the details and you will find that many will give an extra opportunity for out-of-towners too.
We finally found time to check out the new Orleans buffet which recently reopened. Maybe it was because of the new arrangement of food – in one long continuous line rather than having several detached sections – but it seemed there was a larger selection of food choices. We had always liked this buffet and this new incarnation was just as good as before, if not a little better. We went for lunch – on coupons, of course! – but a non-gambling guest we took thought it was a terrific bargain even if you had to pay for it!