APRIL VEGAS PROMOTION NEWS

First an explanation about these blogs in which I discuss casino promotions. Obviously I talk about only a tiny percentage of casinos in Las Vegas. I often have more personal and detailed information about just the very few where we play, but I sometimes hear or read about interesting/helpful promotions in others where we never or rarely play so I include them as well.  One reader wrote about being disappointed that we don’t play downtown: It almost sounds to me like you are abandoning those out-of-towners like my wife, myself, and our daughters who prefer to stay in the Fremont and do our video poker playing downtown. Please don’t throw us in the briar patch.

Just because I don’t mention your favorite casino doesn’t mean I think it is not a good place to play. Each player has his/her own personal goals and where one chooses to play depends on so many different factors, including such things as location, level of play, kinds of benefits. The choice of casinos for locals – like us – are often much different than those for tourists. However, I report on promotions for both groups. I particularly like to mention those that might be suitable for out-of-towners but haven’t been widely promoted except locally.

Also another note, for those who have been hunting for Scot’s multiple-point list on the new LVA website. It has been moved. From the homepage, click on “Gambling with an Edge,” then “The Games,” and then “Players Club Bonus Points.” Continue reading

Posted in Casino Promotions, Slot Clubs | 2 Comments

This and That

People often ask when they might run into Brad and me in a casino. One of our usual casino visits is on Wednesday afternoons at the Gold Coast, where we are playing NSUDs until the virtual drum closes at 4:15 for the Young at Heart Drawing. After that is a good time to stop and say hello and/or have me autograph books when we are waiting around for the 4:30 drawing. I don’t carry any copies of my new book with me – too heavy! But you can always bring any of your own copies.   And Brad and I are always glad to chat with long-time and new frugal friends.

Another scheduled casino visit:  We will be at Harrah’s Tahoe April 30-May 1.

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A recommendation for those who might be interested in knowing what goes on at the famous annual Blackjack Ball, here is a detailed article that Henry Tamburin wrote and published in the March issue of his “Blackjack Insider Newsletter.

Anyone can read the first seven pages of the report, which describes everything that went on at the recent Ball. What they can’t read without a subscription is the 21 Blackjack Ball test questions, which is at the end of the report. I recommend a subscription to this newsletter even if you don’t play much blackjack.  It contains articles on VP as well as fascinating stories by gambling experts and those who know the inner workings of the casinos. It is only $19.95 for 12 issues.

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For Anyone Who Ever Plays a Slot Machine

I know you never mention The Slots, but I am no good at poker machines. We read your column, anyway.

This was a recent comment on one of my blogs. First, I want to thank you for being a loyal reader even though I have seemed to neglect your favorite casino game. Actually I have mentioned slot machines occasionally down through the years, referring to the times I have joined family members in playing them during purely “entertainment times.” And I have talked about playing slots as research for writing about them.

However, you might see Brad and me at a slot machine now and then these days, not only for the two above reasons, but for a rather new one. Continue reading

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The Boyd “YAH” Drama

If you have been following the Boyd “Young at Heart” drama, you know that I have been trying to keep you up to date on the details as they have been frequently changed since “Black Wednesday.” That is what one person called March 1 when the YAH program drastically changed by disqualifying out-of-towners to fully participate.

You will need to frequently check on the separate rules for the Downtown properties and those in the outlying areas. Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Casino Policy, Casino Promotions | 9 Comments

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN

Sometimes casinos do take note of player complaints.

I’ve been a little hard on casinos lately, especially critical of some of the policies of local ones in Vegas. However, today I want to give out a note of praise to Boyd Gaming, who reversed the change they had put in place March 1 restricting their Young at Heart (YAH) promotion to locals only for their four non-downtown properties.  I guess the outcry, especially on the Internet forums and blogs, was loud and fierce enough to reach the powers that be!

Here are the latest updated rules for The Orleans, Gold Coast, Suncoast, and Sam’s Town that will make a lot of out-of-towners happy again.

I am not as familiar with the YAH program at the three downtown casinos because I don’t play at any of them, and I’m not sure if any of their rules have changed. You need to check this updated rule sheet for Main Street Station, California and Fremont.  Their programs are for locals only, but this may have always been the case.

 

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Casino Policy, Casino Promotions | 10 Comments

MARCH VEGAS PROMOTION NEWS

STATIONS CASINOS

Although their loyalty card and some advertising and promotion mailings still sometimes use the name “Boarding Pass,” marketing seems to be favoring the term “My Rewards” in many instances. I wonder if they eventually want to permanently get rid of the railroad image? Too old-fashioned? I guess “My Rewards” sounds more modern – and perhaps more lucrative? The problem with sounding more valuable makes a lot of players feel betrayed and not very rewarded when benefits are being cut right and left!  :(

Major change in their Wednesday senior program, “My Generation.” Continue reading

Posted in Casino Policy, Casino Promotions | 41 Comments

The Start of a Very Happy Week

OMG – Such warm and happy feelings tonight after a wonderful two-hour flood of memories covering 50 years of favorite music. An Engelbert Humperdinck show – at 80, he’s still “got it.”

A great start to what will be a personally fulfilling week for me, the arrival from the printer of the fourth addition to my frugal family, The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide. For several years now I have wanted to broaden my writing to help more casino gamblers. Although I still look for and share information to help the serious gambler who is looking for an edge, I find that the casual recreational casino player is the one who is really in need of assistance. He wants to enjoy the entertainment that the casino affords but he is losing too much and too fast. This new frugal Guide was written to help this player, no matter what game he plays. My hope is that this book will allow more casino gamblers to lose less so they can enjoy the exciting casino atmosphere longer.

Posted in Book Recommendation, Memories, Show Review | 3 Comments

Talking Blackjack

Today I want to talk blackjack. Although video poker has been our core game for about 25 years, we haven’t forgotten our first 6 years when blackjack took center stage in our casino life. And we still hit the BJ tables occasionally, when we have a coupon for that game or we are on a cruise ship and want to have some social activity with friends and relatives at a gambling option better than the machines offer.

I still keep up on blackjack news and take note of new BJ resources that would especially be valuable for recreational players. Recently my friend, Henry Tamburin, who has been a BJ player and gaming writer for many years, has just finished a book rightly called the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide. It is a comprehensive introduction to the casino game of blackjack that is a step-by-step handbook for the beginner and can help more experienced players fine-tune their game. The Guide includes an Index and Glossary and is fully illustrated with graphics and color-coded charts that make it fun to read and easy to understand. It is more than just about blackjack strategy; it covers many related topics, like the history of the game, side bets and variations, tournaments, and the famous practitioners at the Blackjack Ball. Best of all, it is the ultimate frugal read since it is FREE to access online.

And if you ever wondered how big BJ players operate, you will love this story Henry discovered in his recent interview with Donald Johnson, a piece that appeared in “Casino Player” magazine. I had heard how Johnson beat several casinos for $15 million dollars betting $100,000 a hand, and I – and most everyone else – thought it was due to the lucrative rebate on losses he negotiated with the casinos. However, in this interview Henry found out that there was much more to this story, amazing details that hadn’t come out before. You can read all about it here.

For more on Don Johnson, go to this podcast at “Gambling with an Edge,” where he and Anthony Curtis and Max Rubin talk about this year’s Blackjack Ball, at which Johnson was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.

 

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MORE DETAILS ABOUT PROMOTIONS

In this blog entry I will give some additional information I have gleaned while talking to other players and reading in the online gambling forums. I can’t stress too often how important it is to utilize these kinds of resources.

However, I need to warn players that one must continually verify information they hear and read. I have rarely found that writers or players will deliberately give false information, but humans do sometimes draw mistaken conclusions. A player may assume certain facts that they personally experienced, not realizing that they may not apply to others in different circumstances. An example of this would be a local player who would tell an out-of-town friend about a good promotion, not knowing that it was open only to locals. Continue reading

Posted in Casino Promotions | 5 Comments

FEBRUARY VEGAS PROMOTION NEWS

Many casinos are doing a better job on their websites, giving detailed timely promotion information and updated details on personal players club accounts. And some are even providing extra conveniences.  For example, you can go to any Boyd property website and download and/or print out a tax win/loss statement or any W-2G you have received for the last 3 years. You may want to check out the websites of the casinos where you play and see if there is any help for you there before you start doing your tax returns.

A general caution about multiple-point promotions: Some casinos offer ones on individual player mailers that are not open to the general public. I know this is true on some – or all? – Boyd property mailers. Also true for the Palms – and perhaps for all Station properties? There may be others.  So this might be the reason you and a friend might have an argument over whether there are multiple points on such-and-such day.

And to answer a reader’s question: Continue reading

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