The Joy of Recreational Gambling

Posted on July 15, 2022 by queen of comps

Some of you may be surprised that I am writing about this subject. And I understand that; I’ve been talking primarily about advantage play for 30+ years. I’ve never said that it wasn’t fun, but sometimes it may seem more like work than entertainment.

The casino world, like all the other worlds in our life, has gone through major changes these last few years. It has become much more difficult to find good gambling options. Of course, many visitors have always considered casinos just a fun and entertaining recreational choice. But now, more and more players who used to concentrate on looking for good plays are switching their emphasis to just having a good time.

Now, I’ll probably never stop looking for good plays, but I want to tell you about a casino day trip I took just last week and a three-day vacation I’m taking in August. In both, my emphasis was or will be looking for casino fun. Some of you may need to sit down to read the rest of this blog, so the shock won’t bowl you over!

First, the recent day trip was with family to my nearest casino, Wind Creek, in Montgomery, Alabama. This is a Class II Native property that doesn’t have table games, just electronic gaming. They have all Class II video gaming machines that look very much like slot machines in other jurisdictions, but are really based on bingo games and the action on the screen is for “entertainment purposes” only.

A note is needed here: The federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act allows Native American casinos to negotiate a compact with their respective state governments.  However, there are no standard details, so the types of games offered vary from state to state. Many have slot machines only, but some also have table games and/or perhaps a mix of Class II and Class III games. To understand the complex differences between Class II and Class III gaming, you might want to do some Internet searching. I found a good explanation here.

When I first walked into Wind Creek, a large casino with over 2,000 machines, at first it seemed like any other casino I’ve ever visited, with lights flashing and constant noise.  There were rows and rows of modern-looking slot machines: multi-lines, progressives, and multi-coin denominations from a penny to $100. I looked in vain to see if I could spot any game titles I’d seen in other casinos. However, I later learned that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act specifically excludes from Class II casinos any slot machines or electronic facsimiles of any game of chance (like those in Class III), so you’ll see many machines with similar motifs (dragons, buffaloes, Oriental objects, bubbles) that you can see in a Class III casino in Las Vegas and other non-reservation jurisdictions. But they’re not the exact machine name; they’re also not played the same way.

There are no video poker games at Wind Creek.  Okay, I hear your first question.  So why were you there?

We had out-of-town relatives visiting who love casino gambling and I’d been wanting to check out my nearest casino anyway. I knew it wasn’t a place to look for an advantage play, but I wanted to do some research for a possible future Legacy Reserve bus trip. I knew all my friends here would expect me to tell them how to win! But I’ve given up trying to explain the long term to novice casino visitors; it’s hard enough to convey the concept to many experienced gamblers. Still, I was going to see if I could glean enough details on this day trip that I could give a little pre-trip talk on how to lose less.

Another reason for this trip was really the most important one. Brad was excited to visit a casino. He has lost the ability to understand advantage play, but he still understands fun.  So fun was the  goal, and I wanted to see how we could frugally stretch our fun time with the smallest cost possible.

Before this family trip, I checked the Wind Creek website, always a good first step. I immediately noticed a first-visit sign-up promotion, so the players club was our first stop when we entered the casino. All five of us joined the club, which gave us each a $10 food credit on our players cards.  We could have used it as a discount in one of their full-service restaurants, but since we weren’t that hungry, it covered lunch in their snack bar. Now we were already “ahead” for this trip, with $10 for lunch that we didn’t have to take out of our bankroll.

While eating lunch, I went over how Brad and I would be frugal, since we knew the casino had a definite advantage over us and we didn’t want to lose very much money.  We were starting out with a $100 and my main goal was not to see if we could win a big jackpot, but see how long we could stretch that hundred so our fun would last longer. Here are some of the tactics we used:

  1. Cut your losses in half by playing with a partner and a common bankroll. (Brad and I always played out of one bankroll, but friends could combine two bankrolls for short-term play.) Then take turns playing and watching one machine instead of both playing a machine at the same time. Looking for bonuses and jackpots is just as exciting while you’re watching as when you’re actually putting in money or pressing the Spin button. Plus, you now have a partner with whom to celebrate the wins and commiserate about the losses!
  2. Move around from game to game. The more time you aren’t actually putting money in a machine, the less you’re fighting the casino edge and the less you’ll lose. Brad and I moved every time we hit whatever was a bonus jackpot or we’d won a nice enough jackpot that put us ahead after a losing spell. Some people set a loss figure and if they reach it, they quit that machine to “punish” it. Any reason to change machines is a good one!
  3. Play slower. Same reason as #2.  You don’t get any credit for banging away at the machine like a madman!  You just lose money faster!
  4. Play the lowest denomination you can find, again for the same reason as #2 – less money vulnerable to the casino edge. No longer can you play penny machines just one penny at a time; some minimum bet is required.  But this casino – like at most – has a range of denominations and a choice of how many coins you play of that denomination. Brad and I always played the minimum available at the lowest denomination, which was often just around 40 or 50 pennies a hand. There was still lots of action on the scene to watch. It’s always tempting to go up a level or two, so perhaps the bonuses will be bigger. Yes, that is true, but your bankroll will drop faster and your fun time will be decreased.
  5. Look for machines with the lowest top jackpot.  There will be more little hits along the way. Those big jackpots are fed by fewer interim hits. Also, look for machines that say they pay jackpots at any level, not just with the maximum bet.

So how did Brad and I come out after a couple of hours of this very low-level  negative-expectation play? Not only did we not lose that $100, as we expected and were prepared for, it gave us two full hours of entertainment. Plus, even with our small minimum bets, we managed to win $111! Any win is good, but an unexpected one is a happy surprise. And we reached our main goal: We both had lots of fun!

And now for details about an upcoming casino vacation that may surprise you even more than this recreational-gambling day trip.  I got an offer for a CZR Air charter trip to Atlantic City August 9-12. This comp offer includes my being able to bring a guest, so since Brad isn’t able to fly, I’m taking a girlfriend who also lives here at Legacy. This will primarily be just a relaxing sightseeing and beach vacation for the two of us, since we’re staying at the Tropicana, which is right on the Boardwalk.

We know we’ll want to stop in casinos part of the time. However, since I’ve already reached the Harrah’s Diamond Elite tier level, my goal for the year, I won’t be chasing advantage plays or “working” to achieve a certain number of points. My friend, Susan, is not a gambler, so we’ll just be looking for casino fun, probably hopping from one game to another:  roulette, craps, BJ, and some low-denom exotic VP games that are fun to play, like Ultimate X,  but usually don’t have good schedules. And we’ll definitely be looking for slots that look interesting to play.

Yes, I said slots. I can call it “research,” because then I can write about them! But to be honest, I needing a relaxing get-away. I don’t particularly need it to be in or near a casino, but because of the comps, this is a very frugal vacation. And I already know I can find plenty of fun there.

This will be my first casino vacation in 38 years that is no “work” and all “play.” I can’t wait!

And to add to the joy of this trip, I’m planning a get-together for any and all of my frugalite friends who might be in town at the same time, August 9-11. I don’t have the exact details yet, but hopefully I’ll get them to everyone by the end of July. I’ll put them here in a future blog and on my Jean Scott Facebook page.  Hope to see a lot of you then!

Posted in Advantage Play, Atlantic City, Bankroll, Casino Promotions, Comps, Non-gambling Activities, Non-Vegas Casinos, Slot Clubs, Slots, Travel, Video Poker, Web Sites | 7 Comments

Harrah’s Tahoe Trip Report -Part 3

Posted on June 24, 2022 by queen of comps

I appreciated all the comments about my recent Harrah’s Tahoe trip and I especially was happy for those who kindly gave me some corrections. You readers are good in helping me keep the information in my blogs up to date and accurate.

Writing about the Spin Poker jackpot I hit, I said:  I was dealt 4 cards to a royal in the 1, 2, 3, 4 positions. My 5th card could have come up in 3 different positions. One would have given me one royal – and I would have been happy with $4,000. However, it came up in a corner position, which produced 3 royals. $12,000 made me very happy!

I always have gotten confused figuring out which of those nine crisscrossing lines would produce the best outcome. Fortunately, a reader helped me out: “The middle position would have produced three royals as well. Only the 3rd column works as 2, 5, 2 (all three always have to add up to 9). When needing more than one card, the combined positions matter.”

 

This photo will puzzle some people. As you see here, on the screen it looks like I was paid for only one royal. However, on Spin Poker, the result for each winning line quickly cycles through and the winning amount is only briefly on the screen. You will see that the total credits of 12,000 do appear in the lower left-hand corner. Only after that cycling process does the total amount appear, like in the picture I posted in the last blog.

I was also happy to learn from readers that not all Laurel Lounges have disappeared. The ones in Atlantic City are still open, but only on weekends and with limited hours. Laurel Lounge is open at Harrah’s Joliet, but only Friday through Sunday. The one in Cherokee is open, but for drinks only, no food. Perhaps this is the situation in other non-Vegas properties. A phone call to check before your visit might be a good idea.

Now for your questions.

Q:  Please let me know how to get a good deal like yours at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe.

A: One of the basic cornerstones of casino deals is that casinos reward players based on their play. That’s the high concept of something I’ve explained, discussed, and written about for 35 years! It all starts with using your players card every time you play at a casino and then you begin a study of the casino comp system that you’ll continue the rest of your playing life if you want to be successful.

I got a good offer for this Tahoe visit, thanks to my play the last year or so at another Harrah’s casino, in Cherokee, NC. I put in a lot of high-denomination play and reached the Diamond Elite tier level, which generated many good benefits in my casino mailings.  However, people who play at lower levels will also see some offers in their mail and the more you play, the better mail benefits you will receive. Most players should start small; they need more study and experience. Thirty-eight years ago, we started with quarters and very slowly moved up to higher denominations as we became more knowledgeable. But I’ve never stopped studying to find the best plays.

Q: Do you play JOB in Tahoe and Deuces Wild in Cherokee? Where do you practice on the computer?

A: I’m so glad you asked that question. It reminded me that I wanted to talk about how hard it was for me to switch games when I went to Tahoe.

I was surprised about this. After all, Jacks or Better (JOB) is the first video poker game for which I learned the proper strategy – way back in 1984 – and I played it off and on for the next 35 years. However, for most of those years, I could find better games, with higher mathematical expected value (EV), like Deuces Wild and Double Bonus. At times, especially for high-denomination play when there were promotions and extra benefits, JOB was the best choice. (Remember, you don’t just look for a good game; you look for a good play. That means adding together the EV of the game and the value of the extras.)

The last few years we lived in Vegas, we played Not-So-Ugly-Ducks (NSUD) almost exclusively at local casinos. When we moved to Georgia, that was the game we played on our four trips to Harrah’s Cherokee. So, I knew I should brush up on JOB strategy; it’s always a rule for me when I am tackling a game I haven’t play for a while. But I figured this could be a quick review for this most basic VP “oldie.”

So, a couple of weeks before the Tahoe trip, I sat down at my desktop computer. (As it has been since I was a child, my desk is still the most important piece of furniture wherever I live, even in our present senior apartment.) I pulled up my VP software, set it for JOB, and clicked the choice to warn me of any errors.  I also turned up the TV very loud. I wanted distractions, like you do in a casino.

I dealt the first hand. Nothing to hold so I quickly hit “Draw.” Immediate pop-up message: “Major Error”!!!

Whaaaatttttt? The software said I should have held the lone king.

Oops! My sub-conscious was still in automatic Deuces Wild mode where you don’t hold single cards (except for deuces).

I’ve talked about this in the past, how your memory cells play such an important part in video poker play. I noticed this often in the past when I was playing while I was tired. I didn’t see a hold, but my fingers seemed to be held back from immediately hitting the Draw button. Then I gave the hand a second look and saw why. My subconscious was stronger than my tired consciousness.

I’d intended to play very fast in just a couple of quick practice sessions, but making error after error, I realized that I needed a lot of practice to reprogram my memory cells. I’m not sure whether my 83-year-old brain is just getting worn out; my body sure is. Or perhaps this can happen at any age after a long time away from former learning. But I wasn’t taking any chances, so I practiced almost every day until I left for Tahoe.

I also made a conscious decision to play more slowly than my usual pace when I got there.  I was playing mostly multiple lines and one mistake expands exponentially through all the lines. I wanted to play as perfectly as I could, since my advantage was already thinner than I prefer.

Actually, I was glad that I didn’t feel the need to rush through my play. I had a goal to get to a certain tier-point destination, but there was no hurry to get there. I had plenty of hours to reach this goal. After all, this was to be a relaxing vacation and I really savored the slower pace. It didn’t hurt that I hit a couple of nice jackpots along that leisurely path.

And now here’s a little surprise for people who had wondered if I would ever again do any public speaking about gambling. Actually, when we moved to Georgia, I planned to leave the casino life completely. But it has worked out for me to return, albeit on a much more limited basis than when we lived in Vegas. And Steve and Matt Bourie, who have made many videos with me down through the years, were eager to make an updated one.  Thanks to Zoom, you can see that new one which was  just posted. Looks like I haven’t lost the ability to talk endlessly about smart gambling — we chatted for almost 45 minutes! Click the arrow to watch.

Posted in Advantage Play, Caesars, Casino Player Benefits, Casino Promotions, Cherokee Casino, Comments, Comps, Harrahs Lake Tahoe, Media Appearances, Podcast, Q+A, Video Poker, VP Extras, VP Software | 14 Comments

Harrah’s Tahoe Trip Report Part 2

Posted on June 10, 2022 by queen of comps

Okay, okay, you can stop expressing your disappointment about Part 1. I will now talk about the video poker at Harrah’s Tahoe!

When Wilma and I walked into the High Limit Room, it was like looking for old friends. Of course, we’d checked the vpFREE2 inventory list and seen the list of “really good games” and “pretty good games.”  But we were looking for an old favorite. And yes! There it was, our much-loved Fifty Play with 9/6 Jacks or Better from quarters to $2 and the same two side-by-side slant-tops in the same location where we ‘d played together for many years. The two uprights had been moved across the room, but they were also still side-by-side as they always had been.

There is one “kink” in these Fifty Plays that you need to watch for: You have to play a minimum of 20 lines/$25. That didn’t affect Wilma or me; we were playing at a higher level than that, though not as high as in the past when we could play more often and there were multiple high-level opportunities. Back then, we often played $125 or even $250 a hand when it could be coupled with hefty players club benefits and/or a juicy promotion. Now we played around $50 a hand, 40 hands at quarters. However, we got tired of $1,000 royals that didn’t seem to come along often enough to make up for our losses fast enough, so we switched to 10-line dollars. To be truthful, hitting a $4,000 royal was just more exciting. However one has to make denominational choices by looking at both your emotional bankroll and the one in your pocket!

Wilma did get a couple 4k royals, which helped her cut her losses. I got one, plus a dealt straight flush for $2500.

I know someone will look at vpFREE2 and ask me why we didn’t play Triple Double Bonus, which was on our same machines. They remind me that I’ve said many times to go for the highest EV you can find,  and it does have a slightly higher EV than JoB – 99.58 vs. 99.54. We would have liked to play that game, because it has so many big jackpots that make it exciting. However, if you go to my FVP Scouting Guide, you’ll see near this game this quote, “The longer the name of a video poker game, the more volatile it is apt to be.”  And the dollar-sign code for volatility for TDB is $$$$, vs. the one $ for JoB.  If I could play this game many hours a month, I would choose it in a heartbeat. But I want to play a more volatile game when I have the long term to get closer to the actual EV. For this short-term play, I will accept a small second-decimal point decrease in EV.

Speaking of volatility, I do have a lucky and happy story to share on the subject. I knew that there were a couple of Spin Poker machines on the floor and they did have the same good JoB game I’d been playing on Fifty Play. However, I deliberately steered myself away from them to keep from being tempted. I know they’re extremely volatile.

Spin Poker was Brad’s and my favorite video poker version ever since it appeared on casino floors and we played it every time we could find it with a good game. We hit some nice jackpots down through the years, but we also suffered through many extremely long losing spells. We used to say it was the game we loved to hate! Still, for a considerable period of time, we could find a good game quite frequently and we hit enough jackpots that we survived the volatility and it added to the win column in our records. But as with all VP, casinos cut paytables and during our last few years in Vegas, we were sad we could no longer find a good Spin Poker game.

Now Harrah’s Tahoe has one that I could play. I longed to have Brad with me to discuss whether it was a good idea to tackle it here, in what would be very short-term play. I wavered, but since I’d been playing about even so far on this trip, I decided to play it “for a short time.” “Short time” on a risky play usually means I switch back to a less risky one when losing becomes “painful.”  I know – this thinking is not based on a strict mathematical foundation. But as long as I’m not losing EV, I sometimes let my emotions help me make decisions. And I really love to play Spin Poker.

If you’ve never played it, you may not understand how it works. It is multi-line, with 9 paying lines, but these lines crisscross, making it look a little like a slot machine. Also, it uses cards from only one deck, not a different deck for each line, like, for example, Triple Play, Ten Play, or Hundred Play. Fortunately, it doesn’t require a change in strategy or an increase in credits. For the $1 game, max bet is $45 ($5 for each of the 9 lines).  If you’re dealt all 5 to a royal, you make 9 royals for a $36,000 payday. Other deals and draws will give you pays or multiple pays, all depending on the position of the cards.  You can get anywhere from one to five royals in one hand.

And that is where my happy experience with volatility came about. After playing just a short time, I was dealt 4 cards to a royal in the 1,2,3,4 positions. My 5th royal card could have come up in 3 different positions. One would have given me one royal  and I would have been happy with $4,000. However, it came up in a corner position, which produced three royals. $12,000 made me three times as happy!

I’ve already received many questions and comments about this Tahoe trip and I’m sure there will be more after this Part 2 comes out. I also have more details that I haven’t covered. So fire away in the Comments and I will address your questions and concerns in the upcoming Part 3.

Posted in Bankroll, Caesars, Comments, Harrahs Lake Tahoe, Non-Vegas Casinos, Video Poker | 11 Comments

Harrah’s Tahoe Trip Report -Part 1

Posted on June 3, 2022 by queen of comps

In the spring of 2019, as we’d done many times down through the years, Brad and I flew from Vegas to Reno, where a limo took us to Harrah’s Lake Tahoe.  Little did we know that this trip would be our last and that our lives would see such dramatic changes in the next three years.

Brad’s physical and mental decline led to the major decision to move to Georgia to be near my family. Then, the pandemic kept us housebound for many months, and I settled down to take care of Brad, putting casino visits out of my mind.

However, with the world getting back to the “new normal” and casinos “finding” my Georgia address (casinos do this better than the USPS!), the mail offers returned and I got a particularly good one from Harrah’s Tahoe, with airfare credit to help with the unbelievably high fares and a good amount of free play to nudge it toward positive territory. Angela and Steve knew I needed a break from caregiving duties and offered to keep Brad. I was a little anxious about this; he’s used to my always being around, but he did okay. Angela texted this picture to reassure me while I was gone, taken at a buffet he likes where he’s enjoying his favorite dessert, pecan pie.

It was with mixed emotions that I started this casino trip, my first without him since we met 39 years ago: a 70-minute shuttle ride from Columbus to the Atlanta airport, then a 4½-hour flight to Las Vegas where I met my long-time gambling friend Wilma, who had flown in from her home (independent living in a senior community just like me) in Texas. For years we’d lived in side-by-side condos in Vegas, so it was a wonderful reunion after being apart for two+ years.

We were also on the same connecting flight to Reno, where our limo awaited. This was the same eight-passenger limo that long ago had picked us up when we were two couples and even then, it had always seemed like we were rattling around a big empty room. Now with just two little old ladies, well, it seemed like overkill! Even the usual well-stocked bar was wasted on us; all we wanted were a couple bottles of water.

We didn’t hit the machines that night. It had been a long tiring travel day and we were suffering major jet lag. And with both of us at age 83, we don’t have the energy we used to. However, we did make a pass through the high-limit room to check out the video poker machine selection. Of course, we’d checked vpFREE2 early in the trip-planning stage to be sure there were good games, but in these days of constant casino downgrades, we VP players are a bit paranoid and fear last-minute surprises. However, we were happy to find some of our favorite games still there. We also checked at the kiosk and were excited to discover the details of a promotion we could do to possibly add value to our play. So now we could sink our tired bodies into our beds knowing that good fun playing conditions awaited us the next day.

When I pulled back the drapes the next morning, I was once again amazed at the picture-postcard view, just as I’d been on Brad’s and my first visit here over 30 years ago on a junket flight from Indianapolis, our small plane making a very bumpy landing at the small Tahoe airport (much scarier even than the usual tossing-around descent into Reno). The green forest surrounding the glistening blue lake this May morning had the additional artistic touch of snowcapped mountains in the distance.

The hotel itself hasn’t changed much in these last 30 years. Rooms are adequate, but more like an aging dowager who is stilling wearing her fancy fashions from decades ago. The post-pandemic changes influencing every part of our lives are very evident. Worker shortage means service is limited. No daily room cleaning, although during your stay you can request needed items. Limited hours for some restaurants and the VIP office. The indoor pool and spa are open.

There were plenty of dining options, since we could choose from those at Harrah’s and through the tunnel at Harvey’s, but some had limited hours and/or were closed some days, so we had to constantly check. Both have food courts, but you can’t use reward credits to pay there. Starbucks is popular; it opens early and closes late, so it’s sometimes the only place to pick up a snack at odd hours. We like the River Café, where you can order breakfast all day and lunch begins at 11 a.m.

We enjoyed one upscale choice, the Sage Room on the 19th floor of Harvey’s, with a beautiful view at sunset. The food and service are top-notch. We liked the shared table-side spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. Wilma opted for a very tender steak and shared a small piece with me, since I made the large shrimp cocktail my protein and had the very filling table-side baked-potato bar.

As is all too common in casinos these days, the buffet has permanently closed. We always liked this one at Harrah’s Tahoe. It wasn’t fancy, but had a good variety of down-to-earth choices. Brad always said he didn’t like any “weird food that needed a label to tell you what it was.”

Another option I really missed, one that has disappeared, I think, at all CZR properties, is the Laurel Lounge (the new name of what used to be called the Diamond Lounge). We especially liked this one for the nightly light “supper,” salads and two choices of some of the best soups we’ve ever tasted. And when this food was taken away, Brad waited around until they brought out the yummy just-baked cookies. To try to take away the disappointment of not having the Lounge bar, players at the Diamond levels and above are issued daily coupons on the kiosk for drinks, one for up to $8 at Starbucks and 3 for drinks up to $12 at specified casino bars.

If you’re hungry and don’t want to leave your room, traditional room service is gone, but it has been replaced by – what else? – an app, Caesars Eats. Since we didn’t use this system, I can’t give you any helpful information, but perhaps some reader here can fill us in on some details in the Comment section. I believe this app is hooked up with “Ivy,” the Alexa for CZR-affiliated hotels. Texting with Ivy is the way to get all sorts of information about the hotel and various services. However, you don’t have to sign up for Ivy, although they encourage you to do so when you check in. Ivy likes to text you often with all sorts of offers and suggestions how you might want to spend your time – and money!

——

“But what about video poker? You haven’t discussed what you played, any jackpots you hit, or how full or empty your purse was when you came home?”

Sorry, I’m out of room here, but I’ll give you all the good, the bad, and the ugly in my next post. Hang on for Part 2.

Posted in Advantage Play, Caesars, Family News, Food Review, Harrahs Lake Tahoe, Hotel Information, Non-Vegas Casinos, Reno, Travel, Video Poker | 12 Comments

Comp Questions

Posted on May 13, 2022 by queen of comps

I get a lot of questions about comps, perhaps because of my nickname, the Queen of Comps, given to me by Dan Rather way back when we made our very first TV appearance on “48 Hours.” (It soon replaced the earlier Queen of KuPon label, given to me by my long-timer editor and friend Deke Castleman.) But more likely, when someone wants help with a specific comp issue, I guess they figure I probably met up with a similar one during our 39 years of visiting casinos.

One common question is about leaving a big balance in a comp account. Is this a dangerous practice?

I must say I’m very careful with my “comp bank” at any casino. For me, comps have monetary value and I try to be as frugal with them as I would be with my cash assets. There was a question about “wasting comps” in a Question of the Day on this website early this year. If you missed that, you can click here for my answer and some interesting comments on the subject.

However, most players who refer to a “comp account” are really asking about a players club account and the points that you can use at your own choice of time and place, sometimes for cashback, but more often for comped benefits. And the best way to get many of your questions answered is to read the club rules.

I’m not talking about the summary details you might find on players club brochures or casino website home pages. I’m talking about what is usually a long list, often in fine print, that covers the nuts and bolts of the players club program. There, even if you’re a long-time player, you might find some rules you may not have known about before.

Some casinos empty your account pretty quickly if you don’t earn any new points, perhaps in a year or two, but perhaps as soon as 6 months. Some might send you a warning when your point balance is close to expiring, while others don’t bother to remind you.

One good thing these days is that many casino programs allow you to earn points for activities other than actual gambling, for example, anytime you spend money in their restaurants, retail outlets, or for most anything in their casino. Those added points can keep your account current. And becoming more common these days, you can keep points from expiring even if you don’t visit that casino very often. Some are offering point-earning opportunities by using a casino-related credit card, online play and shopping, or spending money with one of their preferred business partners.

But the casino visitor who plays regularly and isn’t worried about points expiring may not be aware that there can be a danger in carrying a big balance. A lot of players found that out during the last couple of years. Although most casinos extended the point expiration dates for a generous amount of time due to the pandemic, it wasn’t enough for many players who just weren’t comfortable going back to crowded conditions so soon.

The pandemic also brought up another issue you might not have considered.  Serious illness can hit a person of any age and keep you from your usual frequent casino visits.  And the older you get, the bigger that risk.  “We aren’t buying green bananas” isn’t as funny to many of us as it used to be!

Although we don’t like to think about illness and death, both probably should enter into decisions as to whether or not to keep a large balance in your comp account.  There are many advantages for a couple to have separate players club accounts; in fact, most casinos these days require it. However, you should consult those fine-print rules, because a few casinos allow a couple to redeem each other’s points or combine them.

While you’re checking those rules, you should also look for the policy when there’s a death. Some players clubs allow accumulated points to be transferred to a spouse or another person the account holder has designated. More often, however, those points just disappear. I’ve heard that some players have been successful in having a host arrange for the points to be transferred, but I don’t believe that’s common.

There are a few other circumstances where a large point balance might be in danger.  When a casino does a major revision of its players club, is sold, or merges with another, there is usually a pretty fair changeover of points. However, there is always the possibility that changes will reduce the value for you personally, because they don’t allow you the choices and/or flexibility you had before.

Another common comp question I get is whether we miss all those freebies we enjoyed for so many years. When we first moved to Georgia in early 2020, it did seem a little strange – and a bit painful – to pull out cash or a credit card every time we filled up the gas tank, checked out of the grocery store, or took our family out for dinner. But it soon became routine. And now another factor keeps us from missing comps so much. We no longer have a car and we live in a senior facility where most of our meals are provided.  So, I don’t have to pull out my credit card very often these days.

That said, we’re again being showered with a good number of comps, since the pandemic is waning and we do some major casino play about every four months. I’ve mentioned in earlier posts that Harrah’s Cherokee is very generous with comped hotel stays, dining offers, and entertainment options. Also, we’ve received numerous invitations for free air/hotel packages to CZR properties all over the country. And, as usual, I always hate when I leave so many casino benefits unused.

But I’m happy to share with you that I am planning to use a recent good offer to go to one of our long-time favorite CZR properties, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe: airfare credit and sizable free play, coupled with a comped room for four nights and free food credits, and topped off with a limo from the Reno airport to Tahoe. But most important of all, my good gambler girlfriend of so many years, after such a long time apart, is able to join me. And to make this all possible, my daughter is taking off work so she and Steve can take care of Brad in their home. I haven’t left him longer than a few hours at a time since his health started to decline seriously three years ago, but everyone, including my doctor, insisted I needed a break, so my own health can stay strong and I can continue giving him care in the future as long as needed.

So if any of you are up at Harrah’s Tahoe anytime May 19-22, please stop and say hello.  You’ll usually find me in the high-limit room playing multi-line 9/6 Jacks or Better – unless I find a surprise better play elsewhere!

 

Posted in Caesars, Casino Hosts, Casino Player Benefits, Casino Policy, Cherokee Casino, Comps, Harrahs Lake Tahoe, Non-Vegas Casinos, Online, Q+A, Reno, Slot Clubs, Travel, Video Poker | 11 Comments

Scouring for Casino Info

Posted on May 6, 2022 by queen of comps

I’ve often written that if you need more info about a specific casino, you should check their website for details — about their promotions, players club, restaurants, amenities, etc. Most casinos do better than they did years ago, but it’s amazing how many still do not realize that for so many of their potential and returning customers, the website is their first go-to contact. Sadly, many casino websites are only a brief and unsatisfying resource starting point.

Where can and should you go next?

In this post, I discuss where I often go and give you some of the information I’ve learned recently, even though I can’t use another good technique I recommend, visiting a casino in person.

THE PALMS

I wanted to find details about the Palms the minute it reopened, so I checked their website. There was general information, mainly about food offerings, but very few details a serious player would need: the name of the new players club and a photo with partial views of all the various tier cards, but absolutely no details. You can sign up there for email updates, but you can’t actually sign up for a card.

So I went to vpFREE2, my usual first step for getting the nitty gritty  info I need: VP inventory, sorted by machines or games, with locations, players club details, names of hosts, and general helpful comments.

Then I went to one of my best friends, Google, and found an article titled “Palms Casino Resort Opens with New Rewards Program For Las Vegas.” Bingo! Loads of details to fill in some of my information gaps.

I always liked Vital Vegas, Scott Roeben’s blog. Scott is a man about town who worked in Vegas marketing for a long time and is very well connected and knowledgeable. So I checked his article about the Palms re-opening, which includes a lot of photos and interesting  personal opinions. He also gives a link to a Twitter message that gives a valuable tier-matching chart. Check your loyalty cards and see if you can score a higher tier level at the Palms. In fact, you can see there what other Vegas players clubs you might want to join for higher tier-matching benefits.

Now I’m waiting to hear from some you who are lucky to be able to do eyes-on research!

CZR Properties

Speaking of personal reporting I really appreciate, I recently received an email from a frugal friend giving some updates from his recent trip to Harrah’s Cherokee. The food offerings are still in a period of frustration and confusion as most of the food court, which was in the casino, is closing as the Gordon Ramsey Food Market, outside the casino, is in a slow-opening phase. Seems like they’re repositioning dining options so that they’re available to families, since you have to be 21 to enter the casino proper. However, you see many children in the hotel and other non-casino entertainment areas.

While I’m on the subject of Cherokee, I had several requests for a photo of our recent jackpot there. Some of you may have already seen it in a recent LVA YouTube (# 43).

Another way that I discover new information that sometimes doesn’t ever make it into a website is by carefully reading all casino mail, both hard copy and online. That is how I learned that a CZR player who becomes eligible for free rooms as they go up in tier credits can use these room nights in other locales besides Vegas, which is the old offer. I’m not sure whether this covers all over the U.S. or just specific ones; you would need to check with a host. You would also need to check the details; it used to be a free night every 5,000 tier credits, but I’m not sure of the limit, perhaps 6 or 7 free nights a year? Also, I’m not sure if this is a permanent benefit or temporary promotion. Again, check with a host.

MGM

Sometimes I find new information that might be mentioned on a casino website, but not for a casino where I regularly play, so I don’t check it frequently for any additions or change of benefits. That happened just this morning as I was beginning to edit and post this blog. I got an email from Southwest (my airline of choice, because there is no charge if you have to change/cancel a flight) informing me they have become a preferred partner of MGM.

MGM Rewards members who are also Rapid Rewards® Members can now earn 600 Rapid Rewards® Points for each qualifying stay at all Las Vegas MGM Rewards destinations: Bellagio®, ARIA™, Vdara™, MGM Grand®, The Signature at MGM Grand®, Mandalay Bay®, Delano™ Las Vegas, Park MGM Las Vegas, The Mirage®, New York – New York®, Luxor®, and Excalibur®.

Now to end this blog on a lighter note, some comments that made me smile when that 2016 YouTube interview “How She Made a Million” was recently re-posted.  Seems nothing goes away online and people are still wanting to give their opinions – 463  of them at last count! Yes, there are many positive reactions, but so many of them are darkly colored by their personal painful losing casino experiences.

Commenter #1: This interview was done in 2016? How are they doing today? Wouldn’t Brad be about 90 years old?

My Response:  Yep, it’s 2022 and Brad IS 90 years old.

Commenter #2:  When they become a little bit off their game mentally as they get older, they will give their life savings back to the casinos. It’s just a matter of time.

My Response: Brad is in mental decline and doesn’t play unless I’m beside him helping him remember. I’m 83 and maybe not quite as sharp as I was in 2016, but with some review play with software on my computer, the few times I get to a casino these days, I think I remember accurate strategy pretty well. And I don’t lose enough to put even a small dent in that million dollars talked about in the YouTube interview. What does put a bigger dent in life savings is paying for senior assisted living.  🙁

Today, I’m very glad we always kept on the path of frugal advantage play  and didn’t squander in our younger days those big video poker winnings!

Posted in Advantage Play, Bankroll, Caesars, Casino Promotions, Cherokee Casino, Comments, Family News, Gambling Resources, Good Reads, Interesting Reads, MGM, Non-Vegas Casinos, Online, Palms, Podcast, Q+A, Slot Clubs, Travel, Video Poker, VP Software | 6 Comments

Answers and News

Posted on April 22, 2022 by queen of comps

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!

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars, Casino Player Benefits, Cherokee Casino, Children's Activities, Comments, Comps, Family News, Harrahs Lake Tahoe, Memories, MGM, Non-Vegas Casinos, Palms, Q+A, Slot Clubs, Travel, Video Poker, Web Sites | 5 Comments

A Rambling Trip Report

Posted on April 9, 2022 by queen of comps

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.”

Posted in Brad Stories, Cherokee Casino, Comps, Food Review, Hotel Information, Memories, Non-Vegas Casinos, Travel, Video Poker | 6 Comments

Prepping for an Enjoyable Casino Visit

Posted on March 25, 2022 by queen of comps

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.

 

Posted in Caesars, Casino Hosts, Casino Player Benefits, Casino Promotions, Cherokee Casino, Comps, Family News, Gambling Resources, Video Poker, VP Software | 3 Comments

A Few Words about the “New” Video

Posted on March 12, 2022 by queen of comps

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?”

Posted in Advantage Play, Comments, Media Appearances, Online, Podcast, Taxes, Video Poker | 10 Comments