Jean Scott's Frugal Vegas

4/5/2002

Some time ago in this column, I described the new Ray Charles slots — a bit sarcastically. I want to apologize for this unfeeling attitude. I received a letter from a friend who told me about a blind man he knew who loved to play the slots and what a nice thing it would be for him to be able to play a machine and experience its bonus features all by himself. This would be possible by the Braille on the button deck of these machines and a feature called “”Audio-Assist,”” which gives audio cues to the player. This feature was given the Access Award from the American Foundation for the Blind. Ray Charles himself did much of the voice-over work and appears in the live-action video clips on the bonus screen.

BRIEFS
Any idea what might be the biggest complaint of local savvy video poker players in Vegas? It’s that all the good VP keeps them TOO busy to run around town and collect all their bounce-back cash. I imagine some of you out-of-towners would love to have that “”problem.”

“”If you don’t mind eating with smokers, ask to be seated in the smoking section whenever you check in to a restaurant. Although there will be a line of people wrapped around the building, asking to sit in the smoking section will get you a seat faster than being an ‘invited guest’ of the casino. In addition to getting seated immediately, it’s rare that anyone is smoking anyway! Plus, since the non-smoking section is only a couple feet away from most smoking sections, what’s the difference?”” A tip from a reader of the weekly e-mail newsletter Everything Las Vegas (subscribe at [email protected]).

“”Slot machines really are unappreciative little bandits with minds of their own, obeying neither the commands of the players that so generously feed them or the casinos that give them life. Last week, the Isle of Capri Casino in Missouri was stunned by the waywardness of its Munsters nickel slot. Even though the notice on the machine promised a top jackpot of only $25,000, the illiterate little slot decided to award one player a double jackpot worth $50,000. The casino had no idea that one of its own could do such a naughty thing, but the Missouri Gaming Commission says the casino has to pay the winner just the same. So the next time you’re disappointed by the behavior of the slot machines you’ve been feeding, remember that the little crooks have also been known to bite the casinos’ hands, too!” The above was written by Regina Naslund, editor of CasinoWire (subscribe at www.casinowire.com)

Have you ever had a complaint about a casino that you wanted to take to the Nevada Gaming Commission? Their e-mail address is [email protected].

Also from CasinoWire, our corny gambling joke of the day: Have you heard the one about the superstitious casino gambler who saw a fly land on the roulette table? Thinking it was a lucky sign, he placed his bet on the number where the fly had landed. He lost, shook his head, and muttered, “”It must have been a house fly.””

4/12/2002

Brad and I have just returned to Vegas after a week “back home in Indiana.” (For you non-Hoosiers and non-race fans, that phrase is from the song Gomer Pyle sings before the Indy 500 every year.) The trip was a mixture of business and pleasure. Of course, we were glad to visit with relatives and old friends in Indianapolis. Then for a couple of days I was a speaker at a Host Development Conference at the Grand Victoria riverboat casino down on the Ohio River at Rising Sun, Indiana. I enjoy “teaching” casino hosts and other casino employees. It’s a rare chance to share some of our pet peeves about the casino host and slot club systems in general and suggest some things we players would like to see implemented.

We enjoy doing these conferences. It gives us a chance to visit casinos outside Las Vegas and see what’s happening in the rest of the casino world — one can get narrow-minded, living in the Mecca of gambling. It’s also an opportunity for us to meet with other players who embrace frugal gambling, many with whom we have become good friends on the Internet.

Here are some of the conferences coming up; we would be happy to meet with any players who might be the area at the same time:

Laughlin, Flamingo Hilton, May 1+2 — We will be free the evening of the 1st and off and on (between conference sessions) during the day on the 2nd.

Gulfport, Mississippi, Grand Casino, May 4-7 — On the 5th there will be a Frugal Fan Fest at the Copa in the afternoon, with a book signing, a short talk, a Q+A session, and then just time for everyone to chat. For specific details, e-mail Linda Mabry [email protected].

Palm Springs, CA, The Spa Resort Casino, May 12-15 — We will be free off and on the 13th and 14th.

Blackhawk, near Denver, CO, Jun 24-25 — We will be free the evenings of the 24th and 25th.

Additions And Corrections to Past Columns
I said: “The Suncoast has greatly modified the coupon book you get when checking into the hotel. All those wonderful matchplays are gone. The only valuable coupon left is one for a 20-coin bonus for any video poker hand over 500 coins.”

A friend writes: “I’m sure you have some readers who are not VP players. The coupon gives a 20-coin bonus for a jackpot of 500 coins or more on video poker AND slot or keno machines.”

Good point! And I should add that the coupon book has many other coupons:
1,000 free bonus points for new members
Bingo bonus
2-for-1 bowling bonus
Free souvenir
Food discount at Via Venetoís
Free drinks and ice cream
Discounts for gift shop, shoeshine, childcare center, Seattles Best Coffee

About the casino credit-card situation I discussed a couple of weeks ago: Although I got some conflicting information from Harrah’s employees at first, it seems settled that points you earn on a Harrah’s credit card do NOT go toward getting you to Platinum and Diamond status. They DO earn cashback at the rate of .5%. And the Visa Las Vegas credit card seems to be “in transition” and I don’t know how or whether you can apply for one at the moment. The 800 number I put in a previous column is not helpful. We who already have a card may or may not have a change in the casinos where we can collect our 1% rebate. I’ll certainly give new information on this card if and when I can get it.

4/18/2002

Note: This week’s Frugal Fridays is written by guest columnist Deke Castleman, editor, Huntington Press.

Jean Scott finished writing More Frugal Gambling, the long-awaited sequel to her best-selling The Frugal Gambler, late last Monday night. Three years in the making, this was a marathon — epic — project, in which Jean was driven to take nearly a half-decade’s worth (from the day Frugal the First went to the printer till, well, late last Monday night) of playing, living, breathing, and dreaming about casino gambling, wrench it out of her head, and put it into words on the page.

We’re talking fourteen chapters, plus an introduction, postscript, resources, a couple of appendices… all new material on slots, slot clubs, video poker, promotions, other games, coupons, comps (four chapters on comps), money, tipping, even a detailed treatment of gambling and taxes. Unlike The Frugal Gambler, which weighed in at a svelte 240 pages, More Frugal Gambling is a big fat fattie, which might give War and Peace a little pound-for-pound competition.

And did I mention Jean’s a perfectionist? It wasn’t enough to crowbar it all between the front and back covers. Oh no. It had to be perfectly written, and edited to a high sheen. She taught English for a couple of decades, you know, so she’s kind of a stickler for clarity, sentence structure, diction, grammar, punctuation, tone, theme, little things like that we commoners might let slide, but a Queen simply must demand.

And this regal insistence doesn’t stop at the content. Jean has an artist’s eye for (all right — she’s obsessed with) heds, sidebars, call-outs, pull-quotes, bullets, lists, charts, drop caps, dingbats, and all the aesthetic tricks of the print-media trade. People don’t want to read long tedious passages of prose anymore, she tells me, so in most cases no more than three paragraphs in a row appear on a page — without some graphic element to break up the big black blobs of text. I sometimes suspect that this particular author will never be satisfied with any page design that’s denser than the National Enquirer.

And, of course, the immediate and extended Scott family had to play a big part in Frugal the Second. The Frugal Princess contributes a heapin’ helpin’ of basics, offering up hundreds of beginner’s tips culled from the direct experiences of her and her husband Steve in the casinos. And Brad — long-suffering, laid-back, generous-to-a-tee Brad — is the other main character, always hovering between the lines. The grandkids romp in and out, full of noise, kidisms, and wide-eyed wonder. Even Jean’s sister and an ex-husband or two make cameo appearances. And there’s a supporting cast of thousands — friends, locals, pros, hosts, e-mail correspondents, and fellow gambling writers (especially Huntington Press’ own Jeff Compton and Max Rubin).

In short, Queen Jean has poured her head, heart, and soul into this title. And typically, at the end of such a project, most writers have nothing left. They’re sucked dry by the demands of ambition, completion, publication. They’re expunged of brain content. They’re drained of life’s juices. They’re nothing but empty shells. That’s why I’m filling in for her this week. That’s why Jean hasn’t been heard from since late last Monday night, when she handed in the last gasp of the last draft of the last chapter.

Usually, as her friend and editor, if I don’t hear from her every few days, I start to grow concerned. But this time, I’m not worried.

After all, we’ve got the book. It’ll be out in the fall.

4/26/2002

I’m back — after a week of resting from writing Frugal the Second. Had time to stop and smell the roses — and get acquainted with Brad again!

GIVE ME THE TRUTH

I read a lot of stories about mega jackpot winners, but much of the time I hate them. Recently a Canadian man hit $2.4 million on a Wheel of Fortune dollar machine at the Flamingo Las Vegas. It was reported he had only invested $10. Now I don’t play this machine, so I don’t know what the max coin is. But many of these big-jackpot games require three coins to hit the motherlode. How come people always hit after putting in a multiple of $10? Just once I’d like to hear they had put in $9 or $12. And how many times have you played a machine and hit even a little $200 jackpot while still on your first roll of coins? Sure, maybe once in a blue moon. I’d like to read just one account of someone who tells the truth: “I have been playing this machine off and on for years and lost thousands and thousands of dollars. This jackpot was not luck — I earned it.”

Another thing winners always say, “At first I didn’t know how much I had won.” I want to shake them and say, “Isn’t the jackpot why you’re playing this machine, which is probably the most likely of all the machines in the casino to leave you a loser if you don’t hit it?” Now I’m not saying that this winner was cool enough to make up a good story so it would impress the press (pardon that pun) later, but it was reported that he immediately called his wife back in Canada and told her he had won $2,400. Then he had to call back a few minutes (“Hmm. Maybe she’ll find out the truth and then I really will be in the doghouse.”) and say he actually had won a big more: $2,423,302.85.

In the end, I was glad to read that he finally opted to tell the bare truth. There was no silly stuff, like, “Well, right now I reckon I’ll keep my job at the insurance agency.” Instead, he admitted that his wife would decide how to spend the winnings!

SHOULD YOU DOUBLE UP IN VIDEO POKER?
This video poker option is basically a 50/50 bet with no casino edge, but it’s a volatile one, so you need to consider whether your bankroll can withstand the ups and downs. Most people, if they use it at all, double on only the lowest payoffs, to reduce their risk. The main reason I don’t use it is that the double-up money you risk doesn’t earn slot club points, with the possible exception of casinos that are on the coin-out system, and it takes up my time when I could be playing at an advantage.

Go to casinogaming.com/columnists/dancer/072401.html and read about a unique situation Bob Dancer had when doubling-up was a good tactic. (And while you’re there, check out the index for a large selection of other interesting articles he’s written.)

I LOVE THE NAME
The Las Vegas Sun reported that an entertainment company has proposed a Halloween parade, called “”Boo Ga Loo Las Vegas,”” down the Strip the Saturday before Halloween. This company wants to hold the parade from 5 to 7 p.m. — something that’s currently not permitted by county ordinances. “”It’s not just the closing of the Strip,”” one executive commented. “”It’s the whole concept. It would be very difficult, with the kind of crowd it would draw, to monitor what the crowd would be doing. With events like these, people sometimes come half-clothed. How do you regulate what costumes they can wear? We do not want our regular guests exposed to those kind of things.”
www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/gaming/2002/apr/19/513334103.html

“Ex-Lax and casinos both accomplish the same thing. They clean you out, although one is a hell of a lot cheaper.”” “”VP Pappy”” (T. Murphy)

3/1/2002

We’re back from the fun-and-sun-filled Frugal Gambler cruise to the Bahamas. There were some long-time LVA subscribers in our group, plus others who decided to subscribe after I explained you just couldn’t leave home without it – at least not if you were headed to Vegas.

We had good “luck” at some negative-expectation games on this trip. First, before the cruise we took in a few jai alai games in the Dania fronton. We managed to pull out a $57 profit, much to my surprise; I always tell Brad that I think the games are fixed. My neck always hurts when I leave, all that looking back and forth during the games!

The video poker schedules in the ship’s casino (Holland America’s Westerdam) were atrocious. For example, when I first scouted the machines, I thought I’d found a couple of machines we could play, 9/6 Jacks or Better – not quite positive at 99.5%, but okay for us for purely entertainment. Then I noticed that the payout for 2 pair was even money, the same as one high pair. Hey, I’d rather play Little Green Men than video poker with a return of 86.7%. So we ended up playing a few hours of blackjack. We used to be able to count cards, but no longer play much BJ and are out of practice. So we just relaxed, played basic strategy, and ended up winning more than $200.

We checked out two casinos in Nassau. Our group had a slot tournament at the Crystal Palace, which is a fairly large modern casino with table games and all the new machines. We lost $25 in a nickel Yahtzee video slot machine, but watching the dancing dice entertained us for a long time.

We just looked around at the huge and beautiful Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. The aquariums are fantastic. The casino is quite large and beautifully decorated. The only “good” video poker was the high-limit $5 and $25 classic schedule 9/6 Jacks or Better, so we passed on playing that. We played some new nickel video slots for a little while, for “research” purposes, but after losing $20 we decided that was all we wanted to invest in this “job.”

We really didn’t have much of a desire to gamble on this trip. For one thing, there were no positive-expectation games. And more importantly, because we live in Vegas, a vacation for us these days is NOT gambling! So we were quite happy with — and surprised about — the $260 we picked up just “messing around” and having fun.

A special alert: If you see Brad in a casino, say something to cheer him up. You see – he’s in the “doghouse.” He took our brand-new — not one coupon had been used yet — LVA coupon book to the Palms in case he got four 7s and could use the bonus coupon – and then he lost it! THE WHOLE BOOK, worth hundreds of dollars!

3/9/2002

Two weeks ago in this column I talked about the new coinless machines and told the story of one player who lost $800 because he trusted a fellow player to watch his malfunctioning machine while he went to collect a drawing prize of $2,000 at the Palms. Later, I received this e-mail (slightly edited) from a friend:

“Your story was not completely accurate. The man involved is my friend and he admitted to me that he ‘panicked’ when he heard his name called. Knowing he had only three minutes to fight his way through the crowd and make his way into the Key West Room, he didn’t stop and think — he just hit the Cashout button a couple of times! The ticket didn’t jam (if it had, you’d get a flashing light and the beeping sound); he simply tried to cash out in the middle of a hand, which of course you can’t do! All the thief had to do was finish the hand, then cash out!

“On a positive note, my friend later told George Maloof (Palms owner) what had happened to him, and asked if there was anything he could do to help. The ticket had been cashed, and it’s not the casino’s policy to reimburse a player out of its own pocket, but George had a floor supervisor stop by my friend’s machine and put on $200 in credits. Very nice gesture, I think! Just guessing on this point, but George probably had surveillance view the tape of the “”theft,”” and they’ll be on the lookout for the culprit should he return to the Palms.”

That WAS a nice move on George’s part, but not surprising to me. First of all, George is just one nice guy; he has been our good friend ever since we were filmed at the Fiesta (which he owned before the Palms) by the TV show “Extra” several years ago. And one of the reasons I like playing at the Palms is that you often have the hands-on owner right on the casino floor. The night Brad won $2,000 in a drawing, George came around later to congratulate him right at his machine.

Can you imagine a top casino executive in most casinos concerning himself with one low-rolling player who got taken for $800 because of his own mistake rather than a casino error? The chain of command in large-corporation casinos has so many levels between the player and the top that “never the twain shall meet.”

In that same column two weeks ago, I told about a scam to watch for when you’re playing the new coinless machines. Here’s another possible con trick, albeit not as slick as the other one, reported by another friend of mine. It happened to him several nights in a row when he was playing at Terrible’s in the middle of the night.

“A guy sits down next to you (you have lots of credits!), or maybe one seat away. He puts a small bill in the machine, plays a couple of hands, then asks you to watch his machine while he uses the restroom. Of course, you agree. When he returns, he plays a few more hands, only for a minute or two, then cashes out and leaves.

“After this happened a few times I decided that the other person was hoping I would ask HIM to watch MY machine while I used the restroom! If I had, my credits would most likely be gone when I returned, along with my new ‘friend’””!

It pays to always be on guard. Anywhere there’s money, there’s likely someone around who would like to get yours.

3/14/2002

I’ve mentioned here before that I’m a total Las Vegas information junkie. And Brad and I often benefit financially, because we can use this information to our advantage. However, sometimes I read casino news or gambling-related items that just make me shake my head:

1. “XXX Casino was fined $100,000 for failing to recover and account for an estimated $32,000 worth of slot machine tokens found loose inside and under game cabinets. This is the third time the casino has been cited for failing to keep proper track of metal tokens.”

My comment: I guess good slot machine housekeepers are hard to find.

2. A story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal by Jan Moller says that Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman joined a growing list of Nevada public officials who believe a statewide lottery would help the state solve its budget problems. “I think we need it,” Goodman said, arguing that it’s better to have Southern Nevadans buy lottery tickets in their own state than having “half of Las Vegas hanging around the state line.” The story continued, “Some gaming industry insiders are even warming up to the idea of a lottery. Mandalay Resort Group Vice President Mike Sloan, who sits on the Governor’s Task Force on Tax Policy, recently suggested it as a way of helping to close an anticipated budget gap.” (See www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2002/Mar-01-Fri2002/news/18208849.html.)

My comment: There are a lot of puzzles in this one. I wouldn’t think casinos would “warm up” to competition, but I guess they will support any program that will produce more state revenue so lawmakers won’t think about taking more of THEIR profits. And I’m sorry, but I just can’t understand why anyone in Vegas would pass by umpteen casinos chock full of many good betting opportunities and drive 40 miles on traffic-choked I-15 to Primm and cross the state line so they can make one of the worst bets there is.

3. From the Las Vegas Sun: “”I bought the Desert Inn so I could have stuff to play with. That’s what turns me on in life, building stuff that makes people say, ‘Wow.’ The opportunity to be the first American company (in Macao) to do the kind of things we do there, to make the best hotel in Asia, is so delicious that it’s irresistible. It’s not about money, although I have no reason to believe it won’t be profitable. It’s about personal gratification.”” Thus spake Steve Wynn, Las Vegas casino developer and one of Macao’s three new casino license holders.

My comment: Ooh-kay.

4. From an Associated Press report out of Jackson, Mississippi: A crackdown on underage gambling has made children’s arcade games illegal in Mississippi. Legislators may exempt Chuck E. Cheese from gambling laws. Mississippi’s amusement company owners are hoping to ride the broad coattails of the Chuck E. Cheese’s pizza parlor/kids arcade chain to get relief from this state law, which makes their gaming machines illegal.

(See lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/gaming/2002/feb/06/512997986.html)
My comment: Now that’s not nice!

5. “There’s a new themed slot machine in production featuring Budweiser Beer.”

My comment: Smart move by a slot machine manufacturer — as if casinos don’t have their PR hands full handling the anti-gambling critics who bring up moral issues.

Meanwhile, Happy St. Patrick’s Day — and within the next few weeks, in support of balanced reporting, I will include in this column a letter from someone who thinks some of the things I say about being frugal in a casino are pretty dumb.

3/29/2002

A couple of weeks ago in this column I reported some “weird” gambling news — but I promised to give you balanced coverage by revealing what some people think is “weird” or downright dumb about some frugal tactics. Here’s a sample post from Skip’s VP board:

“”Some of this frugal stuff Jean and other people on this list do to save money in casinos is, well, weird. Why do some people here seem to be so concerned about saving a buck or two? I mean, I could see that if someone was on a very limited budget, it would make a difference. But I presume everyone here is financially stable. If you’re not, you shouldn’t be gambling in the first place.

“Having established this, I think it’s safe to say that the average player sends thousands of dollars through the machines daily. It seems to me that to save three bucks on a tank of gas, or to go out of your way to get some free popcorn, is rather trivial. Look, if you were going there anyway, I guess I would take advantage of it, but many people seem to be excited about coupons that provide very little value compared to the amounts we are all flinging through the machines.

“Personally, I have seen many coupons that I would never use because I would never step foot into some of those casinos. Either they’re real dives, or they’re so out of the way that it seems ridiculous to me to drive all the way out there just to redeem a $5 blackjack coupon.

“Lord knows I’m not looking to criticize anyone here, but am I the only one who feels this way?”

I know that this writer is not alone in her feelings. She isn’t the first to point out that my frugal ways aren’t for everyone. Actually some of my frugal ways of years gone by aren’t even for me anymore!

Take couponing, for example; we don’t do as much of it as we used to. If Brad and I have two big coupons, like $25 matchplays, we make a special effort to go to a casino and use them. But even then, we try to combine that with some other good gambling activity (or a shopping errand) in the same area to maximize the use of our time. We rarely use $5 matchplays unless we are in the casino anyway — although we still sometimes plan a small-coupon run up and down the Strip as our “exercise of the day.” I still like to get “paid” for keeping healthy.

Back when I was younger and poorer, I thought frugal meant cheap. I found it hard to “splurge” on something nice I wanted if there was a cheaper alternative. With age comes wisdom — and a bigger bank account. Now I think of frugal as getting good value for your money. I can comfortably go for a more expensive option — especially if it’s on sale!

I know I sometimes still carry being frugal to an extreme — Brad is always telling me we are in the “future” I was always saving for. But then I find solace in the fact that there are people who are more nutty about being frugal than I am. Not too long ago I heard of a person, who like me, always had a Ziplock bag in her purse. But, hey, I never took one to a casino buffet, like this person, and filled it with soup.

3/29/2002

Watch for this new comp wrinkle: A casino sends you a nice offer for a free suite for two nights. You’re thrilled – until you read the fine print somewhere on the invitation: “”The complimentary suite is subject to your participating in adequate tracked casino play during your visit. To receive the complimentary suite, you must earn XXX points or your credit card will be charged $199 per night.”

Comps have always depended on your play; that’s understandable. And if you take advantage of a mail offer for a free room and don’t play, you shouldn’t be surprised it the casino doesn’t send you more free room offers. But from the player’s perspective, if a casino wants to tell you how many points it takes to get a suite, let them do it in a straightforward way, not in a way that looks like they are trying to “trick” you. A wise casino visitor always reads the fine print; casino “free” does not always mean REALLY free.

BRIEFS
From a California friend: “I was visiting my local Indian reservation’s new high-limit room, just out of curiosity. I found four multi-denom/multi-game machines. They came in $5-$10-$20-$25 varieties, with Single-line, Triple/Five, Ten and (yikes) Fifty Play games available. Let’s see, at max play, that’s $25 x 5 = $125 x 50 = $6,250 per play.” That’s all I can say – yikes!

The “Score For Four” scratch-card promotion at Main Street Station covers straight flushes as well as quads. Be sure to ask for a scratch card if the employee forgets to give you one.

The Suncoast has greatly modified the coupon book you get when checking into the hotel. All those wonderful matchplays are gone. The only valuable coupon left is one for a 20-coin bonus for any video poker hand over 500 coins.

Some input from a reader on the Visa card that Harrah’s offers: “$1,000 charged to the account will produce 200 points and $5 in cashback. According to my calculations, that’s 1 point per $5 charged and 1/2% cashback. Nothing to write home about, but an average of $1,000 per month will get me 2,400 points per year toward maintaining Diamond status.” This could be a good option for those who get a lot of benefit from their Harrah’s Diamond player’s card. (Sorry, I just found out that this is wrong. Only points earned by playing the machines count toward getting to a higher card level.)

Speaking of credit cards, we use our Visa Las Vegas card for most of our purchases because of its 1% cash rebate (although we still sometimes use airline cards to collect miles when they’re worth more than 1%). However, there’s been a change in the Visa Las Vegas program; all the old casinos have withdrawn from the program. The new ones (where you now have to cash your rebate checks) are the five Park Place casinos in Las Vegas: Caesars Palace, Bally’s, Paris, Hilton, and Flamingo. You can apply for the card at any of these casinos or call 800/955-9296. (I can’t seem to verify this -watch for an update in a later FF column.)

Want to find out when there will be a TV program on about your favorite city –(Vegas, of course)? Go to http://govegas.about.com/bltv.htm, where you’ll find a whole week’s rundown on any TV program that’s even slightly related to Vegas: documentaries, films about or shot in Vegas, etc. I have this site bookmarked in my Favorites and check it every week.

2/1/2002

I’m back — the Frugal Princess said she had run out of things to write about! But I really appreciated the rest she gave me and she did a great job. That’s not just a mother’s pride — I had a lot of people say they enjoyed the different slant from a less-experienced gambler.

My file is bulging again, so here comes bits and pieces from here and there.

BRIEFS
TomSki just returned from a trip to Australia. Here are some interesting excerpts from a report he posted on the Skip Hughes Video Poker List: “Visited the Star City in the Darling Harbour section of Sydney. Casino was about the size of the Mirage. But there was not a single video poker game in the whole place! I was told they took out all the VP games per the request of the pit bosses. The pit bosses felt if one wanted to gamble on a card game, they should do so at the tables! I found out why they don’t let you wear caps/hats. It’s because the casino cameras need to be able to see your face in case you’re caught cheating.”

We get something in the mail from the Palms every few days: free-play credits for certain days, free gifts and show tickets, an invitation for Brad to attend a January birthday party, promotion flyers, a VIP dinner, a whole booklet of coupons for bonus points and other goodies in Feb. and March. Now, this all comes from some fairly heavy $1 play (3-5 hours) a couple of days a week and because we’re locals. But I hear heavy local quarter players are getting a lot of mail too. In addition, out-of-town quarter players who put in a lot of time at the machines are reporting that they’re scoring comped rooms.

You almost always do better for room comps if you book through a host, whether she comps you upfront based on past play history or evaluates your play and makes a decision toward the end of your visit. I’ve had good reports from people who’ve taken my recommendation to contact Mickey (formerly our host at the Hard Rock) at [email protected] or Danielle (formerly our host at the Orleans) at [email protected]. We’ve known both for many years and they both work extremely hard for their customers.

Another Palms note: They’re running a shuttle to the Fashion Show Mall and Caesars’ Forum Shops. Call for times.

Want to find out the Vegas weather before you get here? Log onto www.weather.com, type in “Las Vegas,” and get the current conditions and 10-day forecast. Now you’ll know how to pack — halfway, at least: There’s NOWHERE you can find reliable information about the temperature inside a particular casino. I’ve frozen to death in a Vegas casino in July, and I’ve had to start shedding clothes in January. Vegas definitely is “Layer City.”

Now that tax season has arrived, I’ve had several inquiries about the tax preparer/financial advisor I recommended some weeks ago. To repeat: Her name is Marissa Chien and you can contact her at Advantage Tax, 702/207-1040 or [email protected]. Marissa’s an experienced and well-qualified Enrolled Agent and, since she’s a player herself, she understands the special problems that gamblers face.

By the way, everyone does know — don’t you? — that if you forget something I’ve reported, you can go to the Frugal Friday Archives, where every column I’ve ever written is quietly waiting for you to click.

If you want to judge how well Vegas is doing economically, just count your Super Bowl Party invitations. By our own reports and those from others, I think casinos are getting desperate. As one casino executive said before the holidays, “We’re mining the databases a bit deeper these days.” Reinforces my belief that it pays to join a lot of slot clubs and put in some minimum play at as many casinos as possible. Who knows what your mail will bring. Another good technique is to put in ONE day of HEAVY play at the highest denomination that you ever play at as many casinos as you can. This will often bring high-level offers in the mail. Casino competition is at the highest level I have e

2/9/2002

Notes I jot down as I run around Las Vegas:

The Gold Coast is certainly a more cheery place since they painted the ceilings white.
Park in the Four Queens parking garage and check out your parking ticket stub — four coupons, including a free dinner in Magnolia’s for earning 200 points on your current trip.
If you get a credit line at the Suncoast or Orleans, you have 45 days to pay back the marker, instead of the usual 30 days at many other casinos.
The Riviera has a good “cover-your-losses” promotion for new slot club members. But don’t try to get cute and pad your losses by pulling your slot card when you’re dealt a pat winning hand.

They’re on to this trick and will refuse to pay you ANY rebate at all. (This promotion has since been cancelled)

The cover-your-losses promo for new members at the Stratosphere is only available to Vegas visitors. If you’re a resident of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, or Boulder City, you’re not eligible.

The Stratosphere has added the first K-9 unit in a Vegas casino. The unit has two officers: Officer Dex, a pure-bred German shepherd, and Officer Steve Leiberman, a Stratosphere security officer trained in K-9 tactics.

Add Silverton to the list (which includes all the Station casinos) where you can use your slot club points in conjunction with coupons. For example, if you receive an offer for a 2-for-1 buffet, you can purchase one buffet with your points to get the second one free. An excellent way to stretch those slot club comp points!

You MUST get on the Palms e-mail list, especially if you’re a local. They are e-mailing us frequent last-minute “specials”: Free Play, free room, and food offers. Go to www.palms.com to sign up.

If you’re downtown and see a lady in costume in front of the Golden Gate, go check her out. She sometimes gives out fortune cookies with coupons inside. We got a matchplay coupon the last time. Others have received coupons for free food.

Watch for bonuses offered for new slot club members. Arizona Charlie’s, both East and West, is offering triple cashback (up to $100) during your first three weeks of play. Since these are separate clubs, you can do this promotion at both casinos.

Did you know that in Vegas we get TWO new phone books a year (in January and in July), because we are growing so fast? Every other city in the U.S. only gets one a year!
To get your annual birthday slot club point bonus at the Suncoast, Gold Coast, or Orleans, you must belong to the slot club AND you must put at least 1 point on your card during your birthday month. Hey, how hard is that?

Hotel guests and players with comp slips may make advance reservations by phone for the usually very busy Victorian Room at the Barbary Coast. Others have to appear in person and sign in with the hostess and wait for an opening.

There are more accidents at the intersection of Flamingo and the Strip than anywhere else in the city. We drive through that intersection dozens of times a month. Wonder if we need to change our route?

The Hyatt at Lake Las Vegas furnishes their hotel guests fishing poles to use during their stay.

2/15/2002

I get so many interesting letters and good questions from readers! So I’ve decided that, once in awhile, I’ll include some of them in this column. This week I’m sharing an e-mail from a very frugal gambler who has chosen a casino game about which I haven’t written much.

Hi Jean,
I just finished reading The Frugal Gambler. From the book I know you consider yourself a “”low roller,”” but I’d consider you a “”high roller,”” from my point of view. Having a $3,000 gambling bankroll is way beyond my comprehension!

I’ve been going to Vegas for several years now, and consider myself a really “”frugal gambler.”” After reading your book I’m more convinced than ever that I’m really the one that qualifies for that title. Since Vegas is less than a five-hour drive away for me, I try to make it there at least a couple of times a year–sometimes I can get there four times. But I’m not retired yet, so I have to work around “”work.””

I utilize the time-share promotions to get my hotel paid for–for a 90-minute sales pitch– and my pat answers cut the sales pitches short. I usually get two hotel nights free. I do prefer to stay at least three nights, so I have to pay for one night, but often I check around and find some kind of discount to take advantage of for the third night.

I avoid all the slots, including video poker, and opt for the tables. My game is (live) poker, and it’s the cheapest way I’ve found to play. I bring $300 to play, allotting myself $100 a day. I can usually play eight or nine hours on that $100. (I began playing poker at around eight years old and really love the game.) Most of the time I’ll leave the table with some of that $100 left over–and on occasion I leave with more than I sat down with.

I prefer playing at Circus Circus since I think most of the tourists who play there are the kind of people who “”play regularly on Wednesdays at Aunt Matilda’s,”” if you know what I mean. Four hours of play gets me a food comp. Unfortunately, meal comp tickets at poker rooms have not kept up with the buffet prices–both the Sahara and Circus Circus give $4 meal chits–but the less-than-$2 meal costs still can’t be beat at my level of play. And, at Circus-Circus a meal comp allows you to use the VIP line – which translates into no waiting to be seated. And like you, I usually take a leftover muffin and/or fruit for breakfast.

The total cost to me for a three-night vacation nowadays (not counting the gambling) runs about $150, mostly for gas. Last Feb. gas was cheaper, so the total cost for three nights, gas, and snacks came out to less than $100 (including $18 for a motel). I brought back nearly $200 of my gambling money, and had a terrific time! I even found a coupon for a free show!

True, I don’t get to live the “”high life”” the way you do, but I just thought you might like to know that we truly frugal gamblers–those who can only afford to lose one-tenth of what you can–can still play in Vegas and have a good time, without losing our shirts.

This next week I’m moving up because a timeshare promotion gave me two nights at the Sahara, two free buffets, and two tickets to the magic show. In addition, I get to enjoy the same fancy swimming pool and hopefully the exercise room, as you do.

I haven’t told you what I like so much about playing poker at the tables as opposed to the machines. The thing is–I’m really frugal, and the idea of putting money into a machine before I even know if I’ve got any kind of chance at all doesn’t cut it for me. At the tables I play 7-card stud. I get my first three cards for free. If I don’t pair up or better, or if the cards aren’t set up for a really good shot at something–as long as my up card isn’t the lowest on the table (usually 1 chance in 8)–I toss in my cards and it hasn’t cost me anything to play. I can play for hours without having to put out any money, and I play only the hands either I have to (because I had the lowest card showing), or hands that have good possibility

2/22/2002

I love the casinos’ new coinless machines — but as in almost every new development in a casino, there’s going to be a criminal mind somewhere working out a way to take advantage of it.

Case in point: Recently Brad’s slot club number was called in a Palms drawing. While he was waiting around to sign IRS paperwork (for a 1099) and collect his $2,000, he was talking to some of the other winners. One of them told a good luck/bad luck story about one man’s experience in this drawing.

This man was playing a machine when he saw his number come up on one of the many casino TV screens. He had $800 in credits but that was no problem; he could just punch out his ticket, then rush over to the designated place to claim his $2,000. However, Murphy (of Murphy’s Law) is alive and well and sometimes hangs out in a casino; the ticket mechanism jammed and no ticket came out. The man didn’t know what to do. He had only three minutes to claim his prize and there was no casino employee in sight. So he asked the man at the next machine to watch his machine until a casino employee would come to unjam his ticket — and he would be back as soon as he had claimed his prize, just a few minutes, he figured.

Well, you can guess the ending of this story. The man came back to the machine to find it empty — and the man he trusted to watch the machine was nowhere in sight. His $2,000 drawing prize was suddenly $800 lighter.

I later told this story to an experienced gambler who often plays at the Palms and in other casinos where there are coinless machines. Although the above incident occurred when someone took advantage of a fluke — ticket jams are very rare — this player told me that he’d heard of a new organized-team scam, with two or more people working it together. First, they find a player with a lot of credits on the machine. Then one person goes to a machine somewhere behind the mark, feeds in a $5 bill, punches the cashout button, then walks away and out of the casino.

If a ticket isn’t taken right away, the machine makes a loud beeping noise. When this noise continues, the mark turns around to see what the deal is. He sees this unclaimed ticket hanging out of the machine and no one around and goes over to investigate. He probably debates for a few seconds what he should do — then decides to take the ticket out to stop the loud beeping noise and figure out later whether to keep the ticket or turn it in to security. All this probably takes less than a minute, but it’s a minute when his back is turned to his machine and plenty of time for a second member of the scam group — who has been sitting or standing nearby but out of sight — to quietly punch out the mark’s credits, quickly walk to the cashier to cash the ticket, then disappear out the door before the mark has figured out what happened!

Always be alert in a casino — where there are plenty of ways to lose your money.

1/4/2002

By Angela Sparks, the Frugal Princess —

Here I sit at my mother’s laptop, taking some time off from our busy adventures in Las Vegas. My children — Zachary, 8, and Kaitlynn, 7 — and I have been here for nine days and something had to give for Queen Jean! So I’ll be her guest columnist for a few weeks while she recovers from our visit and finishes up Frugal 2. This week I report on planning for this frugal vacation, the first one we’ve made without my husband.

Step 1: Decide how to carry on after September 11. At that time we already knew my husband Steve would be on a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, Bosnia, over the holidays, so we would have to make our plans without him. (Thank goodness they didn’t switch his assignment to Afghanistan.) I decided that the three of us would get on that plane and fly to Vegas to be with Jean and Brad.

Step 2: Find the cheapest fares possible. I went online to Travelocity.com to compare fares, both from Syracuse (only 65 miles from my house in Watertown, NY) and from Buffalo (200 miles away). The difference in price was astounding — around $450 from Syracuse and only $98 from Buffalo. At the time, the airlines were drastically cutting fares to fill seats, since so many were still apprehensive about flying. I was nervous about flying too, especially alone with my children, but the next-to-nothing $98 (apiece) helped ease my mind!

Step 3: OK, now my flight is booked, but how do I get to Buffalo? It’ll be the middle of winter — do I want to drive or take the bus? I checked Greyhound rates and schedules online and quickly realized I’d have to do too much transferring, lugging bags, and herding kids. I went back to the Web to look for hotels around the airport that had a park-and-fly package. I found the Holiday Inn Airport with a $59.99 room rate, free long-term parking, and a free shuttle to the airport. This was the best solution, especially since my flight arrives back into Buffalo late and I could stay overnight again and drive home the next morning.

Step 4: D-Day, Dec. 21. The Christmas shopping is done (but presents not wrapped in case our suitcases have to be inspected at the airport). We’re packed and ready to drive to Syracuse to stay with a girlfriend overnight on our way to Buffalo when Zachary comes down with strep throat. I take him to the doctor and we delay our drive a day, canceling the stop in Syracuse in order not to expose others to strep. But we get beautiful weather to drive to Buffalo the next day. I learned a good lesson — you sometimes have to be flexible in your trip plans!

After driving to Buffalo we parked at the Holiday Inn, stayed overnight, and took the shuttle to the airport. As Mom had trained me, I checked in with the gate agent immediately to see if they needed anyone bumped (with no luck), then flew to Cleveland, Continental’s hub.

We had a three-hour layover, so I was first in line and first on the bump list (with no luck). We boarded the plane with everyone else, but minutes later, the gate agent announced, “Would the lady with two children that volunteered to be bumped earlier please disembark the plane? We need your seats.” Our first bump! I couldn’t get off that plane fast enough.

It turns out there’d been a mistake and we shouldn’t have been bumped at all. They’d bumped us to let a woman and her two children fly with non-revenue tickets (ones they hadn’t paid for, but gotten through an employee friend). We didn’t mind, of course! We were each given $250 in airline credit, a hotel voucher (they made the reservations for us right then), and food vouchers for $18 and $38, then they booked us on one of the first flights out the next morning.

At first Zachary and Kaitlynn were disappointed that we wouldn’t get to Grandma’s until the next day, but I explained that we got free tickets to fly to Vegas again next summer, and that made it all better. We stayed at the Clarion, a fine hotel by the airport, and we used the smaller vouch

1/11/2002

By Angela Sparks, the Frugal Princess —

The children and I are back in the “North Country,” back to our normal routines of school, swimming lessons, and basketball practice. And yes, we’re freezing our tails off! I was disappointed when we didn’t get bumped on the way home, but I was happy to see that the Holiday Inn had dug our van out of the snow for us in Buffalo. Now I’m left with some of the best memories of Las Vegas ever — those that include being there for the holidays for the first time.

Many people couldn’t imagine spending the holidays in Las Vegas. Not just because they’d be away from home, but because of the different things one usually does in Las Vegas. I wondered about it myself; this was the first time that our family was separated (my husband is in Kosovo) and the first time in years that we spent the holidays away from home. I didn’t worry too much, though, since I knew the Queen of Comps would keep us too busy to think about anything except fun!

We flew in on Christmas Eve morning, and after a couple of stops for Mom and Brad to pick up bounce-back cash and all three of us to play some valuable soon-to-expire coupons, we all went home to Mom and Brad’s condo to unwind. That evening, instead of cooking a big meal, we went to the buffet at Palace Station. Surprisingly, the place was crowded with other folks enjoying the holidays together, without the hassle of cooking and cleaning up. Grandma Jean clipped the list of the most beautifully decorated houses from the newspaper, so on the way home we took a drive to see the Christmas lights. This is a tradition for our family, and brought back lovely memories of when my oldest, Zachary, was a baby and exclaiming, “Kites! Kites!” when he saw even the most meager string of lights.

That night we were too tired to go to church as we usually do, but we certainly kept the other traditions. There were new pajamas to wear, “The Night Before Christmas” to read (although now the kids read it to us!), and cookies with milk to leave for Santa. We were all suffering from jet lag so badly, though, that we barely made it through all that before the kids passed out. I don’t think they’ve ever fallen asleep so quickly on Christmas Eve!

The next morning the kids woke up with the birds, as I knew they would since their body clocks were so messed up with the 3-hour time difference. They were allowed to dig into their stockings, but had to wait for Grandma Jean and Poppy Brad to wake up before they could open their presents. This reminded me of my childhood, as Mom has never been much of a morning person! After all the presents were opened and we all donned our most festive outfits, we were off to friends of Jean and Brad’s for a Christmas party and dinner. It was a lovely day with family, friends, and good food, just as if we’d been home, but with the added advantage of being able to gamble!

We left the party and all went straight to the Gold Coast to play video poker. The kids love the free childcare there and after spending the whole day together, they didn’t mind having some play time without Mom and Grandma telling them to be polite and behave! I played Deuces Wild for a blissful three hours, the longest time I could leave the kids, and even got four deuces! Thank you, Santa!

1/18/2002

By Angela Sparks — the Frugal Princess

Last week I spoke about how the kids and I were able to enjoy a traditional holiday season in Las Vegas with Mom (Queen Jean) and Poppy Brad, yet with the extra activities that only this gambling town can provide. This week I’d like to discuss bringing children or grandchildren to Las Vegas. Although “”Sin City”” has recently returned to it roots, there’s still plenty to do with kids. And to parrot Mom, “”So much is free.”

One afternoon, while Mom and I shopped at Saver’s, our favorite thrift store chain (it was half-price day), Poppy Brad took the kids on their now traditional “”death-march”” sightseeing tour. Though we usually plan these trips around one corner of the Strip, casinos that are “”right next door”” can still be quite a walk, as the kids have experienced many times. This time it was the Tropicana corner.

First stop was at Excalibur for “”fuel”” — the Krispy Kreme donut factory where everyone can watch the donuts being made, then eat them. You have to pay for the donuts, of course, but the “”factory tour”” is free. Brad usually takes them to the bottom floor of Excalibur to play some of the arcade games, but since this was the holiday season and school was out, he decided he didn’t want to fight the hordes. Ditto for the amusement center at New York-New York. So he opted for a quieter destination, the lion habitat at the MGM, another free activity that can be as short or as long as you wish.

Then it was across the street to the Tropicana where “”The Birdman of Las Vegas”” does free afternoon shows (call ahead or check the local paper for times), another great value. It was the first time the kids had been to this show and they really enjoyed seeing the rare and exotic birds and the tricks they could do. By this time, the donut sugar buzz had worn off and Brad wisely headed for home. We learned long ago that you shouldn’t crowd too many sightseeing activities into one day.

I’m sure to no one’s surprise, Mom had arranged for many comped activities for us, either from hers and Brad’s play or by trading comps with friends. Our favorite was Cheval, which takes place in a tent between Bellagio and Monte Carlo. Created by one of the producers of the Cirque du Soleil, this show features beautiful horses and amazing trick riders. Though was somewhat long at 90 minutes, Cheval kept the kids entertained the whole time. We parked free at the Barbary Coast and walked to the show so we could watch the fountain show as we walked past Bellagio.

One evening we all went to see Melinda the Magician at the Venetian. I couldn’t believe the price of the tickets — $50 apiece, for a total $250 if we’d bought them! A high point of the show was Zachary, 8, being invited up to the stage to check out an airplane that would later disappear. It was an entertaining show, but I must say a bit too racy for younger children. Melinda and her dancers are obviously trying to keep up with the old sexy Vegas show tradition! There’s another magic show in town that we have been told is better for children — Lance Burton at Monte Carlo. I guess he does spectacular fewer big-production tricks and is more up close and personal with the audience.

The night before we left we did the Spring Mountain corner of the Strip. We went to Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum at the Venetian, again with comped tickets in hand. It was an amazing experience for all three of us adults, but the kids were somewhat in the dark as to whom they were looking at most of the time — although their eyes got big when they saw how real the figures seemed. Kaitlynn, 7 going on 17, knew who Brad Pitt was and teased me about wanting my picture taken with him! I think this is a great activity, but a better value for adults who can recognize more of the figures. Always look in a freebie magazine for a discount coupon if you’re paying for this (or any Vegas) attraction; you can get one free child’s admission (age 12 and u

1/25/2002

By Angela Sparks The Frugal Princess

Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, seemingly with every piece of desert furiously being covered with some new building. I usually have a new casino to visit every time I come to town. Often these are on the Strip, but sometimes they are not there or downtown, but in the outlying new neighborhoods of Las Vegas where they are local favorites. The Suncoast casino is one of these and I was able to discover for myself this trip why it is so popular.

Mom had gotten a room for us there, comped of course, and at check-in, all three adults were given a very valuable funbook that included a $25, $10 and $5 match-play coupon for each table game – Pai Gow, Craps, Roulette, and Blackjack. The theoretical value of these coupons was very high, but, as we found out when we used the first two books, you still can come out a loser temporarily – we would win the little ones and lose the big ones! However, I have done enough coupon runs in casinos that I was not discouraged; I know we would win in the long run. You can have a string of losses that may make it seem not worthwhile, but keep at it. We did. After using the 3rd coupon book and other coupons during my Vegas stay, we did come out in the black, with a good amount of profit that Mom sent home with me. (Note from Jean: These great game coupons are no longer in the Suncoast coupon book.)

I especially enjoyed playing video poker at the Suncoast because of the new ticket in/ticket out system. This is the first time I had used it. With the old system, it’s hard to take a short break when you’re playing alone. You don’t want to cash out and scoop coins and, if you really need to “go,” it seems you will need to wait forever for a hopper fill. At a ticket machine, you just hit “collect” and a paper ticket comes out, one that you just reinsert into the bill acceptor when you come back to the machine. I’m sure this system will help to prevent many bladder infections in machine players who delay too long answering the call of nature!

One word of warning about the new multi-game, multi-denomination machines the Suncoast and many casinos have installed. Be sure to pay attention and make sure you are playing the denomination you want, and even the right game. I sat for an hour and half at the Gold Coast playing NICKLE Deuces Wild (not a full-pay game) when I intended to be playing quarter Deuces Wild (an over 100% game)! What threw me was that I sat down at a machine that I had played just the day before and took for granted that I was playing at the same quarter level. I got sick to my stomach when I realized my error and what could have happened. I have never been happier to MISS getting the 4 deuces or a royal flush!

The Suncoast has many non-gambling activities in-house that helped us enjoy our time there. There is a bowling alley and a multi-screen movie theater, showing all the latest films. Mom and Brad couldn’t wait for my kids to get in town so they could go see Harry Potter with someone to explain it to them! Movies can be comped but not Kids Tyme, their childcare facility. However, you can redeem slot club points to pay for the charges, at a better rate than for cash back — .3% for comp dollars versus .25% for cash. It costs $5.40 an hour per child with snacks available for purchase extra. This is a well-equipped play center, with a large crawl-through jungle gym, video games, and toys for all ages.

We tried a wide range of food at the Suncoast, and all of it I found to be very good. We ate at the Italian restaurant, Via Venetos and it was scrumptious, although allow at least 2 hours because the service is very slow. The Mexican restaurant was very good too and a little more comfortable for the children. Any buffet is a great place for kids, and with the wide range of food available at the Suncoast’s, even the pickiest eater can find something to fill them”

12/7/2001

December is here–my favorite month of the year, both for the added cheer of the holidays and the casino promotions made in VP Heaven. I scarcely have time to breathe! Go to any Coast property any day from now through the 25th and you’ll earn double points. That alone could keep you busy, but check Slot Club Promotions (click the icon on the homepage) to find other bonus opportunities.

Charlie Rewards Club members at either Arizona Charlie’s location who are not interested in the Wal-Mart or Yukon Grille Reward Point Specials can redeem reward points earned between 12/1 and 12/24 for cashback at a bonus rate, 800 points for $1, instead of the regular rate of 1,000 points for $1. They have also added a new gas station vendor to their redemption options. City Stop has seven facilities spread across Las Vegas/Henderson/Summerlin. The exchange rate is 750 reward points for $1 credit, in increments of $5, $10, $15, and $20.

Silverton often runs good promotions, especially for quarter players, which makes up a little for a recent devaluation of its slot club comp-only points – requiring 500 points for $1 in comps, up from the 400 it took in the past. I’ve finally learned, from my friend and good promo scout, Scot Krause, the requirements for getting Silverton’s often valuable monthly blue coupon sheets. There are two levels, for getting either an A sheet or a B sheet. The A sheet has the best coupons and requires 5,000 lifetime points; the B sheet requires 1,000 points (a recent change from 500).

However, this month everyone, even first-time sign-ups can get the same valuable sheet (and double-dip by using your LVA POV coupon at the same time if you haven’t already done so). Here are the coupons on the December sheet–and what we are going to use ours for:

1. Smiths (local grocery store) $25 gift certificate when you earn 3,500 points on
Dec. 9. This makes a very practical host gift. However, we’ll use ours for munchies and drinks to serve at the kiddy New Year’s Eve party we are throwing for our grandchildren who will be in town visiting us. We are pitching into the trash all our fancy casino-party invitations this year and will watch videos, giggle, eat popcorn and pizza, and walk a half block from our condo to a high point where we’ll all watch the Strip fireworks at midnight and then come back and snuggle up in our sleeping bags on the floor.
2. A $25 certificate for Belz Mall when you earn 3,500 points on Dec. 10. Good–I can stock up on Atkins products at the Vitamin Store. A low-carb diet is making me feel healthier than I’ve felt in years.
3. A $25 Target certificate when you earn 3,500 on December 11. Wonder if that will cover a little red wagon for Brad? He’s wanted one ever since his was stolen when he was five. He says he can use it to transport all the gifts the casinos give us between the condo and the “casino comp museum” that’s spreading in our garage.
4. Walgreens $20 certificate when you earn 3,000 points on Dec. 12. We’ll stock up on health and beauty staples when they’re on sale–and maybe I’ll buy new antlers to wear this holiday season –the lights burned out on the pair I have. If you see an antler-clad woman at a VP machine, stop and say “hi.”

Now here is a personal message from my daughter, Angela, the Frugal Princess:

I’ve been so touched recently by those of you who have been inquiring about sending items to my Army husband, the other soldiers in his unit, and the children in Kosovo, where he is now deployed. The holidays are always a difficult time to be away from loved ones, but because of the recent tragedies and world events, this year seems
to be even more stressful.

My husband, Steve, enjoys reaching out to the local children–it helps him feel connected to the two he’s been forced to temporarily leave behind. He e-mailed me recently that “”the children love to see the soldiers and are always there to talk to them. This really makes the patrols worthwhile. … Most of

12/14/2001
Lots of slot club news these days—some good, some bad.

First, the bad. Bally’s and Paris seem to have taken a step backwards. They had started to be more forthcoming in telling the details of their slot club after being a “don’t-ask won’t-tell” club for a long time. But Jeff Compton, in his “Players Edge” column in the Review-Journal, reports on a recent disappointing change—the card readers no longer show your point balance, necessitating an aggravating trip to the booth for information. He and I hope this is a temporary change and they will get back on track soon.

This same column confirms the rumor that has been circulating for months—the slot club at the Golden Nugget will get in line with those of other MGM Mirage’s Strip properties, by reducing its cashback for video poker from .67% to .33% beginning January 2. You can find these valuable weekly Players Edge columns, both the current one and the past ones, at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/opinion/packages/columnists/edge.html. This should be one of the Web sites you visit every Friday if you want to keep up to date on slot club changes and promotions—right after you read Frugal Fridays first, of course!

Now good slot club news: The Las Vegas Club finally has card readers on most machines and its slot club should be fully operational, including cashback, on Jan. 2. I hear that when you join, you get 4,000 free points, but I don’t know how long this bonus will be in effect.

Already we’re getting frequent bounce-back checks and other mailing goodies from the Palms, and we haven’t had time to play there very much since it opened. Good mailings can be as good or better than regular slot club cashback. The only problem is that it’s not something you can always track carefully. So we’re taking a wait-and-see attitude before we give the Palms slot club a thumbs up or down for its comp-only policy.

Silverton is giving its regular players a chance to redeem some of their comp points for the same value in cash; however, you must have the mailed coupons that give specific times and days and limits—you cannot get them at the booth.

Good hotel tidings: “Harrah’s made its own news on Monday announcing that it is dropping its $3 a night energy surcharge at Harrah’s Las Vegas and the Rio. The Las Vegas Sun followed up with a story that Park Place had dropped its surcharge in September, while Boyd Gaming and Station Casinos are keeping theirs.” This from the Gaming Morning Report, an interesting casino-industry financial newsletter you can subscribe to at [email protected].

But back to bad news from the same source: “2003 is … when investors are expecting business in Las Vegas to return to normal, Jason Ader of Bear Stearns said.” On the other hand, that may be good news for some. “If he is correct, and several other analysts have said the same, there may be plenty of opportunities to buy casino stocks cheaply.” Hey, I’m just quoting here—don’t run out and buy casino stocks and then blame me when they tank!

Talk about the stock market led my thoughts to taxes, a subject we will all have to deal with far too soon. Sitting side by side at an excellent video poker opportunity with our tax accountant/financial planner and friend, Marissa Chien, I heard about all the good new tax changes we might be able to take advantage of next year, including some that might be especially valuable if we have another really good winning year. I thought then how lucky we were to find a good all-around financial planner who was a gambler herself and knew all the ins and outs of the complex tax issues that face all gamblers, winners or losers, once-in-awhile casino visitors or regular serious players. For far too long, I felt I had to educate an accountant/tax preparer with my limited knowledge of the subject.

12/21/2001

Here are some good parking-garage tips for Vegas—or for anywhere really, from posters on Skip’s VP List (Subscribe at http://vphomepage.com). “A little investigation in the parking garages can garner you a good spot, not that far from the elevator. The secret? Just keep going up to a higher floor. I’m always amazed how people will crowd into the first or second floor, driving around and around looking for the best space, cursing out others who get there a second sooner, and end up parking a half-mile away from the elevator. Just take an extra minute to go to the next floor and there are often spaces right near the door. I quickly discovered Suncoast’s third floor is almost deserted. Higher floors at Palace & Sunset Station, as well as at Hard Rock and JW Marriott (formerly the Regent), revealed parking spaces right next to the handicapped spots. And it usually takes less than a minute to drive to the higher floor.”

And here’s another good one: “A smart trick when the traffic is one way is to cross over to the down traffic on the second or third floor while everybody else goes to the top and then works their way down.”

Good ideas to think about during an endless wait for your valet-parked vehicle to appear.

BRIEFS
From an article on the history of poker by Basil Nestor in the March Casino Player: “Consider this amazing linguistic metamorphosis. Poker’s rotating dealer was often designated by a buckhorn knife in frontier days. The knife was replaced by a silver dollar as the frontier gave way to towns, and dollars became known as ‘bucks.’ When players passed the responsibility of dealing to someone else, they were ‘passing the buck.’ One young man from Missouri who loved the game later became president of the United States. That man, Harry Truman, immortalized the phrase, ‘The buck stops here.’ Three universal metaphors from just one tiny function. That’s the power of poker. The whole game is a metaphor for American life, and vice versa.”

Good feature of the Hard Rock Casino slot club: You do not lose any slot club credit by switching machines. The computer keeps a running count even if several days elapse between two sessions of play or you switch machines often. This is reassuring information, since it takes $200 through the machine to earn one point on VP, $100 on slots, and the card reader doesn’t show a countdown. Each point is worth one dollar—so you don’t want to lose credit for any!

If you go up 55 stories to the Ghost Bar at the Palms, are you brave enough to try the two-person swing on the observation deck? I haven’t summoned up the courage yet. I can’t even stand on the glass section cut into the floor without suffering vertigo.

Your Frugalness has always loved Vegas in December because of the great bargains and promotions the casinos think up to get warm bodies through the doors. I’m reminded of what one casino executive reported, only half-joking I think, about why this time of year is so slow. “People would say that a guy took his perfectly good gambling money and wasted it on gifts for his grandmother.”

Happy holidays to all from Brad and me!

12/28/2001

I love reading about casinos and Las Vegas. I guess you might say I’m a gambling-information junkie. But look at the things I wouldn’t know — and therefore you might not either — although you might wonder if this is much of a loss!

You think you’ve had bad luck: A delayed flight kept a Wisconsin woman from collecting the $1 million prize in Ho-Chunk Casino’s second annual Million Dollar Giveaway (from the Casino Wire newsletter, which you can subscribe to at www.casinowire.com/newsletter).

Television actor Charles “”Chuck”” Zito was arrested at the Foxwoods Resort Casino Saturday night after refusing to remove his Hells Angels jacket or leave (from www.casinowire.com/news.asp?id=3791).

“”You have to dress more like the people of the region. Wearing a fanny pack says, ‘I’m an idiot, rob me.’“ From Peter Tarlow, a sociologist specializing in tourism and economic development and an expert in crimes committed against travelers.

Problem drinkers are 23 times more likely to have a gambling addiction, according to a new study conducted at the University of Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions (from Channel2000.com).

One hundred casino chips used in the 1962 James Bond film, Dr. No, went unsold at a Monday auction of film memorabilia at Bonhams in London. At an auction earlier this year, the bikini worn by Ursula Andress in the film fetched £35,000, about $50,000 (from the BBC News).

This next item is from the Everything Las Vegas newsletter, which you can subscribe to at [email protected].

Removal of Coffeemakers From The Rio
by David Berman

In-room coffee-makers are no longer available at the Rio, and possibly at other Las Vegas resorts that offered them as a standard amenity.

A subscriber to the AVLV Usenet group recently noted the absence of the coffeemakers while staying there, and subsequently sent the Rio an e-mail message of inquiry about the removal. A reply over the name of “”Rio Rita”” said, among other things, that the coffeemakers had been taken away as the result of a letter received from the Clark County Health District.

I was intrigued by the reason for all this, so over the past few days I have spoken by phone with the corporate director of communications for Rio’s parent, Harrah’s Entertainment, and with a supervisor in the Environmental Division of the Clark County Health District. I’ve posted the details of what I learned on AVLV and thought I’d share this information with all of you.

When cleaning guest rooms at the Rio, housekeepers would use the room’s bathroom sink to clean the coffeemakers. On a visit several months ago, a county health inspector pointed out to Rio’s director of housekeeping that this cleaning procedure is in violation of state statute, which provides that such items used by the public must be cleaned in a properly equipped dishwashing machine or in a three-compartment sink that allows for the use of cleaning liquid and two rinse procedures. I imagine that any of you who have been involved in the food-service business are aware of similar procedures as part of the sanitary requirements you’ve had to follow.

After the shortcoming was called to its attention, the Rio sent a letter of inquiry to the Clark County Health District, which replied in an early September letter that spelled out the steps to be followed.

After receiving the Health District letter, the Rio considered the possibility of using three-compartment sinks or commercial dishwashers located on every other floor, in order to comply with the cleaning requirement. But once it had given thought to this, Rio decided instead to just stop providing the coffeemakers in the rooms.

It is not my place to infer that Rio pulled the coffeemakers for reasons of economy, convenience, manpower, or anything else. But the fact is that they were not being cleaned properly and have now been taken from the rooms.

From the Las Vegas Sun newspaper, under

11/2/2001

Are you busy making out your monthly casino play schedule for November, as I am? I put down all the promotions on my calendar as I get the information, i.e., double points at Coast properties on Nov. 11. (Early in the month is a good time to check the free Slot Club Promotions list on the www.advisor.com homepage, although I make additions and changes all month long as I continue to get new information.)

We don’t play every promotion, but each day we can look at the calendar and see what promotions are available and decide on the best place to play—or perhaps decide that this is a good day to do other things. We don’t play every day. We do schedule our non-gambling activities around casino promotions as much as possible, so we can play at the best advantage at all times.

Our life is full of non-gambling activities: cleaning house, running errands, talking to our grandchildren on the phone, attending parties, seeing the doctor and the dentist, watching TV, going to movies, shopping, answering e-mail, attending shows and conventions, getting together with friends—and, of course for me, writing, writing, and more writing.

That’s one of the reasons why we enjoy living in Vegas so much. When we were tourists, we had to “play for our room comp,” so we sometimes had to pass up some better promotions in order to play in the casino where we were staying. And since we didn’t have the opportunity to play every day at home, we wanted to play more when we were here on vacation. Now that we could play every day if we wanted to, we don’t want to!

This detailed calendar planning has probably been one of the most important contributors to our casino success for almost 18 years. When we came to Vegas on a three-day visit in March 1984, we knew absolutely nothing about casino gambling, except that we needed money to do it. We had $3,000 and we lost it all. Still, we thought we’d “done well,” since it lasted the whole three days. We’ve had losing trips since then, of course, but that was the last time we were in Vegas and weren’t knowledgeable.

We started studying right after that trip, and I initiated my casino planning calendar soon after when we got our first free-room offer, from the Westward Ho. The calendar had entries only every few months for the first several years while Brad was still working, but when he retired, it filled up fast. Now it’s jam-packed with entries on almost every day.

Get organized—and I bet you’ll be a more successful gambler. It’s the frugal thing to do!

Speaking of frugal, I think some people think I’m too frugal ever to splurge. That’s not true. I splurge when I think I’m getting good value for my money. I used to value money mostly for the feeling of security it gave me (saving it for the unknown future), but Brad’s healthier “”live-for-today” philosophy has helped me learn to enjoy the fruits of our labor more. Getting old is helping too—I think the future for which I was planning all my life is HERE!!

One last frugal note: If you see a silver van tooling around Las Vegas with a license plate that reads FRUGAL, give us a honking hi.

11/9/2001

Murphy’s Law is always alive and well in casinos, but this last week Murphy outdid himself!

Brad and I have played in invitational tournaments for years. Some were blackjack and video poker tournaments that involved a degree of skill, but most were plain old slot tournaments where luck is the only deciding factor. And even though these tournaments are “free —we do have to put in a certain amount of play to keep getting the invitations—Lady Luck has not been nice to us. We were getting a little tired of attending award dinners where we were fortunate to get $50-$200 if not $0. Once we got $500, but our names had never been called for those big top prizes.

So last week, when someone asked us if we want to buddy up and pool any of our winnings in a Hard Rock tourney, I said, “Why not? Maybe I can get a part of someone else’s luck.” We’d never partnered before on any gambling endeavor, but I was getting discouraged that we were never having any good results in tournaments.

Well, you can guess what happened: I came in on top at the Hard Rock, for a whopping $20,000 first-place prize. Was I happy? Of course I was happy in my head, but I couldn’t get rid of that feeling in the pit of my tummy that I had “lost” $10,000 instead of winning $10,000.

Will we ever partner again? You can take this bet to the bank: NEVER AGAIN!

From the Question and Answer Department
“Jean, do you know if the Palms casino will offer cashback?”

With the Palms slot club, you’ll earn comp points on video poker, slots, and video keno at a rate if .25% ($1 coin-in = 1 point; 400 points = $1). However, you’ll be able to use comp points the same as cash to pay in all Palms retail outlets: the spa, seven restaurants, the theater and showroom, bars, food court, childcare, etc. They also will be sending cash offer letters (bounce-back cash), based on your level of play. I wouldn’t be surprised if they run an occasional promotion where you earn cashback instead of comps, the same as George Maloof offered occasionally when he owned the Fiesta.

In other Palms news, we got our charter member cards in the mail this week. They’re good for a 10% discount at some (not all) restaurants until March 31. And they’ll automatically give us double points for the first month. Charter member cards will be issued the first 10 days that the casino is open.

One neat thing about this slot club is that you can earn points in other ways than just playing the machines:

$1 wager on keno = 5 points
$1 wager on sports = 1 point
$1 wager on pari-mutuel race = 5 points
$1 wager on race = 2.5 points
$1 cash purchase in restaurants, hotel, spa, salon, and gift shop = 1 point

And one of the things Brad will like best is that you won’t have to wait in line at the slot club desk to get a food comp slip. Go to the restaurant where you want to eat, give them your player’s card, and they will redeem the number of points you need to cover your meal. Brad doesn’t even mind paying for a meal—I, of course, don’t go that far—but he hates lines.

Let’s Meet!

There’s another informal LVA get-together brewing at the 777 Brewpub in Main Street Station downtown Vegas. It’s planned for Friday, Nov. 23rd, at 7 p.m. We had a great time at the last one there: lots of eating, drinking, and just plain friendly conversation. Brad and I are looking forward to chatting with old and new friends alike. Come along and join in the fun.

11/16/2001

Some of my friends were complaining that their favorite casino had taken out all their favorite video poker games they liked. I’ve felt that same pain many times through the years, but I’ve learned you have to be flexible. You’re setting yourselves up for inevitable disappointment if you expect anything connected to a casino—the game inventory, a promotion, a comp policy – to stay the same.

If I ever write a dictionary, under “”change”” I would put just this one-word definition, “”casinos.”

Remember: You never marry a casino; you only have temporary affairs with one!

BRIEFS
Arizona Charlie’s is now extending its Rewards point redemptions to include bingo and live keno. Charlie Rewards Club members have the option of redeeming points at the rate of 500 points for $1 in wager credit. This is the same higher exchange rate as it is for comps. Also, in December they’re starting a new “monthly special” that allows club members to earn and redeem Rewards points for gift cards for a special retail store of the month. In December it’s Walmart, a frugal choice for holiday shopping, and in January it will be Target. The rate will be 750 points per $1 in value and the increments will be in $25 denominations. As with all promotions, be sure to check at the slot club for specific details.

I encourage people to exercise while on vacation in Vegas, even if you think, “”I don’t have time.”” Brad and I have always been big on long walks all over town. Exercise isn’t only good for your body; it also helps your head. Break up those too-long marathon sessions of video poker or blackjack and you’ll find that your accuracy and enthusiasm will increase. How do you get some? Check to see if your hotel has a spa and/or exercise room. Most charge a daily fee, sometimes a bit pricey. The Suncoast, however, charges no fee for its facility, and the Orleans charges a low $2.
A frugal change for The Frugal Gambler cruise Feb. 17-22. Holland-America has dropped the prices for that cruise and the travel agency has extended the booking deadline to December 1. So now you can enjoy sun, sand, a gambling seminar, and a free slot tournament at a bargain price. Call 800/659-2662 for the details. All aboard!

If you stay at the Plaza in downtown Vegas, you automatically get a free entry into their daily slot tournament. Don’t want to stay there? No problem. Every $500 of play also gets you a free shot in it.

Terrible’s has put back some 9/6 jacks or better video poker machines that they recently removed. Never underestimate the power of customer complains to casino management!

So many readers have kindly asked about my son-in-law’s deployment recently. Steve is finally in Kosovo, much to our relief that it’s not Afghanistan! The new family-friendly Army is trying to keep most overseas deployments to about six months, so he’s scheduled to return to Fort Drum in May, unless his unit’s replacement is busy in some other world hotspot. To help my daughter, Angela, and the two kiddies not miss Hubby and Daddy so much over the holidays, we’re flying them out of the upstate New York icebox to sunny Vegas Dec. 23-Jan. 4. Grandma is very excited and isn’t a bit concerned about cutting out most VP play during that time! Poppy Brad won’t admit to being excited, but you might not see him in casinos so often these days. He’s starting to haunt toy stores; he loves an excuse to buy the playthings he never got, growing up during the Depression years.

11/23/2001

Okay, I’ll admit it. I got a lot of flack about my report a couple of weeks ago, in which I detailed my human frailty after winning a Hard Rock slot tournament. Some of it was friendly criticism; some of it was, well, not so friendly: “Would I write an article … whining about winning ten thousand dollars? I don’t think so.”

In my own (feeble) defense, I try to write about personal experiences that show I’m just an ordinary human being who tries to “”play expertly”” most of the time, though I’m certainly not immune to making mistakes. I was trying to make a point that psychological factors are often as important as mathematical ones. I didn’t want to think about the irony of the results in the HR tournament, but I just couldn’t help that the thoughts came into my head. Of course, I was also happy in my heart to share with friends.

However, my reaction to these events did vividly show me at least one reason why I like casino games. I enjoy the rewards I get for taking a risk; I don’t want to decrease the risk if it means the rewards will be reduced. Another issue here is that we always look at long-term expectation and we don’t get the opportunity to partner up very often. Therefore, we probably won’t do it again for the same reason that we try to stay in a fairly narrow range of VP denominations. It’s easier to get to that long-term positive result the more times we do the same thing.

Anyway, I quickly got over the circumstances at the Hard Rock and have enjoyed the risk of playing that profit through a lot of VP machines since then! And one poster on Skip’s VP List pointed out something that made me feel much better. “If you’re still feeling any remorse, you should focus on the fact that had you not taken on partners, it’s highly unlikely that you would have won the tournament. Remember that a slot machine is basically a random number generator and that any variation in timing, down to the millisecond, produces entirely different results. Did Brad [who played my sessions for me] stop for a second before he sat down to get a handshake for “”good luck”” from his partners? Did he hesitate and think, at ANY point during his play, ‘my partners are counting on me’? Did he glance up, even for a fraction of a second, and smile or nod to any of you? That’s a whole new ballgame!”

BRIEFS
A last-minute reminder about the Palms: You have to join the slot club by Nov. 24th in order to be a charter member and earn double points through December 14.

I’m hearing reports of people getting good room offers by signing the guest book at casino Web sites or applying for a player’s card there. Doesn’t hurt to try!

Hope everyone had a Happy Turkey Day! Now, let the holiday shopping begin—unless you’re like us and have a garage full of presents the casinos have given us that we have no room to put in our small retirement condo. If we want to give a gift to you when you come to our home, we march you out to the garage and let you pick your own!

11/30/2001

Someone e-mailed me, expressing surprise I hadn’t given a report on the big private party at the Palms just before the casino opened to the general public at 11 p.m. on Nov. 15. Sorry to have kept you waiting. I’ve been busy with another Travel Channel shoot (to air sometime in April or May), there was the LVA get-together at the Brew Pub, I’m trying to get Frugal 2 finished and into Anthony’s hands, and there is still a little something called gambling in Las Vegas that beckons, especially in these days of super casino promotions. But here’s the scoop, better late than never!
First of all, I think this was the first party Brad and I had ever walked into on a red carpet with celebrity watchers behind the barriers eyeing each person arriving. Of course, our arrival did not cause any ooohs and ahhhs, but at least I didn’t hear anyone say with a sneer, “Who are THEY?”

Of course, after we got in we turned into celebrity gazers ourselves. Celebrities are pretty common in Las Vegas, but it was the first party we had ever attended in Las Vegas (or anywhere) that had so many of what the newspaper called the A-listers: Pamela Anderson, Samuel L. Jackson, Mike Piazza, Tony Curtis, Robin Leach, Gov. Kenny Guinn, Paris Hilton (wearing a dress covered with high-denomination Palms chips, necessitating a personal bodyguard), Phyllis McGuire, and an assorted group of local politicians, famous movie and TV types, and well-known sports figures that I wouldn’t recognize if they ran right into me.

Mind you, I didn’t see all these people—I just heard they were there. I did see Dennis Rodman at a table at one of the bars, surrounded by some unusually dressed friends. But he looked pretty ordinary—must have decided to dress down that night. Speaking of dressed, or more accurately undressed, the most eye-stopping figures were the “human statues” scattered around, dressed mostly in body paint.

I read that 6,000 to 10,000 attended. I felt like it was at least 10,000! How crowded? We had planned to meet friends there at 7 p.m. when the bash started, but we didn’t find each other until almost 11 p.m. So we wandered around, peeking into everything—the restaurants, the spa, the pool area (I hear they’re going to color the water lavender in the pools and spas — neat!), the nightclub/bars. We picked tidbits of food from the trays with which waiters were constantly circulating. Brad can always find the best sweets — these were in the high-limit slot room. The bars were packed three to five deep for the free drinks. We ended up at the food court where we could find a place to sit down and rest our weary feet. Cash registers were not yet opened—food and drinks were on the house everywhere.

George Maloof, the owner, was circulating just like the rest of us, looking as unassuming as ever, with absolutely no “I’m the-big-man” airs. I spoke to him early in the evening, saying that the best part of the party so far was at the everything-free movie-theater area, where I actually ordered concession-stand food with a smile for the first time. “You know how unfrugal those prices are. I’m the one who used to smuggle in my own popcorn from home.” He got a good laugh out of that! Then a few minutes before the doors were to open he saw me at the $1 full-pay dollar progressive video poker machines and said, “I knew you’d find those.”

Yes, Brad and I were seated at that bank when they were turned on, as was Anthony Curtis, Bob and Shirley Dancer, and many of our knowledgeable VP friends. The quarter full-pay deuces wild progressive bank by the front door was also full right away, as were almost every other machine in the house, slot and video poker. We played for about an hour and realized it was midnight and we were in danger of turning from being two young hearty partiers into two exhausted old people who just wanted to go to bed.

I’m glad we left then; that might have been you waiting patiently in line outside the door until security, enforcing maximum-oc

10/5/2001

My Frugal Fridays file is bulging with useful gambling information. The downturn in casino business may see a flood of promotions and offers that savvy Vegas visitors can use to make their vacation and gambling dollars go further.

BRIEFS
The Hard Rock coupon sheet called the Six-Pack, which you can get once a month at the slot club desk, continues to be a good coupon play. The gambling coupons are strong: a matchplay for up to a $10 bet at the tables, a nice Hard Rock souvenir (lately it’s been an insulated logo travel mug or a T-shirt) for earning just two points, and a $10 free-play card for earning eight points ($100 coin-in on slots and $200 coin-in on VP earns one point; one point is worth $1 in cashback). The coupon for a $59 room rate for one weekday night is certainly a bargain for these famous digs.

Then there’s a discount coupon for the new Starbucks counter where you can look cool drinking coffee with all the beautiful people and a coupon for two complimentary drinks at the Center Bar, another chance to look cool and mingle with the young and the restless.

There’s no gambling requirement for the coupon to get your choice of a deck of Hard Rock cards or logo shot glass. However, there is a new wrinkle in this coupon. If you take a coupon to the slot club desk to get your Six-Pack, a coupon that you can get online at http://reservations.hrhvegas.com/hrh/specials/ecouponhrhi.htm or in some of the freebie magazines, i.e., Showbiz), you can get your cards or shot glass at the retail store inside the casino with no obligation. If you don’t have that coupon from a Hard Rock ad, you’ll still get all the coupons on the other sheet, but the free souvenir coupon requires a $15 purchase.

Speaking of Showbiz, this freebie magazine, often available in your hotel room, has a good selection of valuable coupons, as well as extensive information that will help you make your Vegas vacation more frugal. I especially like the pull-out map, which has some informational lists, plus a good chart listing the driving/walking distances between some of the casinos — to save you from some exhausting it-looks-like-it-is-just-down-the-street treks.

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal: The IRS has agreed to withhold a smaller percentage of casino worker tips so long as hotel occupancy rates remain below 80% because of the terrorist attacks.

WARNING: Watch for special blackjack games that have the word “”fun”” in their names. These may look attractive, because they’re often single deck and have lots of special “”generous”” rules that make it look like you would have a better chance of winning. However, if you read ALL the rules, you usually find that blackjacks pay only even money, instead of the usual 3 to 2. This one change is so hazardous to your bankroll that all the others can’t counteract it. This game is NOT fun unless you enjoy losing money faster.

Another WARNING: Be sure you check the WHOLE schedule of any video poker game you play, including the payout for a royal. A friend of mine told about a woman he saw at Terrible’s Casino who hit a royal and was “”really ticked off”” when she got paid only 2,500 credits instead of the usual 4,000. Although Terrible’s has some good VP and excellent promotions, I object strongly to their use of this “”dirty trick””: short-pay royals that may not be noticed on many of their 9/6 Jacks or Better VP machines where the rest of the schedule is a good one.

The Frugal Gambler Cruise is still on for Feb. 17-22 to Key West and the Bahamas, but the October 15 sign-up deadline is almost here. We still have some cabins left and Brad and I would love to have more new and old friends join us for the slot tournament and seminars on gambling, as well as just soaking up the sun. Call 800/659-2662 for more information.

I leave you this week with a news item from the Las Vegas Business Press weekly tabloid, one that I’m still shaking my head over, asking myself if it’s nice or is it cruel. “”Alliance Gaming wi

10/12/2001

This week I’ve put together some notes on comps. First, a few weeks ago I talked about comps and how they almost always depend on points earned, not points unredeemed in your account. I suggested that you not leave your points piling up for too long as they might be lost. I did point out an exception at Fitzgeralds, where as long as you leave a $50 balance in your account, you earn 4x points for all your play. A reader e-mailed me with another exception: “”If you are not “”in-house”” (RFB) at the Golden Nugget and you want a food comp, you MUST redeem cashback points to get it. For a comp for two, you redeem 50 points and receive $25 in cash plus your comp. Therefore, I’ve been leaving 50 points in my account whenever I cash out. Even if you ask a host for approval for a comp for more than two, you must redeem points (50 for 1/2, 100 for 3/4, etc.).”” Ah, casinos, the masters of exceptions!

Which reminds me. I just came across a new slot club system that takes redeeming your cashback points quickly seriously: Casino Royale will wipe out your cashback points if you don’t redeem them within 48 hours! Hey, this is taking things a little too far, in my opinion. Fortunately, your earned comps do stay in your comp bank to be used for an indefinite period of time, and you can use them at the Subway shop there, Denny’s, and the restaurant upstairs, where you can watch the Mirage volcano erupt every 15 minutes (from a window seat). Don’t go overboard on amassing comps, however. You max out at $500.

Staying on comps and complaints, a friend wrote this on Skip’s video poker Internet list: “”A few days ago, I asked for my comp balance at the New Frontier and was told I had ‘plenty.’ I later asked for my comp balance and was explicitly told that they weren’t allowed to give out that kind of information.”” Ah, another casino that wants to keep its comp system details secret. Anything to make my job of ferreting out useful casino information for frugal players more difficult!

I’ve heard that you can ask for a comp to the Subway inside Slots-A-Fun if you’ve played the machines or tables either there or at Circus Circus. I haven’t checked this out personally, but I will. It’ll bring back memories, from 15 years or so ago when I asked the pit boss at the blackjack table, as a joke, if I could get a comp for one of Slots-A-Fun obscenely big hot dogs. To my and Brad’s surprise, he gave me a comp to the snack bar that could have fed a hungry family of five!

I usually try not to slam casinos any more than is absolutely necessary, so I’ve refrained from passing along this joke. But it seems to fit here — and I hope the culinary supervisors at Circus Circus will take it in the light-hearted way I’m offering it:

Q: What do they do to customers who abuse the comp system at Mandalay casinos?
A: They make them eat at the Circus Circus buffet.

BRIEFS
I’ve been hearing good things about a not-so-well-known shuttle service from the airport to Las Vegas hotels. It is a company called Las Vegas Limo, and you usually get to ride (with others) in an actual comfortable limo — only occasionally do they use a shuttle bus. It’s about the same price as Bell and other shuttles, but since the limos hold fewer people and fill up quicker and have fewer stops, they often make the airport-hotel transfer a little less time-consuming. A friend of mine who has bad knees says she always asks to sit up front with the driver to make it easier to get in and out of the limo. Go out the baggage-area door marked Shuttles and look for the Las Vegas Limo booth. And if you want private luxury you can have the limo all to yourself for a rate around $30-$40 an hour!

Go to http://www.msnbc.com/news/626096.asp if you want to read a humorous article about real/artificial life in Las Vegas.

The Westward Ho frequently goes to cities around the country and holds an open house. Those who attend are sometimes offered free three-night stays and reasonable air/room packages.

10/19/2001

There are so many promotions this month that I’m finding it hard to do my writing assignments! Check the Slot Club Promotions on the home page here and you could easily figure out where Brad and I are playing. And by the way, when I have reliable advanced information, I put future months’ promotions in, as I’ve done with the Coast properties for November and December. I’d like to do more of that so you out-of-towners can do long-range planning, but casinos are notoriously short-term thinkers. I’m lucky to know about most promotions on the first day of the month!

BRIEFS
The Barbary Coast slot club’s brochure has an unusual item under its Rules: “Bonus points are transferable. Each club member involved must be present with Club card and ID at time of transaction.” Most slot clubs do not permit combining of points.

If you love to stay and/or play at the Suncoast (as we do), but are put off by its distance away from the airport and the Strip, be aware that it has regularly scheduled free shuttles to and from both places. The Strip shuttle stop is the Barbary Coast. You can call the Suncoast bell desk or front desk to get the shuttle times and exact pick-up point at McCarran. You can also pick up a printed schedule at the front desk.

Just saw a cool ride on a Vegas street, a stretch Hummer called—what else?—a Hummerzine.

Silverton has a unique patriotic promotion this month. You can redeem your points for a donation to the Red Cross: 5,000 points equals a $5 donation, which Silverton will match for a total donation of $10. Maximum one donation per person. Friday would be a good day to go do this, since you can get a free foot-long hot dog for cashing your paycheck, hitting any hand-paid jackpot, or hitting a suited blackjack from midnight to midnight every Friday.

Depressing reading for old women: “Older adults seem to be more vulnerable to problem gambling than other age groups for many suspected reasons, including age-related cognitive decline, boredom, and underlying depression.” See http://www.casinowire.com/archive/200107/2568.shtml for the complete story. Then, “Women may succumb to gambling addiction nearly three times faster than men, according to the results of a small study presented at recent meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.” See http://www.casinowire.com/archive/200105/2489.shtml.

Are you in a casino with a cashless system? Have a number of tickets to cash in and you want to know the total before you go to the cashier? You can feed them all into one machine and then cash out one ticket to take to the cashier.

Single-Seat Blackjack Tables? “That’s right, a blackjack table that seats exactly one player who can play up to three hands heads-up with the dealer. This innovative blackjack table first surfaced at the Atlantic City Hilton (they call it their Chairman of the Board table). It’s plush, built in-house from mahogany with leather trim, and the chairs are built from ostrich skin. You’ll find the table in the baccarat pit. Resorts Casino also has a one-on-one blackjack table with two spots that’s available in the high-limit pit.” This report is from the free electronic newsletter Blackjack Insider, editor Henry Tamburin. Subscribe at www.casino.com.

Only in Vegas: We received this flyer in the mail from a car dealer: “You’re invited to play blackjack with our dealer at Desert Honda. The total amount of your two cards x $100 = your savings toward the purchase of a Honda or quality pre-owned vehicle! So come on in and Let’s Deal!”

10/26/2001

We were invited to a party at the Maloof’s soon-to-open Palms Casino last week–a reception held in the bi-level Garduno’s restaurant (one part of the casino that’s finished) in honor of the Sacramento Kings, also owned by the Maloof family. The Kings were in town to play the Lakers in a pre-season game at Thomas & Mack Sports Arena on Saturday night. (By the way, if you ever want to attend a sold-out event at this venue, start your journey early! We were in a 45-minute traffic jam on Tropicana and missed the first half-hour of the game!)

How did we get invited to a party with all the “beautiful people,” as the media described it? Remember how I often write about the importance of having a good relationship with a host? It bears repeating here: it’s important not only to get comp benefits at the casino where you currently play, but also because hosts tend to move around job-wise, and you may have “instant” benefits at a casino where you have never played, or one that hasn’t even opened yet.

And here’s a perfect example: Our former Hard Rock host, Mickey Petkus, has already started her duties as a host at the Palms. She’s familiar with our level of play at the Hard Rock and knows that we’re likely to give that same amount of play–or more–at the Palms when it opens. Therefore, Brad and I got what I call a “pre-qualified” comp–a party invitation and two tickets to a ballgame.

We were given a tour of some finished and almost-finished parts of the hotel-casino, including Little Buddha’s, a sister restaurant to the famous one in Paris with an interesting Oriental décor. The most spectacular stop was the Ghost Bar, 450 feet up from ground level, with an outdoor viewing area that seemed to slant downward and jut out from the building–and gave me instant vertigo. They haven’t yet put glass in the “hole” they’re cutting out in the floor so you can look straight down. I’m quite sure I’ll never be able to stand on this glass section. From what I saw in the few seconds before I staggered back to the safety of the bar area and recovered my sense of balance, the view from up there is probably the best in Vegas, especially at night.

Of course, the area I wanted to explore the most was the casino floor, but this was still off-limits, and even if it weren’t, there were no video poker schedules on the machines yet. However, if you read Anthony Curtis’ interview with George Maloof in the November issue of the LVA (already online and soon to be in your home mailbox), you’ll learn that there will be good VP schedules!

I’m excited that Brad and I are invited to the Grand Opening Party on November 15. Hopefully I can use some of that party time, from 7 to 11 p.m., to check out the video poker and choose a good machine so I can be one of the first to start playing when the casino is opened to the general public at 11 p.m.

Here’s my Tip of the Week. You don’t want to have to stand in line at the slot club when you visit the Palms for the first time, do you? Instead, you can go to http://www.palms.com/ and sign up online; I recommend you browse this Web site to find out all about this new casino and to get the slot club details. But here’s the best way to get your player’s card — and you can get your own personal host at the same time. If you’re an Orleans’ customer and had Danielle as your host, you already have a friend at the Palms. E-mail her at [email protected] and she’ll be happy to see that you get a card in the mail before the Palms even opens. If you’re a Hard Rock customer and had Mickey as your host, you also have an in at the Palms. If you don’t know either one of these hosts, you aren’t out of luck. You can e-mail Mickey at [email protected].

When you e-mail a host, be sure to include your title (Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.), full name, gender, birth date, snail-mail AND e-mail addresses, and add your phone number if you don’t mind the host calling you. And tell”

9/7/2001

Alaska was beautiful and the cruise was a relaxing change from the intensity of Las Vegas. But Brad and I are glad to be home – and we were welcomed with a whole month of super promotions.

Do casinos get together and talk about their planned promotions? Nah – I know they wouldn’t do that. But how do you explain the rash of Grandparents Day promotions this year? I don’t remember ever hearing about even one in the past. Well, I’m not complaining – it’s about time they honored the most loving bunch of people on earth! And I guess you can take your pictures to Silverton before Sunday for their “Cutest Grandkid Contest” – but I want you to know you’re in for some pretty steep competition – I’ve submitted photos of two of the cutest “Army brats” in the world! And they’d love to add a $500 savings bond to their portfolio. Of course, if you don’t want to face so much competition, or you aren’t fortunate enough to have grandchildren (yet), you can celebrate Grandparents Day on Sept. 9 anyway by going to any Coast casino, where anyone with a slot card can earn 2x points all day.

And where will you be on Sept. 12? If you are a serious advantage gambler, always looking for a really good casino play, you’ll probably be at the Suncoast, where they’re celebrating their 1st birthday with TRIPLE POINTS all day! That’s .75% cashback or .9% comps on top of tons of good VP games that are coinless! Now that’s my kind of promotion, even without the free cake and champagne noon to midnight, live entertainment from 1 p.m. on, and fireworks at 8 p.m. Brad and I will be there as soon as I can get rolling – probably at least noon, since I’m not a morning person, even for super promotions. Stop by and say hi; we’re always happy to take a break from video poker to chat with old friends and make new ones.

If you want to stay up to date on good casino plays, make it a habit to frequently check Slot Club Promotions on the home page here, especially early in the month. I spend hours on the phone badgering casino employees for advance information and verifying new promotions and changes so you don’t have to waste your valuable time doing the same. The monthly LVA and the Compton/Dancer weekly Neon newspaper column are hampered by advance deadlines; and this week, as usual, I have put in some updated and additional information that can save you time and perhaps provide you with some good money-making ideas on where to play.

BRIEFS
A hint for getting the cheapest price for Vegas show tickets before you get to town: avoid service charges by calling the casino’s 800#, asking for the box office, and booking directly with them. However, sometimes the fees the Internet and phone-booking services charge, some quite high, are worth the money if you want particular seating locations. Ticket brokers are an option for those very-hard-to-get tickets, but plan to pay a hefty premium. Of course, if you’re a regular player at the casino where the show you want to see is playing, your most frugal option is to ask your host about getting comped tickets.

The informal LVA fan get-together at Main Street Station in downtown Las Vegas last month was so much fun that another one is planned for all of you who are in the Chicago area on Sunday, October 14. It will be at the Winning Streaks Bar and Grill at Harrah’s in Joliet at 2 p.m. If you want more information, you can e-mail Sue Casey at [email protected]. Brad and I are sorry we can’t make this one. However, we’re happy that the sale of our condo in Indianapolis just closed and we’re now officially permanent Las Vegas residents – after 18 years of Vegas being our “home away from home.”

9/14/2001

One of the questions I’m frequently asked is whether it pays to leave cashback points in your slot club account rather than redeem them. There seems to be a persistent belief that a host will give you more comps, or you’ll get better mail offers, if you have a large unredeemed balance. This has been discussed on Internet boards recently in the wake of Arizona Charlie’s retroactively devaluating points (which later, thankfully, they rescinded).

The fact is, I’ve never found this to be the case in the scores of casinos where I’ve played over the years. Comps and offers are overwhelmingly based on EARNED points, not point balances. The only deviation from that rule of thumb I know of is at Fitzgeralds in Las Vegas. Its slot club policy specifically states that as long as you keep a balance of $50 in your account (this is a comp balance only; they don’t give cashback), you receive 4x points on all your play — along with more frequent offers.

However, I advise everyone to redeem cashback regularly. Likewise, it’s not safe to let too many comps points pile up either, since some casinos have unpublished expiration deadlines when points “drop off,” even if you continue to be an active player. And you never know when slot club policies will change or a casino will close or switch owners, sometimes so quickly that it’s difficult to use up or redeem points in the allotted time. The Desert Inn, Frontier, Silverton, Hard Rock, and Arizona Charlie’s come to mind here as examples, just in the last few years, where there have been some unhappy players who lost money in this “use or lose” game.

BRIEFS
When is a promotion not really a bargain? Be careful when you see airline tickets or airline vouchers given as a casino incentive or reward. I’ve found that these are rarely worthwhile. The fine print usually states that you must use designated travel agencies. When you check it out, you find that the discounts can only be used on full fares, making the ticket more expensive than a discounted fare you could get from the airlines or on the Internet. This is also usually true for a “free” companion ticket: You pay more for the first one than you would for two discounted tickets. So check it out before you play just to get this benefit.

Interesting statistics from TomSki: The average number of video poker hands dealt before you’ll see each possible hand at least once is 36,798,430. This is using a 52-card deck with 2,598,960 unique five-card starting hands.

From the Really Weird Department: I like “different” promotions, but the one that the Trop in Atlantic City plans to launch September 14 takes the cake. Called the $10,000 Chicken Challenge, gamblers play tic-tac-toe against a live chicken. Don’t all you advantage players scramble to get a flight there, however. The deck is stacked against you, so to speak. The chickens are secretly trained by a Tennessee farmer by the name of — and I’m not making this up — Bunky Boger. And the chickens always go first, so they win most of the time. Although casino executives say the chickens will be treated like royalty and will work in shifts of only one to two hours, there could be another hitch. The Review-Journal, in its story last week, said that United Poultry Concerns, a group that protects the interests of fowl, would try to stop the promotion, which, they claim exploits the chickens. I guess I should start an organization that protects the interests of gamblers against unfair casino games and crazy promotions!

9/21/2001

I received an e-mail this week wondering why last Friday’s column was so business-as-usual, with no mention of the recent terrible events in our country on September 11. Part of the explanation is that I had turned in the column the day before this tragedy. However, I had plenty of time to revise or even completely re-write the column — that’s the beauty of online writing. You aren’t bound by advance deadlines. The other part of the explanation is that I simply wasn’t thinking about the routine parts of my life last week — my mind and heart were too full of shock and horror and sorrow. I was frozen in an iceberg of inaction.

Each person has his own personal burden to bear as a result of the events on that fateful day. Many have major disruptions in plans and great financial loss. Most have smaller inconveniences. Far too many bear the loss of someone who was in the center of their lives. But no one can escape losing the feeling of safety and security we took for granted as Americans.

My personal burden is one of fear, an emotion with which I don’t have much experience; I’ve enjoyed a very secure life for 62 years. Many of you know, through her occasional writing projects, my daughter Angela, the Frugal Princess. I’ve mentioned in the past that she’s married to a career Army soldier, a Ranger and a trained paratrooper. On September 11, Steve was somewhere in a Southern U.S. wilderness, training his platoon for a November assignment, a six-month tour of duty in Kosovo. Earlier I’d wished that he didn’t have to leave Angela and the two kids in upstate New York (at his new posting, Fort Drum) to deal alone with the long cold winter that will be such a change from their last three years in Hawaii.

Right now, Kosovo seems downright safe, compared to places he might be sent. It’s interesting how one’s political beliefs and opinions of government policy change when it might be the tall, strong, handsome young Super Dad of your beloved grandchildren who could be asked to put his life at risk for America’s security. I’m going to have to pray long and hard to get myself to the place where I can accept that.

I know that, in spite of our heavy hearts, we all must try to get life as much back to normal as we possibly can so that the terrorists did not “win” on September 11. Next week I plan to be back with a regular Frugal Friday’s column. I know many of you are interested in how Vegas reacted during this crisis, so I plan to write a column I may title “No city is more red, white, and blue than Las Vegas.”

9/28/2001

Last week I promised you that I would write about red-white-and-blue Las Vegas, a city with patriotic feelings as strong as anywhere else in the U.S.A. As I’ve been traveling all over our spread-out city since September 11, I have proudly seen the proof of that everywhere, from children’s make-shift pictures of flags and eagles in the windows of simple homes in the most impoverished neighborhoods to the big new flags that wave from tall new flagpoles I can see above the cinderblock walls that guard the most exclusive suburban enclaves. When we went looking to buy a flag, no store in town had one of any size, so we cut out the full-page color flag from a our local newspaper and put it in our window.

Sure, we’re a “”company town,”” but the towering casino marquees replaced their flashing advertisements of magic, or dancing girls, or the message of possible riches, with eagles and waving flags and the simple message of “”God Bless America.”” A couple of large casino companies have contributed a million dollars for disaster relief — but small businesses all over town have donation jars at their cash registers in their best effort to help fellow Americans in this time of crisis. Our firemen have been out on the street soliciting contributions for the families of their brothers lost; our entertainers are unselfishly showing up everywhere for benefit activities. And so many people arrived to give blood that the Blood Banks were swamped.

If you just come here on vacation, you might think of Vegas mostly as the Strip, the downtown casino area, and a few casinos scattered around the outskirts. Actually, casinos make up a very small percentage of our city. If you fly into town in the daytime, you’ll see that most of the buildings are not tall casinos, but are red-tile-roofed houses, stretching in neat rows for miles and miles beyond the Strip or any casino. And in each of those houses is a person or groups of people that have lives much like residents in any American city. Many of these people will never enter a casino their whole life, will never play a slot machine or sit down at a blackjack table, will never eat a meal at a casino restaurant or see a casino show. Many may go to work in casinos, but when they come home and take off their black-and-white dealer uniform or scanty cocktail-waitress costume, they’re simply tired mothers who are cooking their families’ dinner or dutiful husbands who are cleaning out the garage when they would rather be watching a ballgame on TV.

Of course, many local residents do visit casinos, but because of time or money constraints, this is a special maybe once-a-month treat. Even most of the retired residents with extra time and money don’t go to casinos every day. Most of the time Vegas residents are busy with the same activities that you and your family are busy with in a non-casino town: going to school, earning a living, playing golf, standing in line at the DMV, reading old magazines in a doctor’s office, shopping at the mall, figuring out how to make enough money to cover all the bills, reading a newspaper, getting married or divorced, finding privacy time to have sex, doing volunteer work, welcoming new babies, and burying the dead.

And when disaster strikes in our beloved country, like it did on September 11, all of our eyes are glued to the TV, just like anywhere else, whether we’re in a casino or at home. For a few days life seemed to stand still, even when we wandered around doing necessary tasks, our pain so great we could barely breathe. The normally raucous casino atmosphere was strangely quiet, with most of the scattered gamblers around only because their planes had been grounded and left them stuck in a place where they really didn’t want to be. Everyone longed to be home, and that was where most Las Vegans were whenever that was possible.

Las Vegas is trying to start getting back to normal — that’s what our President urged us all to do. But there are new problems and heartaches

8/3/2001

This week I’m providing information that will be of interest mainly to local Las Vegas residents. However, it just might prompt some out-of-towners who visit Vegas frequently to rent a Vegas mailbox in order to have the required local address for the valuable Coast property monthly mailed coupon sheets.

The Orleans is now on the same monthly coupon sheet schedule that the Gold Coast and Suncoast have been on for some time. (I still don’t know whether the Barbary Coast is on this same schedule; it seems to be more irregular.) Instead of being based on lifetime points as it was in the past, it’s now based on your play during the last three-month period. For example, the coupon sheet you received in August depended on your total play in April, May, and June. (Remember, there’s always a month delay for the “figuring.”) Your play in May, June, and July will determine your September coupon sheet and so forth all year.

I like this system, because you can be gone a couple of months, play during just one month per quarter, and keep up your level. Be aware, though, that many of the coupons, and always those for cash, are date specific for their use — although it is usually over a period of four to five days.

Here are the categories:

$1,800 total coin-in for quarters gets you the $5 bounce-back coupon and discounted meal and show tickets, usually 2-for-1.
$15,000 coin-in gets you the $10 bounce-back coupon and discounted meal and show tickets.
$30,000 coin-in gets you the $25 bounce-back coupon and better (completely free) meal and show ticket offers.
(All sheets give you the same gift of the month and sometimes contain miscellaneous offers on liquor shop, bowling, ice cream, or drinks, etc., with the best ones, of course, on the upper-level sheet.)

The categories confuse some people because, even though Coast property cashback is based on COIN-OUT, the amount needed for the various coupon sheet levels is based on COIN-IN. (Hey, I never said this wouldn’t be complicated!) So you can’t figure it merely by looking at your points. You need to add back your loss or subtract your win. Bonus points have no bearing on coin-in. So when you’re playing on double-point days, you must first divide by two your points earned and add your net loss, or subtract your net win, to figure your coin-in.

Even though bonus points don’t count toward the coupon-sheet requirements based on coin-in, it’s still to your advantage to play on bonus-point days, since you’ll be reducing your risk by getting more cashback for the required coin-in. For many months now, all three properties (and sometimes the Barbary Coast) have awarded double points on all major holidays.

A disclaimer: The above information was accurate the minute I wrote it, according to my personal experiences and talks with casino employees. However, casinos have a habit of changing policy frequently. So I guarantee nothing!

BRIEFS
From the Internet, a tip for low-roller advantage video poker players: Fiesta now has nickel 10-coin full-pay deuces wild. The machines are by the pizza place, about three banks toward the blackjack pit.

Watch for “Tax Refund” promotions — the casinos want that money! The Plaza is giving a meal discount based on the amount of your check. And I got this e-mail message from Terrible’s: Cash your IRS Refund Check at Terrible’s Hotel & Casino & Receive Double Cashback for your Points up to the Amount of your Check. Most casinos with on-going check-cashing promotions will cash this check and give the same “reward” as they do for a payroll check.

8/10/2001

I just had to try the new Scrabble slot machines. If you read The Frugal Gambler, you know that Scrabble is the game that always brought out the competitive spirit when my father, two sisters, and I got together down through the years. My preacher Dad, now 87, has finally retired from the ministry. His hearing is going and he complains about his forgetfulness. But his skill in Scrabble has not deteriorated; he beat all three of us girls in a blood-and-guts game this summer.

“I guess I don’t have Alzheimers yet,” he told his physician, “when I can still beat out a doctor, a lawyer, and a writer.”

So I knew a Scrabble slot machine had a tough sell to get my interest after such a long illustrious family history with the game. It was cute to see the tiles dance around and Brad and I would give great thought to what tiles to choose to make a word before we got three Xs. It was interesting for about five minutes — well, maybe 10. But there was no skill factor; only luck determined whether we won or lost.

I guess I wasn’t surprised, really; I knew that Scrabble with no skill involved would be only a faint shadow of those family knock-down-drag-out games. I like to play the new nickel nine-line video slots once in a while for just a relaxing pastime, but I think I’d better stick with Reel ‘Em In or Easy Street. They take me back to a simpler time — when I was satisfied to accept the luck of the color spinner for Shoots and Ladders.

BRIEFS
The Coast properties are no longer sending out bonus point “birthday cards” to their slot club members who have Las Vegas area addresses. However, if you play and earn just one point or more during your birthday month, the birthday bonuses will be added to your account automatically and will earn the same cashback as earned points. (These points would not count toward the quarterly requirement to get the monthly coupon sheets. Remember, last week I explained that these requirements are based on coin-in, not on points earned.)

One slot club employee did warn me that sometimes, because of a glitch, the computer doesn’t have birthday-date information on every member. She suggested that the next time you’re at the slot club, check to be sure the computer does show your birth date.

Arizona Charlie’s (East and West) is planning to start giving cashback on August 20. I’ll give more details as I learn them.

More Vacation Village details to add to the July 14 report in this column: Don’t forget to check the Card of the Day before you start playing video poker. The bad news on the airfare spin is that the promo desk closes early now on weekdays, like 4 p.m.; the good news is that you can spin the wheel when you register instead of waiting for the “official spin time,” on the hour or half-hour as it used to be. And VV is the place to avoid at all costs on Friday afternoons/evenings due to their paycheck cashing promo.

This has got to be a joke, but I read it in the Review-Journal and not in the funnies section: “The company that publishes the Dummies books says it will introduce a line of idiot-proof slot machines sometime next year. A company spokesman says the slot machines for the gambling-challenged will be marketed to folks intimidated by multi-coin nine-line video slots.” The dumbed-down one-armed bandits will supply tips on how to win more money and players who reach bonus levels will get tips on everything from cooking to cruise vacations.

8/17/2001

Mark your calendars for the evenings of August 26 and 27, when the Travel Channel will be running shows about Las Vegas. There are two shows on the 26th. On the 27th is a Secrets special called something like “The Pro’s Guide to Las Vegas,” in which Brad and I appear. I’m not sure I like being in a show with a name like that — I hope they make the point that we’re just recreational, although skilled, video poker players. We don’t feel we’re pros! However, you’ll see me do a first on that show — hit a royal flush while the cameras are rolling.

BRIEFS
I read a great article (in a magazine for casino executives) by Bill DiBenedetto, Director of Quality Development at Foxwoods. He wrote that during a trip to a Southern casino region, he noticed three things and suggests that they be implemented in other casino jurisdictions: 1. “Employees should always say ‘Thank You’ and ‘You’re Welcome.” 2. “They should always put the word ‘Please’ into any request they make of a guest or each other.” 3. “They should say ‘Hello,’ ‘Good Morning,’ or use some other greeting when a guest approaches them.” I, too, wish these basic manners were more prevalent in Las Vegas.

From Billhere’s Viva Las Vegas, one of his readers talks about a casino he visited: “It’s a really funny place. I called out ‘Dollar tip!’ for the dealers to put a buck on the bet of their choice, and the stickman said, ‘Dollar on whatever hits.’ I laughed, but when I rolled an eleven, he called out ‘Eleven hit for the dealers! Thank you, sir.’

For those of you who fly to your gambling destination, here’s a sobering report from Peter Greenberg, NBC “”Today Show”” Travel Editor, that was reported in Casino Player: “While traveling on an airplane, it’s important to drink plenty of water — but only water you see coming out of sealed bottles. The holding tanks on most airplanes have bacteria counts that look like the bar scene from Star Wars. Just because a flight attendant is coming down the aisle with a tray of water-filled glasses doesn’t mean it came out of a bottle.”

What is a win? I have a friend who counts any money in his pocket after he gets home from a casino as a “win.” Some people talk about “winning” jackpots, even if they lost all of it, and more, back. I read in the newspaper recently that the golfer John Daly walked away from a slot machine with $630,000 on his recent wedding weekend. Cool way to celebrate! A few days later I read in the same newspaper a few more details — he’d started the weekend with about two million. I hope his new bride is like many people who don’t know the difference between gross win and net win.

“Although the casino’s edge is small, the problem with mini-baccarat is its speed. It’s not uncommon for a casino dealer to deal upward of 150 hands per hour. And since the casino has the edge, however small, on every bet you make, the more decisions per hour, the greater is your theoretical loss.”” Henry Tamburin, in Casino Player.

I love this quote from a stock analyst named Daniel Davila: “On average, based on win per day, a slot machine pays for itself in 100 days. For the rest of its useful life, it’s gravy. Basically, the longer you sit in front of one, the more you lose. Next to prostitution, it’s the world’s greatest business. There is no other business in the world where people budget money to lose to you.”

8/24/2001

Labor Day weekend will be here soon, and I’m reminded, seeing casino promotions planned for that time, what a good place Las Vegas is on a holiday. In fact, holidays can be downright frustratingly good; there are so many promotions that I always wish Brad and I could be in two or three places at once.

Actually, this Labor Day weekend the Venetian has helped us out with our indecision about where to play. They’re sending us (and 49 other couples who qualified) on a free seven-day Alaskan cruise, far away from good casino promotions—and far away from Vegas heat, which will be a welcome break. (I know it’s a rough life—but we try not to complain!)

For those of you who will be in town, here are some good sources for checking out the good promotions:

1. The Slot Club Promotion section right here on the LVA home page.
2. Scot’s Vegas Values at http://americancasinoguide.com/Promotions/VEGAS-VALUES.shtml
3. Player’s Edge by Compton/Dancer at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/opinion/packages/columnists/.
4. Also look closely at the ads in the local newspapers, where casinos often advertise their last-minute promotions. If bingo is your game, many bingo rooms give out special holiday bonuses, like little gifts, and I see these advertised often in the local paper.

I hate to write negative things about specific casinos, especially about casinos where we like to play! But lately, a couple have really blown it. For example, the Orleans decided to change the criteria for its monthly mailings, to bring it in line with those of the Gold Coast and Suncoast. Now, this is a good idea, since I hear through the casino grapevine that Coast Casinos is looking forward to a time when all the properties will be linked in some way—perhaps one card to be used at all properties a la Station’s Boarding Pass and/or a use of comps at any Coast property no matter where the points are earned.

However, the timing of the policy change was pretty bad. When did we hear about the new policy? The first of August when our mailers came. Why not send a letter a couple of months in advance to all Orleans customers informing us of the change, so we could organize our playing time to meet the new requirements. We play a lot at the Orleans, usually much more than the requirements for a $25 cash coupon and other high-tier benefits. Brad and I have been getting this same mailer almost since the Orleans opened—nearly five years ago. Suddenly, I get the second-level tier mailer, with only a $10 cash coupon and other lower-tier benefits. No explanation. We’d missed a couple months of play while we were back in Indiana this summer, but I thought we’d still managed to play enough in one month out of the quarter this mailer was based on.

What do I do when I think a casino has made a mistake? I go and talk to my host. She explained that the requirements are no longer based on lifetime points and quarterly play, but on quarterly play alone, with the requirements higher than before. Hey, a reduction of $15 for one or two months won’t send me to the poorhouse. But I did feel put out, because I wasn’t told in advance—or I would have made an effort to put in the just a bit more play I needed before we left for Indiana.

Will I quit playing at the Orleans? No. It’s the closest casino to our home and we like to play there. They have the VP games we like to play in a very cheery atmosphere, with a very good slot club. However, I’ve heard more than a few people say that they went and collected their cashback—and will now wait for the Palms to open to become their home casino. I don’t think that’s what the Orleans wants!

But the discontent at the Orleans is a small matter compared to the storm that Arizona Charlie’s stirred up when, without any warning, they decreased the value of slot club points already earned under a previously printed schedule, one that had been in effect for a year or longer. In fact, someone reported that a notice was put up at the East ca

8/31/2001

I have to write this early. By the time you read it, Brad and I will be far away from the heat of Las Vegas in the cool clean Alaskan air on a ship in Glacier Bay. But I am really excited that I have good news for you — after the “spanking” I had to give some casinos last week.

Arizona Charlie’s heard all our cries of pain and disappointment over the retroactive changes in their slot club and revised its policies in a way that will make most members happy again. You can again redeem all points earned before Aug. 20 at the same rate you could before — 500 points = $1 in gift cards for Macy’s, Dillards, and Service Merchandise, for gas vouchers at specified stations, and at the travel agency. They’re not putting a daily limit on this, but would appreciate “reasonable” requests so they don’t run out of them too fast and other customers have to wait until they’re re-ordered. This special redemption period goes through October 31st, when these vendors will no longer be available.

Another option for “old” points until December 24 is redeeming them for cash. You probably wouldn’t do this unless you absolutely can’t think of a thing you need to buy at any kind of store, since it takes 2,500 points to get $1. For points earned SINCE Aug. 20 you can redeem them for cash at a rate of 1,000 points = $1 (.1%) OR get $1 in comps for 500 points (.2%).

Another option for old AND newly earned points is a redemption program running through November 30, just in time for early holiday shopping. For 750 points equaling $1, you can get cards/certificates for Wal-mart, Target, and Home Depot. Depending on what you buy and whether you get it on sale, this option could sometimes be a better percentage play for old points than the one for previous vendors. There will be a limit on this redemption option of $300 per day in order to keep on hand a good selection each day for everyone to choose from.

Charlie’s has also set new specific time periods during which points remain available for redemption. All old points will be assigned an Aug. 20 begin date — that is, as if you earned them all on Aug. 20, 2001. They, and all future points, will be redeemable for 12 months from the date earned, after which they expire.

This has been one of the best examples of the value of taking complaints to casino management, something Jeffrey Compton and I have been advocating for years. Your one complaint may seem small and insignificant to you, but you don’t know how many other people will be making a similar one. There’s power in numbers! And surprisingly enough, many casino executives take seriously even a small number of customer complaints — often even one customer suggestion.

Keep in mind, though, that there are good ways to make your views known to casino management — and bad ones. Threats and harsh accusations are never as effective as calm reasoning. Losing your temper and screaming just makes you look like a madman out of control. If you make the complaint in person, keep your voice at a normal pitch, and explain your problem in a friendly tone. If you write a letter or e-mail, be brief and to the point — casino executives don’t have time to read rambling epistles — but in a polite and gracious manner.

Remember the cliche: Honey draws more flies than vinegar.”

7/6/2001

I’ve received some e-mails questioning the July Casino Player piece, the one with a picture of the author of The Frugal Gambler and a write-up about the “cookie-making gambling granny.”

Yes, I did say we lived in our Vegas condo two months before I knew whether the stove was gas or electric and that my cleaning gal said I had the only stove she had to dust instead of wash. But I do know how to cook — hey, I did it for 40 years. And yes, I do know how to bake cookies, even from scratch. Honest! But I’ve only baked cookies once in the last 19 years, since we started going to Vegas. And the reason for that time was that I had a coupon for a free package of cookie mix, so the grandkids and I did it as a fun project together. Casino restaurants have more cookies and sweets than our waistlines and cholesterol can take as it is!

So, Jeffrey Compton and others, don’t feel slighted that I have never brought you homemade cookies!

Jeff’s cookie complaint came in a post with a serious note included: “For those of us who live in Las Vegas and worry about our water supply, I question your advice (in last week’s Frugal Fridays) about turning on the shower before you go to bed to add humidity to the room. How long do you run it? All night? (You did say only five minutes, but that was talking about clothes.) Sure is easy to be unfrugal with other people’s resources!”

Having been part-time residents of Las Vegas for years and full-time by mid-July (when we hope our Indianapolis condo will be sold), we too are mindful of how precious water is in our desert area. I don’t know if the person I quoted meant to imply that she left the shower running all night; I was assuming that she meant for a short period of time. This would be the “greener” thing to do — and maybe some of the other ideas would be much better. But I just read in the July Advisor that Nevada made a deal with Arizona to store enough water to last through the year 2049, so maybe that’s a hopeful sign about “dwindling” resources.

The three-millionth wedding in Las Vegas history was performed this week, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority. (This was an item in the daily Gaming Report, for people who are interested in keeping up with gaming stocks and the casino industry. You can get a complimentary trial subscription by e-mailing [email protected] — tell him the Frugal Gambler sent you.)

Thinking about moving up from quarter VP to the professional dollar level? Don’t even think about it until you read Bob Dancer’s excellent article on the subject at http://www.casinogaming.com/columnists/dancer/062601.html.

A false report on an Internet list that the quarter progressive full-pay deuces at the Frontier were gone — causing loud moaning, complaining, and gnashing of teeth until it was corrected that they were merely moved — reminded me of a good VP scouting hint. Always case a casino carefully if your favorite machine comes up missing. I’ve known machines to show up in other locations of the casino, usually immediately, but occasionally at a much later date. Casino executives have been known to change their minds, especially if enough players complain.
From my friend PokerLefty: Seen on the side of a Vegas Plumbing Truck: “”A Flush Beats a Full House Every Time.””

7/14/2001

Just got home from Grove City, PA, after attending my 45th high-school reunion, the first I was able to attend since the 10th. I’m feeling “lucky” today — out of the 154 in my class, 23 have already died. Although I specialize in writing about smart gambling, I like to emphasize occasionally that gambling is only a part of what’s important to Brad and me.

There are so many aspects that take precedence: our relationship, our family, our friends, and our spiritual life. And most of all we’re grateful for the good health that allows us to enjoy all other areas of our life — in and out of casinos. Gambling becomes a problem rather than a pleasure when it negatively impacts what’s most important.

Here’s an Internet rumor that I hope is just that — a rumor: Apparently, a particular casino is considering adding a small service charge to each food comp over $50. Charging for comps? An oxymoron that makes shivers go up and down my spine.

A hint for table players wanting to be rated for comps: Before you start playing, check with the pit boss as to what the minimum bet is you must make in order for your play to be tracked. Just noticed on the back of my Venetian player’s card that it’s their policy “to rate all table game players wagering a minimum of $25 per hand.”

A great report about Vacation Village from a very frugal Internet friend:

“Vacation Village is always my first stop in Las Vegas. Combining the following four offers always makes for a solid start: 1) airfare spin; 2) free funpack redemption (with voucher in free tourist magazines); 3) ‘Ride the Bus on us’ promo; and 4) Las Vegas Advisor double-pay-on-a-full house coupon.

“Go to the Promotions Booth with your airplane ticket and free funbook voucher. The nice lady will give you a whole mess of goodies. 1) The airfare promo gets you a little manila envelope full of matchplays and a free hot dog, not to mention the spin itself with an EV of $2+) The funpack gets you a coupon sheet with more matchplays and a deck of cards. If you want to extend the time from 12 hours to 24 hours to do the spin, this voucher is the one you need. 3) The “Ride the Bus” promo nets you even more matchplays, as well as $1.50 in bus fare. Just tell the lady you rode the bus (no receipt required) and you want to do the ‘bus promo.’ She’ll give you a different manila envelope (filled with more matchplays), which you take to the pit to have time stamped. One hour after you get it stamped (and have used all of your coupons), hand the envelope back to the pit boss, and he’ll stamp it again. Take the validated envelope to the cashier for your free $1.50.) With the LVA double-pay on the full house, play the 25¢ 10/7/80 Double Bonus machine for $12.50 extra on the full house.

“When combining all of these offers, you should have at least $30 in EV per person. My fiancee and I always start our trip there, and have averaged about $75 in total take each trip for one hour of gaming.”

This is for those who are keeping track of Brad’s casino-logo jacket collection. I got him to put 12 of the oldest ones in our garage sale here in Indy last week. It was a tough decision for him — but, hey, I got $2 apiece for them, in spite of them being 15-17 years old. Some of those Westward Ho satin ones were in prime condition! (I wonder, if we kept them a few years longer, if they wouldn’t have become collector’s items.)

7/20/2001

An invitation to any in the LVA family who will be in Las Vegas August 8th. A few people from the LVA Forums have organized a mini-get-together at 5:30 p.m. on that date at the Brewpub at Main Street Station downtown. You can eat and/or drink and/or chat — it’s definitely a drop-in do-your-own-thing informal affair. Brad and I plan to be there and would enjoy meeting more of the “family.”

For the column this week, while we’re driving back to Las Vegas from Indy, I’m going to have my good friend TomSki tell you, in his own words, about one of his many video poker “”adventures.” He has one of the best math minds in the field of advantage play today, developing the VP Strategy Master, one of the most useful software tools for video poker players. But this story illustrates that man is not influenced by math alone: We all bring our very human characteristics to a casino.

“”Video Poker For Blood,”” by TomSki.

The title refers to a Suncoast blood drive held recently. If you donated blood, they gave you 2,500 slot points, worth about $6.25 in cashback. I went in and donated for the first time — even though I hate needles. I had to wait about an hour, then I underwent a preliminary finger prick for a blood check. From there it was on to the donation chair. I overheard the person next to me say that the finger prick is worse than the needle in the arm. After awhile, it was time for the nurse to stick the needle into me. My worst fears were confirmed: It hurt!

The nurse came back after a few minutes and said the needle wasn’t in right as there was no flow. “”Oh, great!”” I thought to myself, just as the nurse unwrapped the tape and shoved the needle in deeper. Yikes!

Eight minutes later she had to do it again! All the while I’m thinking of a video poker player I knew who died at 56 in January after complications from a needle stick that punctured a vein and got infected. (He also had heart problems and suffered a stroke soon after the blood tests involving the needles).

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, I was done. Looking at the bag of blood, I wondered if I had any left in me! That sure seemed like a lot of blood to me (one pint). So I had some juice and cookies, then I was handed a free T-shirt and coupons for ice cream and my 2,500 points.

But I wasn’t done yet; the fine print said I had to earn one point to get the 2,500. So now I was afraid that I’d lose my whole $6.25 bonus trying to get a point! I played Deuces and lost $1.25 on the first hand. On the second hand, I was dealt a pair of 9s and drew a third nine. Phew — I’d only lose $1.25. But no! I misplayed the cards and held a queen instead of the second 9 and got a zero pay. It then took me two more hands to get my point. So I lost $3.75 getting the point instead of only $1.25. I was sure bummed about that! But so it goes. (End of story.)

Now TomSki knows better than I do that “”life is one long video poker session.”” He knew he was playing a positive-expectation game for a few hands and the results should be thrown into the “”long-term winning bucket”” and not analyzed, with conclusions drawn by themselves. But it’s very hard to ignore short-term results — especially when they aren’t as good as we’d hoped. Even “”math types”” are human!

It happens to Brad and me almost every time we lose a coupon play. For example, we often made a special trip each week to each use the Terrible’s $25 blackjack matchplay coupon. And many days we lost on both of them — at least $50, more if we split or doubled and lost. Especially if it was a hot day and we’d been busy running around to other casinos, we would look at each other and one of us would say a little sarcastically, “”Aren’t we glad we did this terrific promotion?”” Then we would remind ourselves about the hundreds of dollars in the coupon column of our gambling log at the end of each year.

Advantage players of all types must constantly remind themselves of winning long term, because we’re all human and i”

7/27/2001

Arrived back “home” in Las Vegas July 23 — and we’re scrambling to catch up on the 11 weeks of mail that awaited us. The casino stack is so high it’s falling off the desk. So many offers and promotions and bounce-back checks that have expired! But lots more that we’re busy scheduling on our rapidly filling calendar for the rest of July and the months thereafter.

BRIEFS
If you haven’t signed up for Viva Las Vegas, you’re missing a valuable Internet newsletter and access to an extremely long list of Vegas buys and coupons, like the following:
Internet Cafe has a $3 off coupon. Check your e-mail and surf the Internet for only $5 for a half-hour or $9 for one hour, with this coupon, while you’re in Las Vegas. Conveniently located on the Strip across the street from the Boardwalk, between the Aladdin and MGM Grand.

You need to sign up for the free newsletter first at [email protected], then you will have access to 14 pages of coupons and offers, many that I have not seen anywhere else. With Billhere’s more than 41,500 subscribers, he’s able to negotiate some very good offers for food, entertainment, and all things Las Vegas.

Be careful that you’re getting the correct number of slot points on your card at Terrible’s. There are numerous reports of a “corrupted slot club system that needs to be replaced,” and basic points and/or bonus points often are not credited accurately. Keep track of how your points are registering and see a slot supervisor who can manually adjust them if there has been a malfunction.

From the Internet: “I was reading that Station Casinos is developing remote gaming that will allow machines to be placed anywhere in the casino: rooms, restaurants, poolside, etc. You open an account, deposit money, then play anywhere with a hand-held device. It would differ from Internet gaming in that the system would use existing gaming software — only remotely. In other words, if you wanted to play IGT double bonus, then change to red white and blue, you could.” Technology is traveling so fast these days that I can’t even imagine what the casinos and gambling of the future might bring.

Also from the Internet, reminding me of a frugal car-rental technique we used before we had our own car in Vegas: “I just rebooked my Alamo car reservation for the fourth time. Rates for my weekly rental went from $191 to $128 to $116 to $105 (plus tax). It pays to recheck rates online at least weekly.” And remember that, unlike most airline reservations, there’s no penalty in canceling a car-rental reservation and making a new one.

I read this note in the summer issue of Gambling Times, a gaming magazine that’s back again after being in business for 14 years before disappearing in 1993:
“Attention past subscribers:
If you were a subscriber to Gambling Times’ successor, Win Magazine, and you still had some issues coming to you when we ceased publishing in 1994 (our offices were severely impacted by the Northridge earthquake), we will be sending you a complimentary 12-issue subscription. If this first issue did not reach you through the mail, send me a note at:
Gambling Times Attn: Rick Stoff
16140 B Valerio St.
Van Nuys, CA 91406
I will personally reinstate a 12-issue subscription in your name.
Rick Stoff, Publisher

As I write this on Wednesday July 25, I’m looking out the window and seeing it’s raining. As long as I have been coming to Vegas (19 years), I’m still “shocked” when it rains here in the desert. But it does — sometimes so much that it causes flooding. Yes, flooding in the desert!”