Comments on: The BIG Question

By: harlin kreplick

harlin kreplick — Sat, 27 May 2023 02:37:09 +0000

After 8 years retired in Vegas , we no longer feel compelled to visit many casinos. We are low stakes game players and still get gifts, either free or with 50 point from Station. We would visit there, Boyd, Silverton, Ariz. Charlie, Tuscany, Westgate, Sahara, Palms, Silver Sevens and Southpoint at least monthly and most of them weekly. Now, with very little in senior/locals benefits…our monies can be used in other ways. After playing 93 months, we only have lost in three. And we miss Westward Ho, Riviera and the free attractions.

By: James Immel

James Immel — Thu, 18 May 2023 23:29:11 +0000

Hello Jean
Thank you for all you have done for us frugal gamblers. We first met you and Brad at a bookstore in Castleton where you were selling your first book. My how time flies.
May I ask, Is there any good video poker games anymore? Games that we should be learning for our future trips to a casino.
Thanks again.
Jim and Bev from Indianapolis

By: nudge51

nudge51 — Mon, 15 May 2023 21:35:43 +0000

We have all heard recently about train derailments, but I had posted to the vp free group several years ago that the video poker gravy train had started it’s departure from the tracks, even before the covid closedown. Positive play searches have become a giant needle in a haystack mission. For Kevin and Bob’s comments, let me start with Kevin. I question his word of “megatoiler”. This sounds like it might mean a giant worker. Since R is right next to T, he may have meant to say “megatoliet”. This sounds like it may be a large dumping ground, which also likely needs constant cleaning. For the actual toilets, some properties will clean them somewhat, but I have tended to see them more dirty than clean. I would bet that most of us players will agree about what the outfits want to clean. My sum up comment for Bob is Pockets, Purses, and Wallets, OH MY!

By: Mo

Mo — Mon, 15 May 2023 02:39:45 +0000

There are a few things that are included in all casinos. If you build it people will come. Some people will have the thought that they will be at a casino and big things will happen. There are big corporations that will put out a promotion and there will ALWAYS be people who can justify the amount of money they spend.
There are large groups of people who spend big$ on seats at sports events ….. there are numerous other hobbies that are expensive. If the casino can draw you to a casino for food, alcohol or anything else, why would they care about anything other than profits.. The casinos have changed because people have changed…. The younger generation is definitely different. It is what it is!!!! Thanks Jean for all that you still do for us.

By: queen of comps

queen of comps — Mon, 15 May 2023 00:35:07 +0000

Enjoyed your frugal trip report in the link. Deserting red-eye flights was one of the first things that dropped from my frugal travel plans. They are the worst! I’ll pay a little more to keep good mental health!

By: queen of comps

queen of comps — Mon, 15 May 2023 00:29:24 +0000

My suggestion for cruise ship VP? Since paytables are, yes, so bad, just play them from your “recreational money budget.” Set loss limit, not bigger than what you would be very unhappy to lose. Expect to lose but be happy if you are lucky to win a jackpot!

By: Ken Mytinger

Ken Mytinger — Sun, 14 May 2023 21:00:31 +0000

Very much enjoy your blogs, Jean. And when another appears, I eagerly look forward to reading it and enjoying.

But different reaction with this one. After reading the references you gave, I’m left shocked and astonished. As always, your research is excellent and thorough (? …and who knows how many other sources you reviewed, but chose to not include here? …)

Again, a very interesting post, but I came away quite depressed. After many years of playing VP, feeling somewhat superior to the other “non-advantage” players, am now feeling like a squashed bug or something. As you write: “That was then. This is now”

Keep up the good work, stay healthy, and always looking forward to your next posting.

(btw, I was an engineer in a past life — the word “analytics” is kinda mundane to me …)

By: Bob Dietz

Bob Dietz — Sat, 13 May 2023 19:36:37 +0000

LOL. Mr. Lewis (above) knows whereof he speaks.

Here’s where I plug my favorite book: Addiction By Design by anthropologist Natasha Dow Schull. It’s the most thorough summary of social psychological studies and casino business history/strategies I have ever read. It’ll give you the willies like Whale Hunt in the Desert (just keep repeating “Hosts are NOT your friend”) while laying out decades of science and design.

And Mr. Lewis, I tried to come up with a clever line about “you can only feel the lint when your pockets are empty” or something to pair with your last line, but I couldn’t come up with something spur of the moment. If you add something pithy, please let me know.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 13 May 2023 14:13:15 +0000

I am reading this as we are in the middle of our weekend in Reno. Our mission was to accumulate points to reach Diamond plus. Mission almost accomplished. I need 3000 more points, and that should not be too difficult. We are amazingly ahead at the moment. Next, we go home and wait for offers. Since we really only gamble in Las Vegas, this should be interesting.

By: gamb00ler

gamb00ler — Sat, 13 May 2023 13:24:15 +0000

Rarely, the casino’s analytics yield some nice benefits for an AP. It certainly has worked in my favor at least twice. This happened not because analytics are flawed. It happened because the human analyst did not think to include all the data that was relevant to the player (me!).

In one case I had to play a very bad game to earn tickets for some generous prizes. However I could earn tickets very quickly and the net edge for the play was very positive. Each year my losses on the bad game were substantial but my drawing prizes equaled about twice what I lost on the game. This casino also had a player card swipe promotion every January. The swipe results must have been based on the previous year’s net win/loss record for each player. For several years I was awarded one or both of the top two prizes offered in January. Apparently the casino neglected to include the drawing prizes in my yearly win/loss accounting. The analytics chose me as the best candidate for the top prizes. I never did factor this casino error into my calculations on the advantage play.

This advantage play became a victim of COVID.