Category: Advice for Players

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Bobby Vegas —Wheel Spins, Tide Turns

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Getting tired of the mainstream media hammering away at the “Death of Vegas?”

I am. If you are, try the Bobby Vegas angle: “What a time to visit Vegas and get great deals!”

Guess I’m still a legend in my own mind. Heck, then call Anthony.

Anyway, you all are here. That’s what’s/who’s important. You care. And now that I got all that off my chest, I’m also here to say, the tide is turning.

Wynn takes the lead once again. I love the Wynn. The soft fabric, the hushed elegance, the outstanding service, my favorite roulette dealer who used to spin for Kerry Packer (now that’s history). But $50 triple-zero roulette makes my stomach churn.

Not anymore! Gone! Parking fees? Gone! Overpriced mini bar waters? Gone! Now we’re talking.

Maybe some of the other houses will wake up and realize you can still have some of our money, just not all of it. Sure, we know we may lose; we just want to have a good time and go home happy, probably hung over. Just not hosed.

Those that change get our business. Those that don’t, we walk to the next casino that does.

Example: At Resorts World, $21 self-parking is back. Seriously? Apparently. I once paid $25 for a club soda at Zouk. No refills. CLUB. SODA. Instead, I’ll dance at Oddfellows next to EL Cortez.

I guess RW’s casino management got out of their 12-step zealous overcharging rehab program and immediately relapsed.

Step one: Admit you have a problem.
Step Two: It’s bigger than you and you’re insane.
Step Three: Ask for help.
Step Four: Look within at “how you done wrong.”
Step Five: Ask for forgiveness — like, “Canada! Oh Canada! We don’t really want you to become the 51st state. Please! Come back!”

On to some deals and no deals.

I just booked a double play for Vegas. I’m going to The Dream Awards at Orleans with my pal Bobby Wilson, who’s hosting, then staying for Halloween, one of the absolute best times in Vegas ever.

And the super-sale tix from Southwest? I had to call in ( no charge) and speak to a human being (no AI ), who found an even better deal than mine: round trip for $148. I’ve maybe had an under $200 round trip, but this is the first time under $150.

How about a Groupon deal for Caesars Bacchanal Buffet for under $100? Apparently, with the add-on line pass and Mimosas, it was a $150 “value.” And parking for the hoi polloi is $20 (free for locals, 7 Stars, Diamond, and Platinum).

Yes it’s a fabulous buffet, but to me, $100 for it, plus parking, plus tip, is no deal. Better deal? The LVA MRB Palms Buffet two-for-one or half-price, all the lobster you can eat, and free parking. That’s a deal.

Used yours? Buy your friend an MRB and take him or her. I was sick, so I still have mine, but not for long!

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Career Path — Part II of II

Bob Dancer

In last week’s blog, in a semi-fictionalized story, I had a conversation with a recent college graduate, “John,” about whether he should become a professional gambler. I think I should have given him the “Stan and Pearl” test to see if he understands the basics of gambling.

I first discussed Stan and Pearl in my Million Dollar Video Poker autobiography. (Actually, it was my first autobiography. I’m considering penning Million Dollar Video Poker: The Next 25 Years if the new tax law provides me with a lot more free time than I currently have. We’ll see.) Every student who attended one of my “Secrets of a Video Poker Winner” classes has heard this story, and I’ve written about it in this blog at least a few times — but not for several years, and some of my readers haven’t been exposed to it before.

Most people believe the Stan and Pearl problem is very easy. And it is. Surprisingly, however, a high percentage of people get the wrong answer the first time they hear the problem. People who correctly understand what successful gambling is all about get it correct every time. People who don’t understand successful gambling, but think they do, often get it wrong.

Stan and Pearl are imaginary video poker playing friends. They play video poker with a level of skill and discipline far beyond what is found in most players. 

The game they play perfectly is $1 9/6 Jacks or Better — without a slot club, returning a bit more than 99.5%. 

Stan plays 10 hands every day and then, win or lose, stops. 

Pearl plays 10 hands every day. If she has hit a flush or higher (paying 30 coins or more), she plays another five hands (costing 25 coins). If in those five hands she connects on another flush or higher, she plays another five hands. Eventually she’ll hit a five-hand dry spell and will quit for the day.

Stan stops and Pearl parlays. “Parlay” is a term with quite a few different definitions. Here I’m using it to mean she bets with her winnings.

The question is: Assuming Stan and Pearl follow their strategy perfectly, who is likely to have the better cumulative score at the end of one year?

Don’t let the genders of these imaginary friends influence your decision. The names were selected for wordplay reasons. I could just as easily have made them both men —Stan and Paul — or both women —Stella and Pearl. 

When I teach it in class, I ask the students to raise their hands if they think Pearl will have the better score. I then ask the people with a hand up why they chose Pearl. The answers typically include:

“She’s riding a hot streak — betting more when she’s winning.”

“When she’s not winning anymore, she stops.”

“She’s playing more, giving her a better chance at getting lucky.”

Pretty soon we exhaust the reasons why people select Pearl. I then announce that anyone who voted for Pearl having the better annual score has no clue about what the winning process is all about.

I then ask if someone who voted for Stan having the better score will explain why. Almost always I get the correct answer: 9/6 Jacks or Better without a slot club is a game where the house has a half-percent advantage. Since Pearl plays more when the house has the advantage, she will lose more than Stan, on average. Since Stan plays less of this negative game, he will lose less. They will both be net losers, but Stan will lose less.

I then give them the second version of the puzzle. This time they are playing the same 99.5% game but there is now a 1% cash slot club. Stan still plays 10 hands per day, and Pearl still plays at least 10 hands, and more if she hits a flush or higher. Now who likely has the better score?

Most of the class correctly vote for Pearl this time. With the slot club, the player has a half-percent advantage over the house and now whoever bets more has the better chance of coming out ahead.

In summary, if you have the advantage, over time you’ll likely come out ahead. If you don’t, you likely won’t.

The reason I’m bringing this story out again is that in the scenario I outlined in last week’s blog, I had a discussion with a recent college graduate about whether he could pursue a life as a professional gambler. 

I wished I had given him this test. Anyone wishing to succeed at gambling should get the right answer for the right reason.

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Bobby Vegas—Frugal Video Poker Strategy Guide Mobile E-Book!

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Imagine you have all the info to find and play the best video poker games and pay schedules, where the games are located in any casino, with free practice games and strategy cards … all on your phone.

Impossible? Not at all!

Introducing, for the first time, Jean Scott’s fantastic “Frugal Video Poker Strategy Guide” mobile e-book — brought to you by Las Vegas Advisor and me, Bobby Vegas.

I used the hard copy of FVPSG for many years and to great success, winning thousands from the information in the handy little booklet. It led me to Downtown Grand’s Furnace Bar Double Double Bonus progressive (now downgraded, but ongoing) and White Hot Aces royal Progressive at Rainbow Henderson (still active), to name just two.

All along, I’ve wanted a mobile version for convenience and up-to-the-minute information. So we created and produced it! And it’s now available.

Want to find the best video poker pay schedule in any casino? It’s on your phone.

Want to find exactly where the best machines are in any casino? We show you.

Want to know if that progressive is breakeven? That too is on your “Frugal Video Poker Strategy Guide” mobile e-book.

In the package is also my “Best Video Poker on the Strip” booklet, including the best video poker on and around the Strip, what games to play, where to locate the best video poker in almost every U.S. casino, and links to free practice video poker games and strategy cards.

How do you get the FVPSG e-book for less than $10?

If you’re an LVA subscriber, go to BobbyVegas.com and use coupon code SUBSCRIBE. And anyone who purchased the original pocket-size hard copy can use the code HARDCOPY. Both get $10 off. Your cost, $9.88 — $10 saved just for reading this post. article.

You’ll have all you need to:

  • Assess 37 of the most popular video poker games and 184 pay schedules
  • Find the best games in any casino
  • Learn the correct strategies with free practice games and strategy cards.

Hard copies are available from LVA/Huntington Press for $24.99 or buy the e-book at BobbyVegas.com for $9.88.

There’s a lot of treasure out there for you to win when you know where to look and when, how and which games to play. So grab your copy and cash in!

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Bobby Vegas — Welcome to NoResortFeeNation

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Ya know what I love about Vegas? Casino competition. When they sweat, we win.

A couple corporate casino number crunchers are sitting around at the bar, cooking up short con schemes, and wondering, “So! How can we squeeze another couple of bucks — No, wait! How can we really hose these yahoos out of as many of their hard-earned scheckels as (in)humanly possible? Let’s add a resort fee and charge ’em for things they’re already getting! And a parking fee! And raise prices on everything, even coffee, and make it real hard to cash TITOs, and even charge for plates and tableware on room-service deliveries. And while we’re at it, let’s keep laying off employees to save on the expense side.”

Well, that worked like a charm, to the tune of a billion smackolas a month for a few years and you’re all fat and happy. But you know what? The regulars aren’t just grumbling, but are finally downright PISSED. “Vegas ain’t what it used ta be. Where’s value gone? I’m bein’ hosed six ways thru Sunday.”

A lot of them got their revenge. How? They stopped coming.

Empty rooms. Shows closing. Gross gaming revenue down 10 months in a row. International tourism down 20%. Corporate shills sweating. What to do? Sober up? Fuggedabouddit.

Lightbulb moment. “Let’s drop resort fees!” Brilliant.

Now, I don’t hate to say I told you so. I’m glad I said, “The trickle of No Resort Fees this spring is gonna turn into a river.”

I reported many no resort fee deals (call it NRF), like Treasure Island and Fontainebleau. And just last month Golden Nugget and just this week Resorts World. Ka-ching. Next!

Oh, and a shout out to Four Queens and Binion’s, which are always NRF (plus great video poker and points promos).

I’ve already written about the awesome $125-a-day package at the Plaza: 2 nights, 2 meals a day, unlimited drinks, NRF, and free parking. (Or try their bingo deal.)

Now Downtown Grand is running to catch up: two weekend nights, $100 food an beverage credit, 4 drink tix, upgraded room, free parking (that’s a given) NRF for (drumroll) 250 smackers. Add the food-bev credits, toss in the $50 matchplay at checkin, and you’re talking a Hilton-quality room for $50 a night. On the weekend.
(Use code SMRWEMD. During the week SMRWDAY.)

This is the Vegas I love. Great quality, low cost, gamble till dawn.

And here are a couple of other cool your ***off freebies. $2 ice cream cones at Baskin Robbins right now and my new favorite, at Tiffs Treats, 45 days of a dozen cookies delivered to you or a friend for $99! A $1,000 value. Yummy! And no Red Robin burger debacle either; I already bought it, but Summer Passes are limited, so if you have the munchies or just a sweet tooth, as David Lee Roth sings, JUMP!

Special Announcement: My next, and hopefully last, surgery is Wednesday July 2. Please say a prayer. Whether you believe or not, it helps. Well wishes, sacrificial goats, vestal virgins, it’s all good. Except what exactly is a vestal virgin anyway?

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Bobby Vegas—Stacking

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Maximizing offers and coupons by “stacking” is a treasure hunt. Played right, you’ll maximize value through smart sourcing, combining offers and coupons. It almost always results in stretching your gambling, food, entertainment, and hotel dollars, reducing expenses to very low, free, or even cash back.

Playing on their dime on their time tilts the advantage, turning the edge in your favor. That’s what stacking is for — helping you win.

Ever heard the grocery store coupon stories about folks getting hundreds of dollars in free groceries or having rooms full of free food and housewares? Stacking is the key.

For example, you take coupons and one chain offers 2x, 3x, 5x or more on certain days or in certain categories or age groups. In the weekly circular, they list all their discounts and BOGOs. I add Senior Day discounts too. You stack them for maximum value.

On a recent grocery trip, I bought crab legs at $9/lb, jumbo shrimp, etc., on sale totaling $150. I paid $100. Stacking.

In Vegas combine birthday, sign-up, and come-back bonuses, LVA MRB coupons, etc., for a Fremont run. You’ll earn $20 an hour or more to visit casinos. How?

1) Use offers from casinos online and always sign up. Check the Plaza deals.

2) Learn to utilize your LVA MRB coupons. I get $500 a year minimum. That’s 10-to-1. At the Rio, I stayed four nights with no resort fee, saving $228.

3) Check LVA announcements for special offers like free parking, no resort fee, veteran or birthday specials. (See my post on these subjects and coupon runs as well.)

4) Do you have other coupon sources? Share your discoveries here in the comments.

I like the Las Vegas magazine newsletter, currently showing no resort fee at Treasure Island ($79/night) and the ongoing Westgate Sports Book play $100 get $100 (better for locals). Just saved you another $125 easy.

5) Plan a trip with a coupon/promo/BOGO or birthday run to maximize value and fun. I love stacking runs, like playing 9/6 JoB at Rainbow during a high-points earning period (50x, 75x, even 100x!), then using points and an LVA coupon to have a meal at 50% off or a 2-for-1 on points! That’s stacking. When I used to do this at Ellis Island, I called it “Free Steaks Forever.”

Another important way to maximize value is do the offers in order. Take come-back and LVA coupon free play offers. Play them first, concentrating on full-pay VP. Then use that money for matchplays. You’re using their money to place a 50/50 bet that pays 2-1. And that’s as good as it gets. Get matchplays from the LVA MRB, signups, monthly offers, and downtown using your Southwest ticket. Some offer it for other airlines or mentioning an influencer.

When things slow down and many signs indicate that they’re starting to, the opportunities will increase and … the adventure continues. Stack!

Note that many offers state, “Not allowed to be combined with any other offer.” You know what? I’ve never encountered a problem. And doing offers “in order” is impossible to track.

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An Interesting Slot Club Plus Other Thoughts

Bob Dancer

I received a strange email from a reader. I’m not 100% positive what I’m telling him is correct, but it’s what makes sense to me. Here it is:

I play slots and get weekly free play from MGM Grand and related properties in Las Vegas. If I redeem the free play at the MGM itself, it’s $100. If I redeem it at Park MGM, Aria, or any other MGM property on the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard, it’s $125. What gives?

The most likely explanation for this, in my opinion, is that the MGM Grand itself has looser slots than the other MGM properties. Assuming you’re going to play $20,000 or so through the machine when you come in (in order to keep getting the mailer), they’d rather you do it at the casinos with the tighter slots — so they reward you for doing so.

If you know about beating slots, shade your strike numbers depending on which side of the street you’re playing on. That is, if there was a game where you normally look for the minor being at least 17 before you play, use that number at the MGM Grand and 18 or 19 across the street.

Depending on how much you value your time, it’s probably best if you cash your free play on the west side of the Strip and do the vast majority of your playing at the MGM Grand itself. Even though the properties are right across the street from each other, the casinos are so large it can be a 10- or 15-minute walk to get from one to the other.

So Long to an Old Friend

At the South Point, I’ve played 9/6 Jacks or Better on the Five Play Multi Strike machines for years. Denominated in quarters, it was a 100-coin game, so it took $25 to fully load. It was a 99.8% game. In early April they downgraded these machines to 9/5 Jacks or Better, which makes them too tight to be interesting to me.

Even when they had the good pay schedules, they had nickel and dime games on the same boxes that were much tighter, and even the quarter games other than Jacks or Better were pretty tight. 

There are plenty of other games to play at South Point, but I’m sorry to see these particular ones go.

So Long to Another Old Friend

At the Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas, the dollar 10-7 Double Bonus machines are now gone. They’ve been a fixture at this casino for at least 30 years. Playing 50 cent 9/6 Jacks single line may be the best video poker alternative. It’s still slightly positive with the slot club, mailers, and promotions.

A Seven Stars Perk

One of the benefits of being Seven Stars in the Caesars/Harrah’s/Eldorado system, at least if you’re in Nevada, is that you get a monthly $150 free bet from Caesars Sports Book when you bet $100 or more. You used to be able to use Reward Credits to qualify for this free bet, but no longer.

The free bet is set up so regardless if you win or lose, you do not get the initial wager back. That is, if you bet at -200, which means you should win two-thirds of the time (not counting for the vig), you’ll collect a total of $75 for that $150 free bet. If you only collect that bet two-thirds of the time, that means your free bet is worth $50.

If you bet at +200, which means you should win one-third of the time (not counting for the vig), you’ll collect $300. Collecting $300 one-third of the time means your free bet is worth $100. Much better! And it’s easy to conclude that betting underdogs using free bets is better than betting favorites. I generally find a bet between +250 and +350 for my free bet.

For my initial bet, I find a bet around -200. I’m not sure why, but a sports bettor I respect told me I give up the least vig that way. 

Since these bets are a relatively small part of my monthly betting budget, I can use these quick rules of thumb without knowing a lot about successful sports betting. These markets are efficient enough that, so long as I get the bonus bet, it’s basically a certainty that I’ll profit over time. While I did learn a little about successful sports betting from co-hosting the podcast where we interviewed a number of successful sports bettors, my “expertise” is limited and the rules of thumb presented here are satisfactory enough for me.

If they stop giving away the bonus bet, I’ll continue using RCs to bet. Since I get to bet the RCs at face value, even if I’m only playing a 94% game at the sports book, that’s much better than playing a 50% game by redeeming the RCs for free play. 

When I stay at a Caesars property, which I do when I’m out of town, the hosts must use my accumulated RCs before they are allowed to comp anything. Since I play enough to merit being comped, I zero out my RCs at the sports book before I leave because the RCs would disappear if I didn’t. Some of the bets will win, so I’m virtually guaranteed to profit over time if I do this.

An NSU Puzzler

You’re playing NSU Deuces Wild, and the first four cards dealt on a hand are a deuce, a four, a five, and a king —- all spades. Of the 48 equally likely cards that could be dealt as the fifth card, how many are there where the correct hold is deuce, four, five? 

Rather than give you the answer immediately, I’ll spend an entire column on this puzzler soon.

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Bobby Vegas: Give ‘Em Good Gamble

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Not too long ago, I was feted by a “mid- to high roller” who took me to dinner at Le Cirque at Bellagio. Though we weren’t next to the window with a direct view of the Fountains, it was a very nice corner table. The waiters, sommeliers, and staff all fawned over us. We chose the basic four-course meal and each had one drink. My buddy told me the folks at the next able were drinking a Champagne that was $180 per glass.

The meal was fine—elegant and tasteful. I thought they were a bit stingy on the bread, which wasn’t warm. My guy had a $500 comp and the bill came to more than $750.

Was this better than a meal at Rainbow’s Triple B Diner where just about everything is homemade, entrees are under $12, and I paid with points at half-price using an LVA MRB coupon?

Well, not $740 better, not for me, no. And frankly, I’m a bit uncomfortable with all the fawning and obsequiousness. I’d rather “rock the block” on Fremont, play FP VP and stop in for a slice at Pizza Rock. Or a great prime rib.

Look, it’s Vegas. You can have any fantasy you want. ANY FANTASY — if you’re willing to pay. My fantasy is the one where I pay as little as possible. As my Carolina friends would say, “I got no truck with you doing what you do. It just ain’t what I want to do.” You want to live the high life? It’s your money. For my money, I’d rather stay at the Rio for four nights for $107 total. Walk right into the Pinky Ring. Get a smokin’ bingo deal at the Plaza.

As Jack Black said in School of Rock: “ Stickin’ it to the man.” THAT’S what I love.

Writing this blog today, I’ve had an epiphany. More than an advantage player, I’m a value player. While the casinos work to extract everything they can from us, I work to extract as much as I can from them. Smart. Legal. Well thought out. And then I get to share it with you, what Malcolm Gladwell in The Tipping Point calls an “information maven.”

And maybe now, as the hold on the Strip continues to drop, they’re starting to reconsider hosing everybody on resort fees, parking fees, etc. fees, etc. Okay, maybe not Caesars or MGM at least right away, but I believe we are starting to see cracks in their greed.

Most of us will be coming back and most of us understand it ain’t for free. Exactly like taxes, I’m willing to pay, but I want to pay as little as is legally allowed. And if we give our hard earned shekels to the Plazas, Downtown Grands, Four Queens, and others giving us good gamble, then the give-good-gamble houses will prosper. We “give-us-good-gamble gamblers” will keep coming back again and again.

So if dropping $750 on dinner rocks your world, go for it. As for us, we do our best to have a good time, get a good deal, and as Benny Binion would say, get a good gamble.

Because we love Vegas.

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Bobby Vegas: Crazy for 4 OAKs — ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS Play Max Coin

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Here’s why it pays to investigate video poker.

Checking out the new VP inventory at Downtown Grand, I came across two side-by-side machines with wildly different pay schedules. When I say wild, I mean like 1,200 coins for 4 aces!

Okay, that’s with a max bet 18 coins, so even at the lowest denom, that’s a $4.25 max bet. But checking it out on VPfree2, the max bet in this configuration is 99.63%, which for the Grand is pretty golden. (This game can be found at the Rio as well.)

Also, I wanted to pump up my points activity, being the end of the quarter (my host told me they reassess every quarter). I really wanted to hold on to my two comped nights a month, along with my max casino 50% room discount and $20 resort fee. So I was looking for a good play and lo and behold, the VP gods shined on me.

I’ve come to the realization I really play for 4-of-a-kinds more than royal flushes. It’s not like I don’t want RFs; it’s just they’re so rare, that I don’t play expecting them. Statistically, I’m “way overdue,” but in the meantime, I’m happy with my self-anointed King of 4 OAKS crown, with 16 of the little beauties in eight days — for me a new record.

And when playing a game with huge extra bonuses for 4 OAKS, yes, I’m tilting my strategy in their favor. Oh boy, did that work out well.

So what’s the game, Bobby? Come on! Shake the tree! The game is Triple Play Draw Poker on machines that say “Four of a Kind pays big with 6 coins bet per hand!” That’s how, with the max bet, you bet 18 coins.

That caught my eye and when I saw the pay schedules, I was flabbergasted.

I started playing JoB and hit a 4 OAK. Switched to Bonus Poker, hit another. Then went on to the golden moment on DDB and this is the payoff.

I’d started out the day taking my advantage protégé on an LVA MRB Fremont coupon run starting at El Cortez. There was some good free play in the back room and, well, I screwed up running my $10 FP through and did not do max bet, so of course I hit 4 OAK losing the additional $50. And on FP no less. GRRRR (hand slapping forehead “Bobby, you bonehead!”). Anyway, this lesson paid off big.

Later, I was playing the Triple Play machine at the Grand and was running out of money. So I fed a dollar in to make the max bet. I won a little, but needed to insert another dollar. BOOM! Not just 4OAK but 4 aces for the 1,200-coin payout.

Lesson learned. Always play max bet. Always.

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So Damn Cheap

Bob Dancer

Not long ago I wrote about a time I was in Reno when there was a power outage at the Eldorado, the hotel where I was staying and playing. After calling the Peppermill to make sure they were open, Bonnie and I, along with one other player, took a Lyft to that casino (maybe two miles away) and paid retail for a meal at Café Milano. I commented that it was a novel experience for me to pay for a meal in a casino.

One reader commented: “Does it bother you in the least that you’re so damn cheap that you won’t pay for a meal outside of a casino?”

Another reader came to my “rescue,” if that’s the appropriate term, but I thought the subject was worth exploring a bit. So here we are.

Since I moved to Las Vegas in 1993, I’ve received more than $1 million dollars in “free” food. I put the quotation marks around the word “free” because I always tip on meals, comped or not. 

This doesn’t mean I’ve saved $1 million dollars on food. On some of the more expensive meals, the tip was more than I would have paid for a meal that wasn’t comped. Still, I’m sure I’ve saved several hundred thousand dollars over that time period by this practice.

I don’t consider this “cheap.” (Or “damn cheap” or even “damned cheap,” which I believed is better English). I consider this as part of the slot club benefits that result from my decision to gamble at a particular game in a particular casino at a particular time. Food comps are part of the equation when I decide whether a game is positive enough to play.

There are times I pay for food in a casino. If I’m playing at the South Point on a Monday, I’ll often eat there using points because on Mondays, seniors get half price meals if they use their points. That makes their breakfast buffet cost $8 worth of points rather than $16 worth of cash.

I have essentially unlimited food comps at a casino 15 miles away from the South Point, but driving 30 miles roundtrip (and spending more than one extra hour traveling) to save $8 is a stupid type of economy, in my opinion.

Let’s say I have a $40 food comp at a casino. I check to see if the sales tax goes away when you use the comps. If I only want $20 worth of food and it’s a “use it or lose it” comp, I’ll sometimes take food home. Not always, though. If I’ll be driving around Las Vegas in the summertime and don’t have an ice chest in the car, I won’t take food to go because it will spoil before I arrive home.

If I spend more than the comp for a meal, I’ll usually pay with points (if I have them) in those casinos where sales tax disappears when you pay with comps and points.

When I’m playing and all food is free, it’s smart to take advantage of that food — saving both time and money. There are casinos I’ve played at where I don’t take advantage of food comps because the quality of the meals is sub-par. 

I play less in casinos than I used to, so Bonnie and I eat at home more than occasionally. I don’t usually have comps at grocery stores.

Near the end of the month, Bonnie and I take inventory of what unused food comps we have that will expire. Sometimes there’s no way we can use up all the comps. Often, we’ll go out to eat at casinos more in the last week of the month than the first week.

The original question asked if it bothers me in the least to be so damn cheap. The simple answer is no, it doesn’t bother me at all. One of the “secrets” of obtaining and keeping a bankroll is not to spend money on things I don’t need. And if I have food for free, I don’t need to pay for a meal somewhere.

But if Bonnie and/or I are hungry and no food comp is available, I pay for meals.

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End-of-the-Year Wrap up

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Gather round, my advantage player scuffling children (“Please, sir! More coupons!”) and let me tell you the tales of Santa Vegas and Coupon Karma.

I’ve already encouraged you to use all your Member Rewards coupons before they expire, but what if you still have some left?

Here are two stories to warm your hard-boiled EV-calculating hearts. The purpose — nay! hey gift —is to keep an open mind. Don’t assume you know everything. More will be revealed!

I mean, does prayer work? Is God a good bet? Duke University did a double-blind study praying for two cancer groups. The group that was prayed for (unbeknownst to them) did statistically significantly better than those that weren’t. Hunh.

Now, I’m not making any assumptions about exactly what’s going on, but it’s very interesting, isn’t it?

So there I was, flying into Vegas with an extra unused MRB. The lady sitting next to me on the plane turned out not only to be a video poker player with her own MRB, but she was meeting family and was thrilled when I gave her my extra MRB for her clan.

Coincidentally, and many of you math freaks may call this unrelated correlation, it just so happens that was the trip I hit 14 four-of-a-kinds. Kinda cool, eh?

Then there was the time pre-COVID when there still were hard-copy American Casino Guide coupon books and I’d double stack coupon runs with both the MRB and ACG.

I’m up at Rampart and realize I have an unused matchplay. I HAVE To go back in for another roll of the dice. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.

I’d also been distributing unused coupons everywhere I went. Texas Station, Four Queens (where the slot booth lady, seeing me give away a Magnolia coupon while waiting in line, reminded me to check my ACG and let me use both the MRB and ACG free-play coupons. “Well, thank you ma’am!” As Jean says, you catch more bees with honey than vinegar.)

So back to Rampart. I go back to the crap table and the guy I’d left there has turned his original $100 buy-in into a row of blacks and greens. He makes another point and I place my $10 with the $10 matchplay on the pass line.

“That’s it?” he asks me.

“That’s all I got.”

Shaking his head, he mumbles something to the dealer, lays down some chips, rolls an 8 for the point, then a hard 8.

The dealer pushes $200 over to me.

“Whoa! What just happened?”

“Oh, he just threw some green on hard 8 for you.”

Now that’s why my favorite movie is not The Cooler though I do love that one), but It’s A Wonderful Life.

I’ve run out of word count here, but for good cheap pasta, I just have six words:
Sign up for Buca di Beppo! More on that in my next post.