Yes, there is such a thing as “free money,” leastways if you’re Mount Hope, N.Y., resident Sheila Baisley. She is no doubt saying stuff like, “Yum-O!” and “Delish!” after she won $100,000 in credit from Harrah’s Entertainment on the Rachael Ray Show. (Although Ms. Baisley’s big win occurred on today’s program, the press release is nonsensically embargoed until tomorrow; go figure.)
However … if you’ve got to spend $100K within the Harrah’s chain, how could you possibly expend it all? Well, you could buy a hundred dimes’ worth of casino chips or slot credits. And let’s rule out Forum Shops, since that is the purview of Simon Group. Short of working your way through the entire Harrah’s family of properties — and an extended family it is — how else could you blow that 100,000 clams?
Could you do it at Wynncore? Easily. Within MGM Mirage‘s harem? No doubt. At Venelazzo? Maybe not so much. I hope Ms. Baisley has many years of casino play planned out because Harrah’s isn’t running the kind of pleasure palaces right now that give one the urge to splurge.

Why wouldn’t she find it difficult to gamble $100K at Harrah’s? She’d be a piker by Watanabe standards ($127 million losses), but Harrah’s would probably comp Ms. Baisley a room and some (snack bar) meals if she took out her prize in a batch of chips and machine credits.
I would LOVE to get that many $$ to play video poker, with all plays accruing to my slot card points – assuming that I could play the machines I choose, when I want to play.
I would take the chips and head straight for the cashier and cash out. If I wanted to play I would find a casino with better video poker pay tables than Harrah’s has.
Cal
Uh…Caesars Palace? You couldn’t blow 100K there in a good weekend? You must be getting old, Mr. McKee. Whatever’s left you could probably blow in AC. Or New Orleans.
The Harrah’s empire clearly did something to get your panties in a twist, but the relentless bitchery does get old for those of us who like to gamble there.