TR - Second Trip to Vegas!!!

I%26#39;ll post as a reply

TR - Second Trip to Vegas!!!

My second trip to Vegas was a result of my play during the first trip (I posted the TR yesterday). So, I wanted to continue the saga with a TR from my second trip, which came to fruition as a fluke thing.

My buddy, who is a diamond member, and the same best friend who accompanied me on my first trip, and I wanted to visit Harrah’s in New Orleans. As a result of getting the Total Rewards card and playing in Vegas, I made Platinum Status on my first visit.

Needless to say, I was getting offer(s) almost every day to fly me and a friend to Biloxi, MS, Atlantic City, and Reno/Tahoe. I also received free room nights to stay at any of the Harrah’s locations in Las Vegas. However, my friend and I also received offers to be flown to New Orleans, but the dates weren’t very good. So, we called our local hosts, Nashville and Atlanta to see if they could accommodate us. We were informed that we didn’t qualify for New Orleans for the desired dates. I half jokingly said, “We’ll just have to wait until we get an offer to fly out to Vegas.” And she said, “Oh, you qualify for Vegas.” YESSSS!!!!

My best friend drove from Nashville to Atlanta and we flew from Atlanta to Las Vegas for SUPER BOWL WEEKEND. At the airport, there were girls dressed up like cheerleaders, and bellhops, who got our luggage and put us in the limousine. WOW!!! I feel like a high roller, even though I’m more like a minnow. Anyways, we get there on a Friday afternoon and roll up to Paris. We check-in at the diamond counter, which was fantastic. No waiting. We were given a P Room and the connecting room. This is also known as the Le Mans Suite. We received a high floor with a view of the Hard Rock in the distance. We also got our armbands for the VIP Super Bowl Party. The renovated rooms were fantastic.

We then proceed to get some drinks and appetizers in the Diamond Lounge. After a couple Crown Royals…I’m ready to play some CRAPS!!! I couldn’t find a table that was less than $25 at Paris, so I wanted to go to Bally’s where I had some success before. It is connected to Paris, so we walk to the craps pit and I discover a $15 table and the others are $25. We start gambling about 6 PM and at 1 AM I am down $1K. The tables were cold and I couldn’t make a field bet to save my life. I tell my friend who is at another table, that I’m going to the room to lick my wounds. OUCH!!!

The next morning, I decide that I should try the Paris Tables. I go down at 7AM and start playing. It was the only table open and it was $10 or $15 table. This had to have been the coldest table I’ve ever seen. The dice went around the table twice and no one had made a point. I don’t think anyone rolled a 7 or a yo eleven on the come out. BRUTAL. I brought $2000. I am down to my last $250. So, I did something I’ve never done before. I play the DON’TS. I am so glad I did. I won it all back…thank goodness. I am not a good shooter. So, I shot from the Don’ts and made myself quite a bit of scratch. I know this is viewed as poor etiquette, but I announced to the table that I was terrible. I was betting on what I know.

My friend comes downstairs and announces that he lost the same I did the night before at Bally’s. Ouch! We went and had breakfast at the Buffet, but we ordered from a menu, so I think it was a restaurant next to the buffet. The line for the buffet was very long. Great Breakfast, but with tip it cost $45. For some eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast, juice and coffee??? I wish they had a Cracker Barrel Restaurant in the hotel. It was delicious.

We went upstairs to retrieve our golf clubs and head out to Paiute Golf Club. It is roughly a 30-40 minute ride. All the cars are rented out, so we got a limo. In retrospect, I was hoping to get a break on this, but it ended up costing us $130 round trip, without tip. Anyways, we play the new course called Wolf. They have 3 courses there and they are all Pete Dye designs. I chose Wolf because it has an island green par 3 like Sawgrass.

The mountains are still capped with snow. The course is not green. The greens are not green, but they are fast and roll true. It was cold and windy, consequently we scored poorly. I did hit the island green in regulation into a 2 club wind. I was pin high right, but failed to two putt and made a bogey.

We arrived back at Paris around 7PM. I had made dinner reservations at Bally’s Steakhouse. I had read the reviews and was skeptical, but it was close and I liked the description of the décor, menu, etc. We arrived at exactly 8:30 for out 8:30 reservation. We waited only 2 or 3 minutes for our table. We sat there for about 8 or 9 minutes for anyone to speak to us. The waiter approached with menus, no wine list, no specials, just, “what can I get you to drink?” Ummm, my friend asks to see a wine list and he gives it to us and we look it over. I decide that I will be drinking beer while gambling, so I didn’t partake, but my friend ordered a glass. I don’t want to get off on a rant here, but we waited an hour for our food. I finally got up and talked to the Manager. He went to the kichen and in ten minutes we had our food. The manager didn’t bring the food. He didn’t come by to apologize. My food was good, but my friend, who is more accustomed to eating at fine dining establishments, was “not impressed.” They offered free deserts and coffee and we took their offer. I was still $135 for two with tip. I think I’ll try some of the other steakhouses when I return.

Back to the craps tables at Paris and I’m holding my own for about an hour or so, and my friend is at another table. I look over and all these guys are screaming, clapping, etc. Some guy just rolled for 55 minutes and he hit the fire bet for $10K. For those of you who don’t know, a $10 fire bet pays 1000:1. It is a dumb bet, but so is the field bet. During his roll he made $30K. It took three pit bosses to count his chips, before he got his color. My friend and I saddled in his spot and the table was cold, so we switched to the don’ts. By the end of the night I am up $1K on the trip. Woo-hoo.

As usual I’m up early to play, so I head down at 7AM and begin playing. My friend gets me to go to breakfast, but this time we go to the diamond lounge where it is free. It is Super Bowl Sunday. We have our armbands on and are getting geared for the game. My friend places a $100 bet on the Giants. I wish I ‘d done the same.

We head to the party and I’ve never seen anything like it. Three pretty girls dressed as referees with short skirts on and pom poms greet us at the door. Inside the door there are people getting their pictures made with three pretty girls on a stage wearing football jerseys. At first glance, they were jerseys. But, their jerseys were painted on their skin. Oh BOY!!! It was basically the grand ballroom/meeting space. And on each wall was a 20ft. screen. In the middle was small riser that had leather couches and plasma screens mounted on the four corners. All around the outside walls was every kind of tailgating food imaginable. Dogs, Burgers, BBQ, Chips, Salsa, Chili, Brats, Wings, ice cream etc. and not to mention open bars. The food was fantastic. I loaded up and I didn’t eat the rest of the day. There was thirty minutes until game time and I wanted to smoke, since it was non-smoking. I head to the craps tables. My buddy says he’s going back to watch the game. I stay and play. I played during the entire game. I could see what was occurring on the tv’s in the bar area and they had the audio really loud. It was a great game. And I’m sorry if you’re a PATS fan, but I’m tired of the Patriots and glad the Giants won. Back to Back for the Manning Brothers. At one point, I looked around and I am the only person gambling in the craps pit and as far as I could see except for one or two people playing slots. I thought to myself. How often does this happen. It is a weekend, in a center strip property, and I own the craps pit. All the dealers and boxmen are just standing around waiting for the game to end.

My buddy came to play after half time and we were doing pretty well. After the game and the tables loaded up there was one situation we had where the point was 4. We both had a $50 don’t bet and backed it with $300 odds. On the other end of the table the dealer had marked the four and on our end they marked the 10. Well, the shooter rolled a 4 and everyone cheered, but wait a minute….the pit boss/boxman came over and I think he was afraid to call up for a video tape review, since it is his responsibility to ensure the puck marks the correct point, so they did the right thing and paid the line…and took our don’t bets. BOO-HOO!!!

Needless to say, I played until 6AM. I lost $1800. OUCH!!! Although at one point I was down $2800, so the last two hours I made $1K back.

The next morning we flew home. We had a blast. I wish we had won. But, I would gladly pay $600 per day that includes airfare, room, meals, limo, and 8 to 10 hours per day of playing, drinking, and enjoying myself. A round of golf at a great Pete Dye designed course and having my Best Friend with me was icing on the cake.

I’m going back for a week during Memorial Day weekend sans kids and I’m bringing my wife this time. I intend to see more of Vegas this time, such as downtown, and the other casinos.

Here’s to wishing I was back there now…Cheers!!!

TR - Second Trip to Vegas!!!

Love the TR Tim!!! When you come back make sure you go DT and play at the Golden Gate- Biggest Craps table you%26#39;ll ever see!!!

Thanks acsman, I%26#39;ll have to check it out!!!

Awesome TR.

So what would be an appropriate dealer tip if you won 30k?!

good question munkeyfellover! I didn%26#39;t see a tip, so I don%26#39;t know if they got one. If it were me I think $100 per dealer would be a nice gesture, but I don%26#39;t know.

Dude, you probably paid a lot more than $600/day. You%26#39;re not counting all the money that you and your friend lost working your way to Platinum and Diamond status. I will never rate that kind of treatment from a casino, because instead of gambling for hours and hours and getting rated, I stop when I%26#39;ve paid for my trip :)

Great report, I%26#39;ve gotta get there for a SB weekend, but the only free room offers I get are from Imperial Palace! Maybe try The Range at Harrahs next time for steaks.

Another great gambling TR from Tim. Thanks.

Now on to the boring TRs about feeding ducks and buying dice clocks.

LL