Vacation Recap

Besides coming home with a slight cold (I always seem to get sick when I go to Vegas. Must be something in the air there) Joyce and I had a great time in Vegas and LA. Joyce liked it so much she was looking at job boards in Vegas and hinting she would possibly move there if I was so inclined. I love and I mean love Vegas but I am not sure I could do it 365.

I want to throw a shout out to my sister in law Anna and her fiancé Eric for putting us up for the weekend and giving us the tour of LA. I had never been to the city of angles before and after spending a couple of days there I must say I dug it. It has lots of good food and many a place to sight-see. Dodger stadium was nice but rather large and a pain in the ass to get in and out of. (Dodger Dogs I must say are rather good.)

Anyway, I want o focus this writing on my financial success and failures of each casino I visited. I do this so that next time I am in Sin City I can remember which places were good to me and which places kicked my ass. Here is a rundown of each casino I gambled in.

O’Shea’s – I have never in my life won at O’Shea’s. I don’t have any reason for going back but yet somehow on every trip I always seem to try my luck here. This time around the visit started off with a drunken moron getting into an argument with the entire security staff outside the entrance. I sat down at a poker machine inserted a $20 and lost it in record time. Upon walking out I told anyone that would listen that I was never going back to this rat hole again. This time I mean it.

Casino Royale – Continuing on in our saw dust tour on Sunday night our second stop was the Royale. The Royale is a toilet but, I have a small place in my heart for it. I got a couple of free drinks and played a on a poker machine for awhile. I wasn’t doing very well on it so, I moved to a video roulette wheel where I had a little better luck. I didn’t win here but, my losses were minimal and I drank for free so, it’s a win in my book.

The Rivera – We wanted to make the trek to the Riv simply because we were not sure how much longer the doors would be open in the place. We hoofed and it was sad. The place was a ghost town. No one and I mean no one was gambling here. At one time the Rivera was one of the nicer casinos in town, nowadays not so much. It was kind of sad and it would not shock me to hear they are closing their doors in the near future. In any event I found a blackjack table so, I plopped down $40 and started playing. I was doing the usual winning some and losing some. Eventually a new dealer came in and she cleaned my clock. I did get a free Coors Light. But all in all I took a bath here.

Circus Circus – I despise Circus Circus. It is old, dirty, has no character, and is an annoyingly loud place. There is no reason to ever gamble here. But, it was on our tour as again we were not sure just how much longer it would be around and we wanted to see it one last time. I played some video poker here for awhile and eventually bowed out down a couple of bucks. I usually get sad when an old casino closes. I will not shed a tear when this place gets imploded.

The Hacienda – On Monday a few of us departed to the Hoover Dam to see the new bridge that was built. On the way back we decided to hit a couple of casinos that are off the strip. Our first stop was The Hacienda. The place is small and way out of the way with nothing near it. I was able to get on a blackjack table. I started off slow but eventually turned my $40 investment into $50. I then took the ten bucks I won and blew it on a poker machine. After spending like 45 minutes there I was even which isn’t half bad.

The Eastside Cannery – We wanted to go here as they still had some slots that paid out in coins. I signed up for a player’s card and got $5 in free slot play. I sat down at a poker machine and eventually turned that $5 into $50 in winnings. I wanted to keep playing blackjack but with the luck I was having at the poker machines here I never got around to it.

Sam’s Town – I took my winnings from the Cannery and put them on a Blackjack table at Sam’s. I lost it rather quickly. I then went into my pocket and lost that as well. Eventually, I said this place sucks and walked around until it was time to leave. Sam’s actually is very nice and has a cool atrium. However for me personally this place bit the big one.

Paris – Monday night we had the family dinner so there was not a lot of gambling going on. After dinner on the way back to Bally’s I stopped in Paris to make my annual donation. I have never won at Paris. I have never come close to winning at Paris yet I always seem to think this time my luck will be different. I found a poker machine put in a twenty and lost it rather quickly. I will never learn.

Cosmopolitan – My cousin was staying at the Cosmo and all I can say is wow. This place is really nice. I did feel old walking through the place at night as it turns into a dance club in the evenings. I went back during the day on Tuesday and got a players card. They threw me $10 in free slot play for signing up. I sat down at a triple poker machine and parlayed that $10 into like when it was all said and done $57. The place is nice and I won there, I think I will be going back.

Aria – This is the other new casino that had opened that I had not seen yet so I wanted to check it out as well. Aria is also very swanky but I think I like the Cosmopolitan a little better. Anyway, I was with my cousin’s boyfriend John and my Uncle Randy. We bellied up to a bar at Aria and put some cabbage in some poker machines. The bartender then asks what I would like to drink. I could have ordered anything on the planet as it was on the house. I see they have PBR on tap so, guess what I ordered? I then proceeded to lose my $20 investment in a poker machine. We decided to get out of there, when I see a multiple blackjack video game. I always win on those. So, I throw my luck with that and get killed. At this point I am angry and want to leave. I have $2 left on a ticket so I go to cash it in. John has like $3. So instead we pool our money together and deicide to let it ride on one had of video blackjack. We win and feel like at least we saved some grace.

The Golden Nugget – We all hoped in the van that I rented and we headed downtown on Tuesday evening. I actually really like downtown Vegas. I know others don’t but I like that old Vegas feel that it still has. My favorite downtown casino is the Nugget. I actually think one trip we are going to stay there. I sat down at a blackjack table by myself. I put down $40. The first two hands I was dealt a blackjack. I had a feeling this could be a good ride and I wasn’t wrong. I am not sure how long I played but when I got up and cashed in my chips I had $145. I then sat down with Joyce at the bar and she won like $30. I should have just stayed there but we had to meet the family and get some grub. The Nugget would prove to me the most success I would have at any casino in town.

Binion’s – At Binion’s myself, Joyce, Leyna, and John found a $3 video blackjack machine. So we all sat down and played. I think I put in a $20 and when I cashed out I had like $17 plus I had a couple of beers so all in all I can not complain.

Fitzgerald’s – The first time I ever went to Fitzgerald’s I won. But each visit thereafter I have had to leave in a barrel. I was hot at blackjack so, I hit a table there and well my hot streak by this point was over. I only lost like $25 there but that was enough. I am going to try to avoid this place in the future.

Four Queens – The only time I have stayed downtown I stayed at the Queens. So, I have a soft spot for it in my heart even though it is kind if a pit. The tables were crazy crowded so, I just sat at the bar and played some video poker. I usually have pretty good luck at the Queens but this night would be different. After going up and down on a poker machine at the bar eventually I lost my $20 investment and moved on.

The Flamingo – We went back to the strip and some of the group decided to hit the Flamingo. I have never won here but figured I was due. So, I started playing some video poker. The machine I was on was killing me so, I moved to the other end of the casino and tried another machine. That “strategy” didn’t work. All told the Flamingo got me for $40. Not a huge loss but enough for me to curse the place again.

The Imperial Palace – The IP also has a spot in my heart in that in my early Vegas infancy Joyce and I stayed here. I would not suggest it but, for some reason I always go back. It was pretty late at this point and I had enjoyed a couple of adult beverages. My Uncle Dan and I sat at a couple of poker machines at a bar and bullshitted. I lost there but I think he wound up winning a couple of dollars.

Tuscany – Joyce had found a groupon for half off a massage at this place that is located about 2 blocks down from Bally’s. So, while she was getting her massage on, I got a players card and started gambling. I sat down at a blackjack table. The dealer was really talkative and engaging. Another older gentleman sat down and we both sat there winning some and losing some. All told when I at long last got up I was up about $20. I then cashed in my $10 in free slot play and after getting it up to almost $30 lost it all. Still with the blackjack winnings I walked out the door with more money then I started with.

Excalibur – Joyce and I farted around Chinatown and then bought some souvenirs. Eventually we met my Aunt at Excalibur. I put my winnings from earlier into a poker machine and lost it.

Bellagio – We decided to have one last big meal with everyone on our last night in town at for my money still the best buffet in Vegas at the Bellagio. I had walked over there on my first day in town and won $10 on a poker machine and after eating like a pig did a little more gambling. I actually played a normal penny slot something I never do and won a couple of bucks. I wanted to say I won at Bellagio so I cashed out ahead of the game.

Caesar’s Palace – Caesar’s still might be my all around favorite casino. It is huge and even though it is old has been renovated enough that it still looks marvelous. The dinner knocked a lot of the gang down for the count. So, Joyce and I strolled over to the bar to have a drink and do a little gambling. I eventually lost my $20 but I played and drank long enough that I really didn’t care.

Bally’s – We stayed at Bally’s so it is only natural that I did the majority of my gambling here. I can’t say I always win here but I usually do pretty well. This trip would be no different. I had two major winnings. My Uncle was having luck playing this penny slot with penguins on it so, I tried it myself and sure enough I hit a pretty good one as well. Then on Wednesday night sitting at the bar waiting for everyone to come down for dinner I hit four kings playing video poker. That was enough to make up for most of my losses at the other places. Bally’s as usual was good to me and that is why despite there being a lot newer and nicer places in town I always seem to find myself staying here.