My strategy for the Great Gift Wrap Up this weekend.
I'm going to the Great Gift Wrap Up this weekend, and I have a strategy.
First, I'm not planning to stay in Las Vegas for the weekend. I do have reservations for one night just in case I'm too tired to make the round-trip drive without some sleep. But if I can make the round-trip without having to spend the night, I just might use the room for a nap, or to rest, or take a shower. (Oh, did I mention I like the soaps at Caesars and a few bars just might find their way home with me? ;) )
I have a strategy for the GGWU too. Fortunately, this year there is no long shopping list for gifts so the points are mine to use... ALL MINE. :)
So my plan is to convert all my points into Shell gasoline cards. I actually have enough points for a bit more than $1,400 in gas cards.
But wait, I will pick up a couple of other gift cards for gifts including a $100 restaurant card, a $100 store card, and I'll be able to pick up a few $10 Starbucks cards just to be sure I max-out my points.
That should leave me with about $1,100 in gas cards, which might last me about two weeks here in Southern California. :rolleyes:
Now what about gambling? Well, it's not part of my plan. Whenever I am in Vegas I do get the bug to throw dem bones, the dice, but I don't want to turn this into a gambling trip. That's not the purpose, afterall.
However, being a lover of the game of craps, I will make a short stop at The Gold Strike in Jean, Nevada which is the small casino you pass between Primm and the big city. Gold Strike has one craps table in action most of the day and evening with $3 minimum bets. I once stopped there on the way to LV and bought in for $40 and another player had a hot roll and I cashed out for about $260. On a percentage basis it was terrific, and a lot of fun too. I have found that stopping at Gold Strike is a great way to get the craps bug out of my system without having to jump in and take a bath on the $25-minimum craps tables at most of the Strip casinos. And what really makes a $3 table a lot of fun, is that when you do lose you don't have to say "that was car payment" or worse.
There is no free play waiting for me on this trip, but at Gold Strike I do have about $50 in comps waiting for me from previous play there, and this time I will use those comp dollars for gas at the Shell station that is part of their comp program and is around the corner from the casino.
About two months ago, I used a lot of my comp dollars from Caesars to buy gas cards. I really don't use comp dollars for much at the casinos because my rooms are comped, and we don't eat big, expensive, gourmet meals. But I do have about $300 in comps right now thanks to recent play at Rincon so I will have myself a nice steak at Central at Caesars. They do have great steaks and the absolute best Chocolate Ice Cream. They make the Chocolate Ice Cream there and the ice cream has a special taste because of some added flavors and things from nuts. I always ask the waiter about the recipe -- and they tell me -- but I always forget to write it down so I can tell people.
If I am too tired to drive back and do spend the night I might go to the Poker Room at Caesars for some Texas Hold'em, or a low priced tournament. You can find a low priced tournament at just about any hour in Vegas. At Caesars the daily tournaments are in the range of about $100 to $200. But I would prefer taking the $200 to a cash game where I have a better chance of making a profit.
I have won a couple of those daily tournaments at Caesars. But these tournaments are restricted in size, so if I recall the biggest payout I got wasn't much more than a thousand dollars.
And if I do decide to visit the craps tables at Caesars I will again use my "new craps strategy" which is a Fire Bet for $10 and a minimum bet on the pass line and that's it. Just hope that someone makes passes, and lots of them. Six different passes and the $10 Fire Bet pays $10,000. A few months ago I threw five different passes and that paid $2,500. You are more likely going to make all six different passes on the Fire Bet (a one in about 6,000 chance) than you are going to hit a royal on a $2 machine (one in about 40,000).
You can also make the Fire Bet in $1 increments. All six different passes pays the same, 1,000 to 1.
Play video poker at Caesars? Why? Rincon has better video poker paytables, and Rincon pays cash back, and I get more frequent free play offers from Rincon. And the play at Rincon goes to the same Total Rewards benefits that I use in Vegas.
I do not have any "free play" on this trip, so that lessens the chance that I will actually play anything... except that $3 minimum table at the Gold Strike. My car knows how to steer itself right to the main door.
