FRIDAY
I headed to Harrah’s Lake Tahoe this weekend due to a confluence of free play I could use Easter Weekend. This is the last western outpost in the CET empire where $1 full play video poker resides. It was a profitable trip but I had to go solo as Wife had to stay at home due to a children’s event.
Free Play Weekend: I had three sources of Free Play: (1) That weekend from Friday to Easter Sunday I could swipe once each day (10:00 am to 6:00 pm) to get between $500 to $900 in free play per day; (2) Spring Free play offer of $1,515 to be used in selected times from April 1 to May 30 (rarely weekends); and (3) an Express Free Play coupon of $510. So I would expect between $3,525 to $4725 in free play. I wasn’t excited to be away from home this weekend but Harrah’s essentially forced me to gamble.
I left work early on Good Friday (not feeling very religious since I was heading to a casino) to do the Easter Egg Swipe offered that weekend. It took five hours to get to Harrah’s Lake Tahoe but I arrived at 5:00 pm – one hour before the swipe deadline. I did not even bring my bags in just in case there was a complication and made a beeline for the promo kiosks next to the Harrah’s Total Rewards Desk. I thought there was a very good chance that there could be a typo in my offer as the last time I used such a promo it was for a “Field Goal Frenzy” where I was offered “up to $500” in the mail, 20,000 in reward credits or $200 in food. Unfortunately, when I swiped last Fall after choosing free play, the kiosk prompted me to ask if I wanted to try a short (20 yards), medium (40) or long (60) field goal that would pay between “$10 to $500.” I chose medium and the result was ONLY $10. I was pissed.
So I was prepared to argue if necessary that I was entitled to at least $500 this last weekend and hoped that it was not a typo meant to be $50 to $900. Thus I wanted to build in some buffer time before the 6:00 pm swipe deadline. After I swiped my card there was this image of three Easter Eggs to choose from. You can see the egg choices below.
I picked out the rightmost egg fully expecting the lowest amount promised to me and to my surprise was told I won $900 (maximum amount for my offer) which I could use in table promo chips or Reel Rewards. I opted for Real Rewards and picked them up from the cashier. I then went to the car, grabbed my gear and checked into my room.
The Sweet Suite: At Diamond check-in the kind clerk confirmed to me that unlimited in-room movies and free Wifi were available to Seven Stars players like myself. I later watch a couple of movies and they never appeared on my bill when I checked out on Sunday so I can confirm that this Seven Stars bonus exists still in Lake Tahoe. For those who wonder who would watch movies when the casino beckons, I respond that the ability to take enjoyable breaks in the room keeps me from going on tilt so free in-room movies is a VERY important promo to me saving me lots of money.
The room was a newly renovated suite. The clerk at Diamond check in said I would enjoy it and she was right. I always liked the two bathrooms at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe (you tell me why they did that) but since I was by myself, the suite – and the two bathrooms were largely wasted. I believe since I was Seven Stars (and did not check in late that night) I was entitled to be upgraded and given the fact that fewer people wanted to be there for Easter weekend, I was given the nice suite. Here is a photo including the towel warmer rack in one of the bathrooms.
FAB report to be continued. . .