TR snippet: COUPONS TIGHTENING A BIT

As Vegas suffers this recession, some of the usual coupon advantages are tightening. Terribles, who were the king of coupons, with free buffets and all sorts of offers, has created a tier in the Player's Card and even many of the coupons offered in the funbook on a new signup can only be used when one has achieved a certain player's tier. To use coupons players now need 500 points on their card.

I have never been much of a player, so I just brought Bill along for a free signup and used the end of my points for a buffet and we drifted along. They were even out of the free sign up hats and Bill was stuck with that really cheesy T shirt.

I understand the coupon tightening because I am probably the sort of gambler they wanted to push off the freebies, one who frugally uses what is free or inexpensive without giving them much play. However, there have been occasions where against my better judgment I have pumped money in the JOB 9/6 there at Terribles.

So they will lose that opportunity to draw me into recklessness as having now used my points, I won't be attracted to head out there beyond perhaps a yearly matchplay run, but save my 9/6 play for the Gold Coast where I prime some room offers with my play and can really rack up points on a senior day and get a free buffet as well.

The Coast too has tightened their policy. I used an ACG 200 points-and-free-buffet coupon last April and was not allowed to use a second one this November. One a year. Also one matchplay a year as well. I do think it is a much better strategy for casinos to tighten this way and to avoid those who overude the coupons by registering them at the player's club rather than dropping matchplays all together. However, I went to the Gold Coast player's club first and asked if I could use the 200 points coupon, and they did not check my status and deny it until AFTER I had played the 200 points that morning and went for the buffet.

This was annoying. When I check first at a player's club, they should check me out completely.

In general, I have been starting to concentrate my play. I play live poker at Harrah's because they give me good room offers, and I play video poker at the Gold Coast and Orleans because they also give me room offers. The Gold Coast has 9/6 JOB and the Orleans has some 9/7 DB progressives, of which I particularly like the triple play nickles and did finally hit a somewhat inflated royal on them this trip.

When downtown I like the 4 Queens 10/7 progressive and chased it and chased it when the royal was at $1185 until it hit $1999. That was my stopping point.

No luck. I did win $1.25. Also, I picked up $26 in cashback from my last trip, so those machines clearly pay well even if the 4 Queens has discontinued any free room offers based solely on 10/7 play.

My best coupon like deal of this trip was the DineLV.com deal of two tickets to Human Nature as well as a $25 coupon to Hash-A-Go-Go for only $40. We were seated with folks who paid $55 a ticket, good seats.

I also managed to play a few matchplays I missed in April and won all but one. At the El Cortez I finally managed my freeplay for this year and used it to entertain myself with some nickle video blackjack, and so come away from this low volatility play with almost the whole $5.

Bill and I used a two for one to see Burlesque at the Westin. We went to use a 2 for 1 to see a mentalist at the Orleans, but in some fine fluke, just as we were about to pay last minute, we were given two free tickets. Elizabeth and I used the Mac King coupons.

Bill and I also saw Nathan Burton using a free coupon which really turned into a little bit of bait and switch. The day we went the "free" tickets were gone, but we could sit down front for $10 a piece and we did. the "free' balcony section was nearly empty.

Coming out of the show we were given cheap tickets to another magical show, but did not make it to that one.

And other coupons were overlooked. I don't think Bill used his $25 Westin matchplay, and I forgot to use the coupon for $50 for $40 at the Golden Nugget poker table. I did play there long enough to get a food voucher, asked them to date it for the next day, and then had a nice free breakfast.