TR SNIPPET COMPS AND COUPONS

THE RIO SEAFOOD BUFFET

Nine of us gathered for this birthday meal. Two American casino guides and just two Harrah's cards gave us an eighty dollar discount. The ninth fellow had a ten dollar coupon as well.

MY VEGAS :

Elizabeth does not play, but I played a bit for her just before we left. She used a 2 for 1 at Aria. You don't have to stay in an Mlife hotel for a 2 for 1.

I love that buffet and we had a fine meal, just the two of us, and some good talk.

She tried to use a 2 for 1 at Bellagio with son Dana, but it was not honored because it was Mexican Independence Day. I guess we have to call and see for every buffet. That is a ridiculous blackout day!

She also bought some Hexx candy and used the free pound coupon. It was overpriced candy, so in the end we were not sure about the real value. $16 is what she “saved.”

My Rewards

In my solo section, I stayed one night at Excalibur for the $22 resort fee and found the room fine. That qualified me to use a free evening buffet voucher at Aria. Yummy. I used my third Mlife to see the show Fantasy at Luxor. I did not need to stay at Excalibur for that, but it was very handy to walk down to Aria for my supper and then grab a bus back to Excalibur and the free shuttle to Luxor and back. It was a crowded in that area of the strip that night.

I also had three free nights at the Palace Station, tower rooms and no resort fee. I thought that gave me space to redeem a meal a day as well. Nope. The first day I redeemed all three nights and that counted as two redemptions for that day and one for the next. Even on the next day, at first they were not giving me a second redemption.

Finally, I got one on the third day and I called my wife and had her buy me a shirt voucher and got that as well.

They don't let us pay to get a better shirt anymore, but they did have a XXL with just “Vegas” on it that was good for my son.

What is nice is we just have to redeem the points and go to the Player's Club. It is not like Eastside Cannery where we have to have a printed voucher.

I took my nieces and nephews out for a meal at the buffet. The Palace Station sent up someone to sign up the others for Player's cards. Otherwise the cost of the buffet goes up about $7. Two people can be on one Player's Card. I was not alert enough to remember to use my American Casino Guide coupon that night.

By the way, the ACG coupon can be used for 50% when going solo.

The Player's Club said this was not true of the 2 for 1 My Vegas vouchers, but the buffet folks said they do it all the time. So who knows??

I got a really bad clerk twice at the Player's Club. Finally, I got Tim who knew how to override and give me my second reward. The next clerk would not override anything. So, the My Vegas system at Palace Station is a bit rusty. And I'll ask for Tim and wait until he is on duty.

Now that we can only get one room per trip in each Station casino, that snafu probably will not happen because the one night will be just one redemption.

This also tells me that in November, when I go to Red Rock, my first day there will count as two redemptions just for my room. After than perhaps I'll have a voucher for food.

It is not a huge issue. These Station casinos have inexpensive buffets.

YOUNG AT HEART

Elizabeth and I were at the Gold Coast on Young at Heart day, so she got a card and played enough for a free lunch buffet and I did also. She went to bed, but I went back for a free supper buffet and a $10 voucher for the next morning.

I don't think I swiped at the right time, nor do I think I deposited my tickets. I did not handle that well. Elizabeth was not interested in the ticket drawing. We were swimming and I just stepped in from the pool and watched the drawing. I probably had no chance.

My first two solo nights were at the Orleans on a mailed comp. No resort fees. My second day was Wednesday and I caught just 5 X multiplier, but got the free breakfast buffet, went to hear my name not called in the drawing, heard a couple sets of the Nite Kings, and got a free supper buffet. I did not see the movie. No dancing this time. I love Wednesday at the Orleans.

A few hints for the Orleans. I you want breakfast, get in the line early, before they open. The line gets huge later on. I don't know about supper, but I suspect that is true as well. If I have breakfast, I don't go to supper until about 8:15 PM and the supper lines are down then.

Also, if you have played and created drawing tickets, go the the kiosk and put them in the drum a good while before the deadline. You can go back again and try to get a few more in. I did, but the line was long and the drum was closed. I was glad to get in most of my tickets, well, until they did not call my name.

The promotion is much better now. They pull one name for $500 ( 3 minutes to get there) and then they pull ten names for $100 each. If no one claims the prize in 3 minutes, another name is drawn. It is all electronic and quick. I like being right there because I can't hear the announcements on the scratchy PA.

Finally, be certain to swipe BEFORE you play and swipe again for the evening session. Otherwise there is no multiplier applied to the play.

EASTSIDE CANNERY

I took a ride out to Eastside Cannery with a whole handful of freebie vouchers from their Webpass site. Well, now we can redeem only one voucher a day. So the rest were a waste of points.

Since vouchers must be redeemed within seven days of printing, this means that for every trip I can use just one voucher.

It is now just a local's deal.

Well, I got my free buffet, but I never used it because it must be used in 7 days, and I never got back in time.

However, I stopped at the Bankof America across the street for money and Walmarts for a few things, including the shower shoes that would be so important later when I once again developed blisters, so the trip was not wasted.

If I run into a trip where I actually start my stay at the Eastside Cannery (say on a Monday to see Claudine Castro) then I may be able to upgrade using a voucher from the Webpass program.

Otherwise, I won't bother much with it. It is geared to locals.

Next trip for example, I am downtown on Halloween and then on a road trip for almost a week. So, no Eastside Cannery deals will work for me.

Or perhaps if I meet up with my relatives at their houses, I can print a voucher there.

I played a bit of live poker, won a $25 freeplay by catching quads in the live poker game for two tickets and then getting my name drawn. I could not use my freeplay for full pay, so I played Double Double Bonus and hit four Kings. I left with a profit of $46.

When I went to see the Claudine Castro lounge show, I did not play. I did spend about $17 on drinks (with tips). But the Eastside Cannery lost on me this trip even if they did get cheesy cheap on the coupons.

AMERICAN CASINO GUIDE

I actually misplaced my ID and so I missed opportunities to use the coupons. I have it now. I'll be able to use them in November. One I'll use to book the Fremont for three days at the price of two.

In some cases they don't ask, but in others they do.

Sometimes the table guys will send us to the Player's Club with matchplays. Other times they will just let us play it at the table.

I did lose a $5 matchplay at the Longhorn. It was the only blackjack hand I played all trip and I played it wrong. I stayed with Ace-three-three. However, it would not have mattered in the long run anyway as the cards that came would have busted me.

My points add up very quickly when I play the Boyd machines, especially if I have a 5X or more multiplier. I have a few buffets there for my next trip in November.

I try to use up my points each trip because I never know if I'll be back in a year.

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I pumped plenty in the Orleans machines, so my two free nights for next year should be set. I am almost Saphire level and may turn Saphire in November, but then by November 2016 my points will have been dropped.

Still, I am hoping to get a Saphire card that I can flash around. Sometimes it is helpful. Some Player's Card person took the last one I had when I asked for a duplicate card. I won't flash it there again. And once I make that level, I'll get a few extra cards.

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Every once in a while the Gold Coast sends me an offer out of the blue for free nights, and they generally always send me casino rate offers. That helped save me money this past trip as I had booked six nights at a B Connected rate that was higher than the mailed offer by $100, and they adjusted my booking for a great savings.

I might also get an offer from Sam's Town because my Toast of the Town visit this trip was the same day as my play. Usually, I end up going out there for the show on a day I am not playing there. I have had scattered free days before from them, but generally when I add up the cost of the other days and the resort fee, I can beat their price. And if the cost ends up being anywhere near the Eastside Cannery cost, I'll pick the Cannery because the rooms are nicer.

 

Golden Nugget  has a new comp policy for live poker.  We now play on a Player's card and we get $2 an hour for our time that can be used anywhere in the casino.  There was some debate about whether those points remain indefinitely or not.  However, since the owner of the GN also owns Lawry's restaurants, the comps can be used across the county in those restaurants, a comp like no other I know of in Vegas.

Room comps are discussed in the various sections.  The hardest decision I have is what to do about the Four Queens.  Comp policy seems to be more generous for November than it was before.

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