Strip and Downtown poker/Matchplay/Bingo Bonanza! Very long
April 10-16 three nights on the strip and three nights downtown! Food, booze, shows and some poker. Just a warning I will not be going through any hand analysis in this review in addition I am an extreme low roller and a cheap a$$. For this trip I purchased an ACG for the coupons and matchplays (God I love MP’s as I will call them for this report). Usually I buy the Las Vegas advisor POV but this year’s coupons were pretty disappointing.
Saturday
The GF and I flew with Spirit from Detroit on an 8pm flight which got us to Bally’s at about 10 pm, we dropped our stuff and headed right for Ellis Island for the steak deal, excellent as always and great service. Played a $10 matchplay and lost (0/1). During these three nights I played poker at Bally’s, IP, Venetian, Flamingo when I could get the GF to take a nap or go to bed early. Honestly no notable sessions, just my typical cold cards and flop whiffling, did not make or really lose anything during these sessions plus or minus $15.
I have a hard time remembering what I did on each day due to the drinking. Because I’m from Canada I can not pass up free booze, as you never know when the waitress will return. So I will just make note of some things that we did that may be of interest to others.
Sunday
Went to Pink’s hotdogs at PH for lunch and we had two sausages with ridiculous toppings and it was good, though I wish I had gotten a hotdog instead of the sausage, next time. Checked out City center and found the Aria Casino to be amazing, but the Cystals mall was very disappointing. Looked very much unfinished with the white walls and maybe it is unfinished. The water funnels in the plastic tubes were turning yellow already and had dirty water. City center is very user unfriendly in my opinion, lost 9 of 10 hands in Paigow and got out of there fast. I don’t think I would stay there as I would have a hard time finding my way around drunk, much like MGM.
I finally got over to Orleans for the first time and had a $10 match play but lost (0/3), then over to Gold Coast for another $10 match play but lost (0/4), then Palms where I was given a $25 matchplay and had a $10 matchplay. Lost the $25 MP (0/6) but WON the $10!! (1/7). Hit the Rio for the buffet which was excellent but by then my GF was completely bombed and getting rowdy and I had to take her back to Bally’s. This resulted in me going to bed at 9:30 pm as I had to stay and take care of her.
Monday
Monday morning after going to bed so early the night before I got up at 5am and decided to find some drunk poker action, but being a Monday there really was none. I went looking for a game and finally found one at Venetian and played another uneventful breakeven session and headed to Casino Royale for some craps then over to IP to nit it up with the Breakfast club. $10 MP at Bills and lost (1/12) Lunch as Ellis Island then to Westin for a $25 MP and a $10 MP and lost them both, this is insane (1/15) then to Terribles for a $10 MP and lost (1/8). I wanted to take the GF to Hard rock to see the memorabilia as she loves old rock and vintage. She just loved it and said it was the highlight of the trip. Had a Hardrock $10 MP and lost (1/9).
That night we ate a Toby Keiths which is great! Mac and cheese balls and Catfish Sandwich! For that night we got tickets from Tix 4 tonight for Marc Savard Comedy Hypnosis at V theatre. This show started out slow but became insanely hilarious, I recommend highly for the $27 it costs.
Tuesday
The GF loves cats and we made a quick decision to check out the Popovich comedy pet theatre also at the V theatre. I know what your thinking, but I did it for her, and it was only $20 each at tix for tonight, better way to spend 2 hours then losing at BJ/Paigow. The show was at 4pm so I dropped her off at the Fashion mall and I headed to Slots of fun, then the Sahara to play a $25 MP which I lost (1/10). Pet Theatre show was decent and had some laughs.
Now it was time to head Downtown for the second leg of the trip, the part we were most looking forward too (We both love the Fremont street area). Checked in at the Golden Nugget and I must say that I liked this hotel overall but the front desk people are miserable. The slide in “The Tank” is great, and even better when smashed. We just drank and played paigow and El Cortez, T-Bone buffet at MMS (Excellent) then BJ at MMS ($3 3:2 shoe is pretty good) while drinking micro-brews from Triple 7 (One of my favorite places in Vegas). Played 3/6 at GN that night and lost a huge pot when my AA was beaten by two flushes on the river, I was third best, no biggie,
Wednesday
I have been collecting new and obsolete casino chips for a couple years now. Typically I buy them on Ebay or pick up some at the casinos I visit in Vegas. This trip I decided to journey down to the Gambler’s general store and Spinetti’s. I first went to the GGS but was not overly impressed, looked at the vintage slot machines and crossed the road to Spinetti’s. I very rarely praise something, but as a chip collector Spinetti’s is the place to be. On top of the fact that they house the largest chip collection in the world the service I received was outstanding!! A very nice guy spent about an hour with me as I picked out some chips and really gave my girlfriend and me a ton of information! Please go to this store, it is a quick walk from the Plaza downtown. In case you’re a collector I bought Moulin Rouge, Thunderbird, Dunes, Burboun Street chips and an El Rancho chip that was involved in the fire that destroyed the property.
For lunch this day and every other day for the rest of the trip we ate at Aloha Specialties in the California, this place is cheap and tasty! The chicken Teriyaki rice bowl for $2.95 is great! Got the GF to join the Nugget member club and she proceeds to win $80 on the $5 free slot play, I am dumb founded, nobody wins on the free play. But then again she is the only person I have ever seen win $100 or more at $5 piagow in under an hour (multiple times).
Played ½ NL at Binions that night and saw a guy flop quad trey’s for a $50 high hand and then I’m dealt poket 5’s the very next hand and flop quads for another $50 high hand, they could not believe it.
Thursday
Morning we went to the Premium Outlet Mall, then to Aloha Specialties for lunch again
Piagow and drinking for the afternoon then Binions for Burgers (Very Good) and Paigow and drinking again in the evening. That night we went to the LA comedy club in the Four Queens, it was great and the room is large and comfortable, great deal at $15. Was given two $10 Four Queens MP’s and lost them both (1/12). Side note, booo on 4Q’s as I saw them dealing a 6 deck shoe BJ paying 6:5, did they get bought by Harrahs or something? After I dropped the GF at the hotel room to sleep and I proceed downstairs to get hammered playing 2/4. Mission accomplished. Saw Rupert from Survivor on my way up to the room. I’m hoping he wins this season!
Friday
We were denied a late check out at the nugget because they were full for Friday night, so we had a ton of time to kill until our 10pm flight. We to the plaza get to some McDonalds and saw a bingo sign. I have always wanted to try bingo, and it was time. Got inside, saw bingo dabber vending machines and all this crazy bingo lingo on the signs, this sh*t was way over our heads. We couldn’t believe it, I had to get lessons from an older lady just to figure out what they where talking about – Bonanza, Super Bonanza, Hardways and double hardways, Small crazy kites, triple postage stamp, Coveralls, wtf? Only cost $5 each and we had a great time. Did you know you can do electronic bingo? It requires no thinking or effort, they give u a little device that plays the card for you and tells you when you have bingo. A nice man loaned us a dobber, as we only bought one and were trying to share, he said “you never make it with one” while laughing at us.
Ran around a got some casino chips, Played a $10 MP at Vegas Club and lost (1/15) then a $10 MP at Plaza and WON!!! (2/15). Ate at Magnolia’s for lunch in the 4 Queens, played Paigow at the Fitz, Aloha for dinner and off to the Airport.
Overall great trip, got to eat and drink as much as we could, checked out some new casinos and relaxed. This was a very thrifty trip and I actually enjoy it, I find it a challenge. I got completely screwed on Matchplay’s, it was incredible, I am on a freezer right now in Poker and gambling, just gotta ride it through. Downtown is the place to be in my opinion, I am getting tired of the “get’em for all they’re worth” strip.
Cheers, be back in Jan for a solo trip.
If you want more info on anything just let me know
Hey,
GOing to Vegas with the wife and shes not a big gambler where did you get all of the match plays and coupons ? She would really enjoy that and its a good way to get out a see a bunch of different properties. Your info would be appreciated. Thanks
Nice trip report. I am also very fond of Downtown for low-budget boozing, gaming, and casino hopping. American Casino Guide coupons are great; sorry for your freakish bad luck.
Stevus
To correct my report the final tally of Matchplays was 2 wins out of 15 coupons, thats bad luck!
I got most of the Matchplays from the American Casino Guide which you can get at any big book chain (got mine at Barnes and Noble before I left) it has about 10 MP's and coupons for meals on and off the strip for under $20. Last year the Las Vegas Advisor Pocket book of values was great, but the coupons change year each and this year's weren't very good and had no matchplays (sorry LVA, still like ur site) and that book is about double the price! Also by signing up to all the players clubs you will often get MP's/Free slot play or a deck of cards.
It gives you a reason to check out properties you wouldn't normally check out and MP's are huge +EV! not this trip tho, I lost about $100 to MP's
Thanks for reading,
@McGoo
Great Report, crap luck on those MP's man...crazy....fellow canadian here planning a trip possibly the the GN in June. Did you guys manage to get to the pool?? If so, what are your thoughts on it ie. much sun during the day, nice areas, shade? (yes I saw you mentioned the Tube slide thing)...thx for any help!!!
@McGoo
dude, you're giving away a secret us asian/hawaiian types have know for years.
if all you canadian types start going to Aloha Specialties, we'll never get a table there (you know how small it is). 
btw great report!!
I never thought of it that way, Aloha specialties is very small, the GF loves it so much I was getting tired of eating there by the end of the week, their ahi tuna poke is pretty good and you get alot for $4.50 (by canadian standards).
THE TANK
to answer carrera993's question about the GN pool is that it gets alot of sun in the central area, but the loungers towards the hotel are in the shade. My only suggestion is to get there early, we arrived around 11am both days and no loungers were available in the sun. The slide is sick, it doesn't loook fast but it is, just launch yourself down it, but get drunk first.
I'm still steaming over the matchplays, and the casino's treat you like crap when u play them.
This is a great trip report. Thanks for posting. Very enjoyable read.
Thx for the info. McGoo I appreciate it...as for the casinos treating MP players like crap....I care exactly, umm. errr. not at all, especially when I hit em and stroll out...thx for the tip on the ACG too, I never heard of that one before. I also looked at the LVADVISOR one and took a pass cuz I thought it was pretty lame. Getting drunk?? No issue there..lol
Great report!
Love the last line you wrote about downtown being the place to be......I feel the same way.
After years and years of staying on the strip I became an exclusively downtown traveller.
I would stay at The Orleans again or somewhere else off-strip, but no more strip hotels for me unless I hit the lottery. Keep your $7 orange juice!
When I stay on the strip I walk everywhere and by the third day my feet were killing me, even tho I wear the most confortable shoes I can find and am in good shape. This time we did three nights strip then three nights downtown, and for one it creates a feeling of two vacations. secondly my feet where hurting by the third day on the strip, but my feet actually got better downtown from less walking from property to property. You can hit every casino in an hour, and do all sorts of blackjack/pub/bar crawls!
Cheers
and go to Spinetti's! they are great!
One last ? McGoo...I was on the site looking at booking for June,,,it says "LODGING TAX NOT INCLUDED">>from your recollection is this just another name for a resort fee or is it like a state tax or something???
Carrera,
I pulled my reciept and the GN charged a seperate tax for each night which looks to be 13% but this was the only additional fee, with no additional taxes. So what ever rate you are getting just add 13%. Which is fine by me seeing that in Canada we pay 13% sales tax on everything anyway!
By the way, I booked a basic Carson tower room and it was big and clean, but my suggestion is to ask for a room close to the elevators as I got lost a few times strumbling around looking for my room.
Cheers
Thx AGAIN McGoo!!!!!! Yes, the good ol GST/PST and about to be HST...aaaarrrrgggghhhhh, what part of Canada? Ontario here!!...pretty good price down there...383+ 13% for a week...saaaaaawwwweeetttt
I'm from London Ontario,
$383 for the week is great! do a $50 sandwich (front desk tip trick) and see if it will get you into the Rush tower!
aaahhhhh....London Ont,, home of "FLESH GORDONS"..eerr...uhhh..I mean I've heard..lol..I also hear Eastown Pizza went bust, whata shame that would be,,loved the Ferrari pizza there...!!!!! Thx for the sandwich tip, one of the things I keep reading is that the desk staff isn't so friendly, maybe a "sandwich" would make them happier?
McGoo,
Thanks for your efforts at putting together a great trip report. Its great to see some love for downtown which seems taboo to so many people. Admitting to liking Fremont is like admitting you play 2/4.
My wife and I travel from Vancouver to Vegas about 10 times per year, and one of the main reasons we can afford to do it is because we spend most of our time downtown. We love the short distances between casinos, the free (and sometimes good) bands on Fremont, the $4 margeuritas and casual vibe.
The GN was always our favorite place to stay, until we bought our own condo down there, and the new Rush Tower rivals anything the strip has to offer at a fraction of the price. True, the service isn't gushing, but they keep the place spotless and the pool is as good or better than any in town. We play 2/4 at GN (yes I admit it) where there is always a game going, and get $10 comps for the weekend seafood buffet which is very good.
We have eaten at Aloha but our favorite is the $7.99 prime rib special at Cal coffee shop which includes all you can eat salad bar and cherries jubilee for desert. Also, the $4 chicken strips after 11pm is fantastic. The happy hour specials at Triple 7 in MSS are also great, as is the $3 3:2 bj and $5 single deck at all the Boyd properties. The floor people at the Cal remember us by name and we play $5 bets!!
So to all those who think Vegas is only the strip, read McGoos report and give Fremont a try. Its not for everyone but if you travel on a budget its hard to finder better bang for the buck.
PS The rooms at MSS and Fremont hotels are also very decent and sometimes VERY cheap. One other thing, if you travel from Canada and live anywhere near a border, fly from inside the US. You will save hundreds of dollars.