The Venetian® Las Vegas | Grazie Loyalty Program | Casino

This is how I won $129,000 in my 3rd ever poker tournament. Note: don't try this, it probably won't turn out well for you.
I spent about 6 months grinding up a $5,000 bankroll playing home/casino games ranging from .5/1 to 1/3. The week that I hit that $5,000 mark, Matt, one of my best friends from college informed me that his job had placed him in Las Vegas for the next month and that I could crash with him for a few nights if I wanted to come on out west. I had frequent flyer miles for the flight and some Mlife/Fremont hotel comps for the rest of the trip. My grand total for flight and lodging for 10 days came to $200.
Now, I’m not going to bore you guys with low-level cash hand histories. The next 10 days were filled with me playing lowstakes poker for 10-12 hours a day. It’s as fun as it sounds – it’s not. I was having a good time in Vegas otherwise – but towards the end of the trip I had a realization: 1/2’s the same everywhere. I didn’t have to fly out to the desert to raise to $7 preflop.
After 10 days, my grand total from poker (and a fair amount of dumb degenerate shit on Fremont) was -$186. That wasn’t what I came out to do — I knew that I was a better player than my recent results had indicated. The morning of my return flight, I decided I was going to play tournaments until I either busted my $5,000 bankroll or hit something worthwhile.
I impulsively decided to not get on my plane at 11:30am. Checkout time from Luxor was at 11:00 – and I didn’t know where I was going yet. I had 30 minutes to pack up my stuff and figure out where I was going before they’d charge me a fee. I sorted TripAdvisor by cheapest first – I’ve stayed in crappy hostels/motels before and overall am a very low maintenance person. I figured that by staying somewhere for $20 a night, I’d be able to maximize the amount of shots I could take before flying back home. I accepted that there was a real chance I’d go back broke – but I didn’t really care. If I didn’t take my shot now, then when?
I booked the cheapest bed in Vegas - a 6-person shared hostel just past the Stratosphere. Let's just say you get what you pay for — it was not a happy place. A fair amount of the people in there were bordering on homelessness and there was barbed wire surrounding their outdoor gym. In addition to this, I had the constant stress of knowing that all that separated my bankroll from the rest of my roommates was a tiny lock. I took the Deuce to the strip, lived off food comps, and turned down invites from my friends to hang out. I was in town to play poker, nothing else.
Disclaimer: I had never played tournaments prior to heading out to Vegas. My only knowledge of hand ranges was from watching televised events. I downloaded a free Nash chart app on my phone while on the Deuce to the strip and studied it for 5 minutes – whatever, I get the jist of it. Let’s play some cards.
The first day of doing this I played the $140 daily at the Aria. Top 13 spots paid -- I finished in 15th. It was depressing to say the least — I felt as if I was at rock bottom. Before the first night of sleeping at the hostel I called the airline to see if I could get on the flight that I had deliberately missed the day prior. I couldn't.
I made it my goal to at least cash something so that I could get a decent hotel room.
I couldn’t have slept more than 2-3 hours the first night there. One of my roommates was loudly vomiting all night, the sheets itched, and I was going through an existential crisis... like dude, you’ve got a finance degree and you’re really doing this shit?
While on the bus to the strip, I opened Poker Atlas and saw that there was a $200 satellite to win a seat into the $1,600 Venetian main event. I decided that I was going to go take a shot at that.
I was at risk twice in the satellite but after studying the GTO method on how to win coinflips, I persevered and won a seat to the main.
The first day was surreal – once again, I was running on minimal sleep due to my housing arrangements, but I remember the following hands from day 1:

Button opens to 2.2x, I’m in the BB with Q9cc. SB folds, we go HU to a flop of 832c. He c-bets, I call. Turn 4x, x/x. River Ax. I check, he bets, I x/r to like 3x his bet, he insta folds. I take it down and show air.
UTG+1 opens, MP calls, I flat on the button with K10ss. 3 ways to a flop of Qs43xx. UTG+1 bets 40% pot, MP calls, I call. Turn is the Js. UTG+1 bets 60% pot, MP calls, I flat. River comes the 8s. UTG+1 snap bets 80%. MP flats, I flat. I announce king high flush, they both muck.
Folds to the SB, he limps, I look down at Q10o, and check. Flop comes KQ6r. He leads 35%, I call. Turn 10. He bets, I call. River comes a J. He bets, I tank for about 45 seconds then flick in a call, he shows 76o… ship it.

The average stack after day 1 was around 40k, I bagged like 65k. I walked back to the Deuce stop outside of the Venetian and headed on my 30 minute ride back home. I kept thinking to myself, someone’s gotta win this thing, why not me?
I had to get in the money for this tournament to be able to get the fuck out of there. A min cash here was over $3k – that was more than enough for me to get a suite on Fremont for a few nights and party for a bit, then get home with my head held high.
Day 2: I get up at 7am after already being completely awake for the past 4 hours. There’s no way I slept more than 3 hours last night. I hit the Denny’s by the Stratosphere then get on the Deuce.
I get to the Venetian and feel like I’m about to fall asleep. I go to the self-serve coffee/tea dispenser in the middle of the room and make myself an iced coffee. I get to my table, and the cocktail waitress comes around. I ask for another iced coffee and toss her a fiver.
Here are some highlights from the 1st half of day 2:

I open 97ss on the button, BB flats. Flop comes AK3s. BB checks, I bet 35%. He throws out a 5k chip – which I interpret as a x/r to my bet. I groan, make a joke about it being the first hand of the day, and start to muck. The dealer stops my cards midway before hitting the muck, and informs me that he didn’t raise, that he called my flop bet. Everyone laughs, I go silent and wait for him to make change. Turn is the 2s. He thinks for a second and bets 30%. I tank for like 30 seconds, then flat. River is a blank. He thinks for a second, then checks. I bet like 30% pot. He tells me that I’m an angle shooter and mucks. I tell him I’m not an angle shooter and show my 9 high. Everyone laughs, we get on with playing.
CO opens, I 3b 87dd in the SB to 4x, he flats. Flop comes 1032d. I check, he checks. Turn is the 6d. I bet 55% pot, he flats. River comes the Kd. I bet 60%, he tanks, tells me he thinks I backdoored diamonds, then folds. Damn, these players are pretty good.
I open KK UTG to 2.5x, UTG +1 flats. Heads up to a flop of K43r. x/x. Turn 8, I bet 40% pot, he calls. River 3, I bet 80% pot, he tanks, then calls with AK.

I bring my 3 racks of chips to the new table and immediately get some comments – whatever, I’m just on a heater, it happens. At this point, my body was giving out. I was trying my hardest not to fall asleep in between every hand.
Cutoff opens, I’m in the SB, I look down at KK. I put in the 3b, folds back to him. He puts in a healthy 4. We’re the two big stacks at the table – I’d guess he was 50bb effective while I was around 65bb. God damn, am I good enough to fold kings here? No, I’m not. I shove, he snaps, I know that I’ve just fucked up my tournament. He shows the aces. The dealer puts a king in the window, and I hold. I’m for sure the chip leader now.
I lose a few 40/60 and 60/40 flips and chip down a bit. I still have a very healthy stack, probably around 80bb.
The next 3 hands are from the second half of day 2:

Aggro Asian guy on the button. Folds to him, he opens to 2.2x, SB folds, I look down at 43ss and raise to 7.5x, he flats.

Flop comes 894cc. I check, he bets, I call. Turn’s another 9. I check, he bets 75% pot, I call. River’s the 10c. I check, he bets 1.2x pot. I ask the dealer for a count of the bet – meanwhile, villain looks like he’s going to shit himself. I flick in a chip, he throws down KcQx. I laugh a little, show my 43ss, and obnoxiously say ship it.

I open KQo UTG+1, MP 3bets me. I figure that a 4b from UTG+1 could take it down a fair amount of the time, so I decide to go for it. He thinks for a second and flats.

Flop comes AK4r. I check, he checks back. Turn is a 6, goes x/x again. River’s another brick. I put in a 30% value bet. He does a little grimace and tanks for like 20 seconds. It looks like he’s going to fold so I start verbally telling him that his queens are good. The dealer informs me that you’re not allowed to talk about your hand to another player. I inform him that I’m not talking about my hand, I’m talking about villains’ hand. Dealer laughs and lets me continue to antagonize villain. MP starts talking back, asking if I’m really bluffing. I inform him that once he folds, I’ll show the bluff. He ends up calling, I snap show, he pays me then gets up from the table to go for a walk.

We’re playing 6 handed. UTG opens, MP flats, I flat TT on the button. 3 ways to a flop of AT9ccc. UTG bets 50% pot, MP folds, I put in a medium sized raise. He thinks about it and flats.

The turn is the Kd. He pauses for a second then checks. I figured AxKc was his most likely combo. I didn’t think he could fold AxKc to any sizing – I decide to overbet jam 2x pot. He tanks for like 5 min and eventually lets it go. He tells me later he folded AxKc. Nice fold sir.
I finished day two 2nd in chips out of the 64 players remaining. More importantly, I was in the money. My friend Matt offered to give me a ride to the hostel to grab my stuff.
On the way to the hostel I’m telling Matt how trash the place is and he’s kind of like yeah man, whatever, it can’t be that bad. We gather my belongings and head on out. Matt remarked to me that the hostel reminded him of jail mixed with a summer camp.
I open a same night hotel app and see a room at the Four Queens available for $110. The lady at check in was nice enough – however, she informed me that the only room they had available at my price point was a smoking room overlooking the Fremont St. experience. I paid the $20 to upgrade to a non-smoking in the quiet part of the hotel. Vegas man, I swear.
It’s like 2am at this point -- I get to my room, sit on the bed and close my eyes. I open them and it’s 11:00am. Ah fuck man, I gotta get to the Venetian. I hop in the shower, brush my teeth, and freshen up. Even if I don’t have clean clothes, whatever, I’m second in the main, who cares.
Some interesting hands from the first part of Day 3:

I had two inexcusable punts in this tournament. This is the first one: I open 5h5c from LP, BB calls. Flop comes J62hhh. x/x. Turn is a 4x. x, I bet 50% pot, BB jams 15bb. I called – and immediately realized I fucked up, big time. He had 2 big chips in his stack that I didn’t see, making his shove effectively like 25bb. In addition, I didn’t have the 5h, I had the 5d. I really didn’t ask for a count or double check my hole cards. Villain turns over 64o and holds. In my defense, I literally didn’t know what ICM meant at the time. Whoops.
Someone who I recognize from poker TV jams 22bb UTG. I’m in the CO with JJ, I ask him how much it is, he’s talkative and seems genuinely comfortable/down for me to call. I fold – I run into him a few days later at the Aria, he tells me he had AA there. I believe him.
CO opens, button instantly jams 30bb effective. I’m in the SB with TT and 25bb – live reads, we’re flipping. I call for all in my effective stack, CO folds, button has AQ. I hold. He’s not happy I called with tens. Oh well, sorry bro, gg.
MP opens, CO 3 bets to 7bb, button jams 20bb. I look down at 2 black aces in the big blind. I reshove, MP folds, CO calls off his 20bb stack. I’m up against AQ and QQ. I hold.

Even with my atrocious punt earlier in the day, I’m the chip leader again.
We’re down to about 15 left in the field. UTG opens, I 3b AKo on the button, he jams 20bb, I call. He has 99, a king comes on the flop and he’s gone.
It’s day 3 of the main and we’re playing 5 handed with 12 people left. Let’s fucking go.

Button opens to 2.5x, I’m in the BB with A8dd, I flat. Flop comes A104r, I check, he bets, I call. Turn is a 7, x/x. River A, I bet 1.2x pot. He tanks, calls, I show, I’m good.
CO opens to 2.5x, I’m in the BB with 108dd, I flat. Flop comes Kd4x2d, it goes x/x. Turn is a Kx, I check, he bets 60% pot, I flat. River is the 4d. I check, he bets pot. I tank and let it go. He tells me later he checked back a weak king on the flop.
SB completes, I’m in the BB with J9o and I check my option. Flop comes Q108r. The SB donks out into me for 60% pot. I flat. Turn comes a brick and he leads into me for 60% again. I raise to 3.5x his turn bet, he thinks for a while then flats. River is another brick. He bets 80% pot into me. I tank for a while, then shove. He starts laughing and folds QQ face up.

Less than a week ago I was grinding buffet comps at Planet Hollywood. Now I have guys correctly folding top set to me.
I’ve made it to the final table. I pick up a few small pots and the two shortstacks at the table get eliminated in quick succession.
This is without a doubt the most pointless and just plain out stupid punt of my entire life: I open J2dd on the button into a ~18bb SB and a GTO robot with mid 7 figures in career earnings in the BB. Don’t do this, this is quite literally lighting money on fire. SB folds, BB flats. Flop comes Kh8h3d. I cbet, BB calls. Turn is the Kd, goes x/x.
River comes a 7h, he leads into me for half pot. Whatever, I’m going for it – I put in a raise. He thinks for all of 5 seconds then calls me with KQh. Wow, I just punted away $50,000 in ICM. Jesus Christ dude, what the fuck.
For the next orbit or two, I’m clearly pissed at myself. I get up after my button and do a lap around the poker room – I’m good. The monkey tilt is gone, and I’m ready to get back to playing normal ranges.
Anyway, nothing else really happens for a while – I look down at AKo UTG and raise it up. Folds around to the BB, he thinks for a while, then jams for about 20bb. I snap, he has AQo. I hold. I’m now second in chips. We go on a 10-minute break.
When I get back to the table, the prospect of a 5-way chop comes up. We’re all tired – and the pay jumps are very significant. If you couldn’t tell from this story, I’m a degenerate, but in this spot, I’m willing to reduce variance a bit. We run the numbers and come to an agreement – we all agree to take a very slight ICM bump to give 1st place a bit more money than his stack is worth.
I just won $129,000 -- huh? This was my second tournament cash – not too bad considering that it was my third tournament ever. Maybe I should start learning how to play MTT’s now.
I take $124,000 in a check and $5,000 in cash. I’m leaving Vegas in 4 days and don’t plan on coming home with any of the cash.
The winner of the tournament’s a pretty cool guy and he asks if I want to crash in his guest room tonight… like yeah, if that’s a real offer, I’m down. I pick up my toiletry bag from the Venetian concierge and we hit the Uber.
The next morning Matt picks me up at his house – I hit the Chase bank and deposit the $124,000. I take Matt and my other friend, Spencer out to the Sterling Brunch over at Bally’s – the entire time, Spencer just kept repeating “Davis, what the fuck”. I don’t know dude, seriously, what the fuck.
I get a suite at the D downtown that night and (very) long story short I end up hitting $100 on a number at roulette at 5am. It’s time for bed.
Here’s a link to my Hendon Mob, verifying my tournament result. Hopefully I see some of you guys at the WSOP in 2021.
https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=783521
Davis

My Macau Trip Report 5/1- 5/3!

LONG write up - TLDR - I had a successful Macau trip.
It's a little after 6pm in Macau and I've decided to shut the trip down and relax for the rest of the night. My flight back to Shanghai is tomorrow at 1pm. What an experience it's been so far.
Day 1 - Wednesday I flew into Zhuhai on Wednesday night, and had hoped to catch people heading to the Macau bus, but everyone scattered and there were no tourists to follow. I went to the taxi line, got in a cab, and told the driver 'Macau, Macau'. He looked at me funny and after a minute of us trying to convince each other of something... he finally took off. An hour later, I'm dropped off at this train station looking place, where there's hordes of Asian people trying to cram through the gates. This is the Macau customs inspection point. I manage to get through and hop on a free shuttle bus to the Venetian. Upon my arrival, it's already past 10pm, so I take a look around and grab another taxi to head to my hotel, which is off the strip. Pretty uneventful day 1. I'm just glad I made it to my hotel in one piece lol.
Day 2 - Thursday Couldn't sleep well last night. I woke up at around 8am and decided to head over to the Venetian. I ended up walking, but damn that was a mistake. It's a bit humid for the morning and I'm sweating by the time I get to the casino, which is about 2 miles away. I finally get to the Poker room at around 10am and there's a couple tables running and a list of about 10 people. That's not bad at all! I was expecting it to be busier. I get my name added to the list and now it's time to get some money out.
There were 3 tables going with 50-100NL and 100-200NL. I think the USD to HKD exchange rate is about 1 to 7.85, so these are 6/12NL and 12/24 NL. Min buy for the 50/100 was 5K to 30K ($3,800 USD). The 100/200NL has a 20K min buy with no cap. I put my name down on the 50/100.
I went to the ATM soon after and was only able to pull out 3k HKD at a time. After 5 ATM transactions, I manage to pull out 15k HKD and head back to the poker room, only to find out... I can't buy chips there. So back to the cage I go. LOL. Dammit. Ok, finally seated at the table after a short little wait.
My first day can be summed up in 3 consecutive hands, which I'll get to.
50/100NL, Pre-flop action is typically 300 (first to act). I've seen a 3 bet go anywhere from 900-1.2k (this is HKD of course). I don't have too much experience playing 5/10 so I decided to play ABC and tight. Also, it was difficult to understand exactly how much $$ the pot was so I had to re-program my brain to just go off pot size rather than try to convert this to USD in my head. I think at my highest, I was sitting on 24k ($1.1K profit) and about 11k at the lowest. So all in all, not too bad. Next like 5-6 hours, I'm completely card dead and hovering around 16k. Then comes the trifecta of hands that make my evening.
Hand 1 of 3
I'm starting to get tilted from no action, hungry because I haven't had anything to eat, and dizzy.
Hero - 9s5s on button Villain - is on my direct right, and he's been a solid player all day.
Pre-flop, 1 call, action around to Villain, who pops to the 300, Hero calls, SB calls, MP1 calls. Flop comes 6-6-10 (2 clubs). Checks to villain, who bets pot, 1.2k. I'm so bored out of my mind and energy fading at this point, I call 1.2k. Rest fold, it's heads up. Turn comes an off 8. He leads out for 2.2k. I realize I'm losing my mind, but I have no choice... I count out 2.2k, pause for a bit, then decide to go over the top for 5.2k. It's time to bluff this one or go home. He took about 30 seconds to think. I'm putting him on pocket Js or Qs. River is a off 2. Flush misses. He checks, I announce all-in for remaining ~9k. After about 2 minutes of making me sweat, he folds. I flip it up, cuz I'm feeling re-energized and the whole table explodes in laughter. Villain turns to me and says "a bluff?!" Then I can see his shoulders slouch and he avoids eye contact. Couple Chinese guys come over to give me a fist bump and start asking me where I'm from. I say California. This will be important later.
Hand 2 of 3
Very next hand. Button is now to my left. UTG calls for 100, MP makes it 400 to go, I call 400 with Ad8d, UTG 3 bets to 1.2, MP folds, I call. It's heads up, and one of the Chinese guy says "bluff again!" in broken English.
Flop Ah Qh 8s
UTG Checks around to me, I put in a bet of 1.2k. He raises it to 3.75. I call.
Turn is a off suit 7. No help. He grabs a stack and puts out 5.5k. He started with about 30k so he's got me covered. I take my time and put out 5.5k. Off to the river. River comes 6 off suit, no flush. He pauses for 5 seconds, then announces all in. I have about 12k in front of me and feel sick. I tank for a minute... then convince myself of a call because of one thing. When he sat down, his buddies ridiculed him in Cantonese (I think), which I couldn't understand, but picked up the words bluff, bluff, bluff over and over again. Just went with that piece of info as the icing on the cake and decided to call it off. He doesn't flip right away, so I flip A-8. He tables K-Q a second after.
The entire table goes ape shit. My neighbor says "Hero bluff, Hero call!" One guy starts chanting 'USA, USA', LMAO! More people are talking in English now and interested in talking to me.
Hand 3 of 3
It's the last of the 3 hands before I get up soon after... and it's a bit uneventful, but hilarious nevertheless. I'll make it short, but essentially UTG is tilted and decides to spew the rest of his 7.5k stack off pre-flop. I think he's small or big blind at this point and he goes all in when it comes around.
I have pocket Jacks LOL. Insta-Call. The whole table erupts in laughter again. On a side note, the poker table vibe was very chill versus how it is in US. I don't know if they know each other or not, but the mood is very casual and people make fun of each other. It's hilarious. One guy who spoke poor English told me he thought I was a robot, because they were all crackin jokes and he said I never laughed. When he found out I wasn't Chinese, he was like OHHHHhhh. (I've been told I look Chinese)
Anyways, everyone says face up, so I flip Jacks and UTG decides to play it down. Board runs out 10 high. He turns over pocket Queens! LMAOOOOOO... the mob says money back! money back! Everyone is happy. I can't remember if I play a couple more or not, but decide to color up soon after and go eat dinner. It's 6pm, raining outside... taxi line is about 200 people deep. I walk back in the rain.
Day 3 (Today!) Not as exciting as yesterday, but was another good day. I took a cab to the Wynn... only to find out the Wynn near Venetian doesn't have Poker. The Wynn up north has the Poker room. I didn't know there were 2 Wynn casinos here LOL. WTF. Forget it, I decide to walk back to the Venetian again.
Once I get to the Venetian, 10am and there's a list of 25 people for 50/100. Mother of God... By noon, they still haven't opened any new tables and the list is 60 people deep. Finally, dealers stroll in and they quickly open up 3 new 50/100 tables. I manage to get seated by 1pm. I was #27.
The table today is a lot weaker than the one I played last night. Guys were doing funny things like doubling the blind by the big blind after it gets around, LOL (maybe it was just this one guy). Players had interesting bet sizings. very little aggression. No one tried to steal pots. It was very weak tight gameplay. I was able to push people off pots once my chip stack got bigger.
I ended up cashing out positive again today for a short 3 hour session. For the trip, I played about 10-11 hours. Started with my original 15k HKD and cashed for 64k HKD, for a profit of a little over 49k HKD ($6.2k USD).
On my walk back to the hotel, I managed to find this currency exchange window called P&W, and exchanged everything back to USD. They gave me a pretty good exchange rate, so I'm a bit confused how they make money... oh well.
In summary... it was a good trip. Sorry the write up was long. If an idiot like me can make it to Macau, play poker and make it back... you can too. And you'll probably make money. I literally did little to no research.

Trip report: four nights at Encore for anniversary for $8500

Bar in the Sky [exhibitionism, MF]

I sit on the back of the couch, leaning against the wall. Four people are crammed into the seats, three gorgeous women and one of my buddies. From my perch on the back of the couch, I’m lord of all I survey. It’s good to be the king, and tonight, I am the king.
It’s the third night of our trip, and I’ve gotten us access to a special birthday party in the dance club on the top floor of the casino. Dave’s night of debauchery at the five-star strip club on our first night in Vegas was up to his usual high standards. Joey’s casino night was fun, I made a little money at the craps table. Neil’s plans for tomorrow are still under wraps. I want to make Saturday memorable.
The birthday party is for a reality TV star. A very notable, famous one. It’s not a Kardashian, don’t worry. It is a big deal, though, cameras for the show will be filming, and it seems like everybody under age 30 wants to be there. Back home, before we left, I told the boys to pack clothes suitable for a club. They laughed, we are not a group that went to dance clubs at 25, they don’t want to start now. I ask them to trust me, and they do.
Our car service drops us at the main door, and there is a line. I ask security if this is the VIP line, and he says no, follow this line inside, the VIP table is to the left. We go in, the couple dozen folks outside wondering if we are famous. Joey and I walk through the glass foyer, Neil and Dave behind us, and the line stretches ahead, as far as we can see. There are hundreds of people dressed for a club night stretched along the casino floor. As we stride past them, we hear a couple bratty girls complain “what makes them so special,” and a guy loudly say “I think the big one was a hockey player.”
It’s a long queue. I’m amused at how many people are lined up to be in the background on reality TV, while a guy who doesn’t want to be famous at all is skipping the wait. After crossing the clanging casino floor, we get to the check-in. A pair of frantic women are overwhelmed working the general admission table, while a very professional lady sits at the empty VIP table. “Aaron Bloom and guests,” I state as she looks up.
She asks for ID and credit card, staring at me as I hand them over. She makes a “Hmmm” sound and crosses my name off the list, “I thought you were shorter.” She is about to run my card, and stops. “Your reservation is for four, but there are seven in your party, are you paying for them all?” There must be another group behind us that she’s mixing up, but as I turn, I see Dave wink, a stunning girl on each arm. A third girl is with Neil, Dave’s lifelong wingman, and Neil has a shit-eating grin plastered across his lucky face.
I turn back to the table, looking the lady in the eye, half a smile on my face, trying to be charming. “Seven it is, ma’am. We are one short if you’d like to join us.” She pretends to think about it for a moment, raises an eyebrow, then hands me my cards and receipt. She shoos us along to the elevator, but we exchange a smile as my group departs.
The seven of us get on the elevator. The operator swipes a card and hits 51, one floor short of the big dance club on 52. Dave introduces the girls, all of them about twenty-five, all of them very grateful to get into the party and out of the long line. They are very pretty, but Nikki, the gorgeous one, slinks up to me and grabs the lapels of my blazer, pulling me down low enough for a whisper. “Thank you, you’re the best. You can get us on TV, right? I just want my opportunity.” I don’t lie, leaning in and replying, “we will be in the right place for it.” As I say it, I glare over the girl at Dave, who smiles and shrugs. I don’t know who the girls think I am, but Dave has them thinking I’m important.
That’s my third mistaken identity of the evening, and not the last. Girl at the table was right, the powerful and very wealthy Aaron Bloom is shorter than me, and a good bit older. He’s a known name with a less known face, and it happens to be the name on my drivers license. My face and height? Ten years earlier, I’d occasionally get a beer on the house, a bar patron buying me a drink and swearing I was a hockey player, even though the barkeep would tell them that I wasn’t. I can’t even skate, but the dude in line was an echo of those days. Now these fame hungry girls think I’m Hollywood reality TV connected. I need a drink.
It’s a long ride to 51, and Joey is odd man out, no girl. Dave introduces the girl on his arm, Lauren, to Joey. Based on the walk across the casino floor, the fact that Joey and I are good friends, Dave paints a picture that Joey must also be an influential guy to know, he’s tight with the big fella. The girl is suddenly intrigued by soft spoken Joey, and now has a grip on his arm and a big smile. Neil’s new friend, Allison, seems happy enough, and Dave is now solo. No one feels bad for solo Dave, it never lasts long.
The elevator dings at 51, and the doors open to an opulent private club. Dark woods, deep leather couches, a grand piano with a cover on it. It is a classy contrast to the clanking noise and the tracksuit clad gamblers in the casino. A hostess meets us as we leave the elevator. She looks at my receipt, then up at me, and at the receipt again. She calls over another hostess, hands the new girl the receipt, and we follow her to our spot.
We pass through a pair of rooms with small groups of party-goers in front of enormous bottles of booze, bottle-service parties within the bigger party. No one in the first room notices us, but everyone in the second room stops what they are doing and looks at us. “Who are they?” “Do you recognize them?” Someone even snaps a picture of Joey and I and the girls on our arms. I’m confused, until we leave the second room and enter the opulent bar area.
The main bar area is mahogany and brass, crystal and LED light. The walls are curtained, and there are pods of couches lining all of the walls. Three tables are on the small dance-floor, for the guests of honor.
I look around the room, it is uncrowded. I recognize a pair of stand-up comics, one who’s been in a couple movies. A sports team owner holds court with his group of guests. A pair of NBA players has a gaggle of girls around them. One gets up as we approach, taller than me. He gives me a handshake/ back pat, and says “good to see you, brother” as the hostess hustles us by. The girls are impressed, I turn to Joey and mouth “what the fuck?”
We arrive at our pod, a pair of couches and a low table, with the back of the couch for the next pod making a U shape. As we settle in, Dave disappears. Yet another hostess pops up, two waiters behind her with trays. We get bottle service as part of the admission. I choose Vodka, and the hostess opens and places a towering bottle of Grey Goose on the table with an array of mixers. We have been comped another round of bottle service, do we want another vodka? I want gin, everyone, even the girls, makes a face, and moments later another huge bottle of Goose joins the one on the table. It is a fuckton of booze.
Dave returns, another pair of hot ingenues on his arms, his deal with the devil apparently still working. We settle in, only one of the girls joining the four of us for a raw shot of vodka to remember an old friend. Then Neil starts mixing drinks. Vodka-cranberry or vodka-redbull for each of the girls. I’d enjoy a martini, but with the intimidating bottles on the table, my “don’t die” reflex kicks in and I opt for a weak vodka-tonic.
After the bro-hug from the NBA player, Nikki is now thoroughly convinced I am worth knowing, and she’s got a death grip on my left arm. She gives the two new girls Dave brought a scowl, warning them off. I feel bad, I’m not some producer. But all she wants is to be on camera, and I’ve gotten her into a room full of celebrities. She knows it, and keeps an eye peeled for camera crews and microphone booms. One of the new girls asks “Oh my god, who are you guys? We are twenty feet from the main table, are you friends with the star?” The questions continue on, and Nikki mistakes my honesty for modesty as I say “We are nobody, don’t worry about it.”
After fifteen-twenty minutes, as we mix another round of drinks, she leans in and kisses me, claiming me, marking territory for the other girls to see. Nikki is gorgeous, a lithe 5’8”, athletic, tan, toned. She’s wearing a shift dress, mostly sequins, and I’m pretty sure the dress is all she’s wearing. No bra straps, no bump on the back of the dress where hooks would be. She’s got lovely medium sized boobs, and she’s young and fit and firm enough to skip a bra tonight for her chance to be on camera.
She’s immaculately made up, her stunning face accented perfectly. She has long brown hair with subtle shading, and a near flawless physique. I do not end up with girls who look like models, my “type” skewing to quirky, or tall, or busty, or bookish. Tonight, there is a wannabe actress on my arm. She’s not there for me, she’s there for the Hollywood guy, or the hockey player, or the billionaire, whichever will get her on TV. I’m not those guys, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going to get her on TV regardless. I look up, and see the camera crew arrive.
When the cameras pan the dance floor upstairs later, everyone screams and raises their arms. Here, it is restrained. The comedians say “hey”, the basketball players make a peace sign. I give a thumbs up with a raised eyebrow, Nikki flashing a perfect smile by my side, the rest of the group briefly “in the shot” as the camera pans in. Fame is Nikki’s aphrodisiac, apparently. As the cameras move on to the next group, she kisses me, then swings a leg over to straddle me and kiss me harder, a few howls of “get a room” from the group.
A half hour later, the guest of honor arrives, and people stand, offer toasts, the comics make jokes, all in service to the hunger for story in their show. I’m urged forward by one of the hostesses as the cake is brought out, “in shot” with the other celebrities singing happy birthday. Nikki is beside me, she has almost dug trenches in my elbow with her nails. The VIP treatment, the cameras, the access, it’s far more than she dreamed.
As we get back to the table, everybody is happy, some are shit-faced and happy. Dave has cycled a near parade of girls through our couple of couches, only Allison remains of the original crew. Four new girls are mixing drinks with Dave and Neil, Joey lost to the dance floor upstairs, dragged away by some half-drunk girl. Nikki leans into me, and asks “can we go back to your room?”
My room is halfway across town, I’m not staying in this hotel. Before I answer, I wave over one of the VIP hostesses who patrol the room. I tell her I’m a bit woozy and need to compose myself, do they have a private place available to rest. She looks at me, at horny Nikki, and back at me, seeing right through my weak ruse. It doesn’t matter, VIPs needing a room in the middle of a party is a thing they are prepared for. “Of course sir, I’ll have someone escort you.” I flash Dave three “tens” with my hands, signing that I’ll be gone for a half hour as yet another hostess introduces herself.
A short elevator ride later and the hostess swipes us into the room, handing me the room card. I tip her generously as she leaves. Nikki whistles as she takes it all in. The room is much, much nicer than my “pretty nice” room at the Venetian. A king bed dominates the room, the furniture is leather. The far wall is all window, with a glass door to a balcony, overlooking the city, the Vegas Strip twinkling in the distance.
“You are the best. All I wanted was to be on the dance floor near a camera, to be seen. I’m going to be on TV in the VIP, standing between you and a movie star singing happy birthday. Thank you.” She lowers the straps of her dress off her shoulders, and with a shrug, the satiny, sequined shift slides to the ground at her heels. No bra, that much I knew. No panties either, just that loose dress hiding this perfection.
Nikki is a knockout, framed in front of those windows, that view of Vegas, a magazine cover waiting to happen. She steps over her dress and preens, posing, seducing. Her black heels stay on, and her long tan legs are toned, shapely calves and slightly curved thighs drawing the eye up, to her ass. With heels and a slight bend forward at the waist, her behind is a work of art. The cute butt sweeps and curves into a slim lower back, the curves enhanced by the little circular dents where the muscles meet.
Her ass tapers into a narrow waist. She’s toned, and her frame is slim. The long torso is flat, but unmuscled, no visible abs, but no extra padding. Her breasts are beautiful, perfect and firm mounds, a small C. The nipples are a deeper tan than her skin, almost brown, tilted up. Even the curve of her collarbone into her shoulder is graceful, as if sculpted by a master, every detail important. Perfect features, gorgeous body, flowing hair, and plainly eager.
“Do you like this?” she asks. I’m sure that she has never heard anyone answer “no” to that question, but I can hear doubt. I tell her she’s beautiful, and I find the source of her doubt “Come on, you’ve been with models, actresses…” I stop her, and tell her, honestly, that she’s perfect. She smiles and crosses the room to me, and begins unbuttoning my shirt. Once removed, she kisses my chest, up to my shoulders, demure and aggressive at once.
I lean down to kiss her, my hand on the small of her back, lifting her slightly. She stretches up, forearms resting on my shoulders, fingers entwined around my neck. She breaks the kiss, and walks to the window. Placing her hands on the glass, she gives me a show. She bends gracefully, her perfect behind on display. She curves herself forward, flexing her elbows, pressing her breasts to the cool glass. Her nipples harden, and she shivers.
I approach her, kicking off my shoes and undoing my belt as I walk. She turns, and slides my pants to the ground. As she rises, she says, “Jesus, you’re a billionaire and you have a big cock? That’s almost not fair.” Now I know which mistaken identity she’s latched onto, no wonder she thought I slept with models. She traces her fingernail across my shorts, along the length of my dick, making little shapes, teasing. She stands, and presses herself into me, and peels my shorts down and off. My cock springs out, and she grabs hold. First with one hand, then barely wrapping her other hand around it, still with space below and above. It throbs, and reddens, in her hands. “That’s not big, that’s huge” she whispers.
I pull her close, hands on her ass, cock pressed against her belly as we kiss again. I lift her, swinging around and laying her on the bed. She looks down at me, between her legs, and says “you don’t need to do that for me, I’m already …” the next word was probably “wet”, but it’s lost behind a little grunt as my tongue finds her clit. I feel her thighs on my ears, and her hips thrusting up, wanting more. I trace lines and circles on her, working her button then sliding my tongue along the crease of her lips, then back to her clit. In moments, I feel little tremors, she’s having an orgasm, shaking, whispering “wonderful” at the end.
I ask her to go back to the window, it was very sexy, and she says she’s got a better idea. She opens the door to the balcony, and beckons me to follow. She grabs the rail, and shakes her ass at me. It’s not cold out, but it’s windy up here, her hair blows behind her as she turns her head to say “take me.” I approach her from behind, squeezing her ass, sliding two fingers into her, eliciting a soft moan. I wrap an arm around her from behind, pulling her up to me, kissing her shoulder and neck. My cock rests on the shelf of her behind, pressed into her back. She whispers over her shoulder, “fuck me, now.”
She’s wet. She’s very, very wet, her orgasm from the oral adding to her ready state. She has her hands on the rail as I briefly tease her lips with my head. The wind whips by as I push into her, a quiet moan taken from her lips to the sky. I work my way into her slowly, methodically, enjoying the moans, listening for any negative sounds or reactions. I’ve learned to be careful, but Nikki has other thoughts. She reaches back, hand on my hip, and says “all of it”. I change from my short and deepening strokes, slidIng out nearly all the way.
With one hand on her hip and the other on her shoulder, I slowly drive my cock all the way into her. She’s wet, and very willing, moaning louder as my fat cock fills her. “Oh god damn you’ve got a big one” she says into the wind. She wriggles her ass, then yells “stay still!” With her heels planted firmly on the balcony, her hands on the rails, she slides forward. The arch of her back exposes her tits for the world to see, not that anyone is looking at the 47th floor. Then she slides back onto me, a long hard stroke, grunting at the end. Again, slowly, she slides forward and slams back, finding a rhythm, grunting with the effort, moaning with the rising pleasure. She is a thing of beauty, a work of art, repeatedly and needfully impaling herself on my fat red cock.
She cries out, and lowers her torso, changing the angle. I have to take a half step back, but she has a new rhythm, a new urgency, finding a deep connection she wants more of. I grab her hips, helping her drive down and reach a place inside her that is working for her. She screams, a long “ohhhhhhhh” out to the world, not caring who hears. “Oh fuck, goddamn, that was amazing.” She slides forward, disengaging with a filthy wet noise. As she turns to me, my wet dick brushes her taut belly. “Jesus, that didn’t make you come?” She grabs my cock and drags me inside to the bed.
We lay down together, and she kisses me before rolling on top of me. Her bright blue eyes look through me with lust and more as she perches on me. She’s still perfect even after the hard balcony fuck. I realize she’s chosen positions to keep her hair and makeup from being mussed too much. No missionary, no doggy. I admire her high perky boobs and the taut tendons of her upper thighs as she positions herself. She leans forward, and guides my cock deep into her. She slides all the way down, and then straightens upright. She starts to bob, short strokes, taking my full length each time, smiling.
She asks for my hands, and I raise my arms. She locks her hands into mine. With the leverage, her strokes are longer, she knows what she’s doing. Her smile adjusts, less glee and more determination, driving toward her own orgasm, and mine. Her pert breasts wobble each time she slams down onto me, her fingers hold tight, intertwined through mine. I feel my blood rise, my own urgency, I’m close. She’s close too. A deep growling moan escapes her lips and she clenches her hands, digging nails into the backs of my hands. After the exhaling moan, she drops onto me, all of my cock deep inside as I explode into her. She’s let go of my hands, leaning back slightly, propped on my legs, no longer riding. She’s still coming, riding her wave, her eyes lost and rolling. I feel my own final spurt, one last throb. I look down and see a trickle of our mixed love on the top of my cock, below her lips.
“Oh fuck. That was supposed to be my thank you, I didn’t expect that. Fuck me, that was good.” She’s still on me, chattering away as my erection flags, spent. Finally, she pops off, and heads to the restroom, still talking. “Do you ever get to Denver? I’d love to see you again.” I hear the water run. A moment later I join her, looking for a towel. As I’m cleaning, she grabs it again, giving it a kiss. “Hopefully I won’t be in Denver for long, I’m sure you get to LA, right?” Nikki is career focused, I will give her that. I tell her I’m always happy to help someone out, keeping myself technically honest. After we clean ourselves, and dress, I dial for a hostess and Nikki kisses me some more, still trying to show her appreciation without falling back into lust again.
We get back to our VIP pod, Joey and Dave drinking with a new group of girls, our “party” now commingled with the NBA players in the next pod. Their side pieces and groupies are hot in entirely different ways that our reality wannabes, it’s quite a mix.
Nikki promises to come back after she finds Allison and Lauren. She will find her friend just after she finishes giving Neil a stairwell blowjob, the relationship they began in the elevator coming full circle hours later. Lauren is out on the dance floor, the only one of the three having the night they planned.
One of the girls on our couches hands me a fat cigar, out of a box that was “sent to Mr. Bloom” while I was away. All the seats are taken, so I climb to the back of the couch, and sit. I bite off the end of the cigar and chomp on it, unlit, waiting for Nikki’s return.
Most nights I’m just a guy, the big fella, but just a guy. Tonight, I’m a VIP, sharing camera time with celebrities, bro-hugs with pro athletes, and still glowing from my time with the work-of-art woman. I’m a king in this room, not just a guy, at least for tonight. It’s good to be the king.

Going to Vegas in July - I've been doing my research so hope this can help others.

I'm going in July and have done some research.
Plenty of this is from the sidebar, but other notes are from many of other sources.
The Vegas Degenerate Tour ( . ) ( . )
Things to do:

Drugs
Hookers
Bellagio Fountains (free)
Mirage Volcano Show (free)
The lounge at the top of the Mandarin Oriental - Super Classy with amazing night time views, sexy patrons and great cocktails
Wet Republic - Rent cabana 2 months in advance
Las Vegas Helicopter Night Flight with VIP Transportation £65pp
Grand Canyon Skywalk - Apparently Expensive and not that good - you have to take a bus to get there and it is $30 each. Go to Grand Canyon south instead.
The Strip Gun Club Range
Sapphires pool party - strippers pool party!!!
Fremont Street Experience at night.
Container Park, which is a few blocks east of the Freemont St. Experience, a 2 foot recycled steel praying mantis (acquired from Burning Man) spits giant fireballs to the beat of music A LOT. Lots of half naked men and women. LOTS (free)
Ghost Bar at the Palms has amazing views. Check Groupon for deals. Happy hour 8-10pm
Stratosphere rides
Stratosphere bar at the top. Happy hour 2 hours after open
High Roller observation wheel. Get a car with the open bar.
Monte Carlo minus 5 Ice bar. Everything is made out of ice! Bar, glasses, seating - everything
RiRa Irish bar with live music and good Guinness after 9pm
The Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay, live music and amazing strip views
Strip clubs: Spearmint Rhino, Hustler Club and Crazy Horse--those are our top 3 Rhino and Horse are high end and classy
Top Golf location, just behind MGM. 5 levels of golf driving range, mixed with music, food and drinks. There are also 2 pools, free to use.#
Dig This drive diggers and bulldozers.
Spa in the ARIA is amazing with good treatments.
Alibi show http://alibitheshow.com/ This experience throws the audience into an exciting adventure around the streets, restaurants, bars and other real-life locations on the Las Vegas Strip.
BARE POOL AT MIRAGE: Go on Monday. At Bare, experience palm tree-enclosed seclusion as you relax and enjoy European-style sunbathing at Bare Pool at The Mirage. Read more https://jackcolton.com/las-vegas-dayclubs/bare-pool-mirage/
Ride in a stuntplane! Actual vomiting everywhere http://www.skycombatace.com/
Best price supercar rentals https://www.vegasluxuryrides.com
Lake Mead boat rental boatbound.com
Absinthe at Ceaser’s Palace amazing offensive comedy show http://www.ticketmaster.com/Absinthe-tickets/artist/802082
There is so much free stuff going on up and down the strip though that you can just do all the free stuff and not spend a dime. From street dancers, people singing, or pictures with a grown dude wearing a diaper.
Eclipse cinemas downtown for an over 21s only luxury cinema experience with cocktails and good food.
The Linq promenade is a very nice area
Treasures strip club: have a nice buffet and steak to go with your titty show http://www.treasureslasvegas.com/
VooDoo Zipline at Rio Groupon $44 for two
REAL BODIES at Ballys Groupon $35.50 for two

Tips:

Hotel picker https://farm1.staticflickr.com/770/21800142824_6dddea1786_k.jpg
$50 a night dining credit at ARIA somehow - research
Do the $20 checking tip trick. Slip a $20 in between card and ID and ask to see if an upgrade is possible.
Get player’s cards - sign up for the Player's Club (free) in each casino, they will usually give you some sort of incentive
Buy water at a supermarket and keep at hotel
Taxi from Airport request avoid the I-215 Airport Tunnel and go via Strip
http://www.tix4tonight.com for tickets on the night
Drinks are ALWAYS cheaper inside the casinos on Fremont than outside
Harrah's has a "Million Dollar Pull" where you just go up and play a slot machine for free with the chance to win $1 million. Even if you don't win a million, you will always win something.
If you want to go to top of the Stratosphere go to the desk to the right of the entrance and say you want to go to the bar. You won't have to pay the $15 to go to the top.
Marketing manager for the Aria https://www.reddit.com/usetedistkrieg
Have the clubs pick you up in their limos because all the cab/ubelyft/limo drivers get a kick back on anyone they drop off to the clubs and same with the VIP card guys! So if you don't use the free limo ... THE CLUB HAS TO CHARGE YOU A COVER!!! If you use the clubs FREE limo service they can sometimes wave that cover charge!! (that's like $20 a person!)
Check for Groupon deals.
Make sure you all download the Uber and Lyft app. Both offer new user signup credits. Free rides.
A $400 Pre-Authorisation charge for resort fees and ‘amenities’ was taken as expected upon check in. I would recommend UK visitors to take a Cash Passport MasterCard (available in Thomas Cook and other travel agents)

Clubs

Hosts contacts list for all major clubs: https://jackcolton.com/
You can view hotel discounts at up to 30% as well as VIP table service for nightclubs at: www.VegasJames.com for strip clubs at: www.StripperKing.com
XS Encore
Hakkasan MGM
Light inside the Mandalay Bay
Tryst Wynn
Vegas local youtuber and bouncehost Jacob Orth to hook us up with limo service to the Hustler club
Places we personally recommend from experience:
Hakkasan
Omnia
The Light
XS
XS does a nightitme pool party
Gold Spike nightclub / hotel in Downtown is a bit more ‘Hipster’
This list offers plenty more clubs to check out (many of which don’t require a cover).
http://www.vegasvip.com/nightclubs.html

Food

Alizé Tasting Menu - get groupon for discount £350 > $200
Sage in the Aria has a highly rated tasting menu
Aria buffet one of the best
Joël Robuchon in MGM is crazy silly expensive but amazing food 16 course taster $425 each without drinks https://www.mgmgrand.com/en/restaurants/joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.html
Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace a little cheaper 9 course tasting for $260/person or a $350/person 14 course tasting https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace/restaurants/guy-savoy#.WI8vkRuLTIU
é by Jose Andres inside Jaleo inside Cosmo. Only 8 seats, reservations by email only ([email protected]) starting 3 months prior to the res date, 23 courses. $190/person(?) without alcohol pairing
Raku in Chinatown does amazing 8/12 course tastings for $70/100 a person
The tasting, or "seasonal discover menu" at L'Atelier is up to $165 per person
Eiffel Tower restaurant is a Must for dinner!!!!!!!! Fantastic view of the strip
Good steakhouses serve food at the restaurant bar and the bartender has seen some shit. So much more fun for a party up to three and the service is over the top.
Delmonico's in Venetian at the bar. The cocktails and food were amazing.
Mushashi's dirty show (Japanese steak with a naughty show for the girls.) Midnight to 4am happy hour.
Secret Pizza. A secret pizza place. Needs research! Inside the Cosmopolitan
Bachi Burger – also to reunite with a previous memory. I still think this is one of the top 3 burgers I’ve ever had. The oxtail chili cheese fries are recommended by others to be a “must”, but I personally prefer the truffle fries.
Monta Ramen – I’m a huge ramen fan and I understood this was the –best- ramen place in Vegas.
Sweets Raku – in the same complex as Monta Ramen. They have some neat desserts that they make right in front of you, lovely experience.
Wicked Spoon Buffet at the Cosmo. Everything was really good and the deserts were awesome.
Brunch @ Bacchanal Buffet, Caesar’s Palace – This was awesome! We had the groupon deal and it was impressively cheap. Midway through our meal they switched to their lunch menu so we got the best of both worlds there.
Gordon Ramsey’s Burgr – onion rings were incredible. The burger was pretty good as well.
Earl of Sandwich - I could seriously eat these every day.
Studio B Buffet @ M Resort
The "Heart Attack Grill" lets you eat free if you weigh over 350 pounds.
Marriage Can Be Murder - This is a dinner / theater / murder mystery / whodunit show at the D downtown. Includes tasty food, extreme audience participation and likely embarrassment. You may be called upon to dance, or play a character in the murder mystery. Comes with tasty food, cocktails available.
For dinner, I highly recommend BLT Steak House in Ballys Hotel and Red8 in The Wynn - if you are a food lover, BLT’s is particularly worth the extra!

Sex/Swingers Clubs (Or; no, you filthy pervert - what's wrong with you?)

The Red Rooster http://www.yelp.com/biz/las-vegas-red-rooster-las-vegas
The Green Door http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-green-door-las-vegas
Couple's Oasis http://www.couplesoasis.com/main/

Drive:
Drive along east CA down US-395 and crossing over to Nevada after Death Valley is one of the greatest drives I have ever done.
Guides:

Edited to include corrections.

$60 ——> $530

“Mini” BlackJack Diary - WARNING, VERY LENGTHY NOVEL
Hello guys, me and my family took a round trip tour throughout the United States - with California being our destination.
I live in Ohio and we dropped by Vegas for only 2 days. Just a little story about my profit and losses and where I played.
The hotel we stayed at was Harrah’s (AMAZING place for a little vacay stay btw but AWFUL for blackjack because of the crud rules.)
I had learned BJ with friends a few years prior to this trip because of poker, but never played seriously or practiced before this.
I had only studied a couple of days before this trip because I have a horrible habit of doing things last minute.
I am a Computer science major and study astrophysics for fun, so naturally I am able to crunch numbers without much effort.
My studies were all done within a 4 DAY SPAN. My actual play was done on days 3 AND 4.
I start out with a $200 bankroll for cushion, and only play with $20 buy-ins at a time to pull away when I need to.
DAY 1 —
2 Days prior to hitting Vegas, I knew virtually NOTHING about Blackjack and had taken it upon myself to learn basic strategy.
I had already KNEW how to count with the Hi-Lo system because - as I mentioned - I counted while playing poker FOR FUN at the same time as reading hands. Which I know, counting in poker is useless, but might as well kill two birds with one stone.
I learned basic strategy within this first day using android BJ practice apps, and solidified my memory with lots of water and good sleep.
This was 7+ hours of practice, as I was stuck in the car for the drive there.
DAY 2 —
I decided to squeeze as much info out of this as I could, so I learned the Wong Halves system on this day.
I also searched online hardcore for the best places to play with the BEST rules. Unfortunately, this was useless because we ended up staying at HARRAH’s (known for its shit rules).
For the Wong Halves, this was another 7+ HOURS of brutal brain numbing practice with 10 minute breaks in between each hour.
This system was very difficult to learn due to the halves system, but provides a bit of a more an accurate count. It was tough building the neurons for this new method, as I was already used to the Hi-Lo system.
But nonetheless, I was able to blitz an entire deck in just under 30 seconds.
DAY 3 —
So this was it.
We finally arrived around 4pm and checked in with our luggage and took everything upstairs.
As my parents were checking-in, I scanned the entire bottom casino perimeter to get a good look at my prey and what tables to go for. You could almost get lost looking for the restroom, I’d say - I’m sure they designed the place to have a devils grip on your mind.
The first tables in the party pit were intimidating with $15 - $25 minimums! - I was anticipating $5min, as being a broke college student, I know that variance can devour my entire bankroll.
As I was watching, I could BARELY keep count of the cards flying out from the dealers hand.
Already I was sweating. But knowing the cards were being hand-shuffled here, I was a bit relieved.
I decided to turn away and head to the empty back portion of the LINQ hotel, (basically connected to Harrahs), in hopes of finding a table with $5 min.
Luckily I did! But with an ASM and cruddy rules?? :(
I was screwed at that point, with no real hopes of winning. I decided to go for it and use basic strategy and practice counting while I was there.
I failed MISERABLY, and could BARELY keep track of half the cards that were coming out. My first $20 basically flew out of my hands.
With the night closing in for us, nearing almost 6pm, my family decided that it was time to leave and head out to eat.
DAY 3 — 6:30pm, MAIN ST. Garden Court Buffet
SORELY deceived and mislead, I had already dropped my hopes of having any edge against the house. “How could I be defeated so easily? I get that it was only $20 to start out, but have the rules around here really run to shit?”
After dinner, while my family is finishing eating, I decide to depressingly look around for tables.....
There it is....the fucking holy grail of BlackJack tables. BJ pays 3:2, and dealer hits on S17, with only 2 decks.
I almost cry with joy.
As any good player, I decide to sit back and watch the other players first and how they play.
2 older guys sitting next to each other, one stacking, one not.
The one stacking is generating heat, as passerby’s seem to notice the chips building high. The pit boss notices as well and eyes him the entire time he’s there. I had a feeling he was counting as he was spreading his bets on 4+ count, and I think he was also using a progression system. Who knows. The guy leaves.
I jump in, and am the only one at the table.
I whip out $20, unfamiliar with the game, the dealer is adjusting my mistakes every 20 seconds as I unnecessarily flip the cards over when I’m not supposed to and touch them when I’m not supposed to.
This immediately turns me off from counting.
So I turn to basic strategy and win the first few hands. I struggle through the variance and run this all the way up to $120 within the first 20 minutes!!
My family finishes dinner and comes to get me.
If it weren’t for those meddling kids, I’m sure I’d be up more! - Only kidding. I would have tilted and lost it all like the first time at LINQS, had it not been for their intervention :)
I was happy the entire night, with my bank roll starting out with $200, losing a $20 buy-in at first and then returning that with $120, I was invincible!!! Only $80 profit in total :(
I did not know how to cut my losses.
I wanted more.
11PM, THE VENETIAN - NEW BLACKJACK $5min COLOSSEUM FORMAT
That same night I decided to explore The Venetian. They had a new colosseum style blackjack game with the same crap rules.
I sit down with my $20 buy-in and go to town. It’s quite a long grind, as I ran it up to $60 in 20 minutes.
The free drinks start coming in. And a new guy sits next to me. He is also a Computer science major.
We talk for awhile, have a couple drinks and smokes (I normally don’t smoke cigs, only mary) and we both run up to $140 after about an hour and a half of playing total.
Lady Luck was on my side that night.
I am up a total of $260 in one day. Not bad for $20 buy-in. I decide to call it a night.
DAY 4 — LAST DAY AT HARRAH’S
It was night time at Harrah’s and we had arrived after walking down the Vegas strip and visiting the different casinos.
Mind you this was on July 4th so before arriving to the party pit tables my family was anticipating fireworks to be displayed on the strip that night (it was actually displayed 2 days before July 4th?? Bleh, whatever.)
So me and my mother decide to sit down at the $10 minimum tables - and thank god Harrahs even had a few 10$ min - after she had lost roughly $60 at the 3 card poker table.
I pull out $20 for a buy-in (I know, I know, awful idea but I do it anyways.
I get so freaking lucky and win the first couple of hands, I run it all the way to $220 in 40 minutes! All the while helping my mother gain back her profit as well.
I begin to lose 4 consecutive hands and decided to cut my losses at $170!!
I cash out with a total profit $430 added to my bankroll ($610 total!) and for the rest of the trip, I am a happy, happy boy. 22 and broke never felt so good.
I am actually quite afraid to play again, as there are no good tables in Columbus, Ohio. But am eager to study more.
If you guys have any tips or advice, please let me know.
That’s my story, thank you guys for reading.
As always, happy hunting!

LPT: Going to EDCLV 2018? Book your hotel NOW!

Updates from my Trip to Macau Playing Low Stakes Poker

Big and small. Unusual cards, dice and chips.

Happening in Indiana: July 3rd - 9th

Indiana's got a full slate of events for you all to enjoy this week thanks to the Fourth of July holiday, so get out there and blow shit up! Also, Indianapolis has begun their own Happenings Thread, so if you live in that region then check them out as well.
All my information comes from VisitIndiana so the list is not 100% comprehensive. If you know of anything that's missing, please post and share with everyone! If you've ever been to any of these events, or if you go this week, please share your experiences
This Week Only
Northwest Indiana

Beverly Shores

Garden and Art Walk: 11AM-3PM July 8th at the Town of Beverly Shores. Association of Beverly Shores residents and ERG will co-sponsor the annual Garden and Art Walk. Explore several different gardens, including a fairy garden, and observe on-site plain air painters (painting outside). The painters' art will also be displayed at The Depot. Again this year, your Garden and Art Walk ticket may be entered into a raffle for an original 16" x 20" acrylic painting by Susie Nichols.

Cedar Lake

Cedar Lake Summerfest: June 30th - July 4th at Cedar Lake Town Complex. Enjoy activites for all ages on the shore of Cedar Lake when the town complex transforms into 18 acres of fun featuring: Live Entertainment, Fireworks, Midway Games, Amusement Rides, Bingo Tent, Beer Garden, Boat Parade, R C Racing, New free Car Show ... and much more! Don't forget the food! Elephant Ears, Funnel Cakes, Corn Dogs, Steak Dinners, Pancake & Sausage Breakfast, and over a dozen other tasty treats! Merchandise & Crafts

Gary

Fourth of Juluau Pig Roast: 7-11PM July 3rd at US Steel Yard, Gary Railcats. Don't miss an All-American Pig Roast featuring Indiana Pork with our first-ever 4th of Juluau Pig Roast presented by ! Make sure you're here early as Barefoot Hawaiian will be performing a traditional luau with fire dancers! Stick around after the game for a special Fireworks show!

Hammond

Venetian Night: 8AM-10PM July 8th at the Hammond Marina. Join us for a day of quality entertainment and events, as well as beautiful evening fireworks, at our annual Venetian Night on Saturday, July 8. Events get underway at 8:00 a.m. with the All Marina Bake Sale and conclude with a spectacular fireworks show on Lake Michigan at 10:00 p.m.

LaPorte

4th of July at the Hesston Steam Museum: 12-5Pm July 1st-4th at the Hesston Steam Museum. 4th of July weekend is America's holiday. Spend it with machines that built this great country and climb aboard all 3 of our steam powered railroads for a scenic ride through our woods.
LaPorte Jaycees 4th of July Parade and Fireworks: July 4th at Downtown LaPorte/LaPorte County Fairgrounds. The 71st Annual LaPorte Jaycee's 4th of July Parade starts at 10am. July 4th Fireworks at the fairgrounds will begin at dusk.
LaPorte County Fair: July 7th-15th at LaPorte County Fairgrounds. Join us for the 1272nd LaPorte County Fair featuring Big & Rich on July 12th and Granger Smith July 13th. Enjoy great music and entertainment, fantastic food, livestock, carnival, 4-H exhibits and Pioneer Land all week long.

Michigan City

Native American Heritage Day at Friendship Botanic Gardens: 12-4PM at Friendship Botanic Gardens. Visitors will have the chance to learn about Indigenous Peoples' traditional gardening, trapping, cooking and crafting techniques.

Munster

Independence Day Fireworks: 6-1130PM July 3rd at Centennial Park. Fireworks Show: 9:30 pm. Music: 7:30-11:00 pm Featuring "Together". Concessions and Beer Garden
4th of July Parade: Starting at 2PM. Begins at Fisher and Calumet, proceeds north to Ridge Road and East to Munster Town Hall.

Portage

Portage 4th of July Festival & Parade: 5-9PM July 4th at Willowcreek Middle School. Vendors will be set up around the football field. Live music will be played from 7-9pm, with fireworks beginning at dusk
Shirley Heinze Nature Photography Hike: 5-7PM July 6th at the John Merle Coulter Natural Preserve. Join Susan Kirt, an award-wimming photographer with a background in biology and botany, at the John Merle Nature Preserve in search of the perfect shot. Seasonal highlights of the preserve will be photographed as Susan shows her tips and tricks for nature photography. This walk also includes a brief history of the preserve. All levels of photography are welcome, so bring your camera or smartphone! Registration is required

Porter

Family 4th Fest: 9AM-11PM July 4th at Hawthorne Park. Family fun on the 4th of July. parade 9am begins at Yost Elementary School and ends in the park. Free games and activities for kids. Lions Club pancake breakfast 7-11am, Turtle Derby 11am (for details see Chesterton Lions website), bounce houses, music, beer garden, food and fireworks at dusk.
Bailly Homestead Candlelight Tour (Full Moon): 730-900PM July 8th at the Billy/Chellberg parking lot. Experience the nightlife of 150 years ago during a ranger-led tour of the historic Bailly Homestead in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. During the program, learn about the lifestyles of the fur traders and native Potawatomi before touring the first floor of the Bailly House while it is lit by candlelight. Meet at the Bailly Homestead/Chellberg Farm parking lot. This program includes a shore 1/3 mile-long hike to the homestead. Allow about one hour to visit the site. No reservations are necessary. Insect repellent is recommended and be sure to bring a flashlight for the hike back to the parking lot after the program
Kayak Fishing: 7-10AM July 9th, call 219-395-1882 for location. Paddle with a ranger and join in the pursuit for the elusive Skamania Steelhead. bring your own equipment, wear a lifejacket, and obey fishing laws.

Valparaiso

Valparaiso 4th of July Celebration: 630-830PM at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. There will be music and activities. The fireworks show begins at approximately 9:15 p.m., bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Vendors will be available to purchase refreshments.
We Are Porter County Series: 9AM-5PM July 6th at the Porter County Museum. "We are Porter County" will highlight the formation of the county from its founding in 1836 to present day. Held on the first Thursday of each month.
Shakespeare in the Park: The Taming of the Shrew: July 7th-8th at Central Park Plaza. Join CST under the stars for a classic romp about the love/hate courtship of Petruchio and the headstrong Katherina at the 6th Annual Shakespeare in the Park, The Taming of the Shrew, a tale that is filled with mistaken identities, humor and wit.
Acorn Concert Series - The Black Lillies and the Way Down Wand: 7-10PM July 8th at Taltree Arboretum and Gardens. Named as one of Rolling Stones Magazine's "10 artists you need to know", The Black Lillies an award-winning blend of country, alt-rock, neo-folk, and mountain music. cording to Rolling Stone Magazine, "no independent band has played the Grand Ole Opry more often then The Black Lillies". Opening for The Black Lillies is The Way Down Wanderers. This Americana group formed in Chicago was listed on Spotify's Songpicker's 2016 Best Song Playlist and listed as 2014's best emerging artist by Deli Magazine. Craft beer, wine, and local food favorites will be available to purchase during the concert. Bring lawn chairs. This is a fancy-freindly event. Smoking and outside beverages are prohibited.
7th Annual Livin' It Up Music Festival: 3-9PM July 9th at Zao Island Amusement and Recreation Center. Beatles and Rolling Stones Cover Concert to benefit the Special Olympics. Tickets are available before or at the gate. featuring performance by Beggar's Banquet (Rolling Stones), Chris & Lou Beatles Experience, Disreali Gears (Cream), Ripley Street, 3 Peace and DJ Andy Petrovich. Music begins at 3pm. There will also be a variety of children's activities, and other engaging events.

Whiting

July 3rd Party in the Park: 7-10PM July 3rd at Whiting Lakefront Park. Food, drinks, and live music by the Nick Danger Band with dazzling Independence Day fireworks over Lake Michigan.
Whiting’s 98th Annual 4th of July Parade: Starting at 10AM July 4th. Parade starts at 116th Street and Indianapolis Blvd. Goes south to 119th Street, makes a left on 119th Street to Front Street, makes a left on Front Street and ends in Whiting Lakefront Park. Featuring Nationally Recognized Characters followed by a Whiting Lakefront Park Character Meet & Greet.

North East Indiana

Angola

Angola Balloons Aloft: July 7th-8th at the Angola High School. Hot air balloon competition featuring special-shaped balloons plus 30 additional balloons. Other entertainment for 2017 will include remote controlled aerial displays, an expanded Kid's Fun Zone, helicopter rides, skydiving, classic car and tractor show and food and retail vendors.

Fort Wayne

Three Rivers Festival: July 7th-15th at Headwaters Park. Fort Wayne’s favorite summer party since 1969! All the great and loved events are back for this year’s festival. For additional information, please visit the Three Rivers Festival website
The Lettermen: 8PM July 8th at Foellinger Outdoor Theater. The All-American family friendly trio The Lettermen consists of Donovan Tea, Bobby Poynton, and founding Member Tony Butala. In the 1960s and 1970 The Lettermen scored over 25 chart hit singles including “Theme from “A Summer Place,’” ‘Goin’ Out of My Head / Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” and “Hurt So Bad.” The Lettermen have recorded in fourteen languages, and received eighteen gold records.
Open Streets: 11AM-3PM July 9th at Downtown Fort Wayne. Open Streets Fort Wayne will temporarily close the street to vehicles and open it to walkers, bike riders, roller skaters and fun activities such as giant inflatable games for kids. The event will allow residents to see Fort Wayne in a unique way, get some exercise and socialize with new and old friends. This year’s Open Streets Fort Wayne connects the neighborhoods of West Central, East Central, LaRez, Hoagland Masterson and Williams Woodland with the Central Business District on Calhoun Street. The event area goes from the St. Marys River south on Calhoun to Williams Street. In between there are activities that connect Berry, Wayne, Ewing and Barr Streets. Open Streets is family-friendly and free for everyone. Along the Open Street route attendees will find Activity Hubs featuring live music, golf, Fort Wayne Derby Girls, soccer, and many other activities. A full list of activities will be announced soon. Additionally, several businesses normally closed on Sunday will be open.

Huntington

Splash on the Wabash - Huntington: 10AM-4PM at Forks of the Wabash Historic Park. Inner Tube Lazy River Ride Who’s ready for a fun lazy river ride down the Wabash River? The float lasts 60 to 90 minutes. There are three launch times to choose from (10 a.m., noon or 2 p.m.). Bring your own heavy duty river tube and life jacket and for only $5; or reserve one our tubes for $10. Activity limited to individuals 8+. Life jackets are required. To reserve your place and tube, visit www.splashonthewabash.com. Advance reservations required for tube rentals due to limited numbers. Cash only day of event. FREE Family activities Noon-4 p.m. - Come celebrate the rivers with free inflatables, water paddle boats for the little ones, “walk on water” balls and a zip line ($5 per run)! Children will get wet so dress them appropriately! There will be hamburgers and hotdogs for purchase. FREE Kayak Usage Noon-4 p.m. - Take a spin on the river in a kayak! Volunteers will be available to help you learn how to use this great mode of transportation. Huntington is just 90 minutes north of Indianapolis and 20 minutes from Fort Wayne. Close access to camping and hotels.

Portland

Jay County 4th of July Celebration: July 4th at the Jay County Fairgrounds. Food booths, games, talent show & more! Parade downtown 11:00 AM. Fireworks at dusk.

Central Indiana

Anderson

Indiana's Most Spectacular Free Fireworks Show: 430-11PM at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino. Racing Early Post Time 4:30 pm. Free Family Fun Activities Beginning at 5:30 pm. Free Live Performance by THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS. Outdoors - Following Live Racing. Free light-up Holiday Beads – Earn 25 same-day points then visit Club Centaur starting at 4 pm. All ages welcome - Must be 21 to enter the casino.

Brookeville

White's Farm free 4th of July concert and fireworks: 3-10PM at White's Farm. White’s Farm will be celebrating July 4th with a special Twilight Tuesday flea market. This free, family friendly event will feature a free concert, corn hole contest, and a sunset fireworks display. White’s Farm will be celebrating July 4th with the following events: Tuesday, July 4: •3pm-dark Flea Market •3pm Music by “Second Warning” •6pm Music by “Endless Summer” •Sunset Fireworks Display All events are free to the public.

Brownsburg

RedBull Global Rallycross: July 9th at Lucas Oil Raceway. Red Bull Global Rallycross will make its long-awaited debut in Indianapolis on July 8-9 with a brand new event at Lucas Oil Raceway. Red Bull Global Rallycross Indianapolis will kick off the second half of the series’ 2017 schedule, hosting the seventh round of this year’s championship.

Danville

National Powwow: July 6th-9th at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds. National Powwow only occurs every three years and stands as one of the nation’s largest events promoting education and awareness of the American Indian culture. The four-day event, scheduled for July 6-9, introduces visitors to a cultural experience filled with traditional singing and dancers in full regalia, primitive skills demonstrations, a living history tipi village, ethnic foods, crafts, artisans, kids’ activities and so much more.

Indianapolis

311: 730PM July 4th at The Pavillion at Pan Am. For over two decades, fans have been treated to the genre-bending rock accompanying 311 tour dates, and now you’ll have the chance to experience it all live. The Nebraska natives are known for putting on a great show, so join the party with 311 tickets in stock now.
IPL Downtown Freedom Fest: 630-1030 July 4th at the grounds of the Indiana War Memorial. Enjoy live entertainment from the Indianapolis Colts Stage, family fun in the Royal Pin Leisure Centers Kids Area, support local small businesses in the Indiana Originals Marketplace and get a great view of the Downtown fireworks display launched from Regions Tower! Tune your radio to B105.7, 97.1 HANK FM, or 93.1 WIBC for the official fireworks soundtrack.

Lafayette

Mosey Down Main Street: July 8th at Downtown Lafayette. Live entertainment, food, family-friendly, free event introducing the sights, sounds, venues and merchants of downtown Lafayette.
Wabash Riverfest: 9AM-4PM July 8th at Tapawingo Park. Family-friendly celebration of the Wabash River. Canoe races, food, music, educational exhibits, 5k run, bike events, children's activities and more!

Muncie

Bettye Lavette in Concert - Part of the Muncie Three Trails Music Series: 7-10PM July 8th at Cannan Commons. Three time Grammy nominee Bettye LaVette to perform in a FREE concert in downtown Muncie. “A valid rival to Aretha as the best woman soul singer of the past 50 years.”—Irish Times

Shelbyville

Shelby County Fair: July 3rd-8th at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. 4-H exhibits, live music, great food and vendor booths. Superb midway and special activities every night.
FREE Star Spangled Grandeur Spectacular Fireworks Show: July 3rd 12PM-11PM at the Indiana Grand Racing and Casino. MONDAY, JULY 3 - OUTDOOR PATRIOTIC PICNIC •Free Live Show with the FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS at 8PM Outside on Trackside Apron •Free DJ Square at 9PM at Center Bar on the Casino Floor •FREE Star Spangled Grandeur spectacular FIREWORKS show at 10PM. Plus it's FREEdom Weekend. Free Patriotic Fun the Whole Weekend! Must be 21 to enter the casino

Spencer

BREATHE a Slackline and Discovery Festival: July 6th-9th at Stable Studios. Breathe Festival is a legitimate good time for folks who like to feel alive. This family friendly event is centered around the art of slacklining. Though it's reach expands much further to encompass yoga, dance, flow arts, paddle boarding, meditation, drumming, a talk tent, & hiking! Workshops are available at any practice level. As camping event, a community kitchen will be designated so if you decide to come alone, you have one more delicious opportunity to make friends. We are an activity camp by day with roaring bon fire parties at night. And, someone always manages to bring along a huge tub of s'more making stuff. Come Breathe with Us!

Southern Indiana

Corydon

Battle of Corydon Re-enactment: July 8th-9th at Hayswood Nature Reserve. Join us for the re-enactment of the Battle of Corydon at Hayswood Nature Reserve. Saturday, July 8th - Corydon Battle Park – Open from 10am – 5pm, Cabin tours, speakers, On the square – 10am-12pm, Federal army recruitment by the Indiana Legion, Hayswood Nature Reserve – Camps open from 10am – 5pm, Demonstrations, displays, speakers, vendors, Battle Reenactment at 3pm. Sunday, July 9th - Corydon Battle Park – Open from 12 – 5pm, Cabin tours, speakers, Hayswood Nature Reserve – Camps open from 12 – 3pm, Demonstrations, displays, speakers, vendors, Battle Reenactment at 2pm
Corydon Capital Day: 10AM-6PM July 8th at Historic Downtown Corydon. Corydon Capital Day, “a step back in time”.

Freetown

Freetown July Festival: July 7th-8th near the Freetown Fire Station. This patriotic, small town festival features vendors, fun for the family, a fish fry, a large parade, contests, music and a lot of hometown pride.

French Lick

Wild West Hold Up: July 1-4 at French Lick Scenic Railway. The bandits known as the Lost River Renegades strike again on the French Lick Express. Local marshals are lookin' for brave souls to climb aboard the next train ride to help catch the scoundrels.

Haysville

Haysville Ruritan Summer Fest: July 7th-8th at Haysville Park. The Haysville Raritan Summer Fest 53rd annual Haysville Sommerfest takes place on Friday, July 10, 2017, and Saturday, July 11. Events take place at Haysville Park, just west of U.S. 231 in Haysville. Admission is free with proceeds raised at the festival donated to the community.

Lincoln City

Young Abe Lincoln - 30th Anniversary Special Presentation: 7-9PM July 6th-8th at the Lincoln Amphitheatre. Make plans this summer to witness the remarkable story of a young Abraham Lincoln, brought to life on the Lincoln Amphitheatre's performance stage for the first time since 2005! Set in the woods of his boyhood home at the picturesque Lincoln Amphitheatre, this special 30th anniversary edition of Young Abe Lincoln is a playful story chronicling the events that shaped our 16th president as he grew up in Southern Indiana. This heartwarming musical is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Children 12 and under are welcome to attend "Young Abe Lincoln" free of charge. "Young Abe Lincoln" is based on the original Billy Edd Wheeler script and is being produced by Actor's Community Theater

Linton

Linton Freedom Festival: 6-11PM July 1-8 at Humphreys Park. Host to Indiana's largest Independence Day parade on July 4 at 10AM. Week long festivities include great tenderloin sandwiches, entertainment, car show, flea market, carnival, fireworks. Times vary daily. Check our website for the complete event schedule. Spend your July 4 with us!

Pekin

Pekin's Fourth of July Celebration: July 1-4 at Pekin Park and Town Area. The Pekin, Indiana Fourth of July Celebration has deep roots dating back to 1830. Proudly claiming the "Oldest Consecutive Fourth of July Celebration in the United States," Pekin's Fourth truly captures the patriotic celebrations of the past. The 2017 celebration will mark the 187th event for the town complete with fireworks, a parade, carnival, a variety of live entertainment, a prince and princess contest, queen contest, food vendors, flea market and other activities providing something for everyone.

Rising Sun

Fireworks & Music in Rising Sun: 7-11PM July 3rd at Rising Sun Riverfront Park. The City of Rising Sun presents free fireworks and live music in downtown Rising Sun, IN, on Monday, July 3. A band performs from 7-10 p.m. at the Rising Sun Riverfront Park along the Ohio River waterfront at Front Street*. Fireworks are 10-10:30 p.m. Food is available for sale by the Rising Sun Lion's Club. The public should bring their own chairs and blankets. *The location may be subject to change to Shiner Park depending on water conditions.

West Baden

Senior LPGA Championship: July 5th-12th at The Pete Dye Golf Course. The Senior LPGA Championship is coming to French Lick! A week long celebration of women's golf will start at the Donald Ross Golf Course on July 6th and will end with the Inaugural Senior LPGA Championship at the Pete Dye Golf Course on July 12th. The field of 81 players will feature a collection of past greats in the women 's game including LPGA Hall-of-Fame members, current LPGA members and major champions over the age of 45.

ONGOING EVENTS
Northwest Indiana

Beverly Shores

Beginning Birding Program: 9-1030AM Saturdays through July 29th at the Great Marsh Trail parking lot. Join a ranger and fellow birding enthusiasts every Saturday morning. No birding experience is required. A spotting scope and binoculars will be provided. The program will start at the southern gravel parking lot followed by a short hike to the Great Marsh observation deck to look for herons, egrets, ducks and other birds of the marsh. If you arrive late, simply hike to the observation deck to join the vent. The hike will be offered every Saturday in July.

Chesterton

Chesterton's European Market: Every Saturday from 10AM - 2PM until October 28th on Third Street and Broadway in Downtown Chesterton. An outdoor family/artisanal market

Gary

Beach Fun Friday: Starting at 1PM Fridays in July at West Beach. Beach Day at West Beach! Activities such as kayaking, SUP's, a sunset hike, and a beach campfire. Bring a picnic dinner and eat at a picnic shelter. This event will be offered every Friday during the month of July.

Hebron

Pav's Summer Car Nites - Every Tuesday evening through the summer. Variety of rides, good food and music at Pav's Restaurant
Suzy's Diner Cruise Night - Every Wednesday, April to October, 4-8 p.m at Suzy's Diner. Enjoy cool cars, music and a special discount at the diner

Michigan City

Pinhook Bog Open House: 12-3PM Saturdays July 1-29 at Pinhook Bog. Take a self-guided hike into the amazing Pinhook Bog at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Rangers and volunteers stationed along the trail will help you understand this unique rem ant of the last ice age that is filled with carnivorous plants, orchids and many other interesting plants. Please allow about one hour to walk the trail and tour the quaking bog. This hike will be offered every Saturday in July.

Miller

Miller Woods Hike: 130-330PM Sundays July 2-30 at Miller Woods. Join a ranger for a hike through Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore;s beautiful Miller Woods. The hike starts at the National Lakeshore's Paul H. Douglas center and travels though varied habitats including rare and beautiful black oak savanna and offers incredible views of Lake Michigan and Chicago. These hikes will be offered every Sunday in July.

Munster

Sunday Market in the Park: 8AM-2PM every Sunday through October at Centennial Park Clubhouse. Produce, plants, home-made jams and jellies, baked goods, cheese, food vendors, drinks, local crafts and artwork, jewelry, clothing, bath and beauty products, direct sales businesses and more! Live Music every other week beginning May 14

Portage

Portage Cruise-in: Every Tuesday evening throughout the summer. Variety of rides, good food and music at Woodland Park
Portage Community Market: 11AM-3PM every Sunday until September 11th at Founders Square Park. More than 30 vendors will participate in the Portage Community Market. There will be locally grown produce, flowers, popcorn, honey, bread, barbecue, handmade crafts and much more.
Portage Summer Music in the Park: Every Tuesday evening throughout the summer. All concerts will be held indoors at either Sycamore Hall or Oakwood Grand Hall in Woodland Park. Featuring Music ranges from 40s to 50s, rock & roll, swing, blues, contemporary and all featuring local talent.

Porter

Bailly Cemetery Hike & Bailly/Chellberg Open House: 12-130PM Sundays July 2-30 at Bailly Homestead & Chellberg Farm. Join rangers for an afternoon exploring two of our historic homesteads. Meet at Noon in the Bailly/Chellberg parking lot for an informative 90-minute hoe to the Bailly Cemetery. Upon returning, explore the interiors of the Chellberg Farmhouse and the historic Bailly Homestead from 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. Learn about early settlers and famers who came to this region in the1800s. You can also see the farm animals who have recently returned to the Chellberg farm. The hike will be offered every Sunday in July
Mount Baldy Hike: 10-1130AM Sundays July 2-30 at Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. Join a ranger for a special guided morning hike along a trail on the western edge to the top of famous Mount Baldy. Even though the area is closed for general public access, this ranger-led tour allows visitors to experience the beauty and spectacular views from the tallest dune in the national lakeshore. This hike will be offered every Sunday in July. You must pre-register for the tour by calling 219-395-1882.

Valparaiso

Summer Outdoor Movies: 7:30PM Tuesdays in June at Central Park Plaza. Watch your favorite movies under the beautiful night sky. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket
Summer Rhapsody Music Festival: Thursday nights until August 31 at The Porter Health Amphitheatre in Central Park Plaza. For all of the music lovers out there, come out and enjoy the sounds of the season with the Summer Rhapsody Music Festival. This concert showcase features many artists – each with their own unique style and sound. Select Thursday nights in the summer, concertgoers of all ages will enjoy a feast of different sounds underneath the beautiful night sky at The Porter Health Amphitheater in Central Park Plaza. Whether it’s a rock n’ roll band of yesteryear, an easy-going Motown group, or the elegant sounds that only a symphony orchestra can create, there’s something for everybody at this music festival. Bring your picnic, your blanket or chairs, and of course, your music-loving family and friends, and come relax in the park with the sounds of the Summer Rhapsody Music Festival.
Valparaiso Market: Every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the summer from 11AM-1PM. Fresh produce, handmade crafts, flowers, and live entertainment.
Taltree Railway Garden: Open from April 1st through October 31st. Featuring dwarf plants and model steam engine trains, the exhibit showcases the impact steam engine trains had on early 19th century U.S. railroads

North East Indiana

Auburn

You Had Me at Merlot Walking Wine Barrel Art Tour: All summer in Downtown Auburn. Walk the beautiful tree lined streets of Historic Downtown Auburn and enjoy 20 Wooden Wine Barrels transformed into unique works of art by local and regional artists. This outdoor walking tour exhibit is juried with awards and art auction held each year at the end of summer. This annual exhibit has included many different art objects over the past eight years, from giant paintings on easels to garden benches. This year's exhibit celebrates the many wineries of this area with its wooden wine barrels. Walking Tour maps are available at no cost in most downtown businesses

Fort Wayne

Rock the Plaza: Free concert series put on by the Allen County Public Library each Saturday evening throughout the summer

Middlebury

Essenhaus Classic Car Cruise-In: Every Thursday throughout summer at Grounds of Das Dutchman Essenhaus. A weekly classic car cruise-in with no participation or entry fee. Participants will also enjoy door prize giveaways, coupons for shopping and dining as well as 50’s-style music. Most evenings, hand dipped ice cream and live entertainment will be provided.

Shipshewana

Midwest's Largest Flea Market: 8AM-5PM every Tuesday and Wednesday until October. Same venue as the Shipshewana Auction
Shipshewana Trading Place Auction: 9AM every Wednesday all year. This auction features up to 10 auctioneers selling a variety of antiques and misc. items beginning with the auction bell at 9 am. Visitors tell us there is no other experience quite like it. With a variety of food choices on site, including our Auction Restaurant, featuring Amish home-style cooking and the best pie in town, you can easily spend the entire day shopping, relaxing and enjoying the sights & sounds without having to leave our grounds.

Warsaw

Lake City Skiers Water Ski Show: 6:30-7:30PM every Sunday and Tuesday at Hidden Lake. The shows are a themed production including music and costumes with an announcer to guide you through the action. You will see Extreme jump acts, An all girl Ballet line, Barefoot water skiing, Swivel skiing, doubles routines and human pyramids just to name a few. The show last about 1 hour followed by a meet and greet with the skiers. The Lake City Skiers have been providing fun family entertainment since 1989 and are Indiana's only competitive show ski team holding 4 National Championships in 2006, 2007, 2014, and 2016.

Central Indiana

Connersville

Fayette County Farmers' Market: Saturdays 9AM-12PM until October 7th. Local vendors from Fayette and surrounding counties offer farm fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods, herbs, plant stock and seeds, high quality crafts including paintings, pottery, sculptures, alpaca fiber items, goat milk soaps, jewelry, photography and so much more. Local artists, performers, and musicians highlighted as regularly scheduled entertainment. Now accepting SNAP/EBT, SenioWIC Farmers' Market Vouchers, several vendors accept debit/credit cards.

Fishers

Kroger Symphony on the Prairie: Every weekend at Conner Prairie. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's summer series provides music from classical, pop, and rock genres from mid-June through Labor Day weekend.
Saxony Market: 8AM-12PM Saturdays at Saxony Market. SAXONY MARKET is proud to provide a home for some of Central Indiana’s finest local vendors selling these fine products: fresh produce, Indiana sweet corn, homemade baked goods, floral and gardening supplies, savory herbs, crafted jewelry, authentic home cooked cuisine, sweet treats, handmade bath products and much more!

Indianapolis

Animals and All that Jazz Concert Series: 530-830PM Thursdays in July at the Indianapolis Zoo. This Thursday night tradition returns for the 30th year in a big way! Animals & All That Jazz will be moving under the all-new Bicentennial Pavilion to offer more space to eat, drink, sit back or dance. This summer concert series features sensational music from all genres of jazz. Come play early at the Zoo and stay late for a night of jazz with music beginning at 5:30pm! Walk the Zoo while listening to the music or stay in closer near the stage. Best of all, experience the ambience of the Zoo after hours along with: Music: Performed live from 5:30-8:30pm, Food: Great specialty food stations feature a new menu for purchase each night, Beverages: A full bar, featuring beer sampling for those 21 years and older, Animals: On exhibit until 7pm, Rides: Available until 7pm. Zoo Members: Ride tickets are only $1 per ride from 5-7pm. Tables are open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Concerts are free for Zoo members and included with regular admission. Make the most of your day by coming out early and staying late. Enjoy a full day at the Zoo, save time and save money by purchasing tickets in advance online or at Indiana Members Credit Union locations.
Groovin' In The Garden: 2-5PM every Saturday until September 30th at the Easley Winery. We offer daily wine specials, cool tunes from the best musical acts of the greater Indianapolis area, and an experience you won't soon forget. Feel free to bring along your favorite foods or order from local restaurants to have delivered here to the winery, and don't forget to bring a chair!

Muncie

National Aeromodeling Championships: July 1-31 at the Academy of Model Aeronautics. The National Aeromodeling Championships are back and bigger than ever! Thousands of pilots from across the national will meet in Muncie, IN for the nation’s largest model competitions. Come see what the talk is all about and see a competition for yourself! Visit nats.modelaircraft.org for a full schedule of the events. And while you’re here stop in our world-class National Model Aviation Museum. All the fun happens at the International Aeromodeling Center, right off the Muncie bi-pass on East Memorial Drive.

Southern Indiana

Bloomington

Bloomington Community Farmers' Market: 8AM-12PM Saturdays at Showers Common.
Love's Labour's Lost: 730-10PM every other day in July starting on the 7th at Wells-Metz Theatre. IU Summer theatre presents William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost! In one of Shakespeare's earliest comedies, the King of Nevarre and his three male friends have pledged to swear off the company of women for three years and focus on a life of study. But when the Princess of France and her ladies show up on the scene, the men and their intentions of living a life of abstinence are tested. Tickets are available at the Indiana University Auditorium box office or at theatre.indiana.edu.
Persuasion: 730-10PM every other day in July starting on the 8th at the Wells-Metz Theatre. IU Summer Theatre presents Persuasion! In this adaptation of Jane Austen's romantic novel, Anne and her former fiancé, Captain Wentworth, are thrust back into each other's lives after seven years apart. As the plot thickens, Anne and Captain Wentworth must wrestle with their true feelings and decide whether or not they were wrong all those years ago. Tickets are available at the Indiana University Auditorium box office or at theatre.indiana.edu.

French Lick

Elephant Retreat and Giraffe Encounter at Wilstem Ranch: All summer long. An African elephant herd of three girls will be retreating at Wilstem Ranch, only 7 miles from French Lick. The three elephants that retreat at Wilstem Ranch each year are retired from making appearances in parades, circus acts and more. But as they age, even elephants need retreats, and they're coming to town for a vacation! This one of a kind up-close encounter is a rare and wonderful opportunity to learn more about these amazing creatures and connect with them in a tranquil environment

Newburgh

Newburgh Farmers Market: Saturdays 8AM-12PM through September 30th. At the Newburgh Farmer’s Market you will find the very best seasonal produce complemented by products like honey, grass fed meats, dairy products, flowers, cheese, breads, and pastries. There are also crafts, art, plants, flowers, & honey along with live music to complete the festival atmosphere. Free. Special event weekends include: Kids Day and Dog Days of Summer.

Orleans

Orange County HomeGrown Orleans Farmer's Market: 8AM-12PM Saturdays through October 28th at Orleans Congress Square. Locally grown produce, baked goods, local handcrafted items, Buck-a-Book trailer, jammer tent, Master Gardener, and fun family activities. Sponsored by Orange County HomeGrown

Does MLife Pearl Status expire?

Macau trip report & PSA

I need an original idea for my husband's 34th birthday.

[Table] IamA marketing executive at a casino AMA!

Verified? (This bot cannot verify AMAs just yet)
Date: 2014-05-07
Link to submission (Has self-text)

Questions	Answers
So if he was making more than 500k it would be okay in your book? That's pretty messed up.	Seems like I'd be even more of a piece of shit if I was that successful.
Are you involved much with the general goings on of the casino? If so, what goes through your head when you see huge amounts of money being gambled away by someone who doesnt know when to walk away?	Yes, I'm an executive so I'm in touch with most everything that goes on. Most of the time when I see something like that, I just say "good for us" and try not to think about whether or not the person can afford it or not.
How much do you make a year? Unless you are making like $500,000+, then you are a piece of shit. you are destroying thousands of people's lives so that you can make a living and afford your bmw and other status symbols.	I don't make $500K a year so I guess that makes me a piece of shit.
What is the worst most tasteless thing you or the casino in general did to make money?	I, obviously, like to think I'm uber classy. But in general I think paycheck cashing promotions are pretty tasteless. E.g., Cash your paycheck and get 5% of the total value in free slot play.
Can you ELi5? Sorry, to me that just sounds like you hand over your $1000 you earned, and get back $50? Which seems wrong...? Or do you get an extra $50? Hmmm... Thoroughly confused myself.	Let's say your check is $1,000. The casino will cash your check and then also give you $50 in promotional credits to be used on the slot machines. The idea is that since we've given you some "free" money to begin playing the machines you will also dip into the $1,000 cash that we also handed you.
Are there any clauses that prevent you from just spending the $50 in free bets and cashing out the $1k without actually playing with it?	No, you get the $1K in cash and the $50 can only be used in the slot machine. I've done this once when I started my new job and my direct deposit wasn't set up yet so they issued me a live check.
How many people just walk directly out of the casino after cashing the check with their 5% bonus?	I don't know, I've never run this promotion but generally speaking when we give away promotional credits, the "walk rate" is in the 25% range.
How often do you go to the strip clubs in vegas? If you go how much do you spend? Do you get treated better if they know what your job is?	I really don't like them so not often unless someone is in town that wants to go. I don't have a moral objection, just think it's a waste. "Hey do you like to eat steak? Give me $20 to smell this delicious steak! No, you can't try it!!!".
	So that having been said, I might spend $20 to give to the girls on the stage and maybe a lap dance.
	No, I don't get treated better because of my title really. They usually just care about how much money you spend and that's it.
What are some sneaky strategies that you use to get people to spend more money? I don't mean obvious things like having ATMs...but things related specifically to gambling..	Ummm... Off the top of my head I think the sneakiest thing is probably side bets on table games (e.g., play an extra $5 and if your two cards are a pair then you win $25) because the odds are terrible or things like advertising low table game limits but modifying the rules (e.g., blackjack pays 6:5 vs 3:2) to increase the house advantage.
Some casino customers are super cheap and only play $1 Blackjack. Others are whales and the casino spends a lot of money to attract them, but they are rare. Somewhere in between, I imagine, there are customers who spend a significant amount and exist in numbers to make most of the casino's profits.	First, we quantify most everything by "theoretical worth". That is, how much we can expect to win from you based on the house advantage of the game you play and how long you play. The general formula is decisions per hour X house advantage X hours played X average bet. So, $25/hand at blackjack X 1.5% house advantage X 2 hours played X 60 decisions per hour = $45 in theoretical worth.
Is that true? How much does a "bread and butter" customer gamble in a day?	Second, It really depends on the particular property. The number is a lot higher for Wynn then it would be at Joker's Wild (a really, really dumpy casino on the outskirts of Vegas). That having been said, most places will be very happy to have you if you are in the $150-300 a day in theoretical worth range.
That sounds pretty affordable. Assuming a 30% comp return I guess that comes out to $50-90 in comps a day.	30% includes the stuff we send you in the mail generally too so at the $300 range you could expect a room and a meal a day.
What kind of awful rules are you using to have a 1.5% house advantage, or is that number based on the average player being really terrible? How much in comps would I actually generate for two hours of $25 a hand Blackjack?	I just threw the 1.5 number out there. We also factor in skill into house advantage so as to be more favorable to the player, comp wise. comp wise we'd probably give you 15% of the $45, or $6.75. That's just in what we call discretionary comps that the pit supervisor or host can give you. Then you could expect another 30% in the mail via free bets, hotel, food, etc.
I guess you need to register with the casino loyalty club so you know what we are spending.	Correct.
I currently reside in Arizona, where you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an Indian reservation and - as a result - a casino.	Well I've worked all over the country and, yes, of course we always keep an eye out on new competition that would impact our existing customer base, especially as the business has seen much more legalization in new jurisdictions in the past 20 years.
The casino/resorts are getting increasingly sophisticated. Better facilities, better entertainment, and better marketing.	For Vegas, I think most strip properties have dealt with this by investing in properties in regional markets so as to send their customers to their Vegas properties so it is pretty accretive. Someone from Harrah's Ak-Chin in the Phoenix area gets offers from Harrah's Las Vegas quite often.
Is this something the Vegas casinos consider a rising threat, welcome competition, or something else? How do you - as a marketing guy - react to the fact that a trip to a casino no longer necessarily means a trip to Nevada or New Jersey?	The bigger problem really is for the markets where they were a monopoly for some time and really rested on their laurels. Reno and Atlantic City come to mind. Those markets are dying fast and there really isn't much upside. In Atlantic City, for example, you have casinos buying competitors just to close them so as to reduce the inventory.
What really happens when somebody wins on a slot machine? Like, what is the behind the scenes stuff that we don't see? Are they checking out the cameras to make sure it was that specific person before they payout? What if you switch seats? What if an underage gambler wins?... What if they switch seats with an of-age gambler?? Honestly, I've never done that, but I've always wondered the underage stuff because I've never ever got carded on slots! I've won hand-pays before (nothing really exciting) and they always hit me with the tax form. What do you guys do with the tax form? Does it get sent out from you guys or does it remain my responsibility from thereon?	I worked as a slot analyst (analyzing machine performance) years ago and never on the floor so I don't know/remember the exact steps. Essentially, though, it's verifying that the machine is functioning properly and recording the details of the jackpot for audit/regulators. If it is a taxable jackpot ( >= $1,200) then we are required to fill out the IRS W2G form to report it to them for tax purposes so at that point we have to get your ID, etc. to facilitate that. Then of course, there is the matter of actually paying you the money, verifying that it is the correct amount, etc. The tax form does get sent to the IRS. You can request the taxes not be taken out of your jackpot as you are only taxed on the net win at the end of the year.
How did you get involved in the casino bussiness?	1/2.) Just needed a job and applied to a very entry level job and worked my way up.
Did you set out to work at one or did it come about another way?	3.) It can be fun and exciting.
What do you enjoy most about your job? Least?	4.) There's a lot of pressure to make money/meet your budget so all of the bullshit that goes along with that. Dealing with politics, having to adjust staffing, etc. And I don't like that at my level the usual tenure is 2-3 years so you move around a lot. I'd like to be more settled, especially in a place I'd really want to live for a long time and I don't feel like I have much control of that in this business.
1) When you talk about being moved around a lot, is that relating to being moved around in what you do at a particular casino? or more like which casino your working at? 2) Do you feel that your skills at this current job gives you fallback options should your tenure run out? ( Such as in other service based industries?)	1.) I mean there is only one of me at every casino so if something happens whether I don't like where I work or what something different (e.g., more money) or they don't like me (shocking, it happens!) then the likelihood that I have to move is high, especially if I'm in a city that only has a handful of casinos. 2.) I obviously feel like my skills could take me anywhere! But in reality, it has been tough to change industries when I've tried. Usually places like hotels don't pay as much as casinos and look for more sales-related skills and restaurants don't really have marketing people except at the corporate office whereas my skills are more analytics-oriented. And both usually pay less than casinos.
time I went to Vegas (around 30 years ago) it still had that "mob" vibe. When I got married there in the 90s (I joke now that I gambled on marriage in Vegas and lost half my stuff) it was much more "corporate" and "family friendly." The "What Happens in Vegas" campaign seemed to try and change that perception. Do you think there's value in returning Vegas to a more "wise guy" kind of feel...playing up the classic vibe, or is it just a big collection of theme parks with gambling?	The problem with returning to that type of vibe is that it's difficult/impossible given how big the casinos are. Sure it was easy for Benny Binion to control everything and not be "corporate" when the old Horseshoe was literally 1/10th the size of MGM Grand.
What was UNLV like? Did you live in the dorms? It seems like a strange school where everyone commutes and there's no college life around the campus. What are the pros and cons of going there?	I went there for grad school so was older and had a wife and a house. It is definitely a commuter school so there's not a lot of school spirit. I went to undergrad a school with a huge, huge, huge, football program so it was a bit of a change for me. I also didn't find the students to be terribly bright (with exceptions, of course). On the upside, a lot of people like living in Vegas and the Hotel Administration College (where I went) has very, very good brand recognition.
Do you find people have lots of misconceptions about the casino industry?	That the games are rigged and that we love giving away a lot for nothing/little in return are probably the two biggest.
So what's up with prostitutes and the casinos? I understand that prostitution is illegal in Vegas, but that they're still there. Is it like the movies, where they're just hanging out in the casino bars waiting to be picked up?	Yes, they hang out at the bars and then there are services you can call and have them sent to your room. If it's overt, casino security will clear them out of the bar area but the vice cops generally focus on human trafficking kind of stuff.
As an insider, what do you think the job prospects are in the industry for someone with a similar education background, but no casino experience?	1.) The industry relies heavily on industry experience so job prospects are good if you're willing to start in a low position and work you're way up. If you go to UNLV and get the degree I got and expect for some casino to make you a Director of VP with no experience then you're going to be very disappointed.
Is that just bizarre luck?	2.) Bizarre luck.
What does the industry think about states with Indian reservations that prohibit casinos like Texas?	3.) Definitely potential opportunity. I've read about that small tribe in Texas. It'll happen eventually in Texas. The people in Louisiana will not be happy, though.
Is it viewed as a potential opportunity for growth with a small tribe, more competition, or a wedge to open the state to gambling?	4.) No problem!
For every average person out there, would you suggest not playing? I mean, in the sense that, it's just not a viable option?	Viable for what? Making consistent money? Then definitely not. If you are entertained by thrill of gambling and have the discretionary funds to do it, then by all means.
Aw okay! cool. Any idea why people do it? Is it just a thrill? Would being a "whale", make more of a difference?	For the people that do it for entertainment, it's the thrill of anticipation.
Was it hard getting a job with such a detailed degree?	My undergrad degree is pretty bland, political science, so it wasn't hard at first. I did my grad degree in casino management because I was living in Vegas, wanted to get an MBA, didn't want to take 2 years off from work to get a full-time degree, didn't have the support of my job to get an executive MBA, and didn't like UNLV's MBA program.
EDIT: Thanks for answering my first AMA question! Really good answer too!	NP! Keep asking away!
What's your favorite aspect of your job? And do you like to gamble yourself?	1.) It can be exciting. Picking new acts to play in your showroom seems more exciting to me than selling propane. 2.) Yes...
What is the best way for tourist to get the best bang for buck in your casino for entertainment, food, gambling etc to have a good time and not go broke?	I'm currently working at a Vegas strip property.
If you can answer in terms of Vegas, that would be great also.	Unless you have something more specific in mind, the first place I'd direct you to is the Las Vegas Advisor Top 10 Deals List.
With legal online poker gaining momentum which might mean eventual legal online gambling for other house games online; are the casinos doing what they can to kill this before it starts or your thoughts on this?	Las Vegas Sands / Venetian is actively trying to kill it (which I don't really understand) but everyone just sees it as a means to make more money so are ready to pounce when it's legal.
I don't know if you're still answering questions, but what are the qualifications for being, say, a Texas Hold'em Dealer in Vegas, specifically your casino, and are the dealers specific to just one game? I.e. omaha, hold 'em, pai gow, stud... Also, without being too specific, what is the average annual income for said occupation? Are the dealers payed solely by tips/do they get to keep all tips?	1.) Generally there are poker dealers and table games (e.g., blackjack) dealers. Few do both. Among the table games dealers, most know multiple games as the more you know the more hirable you are. In terms of the qualifications it's just that you've gone to some sort of dealer school (there are commercial ones and some casinos do it in-house), experience, and a live audition. 2.) Really depends on the market and the casino. At the high end like Wynn or Venetian they will do close to $100K/year but at an entry-level place it could be more like $25K/year. It's base salary plus pooled tips (aka tokes).
	3.) You've never thought of dealing the WSOP? They need as many dealers as they can find.
Do Casino's design their decor for different target groups?	Of course. Hard Rock and Cosmo are designed for younger demographics and Wynn and Venetian for older affluent ones.
I find all Casino's to be outright horrible to my senses due to the noise/flashing lights.	Encore and the new Barrymore are definitely designed for the Asian gambler. And you'd, obviously, have to assume the casinos in Macau are, too, although I've never been.
Could you describe your typical work day? also I've had some great times a Joker's Wild!	Ha! I honed my dice skills at JW!
	Typical work day is get to work and look at the previous day's financial results and react accordingly. I.e., ask the analysts to pull numbers, talk to the head of a certain department about their opinion on something, etc.
	Emails emails emails.
	Then it's usually a lot of meetings about upcoming things whether it be planning an event, approving new advertising, doing the strategic planning for the property for 2015, meeting with vendors, etc.
	Emails emails emails.
	By this time the numbers or reports I've asked to be run are ready so I sit down and look at them and act accordingly (e.g., hey, looks like we're spending too much on postage to mail to customers too far away, let's change the way we do this for next time), etc.
	Emails emails emails.
	Then it's usually time to go home but 2-3 times a week I'll have a dinner or event to go to with a vendor or colleague or someone from the press.
	Emails emails emails.
	Probably 2-3 Saturdays a month I'll go in and work for a few hours just to catch up on stuff or if there's an event to meet and greet players, make sure everything is going well, etc.
	Emails emails emails.
Has the rise of 6:5 blackjack been hurting the game's popularity, or are there enough people who don't "get" the odds change (or don't care) that it all works out in the end? Is the odds change enough to swing the game back in the casino's favor in the long run even if players count cards? And what about continuous shuffling machines: have any of the casinos you've been with used them, and how did the players react?	The masses don't care about either especially if you're able to offer low limits. The limit and the number of decks is what attracts people to a bj game. Still never going to allow counting.
Is is harder to get jobs in the background or management functions of the casino?	Well certainly there are more what we call "front of house" positions (dealers, porters, servers, bartenders, etc.) than "back of house" positions (accountants, IT, warehouse, etc.) so in terms of pure numbers, yes it's easier to get -any- FOH than -any- BOH position.
I'm an IT grad looking to move back to Vegas and wondered if there were more "non-floor" jobs than actually functional jobs.	That having been said, if you're wanting an IT position shouldn't be too hard if you're willing to work anywhere and have a little experience. If you're wanting to just jump into the CIO job at Bellagio, more difficult.
Great! thank you. I've got about 8 years under my belt, but dear god...no CIO for me. This really eased my worry about options. thanks.	You should be OK as long as you're not too picky.
Just how rigged are the automatic roulette machines?	They aren't. The games have to go through pretty rigorous testing by the state or an agency of the state to be allowed to be sold. Gaming Labs International is one such company.
I would think that SEO campaigns and similar web based marketing would be ineffective techniques for a casino in a place like Las Vegas. Is this the case? I know I'm quite late but I would love to know if you have time.	We definitely do SEO/SEM campaigns but primarily for hotel related keywords for people looking for hotel rooms. I worked at a place a little outside of the main city in the south one time and we'd buy broader search terms for people looking for "entertainment in main city" in case they didn't know there was a casino nearby.
Thanks for the response. I was just curious about engaging people in person in public? Do you operate campaigns on the street such as call to action flyers or similar? Are there laws specific to this type of promotion in Las Vegas?	Not a typical marketing channel most casinos explore, but it's not entirely unheard of. Sorry I'm not entirely sure of the laws.
Who owns the casino you work at? Is it one guy or a publicly traded company?	I'd rather not say as I don't want to be outted but I have worked for large publicly traded companies, privately held companies (e.g., owned by hedge funds), and publicly traded companies where one individual owns the majority of the shares. I've never worked at a privately owned casino owned by one individual, though.
How do I get over 65 year olds excited about my product?	Without knowing what said product is, the best thing I can say is to figure out how to make it relevant to them.
What does a marketing exec. at a casino make a year?	Depends on the size of the property. 75 at a small riverboat casino to 250 at a large place like Bellagio.
To succeed in marketing, what is the first step to landing a successful job? and what should be the over arching goal in mind to maintain a competitive advantage over fellow competition as well as new shifts in market trends?	1.) be tenacious. take any job you can get. be a sponge and learn everything you can.
	2a.) don't be afraid to fail, but be smart (and profitable) about it.
	2b.) don't rest on your laurels. stay in touch with your customers.
Go on ... What does a casino do in that regard?	From a gambling standpoint, people in that age range like penny slots so we offer a lot of penny slots. We put on shows that would appeal to them. We would make the decor more classic vs hip. Etc.
I've always wanted to work in the gaming industry. I have a strong sales background and a B.S. degree... which department would you recommend to get my feet wet?	Probably player development which is the department that deals with VIP guests or maybe special events/promotions.
What's the best movie you've seen this year? You did say we could talk about life in general...	Absolutely! 12 Years a Slave.
	Edit: Also, Dallas Buyer's Club.
Dang, haven't seen it yet...will have to wait for it on DVD or streaming. Edit: Haven't seen that one either. I'm starting look like a Philistine.	It's pretty heavy but sometimes that's good.
Do you prefer to market for families or adults? Casinos are adult fun, but I've noticed a shift in the past decade.	Definitely adults.
Your AMA was one of the best, you answered almost every question, so if you're still answering here's one: If a young person comes in and wins more than 100k and then just leaves, would you suspect him/her of anything?	It really depends more on the manner in which you win and how you behave. We're required by law to fill out a Currency Transaction Report for transactions over $10,000. So if you got to that point you would have already given us your ID, etc. We'd obviously make sure that surveillance is watching you to make sure you're not cheating but if you're on a random hot streak and betting $10K/hand then it wouldn't be a huge deal at most strip properties.
How about a free load just this once? lol. But hypothetically what would 10 grand get you :(	At my place, (which is not an uber classy place like Wynn or Venetian), you'd get pretty much whatever you'd want. Suite, dinners, limo from the airport, show tickets, etc. We'd generally reinvest in you 30% of your loss so just figure out what $3,000 in comps would get you.
What advice can you give to new grads who want to get into marketing, but can get work due to lack of experience?	As I mentioned in a previous post, I believe you really just need to be tenacious and take anything to get your foot in the door. It's a very crowded field, especially on the what I call "pretty picture" side of marketing. I wish I had a more specific answer to give you.
What does being a marketing executive involve?	I usually say I'm in charge of driving profitable revenue. The departments that report up to me are charge of advertising, promotions, entertainment, public relations, direct mail/database marketing, and VIP marketing.
I'm coming to Vegas in December from Australia, can you PM me your email address?	Just PM me. Happy to see if I can help
Do casinos hire interns? I'm currently a student at a public university.	Absolutely. I think most of the major companies have management training/internship programs. Go to their careers websites. Caesars Entertainment, MGM International, Pinnacle Entertainment, Penn National Gaming, etc.
Would you recommend a job in marketing? what skill sets would be helpful for marketing? i'm interested in it but not entirely sure what it's about.	I think the best combination in today's world is to be more right brained with a creative bent as more and more the question asked of marketing folks is "quantify how your idea makes me money?" and less and less "what's the most most creative idea you have?"
	It's a crowded field especially on the left brained side (e.g., advertising and public relations) because people think it's "cool". So if that's you're interest, I'd say being tenacious and creative is what is going to get you far in that world because it's tough to get your foot in the door and you have to have thick skin and then when you do get your foot in the door you are going to have a very short leash to prove yourself.
Any specific company you recommend?	If you're at the intern stage, apply liberally.
Do you have the sides backwards, or do I?	Um, well I think of left brained as creative and right brain analytical?
How selective is the casino management program at UNLV?	The hotel management program in general is not selective but the casino management program is difficult because it's pretty quantitatively-focused so there's a lot of attrition.
What do you do for family entertainment in Vegas?	I'm single so that having been said, there's all your typical family stuff to do here: parks, camping, hiking, movies, bowling, etc.
You don't have any family in Vegas? What's something that you go do with your friends, then?	I'm not from here and my ex-wife hated living here thus why she's my ex. My friends and I go and see concerts, go to bars, we like guns so go shooting sometimes, and most Sundays cook for each other.
Sounds like a nice life!	It's OK. City is kind of soulless and superficial.
One of my favorite aspects of Vegas is that if you want your experience to improve, it's usually a strategic $20 tip away... whether that be a tip to upgrade your room when you check in, to skip the long line at a club, to get a table with a great view at dinner... What potential 'Experience' improvements would you recommend in Vegas?	Link to thetwentydollartrick.com
Vegas or Macau. Which is better?	Better for what?
Have you read The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester?	I haven't.
So basically I should just buy from the half off kiosks?	Yes.
How do you feel about those who are addicted to gambling and those who have lost everything because of it?	Bad, obviously.
Late to this ama, are you still taking questions?	Sure!
Sure buddy.	Do you mean to say that you don't believe me?
I just got started in hospitality marketing, any advice?	Doing what, exactly? Just be willing to make not a lot of money for awhile and be willing to relocate frequently if you want to move up the ladder. I guess those are the first things that come to mind.
Have you had any good marketing ideas that you couldn't do due to marketing regulation.	Not necessarily due to regulation but a lot of times you're gun-shy to do a promotion because well, what happens if no one shows up?
Bastard.	Danka.

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The changes make Wynn Rewards a casino loyalty program that’s similar to all others in Las Vegas. The Venetian adds tiers to Grazie loyalty club. The Venetian recently updated its Grazie rewards program. The biggest change is the addition of two new tier levels. The Venetian’s Grazie now has four tiers instead of two: Grazie Member: 0-999 One of these games is broadcast live from the Fitzwilliam Casino and Card Club, a well-known casino in Dublin, Ireland. Obviously, the skilled dealers are waiting for the players at this splendor casino. Anyway, we hope that later, Venetian will provide incomparable live dealer game variations. Payments of Casino Venetian Casino Venetian is on line casino that is operated and licensed by LS Media ADV N.V. A company that is licensed and regulated by the government of Curacao. This Casino was funded in 2016 by a team of professionals who are highly experienced in the field of online gaming and since their beginning they have been committed to providing players with good, fair, safe and entertaining games with When you said you wanted more out of your play at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas, we said Grazie . Being a member of Grazie Rewards gives you more ways to enhance your stay. The all-new Grazie Rewards loyalty program is your key to unlocking everything The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has to offer. Exclusive Offers Grazie Rewards members always get the best rates, email offers, show ticket pre-sales, and other exclusive offerings before the crowd.

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