What should I do?

[stephmo]

For all those who are curious, the $500 was sent to me by Mohegan Sun, which has never given out Free Play before. I gamble there about 10 times a year, but have been doing that regularly for about 8 years. I got this mailer last week, and it has a window of 5 days, and I hate to pass this up, but I am too busy to have more than an hour and a half to go. I think the size of the sum is payback for all the years, and the fact that Foxwoods has been giving free play(and possibly taking some of their players) was their added incentive. I usually play triple or five play .25 super aces, and will venture on to STP .25 10 play when I am up, and my bankroll can afford it.I have not yet decided what I will do, but I appreciate the input. I have come to realize that it is my money, not theirs, and that I can walk away with some if not more that all of it. I will report back after I go.

[jm002546]

I agree with the general sentiment you express Eduardo, HOWEVER, in the application of the principles specified by this topic, hitting that monster hand at the beginning, will still leave you having to run through the $500 in coin in before cashing out.  You'll definitely have to keep an eye on that count-down meter of what's left to play <LOL>
  Every free slot offer I have played allowed you to cash out at any time and get the winning portion.  So, if you play for a while and have 490 credits you cash out and get, say, 390 cash which leaves 100 to still be played. Pretty easy to do it a couple of times and then count the hands to get out when the 500 is exhausted.

[jm002546]

I had a coupon deal or maybe a new-member deal at Sahara a few years ago to get $50 in "blue casino chips" for $40 I think it was.  You could not cash those "blue" chips which were $5 each.  You had to play them.  I chose Blackjack.  You would bet the blue chips and get paid off in Red Chips (real $5 chips) but if you lost, they took the Blue Chips.  Kind of confusing.  Especially when I had a blue chip out there along with a match play and then drew a hand I wanted to double down on.  I could not play a blue chip on the match play coupon so I either hand to put out two red chips for a full double down or double for less.  Can't remember what I did on that hand.Most of the "experts" said to backcount the table and come in on a positive count and put the entire $50 out on one hand.  Probably not a bad strategy but it was all or nothing and anyone who knows anything about Advantage Blackjack knows that at best counts you are only at something like a 5% advantage over the house.I played as normal and ended up turning that $40 into $175 I believe it was.  It took for bloomin' ever!I would probably play that $500 "rationally" as though it was "my money".  Hell, it IS YOUR MONEY.  I think the casinos count on you considering it "funny money" and to a certain extent it is.  But if you do play it as though it were your money you will usually come out better off.I do understand the temptation to do something "wild and crazy" with it though.  I've resisted that temptation so far <LOL>
  The match play offers that fly around are actually worth less than 1/2 of face value. The safe situation is for 2 people to use theirs together in craps,  one on pass and the other on no pass, plus $2 on 12 somewhere in there, maybe after a point is made. This play guarantees almost 1/2.

[EDC1977]

 re Stephmo: I'm not sure if 10 play STP is your next best option unless its something you've been pining to do. As originally posted, you can cut through your credits rather fast with the extra coin played. It's nice to hit, especially upper tier but you can go on long dry spells. Did you try the freebie version here first? 90 mins of triple play super aces bonus would fit nicely!

[clwn2]

I usually play triple or five play .25 super aces, and will venture on to STP .25 10 play when I am up, and my bankroll can afford it.I have not yet decided what I will do, but I appreciate the input. I have come to realize that it is my money, not theirs, and that I can walk away with some if not more that all of it. I will report back after I go.
 
Are you confused yet?  After all this input and conversation I am confused and it isn't even my money!!  
 
Yes, I tend to treat coupons(like the one you have) and bounceback cash as an opportunity to try something different.  It also depends on how I have done at the particular casino in question.  If my score to date is not what I want it to be I would probably play the money in the most economical way possible to keep as much of the $500 as I could.  If I had done well there in the past I might jump up in denomination and take a chance.  
 
It depends on what you want to accomplish.  Play a game that has a variance that matches what your goal is.  If it were me, I would probably play $1 DDB single line if the schedules were reasonable and I wanted to take a risk.  I am a single line quarter player normally.  If I wanted to preserve the money I would definitely play 9/6 Job in quarter triple play or $1 single line to meet your time constraints.
 
Hope this helps although I think you mentioned that you would not be back until after you had been to the casino,
Oh well...
   

[EDC1977]

  CLWN2: check the reply under the "viva las vegas column" re: Cahuilla
  Disregard! ! You've already read it.