An old friend had my back...

[Tedlark]

So I decided to go play last night and this trip was twofold: obviously win some money and, second, to stop at Harrahs Joliet to play a bit to keep my total rewards points from being erased.

I started at Hollywood Joliet to play some freeplay offers I had so I sat down and promptly lost the freeplay plus $800.00 of my 1k grubstake.

I then left Hollywood to take my remaining $200.00 and stop at Harrahs Joliet. I decided to take an additional $500.00 from a local atm on the way.

After arriving at Harrahs I took a quick tour of the video poker area and sat down at a 3/5/10 play IGT machine (one that, by the way, was sporting an "Videopoker.com" on it) and began play. I strayed from my usual game of TDB because this machine was equipped with AC Joker Poker and it had been quite some time since I crossed paths with that particular game. I began at the .25 denom level and was keeping afloat when all of a sudden I was dealt trip 4's with the joker. I held the four of a kind and said a little prayer to the god of 4's and hit deal. Up popped the last 4, giving me a nice little 1k payoff.

I switched to Double Deuce Bonus poker and also upped to .50 denom. A couple minutes in I caught quad deuces with an ace for another 1k payoff.

O.k. I thought, this could be an interesting night. I decided to stick with AC Joker Poker and I'm glad I did. I ended up hitting 5oak 2 more times at the .50 denom level plus I hit quad deuces again as well. This time though, no ace as the 5th card.

After I hit 5oak for the 3rd time the machine started to take a little back so I decided to go play a couple hundred in one of those mind numbing video slots. I dropped a hundred into one of those and decided to go back to "MY" video poker machine and I'm glad I did. I caught 5oak again, at .50 denom. I also got several straight flushes for 500 credits over the course of the night too.

Turned out that my old friend Harrahs Joliet had my back when the chips were down.

And by the way: I did go once to Four Winds New Buffalo in October and I hit 5 royals that night; 4 at .25 denom and one at .10 denom. A special note to daffy: I have pictures of all if you want to doubt me again.

Good luck to all.

[Come Back Kid]

WTG Ted!!! Sound like fun!!! Congrats!

[doris13]

nice going ted!!!

[FAA]

Congratulations. More astounding luck! A lot can happen with $1,500, mostly on the disastrous side. No risk, no reward.

[olds442jetaway]

Wtg Ted. Those were some great hits. Just back myself earlier today. Was down a grand, got it back less the last dollar and looked at the wrong angel sitting on my shoulder, didn't quit trying to get the last dollar, and well you know the rest of the story.... Super hitting those 5 of kinds on joker. If I remember, they come around only half as often as quad deuces.

[Tedlark]

Thanks CBK, doris, FAA and olds.


Olds I enjoy playing AC Joker Poker even though it isn't too often. I was pondering whether I would have had the same,or similar, results if I were playing TDB and not ACJP. I also will go to the cousin Deuces Wild games (i.e. quad 2's with ace = 2,000 credits, increased payout for 5 aces) if my mood tells me to.

This session would have been a complete loser had I not needed to keep my player points alive with Harrahs and my only choice now is whether to go back to Harrahs next time or stick with Hollywood Joliet or Four Winds. I only go to Four Winds for DreamCard. Hollywood Joliet did have a couple DreamCard machines but they weren't there long before they disappeared.

Good luck all and better luck next time olds.

[FAA]

Olds, I have had the same stubborn attitude flame me too. Got to get that last dollar back! Next thing you know, busted.

[wilcoxfun]

Happy to see you have a great trip. With it's ups and downs along the way.

[Tedlark]

Thanks wilcox, I don't mind the ups and downs so much especially when a session ends on one of the ups...

At one point in Harrahs a woman who was playing a single line dollar denom machine hit a royal progressive and it wasn't much over 4k when she hit it. I talked to her a bit later, congratulating her on her win and I found out why the progressive meter wasn't that high: she told me her husband had hit a royal a little bit earlier in the night before she did.

[Tedlark]

Dear Diary;

What I did today:

Worked a full day and earned my pay - check.

Stopped at Hollywood Empress to pick up $80.00 in Shell gas cards - check.

While at Hollywood, played $160.00 in free play and walked out 10 minutes later with $201.50 cash - check.

Stopped and bought my new snowblower (Toro 826 OTE), paid for by Harrah's - check.