Playing Like a Vegas Local?

[Vman96]

[QUOTE=FloridaPhil]
We know 98.9% and NSU deuces strategy cold, but we're not too sure about full pay deuces.  What major play changes are required?   Any particular places we should check out?  We want to play as if we lived there.  We'll be reporting our results on this forum.  Thanks!


The most major change and habit you would have to adjust to when playing FPDW is when you get two pairs on the draw, you have to break one of them, either one.

You are used to 4 for 1 on both Full House and 4 of a Kind, FPDW only does 3 for 1 on Full House but 5 for 1 on 4 of a Kind.

The strategy chart is found here:

http://wizardofodds.com/games/video-pok ... y/optimal/[/QUOTE]

Also a pair beats a four to a flush in FPDW. Good luck Phil!

[alpax]

Since my name was mentioned, I'll make a comment.

I do play a bit at Red Rock partly because I live nearby, although playing at any Station casino isn't all that profitable. Their buffet is very good for the price but the line can be horrendously long. Last Saturday lunch the line was over one hour long. The handicap line is usually much shorter and the VIP line much shorter still.

An aside: During the recession Stations no-mailed just about everyone who won too much, but I haven't heard of that happening there since then. Contrary to what others have posted here, those who played the FPDW machines weren't restricted. It was just the higher limit players mainly $1 and up. They definitely use theo for mailed offers, so if you play FPDW exclusively don't expect any future offers, but it doesn't mean you're on any kind of black list. I do know some locals who play almost all FPDW and do get very small mailers.

I appreciate that you've happen to found this thread. Thank you for posting a valuable comment relating to Stations-Red Rock Resorts, it was quite a revelation to me. I do not intend to call out names, but I will try hard to refrain from mentioning other folks that are not part of the thread.

I am not for posting misinformation here, but I regrettably did because of the rumors I what I heard from Mr. Dancer about Stations no-mailing players more than anyone (mostly true, some people got mailers to come back as of last year), also players being thrown out for playing too much FPDW (the exact place was not mentioned, but I wrongfully assumed it was Stations). Someone commented on one of Jean Scott's Frugal Vegas blog where after the person got a Royal Flush win at the 8x level on Multistrike, got no mailed afterwards.

A lot of good 8/5 Bonus Poker at Red Rock as well as $1 games, so aside from theoretical loss, the player's overall score does factor big into the mailers.

Why are many people in Vegas so interested in mailers and coupons?  This isn't a big issue in the Southeast.  What I want is a game where I have a better than even chance to win more than I lose.  We'll see what happens.


It is for the same reason as consumers wait for sales or even a coupon to purchase a product on the retail market. Same product but a price reduction, good things happen to those that wait and seek the most value. The more you do this, with the same amount of money, you can get more goods/services than someone who doesn't.

I agree with your principle where you can set your own price of admission at the casino, but some people want it dirt cheap. I try very hard to set my price cheap.

Mr. Dancer has instilled into everyone the need to pay attention to mailers and available coupons for several years now.

[Sea Lion]

Station Casinos does have the "full pay" machines which ding your players card ($4 in per point, no multipliers, no free play), but if you're not worried about  all of that, those are the ones to play. RR has Loose Deuces, DW, DB, SBDW, and DDB. RR also has plenty of 99%+ games which don't ding your card for points, are eligible for point multipliers, and free play. http://www.vpfree2.com/casino/red-rock- ... resort-spa. When I lived in Cali, RR used to comp me 3 nights a month and $200 free play, but when you move to LV, the comps get watered down tremendously. "Bastardo" (Fiesta), which is a Station property, gives me a rat $20 per month - spread out in $5 increments over the month, and a buy one get one buffet, and their buffet is one of the worst in all of LV! I like to play when I can get a point multiplier on senior days (Wednesdays at Station and Boyd properties) where I can maximize my comps as well. Boyd has the better offers IMO. Keep in mind though that point multipliers are not good on the full pay machines.As suggested, you might also want to check out Main Street Station (Boyd property) for the awesome VP they have there. Very easy to get to from RR too by freeway. I would take the 215 north to Summerlin Pkwy, which turns into the 95 south, and get off at Casino Center Blvd, make a right at Stewart Ave, and then right into the MSS outside parking lot. Keep in mind that they charge for parking ($3 during the week, $5 on weekends) unless you have a Sapphire or Emerald card. Everything is within walking distance from there. Good luck on your trip Phil!

[FloridaPhil]

I read on one of Dancer's blogs about the MGM charging for parking.  Has this caught on with all LV casinos?  I can't believe they pulled this off.   As a matter of principle I would never patronize a casino that charged for parking unless they validated my ticket after I played.  How greedy can you get? 

[Sea Lion]

Only MGM properties has started charging for parking. Locals are given a reprieve until Dec 29 this year. If you are with someone with a Nevada drivers license, you can get that comped, or MLife Pearl players card holders and up. I'm sure this will catch on very soon with the rest, just like the Resort Fee BS did. I sort of understand charging to park at the new T-Mobile Arena (that should be comped as well with the extremely high ticket prices to begin with), but not for MGM resorts.

[FloridaPhil]

We're both MLife Members.  I can understand it if there something going on other than gambling that would attract tourists.   Free parking, just like free drinks should come to people who gamble.  I keep forgetting that Vegas has a lot more going on than gambling.  You don't get free parking at Disney World either...

[billryan]

Coupons and promotions are a way of life in Vegas.
The nearest casino to me gives away a bottle of liquor if you earn 100 points on Wednesday. The one across the street does the same on Thursday. It also gives people 55 and over a half price buffet.
I easily had a dozen meals comped this month.
Competition is good.

[alpax]

Station Casinos does have the "full pay" machines which ding your players card ($4 in per point, no multipliers, no free play), but if you're not worried about  all of that, those are the ones to play. RR has Loose Deuces, DW, DB, SBDW, and DDB. RR also has plenty of 99%+ games which don't ding your card for points, are eligible for point multipliers, and free play. http://www.vpfree2.com/casino/red-rock- ... resort-spa. When I lived in Cali, RR used to comp me 3 nights a month and $200 free play, but when you move to LV, the comps get watered down tremendously. "Bastardo" (Fiesta), which is a Station property, gives me a rat $20 per month - spread out in $5 increments over the month, and a buy one get one buffet, and their buffet is one of the worst in all of LV! I like to play when I can get a point multiplier on senior days (Wednesdays at Station and Boyd properties) where I can maximize my comps as well. Boyd has the better offers IMO. Keep in mind though that point multipliers are not good on the full pay machines.As suggested, you might also want to check out Main Street Station (Boyd property) for the awesome VP they have there. Very easy to get to from RR too by freeway. I would take the 215 north to Summerlin Pkwy, which turns into the 95 south, and get off at Casino Center Blvd, make a right at Stewart Ave, and then right into the MSS outside parking lot. Keep in mind that they charge for parking ($3 during the week, $5 on weekends) unless you have a Sapphire or Emerald card. Everything is within walking distance from there. Good luck on your trip Phil!


Thanks for more scoop on the Red Rock, did not know the mailers were better for outsiders, but still the outsiders are not immune to be no mailed for being a winner (saw a vpfree bulletin board post from the past). On the contrary. outsiders get crap offers from The Palms compared to what the locals get. The guests on GWAE, Jefferey Compton and Anthony Curtis also have a strong feeling that the parking fees will be adapted to most places in Vegas in the future. I just hope Boyd does not increase their parking requirement to Emerald BConnected status if they choose to charge, I will never make it there. The Gold Coast had plenty of parking spots the 3 times I've been there.

What does baffle me is that Platinum status on Mlife does not get resort fee waived. It is for NOIR status which is ambiguous to get in.

We're both MLife Members.  I can understand it if there something going on other than gambling that would attract tourists.   Free parking, just like free drinks should come to people who gamble.  I keep forgetting that Vegas has a lot more going on than gambling.  You don't get free parking at Disney World either...

I agree that people who play a certain amount of time should be entitled to free parking, but they've made the requirement to Pearl. The forums I've lurked feel that this decision will hurt people who want to go to the property just to eat at restaurants, drink away at bars, shop at stores, or go clubbing at a dayclub or nightclub. Even people staying at their hotel will be charged for parking if they are not in Pearl status at Mlife.

I do not think you need to stress now since you will not be going on the strip. You would not want to play the VP there anyways.

I know Vman and M are one of the few that goes to the MGM properties on the strip. I wonder they'll work around this issue since paid parking was enforced last month. Monorail? Uber/lyft/taxi? Play until reaching Pearl? Apply for the Mlife Mastercard?

Coupons and promotions are a way of life in Vegas.
The nearest casino to me gives away a bottle of liquor if you earn 100 points on Wednesday. The one across the street does the same on Thursday. It also gives people 55 and over a half price buffet.
I easily had a dozen meals comped this month.
Competition is good.

The competition in Henderson, NV casinos is quite fierce indeed, promos and pay schedules. Its good for the consumer when businesses have to compete. I am jealous of what you have.

[OTABILL]

[QUOTE=OTABILL] The rooms at Red Rock are terrific, the best we have experienced in Vegas. Lots of VP both machines and variety. Paytables are good. Our only problem is we have had really bad results playing there though I ascribe it to luck, which I have mentioned before, trumps paytables, EV, etc. The casino is pleasant, ventilation and lighting are good.

The buffet is decent and hotel guests get priority seating along with Chairman card holders. There is a Yardhouse on-site which is a restaurant chain we like.

We have discussed a trip to RR next month but it depends on certain things working out.

I will leave it to others to discuss other casinos. Hope you have a successful trip.

Thanks for providing your vote of confidence to the Red Rock. The Yardhouse is a good gastropub-like chain, there is a few in my area. I hope you and your spouse's health can withstand the second hand smoke if you wish to seek to have fun again, it has been awhile.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the good wishes regarding health. Much appreciated. Thankfully, other factors are affecting our travel plans regarding Vegas.

In reality, RR and most large Vegas Casinos have significantly better ventilation and therefore less 2nd hand smoke than those here in Arizona. This is especially true when the RR casino is sparsely populated. We may have been fortunate in the past to have that scenario with banks of machines where we were the only ones playing.

As far as mailers, for some reason, I stopped getting them a few months ago. My wife still gets them but just for comped rooms. We were last at RR this past Labor Day weekend. We only go for 2-3 nights, the drive door to door with stops is about 6 hours without traffic

[case]

I will be in Vegas same time as you Phil. Arrive August 22 and leave August 30. We never stay on the strip. Three nights at Sams Town, three downtown at the California and the last two at Gold Coast. Have a couple tournaments to play in as well. We move around to take advantage of the free rooms. The Boyd casinos give us more rooms than we can use each month.

I like Red Rock but it is a long way out there. Enjoy your trip!