This trip was April 5-9. Wednesday. Midday flight from Cincinnati on Continental. Quick check in at Treasure Island, my home while in Las Vegas. As usual, I had a room on one of the higher floors (33) with a view of the south strip. Ate dinner at the coffee shop (Lookout Cafe) and spent the rest of the night playing video poker and breaking completely even. Having been up for over 24 hours, I need to stop and sleep for 3 hours or so. Thursday. I like to start my day with coffee and video poker and proceed to a fifty cent bartop machine. I insert a twenty and order a coffee. I'm dealt a King and Queen of hearts. When I draw, I pick up the three needed cards for a royal! Can you believe this, on the very first play of the day? This is going to be a good trip. The bartender is just as surprised as I am and summons someone to pay me on the royal. Walk to Caesars for a quick lunch in the food court and some Triple Play video poker. These machines are not very nice to me, but I like them. Next stop is Bellagio, again no luck there. I did see the water fountain show at Bellagio, both during the day and at night. I think it is much more impressive at night. Back to TI for another coffee shop dinner. You may remember from previous reports that food and sleep are not priorites with me while in Las Vegas. I eat and sleep at home. Walked over to Venetian, played a little bit there, breaking even for this session. Back to TI for the night. Friday. This day also starts with a bartop machine and coffee. No big hits, but I manage to play several hours and stay even. Took a taxi to Mandalay Bay, went to slot booth to see if they would honor the $10 cash coupon I received in the mail even though I am not staying there. No problem with the coupon. Slot attendant advised me I also had $35 from last visit if I wanted to cash it in. So I took the $45 and managed to play a couple hours without adding any other money to it. Rode the tram to Excalibur and walked over to New York New York. I like to join a new slot club each trip and this was a new one for me. Played some oddball poker version (triple bonus or something) and had a good session, cashed out with a nice profit. Ate lunch at America. Then went to Monte Carlo, joined slot club here and played some more. Back to TI for a quick dinner at the Black Spot Grill. Took a taxi over to the Rio. After finally finding a machine I wanted to play, I discover my card will not work. I eventually find the slot club booth and have my card replaced and return to my machine. Played several different poker machines and lost. Have lost more than I thought today. Back to TI. It's late and I should quit, but I decide I will put just a few dollars in a double bonus dollar machine. Glad I did. After just a few minutes I am dealt three Aces and pick up the fourth Ace on the draw. This has turned into a good day after all. Saturday. Walked to Harrah's and took advantage of a $10 coupon that rebates $10 of slot play after playing $10. I'm not going to tell you how much that $10 cost me but it wasn't pretty. Next stop was Paris. This place is packed. Finally find a couple machines but don't do any good here. Besides, I don't like the slot club system and don't stay too long. Back to TI. I rarely play slot machines but decide I will try some of the biggies...Megabucks, Wheel of Fortune and Elvis. Had a lot of fun and play on an Elvis machine. Put in $20 and played for over two hours before running out of credits. Sunday. Can't do much this morning, early flight home. Plane overbooked and I offered to get off but changed my mind when they told me they could not get me home until 7:00 AM the next day. Had a great trip and came home a winner this time. As usual, there was not enough time to do everything I wanted to do. Looking forward to the next trip.

Gregg, I really enjoyed your trip report. Treasure Island is still one of my favorite places to stay, eat and play. I really like the Blackspot Grille, especially their Coastliner chicken sandwich. Sounds like you had some good wins, too.

Gregg: Thanks for the report. Unbelievable luck drawing that Royal on the first play of the day! Congrats on that, and on it being your second Royal this year!

How was the service at America at NYNY? A few weeks ago I ran into service being non-existent there.

Gregg,
Really enjoyed the trip report. Did Treasure Island start comping on nickel and up machines yet, or is everything up in the air with the merger? Thanks for the info on using the Mandalay Bay coupon. If I get to Las Vegas, (which doesn't look too likely right now [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img] ) I may try to use the coupon.
Congratulations on the Royal and the Aces!

Lee Ann
Past, Present and Future Forum Moderator
leeann@talkvegas.com

Gregg,
That was a nice easy read and a fun report.Glad you won that early.That can make your trip.I've got to get back to playing at TI.I like the Black Spot and the Lookout too. They also have one of the best and easy to use self parks in town.

I hear they upgraded the rooms also? I know they now have a lounge show.I need these to take a break once in awhile.I like to go out of town and take breaks too.Thanks for the TR.Hope I do as well next week when I'am in town?
Bob NY.

Gregg,
I was sorry when your trip report ended...so I'm guessing you where sorry when your trip was over! <s>
You must have had a terriffic time in LV. Me, I would have said thank you very much to a tomorrow departure after a trip like you had! But then I hardly ever leave Vegas a winner too.
Congrats on the good luck, ....so ....when is your next trip? <VBG>

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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Gregg:

Congratulations on that early morning royal. If only I could do something like that!! (s) Thanks for the info on the Mandalay Bay coupon. I was wondering if they'd honor it if you weren't staying there. Now I know.

Susan

Gregg,

Thanks for the trip report. We have had the fortune of hitting a royal twice on our first day in LV. Drawing three cards to complete the royal must mean that the VP gods were with you. It sure gets the trip off to a good start.

Thanks for reading my report.

Veronica,
The service at America was very good. However, we did sit in the smoking section and there was only one other table being served at the time.

Lee Ann,
TI has not yet converted their slot club and still only counts fifty cent and higher play. I asked them when they were going to change and they thought it would be later this month. Most employees seem to feel there will be no visible changes with the MGM deal, only behind-the-scenes changes in some management.

BobG,
All of the rooms at TI have been completely redone. They have added a few nice touches including in-room safes and hair dryers.

Lee,
It was very hard to not take the bump and stay another day. Although my room was comped, I didn't want to have to pay for the extra day or play enough to earn it. Adding up the extra cab fares and food made it even less attractive. I sure didn't want to give back what I had won. I will certainly be going back later this year, probably in October. I think April and October are perfect months to go.

Gregg,
Don't over look those other wonderful months to go to Las vegas either....You Know, Jan, Feb, Mar, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Nov, Dec !!! <VBG>

Glad you had a good trip, and I'm already looking forward to your next report!

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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Gregg, thanks for the report. Isn't it nice to start a trip with a royal? As long as you don't give the money back to them you are in good shape.
Where were the triple play machines located at Caesars? Were they near the food court? I don't remember seeing any there before.
Glad you upheld the "Buckeye Tradition" and came home a winner<G>

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John
Moderator Dining Forum
john@talkvegas.com