Hello All,
Last month, I was sent an offer for a free 3 night stay at MSS during the month of January, which included 4 free buffet meals at one of the best buffets in Vegas AND a free room for 3 nights for another guest. That's 2 FREE ROOMS & 4 FREE MEALS! ALLLRIIIGHT! My girlfriend Paula (who always travels with me) and my sister Keitsa (whom we can never seem to travel without) got similar offers from the Plaza... TWO FREE ROOMS EACH FOR 3 NIGHTS!
So with the total of SIX free rooms, we decided to make it a group trip for any of our friends who could afford to go, and what an eclectic mix of guys/gals turned up!
First, a little background. I don't drink or smoke, but I love practically everything about LV (believe me, you can also have fun sober). While I will play a bit of slots or keno, my predominant game is craps, and I'm a "don't" or darkside bettor, which means that I'm betting that the number with the most probability of showing up on the dice (the seven) will appear in fruitful abundance.
AND NOW, THE OTHER PLAYERS:
My girlfriend & sister are both big nickel & quarter slot players. They basically hang together (which is why they got similar offers from the Plaza) and I'm left to myself quite a bit, which believe me sometimes IS A GOOD THING!
My buddy, Linny is an energetic guy who loves the shows & the slots. When playin' slots, he's one of those folks who doesn't seem to let the reels on the machine fully come to rest before hitting the "spin" button again! I mean, he's practically playing the congas non-stop on the spin button! UNBELIEVABLE! Does this ring true with anyone else here?!
Two other friends, Mac & Oscar, whose main interests are drinking, women, drinking, strip clubs, the West Coast & drinking make up the last of our party.
My sister, who co-owns a hair salon, decides to bring along a fav client of hers named Dee to occupy her 2nd room, and our Mom (a savage slot player who's probably the reincarnation of Edith Bunker... whining voice and all), who'll double up with my sis.
THOSE ARE DA PLAYERS!
Fri., Jan 25th: The eight of us arrive at BWI Airport (Baltimore-Washington Int'l) for our 7:10am Southwest flight. Just as we're about to take off, the captain informs us that a "light" has come on on his dashboard... probably like that annoying "check engine" light in your car that mysteriously comes on and goes out whenever it wants to. Anyway, we taxi back to the gate while maintenance tries to fix the problem. After being cooped up idling at the gate in our seats for about 35 minutes, we're told that we'll have to deboard and take another plane, as this one isn't properly responding to CPR.
After another 30-45 minute wait back in the terminal, a "back-up" plane is brought in (actually, who knows if it wasn't the original one, I didn't memorize the license plate number of the 1st one) and after boarding this plane, we're off!
We land in Vegas about 11:30am, then head to Alamo to pick up our respective vehicles, then off to Downtown.
At MSS (Main Street Station), Paula & I share a room, and give my buddy Linny the extra room. After dropping off our bags, we go right next door to the Plaza, where Paula uses her 2 free rooms to house Mac & Oscar in adjoining rooms so that they could have their own group orgy swapfests, or whatever their demented minds could conjure up...
And seeing Mac & Oscar at the Plaza check-in counter Friday was the LAST TIME I saw either of them til' MONDAY MORNING!
While everyone was getting checked in, I notice that I don't see my sister's group. Found out later that my sister had decided to extend her trip a couple of days, so the first two days (Fri & Sat) she would spend at the Las Vegas Club (I think the rate for each of the 2 rooms was $39/nite), and the others would be free at the Plaza.
While Paula's signing Mac & Oscar in, Linny's signing up at the slot club desk for a slot card. After that, he darn near runs me over to put the newly-made slot card and his money to use. I start my gambling off by heading to the craps table for a little bit of play. I'm kinda feeling a little blah, perhaps from not sleeping much the night before and NEVER EVER being able to sleep on the flight to Vegas, but I feel that perhaps a little "don't" play can perk me right on up!
Buy-in for $200, as I don't know what type of plans everyone else has and I don't want to commit a lot of money to this session, I figure I'll just play a bit 'til they find me. Well, it turns out that they don't find me fast enough! $200 GONE...POOF!
Walk around the casino a bit, and find my mom, who's just signing up for her slot card, and wants to play keno with a passion. I sit down with her a bit while she plays keno and she explains to me that they're staying a couple of extra days... she plays and seemingly enjoys the keno play (but loses). Soon
Paula, Linny & I find each other and decide that we all have the "blahs", perhaps jet-lag. After grabbing a quick bite at the Subway in Plaza's food court, we head to our hotel for a shower & some rest.
Paula & I pretty much sleep our whole first night away (I HATE when that happens)! We wake at about midnight, both stunned at how tired we really were. We call Linny's room to see if he wants to go but he sounds like Bigfoot on the phone, so we decide to let him rest and we'll go gamble for a bit.
Downstairs, MSS is active and three craps tables are open. I jump on one while Paula plays slots. I seem to tread water for about an hour before seemingly heading downhill. I'm about $200 underwater when Paula shows up at the table, which means that she's probably ready to explore other sights, which REALLY MEANS that the machines in this place are eating her coinage! I tell her to give me 15 minutes (which to her really means 15 minutes... not that women's "I'll be down or ready in 5 minutes" explanation or the men's "the game will be over in 5 minutes" excuse). Fifteen minutes later, after a cold wind has blown thru the table, I cash out only down $25... NOT BAD!
We use the Main St./California overpass to get to Fremont St., and the Shoe.
In my opinion (as well as many others), Binion's Horseshoe is the "Mecca" of craps. No other place I've been to gives off the "feel" or aura that this place gives. Could be the low ceilings, dark lighting, great old table crew or the old smokiness of the place, I'm not so sure. But this place stirs up all the ingredients just right!
Again, Paula and I go our separate ways. About 90 minutes later, I cash out PLUS $400. I find Paula, who's also up playing slots. YAY!!! We decide to take our hungry butts to Carson Street Cafe inside the Golden Nugget for some middle of the morning (its about 4am) grub.
We get inside the Nugget and Paula spots a small bank of Monopoly Party Train nickel slots. The enthusiasm in her voice lets me know that she wants to try them out, and who am I to say no. She puts in a $20 and a few minutes later, she cashes out with $60... NOT BAD!
Now, can I pleeeeaasseee get something to eat, I'm starvin' already?!
We head to the Carson Street Cafe. The food was very good. Paula had the grilled chicken breast sandwich w/fruit, I had the roast beef dip sandwich with fries... served with au jus, this sandwich is a winner! At this time of morning, the place was pretty much to ourselves so we made this into a long lunch/brunch whatever ya wanna call it. We stayed and ate, talked, played and laughed for almost 2 hours before we decided to head back to MSS.
Walked back to MSS as it was beginning to become light and called up to Linny's room to see how he was doing. He told us he was wide awake, and had tried to reach us, Mac & Oscar with no success. We told him we were game to go up on the strip for some early morning play & sightseeing. He said he'd be down in about 20 minutes. Paula told me that she'd wait for him in the lobby area. Of course I used this bit of "idle" time to get reacquainted with the craps table.
There were 4 people (3 ladies & 1 guy) on one end and no one on the other of the only occupied table, so I jumped in at the unoccupied end. Two of the ladies both had very good rolls, each about 20 numbers or so each, but for the most part I wasn't cleaned out as they seemed to not roll my numbers much.
What also amazed me was that during this hot streak, the whole end of the table was actually treading water or EVEN LOSING MONEY! All four of them were big prop bet bettors (c&e, yo, hardways, etc.), betting each and every roll on these long shot bets... some of them one-roll wagers.
Finally, the tide began to turn and the sevens started showing up. I had earlier agreed with Paula that when she & Linny showed up at the table, that this craps session would be over, no matter what shape I was in (I've been known to get glued to a table at times). Just as one of the women sevened out, Paula & Linny appeared behind me. I colored up only DOWN $65, but it could've been worse if they'd shown up 5 minutes earlier, so I didn't feel bad at all.
End of Part I
Next time, EARLY MORNING ON DA STRIP, RAIN MAN, & THE ROLL FROM H*LL (at least for me it was)!
Sorry guys/gals, I'm not a great typist, so this takes me a long time to type. And I don't really know how to tell a story in a "cliff-note" version, so if I bore anyone into a coma, I apologize. Will try to get back to this ASAP!
Take care 'til next time,
C DiP
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abundance & prosperity is my birthright!!!
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