Since we were going to a Pizza place near New Buffalo. I suggested that we also visit the Four Winds, the Indian land casino just across the border in Michigan.

We get a fair amount of direct mail from them and one item was a coupon for the "rags to riches" drawing. Essentially you come in on a Sunday and pull a envelope out of a barrel and win a minimum of $10 up to $10,000.

So we have our pizza and drive over to the casino. They have a line where they are checking coupons and ID's to go to the drawing. Pull the envelope, the guy opens it and announces the prize. There is a steady procession of "$10 winner", "$10 winner","$10 winner". Ellen sticks her hand to the bottom and pulls out her envelope, hands it to the guy. "$250 winner". Quite a surprise! She goes over to the desk and they hand over the cash.

We work our way around the casino which is basically circular with the tables and a bar in the middle and restaurants on the outside. Not too much happening. Ellen wins a little on a wheel of fortune slot.

Ellen wants to hit the high limit room on the way out. In short order a $5 Wild times 4 slot coughs up $400 and we head home.

Congrats!

So - this was actual cash, not free play? Wish the casinos around here would pick up on that trend!

What a great story!! And how was the pizza????

WooHoo!
Congrats on both of the wins! For a miniut there, I thought you where going to tell us after the first win, you turned around and went home! How long total where you inside the casino?

Indeed cash, two hundreds, two twenties and two fives.

The Pizza place is called Stop50 wood burning pizzeria. As the name suggests the room is dominated by a big open wood burning oven. It is just of US12-20 in Grand Beach about 1/2 mile from the Michigan border. This area is right on the Lake Michigan shore and is seasonal with mostly Chicago summer homes. Mayor Daley's place is about 2 miles away.
Crust is thin and crisp, very fresh toppings. (they work with local growers, cheese makers and brewers). We split their version of insalata caprese. Mozzarella, tomato and basil with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The pizzas are relatively small so we ordered two, a sausage and a margherita.

We hung around the casino for about two hours. Ellen searches for the slots that are calling to her. I mostly sit and do video poker. Given the location the pay table is not bad. Jacks or better is 9/5 on the regular machines and 8/5 on the progressives.

Lee-PA:

Eric and I can attest to my mother's strange luck with slot machines. If I had her kind of luck, I would quit my job and play slots for a living!

The first time I went to Las Vegas with them was back in 1991. We stayed at the Tropicana, and we couldn't leave Ellen alone for more than half an hour, it seemed, without her winning $200 here, $350 there, and so on. One day, after checking out Excalibur (not long after it first opened), Eric and I went up to the room to change for the pool; Mom said she was going to stay down in the casino and play slots. Fifteen minutes later, right as we're about to leave, Eric and I hear a knock on the door. He opens it and there's Ellen, with two lei's around her neck, two bottles of champagne in her hands, saying "You're not going to believe this, but..."


Cheers,

Tim the Dealer