Drove down to Chester about 7pm last evening. A saturday night and it was something to do. Traffic was light and we made it in just under an hours drive, a new record!
Casino was jumping, and I settled in at a dollar 10 play machine. Only one W2G, just over the $1200 limit. But I did have some very nice hits.
The machine I was playing wouldn't allow it to go over 3000 stored credits, so every time I went over that mark, it would spit out a ticket. NICE.

Had a terrible dinner in the sports bar (called the end zone) @ midnight.

Drove home at 3am, mumbling to my self, I was Up! LOL

My total loss for the evening was about $240, but man I was up, but played/stayed too long. @ $50 a button push, up, doesn't last long! LOL
The shining star of the evening? I made Diamond status for the first time. I will more that recoupe that $240

Again service was light in the casino, but I wasn't drinking, because of the ride home, so the self service pop machines where all I needed.

Drive an hour, bad dinner, and lose $240 doesn't sound like fun. OTOH, it could have easily been drive an hour, bad dinner, and bring home $5,000.

So what happens the moment you make Diamond? Does the card reader on the machine flash the news? Does a host come find you?

nothing happens, you go to the card center, they print a new card (diamond) and that opens the door to the bennys of diamondship. Diamond lounges, free rooms, special offers, meals.
I miss Las Vegas, nothing compares to LV. But sometimes you make do, and a trip to Chester or AC, will hold me over. I think the Rolling Stones said it best, "you can't always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you get what you need" LOL Oh, and I needed a break away!
I have lost much more then $240 in a day and still had a wonderful time in Las Vegas. But as we both know, the difference between a winner and a looser, can easily be a simple matter of how long we stay in a casino. This trip, I just stayed too long....
For me, gambling is time away from reality. I have nothing on my mind except those 5 cards on the machine in front of me.

Lee - even though you lost in the end, it sounds like you had an adventurous day. Plus it was probably good just to get away and unwind. PLUS you made Diamond status! (Plus, considering the big win you had there the last time, you only gave a tiny bit of it back )

Mike, as you & I both know, you don't win everytime! The one other thing I want to mention, playing dollar VP on a ten play machine, a $240 loss is less then 5 button pushes away from being even! LOL

Now just to share what offers can come from diamond, yesterday I was sent a letter, 3 free weekend nights useable every weekend till september, with $200 food credit, and $250 in slot credit. That I can use every weekend, in AC.