It's been almost a week since I drove down to the Strip, so that was my destination on Monday.
I wanted to check out some places that I hadn't visited recently, so I parked at Tropicana. This Vegas icon was pretty shabby the last time I was here, maybe 3 years ago. But it's undergone a facelift and is much cleaner and shinier than before.
It was about 9:30 when I got there and found a blackjack table that had only 1 other player, a frumpy-looking woman from Washington, DC. She was, I'd guess, in her mid-40s and nursing an early-morning beer. We both had a good run of cards with the dealer breaking at a few opportune times. She asked where I was from and I asked what she did in Washington.
"Well, I am a lawyer, but I left my firm to work on Hillary's campaign."
"So now both of you are out of work, huh?" I replied.
She had planned on landing a cushy administration job after Hillary got sworn in, but something happened on the way to the party. In life, like in blackjack, there are very few sure things!
I left The Trop up $90 and walked over the pedestrian bridge to Excalibur. There were only 2 blackjack games going and they were full, so I left there and crossed another pedestrian bridge to NewYork-New York, one of my least favorite casinos. I don't like it because I always get turned around and confused in this multi-level mish-mash gambling joint. Again, no good BJ games, so I made my way out and walked north to The Monte Carlo.
At least I'm getting some walking in today!
By now it was just after 11 and I was thinking about lunch. I checked out the MC buffet, but it was $19.95 for the lunch with no discount for card holders. Didn't want to pay that much for my lunch, so I left there - again without playing - and walked to MGM, planning on having lunch at a small deli near the sports book. They serve up a tasty chicken salad on rye sandwich with a crunchy pickle and small drink for $10. That's a good deal, I think.
After lunch I played some BJ and couldn't win a hand. In just 15 minutes I had given back the $90 that I had won earlier at the Trop. Aaaargh. So I walked back to the Trop and got the car, planning my next move.
I decided to drive to The Venetian - not only to play at one of my favorite places, but also to check the status of our Willie Nelson concert tomorrow night. Because of illness, Willie had cancelled his first two shows there last weekend and I was hoping they didn't cancel the Wednesday show too. The woman at the ticket counter assured me the show as still on, so that was good.
I prowled the gaming floor, looking for a $10 bj game that paid 3-2 for a blackjack. Too many of those low minimum bet games pay only 6-5 for a bj. That can make a big difference in your profits. For example, if you bet $15 and get a A-K in a 3-2 game you would be paid $22.50. But in a 6-5 game you only get $18. Do that 4 or 5 times over the course of a session and you can see the difference.
Anyway, I spotted a table with a sign that said it paid 3-2, so I sat down. I quickly learned it was a new type of BJ game, called BJ Zinger or Zapper or something. It's regular BJ with two changes. If the player gets a 15, 16, 17 or 18 he has the option of dumping the hand and taking the next two cards out of the shoe. In return for that advantage, if the dealer gets 22 on the nose, it's a push for the table.
On my second hand, I got a 15 against the dealer's nine and opted to dump my hand. My next two cards Ace & Queen! Not a blackjack, but still a winner against the dealer's 19.
I kept track and I used the dump option 5 times, winning each time with 20 or 21. And the dealer only hit 22 once against us. I played for about 30 minutes and won $120, my profit for the day.
After leaving the Venetian, I made a stop at the Westgate, home of the most Super Bowl Prop Bets in the world. I made a few prop bets and then headed home. More details on those wagers in the next blog entry. On the way home, I stopped to get a foot-long Turkey & Cole Slaw sandwich from Capriotti's our favorite local sandwich joint. Dinner was a half of that with a side edamame and quinoa salad. Tasty stuff!
While I was on the Strip, Helen was reading her friend Sandy's novel. Helen says it's an exciting tale and really well-written. She has just a few pages to go! Today she wants to get her hair cut, so I'll be taking her for that.
And so our adventure continues...
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