One of the weird dilemmas I have in Las Vegas is finding the time to gamble. Laugh all you want but it’s what keeps the lights on in this city despite all the corporations taking over the casinos from the Outfit (at least the food was cheaper when the latter ran things). Due to a little spat we had on my birthday, Somara and I agreed to go our separate ways for a couple hours on Strip to hit the games we prefer.
I tend to wander from spot to spot, undeterred by the heat (100+/38+) and my more regular exercising keeps me from being as easily exhausted. It’s also a legacy from my earlier days in Austin when I didn’t own a car. Besides, one of the places I know where my craps money will last longer ($3 at Casino Royale) bores Somara. My wife prefers the video-based machines which are in better shape at the newer joints.
So the plan for Friday was to park at the Fashion Mall, drop by the Apple Store to check our e-mail, grab a snack if needed, hit the ATM for additional cash to cover other people’s wagers, tips or anything else plastic can’t be used on, play round four of our video poker tournament at TI (I lost, see below) and then part ways for two hours. Meet back, plot the next step.
Obviously, I meandered to Casino Royale because a $5 craps table on a Friday is pretty unlikely. It was a pretty good time there. The employee on my side resembled Telly Savalas (Carmine) and he was pretty witty. I’m still figuring out the proper lingo to avoid sounding like a rube. Next trip, I am leaving Somara at the timeshare in order to get some lessons one morning. Candidates to accompany me will be either Jose or my brother-in-law Aaron (wish I knew he liked craps sooner).
What I do know:
- Press: let the bet/winnings ride.
- Color up: cashing out.
- Betting on sixes and eights: with $3 tables, they’re $3 bets which earn $3; with $5 tables, they’re $6 bets which earn $7.
- Pass/No Pass.
Why lessons though? As resident comedian George Wallace says, gambling at the tables is easy. You put the money down, they take it off for you, it’s that simple. True and funny but here’s the thing, I know losing is in the stars otherwise Las Vegas wouldn’t exist, I just prefer to lose with style while having a good time. Nonetheless Carmine and a delegation of people from San Antonio proved to me why I love the socialization table games provide with this interaction:
Shooter is getting ready to roll for a new session (probably the wrong term). Meanwhile, I have $3 on six and I ask Carmine about it.
“Is my bet on six dormant?”
“Dormant? We wouldn’t know that term sir. That’s a five-dollar word and this is only a three-dollar table.”
(Laughing) “Sorry, I don’t know the right word. I just want to make sure I’m losing with class.”
“Not dressed in that shirt sir.” (One of my favorite gambling shirts, the faction from San Antonio got their picture taken with it.)
After my hour expired, I colored up (not bad, only lost six clams for the whole duration and I won a hard eight for Kate on her birthday), tipped the crew, placed another couple roulette bets for friends and headed back North along the Strip to see the action at Harrah’s and Mirage. I spotted a $5 table at Mirage too. Once we rendezvoused at TI, Somara agreed to go back to Mirage and let me play 40 minutes. Should’ve quit while I was ahead, the table was cold and I lost $47 yet I had a good time, finally playing where we got married.
While returning to the mall, I entertained a little girl going into the Mirage by mistaking her for Dora the Explorer (she had the hair style). She enjoyed the attention and her parents laughed. Another quick check of e-mail at the Apple Store, by then it was packed to the entrance. Witnessed a couple iPhone 4 activations (hooray! I own stock!).
Back at the timeshare, Somara took a nap and I decided to investigate the recently built lazy river (I think it opened in 2009). Pretty sweet. I was satisfied with three laps and read some more of this issue of Scientific American I’ve been stuck on since my subscription started.
With Friday being one of the two worst nights to hit the Strip, we had our traditional steak dinner at the Outback across the street. Sure, we have this chain in Austin but we’ve been boycotting the closest one in Round Rock because of a bad experience and the real ones at the Casinos are a la carte with everything. It’s a great meal since I’ve had the opportunity twice courtesy of my wife at Harrah’s and my friend Glenn at Luxor (I paid him back with at least two dinners). I’m glad we discovered the joys of Texas near my house, I don’t know if Outback’s prices got jacked again or we were paying Nevada prices.
Dinner was followed by another visit to the Pinball Hall of Fame. I barely made a dent in the $20 of quarters the first time so I was going to somehow spend it all. At least I know I still suck at Space Invaders, Tempest, Robotron 2084 and Tron. Pinball was more successful as I won free games off of Bases Loaded, South Park, Simpsons Pinball Party, Bugs Bunny’s Birthday Bash and Star Trek 25th Anniversary. Just like the show, with South Park I learned something that night. The machine had another set of buttons under the flipper ones and with them you can temporarily block the gate which takes the ball out of play. I definitely milked those to keep launching the ball off the flippers’ sweet spots on to ramps for mondo points.
As closing time loomed at PHF, we called it an early evening (by Vegas standards, midnight) since we were going to need our energy with Saturday morning, the Las Vegas Gun Store followed by Cheap Trick in the evening.
Gambling Report:
- Video Poker: Somara 3, Steve 1 ($48.75, $20), she nailed four threes to win it. I at least broke even. I was one card off from a Royal Flush with clubs, $1000 if I succeeded.
- Somara: -$21.75
- Steve: -$123