Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Another Great Trip to Vegas

Hi Vegas fans,
I'm on my flight home, so it's a good time to reflect on my latest Vegas adventure. First, my longtime friend and fellow degenerate gambler Steve picked me up at the airport, and we checked in with ease at Caesars. I usually stay somewhere a little less classy, but my sister and brother-in-law gave me some comped rooms. Lucky me! I hoped that luck would continue with games of chance.

I started off with a great run at blackjack and craps at my beloved Stratosphere. Steve and I both left the joint in high spirits Friday night! Saturday took a turn for the worse, and we had to lick our wounds a bit. I won one of my NCAA Final Four bets (Louisville somehow held on to lose by 8, so the 1/2 point saved me). Ohio State let me down, but after hours of basketball (note to CBS. - enough already with the TV timeouts),I had only lost two dollars. I wish I could say the same for the blackjack and craps sessions at Excalibur and the trip downtown to Binions and Las Vegas Club. Ouch. Still, I managed to stay in the black, as did Steve.

On Sunday, I stayed about even for the day while Steve continued to win. I was wondering what his secret was until I realized he was stealing chips. Just kidding. The way we play the games, it's really all about timing and knowing when to stop. Steve's very good at that, and I improve with each trip.

On Monday, we hoped to cash in on the men's championship game. I bet Kansas +6.5, and Steve did the same plus a few other bets. We had a chance to cash, but Kansas missed a 3 pointer in the final eleven seconds and, alas, they lost by 8.

Overall, I came out a few dollars ahead, which is a nice feeling. Steve came out way ahead, which is an even nicer feeling. He gambled a little bit more on Tuesday mornning to add to his winnings, but I played it safe and stayed away from the tables. We were nowhere near a $5 blackjack table, or I might have considered it. I wanted to stay ahead, and craps is a little too risky when my profits are razor thin.

So instead I took some pictures(coming soon to Flickr) and visited the Bellagio Fine Art Gallery. The Monet Impressionist exhibit was outstanding! I'm glad I got to see it. For me, Vegas is all about knowing how I want to have fun. It's not a matter of whether or not I'm going to enjoy it, but it's how I'm entertained. Do I want to gamble? See a show? Go to a gallery? Have a few beers at a bar? It's all right there. That's why I wrote my book - to make it simple to find the things people like to do when they are in the most exciting city in the world.
Viva,
Mike