My Las Vegas Trip Report (26 Dec – 10 Jan 2025) 

Hey fellow gamblers! I just got back from an amazing 16-day trip to Las Vegas, and I wanted to share my full experience. It was a rollercoaster ride of wins, losses, and fun times. 

Whether you’re a casual visitor or a hardcore gambler, I hope my journey offers some useful insights—and a little entertainment—if you’re planning your own Vegas adventure. So, buckle up for the full story, from the highs of big wins to the lows of unlucky streaks. 

Day 1: Arrival and Settling In 

My journey began early, as I arrived at LAX at 7 AM from Auckland, New Zealand with no issues. It’s about a 13-hour flight.  I flew with American Airlines who were perfectly fine.  They’re not as impressive as Air New Zealand, but they got me to America in one piece! 

I arrived in Los Angeles about 7am. I was meant to board my connecting flight to Las Vegas at 9:20 AM, but that flight was delayed by nearly two hours. The flight ultimately left at 11 AM and I arrived in Las Vegas by noon. I was tired but excited to get started.  

At Las Vegas airport baggage claim, I met the Virgin Casino driver for my “free” ride to the hotel (tipped him $20). It’s a nice perk to have someone take you directly from the airport, even if it means tipping.  Note that Virgin Casino currently has a strike going with its Culinary Union staff.  This did disrupt my stay, and I’d suggest avoiding any casino during a strike if you can.   

The Virgin casino was basically empty for the 7 nights I was there; the cocktail service was very hit and miss, and one day my room only serviced at 1030pm at night – not ideal.  That said, I had a “free room” from my host, with the expectation of 4 hours per day of slot play to justify that.  A free room is a good room, especially over the Christmas and New Year period where room rates can be excessive (e.g. New Year’s Eve was $700 + resort fee + tax – this comped stay avoids ALL those charges). 

The US Dollar is at high exchange rates currently, so I was determined to save a few dollars where possible this trip.  I figured that one way to do this was to get some breakfast items (cereals, milk, yoghurt, croissants, cheese etc) delivered via Uber Eats, rather than paying $25 or so plus tips for a breakfast each day.  This was a great idea and saved me hundreds of dollars.  Virgin charges $50 per stay for a refrigerator, but if you tell them you need it for medical reasons you can get it for free (as I did).  The Uber Eats prices and deliveries probably cost me about $10 more than going to the supermarket myself, but was worth it, saving me time, energy and stress (and an Uber ride to get there and back). 

Being in an Uber Eats mood, and feeling hungry, I ordered an Uber Eats lunch (burger / chips / drink) which was about $15 delivered.  I figured that was ok value for a one-off. I was drained after 18 hours of travelling, and this was simply the easiest way to affordably eat! 

I spent the rest of the day gambling at Virgin, making sure to get my 4 hours of play in. Free drinks (Jack Daniels & Coke, Pina Colada, wine) kept me going. By 10:30 PM, I was ready for bed, and I had won $70 (amazing!). But after tipping at the airport for the ride ($20), and for drinks ($2 a round), bellman at Virgin (getting bags to bedroom), Uber Eats person etc, I probably used up most of that, ha ha! Still, a fun start to the trip! 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $70 up for the trip so far. 

Day 2: Casino Hopping and Big Wins 

I woke up at 5 AM because I couldn’t sleep anymore. This is how jetlag begins!  Anyway, decided not to fight it, and simply go downstairs at Virgin to play my required four hours on slots for the day. Unfortunately, I ended up losing $370! Gambling isn’t free!  But I did get to try lots of new slots, which was fun.  It had been 2 years since my last Vegas trip. 

Whilst in Vegas I heard about a New Player promotion at Rio Casino.  Get 2000 points to get some free play (about $25) and two free show tickets to any shows at the Rio. 2000 points @ $1.25 coin in each = $2500 coin in required.  I spent six hours on the slots grinding out those points but managed to win $770 in the process. I also scored two great view tickets to Penn and Teller, which would normally cost $125 each. So, this was not a bad day at all! 

The Rio remodeling was nice.   They have a GREAT food court here, and I can recommend the Chicken burger, and waffle fries I bought here for $10 and $5 respectively. Tasty! 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $400 net up for the day.  $470 up for the trip so far. 

Day 3: Buffets, Aquariums, and Tournament of Kings 

I started Day 3 at 8 AM, getting another Uber Eats delivery with supplies to last me the next five days. I should have ordered more in my original delivery on Day 1 – but hey, no big deal! Then, I made my way to the Luxor Casino via Uber (about $12). I used some free play accrued via MyVegas app, won $53 from this, and decided to indulge in their $42 buffet with a friend. I was able to use my MyVegas buffet 2-for-1, even though it was technically a blackout date on their voucher.  I tipped the buffer cashier $5 for her help – good karma! 

The Luxor buffet food was better than expected, and with the 2-for-1 coupon highly recommended – great value at $21 pp!  After lunch I walked to Mandalay Bay via the Luxor to Mandalay Bay shops walkway, to visit the Shark Reef Aquarium. I had free tickets for this from MyVegas which was another nice bonus. This is a great family friendly attraction with lots of sea life to view.  The walking is level and easy for the most part too.  

I took the free monorail tram from Mandalay Bay back to Excalibur, as I had free MyVegas tickets for the Tournament of Kings dinner and show. It’s a medieval knights and jousting experience where you eat with your hands, including a baby chicken, roll, and salad (normally $72 per ticket – but free is better)!  You’ll notice a theme in this trip report – I maximise comps, 2-for-1 coupons and points free play / free food wherever I can. 

After Tournament of Kings (lots of fun, family friendly, lots of pagentry), I went back to Virgin Casino and gambled some more. (I ignored the shouts of “shame on you” from those on the picket line when I entered.  Look, I have no position for or against the strike action, but I’m staying here for the “free room”, so wasn’t going to get too involved in dialogue). 

It was up-and-down gambling with the slots and blackjack, but I eventually managed to win a little—$85 from slots and $125 on blackjack. However, like a fool I continued and managed to turn that profit into an ultimate loss of $240 for the day.  Note to self: don’t gamble when tired, and stick to my usual rule of quitting when ahead! 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $240 lost for the day.  Still $230 up for the trip so far. 

Day 4: Exploring Downtown and Meeting Friends 

Day 4 began with a much-needed sleep-in until 11 AM after the late-night gambling at Virgin. I had breakfast in the room, and then I took an Uber to Park MGM (about $13) to claim my $50 free play on the slots from MyVegas, but I quickly lost it all. I chased that loss with $100 in cash, which, of course, disappeared just as quickly. Thankfully, I hit a win on the craps machine of $174 and ended up $24 up for the day.  The Interblock craps and crapless craps machines can be found all over Vegas and are fun to play.  Most of these machines have a $3 pass line minimum, which is affordable for most players. 

I left Park MGM and walked to a bus stop to try out the Deuce buses.  This was easy, it was a $2 fare, and I eventually ended up in downtown, at Fremont Street.  This is always a fun spot to check out, and there’s always something bizarre and unusual to view (even in daylight hours).  I had a cheap snack ($9) of Nachos from Lanai Express (at the Fremont casino) and then walked to the Downtown Grand casino, where I used some $10 blackjack match-play coupons and won both bets, netting $40. I got these match-play coupons from the free American Casino Guide website online.  They typically have similar coupons in the Las Vegas Advisor coupon book (free to subscribers @ $37 per year) also. 

I walked a bit further to the El Cortez casino, and opted for their prime rib dinner special ($19.99).  The food here has gone downhill from my previous trips there, and the prime rib was edible (albeit a bit tough in parts) but nothing special at all. I won’t be hurrying back to eat there.  That said the meal didn’t cost me much as I’d read that El Cortez will give you $10 free slot play just for showing your international flight boarding pass at the Players Club.  That was a true promotion!  I turned my $10 free play into $68 on a lucky slot feature. 

After dinner and playing at El Cortez, I returned to Virgin Casino, where I played slots for 3 hours and won a further $70.  Today had indeed been a lucky day.  

GAMBLING RESULT:  $202 ($24 + $40 + $68 + $70) up for the day.  Now $432 up for the trip. 

Day 5: Shopping, Free Shows, and More Gambling 

I started Day 5 with a buffet breakfast at the Virgin Casino hotel. I fancied something different to self-made cereal breakfast, and as I’d now been playing a few days I’d accrued a good number of points and casino comps. Virgin offers a $19.99 breakfast buffet, which is fairly small in variety, but has everything you need including an eggs-to-order station.  I charged breakfast to my room ($19.99 only, I always tip cash at table as casino hosts can’t comp off tip dollar amounts from your bill), which was ultimately comped off for a $0 cost! 

After breakfast, I took at Uber to Meadows Mall (about $22).  This was to visit Macy’s (I like their sales), and Nellis Auctions – which is an Amazon returns store.  On this day every item was $1, and I got some great bargains including sheets, net curtains, walking shoe inserts, and other random items.  It’s a big treasure trove not too far different from a garage sale.   All of the items I personally bought were new and packaged. Highly recommended! 

My Uber driver had been having a tough day, so I asked him if I could book him for 4 hours to show me some out of the way places.  He agreed. I asked him how much he wanted and he was happy with $50 – so I gave him $60 and bought him lunch at Arizona Charlies’ casino too.   It’s always good to look after people who look after you!  I saw a few local spots and also made it to Walmart – which is always enjoyable. 

I returned to Virgin Casino to do my 4 hours of slot play – and lost $295… just the way it goes sometimes. I then got an Uber ($16) to Rio Casino to watch Penn and Teller with the free tickets I’d got a few days back on their promotion.  The show was good and their magic is very patter based / old-fashioned but enjoyable.  I think I personally prefer David Copperfield and Criss Angel – but everyone’s tastes are different.  It was a nice end to the day before retiring back to bed at Virgin Casino. 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $295 down up for the day.  Now $137 up for the trip. 

Day 6: New Year’s Eve and a Setback 

Day 6 brought New Year’s Eve, and it was quite the adventure. I stayed at Virgin Casino during the day, where I played more slots and some live blackjack. The blackjack here is 3 to 2 payouts, and the game conditions are reasonable – so it’s a good blackjack game to play despite being 6 decks rather than single or double deck as can be found downtown.   My result was $100 down from the slots and blackjack, in line with my general expectations! Never rely on gambling for an income – always expect to lose.  

I left around 6pm in an Uber ($24) to go to the off-strip Silverton casino for their VIP New Year’s party (I was invited).  I had planned to stay until after midnight, but a bad buffet choice (or maybe just a random bug) left me feeling sick and projective vomiting, so I decided to leave the Silverton about 9:30 PM. Despite the nausea, I had managed prior to the party starting to make $237 at Silverton from a mix of blackjack and slots. Yay! 

I returned to Virgin Casino, slept for a while, and set an 1155pm alarm so I could watch the Strip fireworks from my room at midnight.  The fireworks on the Strip were amazing, and the view from my hotel room was awesome – even with my head in a bucket during them!  I was so unwell that I slept again straight after the fireworks were over.  It had been a rough day! 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $137 ($237 – $100) up for the day.  Now $274 up for the trip. 

Day 7: A Relaxed Day After New Year’s Eve 

I woke up on Day 7 still recovering from my rough New Year’s Eve experience. That morning, I wasn’t feeling my best, so I stayed in bed at Virgin Casino for a bit longer than usual. By 1 PM, I was feeling okay enough to head out and do some light gambling. I played slots and tables, tried my luck at a sports bet on Ohio State (at the Betfred Casino bookmakers on site), and also entered a free Virgin Casino slot tournament. By the end of the day, my net loss was only $7 overall, so I was happy to have basically “broken even”. 

Throughout my stay at Virgin (and then at other casinos also), I made sure to get my average 4 hours slot play in every day to meet the requirement for free rooms.  Never abuse casino promotions.  I’m always invited back to casinos I stay at, because I give them a fair chance at my bankroll, and follow their guidance on expected play.  You might lose a few $$$ overall, but when you’re getting free rooms each day which average $300 – $400 USD per night (+ resort fees and tax), then you’re still getting amazing value.   

The night ended quietly, with a bit more gambling, but nothing major to report.  Sometimes a quieter day can be good for the body, the mind and the soul.  It was a nice way to start the new year, with some time to contemplate life, and to be filled with gratitude too. 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $7 down for the day.  Now $267 up for the trip. 

Day 8: A Bad Day at the Slots 

I think the gambling gods decided to make up for the good run I’d had earlier in the trip, because Day 8 was not pretty. I moved to Silverton casino today, to start a 4-night comped stay there.  Silverton is further off the Las Vegas Strip, but had a really great slot machine and table games selection, a Mermaid tank filled with sea life on site (and real mermaids twice a day), and the largest Pro Bass shop (camping, hunting, fishing etc) in the USA. 

The hotel check-in staff were lovely.  My greeter offered to make one of my $1 bills lucky by folding it origami style… this turned out NOT to be a good idea! I started playing slots, and did my 4 hours to meet the expected requirement for a “free room”.  I had a significant setback, losing $600 on the slots. No matter how much I tried to turn things around, good luck just wasn’t on my side today. This shows the volatility of gambling! 

By the end of the day, my total losses brought me to $333 down (+$267 – $600 = -$333) for the trip. But I wasn’t too discouraged. It happens in Vegas, and the highs and lows are just part of the experience. Plus, I had some nice distractions on this day.  Some Vegas friends came out to the Silverton to catch up, and we had a great time chatting. Despite my personal losses, they won some money on the slots (and I was truly happy for them)! 

Sure, Vegas has a lot of casinos, and most people going to Vegas will gamble.  But the human connections you make during these trips are one of the best parts of any Vegas holiday.  Even though on Day 8 my wallet was lighter, my spirits were still high. 

Despite the losses, I stayed optimistic, knowing there were plenty of opportunities left in the trip to bounce back. Onward and upward to Day 9! 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $600 down for the day.  Now $333 DOWN for the trip. 

Day 9: A Day of Free Perks and a Big Loss 

Day 9 was a bit of a rollercoaster, just like day 8. I started the day with a huge loss at the Silverton Casino, losing another $500 on slots and tables. It was tough, but I tried not to dwell on it. That’s part of the game, right? The losses are inevitable, but the wins – when they come – are what make it worthwhile.  Fingers crossed for a better day ahead… 

Vegas has a way of balancing out the bad with the good, and I got some unexpected perks to lift my spirits. One of the highlights of the day was a fantastic, free steakhouse dinner at Twin Creeks Steakhouse at the Silverton. It was a generous offer from my casino host, and the meal was phenomenal. I shared a tomahawk steak with champagne, along with vegetables, and some other drinks including Johnny Walker Platinum (very nice, and warmed the throat well), accruing a bill of $590 USD. Luckily, I only had to pay the tip.  This is just another great reminder of why it’s worth staying friendly with your casino hosts and other staff, and being open to the offers that come your way. It’s a win-win relationship. 

After the meal, I was feeling better about my $500 loss, and I took it easy for the rest of the night. A free dinner like that makes it easier to digest the losses. I finished the night with some more gambling, but my luck didn’t improve. I balanced, and didn’t lose any more. 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $500 down for the day.  Now $833 DOWN for the trip. (But the amazing steakhouse meal almost made the day a push of-sorts). 🙂 

Day 10: Exploring Vegas and A Small Win 

On Day 10, I decided to slow things down a bit. I got up around 11 AM, and then walked across the large carparks to check out the local bus system. I’d wanted to go to the Las Vegas Strip, but found out that these buses go in a different direction.   As it was a weekend, there was only one bus every 90 minutes too – and there were 62 minutes more to wait….  but a fellow tourist with similar plans was also at the bus stop.  And so we agreed to go halves on an Uber ($20, so $10 each) to Fountainbleu casino on the strip. 

Why Fountainbleu?  Easy decision as they were offering all NEW casino players at their property a $25 free play just for joining.  This worked well for me, making a few dollars.   Had a pina colada whilst there, tipped the waitress (which you should always do), took some photos in this incredibly beautiful casino, and then went walking down the Strip with the newly found tourist friend.  We visited various casinos today. We went from one property to another, checking out the sights, snapping photos, and throwing in a little gambling here and there.  Went to Slots a Fun casino (small, dive bar vibes) and got $2 hot dogs and $2 popcorn to provide energy for all of the walking!  Tasty enough for the price. 

I enjoyed looking around Resorts World casino as there was plenty to see there.  The Venetian is amazing every time I visit too.  Every casino has its charms.  I enjoyed seeing other casinos too after a break between visits of two years.  Some things never change.   

Along the way at Casino Royale, I had a $3.99-foot-long hotdog.   Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this. It was probably the worst hot dog I’ve ever eaten.  I assume the hot dog was beef, but honestly, it’s difficult to know.  To my defense, I was hungry after hours of walking, and this was a very reasonable price point on the Strip!  The casino itself is fine, but the food here and the food court seating were both pretty dire…. IMHO. 

I thought I might have seen Madame Tussauds today, to use my free MyVegas admission.  But it took me so long to walk along the Strip (with all of the stops) to finally reach the Venetian Casino, that I arrived at 810pm… and Madame Tussauds closed at 8pm!  DOH! That’s Vegas for you—sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you just don’t get to see everything you planned.  Eventually I walked as far as Harrah’s then got an Uber back to the Silverton ($21) about 840pm, to do my required slot play at Silverton. 

After all of the casino visits on this day and bits of gambling along the way, I had a small win overall of $100, which was pretty amazing.  This was made up from $52 on the Vegas strip, and a later $48 win at Silverton after 3 hours of gambling there.  Any win, albeit small, was a nice pick-me-up after the previous losses. 

There was a late-night steak and eggs deal available at $10.99 from midnight – a Vegas classic. So that was a very late dinner, after which I went to bed to rest! 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $100 up for the day.  Now $733 DOWN for the trip.  

Day 11: A Shift in Luck and New Casino Adventures 

Day 11 started with a few hours of early morning gambling at Silverton Casino. I had some decent sessions on the slots and tables, but unfortunately, I couldn’t seem to hit any big wins. That said, I didn’t let the losses get to me. I didn’t track things too well here, but I remember losing about $400 dollars. Ouch! 

In the afternoon, I decided to switch things up and go off-property with some friends in their car. We made a trip to Durango and Red Rock casinos, where I had a little luck on my side, making back some of the money (about $80) I had lost earlier in the day. 

Back at Silverton in the evening, my good luck returned. I managed to get a few decent wins (about $120 in profits on this evening session), bringing my overall losses for the day to about $200.  So, my gambling losses for the day weren’t massive. You can’t win them all! It was an ok day overall, and I felt back on track and in control. 

I ended the day feeling content, having explored new casinos, and spent time with friends.  

GAMBLING RESULT:  $200 down for the day.  Now $933 DOWN for the trip. 

Day 12: Moving to Tuscany and Relaxing 

On Day 12, I checked out of Silverton and transferred to a new casino property, Tuscany Suites and Casino, known for its spacious suites. It was a nice change of pace, and I was excited to see what this place had to offer. This casino is just a few blocks back from the middle of the Las Vegas Strip, so was much better situated. Checking in had a few hiccups due to a missing offer code, but once that was resolved, I was ready to enjoy the new digs. 

I spent the day playing slots for a few hours. There wasn’t a massive win, but I did accumulate some free play and comp money that I could use later in the trip. Tuscany had a very relaxed vibe, and I enjoyed the change in pace from the busier, more tourist-focused properties I had stayed at earlier.  This definitely has more of a “locals” feel, and it also seemed popular with convention attendees – many people were staying here to attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) being held at the Venetian Casino from Jan 7-10. 

As I was nearing the holiday end, I wasn’t keeping as strict a budget at this point, but I know I lost about $567 or thereabouts, bringing my total estimated losses to $1500 for the trip. Considering all the comps, free meals, and rooms I’d had, though, I was still feeling great about the overall value.  The Tuscany Casino is smaller than strip properties but it did have a very good selection of casino slots and game.  Cocktail service here wasn’t great from my experience, but smaller casinos may never reach the service levels of mega-resorts.   

There were casino renovations going on whilst we were staying and playing here, which was unfortunate, as the noise was terribly annoying!  They were drilling up old tired floors every night, to make way for new flooring.  It’s truly hard to enjoy playing your favourite slot machines, even with the volume on full, when there is major construction noise happening just metres away.  Apart from that, nothing much to report here.  Different day, same basic game – after a while all casinos start to look the same!   

The hotel suite was spacious and comfortable, and there was plenty of room to get around.  There was a separate bath and shower (always a nice touch) and lots of white fluffy hotel towels and face cloths.  My only complaint was that the smaller TV (32 inches) which looks tiny in a big room like this – but it really wasn’t a problem!  I’m just being picky lol.  

GAMBLING RESULT:  $567 down for the day.  Now $1500 DOWN for the trip. 

Day 13: A Quiet Day of Walking and Low-Key Gambling 

Day 13 was all about taking it easy, whilst also sightseeing and making the most of the remaining holiday time.  I got up and played slots at Tuscany (losing some money – as is historically now expected) and then decided to get out and explore the local area.  And so I got out and walked locally as much as I could—tracking around 10,000 steps, which is impressive for me! The winds in Las Vegas were under a wind warning, and it was certainly very windy on this day.  I often felt like I’d be swept up and flying if not careful… anyway, the walk was kind of eventful, but I survived. 

I’ve always found that Vegas is best experienced on foot, and even though it took me a bit longer this trip to get around (due to some mobility issues), I had a great time exploring different casinos and seeing other local sights. 

I didn’t do much other gambling on Day 13, but I did play a few games at Ellis Island casino and elsewhere. In total I lost about $200 today.  I visited quite a few casinos during the day, including Ellis Island casino (which I always recommend with great food options and promotions, and a true family-owned feel), and went souvenir shopping.  Note that if you’re after cheap snacks, the 7 Eleven next to Ellis Island had a $5 deal for 2 pieces of pizza and a Coke!  It was remarkably good value.  Players at Ellis Island casino can also get Steak and Veges meal for just $9.99 after playing $5 in slots.  It’s an amazing deal and probably one of the best food deals in Vegas.  I had this for lunch!  

GAMBLING RESULT:  $200 down for the day.  Now $1700 DOWN for the trip. 

Day 14: More Walking, More Wins 

Day 14 was packed with 12,000 steps – the most walking I had done on the trip. I spent the day maximising gambling value.  Today was “gift day” at Tuscany, in which you could accrue 300 points to get a bottle of handcrafted vodka (750mls).   As I had to play at Tuscany anyway, this was a great bonus.  I ended up the day with FOUR bottles of this vodka, and only a $30 loss.  Ellis Island also had gift day, so I went there too, played slots, and lost $150, but walked away with two free mini-USB vegetable choppers (value $30 each on Amazon). Luckily, I managed to win some of the money ($125) back on blackjack. 

So net losses at this point were $30 + $25 = just $55 for the day, which was more than balanced by the four bottles of vodka and 2 mini-usb vegetable choppers accrued! 

I had the Ellis Island steak deal again, this time comped by Ellis Island who gave me a $50 comp for my blackjack play – so managed to sneak in soft drinks and a chocolate brownie desert to!  The casino picks up the bill, but should always pick up the tip.  I recall tipping $10, which I felt was fair (and about 20% of the overall bill). 

I got an Uber ($13) to Madame Tussauds to ensure that I got there BEFORE closing time.  I really wanted to use my MyVegas comp!  This was a great attraction to visit, and there were a lot of new waxworks from when I had last visited. Luckily, I went when I did post my late lunch – as they were closing early (6pm) to accommodate a private convention hire. 

After visiting Madame Tussauds, I walked back to my Tuscany Casino visiting lots of casinos on the Strip on the way and playing in a few too (including Casino Royale who refund your first $20 of losses on any slots machines).  I managed to win $62 at Casino Royale – it’s easy when your losses are insured! The walk was quite a few miles in total, thus the number of steps!  But it was fun, and really nice to visit all of the different casinos on the way (including the Horseshoe, the old Bally’s, that had been remodeled).  The Horseshoe is the home of the World Series of Poker. It’s a large casino property. 

I arrived back at the Tuscany Casino at 950pm hungry and exhausted.  This was perfect timing, as I treated myself to an $8.99 steak and eggs special (which is only offered from 10PM to 6AM).  This was a Thursday night, and there was karaoke on at Pub 365 here – so I joined in, and gave my performances of The Prayer and Rocketman my best efforts. I like to think that I wowed a few Americans with my amazing (ha!) singing. I tried in any case. 

By the time I went to bed, I was up $7 overall for the day—a modest win. Good karma. 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $7 up for the day.  Now $1693 DOWN for the trip. 

Day 15: A Farewell to Vegas 

On Day 15, I woke up and headed in an uber ($22) to Plaza Casino in downtown Las Vegas. I played blackjack, had a nice little profit of $80, then visited Circa, which was absolutely packed with sports fans due to its massive sports book. I tried my luck with blackjack again but ended up only making $11 here. I had a quick slot session and made another $10. 

It wasn’t a huge win, but I didn’t mind. I was getting tired, as I had already packed a lot into this trip. I went to Binion’s Casino next and made the classic mistake of playing Blackjack Switch, which led to a $290 loss. TERRIBLE! I didn’t let it bother me too much, but I did grab a disappointing burger at their café—definitely not what I remembered.  The food at Binions Cafe used to be great, but this burger was lackluster.  No cheese.  Bun wasn’t buttered.  Meat wasn’t seasoned or thick.  Salad ingredients were limp.  It was seriously overpriced at $15.99 for the burger.  I should have sent it back probably… my mistake.  In any case, I still tipped a good 15%-20%.  I believe it’s not the server’s fault that the food is crappy – and the server tried their best overall. Always tip unless you’re not happy with the SERVICE. 

I went back to the Plaza at 5pm to see Brian Christopher, YouTube superstar of the slot scene, that I’ve met before in Las Vegas.  It was surreal to see him play live slots on Youtube from the Brian Christopher slots area at the Plaza casino.  True excitement!  I made a few dollars at Plaza on my own slot machine, then returned to the Tuscany in an Uber (about $18).  Note: Uber prices move around all the time based on how busy they are. 

After 4 hours of play at Tuscany, and my time downtown, I was ultimately back in the positive at the end of the day by $125 – a great turnaround after the Binions losses. I went to bed that night with my suitcase packed and ready for the long flight home the next day. 

GAMBLING RESULT:  $125 up for the day.  Now $1568 DOWN for the trip. 

Day 16: Final Day – Heading Home 

My last day was bittersweet. I did no slot machines play at Tuscany (there’s no play expectation post checkout), and got the Bell Desk team to look after my bags for the day, tipping a few dollars on back drop-off, and then again on pickup later in the day. 

I took an Uber ($16) to Palace Station casino to take part in their Vegas Knights free pullover gift day.  These are GREAT pullovers / jackets that look really smart, they’re probably worth about $49.99 each.  I paid $190 in losses!  I played slots (lost $90) and blackjack (lost $100).  Losses are inevitable in casinos.  Try your luck, but expect it not to always be good! Importantly, have fun whenever you play – as I did.  Getting a pullover back is, IMHO, a nice bonus for participating, win or lose. 

After the Palace Station visit I got an Uber ($14) to the Excalibur Casino on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, to claim a MyVegas 2-for-1 brunch at Excalibur Buffet, which was very nice.  I think the Luxor buffet was on par with the Excalibur one.  Both are worth a visit if you have the 2-for-1 voucher…  

After eating, it was time for another visit to Macy’s at the Fashion Show Mall for some last-minute shopping, as they had new specials on. Macy’s seem to change their specials all the time – but it’s worth checking in from time to time.  I managed to get an item I was after at 75% off, so it was a worthwhile trip.  

After shopping, it was off to the airport, ready to head back home after a memorable trip. My Vegas friend kindly offered to pick me up from Macy’s, and so we travelled from there to Tuscany to pick up my bags, and then on to the airport. 

Check in was unremarkable, and security was cleared with no major dramas except for the X-Ray machine breaking down for 15 minutes.  They eventually got things moving! 

The flight from Vegas to Los Angeles was delayed by 40 minutes, but there were no delays from Los Angeles to Auckland (surprisingly, as I thought the Los Angeles fires may have impacted flight arrivals and departures) arriving home on Sunday as expected (and now back to work on the Monday).  Viva Las Vegas! 

Final Thoughts 

As I look back on this trip, I realize that it was one of the best Vegas experiences I’ve had, despite the ups and downs. Yes, there were losses—some big ones—but there were also incredible perks, like free meals, comped rooms, and great moments spent with friends. 

The key takeaway? Vegas is unpredictable, but as long as you know how to balance the losses with the fun, it’s always worth the gamble. I’m already thinking about my next trip. Until then, happy gambling, and may the odds be ever in your favor! 

OVERALL GAMBLING RESULT:  $1568 DOWN for the trip. But this was balanced by 15 nights of free rooms (circa $3000 @ $200 average per night), free steakhouse dinner ($590), free New Year’s Eve party ($100), various free food ($300???) comped off accounts when checking out, countless free drinks from cocktail waitresses, gifts like USB vegetable choppers, pullovers, Vodka (maybe $300 total) etc.  So an amazing value holiday overall!

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