Saturday - Day 2
I wake up at 7a and bounce out of bed feeling like a million dollars. I'm in Vegas! With a lot on the to-do list but having ultimate flexibility, I decide first to start with some blackjack at home base (the Cosmo).
I played for almost 2 hours ($50 min) and met some interesting characters. One kid, his first time in Vegas, had been up all night clubbing and was up about $800 off a $100 buy-in. He kept stashing chips in his pocket and talking about how his flight was tomorrow. Eventually I connected the dots that his flight was actually today but he hadn't slept so the previous day hadn't ended yet for him. Anyway (sadly), in the end most of his winnings came back out of his pocket and into the well.
At about 9a I said enough is enough and decided to lock up my first win of the trip (+480)! Time to hit some high hands at the Luxor and play poker there one last time before it closes forever.
The walk down is enjoyable (not too hot yet) and I arrive to see a couple games running and a list for 1-2 that goes off the TV screen. It goes exactly 44 deep I find out as I get on the list, but it's about 9:30a and I'm told more games will be starting at 10a, which is also when the promotion starts.
30 minutes is just the right amount of time for some blackjack, and I eventually belly up to the $25 min, 6-deck shoe table after almost sitting down at double deck tables twice.
Well, that was the 1 shoe to write home about. I probably won 10 hands in a row at one point and in general could not lose. 15 vs a 10 showing? I hit a 6. 18 vs an A showing? Dealer bust. The only thing I remember besides crushing the house here at Luxor is to pay attention when playing blackjack.
Two separate times the dealer tried to take my money when I had won the hand. That's a swing of $50 each time. Although that is kind of a pet peeve of mine, I didn't let it get to me as I finished +860 and decided to head back to the poker room as it was about 10a now.
Well, I am now #11 in line but there will be no more new tables. I think for a second and determine that the folks playing here probably wouldn't be giving up their seats anytime soon even if I pulled the fire alarm, and I decide a better idea is to head up to the Wynn to scratch my poker itch.
A quick Uber later and after a quick phone call with the bro I place some sports bets and jump into a 2-5 game.
Let me be the 100th person to say it - the Wynn poker room is really ****ing nice. Tons of space, well lit, nice people... This is a model poker room for sure.
I sit to the right of a nice gentleman from Knoxville named John who only has a bet/raise button. I'm talking raising on a board of A83 K with K9 because the flop checked through so clearly nobody had an ace. He also 3 bet pre-flop with a very high frequency, so when I have QK on the button and raise to 15, when he pops it up to 45, I feel pretty good making the call. We see a beautiful board of KT3, and he leads out 50, which I call. Turn is a 2 and he leads out 100 and starts telling me that he has a big hand. In a vacuum I would rarely fold this, especially to a villain as active as this, but we had a good rapport and it felt sincere so I folded and he showed me AA. Thank you sir!
It's about 1:30p now and I haven't eaten yet today, only drinking hearty juices like carrot and tomato. I am down off my 800 buyin sitting on about 350, but up off my low and thinking things are turning around. I order a salad, start drinking some tea, and am feeling pretty good about the situation. **** I'm in Vegas playing poker in the nicest room I've ever stepped foot in, what's not to love!
I play for another hour and sadly things do not turn around and I cash out -720. I head on over to the Venetian, pick up my golf clubs from the bell hop, and check into my room.
Although not nearly as nice as the Cosmo, I can't complain about free stuff and hey this is still pretty darn good. It's about 3p now and Mike gets in around 7p, so I decide to go get a massage at the spa. Sadly, they are booked until 6p so I pass and decide to play some pit games.
Boy oh boy did I take a beating in the ensuing couple of hours. I mix it up between blackjack and roulette a couple times, but never get anything going. When the dust settles I am down -2400 and have had enough. I decide to head over to the sports book and watch some baseball until Mike arrives.
Mike gets in on time without issue and after finally meeting up in the maze that is the Venetian, we drop his bags off and head to Holsteins back in the Cosmo for some burgers and brews. It's one of my favorite burger joints in Vegas because of the atmosphere and I love their beer selection. I settled on Ommegang's Three Philosophers, a burger (forgot which one), and sweet potato fries. Mike ordered vegetable sticks instead of fries with his burger, I guess he doesn't realize this is a vacation yet.
After dinner it's around 10p and since we have an early tee time on Sunday I check out of the Cosmo and we catch a cab back to the Venetian. Dang I'm gonna miss that view. We place a few baseball bets for Sunday and decide to retire so we are 100% for the early round of golf.
On deck for Sunday - a once in a life-time round of golf, a letdown at Lagasse stadium, and amping up the sports betting.
Thanks for reading!
Day 2 totals:
-2450 sports bets (I didn't cash any winning tickets yet)
-720 poker
-560 blackjack
-500 roulette
-4,230 Total