I have been loving all the TRs the last few months. Great way to join along vicariously for poker sessions, pits degenning, and Vegas food. I’m going to be in my happy place from 6/23-6/27 and wanted to try a live TR of my own.

Background:
I’m a 42 year old gambling fish from Maryland that received approval from my wife for a Vegas trip as a reward for maintaining my sanity this past year.

I’m taking advantage of a couple comped room offers (2 nights at Vdara and 4 nights at Caesars Palace). A buddy is joining me for the 1st couple nights and will take the room at Caesars while I’m at Vdara.

I love playing poker and craps, although my lifetime results in the two games couldn’t be more different. I’m a gross winner in poker (mostly 1-2 & 1-3), but am a net loser when factoring in expenses associated with those sessions. If only I could eliminate those tilt sessions where I get a big bluff snapped off or take a bad beat, then I would be a marginal net winner and feel like less of a fish-haha. Craps, on the other hand, is the bankroll killer that I just can’t quit. Love the feeling of pressing up a monster roll, even though most of the time my craps sessions result in losses.

Trip Goals:
Ahead of my trip, I’ve written out a fee goals that I hope will keep me tilt free, focused and result in a fun winning trip:

1. Gamble 30 hours (of the 85 hours that I’ll be in Vegas)
2. Set session stop losses of $200.
3. Be willing to frequently switch tables or casinos if players are creating drama, dealers are frustrating, or I’m just not feeling the vibe.
4. Play poker at Aria, Bally’s, Bellagio, Caesars, Golden Nugget, Orleans, Planet Hollywood, Resorts World, Venetian, Wynn
5. Play 3 sessions of 2-5 at Bellagio
6. Play in an Aria daily tourney or a Venetian Deepstack Championship Tourney
7. Play craps at the Fremont Casino and try to qualify to join Dice Club
8. Take boarding pass to The D, El Cortez, and Golden Gate for match play
9. Visit Resorts World
10. Complete Strip and Downtown casino chip collection by getting $1 chip from Park MGM, OYO, Resorts World, Stratosphere and downtown casinos
11. Cash in duplicate chips from Bally’s, Cromwell, Linq, MGM, Paris, Tropicana
12. Make 1 sports bet per day & download sports betting apps
13. Drink a greyhound every poker session
14. Visit and eat at Hattie Bs, Mesa Grill, Moneyline Pizza, Noodle Asia, Pizza Rock, Scarpetta, Secret Pizza

I’m going to do my best to make this a semi-live TR, but there is a good chance that I fail. Not because I ran away to the tunnels, but probably either due to a string of bad losses or laziness.

Will upload shoe and bankroll pics shortly.

Shoes and bankroll (about three-fifty!)

In! Gl OP!

I'm in as well, I'll probably end up playing poker with you since I'm getting there tonite 6/23 and staying until 06/29 solo as well. Playing poker same limits, same rooms, usually will be wearing a red white blue Sox cap with a beard (Even tho I'm from Cali) Say what's up if you see me, run good man!

Flight was packed, but fortunately without any issues.

While I wait for my buddy’s flight to land, I was able to check into both the Caesars Palace and Vdara rooms via the apps. Was pretty easy-hope getting the room keys is just as easy.

Love the smell of the Vegas air-mix of smoke, weed, and degen!

Nice-will definitely look for you to say what’s up. I’ll usually be wearing an Orioles or Penn State hat or mask. Good luck bro!

Caesars self check in kiosks weren’t working, but fortunately the registration line wasn’t too long.

1st celebrity sighting of the trip-we saw Brian Urlacher by the Caesars lobby.

Just checked into Vdara-am impressed. Maybe it’s because it’s a non-smoking hotel without a casino, but it smelled great. Room was excellent too.

Grabbed some food and a beer at Snacks. Food was okay, but hit the spot after a day of traveling.

1-3 waitlist was too long at Bellagio and the craps table limits were too rich for my blood, so I headed over to Aria to get in a game.

While I was waiting for a seat, I had my first run bad, followed by probably the best luck I’ll have this trip. Somehow I lost my cell phone, somewhere between the slot machines by the poker room and the cashier. I could blame it on being tired, but it was just carelessness. Fortunately, I also have a work cell phone, which I was able to use to log a ticket with the Aria list and found. Miraculously, they texted me about 10 minutes later saying that security has my phone. Felt like I won $800.

Decided to press my luck and sat down at a 1-3 game. It was mostly straightforward for an hour and I chipped up from my initial $300 buy in to $380. Then a couple loose players sat down and I was able to win a couple decent pots. Out for $546.

Best background view I’ve had for a work call!

Great pics, thanks for posting. Good Luck!

In. Thanks for posting. Run good!

I think $200 stop loss is going to be tough at 2/5, but always good to have goals.

Vegas has a way of giving jolts of adrenaline that allows me to only sleep for 2 hours before jumping out of bed.

Unfortunately, the reason for the early start today was not gambling or some other fun activity, rather boring work calls. After couple hours I was able to get back to Vegas.

I headed back over to Bellagio hoping to find lower limits on the craps tables, which they did accommodate with a $15 table. Unfortunately, the run good did not extend to craps and I got smoked, losing $433 in 30 minutes. Stop loss goal failure!

We decided to try a change of scenery and headed downtown to The El Cortez to take advantage their $25 match play for showing your boarding pass. I was hoping to use it playing craps, but they explained that it would have to match a Pass Line bet vs the Place Bets that I like. So we ended playing blackjack for about an hour and I ended up losing $23. I even ordered a Greyhound in hopes that I get on a good run, but once that didn’t seem to be happening, we moved over to craps. They had $10 minimum bet and also had the All Tall Small feature bet that I love.

Unfortunately, the craps pain train continued and I lost $141 in 10 minutes-haha, wow! We then ran through the $10 free play where I won a whopping $9.

I then grabbed another greyhound and we walked over to get a slice of pizza at Pizza Rock. Cheese slice was good and I would give it 7.2 on the Portnoy 10 point scale.

Decided to then head back to Vdara to try out their pool and relax for a bit. After about 30 minutes of bliss, they shut down the pool because of lightning in the area.

Rather than focus on the negative, I decided to get changed and breathe in the beautiful Vegas by walking over to Planet Hollywood for some 1-2 action. Will continue to update as the run good is re-engaged.

Run good activated. In for $300, up ~$380 so far. Have been getting hit by the deck and should be up over $500, but bluffed off $130 stupidly.

Thanks!

Thanks! Have enjoyed your TRs too. That is a great point. Might have to make it $400 when I play 2-5.

Love the pics and I hope you run better at craps. You're due!

Gogogogo!

Love this TR!

Cashed out for $476, so only a $176 win. Feels almost like a loss after being up close to $400. But only myself to blame as I made too many mistakes last 1.5 hours.

Headed over to Bellagio now to play 1-3. If it goes well, I’ll give the 2-5 a shot.

Am down $157 overall, primarily due to craps losses of $574. Doh!

Let’s run this up!

Not sure if he still qualifies as a poker celebrity, but it looks like Eli Elezra is playing in Bobby’s Room.

The lighting and temperature (PH was an icebox) are so much better at Bellagio.

Thanks. Hopefully I can get at least one monster craps session like in your TR on this trip! Great TR you did-loved the golf.

Thank you sir! Your recent TR seemed to kickstart a run of great TRs!

Mid-session update is not good so far. Mix of bad play and a cooler has me down about $250.

Losing aside, very interesting table with a maniac and another player that loves to comment on everyone’s play. Action is great, but I’m just not making hands.

Really enjoying your trip report Oriole-lion

I used to toss the dice alot. I never figured out to quit ahead....ha...

So now I mostly play the pokersszzzzz

Hoping you get on a Monster Roll !