Inspired by countless other TRs in the past few months, chief among them MuckPls and BigWhale, I have finally decided to forge ahead with documenting my own Vegas endeavors.

Who?
Marathon and Mrs. Marathon. Mid-30s from PA. I play poker and drink lots of gin. She plays the same damn numbers on roulette and loves the pools. We usually go to Vegas 1-2x a year together, and I go about 2-3x solo or with buddies throughout the year.

When?
Departing PHL Wednesday 4/12 in the afternoon, arriving in evening. Departing LAS on Sunday afternoon 4/16.

Where?
Staying comped at Vdara in something called an executive suite. I am a bigtime sportsbook degen (bigtime bigtime) and smalltime table games whale, so MGM offers usually take care of me. Vdara won this time around due to Mrs. Marathon enjoying the "smell of Aria and Vdara." I don't even know.

What to expect:
A few things to do on this trip, to check some boxes and optimize value:

1) Literally the first thing off the plane is get In-n-Out. This is tradition, and mandatory.

2) Pool/lounging/sleep. We have a toddler at home and the relative peace and quiet will be welcomed. To my dismay, it was freezing in Vegas when I came in Feb (60s in Philly). While it will be high 80s in PA this week, only 70s in LV during my stay. It's a dry heat, they say. Hoping there are heated pools at Vdara/Aria; that would be the preferred wet heat.

3) Check into Linq for Apple product giveaway. Possibly engage in some pit games play at CET properties because they are giving away Apple Watches as part of a promo, and Mrs Marathon is rocking an old model.

4) Go downtown. Have free bets at Circa that I will try to maximize. Some dining credits at those properties that will likely go towards food and drinks during the Sixers playoff games.

5) Lots of poker. I play 2-5 at home, and in the past have taken shots at 5-T in Vegas. Depending on availability, open to taking shots again. If I see any buddies or noticeably juicy games, will definitely jump in a 1-3 game. I usually play Bellagio, Aria or Wynn. I will do my best to recount HHs here, although my memory and notetaking skills lag far behind that of our TR kings (BigWhale, Muck, et al.)

6) Good meals. We have a $200 platinum meal credit, $300 in dining credits for booking Vdara, and enough comps to use in this lifetime.

7) Limit pit degen beyond what is needed to turn free wagers into cash.

8) Dabble in VP? I see a lot of it in the other TRs. The only churn I could possibly need is at CET if I want to chase an ipad or phone, but I don't know if my competency at VP strategy is there--Ironic for somebody who spews at the pits, I know. Also, the Mrs has no patience for what appears to be a video game. I will be sending her to the spa for some time, but I doubt I'll spend more time/money than what is needed to get a few draught beers comped at the Bellagio sportsbook bar.

9) Golf? This is unlikely as my host laughed at me when I asked if I could comp Shadow Creek. If I get out, it will be with rental clubs. If anybody local wants to join up, that may sway me to get a round in while Mrs Marathon is at the spa.

Excited for the long weekend upcoming! To document here for y'all, memorialize for myself, and help improve on my future TR efforts.

I'm in for the sweat. GL!

I'm in, sounds fun. Safe travels and GL.

Appreciate the shoutout! Enjoy Vegas when you arrive tomorrow. I am also staying at Vdara now, but leaving in the morning on the 13th.

Alright. Here we go!

Arrived to PHL with plenty of time to kill. 0 wait in TSA, even with pre-check. Running hot so far!

A few Yards Pale Ales in the terminal (my favorite Philly brewery) and I’m in the mood to slouch and do nothing for 5 hours.

However, the pilot decided that wouldn’t be necessary. Trading good news for bad, he indicated that the last hour would have turbulence, but we are ahead of schedule to arrive 30-35 min early. Mrs is dismayed at the t-word but I assure her the last hour is over such barren land that our bodies will never be found and suffering would be minimal. aa for me, an extra 35 min in LV is always a great sign. Rungood continues!

No BR pic as I will be immediately heading to MGM cage to get my $600 flight reimbursement cash among other free play offers. If everything falls through, will hit the line of credit I have (hopefully not!)

So instead of a fun shoe pic flush with cash imagine a couple pristine white hi-tops and about tree fiddy.

Landing shortly! Then off to animal style and all the sport peps!

The comped executive suite exceeded my wildest expectations. Have done bachelor parties at Bellagio suites and maybe it’s the age of those showing, but I love what Vdara has got going on in comparison.

Another early win: Host added $200 resort credit for wife to hit the spa (he knows that means I’ll likely cause some havoc to my credit in the pits)



And the promised first meal, taken in the room after Uber driver drove thru In n Out for us.


No poker tonight as my body thinks it is 4am now and I have a work call in 3.5 hrs. By Thurs afternoon full degen will commence.

Reminded me of this:



Glad to hear you got there safely, looking forward to you getting out of work and having fun.

Thursday has had a bit of everything!
Started off going to Park MGM to redeem some airfare credits. I had the option of cash or free play, obviously taking the cash.
Danny Devito came out of the back and asked for emailed receipts or else he could only give free play.

No worries. I found the Cash Machine (I think that’s the name) and turned $600 into $550.
$50 is a small tax to pay to avoid committing fraud and falsifying American Airlines receipts, so I consider it a win!

Next, breakfast at one of my favorite spots, Salt & Ivy at Aria. Had an awesome fried chicken and bacon/chive waffle dish, avocado toast and chicken chilaquiles for the Mrs.


After lunch, decided to play a session of 2-5 at B. Sat down and had only a few hands of note. Likely the product of playing Thursday around noon and the conventions aren’t out/drunks aren’t awake yet/weekenders haven’t landed yet.

A very big stack, player of Soviet-bloc heritage kept pushing his weight and was one of the few players 4betting pre.

Large hand of note:
UTG +1 wake up to QhQD, make it $30 to go. Younger guy in Heat jersey (enjoy the last few days of your season, bud) calls from the CO and BB completes.

Flop comes Ad 8c 4c which is less than ideal. BB checks and I Cbet $70 into $90 to represent any Ax scared of multi-way suited boards. CO folds and BB raises to $250. I’m either on two outs if lucky or one out if he’s AXcc, so I say “Go Bulls” and hit the muck.

Not ideal.

30-ish minutes later, with position on the aggro Russian, find AJss on the button. He’s made it $30 and I 3bet to $80. A few limper folds and we’re heads-up to a J-high rainbow flop. Checks to me and I make it $80 again and met with an instant call.

Turn is a brick 4, board now J - 8- 5- 4 in a ~$330 pot. The 9-T and 6-7 are in his 3bet call range (probably not 4bet) as well as all sets still and unlikely two pairs except maybe(?) 54s

Checks to me again which gives me a weird trappy feeling in my gut. But I didn’t fly here on a falsified $600 flight to slow down with top-top on a rainbow unpaired board. So I toss $200 into the $320 pot. Again, instant call. River Q and villain leads for $275 into the $700+. QJ could get there and this is super valuey after a bet-call, check-call, check-call line. 9T is nutted and would take a similar line but I think bets more than 1/3 pot.

Crying call ends up good after I tank for what feels like 4 minutes and he tables KJ. Scoop my first 1K pot of the trip and things are good.

Finished a 2.75hr session up $440, mostly off of the AJ > KJ and a flopped set of 7s with two callers and folds around to flop bet.

Great start on the felt! We head to the pool for some lounging and to reconcile the books of record to determine how many times
25-10-5-2 hit on the wife’s roulette wheel while I was gone.

Nice start, thanks for sharing. GL the rest of the way.

Great start, let’s gooooooo!

Great start to the TR, but did the tunnels take you?