A good start, indeed! Thanks again for sharing, leon.

Thanks for taking the time to do these TRs. Really enjoy them

Next time you get dealt premium quads....before the next hand.... yell "SAME DICE!"

I used to hate it when people start freaking out when the dice go off the table ("dice on the floor, seven at the door" dontchaknow). It got to the point where I would try to hop the point whenever it happened. Never worked, but it made me feel better

Awesome posting as always Leon. Very much appreciate your summaries and the trip you take us on.

I think I saw you were dealt 444AA, and you kept the 444. No keeping an A? Or I saw it wrong?

As a craps player, I hate all the superstitions now. Same dice, hitting chips, dealer changes, etc. It's all bogus in my eyes. The only thing that bugs me is people who buy in in the middle of a roll. But I don't see it as much superstitious but more disrespectful to the table in slowing the game. Especially if you don't make any bets. /rant

Since your talking Bourbon

One of my current favorites.
They aren’t making anymore.

I was able to locate it at Fletcher Hills Bottle shop in El Cajon.


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Try 1792, small batch or single barrel. Not going be 14 years, likely only 8-9 year range, however similar proof and Saz probably keeps there better Barton barrels for 1792 vs selling to an NDP. Also 1/3rd the price.

outstanding TR Leon - great stuff and thank you

I think in that pic, I got back AA on the first line (so was dealt 444, it filled in 444AA, or I was dealt 444A and caught the A on the first line). It looked odd enough I think I know the pic you're talking about, it caught my eye. I definitely would not have tossed a kicker.

As far as craps superstitions, I definitely don't believe in any of them. However, it truly is uncanny how often things "seem" to matter. I know it's just selective memory, but dice flying off table/hitting chips/idiot buying in in the middle of roll/etc etc etc sure seem to always bring a 7. Except when they don't of course.

I also don't believe in this whole "lady luck" thing. All the hot shooters I've ever seen in my life have been men. Typically grumpy old men, that after their roll sure seem a whole lot less grumpy

Oh yea, I see now. You held 444 and AA came in on the first draw.

For sure, people only remember the bad things when it happens, but never when there's a new dealer and immediate hit a hard 6 for the point.

Congrats on a net win trip. What a roller coaster it is, but that is almost always the case. Looking forward to your next trip

Sounds like I should start playing craps then!

Thanks again for the updates, leon. Love the stories and the way you write them.

3/2 -3/5 TR

Gonna try and get at least some of this up today! Just got back yesterday and I'm still pretty exhausted.

Backstory- wasn't planning on going back until April, then I found out mom got an invite to a 2500+500 slot tourney from the Wynn. Weird, I didn't get an invite. I check, it's some sort of error, convince my mom to sign up as well, and now we've got multiple shots to try and bink one of these stupid things again! Top prize is 175k, and of course top 3 is good no matter what. I also convince a friend who lives in Phoenix to join us (former colleague, good dude, been to Vegas many times before together, primarily plays slots and used to play dice with me quite a bit). I figure, between mom and friend (T) I'll have plenty to do if the machines are cold.

Agenda-
Th- get in town with mom, dinner at Bouchon at the Venetian
F- T gets into town, reg tourney, the new show Awakenings then dinner at Sinatra
Sat- bink tourney, dinner at Lakeside
Sun- head home up 200k+

Bankroll- 50k

Other stuff- between T, me and mom we have 3k food credit. I plan on grabbing massive quantities of bourbon to bring home. Also, I'm going to be the mule for 2 friends in CA who smoke menthols and can't get any due to the ban in CA. They asked me if I minded picking them up as many packs as possible and I think were surprised when I said I'm happy to. I figure, it'll give me an excuse to get out of the casino and walk around if the machines are terrible.

Edit- typed up part of day 1 but the pics got posted in the wrong order. Very annoying. I'll get back at this later today.

Let’s goooooooooo

Goddamn I love TR season, thanks for keeping this up for so long, Leon.

I’m predicting a Big Win based on this getting started less than 24hours after trip’s end.

My guess: +78k (whiff on slot tourney, of course)

Plus leon said he's exhausted, which means either a) up late crushing or 2) biking slot tourney and a huge party after.

leon,

Not to derail too much, but I've been trying a bunch of different mid-range ($40-$80, if that is even considered midrange) bourbons and I'm curious what your daily drinker is/are?

I think that you guys are becoming trip report and video poker experts!

We just know how Leon works. And we like what we're seeing!

In addition to seeing that I can't type, I should've been clear: the options I presented above are not mutually exclusive. Why not both?

Pics got posted in the wrong order? We don't care what order you post pics of you taking first place and mom taking second.

Part of Day 1



Never gets old.



The connecting regular Tower Suite room is ready, main suite is not. I offer the main room multiple times to my mom and she declines. Fine, twist my arm.

They have Stagg Jr back in stock! I grab a double and head to "good 'ol" UX, the same machine that has been abusing me for basically a year. I'm planning on following thru on what I said in my previous TR, limit UX to shot taking/don't make it my main game.

I stick in 2k and it evaporates. Frustrated and still wanting to play UX, I elect to use up the free credit I've got.



Abysmal, basically 50% payback.

Head to hi limit, the multiline machine and spin poker deluxe which will be my new main games.




Trading punches, I get my first dealt quads of the trip!



Meh, non premium



Hi limit is no better, time to try 5 line UX.



Some hits, and I love how I can hit quads twice on regular quads, but basically never do it with premiums.

Back to hi limit, SECOND dealt quads in just a few hrs!!!



AGAIN I'll take it but meh non premium!



I head back to the room to get ready for dinner. I know I was stuck 8-9k at this point, despite those hits. Very frustrated.



Some pics of the main room (Parlor suite).

Mom and I walk to Bouchon. I've been here but it was ages ago. Turns out, it's on the opposite side of the Venetian property and it's a pretty far walk- fine for me, and I'm glad mom is getting some exercise, but if I knew that it was this far away I might have picked another place...



The place is basically empty as it's 6pm. I go with the salad Lyonnaise (apologies for mixing and taking a bite before I remembered I'm doing a TR) and the lamb shank, mom gets the steak frites. I absolutely love salad Lyonnaise/any salad with bacon/soft boiled egg. This one was 8/10, needed more bacon. Lamb was 5/10, sauce was too sweet. Mom's steak 6/10, upgrade to 7/10 simply for the sheer volume of fries they gave us. Seriously, who can eat this many carbs??? Overall, 6/10 for Bouchon given how far away it is from home base and the fact we're paying out of pocket. I don't know if I'll be back.

Mom and I spend a good deal of time talking during dinner. She mentions for maybe the millionth time that she should buy a handbag, then again for the millionth time says "actually that's dumb. I have a closet full of bags, and haven't even used some of them". I agree; I say to her, on the one hand, I'm happy for you that you have money to burn and you should enjoy yourself. OTOH, you know it's a waste. Every time you mention buying a bag you just as quickly realize why it's a waste. I mean, if the money is burning a hole in your pocket that badly, give it to charity. Hell, I haven't had a watch in a couple of years, I'm tired of looking at my phone for the time. I could use a watch.

I was semi-joking when I said this, but of course mom being the ultra-generous person she is (and I really DO THINK that money is burning a hole in her pocket), she immediately offers to buy me a watch. I graciously accept, we start talking brands (I'm partial to TAG, my first watch I bought myself when I became a full anesthesiologist was a TAG, I paid for it myself, and wore it until 2021 when it broke for good; love that watch). It's the only watch I've ever paid for myself, really the only watch of my "adult" life and it lasted a long time.

Mom says "don't get a TAG. TAGs are ugly". Cue 30 min discussion about watches. I explain that I like what I like, and I'm not going to buy IWC or Breitling when I can get a TAG at 1/3 to 1/2 the price. We agree to disagree, and we'll check out the watch stores on the way back to the Wynn.

So, walking back, we swing by the Rolex store and the connected "other brand" store. I check out some Vacheron, IWC, Breitling, Rolex. They don't have any TAGs (probably too low rent for the Wynn). I see some cool stuff, but again nothing I'm going to allow mom to drop 2-3x on just bc she's willing to burn money. I love my mom's generosity but part of me knows how wasteful this is. This discussion is going to continue throughout the trip...

Coming next- rest of Day 1/part of Day 2.

Result so far- -8-9k?

I'll tell you what I spend money on at home, what is in my cabinet and why. I freely admit I'm just a bourbon enthusiast and have no special knowledge or ability to discern the finer points of bourbon.

Let's start with the good stuff- I would only drink barrel strength if I could. I like the alcohol content and the complexity from a high % bourbon as the alcohol burns off. So my go-tos are Bookers and Little Book. This is mostly the result of pricing- I remember buying tons of Bookers at 70-80$ a pop (even this is above suggested retail) and not realizing how lucky I was. Now, IF YOU CAN FIND IT in CA, it's 300$/bottle. That's a rip off and I refuse to pay those prices. However, when I can find bottles for 150... I will buy them up. Ditto a score at the local Costco some buddies and I made a few months ago- 80$!!!!

So I've got several bottles of Bookers in stock. A bottle of Little Book that I'm nursing. Plus whatever I can jack from the Wynn. Stagg and Stagg Jr are my absolute favorite barrel strength (they are F'ING MONSTERS, so tasty and definitely something to be treated with respect, F around and find out) but they are way too expensive/basically gone from the open market. So Bookers/Little Book as my go to "good drink".

Now, for daily stuff, friends come over, etc- can't go wrong with Buffalo Trace. For the price, it's high quality. I will buy a bottle whenever I find one- which is getting rarer and rarer. Honestly, I'm over this bourbon craze. For basic Buffalo Trace to sometimes be unfindable in CA, to me that's obscene. I also will buy Maker's barrel strength bc it's cheap.

Thanks, I keep reading about finding some hard-to-find bottles at Costco and even though I go frequently, I still feel like I have a better chance to see the Loch Ness Monster than a bottle of Blanton's

Funny you mention Blanton's. Obv this is just my opinion but I think Blanton's is the MOST OVERHYPED, overrated bourbon, period. I'd never heard of it until the craze. Couldn't find it, wasn't motivated to pay for a pour when I could just get Bookers or something else I knew I liked for less. Finally saw a bottle for 200$ and figured let's find out what the fuss is all about.

The most unremarkable bourbon I've had in a long time. I honestly find no difference between Blanton's and Buffalo Trace (actually Trace is better). Blanton's was straight up bland. At that price point, I was pissed. I later found out a lot of the initial hype was because people liked to collect the bottles and stoppers (those are pretty cool). A million clueless people later, and all of the sudden Blanton's is being billed as good bourbon which it never was. Cool bottle? Sure. High price tag bc it's achieved cult status? OK, I'm even ok with that. But as a drink I found it totally forgettable.

This may be a dumb question but have they ever offered you a Wynn Macau trip? I've seen the Wynn has a casino there. I've read about the Macau casinos and seen a few videos on youtube and they seem to be even more grand than the Vegas properties on the strip.


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