Going to a land based casino in a week!

[JlSpitFirelC]

First I must say... Wasn't sure where to post this, so I figured this was the closest to correct spot to write.

Anyways, as the people on here who worry about me know I am 18. (19 on the eleventh!) I have only been to this casino seven times so far because it is 3 - 3 and a half hours away in West Virginia... and to get there we have to drive longer than it typically takes to drive to Atlantic City from where I live in Pennsylvania.

So, simply put, my parents go out of their way occasionally so I can gamble too. (Legal gambling age for land based casinos in West Virginia is 18.)

Well, This week is my parents' anniversary and they are going to Atlantic City and leaving me here to count down the days alone. (While they gamble and do things I don't want to imagine.)

I have to bear with this and not wager any money online because that just means less to play with in Charlestown, the casino, next Friday.

I currently intend on bringing $750-$800 with me as I did last time, but instead of making the same foolish mistake by betting max on the video slots, which are not as friendly as online ones I found out the hard way, I will probably keep my bets between $2 and $3. I may possibly venture into the reel slot area and waste $100-$200 there because reel slots seem to hit more often than video ones I believe.

Anyway... really this post is just for me to vent my excitement because the last time I was in Charlestown was October 27th when I dumped that $800.

I am pretty much trying to think of a plan as to how I want to go about playing there. Which machine areas will I go to first and how much will I play on them.

Of course I would love to win the Cashola jackpot. (Progressive slot that is usually over $1 million.) So I have to put aside $50-$100 for that, but after those two plans, I still have $500-$600 to lose.. I mean play with. (That is to say if I am ridiculously unlucky.)

The slots they have are listed on this page:

Old / Expired Link

if anyone would be kind enough to suggest favorites to me

*Squeals* I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!

I'm going to be there from about 3 pm till 4 am... or until I get nauseous from smoking too many cigarettes.. (I have a nasty habit of lighting one up almost every time I trigger a bonus round - I don't even like smoking nor am I addicted!) - It's just the thrill of the casino.

Now It is bothersome to be asked to show my hand stamp I got at the door every few hours or so to various guys patrolling around the casino floor... (I swear half of them don't even work there.) *Especially that guy who was standing at the urinal next to me* lol Had to say that xD.

Anyway, Yea... It is clear that I am extremely thrilled about this. So please, please give me some good recommendations of games to play so even after every penny I have is spent and I wonder about how I came to have that half penny voucher in my pocket. (Always seems to happen... How can one get a half penny on penny slots?) I will be satisfied and return to my online gambing fixation once again.

- Impatiently awaiting replies..
Barely legal Jeff.. ew no that sounds wrong..
Almost 19 Jeff.. yea that's slightly better.

P.S.
Again I know I am going to be warned that gambling is dangerous, but I do have a very firm understanding on the value of a dollar and I only gamble what I am willing to lose. I actually begin gambling with the thought already in mind that I have lost what I deposited/brought with me.

P.P.S. or P.S.S. *forgot which it is*
I wonder if anyone actually will read this whole thing.

 

[tennis_balls]

just understand that those slots payout about 91.5% which is pretty dreadful.

even Nevada will pay above 94% most places though I realize your options are limited at your age.

when you play slots online set at above 95% and you realize how hard it is to win, the task of winning on 91.5% slots is daunting. a 3% difference in payout is HUGE!

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

Yeah... I actually noticed that today.. But, as you stated - It is my only option given my age.

The real disappointing thing about this is that there are a handful of casinos opening around in Pennsylvania, where I live, but I have to be 21 to gamble in them. Such a sad sad time.

Oh well, Still.. Sitting next to old ladies at the slots and watching some grumpy Asian man bash the screen with his knuckles thinking that it will effect his free spins... You can't put a price on that. *Well the cost of the machine* But still.




BUT OMG

*THAT HITMAN GAME*

It is soo fun.. I may have to save some money for that instead of the landbased casino.

 

[lojo]

What a blast! My misspent youth envies you

Looked at the casino slot list... I'd spend a little time on Sizzlin 7's ... max $100 of bankroll (could eat it pretty quick) bet max (if they're still 3 coins) you have the best payout percentage on slots like this but at $3 a whack they can eat you in a hurry.

Saw a couple of familiar v-slots... Sometimes, it seems that if you pick one near an entrance and also near a cage they can be hotter than some others.

Roulette can be a blast because the only skill involved is quitting if/when you are ahead. It's also worth taking some money too when you're at a profit (you will be now and again, right!?!) and lay it down once on red or black, then walking away no matter win or lose. Double your money for some more slot play or give the profit back to the house in one fell swoop.

Hey, take a camera for some winning screen shots, huh?

Good luck

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

Well I'll bring my camera phone, but I am not really camera phone savvy xD... But when I win a huge jackpot.. I am sure the casino will have cameras for me.. *One can dream right?*

 

[The Dude]

You can practice here on Multi-Strike Poker (one of my favorites)

You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.

You should keep an eye out for this game. Also be aware that Gems is a Hoover Vacuum cleaner - Spearmaster will attest to that.

You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.

has some great games to practice on - try to find Spin Poker Deluxe and Super Times Pay Poker.

As for Slots, Winning Times and Texas Tina are pretty cool. Here is a screenshot of a Winning Times win I had that Spearmaster and Simmo! were witness to

https://www.casinomeister.com/static/images/photos/vegas2006/jackpot_winning_times.jpg

I cover some of these and more in last September's Vegas review:
https://www.casinomeister.com/static/newsletter/2006/28september2006.html


Good luck and have fun!

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

Oh wow.. The Meister himself helped. Thanks

I will follow everything you say... *because if I don't I'll be banned, right?* jk

Thanks a bunch! I'm checking out those sites now.

Edit:
Big Win!! You are my hero.

 

[ballysdb]

Ahhh...Haywire. That was my first big jackpot in a casino. At Tropicana, actually it was called Tropworld back then. I won $1600.00. I have always loved the old favorites...Wild Cougar, Little Green Men, Winning Bid. Are the slots there the lottery style machines? Anyway have a great time. P.S. I also light up a cig everytime I hit a bonus round!

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

I thought I was unique by doing that.. Awesome!

Today is killing me though... As I said before, my parents are going to Atlantic City for the weekend and when they do I typically just put 50 on a casino or poker room to get my mind off the fact that they are losing tons of money. (LOL) They must be though because they get so many comps.

Anyway I'm dying here because I have to patiently wait for next Friday without spending much.

Sadly I don't have a real chance to do anything else around here because I have to take care of the dogs while my parents are gone.

I have decided that I will be cleaning the house this weekend *Takes about 5-6 hours, but hey I couldn't stand the job our old cleaning woman did.* -Sort of a clean freak.- But I get paid $70 for it, so I have no complaints.

And aside from that I am going to venture into my brother's room that he left a filthy mess when he moved out to his own home... and I am being paid between $50-$100 for that depending on the job I do. So, that should kill time and between that and my daily workouts and laying outside in the sun, I may just remain partially sane by next week.

*Maybe*

P.S.
Ok.. My parents just got this comp'd cruise thing in the mail from an Atlantic City casino.. That means they lost how much money?

Seriously, I always ask them when they get back and they change the subject, I need numbers people.

 

[lojo]

Well Jeff,

The number is 0, zero, nonya!

But if you wanna know what you can expect, different games have different rates, you are rated at different times when you play, etc., you have to ask a host how and when you will be rated, and a nice tip can get you great info. I get anywhere between 20-50% of my losses (50% was a rarity in one of the last places you'd expect downtown Vegas)
I usually get around ten bucks an hour back on ten dollar bets at roulette.

But remember, you do not have to lose to get comps! It's based on your play, not wins or losses, so maybe your folks are not losing at all

edit... oh yeah, ever look at the room price in the megacasinos posted on the motel door? I've had that used against my comps... over $400 a night when in fact without comps mid-week you can get the room for anywhere from 70-170 a night. But it's a comp, right?

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

Yes, They even have their own little cheery guy who calls the house every freaking day. *Wants to kill Jim* lol

But yea it's all free to them.. as far as I know.

 

[lojo]

Casino telemarketer? Okay, Host

What I meant to say is that you get comps whether you win or lose.

Figure 40% of expected loss. Based on EV (house edge) of particular games played. But it can vary greatly. And it's hard to know, if you don't ask, how and when you are being rated. Some just do it overall based on a 'clubcard', others, you can go to a table, ask about ratings and comps, give them your card and bet large for awhile to get a better rating overall. ime

We only go four or five times a year, and spread it out over toooo many casinos to get good comps for the most part.

 

[liquidsoap]

I am heading to mountaineer tommoroow!!!
Can't wait!!!
Flordia derby is running tommorow also too.

 

[lojo]

I am heading to mountaineer tommoroow!!!
Can't wait!!!
Flordia derby is running tommorow also too.

Good Luck and have a great time

Reno Sunday for us. Don't see any pony action yet but will look in the book. MLB opening and NCAA... probably stick to roulette and some slots, but ya never know.

 

[EasyRhino]

Jeffers, I was going to recommend doing a little study on a game like blackjack, but WV doesn't have table games yet, does it? Are there going to have any actual horse racing going on? I'm have no idea how horse betting works, but I had a good time at the track the one time I went.

And, and also, EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLAR FOR AN EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD!?!

Cripes.

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

lol.. Ive done horse betting several times.. There is a track about 30-45 mins away from my house.

Table games won't be in West Virginia until later this year unfortunately, but I am nothing special at blackjack. My brother told me to stay away from roulette because he had a bad streak on it and I tend to listen to my brother on most things.

$800 dollars for an almost 19 year old that is. Yes, I agree $800 dollars could be considered a lot for me to be gambling with, but as I said earlier, I only will bring/wager what I am alright with losing.

I suppose you could say the value of a dollar to me is slightly different than it is to other people my age because of how I came to understand it from my brother. He always made money through a number of online business ventures and the way I noticed, was that you had to do...

You know what? Just take my word for it..

I only risk the most of what I should allow myself.

 

[lojo]

Hope the Ponies were good to liquid today

I get maybe a couple hours sleep before the adrenaline of the jets. (I hate flying, especially hungover)

I'll be the guy who made or busted on the wheel to cover the last two and a half months of BULLSH*T!

I'm not going to 'quit gambling' when I get back but i am going to re-examine my priorities: win or lose.

If it isn't fun, why do it?

 

[BingoT]

Hope you have great luck.

Hope you have great luck.
Boy no one ever says they are going to Foxwoods or the Mohegan Sun in here lol.
I'm almost out the door to spend the night at the Sun tonight.
Come on lets go and come to the casino's here in CT.

 

[ballysdb]

Hey Bingo! I go to Mohegan Sun alot. I just don't have any extra money right now or I would be there. Next time I gamble that is where I'll be. I love A/C but with the new smoking rules (can only smoke in 25% of the casino floor) I cant see driving 3 hours to fight over a jam packed area of the slot floor with angry smokers such as myself! I understand how non smokers feel, and they deserve areas without smoking... I just used to love going there and being free to light up in the halls or on the escalator, basically anywhere I wanted to. Of course I USED to be able to smoke and gamble right on my couch but that is gone now too...I was just looking on my computer at Yonkers Raceway and "casino". They have the lottery type machines. Did you know you only have to be 18 to play there?

 

[tim5ny]

Hope you have great luck.
Boy no one ever says they are going to Foxwoods or the Mohegan Sun in here lol.
I'm almost out the door to spend the night at the Sun tonight.
Come on lets go and come to the casino's here in CT.

I used to make the trek to those 2 casinos twice a week for the longest time. 4 1/2 hours drive each way. Not anymore! One time I even forgot my wallet and didn't notice until I got there. I had something else in my back pocket and thought it was my wallet when I felt for it before I left, but when I arrived I reached for my wallet and out came a brush. I had to turn around and come home. That was a nice 9 hours!

While I'm on that note, another time years ago I drove to Atlantic City and let my daughter stay at her friend's house for the night and then they would go to school together the next morning. Drove the 6 1/2 hours and called her when I got there to make sure she was okay. She was only about 6 yrs. old then. She told me that she wasn't feeling well, so I hopped in the car and drove back after throwing a couple hundred in the 5 dollar VP as fast as I could. No enjoyment that night either.

 

[liquidsoap]

Well, right when I hit the first 3 races.
I went out there doubled my money in the first 2 races (THANKS TO THE DOGS), and proceded to blow it playing big horse bets.
Played an $100 pick 6, which I lost in the first race!
DANG! Santa Anita!!!
I did pick the flordia derby right though.
But I could have did that from home.

All in all it was a decent trip, and I only deposited $10 into a slot machine!

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

Glad to hear you had a good time.

 

[winbig]

P.S.
Ok.. My parents just got this comp'd cruise thing in the mail from an Atlantic City casino.. That means they lost how much money?

They were comped a cruise??? Nice....I have so many rooms comped down in AC with the Harrah's group, I could stay down there for free for almost a month straight, but I was never offered a cruise

And to answer your question, they don't neccesarily have to have lost money to get comped so good. As long as they're giving quite a bit of action, the comps will flow in pretty steadily.

If they're playing big, then whomever comped the cruise is hoping for a big score while they're on the cruise

 

[JlSpitFirelC]

Well... They play penny slots (lol) but when they do, they stay for like a weekend continuously playing... I asked my mom how much they lost this weekend, like I always do to tick them off, but she just said enough.

They typically lose money. Probably between $500-$2000+? a month?

I'm not really sure, but they insist they never lose $2000. I can't really believe them for that though because when we are in Charlestown, West Virginia, the one place I can gamble freely, they lose about $600-$1000 together... and that is in less than a 8 hour period.

Now from what I've gathered from them, is that they often go down from their room during the night and also play. So... there seems to be constant action going on. And in a 2 day period I'd imagine they dump somewhere between my guess.

If they saw this thread, lol, they'd probably kill me, but I think it makes sense for the most part.

Both my brother and I believe they are using the money they stored for his college fund or the large some of money my mother is inheriting when my grandmother dies, but my mom freaked out when I said that and told me that it was a horrible thing to think. I unno.. There has to be somewhere this money is coming from because they never come home screaming and freaking out that they won more than $3000 *that one time* But really.. if that's the case, isn't it just better to play online?

Seems i win more than that when I play.

Anyway just getting my thoughts out in the open. By the way, my brother thinks negatively upon gambling so his assumptions are most likely biased toward my parents because of that fact. He knows I gamble, but he isn't as irritated with it because, as we see it, I have much less responsibility than them. Truely, I love my parents and believe them, but even if I do, I still doubt my beliefs... if that sounds right.

Anyway, I mean it isn't like they can't afford to occasionally lose some money in the casino, but when they reason it out with ordering a ton of room service as well as how every thing they do their is comp'd and they abuse that fact when they are down. It doesn't help alter the way I have started to believe this.

Then there is the other confusing factor. They wear their emotions on their sleeves. It is clear to me when they are depressed, but they seem to hide it when they return from the casino.

Anyway I worry too much. It is clear that I do.. Hell I even take pills for it... and gambling can't help it.

But.. No way in hell my parents or I am quitting so it is just something we have to deal with.

P.S.
My brother also tends to think my parents spend money that belongs to him a lot. So that is also another thing to keep in mind during his accusations.

-Seriously long post

 

[EasyRhino]

I used to make the trek to those 2 casinos twice a week for the longest time. 4 1/2 hours drive each way.

Ugh, I'd shoot myself.

Last month I went to Vegas for two long weekends in a row to hand out with my stepdad (who was in town for a conference). But it's a five hour drive each way. And the "Vegas traffic" on Friday or Sunday?! It was just miserable. Even though Vegas was fun, no way I'd do that on a regular basis. Course, I have friendly Indians willing to fade my action only 45 min away if I need to get my gamble on.

And ya know Jeffy, it was interesting running around with casinos with my stepdad. He's a slot player, and was mainly playing the quarters (sometimes dollar machines). He was also in Vegas for almost two weeks, so he was reliably losing. It got to the point where he just started getting burned-out on the slots, since I think he was hitting "the long run" just during that trip. I even tried to get him to play a little blackjack with me, and that lost its novelty quickly with him, I think he just burned out on the gambling.

What didn't help the situation was that I was counting cards, and betting fairly big at the blackjack tables, plus I had a lucky run during the trip, so we had several stops where we'd go into a casino, he'd lose (big), and I'd win (big). It began to be a transfer of money from him to me, and I think that alternately impressed him and pissed him off. I had to pay for dinner a few times.