I saw a post on the board at Vegas Tripping over the weekend that they are now dealing 3 Card Poker with the cards face up at Mandalay Bay.

3 card poker is now dealt face up to all players at Mandalay Bay. The players hate it. The dealers hate. I cycled through two dealers and they both asked if we’d write a letter to complain. Apparently the decision was made to increase the number of hands dealt per hour.

At first glance I wasn’t bothered by this because I don’t really care much about the surprise, but after thinking about it…I do care about the surprise. Actually, I care more about the option to be surprised by the cards than I do the surprise.

Besides the fun of the game being altered the speed of the game is being altered in the houses favor, of course. Even though the odds in Three Card Poker aren’t very good, I play it every now and again because it’s a pretty brainless game and the pace it pretty relaxed.

I’m hoping this change is only being tested at Mandalay Bay and doesn’t spread across to other casinos. Adding pace to 3 Card Poker is only bad for the player and I’ll probably stop playing.

This will have to be another quick one, as sleep is at a premium these days. According to Yahoo’s NFL Odds page, only 5dimes.com has a spread AND an over/under with half-points. I’m going to take both, as I’m 5-5 and want an opportunity to be 2 over .500.

I used the reverse jinx to perfection last week, as my Giants reached the Super Bowl. I may as well go all-in on them and grab those 2.5 points. However, I also like the under of 54.5. These teams (Patriots and Giants) met earlier in the season and both defenses will come prepared. By the time the scoring starts (and I believe it will, as neithe secondary is all that good) it’ll be too late to reach more than 50. I’m seeing a 27-24 final score.

As for the off-season, I have a couple of ideas for JMsPotlights and, who knows, I may even be allowed to go gambling again!

Until then!

Okay, so I realize that this title isn’t anything shocking.  The Cosmopolitan is brand-spanking-new, has a lot of fans, a great location, and is very much a 2000’s Vegas property.  The Riviera, by contrast, is over 50 years old, no one really seems fond of it, it’s in a desolate area of the strip, and it feels old an worn.  So what’s the point?  Well, to begin, the Las Vegas Review Journal published this interview with Riviera’s new 36 year old President and CEO, Andy Choy.

What I find interesting is that Andy Choy really seems to understand his property.  It is old, it has history, and it will never even be a mid-market place.  This is what the Tropicana failed to understand.  Even though their location was a thousand times better, they still tried to add the day club and Miami vibe to bring Tropicana to 2000′s Vegas.

So what is the Riviera doing?  The exact opposite.  Where as new resorts like the Cosmopolitan almost feel ashamed to have a casino, the Riviera is promoting itself as a casino.  This is obviously partly due to the fact that there isn’t much else to do there, but also it speaks to a Vegas customer that is starting to feel excluded these days: the gambler.  And while it is too ambitious for the Riviera to shoot for “The Best Casino in Las Vegas,” there is no reason to think that the Riviera couldn’t be to the strip what El Cortez is to Fremont St. (ED: I love the El Cortez)

It also appears they are interested in offering somewhat decent odds (for the strip, anyway).  Craps is offered with 10x odds, single deck blackjack pays 3/2, and there is even a single-zero roulette wheel.  It’s clear that Andy Choy understands that true gamblers are painfully aware of the odds being offered to them.  Ask any blackjack player how they feel about 6/5 blackjack payouts and you are likely to see smoke come out of their nose.  Offering good payouts is a great way to appeal to true gamblers who know and  want good odds.

In the interview Andy Choy says that they have been working solely on the inside of the property.  They have taken over retail, reconfigured the casino floor, and tried to do what they can to make it more appealing.  This is a good start, but to truly show a new beginning it will take more.  It will take a combination of marketing, a new brand image, and probably an updated strip facade to show people who want to gamble that Riviera is the best Las Vegas Strip casino at which to play.  The key, as Andy Choy says, is to become relevant again.  After that, all bets are off. (ED: Based on radio commercials it seems as if comedians that used to play Las Vegas Hilton are all playing the Riv now. This includes Andrew Dice Clay and Mark Curry)

It’s no secret that casinos have a plethora of games, each featuring many different bets. For the most part, a semi-educated gambler can tell what is a good bet from what is a bad bet.  For some games, like blackjack, a good bet is only as good as the player playing the hand.  In other games, however, the knowledge of the game is entirely centered around how to bet, not how to play.  While there’s lots of bad bets out there, here are three that can sneak up on you.

• Big 6 and Big 8 - These are bets on the craps table that are right out in front for the player to bet on.  They generally pay 1:1, which seems like a good deal for the player, but really it is a house edge of 9.09%.  Compounding this is that you can place the 6 and 8 (the exact same bet, just in a different spot on the table) and get paid 7:6, for a house edge of 1.57%.
• Any Jacks or Better below 9/6 – Video Poker is generally known for giving good odds for playing a machine.  Especially when compared to slot machines.  However, in recent years casinos have been reducing the payouts to gain more of a house edge.  In Jacks or Better (JoB) this is accomplished on the Full House and Flush lines.  Typical JoB pays 9 credits for a full house and 6 for a flush with a 99.5% return.  These have been getting reduced as far as 6 credits for a Full House and 5 for a Flush. Even though there are a number of 8/5 machines available, the drop is still significant to a 97.5% return.
• Roulette – To the short sighted, a roulette bet seems pretty easy and fair.  If you bet on red or black, it’s basically a 50/50 bet right?  Nope.  While the zeros might not seem very significant, they take what would be a 50/50 bet (and pays out like one) to a bet that has a house edge of 5.26%.  In fact, the whole roulette table has this same house edge.  If you’re lucky enough to find a table with only one 0, you’re still giving 2.7% to the house.

Now this isn’t to say you shouldn’t play these games. In Las Vegas it’s virtually impossible to find 9/6 video poker with out playing high limits. But do your best to seek out the best pay tables you can.  Along the same token, Roulette can be fun to play, but be aware of the odds you are giving the house.  Never ever play the big 6 or big 8; take the better odds and place the six and eight.  You’ll always be giving a house edge when you play casino games, but if you play smarter and know the best bets, you can put yourself in a better position to win.

Before I head out to a new casino I like checking the video poker pay tables and my upcoming trip to Harrah’s Laughlin is no different. I’m only two hours away from Laughlin and haven’t had the chance to check it out and I’m looking forward to it.

Harrah’s Laughlin used to be a place where west coast Caesars players used to go for a day trip to reach Total Rewards Diamond status – either Diamond in a Day (4K points in one day) or just to get points easily from video poker. Well, in typical Caesars fashion all of the pay tables to be typical mediocre games. In fact, vpFREE shows me that the pay tables are worse than most Las Vegas casinos. Take a look.

99.17% BP 1-2-3-4-5-8-25-40-80-50-800
$5, $10, $25 – 1 Play – High Limit

99.11% DB 1-1-3-5-7-9-50-80-160-50-800
25¢ – 1 Play – in non-smoking by the east windows overlooking the river, close to the Range – Slant-tops
25¢, 50¢ – 1 Play – scattered around casino – Slant-tops

98.91% DW44 1-2-3-4-4-9-15-25-200-800
5¢, 10¢ – 3/5 Play- smoking area – 1 Slant-top
25¢, 50¢, $1 – 3/5 Play- smoking area – 11 Slant-top

98.80% BDW 1-1-3-3-4-13-20-40-80-25-200-400-800
5¢, 10¢ – 50 Play – In non-smoking casino on the East windows – 5 Slant-tops
5¢, 10¢ – 50 Play – In the northeast corner of the smoking casino overlooking river – 2 Slant-tops

97.87% DDB 1-1-3-4-5-9-50-80-160-160-400-50-800
25¢ – 1 Play – Prog – Against a wall near the entrance to smoking section – 14 Slant-tops

97.30% JoB 1-2-3-4-5-8-25-50-800
5¢, 10¢ – 50 Play – In the northeast corner of the smoking casino overlooking river – 2 Slant-tops
5¢, 10¢ – 50 Play 0 In non-smoking casino on the East windows – 5 Slant-tops
$1, $2 – 1 Play – along the windows by the valet/ taxi pickup area – 5 Slant-tops
$5, $10 – 1 Play – along the windows by the valet/ taxi pickup area – 1 Slant-tops

At least most of the Caesars properties in Las Vegas have high limits 9/6 Jacks or Better games available. I’ll check out the games, but will likely play tables instead since the only games I’ll probably play are the $1 Jacks or Better, which isn’t a great game.

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Caesars Total Rewards players.  Head over to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  As always there is a lot of information in this edition. Read on for all the goods.

Harrah’s New Orleans

Heading Santa’s Naughty List
I’m a big fan of Harrah’s New Orleans, and have never experienced anything but first class service and a good time.  I always describe the hotel as being more like a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons – though I wish they had included a spa in their initial plans.  However, based on the volume of e-mails I received during 2011, New Orleans got the most complaints about everything from missing comp dollars, screwed up hotel and dinner reservations, and uncaring and inefficient hosts.  Admittedly, it’s been awhile since I’ve been down there, but I hope they can get their act together.  It may just be a vocal minority that’s having these bad experiences, but word is spreading throughout lots of message boards on the Internet, as well.  There’s often a fine line between perception and reality and, like a woman scorned, an unhappy gambler – especially if he/she is losing – can be your worst nightmare.

Las Vegas

Caesars Palace

See Celine For A Good Cause
If you haven’t seen Celine Dion’s new show in the Colosseum, you can help raise money to fund research for and increase awareness of sickle cell anemia by attending a special performance at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 15.  Ticketholders also get to attend an exclusive reception at PURE Nightclub, sponsored by Southern Wine & Spirits.

Merry Excess-mas
In case you missed it, Christmas Eve/Christmas dinner at Guy Savoy last year was a mere $358 per person (not including beverages, taxes and gratuity).  The menu included:

Oysters in Ice Gelée
Langoustine and Fennel
“Colors of Caviar”
Roasted John Dory in Sage and Tarragon Crust
Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup, Toasted Mushroom Brioche, and Black Truffle Butter
Poussin “en Cocotte” and Albufera Jus
Brie Black Truffle
Champagne Dessert
Chocolate

For further decadence at Caesars – available year-round, go to Casa Fuente and try the “Forbidden Collection” of cigars costing up to $150 each, along with some rare scotch at $1,100 a shot.

Atlantic City

Eyes Wide Shut
I’m not sure whether Caesars employees have a vision problem or just don’t like confrontation.  Why is it, then, that even the most casual visitor to Atlantic City spots vagrants sitting at slot machines sound asleep?  One Saturday evening last month, a man with a large thick beard, wearing several layers of clothing – identity protected by a thick hooded parka, tucked a huge backpack between his legs, and napped for nearly an hour right outside the Diamond Lounge at Caesars.  The same man was spotted in a different section of the second floor casino the day before.  Many players – particularly women – simply refuse to play at the Boardwalk casinos just because they don’t feel safe.  “Sleepers” aren’t exclusive to the Boardwalk, though.  Over at Harrah’s, a woman was sleeping at a table in front of Club Cappuccino as two security guards chatted away in front of her, seemingly oblivious to the situation.  While there’s no reason to believe these nappers are doing anything but catching 40 winks in the warmth of the casino, nevertheless, no other business would be as tolerant.

Easy Revenue Source For AC
If the city police better patrolled Arkansas Avenue between Wild Wild West and Caesars they could write a bunch of tickets for illegally parked cars.  On several occasions during the New Year’s weekend, friends picked me up from the first floor exit of the Centurion Tower at Caesars; I was amazed at the number of cars that were parked there – most of them minus the driver and/or any passengers.  While, theoretically, the three sets of doors to Caesars on Arkansas only can be opened from the inside, folks seem to have no problem prying them open from the outside.  It’s not such a big deal with the two sets of doors leading into the casino, but the fact that individuals are entering the door leading into the first floor of the Centurion Tower makes me a little nervous.

Controversial Decision Paying Off
It didn’t sit well with a lot of Diamond cardholders, but Caesars decision to require a minimum of 25,000 tier points to enter the four Atlantic City Diamond Lounges at no charge is apparently paying off.  While I’ve seen no official statistics, based on conversations with certain casino executives, as well as talking with a number of players, a lot of people went out of their way to reach that 25,000 point threshold by the end of 2011.

Home For The Holidays
Many “regular” players skipped their trips to Atlantic City last month when they learned that the Diamond (and the Seven Stars Lounge at Harrah’s), as well as several buffets, restaurants and other venues were closing for several days – and, in some cases, weeks – at a time.  Others were downright angry – some, just perplexed – when they got to one of the lounges, only to find it was closed.  At least Harrah’s offered the option of a Waterfront Buffet to eligible cardholders.  This year, Caesars management, please decide further in advance if – and when – you are going to close lounges, buffets, restaurants, The Pool at Harrah’s and other venues.  Then, let everyone know!  (I’ll even help you spread the word – plus, I’ll be reminding you in November to start thinking about this.)

Airshow Moves To Friday
The 10th Annual Atlantic City Airshow will be held August 17 – a Friday, rather than the traditional midweek timeframe.  Headlining the show once again will be the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights.

Bally’s

Seven Stars 101
The VIP Registration staff and Total Rewards crew need a crash course in Seven Stars cardholder benefits – specifically, the Companion card.  My “companion” tried to check in at Bally’s VIP last month, and was condescendingly told to check-in at the “regular” registration desk.  When I stopped in later to find out why, I was told that, “of course, we would extend that courtesy to a Seven Stars Companion cardholder.”  Apparently, Chris who was working there that afternoon didn’t know this.  Furthermore, when I inquired at Total Rewards, the gentleman at the Seven Stars section said he didn’t know and, when he checked with his manager, told me that his manager didn’t know either.  Shouldn’t there be a list of basic benefits handy at each Total Rewards desk and each VIP Registration?

Send Me No Flowers
Apparently, the New Year’s Eve dinner at Bally’s was another outstanding example of the fine work done by the hotel’s food and beverage department.  I heard many wonderful compliments about the food, service, music and ambience – both at dinner and the Sunday brunch.  However, some miscommunication – later apologized for – caused a bit of a scene at the conclusion of the dinner.  When some guests tried to leave with flowers from the centerpieces, many were chased by security guards who told them the flowers couldn’t leave the ballroom because they were needed for the brunch.  Frankly, I always find it appalling how some people walk off with table decorations – many times before the event even concludes.  Sometimes guests even “fight” for the flowers!  [The worst I’ve seen was at Caesars New Year’s Eve when a woman pulled out a pair of manicure scissors and began cutting off the strands of “crystals” from the decorations suspended over some of the tables.]

Caesars

Welcoming 2012 In High Style
Caesars hosted an absolutely flawless New Year’s celebration this year:  simple, but elegant and understated invitations. . .tasteful and creative hors d’oeuvres (steak tartare in mini-parmesan tuille cups, slices of rare ahi tuna on tiny pancakes, grilled baby lamb chops, etc.). . .stunning décor in the Palladium Ballroom that elicited audible gasps as the doors were dramatically opened.  All this was complemented by an imaginative dinner menu featuring a salad with the largest shrimp I’ve ever seen, followed by a dual entrée of roasted mero (a delicious white fish that was so moist it literally cut like butter) and lobster-crusted filet.  Dessert, below, was an edible miniature “snowman” encased in half a “snow globe” (made of sugar), perched atop vanilla sponge cake filled with Meyer lemon mousse and covered in vanilla butter cream, sitting in a pool of light blue “ice”.  It looked beautiful, and tasted even better.  The versatile musicians backing up four equally versatile singers provided continuous entertainment and dance music, breaking only for two professional dance exhibitions right out of those opening numbers on Dancing With The Stars.  Brunch the next day was just as outstanding.  Congratulations – and thank you! – to all involved.

Morton’s Steakhouse Chain Sold
After Landry’s Inc. bought Trump Marina, it had one of its chain restaurants – the Rainforest Café – already ensconced in Trump Plaza, as well as McCormick & Schmick’s at Harrah’s Resort.  Now Morton’s Steakhouse in Caesars is in the same situation.  Last month, Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta bought Morton’s Restaurant Group Inc. in a $117 million deal.

Harrah’s Resort

Breakfast Of Champions
Kudos to the staff at the Diamond Lounge for their excellent breakfast buffets late last month.  Anticipating larger crowds due to the holidays – and with the closing of Reflections to make way for Sammy D’s (see below) – management opened the Diamond Lounge for breakfast on a temporary basis.

Room Maintenance
Hopefully, it was an isolated case, but one of the electrical outlets in my room last month had a cracked coverplate, above, exposing potentially dangerous wiring to a curious child or even a careless adult.  A similar cracked plate partially covered another outlet in the hallway near the elevator.  When I reported this at check-out, the clerk said the room should not even have been assigned.  But, how would anyone know?  Housekeepers don’t seem to report these maintenance issues, and, apparently, housekeeping supervisors don’t notice them either.  It’s up to us, as guests, to notify the front desk when we spot these problems, but no one seems to take the initiative.  Next time there’s a burned out light bulb, a frayed lamp plug, etc., please call it to someone’s attention.

No Parking
The special reserved parking section for Seven Stars cardholders is currently open to anyone.  It appears that perhaps a frustrated driver just plowed through the second card-controlled gate.  I’m not sure why that warranted that the first gate should remain permanently open.

Sammy D’s
Scheduled to open last month, Sammy D’s – located in the area formerly housing Reflections – is now supposed to open this month.  Bill’s Bar & Burger, which has been serving breakfast during the transition, will discontinue that service once Sammy’s opens.  Ironically, breakfast at Bill’s was the best meal of the day.

Red Door: Improvement Still Needed
Not long after it opened, I visited the Red Door and wrote, “This fabled Elizabeth Arden institution is a disappointing experience for men.  The facilities need much stronger supervision, and the front desk personnel need more training.”  I’m happy to report that my experience last month found these problems corrected.  However, several things have not changed:  the men’s “grooming area” still has only two sinks, and the lighting is so bad, it’s like shaving in the dark.  (“Assuming it was a man,” I wrote earlier, “whoever designed the lighting should be forced to shave there for a month.”)  The spa also has the “wimpiest” Jacuzzis (in terms of jet strength), so it’s not the most satisfying way to relax.

Bet $20, Win $1 Million
An unidentified woman won $1 million on a $20 bet last month while playing poker.  The jackpot is the second of its kind for “Three Card Poker 6 Card Bonus” which began play at Caesars Entertainment casinos in September.  The woman said she had played the game only twice before and was at the table for about two hours. The winning hand was a royal flush in diamonds.  In October, an unidentified man won $1 million on a $19 bet in the game and last month a Virginia man won $100,000.

Harrah’s Chester (Pennsylvania)

Happy Fifth Anniversary!
Hard to believe, but January 22 marks the fifth anniversary of the opening of Harrah’s Chester.

There Has To Be An Easier Way. . .
Maybe it’s just me, but Chester’s “Beat the Freeze” is second only in confusion and complication to Bally’s “Beat the Heat” promotion in Atlantic City this past summer.  Here are the official rules – misspellings and missing words included:  “Guests can win free slot play on days in December in which the temperature is forecasted to be below 28 degrees Fahrenheit.  The weekly forecast will be displayed in the casino atrium (the forecast used will be NBC Channel 10) and will update each day at 10am.  When a day is forecasted to be below the 28 degrees threshold we will communicate that day as a ‘Beat the Freeze’ day.  The day prior we will promote the ‘Beat The Freeze Day’ through Facebook, Twitter, e-blasts and outdoor signage (Billboard).  Guests are then invited [to] come to the casino, swipe there [sic] card at the promotional kiosks on the 2nd floor starting at 10am to have a chance to receive 5 dollars slot play for every degree below 28 degrees.  500 guests will randomly receive the slot cash prize!”  December’s unseasonably warm weather probably saved the casino a lot of free slot play, but you have until January 15 to get in on the fun.  Checking the official NBC 10 forecast through January 8, though, only January 2, 3 and 4 are forecast to have temperatures less than 28 degrees.

General

Skating With The Stars
I hope you got to see Caesars Tribute II on NBC January 1.  It was an excellent show and gave Caesars some very positive publicity.  Taped at Boardwalk Hall in early December, the show was a tribute to Peggy Fleming, and featured some of the top female skaters from the United States, Canada, France and Japan.

Regrets, He’s Had A Few
In August 2010 Caesars Chairman Gary Loveman called his decision to reject an opportunity to acquire the Macao gaming subconcession controlled by Wynn Resorts Ltd. a “big mistake”.  “I was wrong.  I was really wrong,” Loveman told Bloomberg Businessweek.  Determined not to be left behind again, Caesars is focusing on U.S. expansion, according to Howard Stutz’s “Inside Gaming” column in the December 4 Las Vegas Review-Journal.  “Through a joint venture, the company will operate two of the four casinos opening [this] year in Ohio.  Caesars is the leading bidder for a downtown Baltimore casino project and is expected to earn the license for a casino in the Boston area.”  Further, Stutz writes, “The company is looking at Miami, the next potential casino expansion market.”

Reminders
Seven Stars cardholders, don’t forget you have only until March 31 to complete your annual celebration dinner and trip, order your gift, and, if applicable, complete your Signature Experience.  Trips require a 30-day advance notice, so make your plans by the end of February.

Tier Levels: It’s Not Just Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Seven Stars Anymore
My guess is that, similar to direct mail promotions and even certain products, Caesars is testing several ways to bridge the gap between Diamond and Seven Stars.  As I’ve written before, several Midwest casinos, as well as the Grand in Biloxi, have General Managers Clubs (some actually have separate physical locations for the clubs; others are just “virtual” and offer special quarterly or monthly benefits); about 15 months ago Rincon (and perhaps others) introduced Diamond Select and Diamond Signature cards, below; and the Atlantic City casinos have their “TR Insider” program which begins its second quarter this month.

Survey Says: New Year’s Resolutions
Among the additions to my list, suggested by readers:
Allow Companion cardholders (who do not qualify through their play) to bring one guest into Diamond and Seven Stars Lounges.

Offer free slot play as an alternative to the annual gift.
Be more sensitive to singles, as well as those widowed or divorced; too many events are so couple-oriented that those traveling by themselves feel uncomfortable or less welcome.
Allow Total Rewards credits (comp dollars) to be used toward airfare, rental cars and other travel – similar to Mohegan Sun’s player’s card program.

Survey: New Year’s Eve
I attended the parties at Caesars in Atlantic City, and I heard lots of nice comments about Bally’s parties in Atlantic City, but what about the rest of the country (and Caesars Windsor in Canada)?  How were those celebrations?  Send me an e-mail (sevenstarsinsider@gmail.com ) and I’ll share your thoughts – anonymously, of course.

Darryl D. McEwen, Publisher
Seven Stars Insider

Photo: Pulse of Las Vegas Blog

Taking today as a day to catch up with things that I missed while vacationing at Palazzo last week. I’ll be running down the events of the trip here and on Vegas Chatter. My friends and I drank, ate and gambled a lot while they were in town. Even though I live in Vegas, I don’t treat Vegas like a tourist very often and I can’t wait to share. For the time being, lets look back…there was some good stuff last week.

AC2LV

• Internet Poker Legal Again!
• Four Music Festivals Coming To Atlantic City Next Year?
• Gambling in the Mountains
• Seven Stars Insider – Special Holiday Edition
• How Do I Enter That Casino?

Vegas Chatter

• Want Better Odds? Play Less, Bet More, Win More
• The High Limit Slots Room At Wynn Is Now Open
• We Don’t Want To Smell Like An Old Lady
• To Valet or Not To Valet… That is the Question
• When Staying at The Cosmo, It’s Identity vs. Marriott

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Caesars Total Rewards players.  Head over to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  This is a nice, quick holiday edition. Enjoy!

Las Vegas

Holiday Shopping ‘Bait and Switch’
For four days earlier this month, players at Caesars and MGM’s West Coast casinos could take advantage of both casinos’ holiday gift giveaways in Las Vegas.  (Real multi-taskers also could have run in the Las Vegas Marathon, attended the National Finals Rodeo and participated in a Michael Jackson Fan Fest to coincide with the opening December 3 of Cirque du Soleil’s new Michael Jackson show at Mandalay Bay.)  MGM’s Holiday Gift Shoppe ran December 2-11 and Caesars Great Gift Wrap Up ran December 1-5.  MGM – at least at Mandalay Bay, pulled a bit of “bait and switch”.  Those who booked after October 27 and had room offers that included free play, comped food and beverage, and other benefits were forced to make a choice: Remain booked under their offer and forfeit their Gift points, or keep the Gift points and forfeit their free play and other comps.  Of course, no one told them that until they went to have their free play uploaded to their player’s cards.  Seems a little – OK, a lot! – unfair.

Atlantic City

Closed For Business
If you’re planning to go to Atlantic City this month, be aware that there are more closings than a bad season on Broadway.  Schedules could change, so check first, but, based on signage, as well as information from casino hosts and hotel operators, here are the venues that are currently closed and/or are reopening, closing and opening again:

Bally’s Diamond Lounge – Reopens December 16; closes again December 19-23, and reopens December 24
Caesars Diamond Lounge – Reopens December 16
Café Roma (Caesars) – Reopens December 24
Goldtooth Gertie’s (Bally’s) – Reopens in January
Harrah’s Diamond Lounge – Reopens December 17; closes again December 19-23, and reopens December 24
Harrah’s Seven Stars Lounge – Reopens December 24
Mardi Gras Buffet (Showboat) – Reopens December 23
Showboat Diamond Lounge – Reopens December 25
Virginia City Buffet (Bally’s) – Reopens December 23

More Closings
Over at the Borgata, Roma is closed until December 27, the Amphora Lounge is closed until December 23 and Fornelletto is closed until December 27.

No More Comps
Evo at Trump Plaza no longer accepts Trump comps, nor can you charge dining checks to your room.

Triple Slot Dollars
On Thursdays through December 29, Seven Stars and Diamond cardholders can earn triple slot dollars at any of the four Caesars casinos in Atlantic City.  (Borgata is running the same promotion, but it’s open to any level cardholder.)

SpaTacular
Sundays to Thursdays through December 23 the spas at Caesars four properties in Atlantic City are offering specials, some of which are about 50 percent off regular pricing.  The specials are good at Vive Day Spa & Salon at Showboat, Red Door at Harrah’s, Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars, The Spa at Bally’s, and Belezza Salons at Caesars and Bally’s.

Bally’s

Same Day Slot Play
Players can earn same day slot play at Bally’s in December and January.  Once you’ve qualified, be sure to download the free play into your Total Touch “bank”.  If you don’t play or bank this money by the end of the “day” (5:59 a.m.), you’ll lose it.  Watch for the flashing message on your Total Touch screen.  [Golden Nugget is running a similar promotion this month, but you actually get real cash back at triple your earning rate (at Golden Nugget this varies based on your tier level). . .and you don’t have to download it the same day.]

Big Bang Theory
Sundays at 3 p.m. you could be one of up to 2,011 players receiving $11 in slot play.  (In January those numbers increase to 2,012 and $12, respectively.

Buffet Offers To Be Honored At Caesars
Since the Virginia City Buffet is closed until December 23, any offers you have will be honored at Caesars La Piazza Buffet.

Caesars

Free Parking At Pier Shops (check the fine print!)
Both Caesars and The Pier Shops at Caesars are running ads touting “Free Weekday Parking” and “Free Holiday Parking”; however, there is a minimum $100 purchase requirement, and it’s limited to Mondays through Fridays.  Also, “[M]anagement reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time.”

Pier Restaurants, Morton’s Accepting Comps 1:1
Just a reminder:  Through December 24, Buddakan, The Continental, Souzai, Phillips Seafood Express and Phillips Seafood are joining Morton’s The Steakhouse by accepting comps on a 1:1 basis.  This might be a great time to check out the new menu items both at Buddakan and The Continental.

Harrah’s Chester (Pennsylvania)

Another Closing
Temptations Buffet is closed starting December 17 and will reopen December 26.  If you have offers for a free buffet or two during this period, you’ll receive a credit toward your meal at other open outlets.  Check first to be sure it will be honored.

More Is Less
I’ve not seen it at any other Caesars restaurant, but what a great marketing idea – “discounted pricing” at The Cove.  For Diamond and Seven Stars cardholders most appetizers, entrées and desserts average $2 less than to others.  Why not promote this?  I just happened to notice it while I was perusing the menu waiting for a friend near the elevators.  Caesars has most everyone’s e-mail addresses.  How about a blast to encourage more diners to take advantage of this?

Beat The Freeze
Because of the unseasonably warm temperatures it hasn’t started yet, but through January 15 Harrah’s Chester will be giving away up to $40 in free slot play when the temperature drops below 28 degrees.  The TV commercials tell you to check the Chester Web site for details on the promotion, but it really doesn’t tell you much.  Your best bet – no pun intended – is to visit the Total Rewards desk to find out exactly how the promotion works.  However, I spoke with someone the other night, and am more confused than ever.  Hopefully, Harrah’s will put something in writing to explain what’s going on.

Friday ‘Lotto’
At 8 p.m. every Friday in December, check to see if the last four digits of your Total Rewards card match the numbers randomly selected by the casino.  If they do, you win the progressive jackpot.  If your numbers don’t match exactly, but you have all four, you win a share of $1,000 in free play.  Should no one win the progressive, the prize increases by $5,000 and there’s another drawing the following Friday.  If there is no winner during the month of December, the promotion will continue into January, but on Tuesdays.

General

Call Before You Leave
Considering the number of closings in Atlantic City this month, check first with your local casino to be sure the lounge, restaurant or other venue you plan to visit is open.  It may be closed or open on a more limited schedule than usual.

Happy Holidays!

Darryl D. McEwen, Publisher
Seven Stars Insider

Photo: Pulse of Las Vegas Blog

I’ve been a little off the grid this weekend with friends in town. Here’s a quick catch up on the week that passed. I’m way behind in my day, so I’ll save the stories for later this week.

AC2LV

• Cosmopolitan Video Poker: There’s Nothing To See Here
• Why Vegas?
• Her Name Is Annabelle
• Palazzo and Venetian Video Poker
• Let’s Call Him George
• Resorts World Casino New York City Growing
• Is The Linq Even Real?
• A Quick Tip
• Revel Getting Iron Chef Restaurants
• Heads Up For Southwest Passengers

Vegas Chatter

• Vegas Dilemma: What Should We See?
• Good News For Vegas May Mean Bad News For You 
• Where To Find The Best Odds For Blackjack
• Is It Time To Upgrade Your Identity?

I stopped off at Cosmopolitan for the first time since the summer to upgrade my Identity status and to see if my Identity Play was still there from a promotion I did in July. It was. The money was there – it stays on the account for 1 year. Since I had money on my card to use on a machine I went right to the vpFREE2 mobile site on my phone to see what video poker games were available to me.

I knew that the games were downgraded, but I found only one game under $5 to play.

98.01%
BP (Bonus Poker) 1-2-3-4-5-7-25-40-80-50-800
25¢ – 1 Slant-top – 50 Play – just to the left of the high limit room
$1, $2 – 1 Play – scattered throughout casino

I know the Las Vegas strip doesn’t have the best video poker pay tables in town and this is what I expected after reading that the video poker machines were recently downgraded. Playing $1 machines that pay out 98% isn’t great. The quarter machines paid back at a 6/5 rate, which (I think) is about 96%.  Thankfully, I was lucky enough to win my Identity play back in cash then I left to play some quarter and penny slots that eventually took most of my winnings.

I normally play Jacks of Better (8/5 @ Cosmo) which pays back about 99+% (at full pay) so the 1 percent difference isn’t much on $100, but in time it adds up and most people prefer to play games that have better payouts. The way it looks is that slot machine payouts (~92%) aren’t much worse that video poker so I took my money and decided to have a little fun playing Top Dollar slots, which I’m a sucker for and will play again.

I believe that the quarter Bonus Poker paid out 8/6 when Cosmo opened, so this isn’t much of a change but this isn’t a reason to visit the Cosmo. If you’re a video poker player you can find some better games on the strip at lower denominations on the strip. Cosmo remains a place to go to eat, drink and be merry, but not necessarily a place to visit if you want to gamble. That said, I can get Kettle One when gambling, so that’s a plus on that side.