RSS findIndex trimsentences createcard

gridCSS

AdCode

createItems and other JavaScript code

Item Render Code


Saturday, November 24, 2018

Purple Chip Trip Wrap-up and Accounting Spin

This was in so many ways a very satisfying trip, even though I as good as fell flat on my face on a cold, frozen ice-covered sidewalk, breaking my metaphorical gambling nose in the pursuit of my first purple $500 chip. (It's not over, Vegas, you bitch!)

If I could change one thing, it would be the last day. I had one of the best Vegas days ever on this trip, only to follow it up with a step in a steaming turd day.

Actually, I exaggerate.

The turd is not steaming.

What a kick in the gambol-nuts to do nothing but lose on the last day! I started the day down $600 on an nine day trip - which is totally acceptable, given the comp situation - more on that later. But on the last day I doubled up (down) to -$1200 for the trip.

As we say in Flusherville, "That's gambling."

Flights were two one-way fares, booked with the last of my Aeroplan points, with some fees and upgrades tacked on - but even with those, they were dirt cheap - a total of $147 to get there and back, plus another $100 or so in train fares.

The best part was the return flight which cost me 12,500 points and $5.73 in cash. Take that, Air FU Canada!

All my room nights were comped, but Bally's and Luxor clawed back resort fees. It wasn't so bad at Luxor because I got $100 resort credit and $50 free play with the offer.

Total out of pocket expenses for the trip, including rail, air, hotel, car, and food, were: $878


Gambling losses were $1,200. Again, over eight days, I lost $600 - less than $100 a day. And over nine days, I lost $1200. Damn last day. Why, why, why?!

I got some really solid freeplay that bolstered the ole budget. There are many ways to 'account' for freeplay. Because I lost on this trip, I will count it as a comp.

Why? Because, say I go downtown with say $50 in my pocket. I go to the Nugget, and put $25 in a machine. At that moment, I have... $50. $25 cash, and $25 in the machine.

Now, an alternate scenario... let's say I go downtown with say $50 in my pocket. I go to the Nugget, put my card in a machine, and punch some buttons. At that moment I have $50 cash and $25 in the machine. Net difference - well, I think the point is obvious.

You could argue that the $25 free play isn't countable as cash. Maybe you're right. But I look at it this way - if I went downtown with the plan of putting $25 in credits on a machine at the Nugget and playing it, that $25 freeplay is $25 I didn't have to put in the machine in cash. They've comped me $25 in credits.

Besides, it's my accounting spin and I can accounting spin any which way I want. Nobody is going to audit me.

Except maybe Math Guy.


For comps, I'm only going to count the larger chunks of change - in other words, nothing smaller than $10. It totals up to $215. I won't count match plays.

Total comps received this trip, including 9 hotel nights, food and beverage credit, free meals obtained "by other means", and a refunded Lyft ride of some $19 (you call it a refund, I call it a comp!) all totaling: $1089

It should be noted that I was very conservative with my estimates of comped room costs at Bally's and Luxor. Luxor included a Friday and Saturday night, but I pegged the nights at $80 each. There would have been 12% tax on top of that, as well. The internet tells me that the average cost of a Vegas room night is $127.

So, hard expenses of $878 plus $1200 gambling losses = $2078.
Comps received = $1089.

Net fake accounting spin cost of the trip = $989.

Even at $2078 hard costs, I did 'okay' for a nine day trip. That's $230.88 a day for hotel, food, car, and entertainment.

Now, just as we obey the Strict Rules of Parlay, we also obey the Loose Rules of Accounting Spin - those flights on Aeroplan points? COMPED.

I'm gonna say they would have cost $400 each. (That's USD, Toronto to Vegas).

Net fake cost of the trip with full Loose Rules of Accounting Spin applied = $189.

What a bargain! I can barely afford not to go!


There's another aspect to consider here, which is just kind of a point of interest. Astute readers of this blog know that I have burned my bridges at MLife a number of times by staying on offers and short-playing them, only to have the offers start coming back at some later date.

Not only were they throwing out three and four night comped stays with $50 freeplay and $50 to $100 resort credit for almost all the Vegas properties, upon my return, I took a look at my MLife account to see if by chance there was anything left.

Now how could I not book another offer of three comped nights at Aria, with $50 freeplay and $50 resort credit?

I think Mrs. Flusher would love Aria, don't you?

I've never stayed there, but I know some people who have, and they are some of the most trustworthy degenerates known to man.

She also likes saying at Steve Dangleshorts Wynn.

Stay tuned.



Duodenum: I just checked MLife to see what other offers might there be. To recap, I had the many resorts/free play/resort credit offer that I used for Luxor for 4 nights. And I've booked another copy of that offer for (ahem) an upcoming possible trip at Aria.

Look what's STILL in the hopper!


Life is good in Flusherville!

Post Duodenum:

I really do get some pleasant spam messages for poker sites. To wit:

I was surfing the Internet for information and came across your blog. I am impressed by the information you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject.

I haven’t any word to appreciate this post.....Really i am impressed from this post....the person who create this post it was a great human..thanks for shared this with us. 


Looking for more Vegas trip report action to read? Why not:






    1 comment:

    Leave a message for Royal Flusher!