Leaving Las Vegas & casino magic
Or not magic, I suppose how one calls it. Not destined for the horoscopes, I did find a few comics that rather fit with my weekend. Plus I had I few memorable gambling experiences, too.
See, slot machines are fun for me. I tend to wander aimlessly until one “speaks” to me. Even then, it’s not always a sure bet. I did learn my lesson late Sunday night, on one machine.
I usually tend towards the nickel machines these days as their title more approximates what I can – and can’t – afford to spend. The “prime directive” for having fun in a casino is never play more than I’m willing to lose.
Friday night was a wash as I wasn’t hitting anything particularly good, but not badly, either. My hostess made her comment about me and dating and gambling, based on what I was, and wasn’t doing, that night.
Saturday was different. I start with a “bank,” and when that’s all gone, I play no more. Or, as the case was, I started with Friday’s leftover cash, and continued to play smart.
I was stuck outside the lady’s restroom, waiting on a girl, and I looked at the machine there, dropped two quarters in, and hit $20. She came out of the restroom as I was scooping up my 80 quarters.
Saturday night, after the wedding, and after hanging around one casino for while, we wandered back to another place where I really wanted to drop a C-note into a dollar slot machine. I did. It ran down a ways, then back up to $99 so I cashed out. Then, I was still feeling lady Luck smiling on me, Moon in Virgo and not void-of-course, so I hit several machines, looking for that lucky pull. It came on the end. Two tokens, hit $180. I was going to stop for the night. Cashed out ahead. Went back to the hotel, but I loitered in the lobby casino long enough to hit one more dollar machine for more money. Still way ahead.
Sunday night, smart money said this one machine was going to do it. I remember, a little earlier, doing rather well on one “Wheel of Fortune” machine, doubling my money and then some, only, it was a nickel machine, think about $50 in quarters, takes two casino buckets to haul that stuff around.
Then came the last machine of the night, last one of the trip. I still had a single $100 bill, saved for that last machine. Cash wise, I was still way ahead of the game. I dropped it in a “double diamond” machine, played 5 quarters on each pull, and I watched as my money almost doubled. Kept playing. I know, my rule is to stop when I’m ahead, but it was fun, and it had some animations that were amusing, plus, I’d go down, and then it would jackpot back up. I felt like I was on that machine for three or four hours. I stopped when I still had some money left, but no, I didn’t have more than I started. But it was fun. Almost. Close. Chasing that big win, caught in the spirit of the moment.
Las Vegas: fun place to visit. Came home with enough winnings to cover the rent next month – gaming in a workman-like manner. Virgo Moon.
