Ongoing VP TR, PART 2!

You can find the requirements at gaming.nv.gov
I'd guess 14.040 is relevant

It's fairly easy to certify the random algorithms. And it's much easier to use and certify randomness with payout tables to produce a theoretical payback rate than to rig it. You're just seeing normal variance and applying human tendencies for attempting to discern patterns from inputs.

Is that why you're holding kickers with trip aces in Double Double Bonus?

Thanks for this. That's just what I was curious about. Much appreciated. The mirage of patterns in outcomes can seem so real at times...

also want to add that it'd be more difficult to program a biased machine where the edge would be in influencing draws than it would be to program an unbiased one where the edge is in the payouts

now, could there be a mistake where a machine designed to be unbiased were accidentally biased, yes - but whether or not internal Q&A would not detect or if it'd pass regulatory auditing is another thing

Thanks for posting, Leon. I am not a VP player, but I really enjoy your writing and your honesty. Plus the food and room porn is fabulous! So sorry about the run bad this trip.

Alert! A new restaurant at Wynn (because we all know you're going back there after all this) for next visit. I appoint myself Theead Restaurant Leader and demand (beg) a detailed report (please). You can skip the $999 entree however, that's your call.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifest...

Yeah, holding the kicker on DDB is much better than not holding the kicker on TDB. And I've read players on videopoker.com who always did the latter. Ugh. They shouldn't be playing TDB if they don't hold the kicker.

Bummer you didn't get any traction this trip. It was a nice read otherwise.

Thanks for telling me about this, I had no idea. Definitely going to check it out, if for no other reason than it's something new to eat at the Wynn. Depending on who I go with and how much food comp I have, I might have to get the 999$ entree just because. If I eat there I'll tell you all (all y'all) about it!

9/26-29 TR

Just got back. The backstory on this one is pretty much as soon as the 3/2024 March Madness trip ended, we were all contemplating making it a biannual event. Several of the guys are into handegg (i.e., American football) so the timing made sense. Obv, I'm not into handegg, but I don't need a reason to come to Vegas.

Fast forward to now, and with a bankroll on life support I'm sort of regretting this trip. I don't NEED to go- this is optional. And, I've got another trip lined up later this year that if I could only pick one, I'd pick over this Sept trip. Additionally, several of the guys can't make it so this trip will have a much different flavor than March Madness.

On the other hand, I'm sort of locked in. I do want to go, obv. One of the guys who is going "needs" me to go so he can stay in the connecting room. Whatever- it's fine, I can practice survival skills.

The crew-
- me, D, S and (new) B all return from March Madness. This is a different B than my colleague who's been in many of my TRs. B has a conference at Mandalay starting Sun when I leave, so timing-wise this works out perfectly for him, but it's also why he needs a room. Mandalay is taken care of by him/conference.
- S's wife, D's wife and S's infant baby and mom are also coming. D's wife to watch the Browns/Raiders game, S's wife to hang out, and S's mom to babysit the child. D is putting them all up in a regular Wynn room.

Agenda-
Thurs- B, D, wife and I get in. Dinner at Smith/Wollensky to try their hanging Tomahawk.
Fri- S and crew get in. Dinner at L'atelier de Joel Robuchon, Dueling Pianos at NYNY
Sat- dinner at Mizumi
Sun- I head back. Handegg fans see the game.

Bankroll- 40k. From a money management perspective I've got things totally mapped out. Max loss allowed increases each day- 7, 9, 11 and 13k respectively. This SHOULD allow me to not ever be super short for the whole trip, but at the cost of potentially not being able to gamble much at ALL on a day if I start off badly. On the other hand, I do have 9.5k free credit. I'll just have to play super slowly, lots of craps with D, and hope for an early monster.

Other stuff- we're staying at the Wynn obv. I definitely miss it and my last trip at FB just wasn't amazing. I really WANT to like FB, and I do, but I love the Wynn. Objectively, my host is being more his usual great self like in the past- very responsive, lots of free credit this time, and most importantly my slot tourney/giveaway offers have returned. So I'll stay with them as long as they're back to the old Wynn I loved.

Day 1 coming soon...

Day 1

D and wife get in an hr before me, but elect to wait at the airport so we can all ride to the Wynn together. I'd NEVER do that, but sure... an hr in Vegas when I first get in, just cooling my jets knowing the Wynn is 5 min away? No thank you.

Never gets old.

My bag is literally the first one on the carousel. That's never happened before, and I hope it's a sign of run good as opposed to "using up all rungood".

We get checked in- for once, my main room is ready even though the connector is not. B doesn't get in for a few hrs so we've got some time. D and wife are going to chill for a bit, I want to get my gamble on.

View from the room. No need for the same Parlor Suite pics which you've all seen many times in these TRs.

I decide to play 5 line UX. For the most part, I know I won't be able to play 10 line UX or spin much, if at all. Too swingy and my bankroll isn't big enough, esp on this first day. Plus, I have to budget 1.5k today for craps with D, so realistically I only have 5.5k today for VP. I've got the free credit, of course, but I don't want to crack into that unless I have to.

At least I'm on the board early.

The machine is letting me play. I pick up dealt quads very soon after!

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I'll take it, obv, but need these to be premium!

After a bit, the machine cools off and I head to hi limit to coast on the multiline machine. Unfortunately, several of the machines are down, including the one I want. They've got techs working on them but it looks like a big issue.

The new area of hi limit. Really nice, unfortunately nothing in there I want to play LOL.

I head over to craps and meet up with D and wife. It's a decent first session, in for only 1.5k and out for 2.5k. It's not a loss. D's wife goes upstairs to get some work done, B is here but also working so D and I head back to UX. We dump some money.

OK, first royal of the trip!

I think we've cycled over 1000 hands at this point and still haven't been dealt premium trips once. We've even hit a royal and been dealt quads! While I'm not unhappy with the way this trip is going, this won't be survivable without a steady diet of good draws.

Definitely take this one.

From that point on, it's a dump. I give back several K to UX, check hi limit again and the machine is still down, give spin a try and dump 1k ultrafast which leads me to keep going and of course I torch another 1k. At this point, I think I'm even for VP and +1k on craps. Could be a lot worse, I suppose. I head upstairs to change then we all walk to the Venetian.

This place is all the way at the end of the Venetian Canal Shoppes. I don't think I've been this far into the shops in my life. All food 7/10, the steak was 9/10 presentation and the potatoes that caught all the beef tallow drippings were 10/10. The steak itself was just good, no different than any other good steak in any other good steakhouse. Glad we went though, the company and trying some place new alone made it worth it. It also wasn't super expensive.

We elect to walk back outside... so full.

I head up to the room to change. B says he'll do the same, but he never comes back down. I learn over the course of the trip that a) he's quite an introvert and b) really doesn't gamble at all so hanging out on the floor holds little appeal for him.

My snacks have arrived.

D and I play some VP and I lose 2k. He heads to craps and I stay put and lose more. I end up losing all 7k I'd allotted for the day (not counting 1k profit on craps) and decide I'll use 3k of free play.

Basically 100% payback, can't complain about that.

I then play on and donk off almost all of it before heading up to bed. Not a super exciting day gambling wise, but I did survive and today was the shortest day bankroll-wise of any of them. In fact, I lost less than budgeted, so in a way I'm "up", right? STILL haven't been dealt trip aces and I've cycled in over 2500 hands! That part has me really worried... SO under aced right now!

Day 1 result- -5.5k
Dealt quads- 1

Day 2 coming soon...

those potatoes look vvvg

Wow. Never had dealt quads in my life.
Haven't had a royal in 3 years.

But I've had unusual runbad all year. Tier credits have been very hard to come by. Poker has been similar.

Day 2

I wake up at my normal early time. I've got slightly more to play with today, and I didn't lose my entire stake yesterday, so I'm feeling ok right now. Still got a lot of free credit left too. Today's really important.

I sit down at UX and it's cold. The multiline machine at hi limit is STILL down. Damn. I sit old school and get a bailout.

After I get paid, I realize that there are other multiline machines out on the floor. They don't have fast pay but it's better than nothing. So I head over there even for the day.

Obv I can get "dealt" quad aces in this scenario. Duh.

As can be seen, I had plenty of hits. Only downside is cold streaks with this many lines really hurt, and I tipped off at least 50$ getting the machines unlocked. I finally got up up ?maybe 1000 for the AM. I head to UX and decide to dip my toes into 10 play for a bit.

Up more now with these hits!

Give some back, move to spin. This machine has to heat up soon, right?

This is the only hit of this session. I give back way too much at spin, and I believe I head to breakfast up a whole 2k for the day.

We're eating at Tableau. B can't join us bc of work so it's just me, D and his wife.

After breakfast, I elect to hit the machines for a bit. D and wife are going to chill in the room and then I'm supposed to meet D for craps.

I'm even for the day when I hit dealt quads number 2!

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This is WAY more like it!

Text D the pic/good news, then keep going with 10 play.

Great draw here.

Give a few k back and move to spin, again.

I manage to donk off way too much money to spin, AGAIN! I think at my height I was up almost 25k for the day. Of course, managed to donate 5k to spin and with what I gave back to UX, I'm up 17k for the day. I'll still take it but that was dumb.

Head up to shower, then back downstairs. I check hi limit and the machine is finally up and working. So of course I play and lose 3k pretty quickly. D comes by, he suggests... poker? He's doing poorly at craps, we could play slowly... sure, why not? He says they had a 1-2 PLO game last night. That's a little small for me, but the goal here is to survive and kill time. Sure, let's do it. We walk over to Encore for my first live poker session in a decade!

Feels REALLY weird to be seated at a poker table for some reason.

We're on both the 5-5 and 1-2 PLO lists. I would have been content to play 1-2, but D signed up for 5-5 as well so I figure why not. I'm actually surprised he signed up for 5-5- I'm not sure he realizes how big that game can play or that the competition may be tougher than he thinks. Since our home game has been going strong, my read on D's abilities is that he definitely can play, and he'd crush any low limit/amateur game, BUT also that he's not as good as he thinks he is. Having not played a serious hand of poker in a decade, I'm completely aware that I might not be a favorite here either, but there's not a shadow of a doubt I'm still a better player than him. I'm prepared to lose but I think I'll be ok. D I'm a little worried about.

While we're waiting, I actually feel like a noob and get a brief moment of anxiety. I've never played in the "new" Wynn room. I have no idea what the bring in is, how the rock functions, etc. Then, I realize that it should be like riding a bike, I'm still probably better than most of these people and hey, it's for sums much smaller than I might donk off at the machine anyways. Once I got seated all that nervousness faded in 5 min.

Anyways, D gets a seat in 5-5 and I'm next up. They seat me at 1-2 so that game doesn't break and I have to stay for about 20 min until they can move me to 5-5. Eventually I get a seat and D has a monster stack. He's up at least 2k. I learned it was all from one pot where he flopped middle set and it held up. Not knowing the board or how the hand played out, I infer the game must be good for him to more than double up with middle set. In point of fact, the game is EXCELLENT. 2 absolute donators and a couple of open book players. I know how arrogant this is going to sound but I'm the best player in the game not having played PLO seriously in OVER a decade. Plus, I have the best seat in the house, with position on the one guy who I read as tricky/dangerous.

So, it's nut-peddling time. I really have no other option- there are no bluffs here, and if I donate with 4th nuts to a fish's 3rd nuts I've only got myself to blame. A regular in the game remarks to me, "this is a really good game right now. Normally it's full of pros". I could see that, softest 5-5 anything I've ever seen.

I sit there and mostly fold. I'm getting bored but hey, we've got an early dinner and I'm just killing time anyways. Maybe I stack a fish once or twice before I leave. Then, D gets involved in a double board time pot with a tight, straightforward player. Tight guy pots the flop, D calls.

Turns bring in multiple draws. Tight pots, D thinks for a while and says "I flopped middle set on both boards". WTF are you talking for D? This isn't our home game! Both flops came with a jack and a five, so if true D's got a set of 5s. I could easily see tight guy flopping top set of jacks on both boards. WTF is D talking for. He must be folding. D... calls???!!!

River- no board pair, not that I thought it would help D anyways. WTF are you doing here dude. Tight pots all in. D calls all in. This is a 6k pot at least. This isn't going to end well for D...

Tight turns over two multiway draws that both got there. No set of jacks, not that it matters. Tight scoops. D is visibly upset and heads to the room for more money. Ugh. I feel bad for D but I think he really played that poorly.

As the game goes on, D doesn't come back. He's too tilted from his loss. Turns out, one of the fish flashed him a jack, so he KNEW tight couldn't have flopped top set. OK, that makes a little more sense... I still don't like his turn call though. It's too high variance, esp bc D is playing on short money. I feel bad for him, of course. I grind for another hr or so, never get involved in a pot of consequence and rack up up a few hundred. That was fun! Sort of.

Head back for a small UX session before dinner. I've been dealt trip aces today, but am still way behind overall for the trip.

OMG this could be a monster.

Result-

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ARGH. Have to capitalize on these!

That's it. Upstairs to change- we've got a long, non-gambling night ahead of us. We're eating at L'atelier Robuchon!

As usual- food 9/10. Experience 10/10. The potatoes were 10/10 this time for some reason and I ate every bite/drop. Also, desserts 9/10 as well. I never have the room at this stage, but had to squeeze it in this time. My only complaint about this place is their bourbon- they have Maker's Mark (LOL), then Blanton's (I'd rather have Makers), then it jumps up to the most overpriced bourbon on the planet, Pappy. WTF. Give me something in the middle will ya.

We walk to NYNY for dueling pianos.

Quite a line here- and we have reservations!

Apparently this guy came in 6th on one season of American Idol? He was a guest performer, randomly hanging with his friends. Thought that was kind of cool that he got to play, although it all could have been pre-arranged.

We stay for a few hrs and had a ton of fun. Initially I was a little worried the others weren't as in to things as I was, but alcohol works wonders and they all seemed to eventually loosen up. It's near midnight when we head back to the Wynn.

Rest of day 2 coming soon... up 15k for the day so far.

Nice update, especially cool to see some poker sprinkled in 😀

I will show my nerdiness by saying that I immediately recognized the person in your picture. I used to watch American Idol seasons religiously around that time, and I believe this is Casey Abrams:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Abrams

en

Casey Abrams - Wikipedia

Definitely not a generic 'Idol' pop musician, but I can see him working well in this format with just a microphone and a piano.

by BigWhale k

Nice update, especially cool to see some poker sprinkled in 😀

I will show my nerdiness by saying that I immediately recognized the person in your picture. I used to watch American Idol seasons religiously around that time, and I believe this is Casey Abrams:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Abrams

en

Casey Abrams - Wikipedia

Definitely not a generic 'Idol' pop musician, but I can see him working well in this format with just a microphone and a piano.

That is indeed the guy! I recognize the name now that you've reminded me.

Glad L'atelier is still holding up, my wife and I will be eating there in a couple of weeks

What a great all round day! Glad you had a win

The food looks truly incredible. How much was the meal pp?

I think it was 390 with alcohol, tax, tip. So 320ish pre tip?

Rest of Day 2

We catch a ride back to the Wynn. Most people head to bed, I think D played some craps, I decide to hit the machines. I'm up for the day and the trip has been going pretty well all things considered.

I go to hi limit and dump off 3k pretty fast. I elect to use some of my free credit.

Start, end and result. 133% payback, great result.

Amazing draw here, no doubt about it. I'm still under-aced, but if more draws end up like this it'll make up for it.

I trade punches until 1am. That's way too late. I wish I had gone to bed earlier, but the machine was decent and I figure I have nothing on the agenda tomorrow. I can take a nap. Could have locked in a bigger win, but them's the breaks. This was a net 7k session.

Day 2 result- +22k
Overall- + 16.5k
Dealt quads- 2, 1 premium
5 digit hits- 1

Day 3

I sleep in just a bit, but wake up far too early given how late I went to bed. Stumble downstairs and immediately start losing. Laying in bed I KNEW I should just try and fall back asleep, but I couldn't. I'm up, and that part of me wants to play. The experienced part of me knows just how fast things can turn though- there's no need to rush this. So annoying how I can't sleep in Vegas.

I dump off 5k and decide to use yet more free play.

Start and end, ~90% payback.

I hit absolutely nothing with that, and move to spin. Spin is the one machine this trip that has been ice cold- maybe feeding some free play into it will make it turn?

Start and end, with a handpay mixed in there. Over 100% payback.

Only jackpot from this machine after all the free credit.

Woof. Rough session. I think I dumped 10k this AM. I'm barely up. Spin has just been SO cold this trip. I make the walk of shame to Jardin to meet everyone for breakfast.

Steak and eggs were on point this AM, 9/10. That sauce was new to me, really tasty.

After breakfast, we finally convince S to hit the craps table with us. He's not comfortable playing on his own, so he partners with me and we have him shoot/handle chips as applicable. It's a decent session and the table was mostly empty so it was a great spot for him to learn. During one roll, D and I finally manage to get the 8 to 1200$ (first 4 figure bet this trip) and S was physically shaking he was so nervous. He wanted to take the bets down lol and D and I had to explain to him that we weren't anywhere near table max, can't stop won't stop, keep it going etc. We survived a few more rolls before the 7 out, never did hit that 1200$. I think I won 2k that session after I gave S his share. Small wins...

Back to VP, down 8k for the day. It's awful, and I dump 3k. I decide to head up for a nap. Everyone else is heading to the pool, but I really don't feel like fighting for a seat down there/drinking. I'm too tired for that and if I'm not gambling, I need to sleep. After my nap, I check in with everyone- still at the pool. D is playing craps poolside. Hmmm... nah. Let's hit the machines again.

And... I dump another 10k. I'm down 21k for the day now. I'm hardly stuck for the trip, but today really seems to be that horrible buzzsaw of a day with VP that I can never seem to entirely avoid. Below is only hit of note.

Once again, the majority of the loss was on spin. I was dealt premium trips many times but obv missed them all. It feels like the machines do that to suck you in- it SEEMS like the next chance is just around the corner, but when none of them ever come to fruition...

I had texted D while I was getting pummeled about playing craps inside. He said he was game and asked me to wait for him, but then he didn't show for some reason. So now that I've dumped a ton back to VP he's FINALLY ready. We find a table and I really wonder how things would be if we'd been playing craps earlier. Not his fault, obv, and let's see what happens. Maybe today will be a good day for craps.

I didn't lose that much this session, but that's mostly bc we lost FAST, in the most tilting way possible. Every negative superstition came true, and I rage quit about 10 min down 2k, down 23k for the day now. I had told myself that I wasn't going to play anymore VP today, but that sht craps session and tilt made that go out the window.

I shove 100s in the UX machine as fast as it will take them and put the machine on turbo. I'm on frickin' tilt. Can't believe how under-aced I've been this trip. Can't believe how long it's been since I've been dealt the nuts in this casino (over a year, and D and I have been rooting for the nuts every one of our prior sessions, to no avail obv). 3rd hand in, it hits me with dealt quads for the third time this trip...

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!!!!!!!!!!

To be continued...

Do not unspoil until you've read the last update.

it was so nice to open that last spoiler! LFG!

A couple of nice multipliers too!

Just when I was about to complain about my needing to read (rather than skim) the text better because just seeing the pics was not giving me an accurate picture of what was happening ...

BOOM!

Ain't that just like vp?!?!

Grats! Now we need one more big pop like that on this trip to tote home something worthwhile!

always love living vicariously through your updates leon
whiile also being amply reminded about my own financial guardrails
you aught to carry on and smooth sailing as you do