I Was A Vegas Whale
I’ve been slacking a bit on my blog lately, but you know, the holidays. Actually the holidays have nothing to do with it, but it’s just such an easy excuse for everything. Late to meet someone? “Sorry, holiday traffic.” Want to cancel the meeting all together? “It’s a bad time- the holidays.” Want to eat something naughty? “Why not? It’s the holidays.” Pulled over by a cop? “Pleeeeeease?! It’s the holidays.”
Anyway, after I wrote my last blog, I remembered something lucky that happened to me. Well, I don’t think it would actually be considered luck but it was probably the only time I benefitted from other people’s incompetence.
About four years ago, I visited Vegas pretty regularly. I was receiving so many room comps I couldn’t use all of them. Then the Paris Hotel and Casino sent me some great ones (which I thought was odd because I’d only played there a couple times). The offers were amazing: two or three nights room, $100 slot comp, $100 food comp, VIP receptions with gifts and entry to million dollar prize tournaments (that cost around $2000 for others to enter). I didn’t question my new status, just took advantage of all I could. I participated in the black jack tournaments and even a six hour bingo tournament (naturally, I won nothing). This went on for several months.
One day I called to make reservations for an offer and the lady took some time processing the information. She came back on the line and said, “I’m looking at your play history and I’m wondering, what’s your average bet?”
I told her, “Oh, around 25 dollars.”
She said, “There’s been some sort of mistake. We have you rated at four thousand dollars a hand.”
My initial instinct told me to say, “Well, I start at 25 dollars and if I win the hand, I bump it up to four grand.” But I didn’t think she’d buy it.
She told me that she’d honor the room comp but I wouldn’t be able to participate in the tournament. Damn, the jig was up!
Needless to say, I was pretty surprised when I received more deals after that which, of course, I quickly scooped up. One of the offers included a couple days over New Year’s and tickets to see Don Rickles (where I was set to party with Rickles and Aaron Spelling- I gotta relay that story in my next blog).
I learned that the Paris’ incompetence extended beyond their player’s club. On one occasion, I was arriving late and called to have them hold my room. As I always do, I requested the closest room to the casino (I’m a gambler- I don’t have time for lengthy elevator rides and long hallways). Sure enough, they gave me almost the exact opposite: a junior suite one floor from the top. Most people wouldn’t be too disappointed with an error like that but since I probably only spent about two hours total in the room, I’d have preferred the Marlboro-scented housekeeping closet right off the casino floor.
But all good things must come to an end (at least for me). After a few months, I called to abuse another offer and I think I got the lady who caught the $4000 error the first time. This time she put a stop to the freebies for good and I’ve never heard from the Paris since. In an instant, my status dropped from Vegas whale to Vegas guppy. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
