The Lure of the Local Casino.

In the distant past I have enjoyed vacationing in Las Vegas or Reno.  They were fun destinations, not just because of gambling but there was entertainment, great food and local attractions to visit.  Sure, I would gamble but it was included in my planned vacation expenses.

Several years ago, sometime in the mid 90's, a small casino opened locally.  My husband and I had heard  about it and decided to go out there and check it out.  I was very disappointed.  First it looked like it was in a large tent.  The machines weren't the same as in Nevada where you put in your coins and pull the handle and hope a bunch of coins spill out.  You bought some type of pull tab type thing that you fed into the machine and then played off of it.  The buffet was a line of roped off tables running down through the middle of this tent.  Needless to say I wasn't impressed with the experience and didn't want to go back.  Unless it was a "real" casino I wasn't interested!

Fast forward several years to 2010.  My sister and Mom decided to take my daughter to that same old local casino for her 21st birthday.  I wasn't interested in going.  I still had that mental picture of how it looked the one time I had been there.  After thinking it over I decided to go along and see what it was like now.  After all it was my daughter's birthday! Was I ever amazed!  This was a big casino.  No more tent!  It had restaurants, bars a hotel and lots and lots of machines.  You walk in and it looks like something you'd find in Reno or Vegas!  I was thrilled!

You still didn't feed coins in and pull the handle but at least you could put your own money in and then cash out and carry that little ticket around, which is actually easier than a big bucket of coins.

That was the beginning of numerous trips to our local casino and even venturing out to other casinos within an hour or so drive.  We would go there for a fairly inexpensive but delicious dinner at their deli or buffet.  We would play a few dollars and hope for the elusive "big" jackpot and then we'd go home.  It became our local entertainment.

No I haven't become a gambling addict.  I would hate to become one of those many gamblers I see that win a $1000 jackpot or larger and don't even bat an eye because it's not that big of a deal to them.  I get excited when I win $20 and you should've seen my face when I won a $400 jackpot! I go with a budget and don't spend more than what I plan, usually.  I don't withdraw more money out of the ATM.  If I win a jackpot I cash out and hit the road before I spend it all trying to win more.  More often than not I don't win that jackpot so, if the machines are tight I lose the desire to go back for a while until the craving for some of their delicious Pho hits me.  They really do have good food!

Last summer my husband and I drove down to Reno for the first time in 13 years.  We had a good time but this time I was disappointed at how it compared to our casino, back home.  The machines were older and worn.  The food wasn't that great.  My own bed was more comfy.  Next time maybe we'll just spend the night at one of the casino resorts nearby and save a lot of money and a numb butt from all of that driving, although I really did like those jumbo frozen margaritas! :o)