Traveling Around - Casinos - Biloxi, MS - Birthday In Biloxi

We weren't in any rush in leaving Destin. Stopped along the way. When we got to Biloxi, we realized we could have been more timely in arriving at the buffet.

We had decided that we'd have the lunch buffet at the IP - not doing any gambling. Not having parked at the IP in years (I'd been arriving via charter buses when visiting) I wasn't sure about parking but took a chance on the westernmost parking garage. Guessed right 'cause when we took the elevator to the casino floor, we were almost at the entry to the buffet.

Since it was my birthday, I went down to the Player's Club to inquire about birthday promotions and found that I just needed to swipe my Player's Club Card at a kiosk and I could get a slip comping my buffet. I promptly did that. Since it was Wednesday, Sharon's lunch was half price. Both of us ate for around $8.

Problem that occurred was that we were something after 2 PM entering the buffet and they attached a little slip to your receipt that said you were welcome to stay after 3 PM when the dinner buffet began but you'd need to upgrade via your waitress to the evening meal. Instead we stayed cheap and loaded up before the dreaded 3 PM hour. IP buffet was as good as I'd remembered and I was happy that I'd spent my birthday meal there.

After eating, didn't stop to gamble but went to Harrah's for check in. Curious about the "RESORT FEE", I inquired and found that it included basic wifi (basic as opposed to high speed) and the spa and a couple other benefits that were as unusable as the spa. Got a room that was nicer than we remembered the Harrah's rooms as being. Still had a view of the parking garage from the room.

Did some minimal unpacking and headed for the casino. First stop, Player's Club as it was my birthday and I wanted to check for promotions. First win of the trip was $10 in free play.

I had decided earlier that this trip I was simply going to have fun on the video poker machines. I wasn't going to pay much attention to the payoff schedule. I was only going to play nickels. And, I was only going to play 5 nickels at a time. With this as my guide, I found a nickel machine and thought that perhaps my $10 in free play would last me for an hour or so.

Without any tremendous payoffs - there were a couple 4 of a kinds - at the end of an hour, I had $25.10 on the machine. Considered it for a few minutes and printed out a ticket.

I wandered around a little and did see a new game that I still do not quite understand. It was in the majority a baccarat game that was played in the same fashion as the live table game only that it was completely automated. Additionally, however, there was a roulette wheel associated with the game that I never saw anyone actually play. So, I don't know whether the roulette wheel was just a leftover that was there from a previous floor arrangement or if in some way it could be activated and played. Wasn't interested enough to ask.

In my wandering I did stop by the high limit area and looked for video poker. There were four machines ($1 to $5 denominations) with nothing great that I could see on the pay table. There was one player. He'd played a five-play at $5 for an investment of $125 on two different machines and was sitting idly by the machines that had locked up for a hand pay on each of them. I'd think at that level, they'd be locking up quite often.

Up to the room for a nap.

Stayed upstairs for a couple hours and then (unable to find Jeopardy on the television), I went back down to the casino. Sat down at the same video poker machine and over the course of a couple hours turned my $25.10 ticket into an $18.10 ticket. Took my ticket and ran away to my room, happy to have spent my birthday eating for free and playing video poker for several hours with a profit.

Up on Thursday and breakfasted on King Cake that we'd gotten the day before at a Walmart on the way to Biloxi. Then, out to Thrift Stores - one of our major hobbies. We went to five different stores. Only one of them was a real dud. Sharon found things in four of them that she bought. I bought a total of four books (at .50 each) that looked like fun to read.

We'd intended to have lunch at the Harrah's buffet but had found that it didn't open until later for dinner on most days so we stopped at a McDonald's for a snack to tide us over. Back to the casino for another try at losing my $18.10.

The same machine was vacant and after an hour or so I had $22.10 (I'm not sure where that .10 came from. It must have been unnoticed on the machine when I started) I decided it was nap time. I took my cashout slip up to the room for some rest. Still couldn't find Jeopardy so napped for a bit.

Went down to the buffet about 5. Sharon treated us with points on her Player's Club card and continued to marvel that she had enough points. I pointed out that we were using her TR credit card to pay for prescriptions and that gave us points. I don't think she quite believed me but we ate on her points.

We both sat down at video poker. I found the same machine empty and she landed next to me. She lasted about 10 minutes before she decided she wanted to play quarters and she wandered off. I started again with my $22.10 and happily played looking for that elusive royal. It didn't happen but I did see a couple more four of a kind.

I, too, finally tired of the machine but true to my decision, I got a ticket out of the machine for $18.10. I dutifully smiled and thanked the machine, went to a cashout machine, and got my money. Stuffed it in my pocket and called an end to my Harrah's gambling experience.

Up to the room and watched the tube for a bit. Slept like a baby and was up and ready to hit the road on Friday.

Had fun on the nickel video poker (isn't fun what it is all about?). Will probably try again next year on my birthday as the birthday coincides with a trip north after wintering in Destin. Since we only live about 5 miles from Soaring Eagle Casino in mid Michigan, there's never a problem in getting my gambling hungers sated.