By Staff
It was over too soon – a three-day vacation get-away to Atlantic City, N.J. Still, getting away from all responsibilities was worth it.
For those of you who have never experienced a gambling "junket," as it is called in the travel magazine in the back pouch of the airplane seat, it is a "free" trip which can cost a lot of money.
My friend, who I will call "Thelma," had invited me along as her Louise. Before we had gotten on the shuttle from the Grand Rapids Airport parking lot, we had already met "Lucy and Ethel," two ladies from South Haven.
I was impressed by Thelma's use of her new cell phone camera, as she took a photo of our row number where I parked. It sure beats riding around for hours on a bus looking for your car, she said from experience.
The charter group got us through the line quickly and after putting our shoes and sweaters back on after going through security – we were ready to begin the trip.
I was surprised to find drinks were free on the plane and the gambling began while still in the air.
Our guide had us all put a five dollar bill in a plastic bag with our seat number on it. The guy in row 17, won almost $400.
Actually, expenses were going to be very low, any tips, $11 a night for the room, $2 for transportation to a different casino and our guide warned us – "Don't spend your last $5, as there is a 9-1-1 charge to get back on the plane to return."
There were just too many slots and too little money. It doesn't take too long to go through your daily allowance. Good thing you can't get any more out of the ATM until midnight.
So the great beds and pillows got used as we crashed at 8 p.m. the first night.
Casinos really have us mesmerized by all those spinning wheels and bells sounding. We watch as the last reel looks like it is dropping the final "7" in line for a win, only to drop down too far in the last second. So close, but nothing.
Instead of the machine saying winner, it says "game over" and encourages you to spin again.
The machines there wouldn't take anything under a $5 bill, a $100 is prefered.
Penny and nickel slots really sound cheap, but there are buttons to choose which say 10, 20 or even 50 lines. A five cent bet, at 50 lines would be $2.50 every time.
I actually didn't have any wins until the last day, when we went over to the casino next door on a "jitney," which have transported people to the Boardwalk and all the casinos for years.
There, confused by a machine I had never seen at the Blue Chip or Four Winds, I accidentally hit a button marked "max play." A quarter slot, I had spent 25 quarters on one spin. Immediately the face of Cleopatra appeared in the center with match symbols at four corners. Wow, I had just won 1,000 quarters.
For about five minutes it seemed whatever machine I played hit.
I wanted to be like the 82-year-old man who won $4.3 million at a nickel slot that same weekend.
I attempted to change my life with one which had $350,000 as its top prize. I got the three matching ladder symbols and watched with my jaw dropped as it crept up the ladder closer and closer to the top, finally stopping at 250 quarters.
Time to leave, but at least that day's budget was partially in my friend's purse (so I wouldn't spend it.)