Various travel considerations

[Marvin]

I'm curious how those of you who travel frequently to play factor in travel times, expenses, and opportunity costs to decide whether or not a trip is worth it.

Do you look at it as a ratio ( if the EV is > 20x cost, then it's a go)?
Do you look at it in absolute terms (if the trip is worth > X after expenses then it's a go)?
How do you factor in opportunity cost of not being able to play a more convenient game with a lower EV, or of missing someone's b.day party?

How about trip duration? Go for 3-4 days and return every few months, or go for 2-3+ weeks until you're invited not to play anymore, something else? If you have the flexibility and do some of each, then what helps inform your decision?

I'm not looking for answers to a problem, just curious about how you guys approach this.

I'll start off:
I've been using a rough 10:1 EV to expense ratio if flying is involved. I'm willing to go a bit lower if the game is something other than straight counting(it may seem counter intuitive as non-count plays are frequently much more lucrative, but I put a premium on the generally lower N0 from non-count plays), in a place that's expensive to reach, or in a place where I've never been and want to visit anyway.

I'm more likely to consider personal/social opportunity costs than fiscal ones, and will schedule trips around important birthdays, events, etc.

I generally do short AP trips.
I have done a few long (6+ weeks) trips in the past 2 years, but less than half of the time on those trips was dedicated to AP.

[LVBear584]

My general requirement is estimated EV of at least $1,000 per day after all expenses. I prefer short trips of 3-4 days max. I fly if more than a four-hour one-way drive would be necessary, and sometimes fly to an additional city(ies) on the same trip. Example: Fly LV to CITY1; fly CITY1 to CITY2; fly CITY2 back to LV.

[Three]

Usually you can find casino incentives that will cover the cost of the trip. I showed up for a mystery rewards multiplier which turned out to be 20x reward points earned. I earned over $1000 in comp points playing my normal game play. I converted some to free slot play on a couple of future trips and used some to buy into a tournament. I moneyed in the tournament for another $1000 in free slot play. I usually get enough incentives that the additional EV more than covers travel expenses. Even as a red chipper there was days where incentives were large enough that their EV covered trip expenses. Sometimes promos make much longer drives worth it. I was driving 6 hours each way for a 1 day a week promo that gave me an off the top advantage in BJ. I had to rent a hotel my first trip because I had never been to the casino before. After that they comped me a room each week. I was a red chipper back then but with the risk of ruin reduction of the off the top advantage I was a green chipper while keeping my RoR the same. If you play rated getting to RFB status saves a lot of expenses. Learn to work the system. There are often players clubs that you can eat at for free. Suits often can give discretionary comps. A host can be a big help when it comes to understanding what type of action is required for various comps. Invite only tournament entry is also a great perk. Many promos or incentives are pretty worthless. Learn what ones are worth more.

Of course if you don't play rated you must find another way to cover expenses. In my red chipping days I would plan recreation and take advantage of any normal travel that took me close to casinos. The travel costs were already a part of my life whether I visited the casino or not. The incentives were far less in the red chipping days. I was being trained by some big time APs in a town with a casino cluster. I didn't play there because the games sucked for a red chipper but the several hour drive for multi-day one on one mentoring took me past casinos with great games for a red chipper. I would play those casinos on both legs of travel on each trip. Often visits to see medical specialists took me into areas with great games. The only game I would travel to just to play as a red chipper was a good $5 game. These low limits are almost impossible to find in my area. My spread was doubled or tripled at these minimums so even though there were slightly better games to be had the increase in my spread made the trip worth the drive where great games with a smaller spread I preferred to wait to get other things to cover travel expenses as has been described.

I did tag along on some of the high rollers I knew from my craps playing days. As long as I would spend some time throwing the dice for them they would cover my trip expenses. We are talking limo and giant suite and meals at the best restaurants. They wouldn't even let me pick up the tip. If I didn't want to risk my own money often they would stake me (at the $25 table minimum on the pass line) and I could keep the profits. Some of the nicer ones would put up full odds for me. I asked some of them about whether or not I was taking advantage of them and usually I get an answer like, "See that new mercedes or yacht? My investment in you paid for that. If anything I am taking advantage of you. Want to go fishing tomorrow. It is on me." I never paid much attention to what they won. I needed to be focused on my game. I knew they had some 6 figure days when I was really on.

Sharing expenses with others can really help cover costs as well. Making your own jerky and trail mix is not just for hiking, hunting, fishing and camping. I make my own dried tomatoes from my garden. They make an excellent addition to trail mix. If you don't have a garden you can buy tomato "seconds" in season very cheap and dry them in a dehydrator if your climate doesn't allow for sun drying. A tomato second is one that is a nice tomato but not perfect enough to sell in the market. I think sometimes they just have more than they can sell and just pick the best ones for their farm's market and sell the rest as seconds.

Back in my youthful bowhunting days I would make what I called dope dodgers for when the bugs were hellacious. It was like trail mix in a corn muffin with lots of the pot leaves that you would need to bust a lung on to get high. If you cooked with the leaves you could get really high. It made it easy to sit motionless in the middle of clouds of mosquitoes feasting on you. When the squares were on the trip you could get high discretely. After enough trips all the squares took some dope dodgers with them. When I asked them about it they said the bugs were still hellacious but they didn't care anymore. It turned out one of the old guys was taking a couple dope dodgers with him knowing what they were. He only ate them if the bugs were really bad. He told the other old guys how much more bearable the bugs were and they all started taking them.

I wouldn't recommend getting stoned before you play but jazzed up muffins can make a great breakfast. I used walnuts, dried tomatoes, raisons, shredded coconut, chocolate chips and whatever else was handy. They were quite filling and a satisfying meal. You could make a batch and have your breakfast ready when you wake up every morning at the casino allowing you to hit the tables almost immediately. Time is money and you don't want to waste time unless it is a bad time for the playing conditions you are looking for. You carry the jerky and trail mix and you can grab a snack during the shuffle to keep from wasting time or adding to trip expenses. Whenever conditions suck you could take a traditional meal break rather than play the shit. An occasional comped meal is a nice change of pace. Buffets are quick but the food tends to suck so bad I can only eat the soup and salad. Casinos are more tolerant if you are a cheap date.

[Tarzan]

I'm used to calculating every dime spent, every nickel of gas, factor in any comp incentives, etc. ahead of taking off to gauge that nut and make some estimation of a travel route that makes sense trying to be cost effective. I spent a number of years of my life never being in the same place for more than 30 days, always moving. I've become more sedentary in recent years because of "stuff". The more "stuff" you acquire, the more time you have to spend babysitting and maintaining "stuff".

Travel expenses have become a many splendored thing in the last decade or so with the proliferation of casinos. It used to be flights back and forth between AC and Vegas but it evolved into massive sometimes cross country road trips hitting every casino in the path that was worth hitting at times even though I attempted to stay as local as possible. Travel expenses can eat up a fair amount of money if you don't watch them but you'll have fun so it's worth it! I've braved many a buffet and lived to tell about it.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

Tarzan: "… sedentary in recent years because of "stuff". The more "stuff" you
acquire, the more time you have to spend babysitting and maintaining "stuff".

L.O.L. Great quip by the Late Great George Carlin !

In the last two (2) months I have played Coast to Coast, and from Far North to Far South.

I generally do 3 to 5 days at a time. Twice monthly works for me - but I am semi-retired.

All businesses have operating costs. I cannot help but divide my total expenditures by the

number of days of play that I 'll have on the trip. If I am "unlucky" and can win that amount,

then I have no win, but far more importantly, I have no net loss; and that is refreshingly fine.