Poker, Perks, and Ports

Before I met my husband, I was like many other Las Vegans and avoided the Strip like the plague. Casinos were only good for catching a movie or maybe a round of bowling. Then Nick came into my life, and suddenly, casinos started feeling like a second home. I now know more about gambling, poker, and casino life than I ever thought possible.



Nick was born and raised in Chicago, but Vegas has always been his happy place. He despises the cold and doesn’t miss snowy winters one bit. The man actually complains when the temperature drops into the 70s! Since moving to Las Vegas in 2016, he’s built a life centered around his favorite pastime: poker. He started off playing professionally and eventually began dealing as well. Most of his dealing hours come during big tournaments in June, July, and December. The rest of the year, he often takes time off or cuts his shifts short when the poker room slows down.



One unexpected perk of Nick’s casino world has been the comps, especially the free cruise offers. Thanks to those, we took our very first cruise together this past July and we’re already booked to take the kids on their first sailing this summer once school’s out. It’s an eight-day adventure down the Mexican Riviera and we’re beyond excited. Honestly, without those casino perks, trips like this just wouldn’t be in our budget.



Now, I’m not saying you should run to the nearest casino and start betting big in hopes of scoring freebies. For most people, that’s a fast track to losing a bunch of money and “pre-paying” for whatever reward you’re after. But if you’re like Nick and you’re not actually in the red, the comps can be pretty amazing. Who knew casino life could actually pay off?