After being in Tampa FL for 3 months we’ve finally hit the road and tonight we find ourselves at Miccosukee Resort and Gaming in South Florida on US-41, west of Miami. We’ve driven by this casino a dozen times but this is the first time we’ve stopped in. So here’s a story of me listening to my own advice:
Tip #1. Do your research. Find out about the casino’s parking policies ahead of time, especially if you’re arriving late.
Sometimes I just check reports from readers on my website www.casinocamper.com, but this time I also called the casino and asked about their RV parking policy. Yes, we could park there overnight and I needed to check in with security upon our arrival.
Tip #2. Check in with someone at the casino when you arrive, preferably Security.
Some casinos have a specific process you must follow and they enforce their rules. Others are laissez faire. Miccosukee enforces their rules and you need to register and get a pass to put in the window or you’re likely to have a knock on the door in the middle of the night.
Tip #3. Always visit the slot club (player’s club, rewards center) and ask if they have anything special going on. Do this especially the first time you visit a casino because many will have “new player” incentives. Also do it every time you visit a casino that you don’t play at regularly.
Miccosukee has a bonus for new players. Because this was our first visit we each received $20 in free-play and a 2 for 1 buffet coupon. Also, because February is my birth month, I received an extra $10 free play. Cool! The buffet was $11 each, so we paid $11 for one and received the second free. The other 2 for 1 coupon is still good for 30 days so we’ll use it when we come back through the area.
After eating dinner it was time to use the $50 free-play. The rule about free-play is; you have to “play it through” once before you can cash out. Here’s an example of how it works: You put the $50 coupon into a machine and play $2.50 a hand. You count your hands until you’ve played 20 ($2.50 x 20 hands = $50). Then whatever is left on the machine is yours to keep in cash. We played through our $50 free-play and managed to cash out about $35. I call that a successful night!
Remember the three tips to being a happier casino camper; do your research, check in with security, and visit the players club!
Happy travels, and good luck in the casinos!