Yo-Eleven Minutes Mostly Vegas. No BS. Casino Experience +more ⬇️ Yo-11 Minutes: Episode 12 "Can You Wynn?" On this episode: -MegaBucks Hits in Vegas for 12 MIL 🎰 -What makes a 5-star hotel? 🏨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Yo-Eleven Minutes Mostly Vegas. No BS. Casino Experience +more ⬇️ Yo-11 Minutes: Episode 12 "Can You Wynn?" On this episode: -MegaBucks Hits in Vegas for 12 MIL 🎰 -What makes a 5-star hotel? 🏨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Welcome to Yo 11 Minutes. Yo 11 Minutes mostly Vegas, no BS, casino Experience and more. Michael Traeger is a casino and travel loyalty expert who also helps people turn their travel dreams into reality. And now, michael Traeger, how's it going?
Speaker 2:
Michael, it's going great, but actually I am so excited for this episode. No, I truly, I truly am, because I am touching on a couple of topics that are absolutely things that I love to talk about, and I'm also day number two of getting excited for my Vegas trip. I'm getting super excited. I'm actually going to quiz you. Can you guess the two restaurants I'm going to eat at? I have dinner reservations for at Win Las Vegas.
Speaker 1:
Well, I know some, can I?
Speaker 2:
give you a hint, sure. Well, one of the hints will be really easy.
Speaker 1:
I am not all that familiar with restaurants at Win because it is so above my affordability so I sense I wouldn't know anyway. But you can quiz me if you will.
Speaker 2:
Well, I'll just give you, I'll just cut to it, less certain it's not the ones you expect.
Speaker 1:
Parasail down up.
Speaker 2:
That's the bar. That's really cool.
Speaker 1:
Okay, all right, I'm going to go to the restaurants there.
Speaker 2:
Now they have aft bar, so actually, where I'm eating the two places I have reservations for. I'm not sure if this will truly happen, but the two places I have reservations for are Wing Le and Delilah. Now Wing Le is, I would consider, one of the best bougie ass Chinese restaurants in the entire world, which makes it good in the genre of what it is but does not necessarily make it the best Chinese food in the world, because I think many Chinese restaurants that are more like dives or better you know can be, can be better, but it's, it's really. It's really, as far as bougie Chinese goes, thumbs up, really really good. It's also a great place where you can get your jellyfish and all that kind of stuff, and I bet you love jellyfish right.
Speaker 1:
No, not at all.
Speaker 2:
Not at all. You're. So you're not. You're not a jellyfish. The other place I'm eating at is Wynn's version of Mayfair Supper Club, which is Delilah, but I might cancel that one because I'm not the hugest fan of Delilah. But what's really exciting is my favorite place in Vegas to have breakfast, which is Tableau in Wynn Tower Suites. That's actually where my conference kicks off with a pre-conference dinner, and Tableau regularly closes in the afternoon and only has breakfast and lunch. So I'm super excited to go to a private dinner, which I'm not paying for, with drinks at Wynn, Las Vegas, at a restaurant I love, which I've never been to before for dinner because they're not open for dinner. So that's pretty cool. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Speaker 1:
Well, honestly, I mean, the only reason I would ever think that I could afford to eat some fancy bougie food at Win Las Vegas would be if I won a megabucks jackpot. Speaking of megabucks jackpot, it is time for the news and views. A mystery player hit it big last week at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The exact payout was $12,185,766. The massive jackpot was won on Wednesday, october 18th, on a megabucks Spitfire Multiplier's triple red hot 7's game.
Speaker 1:
According to IGT Gaming, the footage you're seeing now is not of the jackpot, but it is of the same exact kind of machine. No details on the win were available and no word on how the lucky winner will spend the cash. The win marks the fourth time a megabucks machine paid out more than $1 million this year. It also was the second largest megabucks win in Nevada so far in 2023 and it was the third million dollar jackpot in the Las Vegas Valley, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. That's it for the news, and now for the views. Michael, what are your thoughts on all the recent slot wins?
Speaker 2:
What I think about all the time when I see all these slot wins is there seems to be this increased prevalence of large slot jackpots in the mainstream media. I'm wondering why that has started to happen. Is it that the mainstream media in Las Vegas or the Las Vegas area or Nevada is more interested in slot jackpots? Are they noticing it from the influencers? Is it a PR thing with the casinos? I'm voting for the fact that they see more of it from the influencers because obviously news tends to be all over things like X and Facebook and obviously these jackpots are really being shown over and over again by the influencers.
Speaker 2:
Have you noticed that I don't think there are necessarily more jackpots, I just think we're hearing about them more often.
Speaker 1:
Well, per the article, this was the third jackpot over a million dollars in Nevada this year. We're in October. It obviously doesn't happen when you do that kind of a math. It's not every day that someone's winning over a million dollars on slot machines. That shows it right there. As far as hearing more about it, there's been a lot of that with the airport slot machines and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:
I think all these companies put out these press releases and then media decides oh hey, that's a nice light, fun story, let's go ahead and put that in. They're not fabricating these slot wins. They have to be verified by the gaming control board and all that stuff if it's to be legit. I think it's just at the choosing of the media company. It's just like all right, we got somebody who was shot dead at blah blah, blah, blah blah. We got this. Hey, someone won a slot jackpot. Let's go ahead and add that in. That's a nice happy story.
Speaker 1:
I think it's more about just trying to balance out the news. I don't think it's necessarily a PR stunt, because then what you're looking at is that a jackpot would have had to have been faked somehow. That doesn't really happen. The gaming control board would be all over that. No, it's not a PR stunt. I can tell you that a slot technician no, the rules that the game and control board has in place on these machines and the verification process and dude. No, it's not a PR stunt, it just happens to be happening.
Speaker 2:
There is another issue which is interesting is that probably in the history of Las Vegas, more people are playing slots and there are more slot machines and there are more slot machines with these shared mega bonuses. You mean, if you go back 20 years ago or 25 years ago, there were fewer and fewer machines that had million dollar jackpots. And I'm going to say something that's really stupid Can't hit a million dollar jackpot if the machine doesn't have a million dollar jackpot. So so that could be part of that, could be a little bit part of it too, I would think that's a really good point.
Speaker 1:
That being said, it is time for the tease of history moments.
Speaker 2:
Hi, Mr Sinatra. I'm Steve Wynn. I run this place.
Speaker 1:
You see, I get enough towels, towels, and back to you, michael hey.
Speaker 2:
Hi, I'm Steve Wynn. I love that, I absolutely love that line and I absolutely love that commercial, which to me is pretty iconic, and I'd like to say can you win? Has a double meeting and that you know, as in winning or doing things in the win style, can you enjoy Vegas, the win way and can you win and is a good experience, winning Even if you do not win. Ok, now I'm going a little bit too far, but but one of the things I was thinking about earlier today and I'm not going to answer this question because this is a tease is what makes a casino a five star casino, and I sort of think that maybe there's no such thing as a five star casino. We're talking just casino here, not hotel side, or is there? And this is something I'm going to cover on a future episode you know about what would make a five star casino? Should we rate casinos Not just best or most popular, but should we rate casinos by stars? And if we're going to rate casinos by stars, how would we do it? What would the criteria be? Anyway, comment below and tell us what you think about how you would rate a casino, because this is something I'm going to be talking about soon.
Speaker 2:
But getting back to the wind difference and also five star casinos, which often give you more extra towels. I mean, I think some of the criteria of things like when and when Las Vegas are the employees are a big wind difference. Also, you know, steve when has great hair? No, that's not really one, and it's just it's interesting to look at. You see, and now I'm pivoting to the real topic before I was trying to be funny, which wasn't very funny, but but what makes a hotel now a five star hotel? So we're going to set aside this concept of a five star casino, but this is something that comes up quite often. What is a five star hotel? Is there an accurate description for that? And a lot of times people will use fluff kind of words like exceptional levels of proactive service and customer care, and I'm not even sure exactly what that means.
Speaker 2:
But I would say for a casino to be a five star casino when we're talking about Las Las Vegas, we would be looking at things like you know, a casino that would have twice daily housekeeping. Yes, you got to have twice daily housekeeping and turned out, otherwise you ain't five star. You need to be able to get your garments pressed. If you need your shirt pressed, you should be able to call for pressing. There has to be 24 hour room service, proper room service with glassware and everything. Great concierge services. You got to have a spa. I'm sorry you got to have a spa. You can't be five star without a spa. That's one of the things that confuses me about circa sometimes, because I'm not sure. I don't think they have a spa, but Vestro does circa have a spa.
Speaker 1:
I would not have the slightest idea if they do.
Speaker 2:
Okay, I was just curious. But they're a great property and they've got an amazing room standard. I'm just not sure. I think that spa thing is a big deal. But they're also sort of like Circa's, a new category that's called like bro luxury casino, like brand new, I made that up. It's a bro luxury casino. Also, dining you gotta have some really good dining. You probably have to have Michelin Star dining. But Michelin Star depends is sort of based on the city that you're in and, whether you realize it or not and I learned this a few months ago Las Vegas is not buying into the Michelin Star thing. So you do not have Michelin Star is there anymore? I wrote an article for God Save the Points on my Vegas criteria and what my criteria was for a Las Vegas luxury hotel Bovestro. Do you wanna hear that? Do you have any ideas what I'm gonna say? I think I dropped some hints already. I'm putting you on the spot here again. Are you curious?
Speaker 1:
I don't know how it would be any different than anywhere else, but I'm curious to see where you're going with this.
Speaker 2:
I basically created a few standards. One standard is the fluff standard high service standards. The other one is a small number of keys and hotel industry rooms are referred to as keys. It has to have a private, dedicated, 24-hour-a-day check-in experience and the hotel has to have a separate lobby and port coup chair has to have its own private pool and has to have 24-hour full room service and in-room dining. And a number of properties in Las Vegas fall into this criteria, a few come close but they don't have it.
Speaker 2:
But I think they're really important. Things like private check-in, like wind tower suites yes. Wind resort side no. Four seasons, yes, that kind of thing, aria Sky Suites you don't have all these criteria and I think you sort of have to have a private pool, a small lobby and add all those hand in hand, because you can't be a five-star hotel standing in line behind a thousand people to check in and you're never gonna be standing behind a thousand people to check in at wind tower suites, the Four Seasons or the Aria Sky Suites, because they don't have enough rooms for you to ever be standing behind a thousand people to check in. So that's my quick criteria there. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think I'm. I think it's pretty accurate. What do you, I think? I think at least has some valid points to think about.
Speaker 1:
What about Nobu? Where is? Is that one of those luxury hotels within the hotel? Is that at a parking gym?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that could do it. That could do it. Nobu Nobu's at Caesars, right, yeah, that could do it, but the only problem is the separate lobby is there, but not to Port Couchere, so that's another criteria where you gotta be able to pull the car up to a place that's private.
Speaker 1:
Because God forbid you wanna have to park your car with people who are in lesser quality rooms than you are. Because, I mean because your car just won't be able to stand it. It'll just get more like we know Vegas Snob.
Speaker 2:
Vegas Snob used to call the ghetto side of wind is the resort side of wind, not the tower suites, and that's the most ironic statement to call anything ghetto. Do you use the word ghetto and wind together? But the ghetto side of wind is the resort side of wind. And I don't know if you ever looked at the Vegas Snob stuff, but he does some great, great write ups. And I'm trying not to be a snob, I'm just trying to be. I'm trying to be thoughtful, I'm just trying to be bougie ass thoughtful. I'm trying not to be a snob, okay, so that's what I'm trying to do.
Speaker 1:
A separate Port Couchere. I can't understand the pool thing. Maybe Maybe with the seven four course. It's just like I don't want my car to be parked near riff-rath cars. You know, it's just, it just comes off.
Speaker 2:
I know it's like how can you be stop me without being stop me or how do you? Well, you know it's so funny when you I was reading in this for his travel guide Stuff about five star and they say shit. This shit is like next level what they say sometimes. A staff of genuine individuals with a passion for service will ensure natural and authentic experiences. They're saying five star has to give you a natural and authentic experience. I'm not even sure what natural and authentic experiences.
Speaker 1:
I think it just got a little nauseous at the reading of that, of that you throw up just a little bitch a little. Just there's a little little something here.
Speaker 2:
Well, you know what natural and authentic it's, usda certified, I mean.
Speaker 1:
but yeah, what do they mean by natural and authentic? It's like we're not what our, like our staff aren't faking their happiness and kindness to you. They really are that happy? No, they're not.
Speaker 2:
No, they're not you want to hear the rest, want to hear the next sentence, oh the next sentence.
Speaker 1:
Oh you ready for?
Speaker 2:
the next sentence Okay, guests value their time more than ever before, and knowing their time was well spent and feeling Organically cared for in a way that was not scripted or over planned is the most important Evolution is it the? Evolution of snobbiness.
Speaker 1:
There you go, there's your title for the episode the evolution of snob but Do the snobs that are staying here at this hotel in your mind Realize that the staff are riff-riff Because? Will it feel organic and special and not forced, when they realize, wait, the people who work here are working here Because they have to Well?
Speaker 2:
no, it gets even better, though it gets even better. Forbes travel guide has recently introduced. I really wish I knew how this worked. They've recently introduced a new evaluation touch point, not a survey. It's a touch point to measure authenticity. So they're actually measuring if these employees are authentic and I know you're throwing up in your mouth a little bit more right now.
Speaker 1:
Before we get going, do you have any closing thoughts?
Speaker 2:
No, but if you remember, if you ever watched a movie, a pretty woman where they're shopping for the clothing and he says you need To suck up more, and he's like you're a very good-looking gentleman and you're fine.
Speaker 1:
He's like no, no, you need to suck up more.
Speaker 2:
I Don't know if you remember one measure authenticity.
Speaker 1:
Do they brag that? What's the name of this place? What's the name of this place? What's this hotel? What's the name of this hotel?
Speaker 2:
What is it? I don't know.
Speaker 1:
All right. What about the one that you just read about in Forbes travel?
Speaker 2:
Oh no, that's their criteria. That's like their new criteria for five star.
Speaker 1:
That's just talking about. That's the.
Speaker 2:
Forbes criteria for five star yes, the Forbes travel guide five star criteria.
Speaker 1:
All right, cool. So let's say, forbes travel guide just decides to make their own hotel and it says Forbes luxury resort. Forbes, luxury resort, our authenticity is bigger than yours. Like, what do they get is how do you measure Authenticity?
Speaker 2:
dude, my authenticity is definitely bigger than yours.
Speaker 1:
Well, at least that's one thing.
Speaker 2:
That being said, we got a head miss.
Speaker 1:
okay, yeah, so yeah, yeah, let's, let's do that. Oh, yeah, let's, let's go ahead and wrap up. Let's wrap up the show. Um, so you have no closing thoughts or remarks or anything Actually by closing.
Speaker 2:
Thoughts or remarks are gonna be an episode next week. I'm thinking a lot about cruise ships and gambling odds and Some things I was reading recently in a recent argument that a podcaster had and somebody else about cruise ships and gambling odds and something I want to talk about with gambling odds at Different kinds of casinos. So that's a little bit on my mind and maybe that'll come up next week sometime.
Speaker 1:
All right, that's gonna do it for this episode. Luxury travel booking travel Zork travel visa does that travels or travel? Calm the plan your next amazing vacation. And please join the conversation On social media. You can find us easily. All social platforms are at At travel Zork. We'll see you next time.
