Hotels - Circa

Favorite Memory - all of it. 

One time we were walking by a Roulette table and overhead this girl say she was betting her last $100 of the trip. She bets it on 10 I think it was - and got it!

She won $3,600! She was so happy she started crying. 

That summarizes Circa pretty well in my opinion - it's a beautiful place that captures the heart and spirit of Las Vegas - where anything is possible!

Site of the former Mermaids. And Glitter Gulch. And 21 Club. But trust me Circa is better. Ideally we'd have all of them, but you can't have heaven on Earth, that comes later.

Favorite Memory: Slotapalooza.

They did voucher giveaways ($25x4) that could just be put in the cash machine instead of the slots, they had a marching band kick things off, they gave away tumblers, personal karaoke pleasure devices, swag, etc. so you're bouncing from line to line hoping they don't run out of free swag, jumping on games in between - it was a very high-energy, fun time!

She was in 1st place in the whole slot tournament for a while!

Favorite Memory: Six for Six.

Two days before Christmas Eve we went out to Fremont. I literally had $0 of cash to gamble with, no money on my person, etc. but I knew I'd have some free play somewhere (usually $5 at Club One, $5 at Golden Nugget, kind of thing). So I figured I'd either win and stay out to play, or lose and go home.

I literally hit bonuses on 6 of 6 consecutive spins in a row. So for each time I touched the button, I bonuses, six straight times in a row. Here's the pics to prove it!

Bonus spin #1 out of #6 in a row

Walking past this machine and I said do you want to play Wonka? (I know it's one of her favorites) - she goes no that game sucks.

I said, if I win on this game right now does it still suck? Immediate bonus.

Bonus spin #2 out of #6 in a row

I said we better not play this game anymore because it sucks. Spun and immediately won.

Bonus spin #3 out of #6 in a row

A wife's worst nightmare, starting to realize her husband was right!

Bonus spin #4 out of #6 in a row

Moved on to Millioniser, spin & win. Is this what they mean when they say "Hot Slots"??

Bonus spin #5 out of #6 in a row

I asked her to go cash out a few vouchers from all these wins, I sit here, spin and you guessed it, immediately bonus!

Probably the craziest sequence of slot machines I've ever personally had in Las Vegas. And it all happened at Circa. (Still not a handpay and won about $300 total, but better than nothin!)

Bonus spin #6 out of #6 in a row

Is that a graph of my Fremont Street gambling on the TV? It goes up, it goes down, it goes up, it goes down

You have to touch the screen for luck. 

That's why everybody does it. 

You'll never find my name in here. Not a sports bettor. Never seen the appeal in it.

Bet $100 to win $110?

Why not play Megabuck with that 100 - and have 33 chances to win $10 million? That's more my style. To each their own though.

Fun fact: Jimmy Eat World is my favorite band of all-time. I've been listening to them since about 2002. I've seen them live twice and the first time I caught a guitar pick flicked out after the last song, and the 2nd time I got an autographed setlist and met Jim Adkins on my birthday.

I missed them at this concert because we didn't want to spend any money right at the end of a 6 year long process to pay off $250,000 of consumer debt following the Dave Ramsey plan (look him up on Youtube). 

We had $70,000 in student loan debt, tens of thousands in credit cards, car payments, etc. 

Along the way we didn't have any bailouts, no windfalls, no inheritance, nothing - just literally going to work everyday and making payments on debt using our paychecks. Sometimes I would log in and pay off $1 that day. Anything to keep the momentum moving forward. 

Hence the low-roller gambling I do. Usually I can have the time of my life on a $20 gaming budget. Honestly it's pretty fun once you get used to it. When I bet more I just spend more, so I try to make the most out of it eating, taking pictures, goofing off, reminiscing, etc. 

Favorite Memory: Small slot win.

She went to the bathroom, I put like $3 in this game, she comes back $100 richer. Boo-yah.

Starting small...

Heating up...

That's more like it.

That's dinner money right there. That's the way Vegas used to be!

Favorite Memory: Stadium Swim.

Went during one of our hotel stays.

6 temperature controlled pools, ultra-filtered water, 143 foot screen, food & beverage, banging sound system, palm trees. Nothing beats laying the sunshine with the music bumping, the water splashing, and the sports playing in the background.

Most amazing pool in the world, if you ask me!

Starts with the 3 story escalator lol

We made it!

The view from 8 East.

Saginaw's Sammich. Brisket. They run out of it a lot. I've not had it more times than I've had it. Get it when you can!

The Original Bottled Blonde.

Favorite Memory: Project BBQ

I like being able to walk up on the side of the building to an outdoor food truck year round. It's great people watching too. Feels like you're in some exclusive club and you get to watch the action from a distance from your perch. 

Try the Garbage Bowl - top dish!

Halloween-Back-Spooky-Cat.

Victory Burger Nachos. #too much food

There's that number again...

Favorite Memory: OMG Puppies.

They whine when you take the money out.

Why do the Megabucks symbols always stop right above the paylines?

$7.77 - Lucky Number

Sch-ma-doo-see

I used to want to play this game on NES so bad when I was a kid.

Favorite Memory: Mega Bar

My 2nd favorite place to place video poker in Vegas. First is the sportsbook here, obviously!

I like that they have branded matchbooks, plenty of seating, tons of tv's, overall it's just a really cool vibe. 

We ALMOST got this meal for Thanksgiving in 2025. 

But we were doing that debt payoff thing, remember?

So we made Thanksgiving at home instead.

Maybe next year though!

A small sample of wins from Mega Bar... Remember I'm a low roller who bets for entertainment, not to pay my mortgage.

Honestly the best perk of playing that way is a small win gets you right back in the action. If you're down, you only need $40 to be back on top of the world.

When you're gambling big you need huge wins to get back to even - I don't like gambling that way. I usually put anywhere from $3-10 per place and that's my limit. If I win I stay and keep playing, if I lose, I leave. 

I have more fun that way and am less stressed about money that way, so it works good for me!

Favorite Memory: Hotel Stay

My all-time favorite place to stay on Fremont Street. And I've been going for years before Circa opened. It's got everything I want, and so much more.

I like that this is the front desk and you can check in within like 5 minutes, but if you go on the Strip sometimes it can take like 2 hours to check in. Another notch in the "win" column for Circa!

We're here. I think they always put us at the end of the hallway because we're young and they think we want to walk it. Jokes on them.

I love this wallpaper.

Look at this view! 

Not bad. Not bad at all.

View from the top of the world. This is how you know you made it. 

Luxury awaits!

Some light gambling and chip collecting for the in-laws that weekend!