I wandered into Terrible’s Casino for their $2.99 breakfast special and didn’t leave for three days.

Terrible’s is a locals casino on Paradise and Flamingo; from the Strip, turn east on Flamingo from between Bally’s and Bill’s and walk a mile. Like the Coast casinos, the gambling ranges from cheap to middle stakes, the casino is modern and surprisingly well-equipped, and there are cheap food and lodging options on offer to get you to hang around.

Terrible’s caters to the low roller. 500 points ($1 wagered = 1 point) earns you “Silver” card status (the second rung of four), which then lets you use a coupon book with a bunch of discounts and 2-for-1 specials. The coupon book was the only thing that struck me as “old Vegas,” and not in a good way; I don’t want to have to deal with pieces of paper for my comps. You need 50,000 points to get to the next player rung—and needless to say, I’m not there, so I don’t know what bennies come with it.

Casino: ***½

There are two poker tables, spreading 2-4 limit when I was here (and only one table was running); I’m told that it sometimes goes to 1-2 NL in the wee hours. The tables are on the casino floor, allowing smokers to step back from the table for a cig, and stay in the game. This is a major reason why I hung around for so long. Double Bonus 5¢ machines paid 9-6-5 if you looked around; some are lower payout.

Hotel: **** (quality/price)

After a few hours at the poker table, I was offered the “gambler’s rate” of $29 a night plus tax. Rack rate is $39 and up; I’m not sure if I got the standard or upgraded room. The room was spacious with a sitting area and a large flatscreen TV; the bathtub left something to be desired, though.

Food: *** (quality/price)

Standard blah Vegas fare, mostly. I had the graveyard $5 steak special twice; first time was surprisingly good, second time, not so much. The buffet is mostly bland with a smallish selection. On the upside, a small amount of play gets you extensive comps and discounts, so consider it cheap and filling.

Work-friendly: ****

Clear 4G coverage blanketed my room and the dining areas, and I didn’t have to play “hunt the outlet” in the hotel room. A small table makes for a decent workspace, although the chairs have clearly seen better days (and the asses of people who spent far too long in the buffet).

Summary: I’ll definitely come back here if I’m offered comped rooms or cheap rates; it’s pretty close to the Strip for hunting bigger game, and there’s decent action here. Glad to have come across it.