Jackpot

To celebrates Gary's birthday we took an extended weekend and traveled to Jackpot Nevada.  Jackpot is the closest place where we can do sports betting.  It's a 9 hour drive from Hardin.


I took Friday and Monday off, we made reservations to stay at Barton's Club 93.  We have stayed here  before, cheaper than Cactus Pete's by a long shot.  Both are pretty comparable.


There isn't anything to do in Jackpot but gamble, the only things they have there are casinos, a liquor store, grocery store and gas station.


Our original plan was to leave at 5:00 am and hit the road.  We are both usually awake by this time anyway.  Well, we were both wide awake at 2:00 am, so we just decided we might as well get up and head down the road at 2:30 am. Otherwise we would just toss and turn in bed and not get any sleep.  Crazy I know.


We stopped in Big Timber thinking that the truck stop would be open, but it was closed so we ate breakfast at the truck stop in Belgrade.  We stayed on the interstate because you never know what the weather will be like in April going over to West Yellowstone. 


Once we get to Belgrade, we have options to travel.  We could have gone through West Yellowstone (shorter route) but time wise it's the same as taking the interstate.


We stopped in Dillon for a short break, then made our way through Idaho and to Jackpot.  We didn't get to stop and visit with Robert in Idaho Falls.  His work schedule didn't work with the times we went through both going and coming home.  I don't know about his work place that won't give a guy time off to visit with his mother.  Sheesh.


We arrived in Jackpot around 2:00 pm, got checked in.  We placed our bets on the basketball games, then we took a nap.  It took us longer than normal to arrive as we made many stops because we left so early.


After our naps we were refreshed and ready to go.  The sports book is at Cactus Pete's Casino, this one is the biggest casino in Jackpot.  We like it because you can help yourself to soda and coffee.  Both places have restaurants that have buffets and regular sit down cafes.  Cactus Pete does have a nice steak house but you are going to pay for that meal.  We didn't.  There is a nice Mexican restaurant across the street.  We didn't eat there this time.


We had packed snacks for the road and had plenty of food to snack on during the day.  We went out for breakfasts and dinners.


The machines were very tight at the casinos.  I won on my basketball games on Friday night.  It was very strange as we were watching the final game that I needed.  The tv had flashed the score and I lost.  On this particular game I bet the over/under on the total score.  I bet over.  I was bummed, well tomorrow is another day.  We got back to the room to call it a night when Gary checked on his computer.  I had actually won.  Good thing I kept my ticket.  I won $140.


We both lost on Saturday, but Gary won on Sunday $140.  At least we were both winners and we came home with money.  We won enough that it paid for our motel stay.


We had a good time but both said that we won't go back to Jackpot ( may change in a few years).  The smoking was so bad that it just clung to us. Our eyes and throats burned from the smoke.  I can handle cigarette smoke to a point, but not cigar smoke.  There were a couple men smoking cigars in the sports book.  Another guy was very vocal about it and they soon left.  You smelled the smoke as soon as you opened the doors to both casinos.  I was winning on a machine when two women came over and surrounded me with their cigarette smoke.  I cashed out and left.  Vegas has spoiled us. 


I would have liked to have gone to Deadwood (smoke free casinos) but Deadwood doesn't have sports betting.