I've never been there during the convention, but other times (and I understand this is not much of an answer) I would go play at 3 to 5 am, when the "normal" people were resting.

Get some rest, get up really early, and Good Luck.

I can always catch a nap by the pool later...

I can just imagine it, with 100 strike collectors in town and only one or two machines per casino, and not many casinos that have those.