First let me tell that I have not been able to make it to Vegas since the summer of 2008 and during that trip I experienced some real ruthless people at the machines at the Four Queens - but then meet some real nice peeps at Slots A Fun and then saw no one at Wynn (these all had strikes at the time). I am not a member of the silver strike club but have been in Vegas when some of their "get togehters" have been going on and found them for the most part really nice. THE REAL problems I encountered were with casinos - the PLAZA in particular. Although I do not think the Plaza has strike machines any more - on several occasions I had amassed my 20 strikes and then made my way to the cage to get a $200 to find that they were gone - signs were all over the strike machines to cashin in 20 for a $200 coin but the cage was empty. So I learned to ask before I played if I wanted to get a $200 - In one instance I was escorted out of the Plaza - It is an enjoyable hobby Jon, but as with any hobby there are the "lessons we learn" - my wife and I have dealt with several peeps on here to just out right buy some strikes becasue we could not make it out to Vegas. What got me hooked was before the machines got swithced over to columns - I hit the triple something at Imperial Palace and won the $200 coin plus another $800 dollars just before leaving for McCarron! Good Luck Jon and Happy Striking - there are some real great strikers out there.