There are lots of VP machines, even in Las Vegas, that return 99%+ to the player. Why would you play a machine that returns 97%? Yes you have to learn a strategy and practice a bit, but Jacks or Better is a very easy strategy to learn and will return 99.5% or better to the player. I know that's not a positive return, but there are other benefits and comps to consider, especially for higher denom players.

For the 25c players, Las Vegas STILL offers a few machines that return over 100% to the player. SouthPoint offered some during the convention this year.

The reason I posted my dream experience is not that it's something I expect every trip. On the contrary, I mention it because it's quite extraordinary, both the VP win and the drawing success. It would be no fun (and quite boring to the reader) if I posted my nightmare trips [g].