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TravelStories Episode 65: Catching Up with Justin Vacula

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Sep 28, 2025

In this episode, travel hacker Justin Vacula shares his expertise on maximizing travel value through loyalty programs and gambling strategies. He discusses casino credit cards, comparing MGM and Caesars, and provides tips on timing card applications to earn status. Justin unveils the concept of a 'phone army' to boost MyVegas rewards and highlights the perks of Vegas travel, likening it to Disney for adults. He also emphasizes the importance of informed choices in loyalty programs and offers insights into his journey of pursuing travel hacking full-time.

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ADVICE

Always Satisfy Casino Playthroughs

Play through deposited funds fully before withdrawing to avoid adverse action from casino sites.
Use a click-counter or manual tracking to ensure you meet playthrough requirements.

ADVICE

Use MGM Cards To Earn Tier On Loads

Consider MGM's credit cards that let you load BetMGM and earn tier and comps on loads.
Time applications (e.g., January) so tier earns you meaningful status during the year.

INSIGHT

Caesars Versus MGM: MGM Leads

Caesars rewards require a more hybrid approach and higher spend to reach top tiers after devaluations.
Justin concludes MGM Rewards currently offers better overall value than Caesars.

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Episode 65: Show Notes

Today on the show, we welcome Justin Vacula, who takes us through an introduction to a master's in maximizing gambling opportunities from a points and miles perspective. Justin is an accomplished travel ‘hacker’ and host of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, among other achievements. In our conversation today, we delve into the cross between miles, points, and gambling, unpack the advantages of using casino cards, when it’s a good time to sign up for these cards, and dive into a discussion on how Caesar’s credit cards stack up against MGM cards. Justin breaks down all things Vegas, what you need to know about the ground truth, how Vegas is like Disney World for adults, why he doesn’t interact with minibars, and why there will ultimately be some work involved to maximize your trip. He gives insights into his phone army and how to play different games on different phones to get points. We also hear about his contributions to various travel-related conferences, how to prepare for Zorkfest, why Dave Ramsey is not accurate for everyone, and why he strives to educate people to make informed choices about the positives and negatives of loyalty programs. For all this, and more, including his experience gambling on the seas, be sure to start listening now.

Key Points From This Episode:

[00:45] We are introduced to today’s guest, Justin Vacula.
[02:30] Travel hacking: the cross between miles, points, and gambling.
[03:45] Leveraging different gambling loyalties: how to utilize them uniquely.
[05:30] What a 2-5% advantage means when you load a card.
[07:00] Justin breaks down his online blackjack strategy.
[09:10] The advantages of using recently released casino cards.
[13:00] A good time to sign up for these cards: start planning out for 2026.
[14:05] How Caesar’s credit cards stack up against the MGM cards.
[16:10] A PSA on the Wyndam card.
[17:25] We talk all things Vegas: the ground truth.
[21:10] Justin’s phone army: playing different games on different phones to get points.
[27:00] His personal rule: do not interact with minibars.
[28:09] Vegas as an adult version of Disney World: sacrifice to maximize.
[31:25] Justin’s contributions through conferences.
[35:45] Preparing for Zorkfest.
[37:30] Travel interfering with other travel: a nice problem to have.
[39:30] Why Dave Ramsey is not accurate for everyone.
[42:00] The importance of educating people on the positives and negatives of loyalty programs: make an informed choice.
[42:50] Justin shares his experience gambling on the seas (on cruise ships).
[47:30] How to get a hold of Justin’s content.

Quotes:

“There are lots of intersections between miles, points, and gambling, and I’ve been saying for years that it’s valuable to have status, to earn status, and there are many creative ways to do that without actually gambling [and] playing on the square.” — @justinvacula [0:02:37]

“Of course, we know, the answer to everything is more credit cards!” — @justinvacula [0:13:41]

“For years I’ve been saying, ‘Have backup methods and have status’ in other ways.’” — @justinvacula [0:16:34]

“I think Vegas is one of the cheapest places to travel to. [There’s] tons of value, tons to do, [and] lots of free entertainment!” — @justinvacula [0:18:24]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: