Pie time has returned to Las Vegas.

Pie Time is the week before Thanksgiving when Las Vegas valley residents who gamble receive one of their most popular casino giveaways: a free pie.

Throughout the year, off-Strip casinos lure players to their casinos by offering gifts. Wine, t-shirts, hoodies, dishes, coolers, electronics, stuffed animals, flags — all of these things are available to “locals” who gamble enough to receive coupons or invitations to “come get your gift”.

Some folks pile up so many gifts that garage sales are held. Others select some gifts over others because they can actually use the gifts. Still more folks collect lots of gifts so they can be generous and re-gift the precious items to non-gambling neighbors or visiting relatives.

No matter what a gambler feels about other casino gifts, however, most will adjust their schedules so as not to miss their free pie(s).

On pie giveaway day, the lines are long, sometimes winding throughout a casino. Even though an individual might be able to shop at Smith’s Food and Drug and purchase an apple pie for $4.49 (with card) or a pumpkin pie for $3.49 (with card), the casinos hope folks will gamble much more than the price of a pie when they stop in for a pick-up.

My husband and I pay attention to pie days. Sometimes we qualify for more than one pie. Sometimes we put a extra pie in the freezer and a year later find the pie and wonder, “Is this thing still good?”

I have my coupons ready for 2014. Today, Sunday, November 23, I can go to Jokers Wild Casino and pick up an apple pie, but I must earn 100 points before the pie is mine. No problem, my gambling money is eating a hole in my pocket anyway. (One hundred points means total money through the machines of $100, and who knows, I might be a winner!) The Jokers Wild flyer says this is a “while supplies last” deal, so I better arrive early. I can then go to the Suncoast (way across town) next Wednesday for another apple pie if I’m so inclined and want to earn another 100 points.

From the Suncoast next Wednesday, I can then make my way to one of the Station Casino properties and get a pumpkin pie (my favorite). Husband Paul has a separate account with Station Casinos, so we can actually get two pies. And whoopee, I just learned next Wednesday is pie day at the M Resort Spa Casino as well!

Each piece of Chef Pierre’s pumpkin pie (one is still in our freezer) is 300 calories. Online I saw where the Chef Pierre brand is part of a conglomerate named for a little girl, “Sara Lee” Schupf. The pumpkin pie “is made with quality pumpkin and a classic blend of spices”. It is shrink wrapped and is kosher!

So at thousands of Thanksgiving tables in the Las Vegas valley, after we give thanks for our friends and family and we finish the main courses, we should probably then gave thanks to the local casinos for our dessert (though we may add our own ice cream, whipped cream and several New Year’s resolutions). Each pie has probably cost several hundred (or thousands) of dollars in gambling losses. Nonetheless, this year’s Thanksgiving pie will still seem to be “free” … and delicious.