Hotel Rey would have been a great alternative. Yes, hindsight is a great thing after the event is over. Like I said, it was the first day of vacation and I wasn't really thinking.
To answer #8, if I would have won the final bottle, it was around a 4 fold earnings. Meaning I would have gotten $16k dollars (4 times whatever I put in). Like I said, I haven't gambled before that point and I don't plan on ever gambling again...
For #7, yes, you did the math so I must have been around the 12th throw or so. And yes, bribing a cop with $20 isn't really a big deal anymore... I am not recommending it, it's just not a big deal.