Vegas on the Cheap - tips please?

[Choop]

So the missus and I are headed to Vegas for Thanksgiving and are looking for some pointers on what to do, where to eat, who to stalk, etc., on the cheap.

We won't be seeing many shows, as there a lot of them are "dark" (stage talk for "not going on") over that weekend, but we'll be hitting all the casinos, bars, restaurants and museums we can in two days' time.

Where to go? What to do? Whom to stalk?

[jough]

If you're going with the wife I can give you no tips.

But if you can shake her loose for a night, PM me and I'll give you some numbers to call.

[CortJstr]

Even if you're only playing penny slots you still get free drinks. But if you walk up to the bar you have to pay.

On the strip near Harrah's there's a casino with and Irish name (O'Shea's, O'Malley's, somthing like that) it has lower-minimum tables ($3 craps, whoo!) and a Burger King inside it.

[andalucia]

Eee, not sure how I feel about the New 27% Pimpier Jough

[AugustWest]

I've only been once, for one night so my experience is limited.  That being said --

You can find hella cheap hotel rooms on the net.  We stayed at the Flamingo for right around $50 (2 adults, 2 kids).  It was reasonably nice and $50 is about what you'd pay to stay at the local Off-Ramp Inn.

Buffets are everywhere and AMAZING.  As I recall they were around $15.00 a person, but you'd only need to hit one per day.  I am a big eater w/plenty of buffet experience and I was pretty well floored.

If you gamble at your local riverboat, make sure you're a member of whatever tracking club they've got.  Rack up a few extra points at home and I'm sure they'll comp the shit out of you when you're in the Big V.

Vegas is great in small doses.  We had the most fun just walking around and checking out the various Hotel/Casinos.  Bellagio is pretty durn cool. However, my favorite thing was probably the desert around Vegas.

[jough]

Okay, some simple basic tips.

1) Do not drink while you are gambling, or at any time where you have money in your possession.  You will loose it all.

2) Slot machines are for suckers, and aren't really all that much fun.

3) Buffets at $15?  Yowza.  Usually they'll be between $5 and $10, unless you eat at one of the trendy places.

4) Do not even let the girls who walk the strip *breathe* on you or you'll catch something you'll have a difficult time explaining later.

5) Always tip EVERYONE at the place you're staying.  Well.  Word gets around, and you'll get better treatment, better service, and have a better time if you ever need something.

"Well" in this case would be $5 a day, per station (doorman, maid, waitress (per meal), etc).  I don't care if the meal only cost you $11.95 - you should tip $5.00.

6) Don't play blackjack unless you can keep a handle on the true count into an eight-deck shoe.

7) Roulette is a good game where you'll get lots of action over a long period of time - especially if you play the line.

8) No, the slots by the doors don't pay off better. None of them pay off well.  The machines have no memory - so no machine is ever more "due" than any other.  Each pull of the lever (or push of the button, these days) is an independent event.  

9) The same goes for roulette.  And don't pay any attention to the "history" board of previous wins.  It's there just to throw you.

10) Never take "insurance" if the dealer is showing a ten.  That's a sucker bet.

11) If you win, even a little, walk out.  There'll be time to play more later.

12) I was going to post to tell you how to get a free upgrade to a suite, but I think it's borderline illegal.  PM me.

13) If your wife doesn't find out about it, it never really happened.

Good luck.

[CortJstr]

Okay, some simple basic tips.

1) Do not drink while you are gambling, or at any time where you have money in your possession.  You will loose it all.

2) Slot machines are for suckers, and aren't really all that much fun.

5) Always tip EVERYONE at the place you're staying.  Well.  Word gets around, and you'll get better treatment, better service, and have a better time if you ever need something.

7) Roulette is a good game where you'll get lots of action over a long period of time - especially if you play the line.

8) No, the slots by the doors don't pay off better. None of them pay off well.  The machines have no memory - so no machine is ever more "due" than any other.  Each pull of the lever (or push of the button, these days) is an independent event.  

11) If you win, even a little, walk out.  There'll be time to play more later.

1) There is no shame in ordering sprite. And if you are drinking non-alcoholic beverages while gaming you'll probably be drinking more, take this in to account when tipping the waitress

2) Hella agreed

5) On the floor tip (or "toke") with chips. Attempting to do so anywhere else in the casino isn't allowed and makes you look like a chump. For certain games (craps) it's considered bad form to toke directly. You should place a dealer's bet. The standard practice is to play a dollar on a high risk roll, but you'll be more liked if you use low-risk/low-return bets like the Pass line. One $5 Pass bet will get the respect that ten $1 Hard Ten bets.

7) Roulette doesn't have the best odds (craps) or the worst (keno) but it's a fun table game with a good group vibe so you can get more fun betting less money. Just remember not to bet red and black at the same time or they will ask you to leave the city.

8) But in general close to the doors are easy games to suck you in, the further in you go the higher the minimum bets and the more serious the games.

11) Agreed. I start with $100 if I win $25 over that it goes to the side and it's locked away. Repeat ever $25. If I have less than $50 in the tray after a shooter I leave regardless of how I'm up total. Even if I've put away $200 in on the side if my "live" money gets below $50 I'm gone.