My wife and I are planning to head out to Las Vegas in March for our combination birthdays/Christmas/anniversary trip. Our plan at this point is to drive down to Kansas City and take AmTrak to Flagstaff, AZ. From there, we'll rent a car in Flagstaff and drive around to check out the Grand Canyon, then drive the ~4 hrs to Las Vegas. We're not sure what we're gonna do once we get there - we'll be too broke after paying for the trip to be able to gamble much. Then we'll fly commercial from Vegas back to Iowa either via OMA, DSM, or MCI.
So... My question is -- where should we stay in Vegas? Be advised that we are on a smallish budget, but I don't want to sacrifice the 'experience' to save a few bucks. Also, other than the casinos, what else is the 'must see' in the Vegas area in March? Our schedule allows for a Saturday to Sunday 8 day trip.
Thanks for any tips!
Well, any of the casino hotels on the strip offers some good deals on rooms. Check you paper and if you can get a copy, the LA Times. Whatever you do though, don't miss the mall at Ceasars Palace. Very nicely done. In a previous itteration of my life, I spent a lot of time in Vegas wating for my clients (professional gamblers) to be ready to leave, so I'll pass on my personal rules and observations. This may get long...
Slot machines...don't bother. If you just have to feed a bandit, feed the ones next to the entrance doors. All the machines are set to pay off a legally mandated amount, but there is no rule on how often they pay. The machines by the door are set to pay more frequently. They don't pay as much per hit, but you are more likely to get a pay out. Anyway you cut it though, they're for suckers. Look at a casino from a business perspective. The limiting factor of how much money a casino can make is floor space, so they'll dedicate the most space to what makes them the most money and most of the space is covered with machines. Craps offers the best odds in the house on a game of chance. It's the only place where you can get even odds with the house and that is on a "behind the line" bet. Problem is that craps is a complex game and if you don't know what you are doing and pick your winnings up quickly, chances are you'll lose them on the next roll before you even realize you won them. If you want to play, watch the craps lesson on "The Gambling Channel" in your room twice, then head down for one of the morning craps classes on the casino floor where you learn to play with their chips no risk. This is stricktly a game of chance. Roulette to me is another suckers game. Purely a game of chance, and if you put a dollar on everything, you lose two dollars. The card games are the only games where you have some control. The only game you can get into on a budget is blackjack. Find the cheapest table you can get on, this is where you find me after I'm out of the sportsbook playing the horses (horses require a lot of work handicapping, if you don't know how, stay away. If you know how, this is where you make your living, and you make it on show bets).
Now comes my betting strategy. First off, never walk into the casino with more than $40. After many many many days of sitting at the tables, I found that if I was bgoing to make money, I'll make it on $40. After that I'm just chasing bad money with good. The luck is either with me or not. If I lose my $40, it's time to do something else. I start with minimum bets and maintain minimum bets (allowing the blackjack bonus to ride on the bet) until I have my initial $40 back + $20 in winnings. My initial $40 now goes back in my pocket and doesn't come out again. Now, I allow half the win to build on the bet and draw the other half to the rail. I continue this until I lose a hand, THEN I RETURN TO A MINIMUM BET AND START BUILDING OVER. The whole double your lost bet method is a crock. If I lose three hands in a row, I leave the table. If thay change dealers and I lose the first two hands, I leave the table. If a Vietnamese woman comes in to deal, I leave the table (I have never won a hand against a Vietnamese woman, YMMV). If there is a dealer you do well against, follow them around. There used to be a dealer at the Tropicana who couldn't beat me, believe what you may, I believe there is a kharmic connection between people. When I get up $1500 the next hand I lose, it's time to toss the dealer their tip and say good night.
Now, little know thing. The Pit Bosses and Floor Managers hand out comps (complimentary meals, shows and rooms/upgrades) based on time played regardless of bet size (unless you are a high roller or known whale) or winning or losing. Typically two hours gets you a meal, four a show ticket five gets you both. Rarely do I play for less than four hours on my $40, so when that's gone, I'll ask the Pit Boss for some show tickets (dinner is cheap, shows get expensive, you get where I'm going right?). One thing I do do is track 10s, faces and aces. With a shoe you can't track all the cards, and since they shuffle 2/3-3/4 way down the shoe it's not hugely accurate, but if you've seen 18 aces and 100 10s & faces get used, you know the odds are against you getting one.
When you you are out of your $40, go see the sights, a show, or hang out at the pool.
I'm pretty dang close to Las Vegas now!
