Las Vegas is no longer a cheap place to stay and eat. The only exception is if you gamble and get “comps” (see next tip regarding comps). $20 rooms are no longer the norm except for certain times during Christmas and Summer. $100-$200 per night is often closer to the average for a reasonable hotel.
The world has two kinds of people—those who’ve been to the Las Vegas Strip and those who haven’t. Those of you who’ve been lucky enough to visit the Strip know what everyone else is missing. While the busy strip in Las Vegas isn’t for everyone, it does have something for almost anyone.
If you’ve never been lucky enough to visit the Strip in Las Vegas, here are seven reasons why you should consider it for your next vacation. Even if you aren’t a gambler, the Las Vegas Strip offers some of the world’s best entertainment and dining experiences.
Las Vegas is home to so many slot machines that even people who don’t like the slots are tempted to take a few spins. From old-fashioned three-reel slot machines to the newest releases and biggest progressive jackpots, you can find any and every type of slot machine imaginable.
Here are a couple of quick tips if you’re a first-time slots player. Always sign up for the players club at the casino before you start playing slots. It’s free to get a membership and you can earn free meals and other rewards for your slots play.
When you sign up for your free membership, ask if the same club card is good at any other casinos in the area. This can save you time when you play slots at another casino that uses the same card.
The other tip isn’t going to be big news for experienced slot machine players. If you’re a first-time player, it’s something that can save you quite a bit of time and money. Most of the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip advertise penny slot machines.
Penny slot machines make it sound like you can play a slot machine for a penny a spin, but this isn’t true. Slot machines are designed with more than one payline, and each payline must be activated. Many slot machines also are designed so you can bet more than one coin on every line, and some require a bet of multiple coins per pay line to unlock the top jackpots.
Las Vegas is also the best place to find slot machine tournaments. When you enter a slots tournament, you pay a fee and compete against other entrants to try to win more than your opponents in a set time period and win a prize. If you don’t see a slot machine tournament schedule, ask a slot attendant or one of the people at the players club desk about upcoming tournaments.
Some of the biggest poker games in the world are played on the Las Vegas Strip. But you don’t have to be a high roller to find a poker game. You can find plenty of tables offering low stakes for new poker players and experienced players on a budget.
Every poker room on the Strip spreads Texas holdem, but you can also find Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and many other variations in some of the poker rooms. You can also find plenty of ring gameplay and a full spread of Las Vegas poker tournament options. Most poker rooms on the Strip run multiple tournaments every day.
The most popular table game is blackjack, and the Las Vegas Strip is home to many good blackjack games. But the casinos here also have every other popular casino table game, as well as games you won’t find anywhere else.
Las Vegas is the number one spot to test new table games. If a new game can’t survive in this gambling-friendly city, it likely won’t make it anywhere else in the world. This gives you the opportunity to find new games every time you visit the Las Vegas Strip. Ask the pit boss or dealers if they have any new table games in every casino you visit.
A few things to look for when searching for a blackjack game are always find a game that pays 3 to 2 for a natural blackjack, being allowed to double down in as many situations as possible, being allowed to split pairs as many times as possible, and tables where the dealer stands on a soft 17.
You should also pick up a blackjack strategy card or print out a strategy chart so you can always make the best play possible. A blackjack table with good rules and a strategy card can lower the house edge to less than a half percent, which makes it one of the best games in the casino.
Other popular table games that you can find in most casinos on the Las Vegas Strip include:
In the past few years, sports betting has been legalized in more states. But the main sportsbooks are still in Las Vegas. For most of the history of legalized gambling in the United States, Nevada was the only state where you could legally place sports bets.
Most of the casinos on the Strip have a sportsbook, so it’s easy to find somewhere to place sports bets in Vegas. Because all of the sportsbooks on the Strip are relatively close, it also makes it easier to shop for the best lines on the games you want to bet on.
Of course, lines on games can move, but most sports bettors can take the time to visit several sportsbooks to find a good line. Spend some time handicapping the games you’re interested in, then visit as many books as you can to find the lines on the games.
Las Vegas also has many different sports betting contests that you can enter. Many of them focus on the NFL season because it’s the most popular sport, but you can find contests for other leagues and sports as well. Ask one of the employees at each sportsbook about any upcoming contests. Just make sure you read all of the rules before entering a sports betting contest to make sure you actually understand everything you need to know.
Las Vegas used to be all about gambling. Most of the country had laws that made it hard to gamble unless you traveled to Nevada. But now, there are plenty of casinos in the United States, so most of the US population doesn’t have to travel to Las Vegas to find a casino.
This has forced Las Vegas to shift some of the focus away from gambling and toward entertainment as a whole. Many people still travel to Las Vegas to gamble, but almost as many travel to enjoy the entertainment.
The list of entertainment options on the Las Vegas Strip is almost endless. All of the larger casinos will have many shopping options, and some have entire malls full of shops just steps from their slot machines.
On top of that, some of the most popular shows in the world perform on the Strip, with singing, magicians, comedians, and circus acts running every day of the year. One of the popular forms of entertainment involves imitations of famous people like Elvis and Sinatra. You can also enjoy many different museums, including wax museums, art museums, history museums, and Egyptian museums.
Most of the popular shows on the Las Vegas Strip sell out, so you should order your tickets before your trip. You should also visit the concierge desk where you’re staying to see what entertainment they recommend and have tickets for.
Everyone needs to eat, and the Las Vegas Strip has everything from cheap buffet meals to high end restaurants run by some of the most popular chefs in the world. Many of the higher end restaurants require a reservation, so we recommend you plan ahead before your trip so you don’t get shut out of the places you really want to go.
I like to eat, but I’m far from an expert when it comes to fine dining. Most of the larger buffets on the Strip are the same to me, so I tend to eat wherever the buffet is the least expensive or where I earn free meals from my play and the players club. This is why it’s so important to sign up for comps everywhere you gamble.
You can find reviews and recommendations for fine dining in many places, and I’ve visited many of them on my trips to the infamous Sin City.
One last feat that Las Vegas offers its visitors is a wide range of bars and night clubs. They really aren’t my scene, but if you’re into it, you can find just about anything you’re looking for.
Video poker machines are being replaced in many casinos because they aren’t as popular as they once were. Casinos closely track how much each square foot of floor space produces, and when a machine or table game isn’t pulling its weight, the casino tries a different machine or table game. This has reduced the number of video poker machines available over the years.
The Las Vegas Strip is the best place in the world to find a wide selection of video poker machines. If you can’t find the video poker machine you’re looking for, then it probably doesn’t exist in land-based form. You’re still going to need to keep a sharp eye out to find the video poker machines with the best pay tables, because even in the casinos with the highest number of VP machines, all of the pay tables aren’t going to be good.
Take your time visiting each casino on the Strip. Take a look around for the best pay tables. Of course, you also need to spend some time before your trip learning what the best pay tables are for the video poker variations you want to play.
I prefer the classic Jacks or Better video poker game because it has a simple strategy, and it’s easy to recognize a machine with a good pay table. If the machine pays nine coins for a full house and pays six coins for a flush, it’s a good machine. Any other Jacks or Better pay table should be avoided. If you prefer a different video poker version, take a few minutes right now to learn about the pay tables and the best video poker strategy.
The Las Vegas Strip has everything you could possibly want, and that’s true whether you’re a gambler or someone just looking for a new experience. You can find every gambling activity in the world, numerous entertainment and dining options, and hotel options ranging from budget rooms to extravagant suites. If you’ve never been to the Las Vegas Strip, you don’t know what you’re missing. It might just be time to start planning your next vacation!
There is a ton of activities to do here and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Great place to gamble, see a show and go shopping. The rooms are modern, fun and the beds are comfy.
Not too big in the whole gambiing thing that's why I wasn't too impressed but you have girls dancing in front of your gambling tables if that makes you happy... :)
Love to gamble in the pleasure pit. Grab a sandwich from earl of sandwich or hot dog from pinks. Cheaper water and beer from ABC store right inside mall by sports book.
Don't gamble!
Come for the gambling, stay for the naked statues.
Try the non smoking sections for easy breathing while gambling!
Relaxing resort with movies and bowling for those that don't gamble.
A beautiful and comfortable casino to stay at. Plus, it's near Red Rock Canyon, where I like to do a little hiking to get away from the gambling.
Your biggest gamble here will be at the buffet. Are eggs supposed to be gray?
Las Vegas paradise city. if you like collecting photos with the famous and quality living, go there when you visit. There is more in Las vegas than gambling.
Sometimes it's better to just sit down and gamble than try to find your way out
A little bit rock and roll and a gamble of a great evening in a beautiful hotel
Mr. Luckys 24/7 gamblers special for $7.77 surf n turf (steak n shrimp, with salad n mash potatoes) can't be beat. Taste great! It's not on the menu.
Beware of gambling!
Inside design of the casino is wonderful! And of course architecture! Even you don't attend the gambling, you can enjoy with the interior design
One of my absolute favorites. If you've never been to Paris, this is a very neat way to get a bit of the taste. It's beautiful to walk through. Not the best to gamble in though.
Go to players club if you're gonna gamble, great deals for newbies
Thee logical way to win gambling is don't gamble or be the house! Read more.
Dealers and dancers are hot! And they are in lingerie outfits. Great atmosphere while you gamble!
decent rooms, casino is okay, next door to Paris so i can gamble there and jus go back to Ballys to sleep, u get wut u pay for!
Nice dealers. Cheap gambling.
Gambler's special is $7.77 for steak and shrimp. Not on menu so you gotta ask for it. Sure beats their $9.99 prime rib special from 4 pm to 4 am.
Ask for the Gamblers Special - its not on the menu!!!
Gotta go here for the Gambler's Special... Order it, not on da menu!!!
If U're a Gambler, Welcome to VEGAS!
Great hotel and casino! Get the monitor at the table when gambling for free!
Gamble downtown. Better odds no lie
Stay at Mandalay, eat at Hard Rock and gamble at Caesars - perfect night en Sin City!
Eat, sleep, swim, gamble
All the people gambling here look depressed...find happy looking people & go gamble there...
Sat and gambled for 30mins. All of the cocktail waitresses ignored me, but not my male friends, even after I told them my order. So rude.
Do what you are going to do there soon, cause once the Linq is open its gonna be a mad house down there. Saw some good shows there. The best way to win gambling is don't gamble or be the house!
If you're here to gamble that's great but to see a cool hotel move along. The flamingo has cool history though.
Gamble like there is no tomorrow...
Very friendly dealers, good music and hot outifts... Fun!
The sexy dealers and dancers who make the Pleasure Pit the hottest casino action on the Strip make their grand entrance from The Mezz nightly at 8 pm sharp to the song 'PHamous' by Midi Mafia.