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Table games? How do you play? You can learn!

Posted on February 2, 2009 by scottyvegas


Gaming Lessons

Originally uploaded by scottyvegas

Want to play table games such as blackjack or craps but don’t know how? Many casinos offer daily lessons on how to play these as well as others. Don’t worry if your hotel/casino doesn’t offer lessons as anyone can take lessons regardless where they’re staying.

After the lesson many casinos give you a coupon good for a free $5.00 bet or give you a matching bet coupon. Better yet learn to play before you arrive in Las Vegas. There are many casino software titles you can buy at your local software store that will teach you the ropes and allow you to play without losing your shirt.

I personally own many titles by Phantom EFX.

Bodog.com is a website that allows you to play for fun on a variety of casino games without installing any software or signing up. This site has a lot of useful information to offer. Game quality is very good but slow at times.

Wondering about casino games odds or want to spend a few hours getting lost in numbers? Check out Wizard of Odds, I highly recommend this site. It addresses many myths about gaming with proof.

Filed under: Fun, Gaming!, Tips | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

FYI: Las Vegas Blvd = “The Strip”

Posted on January 28, 2009 by scottyvegas

Found this sign on the Excalibur property near the corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd. It cracks me up.

p_00072

Filed under: Fun, Tips | Leave a comment »

What is a player’s card? What are comps?

Posted on January 18, 2009 by scottyvegas

Every casino has a Players Club where you can sign up for the casino’s Player’s Card. Signing up involves giving the club host your driver’s license and email address. Usually as a reward for signing up the casino with give you a gift such as a t-shirt, cards, coupon book, show tickets, or food. Many give you some form of free play. Free play is a dollar amount put on your card to play slot machines with. The dollar amount is usually $10 or less.

You use the card while playing table games or slots. By doing so you accumulate points and points turn into comps (compliments) such as point play (like free play), free food, free show tickets, free rooms and other things.

By signing up for the casino’s player’s card you can bet that you’ll be placed on the casino’s emailing list. Casino’s send email on various announcements and special hotel rate promotions (promo’s).  

Note: I have player cards from dozens of casinos from all over the country with each one having my email address. I have never had a problem with “junk mail” from any of them. I actually look forward to receiving casino email announcements.

Note: Casino companies share the same player’s card across all their properties. For example, if you have the MGM Mirage player’s card you will use the same card at MGM, New York New York, Bellagio, and so on.

Always use your card while playing and don’t listen to those people who say that the casino’s monitor you play and make the machine payoff is you are losing or slow down if it’s hitting too much.

Filed under: Gaming!, Tips | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Mr. Lucky’s $7.77 Steak & Shrimp Deal

Posted on January 12, 2009 by scottyvegas

If you are planning on heading to the Hard Rock Casino or are looking for a reason to check it out, here it is. This long running special is NOT on the menu but is well known. Mr. Lucky’s is located inside the Casino and is open 24/7. For a measly $7.77 you get an incredible 8-ounce  more like 6 once sirloin steak, three jumbo shrimp 4 medium shrimp, salad, garlic mashed potatoes and a roll! No coupon required.

Need proof? http://www.hardrockhotel.com/las-vegas/dining/mr-luckys-24-7/

1/10/2015 – Update

I’m happy to report this special (not on the menu) is still going on.. Yes the steak is a bit smaller and you now need to purchase a beverage with the meal, but it’s still a good value at $7.77. I left with a full belly and feeling good.

Tip: The mash potatoes are delicious.

Filed under: Tips | 1 Comment »

YES drinks are FREE in Las Vegas!

Posted on January 12, 2009 by scottyvegas

For some reason I am always surprised when people ask me if drinks are free in Vegas. My answer to this is yes, kind of. I guess it all depends in how you define free.  Here is the lowdown, drinks are “free” as long as you are gambling.  Then of course there’s the tipping. I usually tip $1.00 per drink.

Waitress service and drink quality varies from casino to casino. General rule of thumb the nicer the casino is, the better the drinks are.  As far as service goes it depends:

Table games – Usually table games have the best waitress service. Waitresses are usually very quick here. Note, you can tip with a chip if you prefer or are out of smaller bills, don’t forget your dealer.

Sports book – Also a good place for waitress service. Interesting, I have sat in a casino’s sports book watching games and drinking there drinks even though I’ve placed bets at other sport books. Waitresses here don’t seem to care. See a pile of horse race tickets? Pick them up and put them in front of you. Bingo… she will never question you.

Note: Some sport books are tightening up their rules on comped drinks, check before you order..

Slot Machines – Waitress service is always spotty while playing slots. If you are not seeing a waitress, ask, still no waitress? move, can’t find one in the joint? Leave.

Casino Bar – Possibly the best spot to get a drink but note, you MUST be gambling to get a free drink. Sit down, put a couple of bucks in the game and play slowly.

Note: Drinks at a casino bars can be very expensive, especially at the high end places.

Tip:  Waitresses take and distribute drinks at a time. In other words, if you see a waitress and her tray has drinks on it she will not take your order because she is distributing her last order.  When empty, she will begin taking orders by walking her area asking “drinks? Cocktails?”.  

Tip: If I am walking around a casino and want a drink, I will look for a waitress asking people for drinks I will approach and order telling her I will be playing in this area.  

Tip: Always watch out for your waitress. They get confused.

Tip:  In a hurry for a drink but don’t want to pay the high bar rate? Many casinos, low to middle of the road, have convenience stores that have beer and liquor for sale.  Also along the strip you will find many places to purchase booze at a fair price.  

Don’t forget to check out these posts:

Make a Drink List

Get Happier in Las Vegas with Happy Hour Specials

Cheers!

 

Filed under: Tips, Trip Planning | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

Tips on how to find the lowest hotel rates in Las Vegas

Posted on January 11, 2009 by scottyvegas

Let the fun begin! Searching for hotels can be frustrating to say the least. Do a Google search for “best rate Las Vegas hotels” and you will get over a million hits. In this post I will illustrate how I go about looking for the lowest hotel rates in Las Vegas.

Before you begin, you will need to decide if you want to stay on or off the strip. If it is your first visit to Las Vegas staying on the strip is a must. Part of the allure of Vegas is the strip itself and staying anywhere other than on the strip your first time would be cheating yourself, well at least I think so. It is a great feeling walking out of your hotel and being right on Las Vegas Boulevard where all the action is.

Off strip casino hotels usually offer lower room rates, cheaper food prices, and lower table minimums. Some even offer shuttle buses to the strip. My advice remains, if it’s your first trip to Vegas, stay on the strip, even if you have to pay more.

Fat Wallet

http://www.fatwallet.com/

Fatwallet is an online community where members share deals on almost anything. But if you look under Forums then Travel Deals and finally “Las Vegas Promos….” You’ll find current offered promotions from various Las Vegas hotels. I’ve stayed at Planet Hollywood for $79 per night using a promo code from this forum. When planning a trip to Vegas I always, always check out this Las Vegas Promo site.

Tip: Visit strip hotels websites and register your email address. They will send you hotel offers (promo’s).

Tip: When you visit Vegas sign up for each Casino’s players card.

What is a promo code? Casino hotels often send out postal mail and/or email to registered player card members announcing promotions (promo) to entice you to stay at their property. The promos usually involve a combination of: discounted hotel rates, free play (“free” money to gamble with), show discounts, and/or food discounts. A promo code will be printed on the promotional advertisement. When you call or reserve on the internet you will need this promo code.

Tripres.com

http://www.tripres.com/default.aspx

TripRes.com is a Hotel broker site where the company buys blocks of hotel rooms and resells them at a discount. I have found some great deals at TripRes. The reservation process is very easy and I found the customer service reps knowledgeable about the company’s policies. As a bonus the reps I’ve talked to even spoke perfect English! I found the whole reservation process very easy and comforting.

I4vegas

http://www.i4vegas.com/

This is another broker site. I always check this site when searching room rates. Like TripRes this site allows you to get a good idea on what the room prices will be during your stay. I like the sorting capabilities High to Low, Low to High, On strip, Off Strip, etc.. I have found some good deals through these broker sites. I have called hotels directly asking for the deals found on these sites and have been told they could not match them.

Warning: Before you book a room through a broker PLEASE read and familiarize yourself with the brokers cancelation policy.  Broker cancelation policies are stricter than when you book directly through the hotel itself and have penalties associated with cancelling reservations.

Regardless where you reserve your room do your homework first and don’t reserve the first “deal” you find.

Going Direct

Remember, if you find a good rate going direct, book it (as long as you can cancel) then search for better deals. You can always book the better deal and cancel the previous.

Tip:  Before you pick your trip dates you might want to check and make sure no large conventions are going on. Large conventions will impact hotel rates and possibly your overall experience in LV.

Here are a couple of sites that list convention dates and number of attendees

http://www.lvol.com/conventions/index.html

http://www.pcap.com/lvconv.htm

There are plenty of sites that have this information, just Google it.

Filed under: Tips, Trip Planning, Warning | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Snow in Vegas?

Posted on January 9, 2009 by scottyvegas
So much for global warming

So much for global warming

December 17, 2008 Vegas gets three inches of snow. Notice the little snowman on the left post.

Filed under: Fun | Tagged: | Leave a comment »

Find Low Airfare

Posted on January 8, 2009 by scottyvegas

I recommend you familiarize yourself with the airlines that fly out of your local airport. Visit the air carrier websites and see if they offer promotions. Many Airlines allow you to sign up for promotion alerts via email. Often all you have to do is submit your email address then they will email you when promotions are released. Others may have standing days and times when promotions are released.

Spirit Airlines offers the $9 club where for $39 per year you get $9.00 off each way and gain access to super low fare club rates, often as low as $.01 each way! Or another option is to get the Spirit Air credit card and when you make at least one purchase per month you are automatically reenrolled in the club every month.

If Spirit Air fly’s out of your airport I would recommend you look into this program. I have been extremely  successful in getting many round trip, non-stop flights with taxes and fees included for under $50 each. Please note that these sales often have fixed dates for departure and return flights. If you are flexible, this program could save you a lot of money.

Airfare comparison sites do exactly what it says, they compare your flight preference across multiple carriers, saving you time. All you need to do is enter your departure and destination cities along with dates. Then look for the lowest fare. Many allow you to adjust the dates or make suggestions for you that would give you the lowest fare. I would recommend that you check with the carrier first before purchasing any flights through third party brokers. I always prefer to go direct if possible.

Airfare comparison sites:

www.cheapoair.com

www.farecast.live.com

www.bookingbuddy.com

www.cfares.com

Filed under: Trip Planning | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Podcast Reviews

Posted on November 25, 2008 by scottyvegas

Ahhhh… Podcasts, what a wonderful thing! After I received my first iPod, a good friend told me about podcasts (What the hell is a podcast?). After I was enlightened the first podcast topic I searched for on iTunes was Las Vegas, go figure…. 

Below you will find a list of Las Vegas podcasts along with my 2 cents worth of a review. By the way, you don’t need an iPod to listen to a podcast. You can use any mp3 player or listen right from the web.

Warning:  before you begin listening I must warn you that these podcasts can become habit forming and may cause strong urges to book LV trips regardless of the cost or amount of vacation days you have left.

Five Hundy by Midnight

www.fivehundybymidnight.com

I must admit this is my favorite LV podcast and hence why I listed it first. Hundy is produced weekly (usually released Sunday evenings) by Tim and Michele out of there Minnesota home. The podcast usually runs between 45-60 minutes.

This is a well done “amateur” podcast that has been around for several years now. Even though you hear airplanes flying over during the summer, Dogs slurping water out of their water bowls and ice rattling while Tim and Michelle get their drink on while recording the podcast. But please don’t let this fool you, all of this is part of the charm hundy has to offer. This podcast has a loyal following and is highly respected in the Las Vegas Podcast community. The content covers everything Las Vegas.

A large potion of the podcast is dedicated to listener reports called “Drunk Dials” where listeners call in and share anything they want about Las Vegas. Callers report on current Las Vegas trip events, reviews, deals or just trip plain drunken ramble.  Anyway  a lot of great stuff comes out of the callers. I have gotten a lot of great information from Hundys listeners.

The Strip Podcast

www.thestrippodcast.com

Of all Las Vegas podcasts, The Strip podcast is probably the most professionally done. Produced weekly by Steve and Miles these guys are residents’ with incredible connections. They offer weekly interviews with nationally recognized and local Las Vegas celebrities. Besides celebrities, real Vegas movers and shakers (aka Steve Wynn) have been interviewed. You won’t find news regurgitated here, you get news directly from the source. The content is all Las Vegas with little fluff. To be honest it took be awhile to get use to their voices and overall volume level of the podcast. Hang in there you won’t be disappointed.

Steve’s weekly tips: http://www.stevefriess.com/podcast/topsecrettips.htm

Living in LV

http://www.livinginlv.com/

The theme of this podcast is exactly what the title says, but in their own words: “Living In Las Vegas Podcast gives an entertaining first-person look into what it’s like to call Sin City”. The podcast is produced monthly and usually runs for just over an hour, Scott and Melissa are the hosts.  The podcast is full of great reviews of restaurants, new attractions, hotels and shows. The hosts of this podcast are truly likable. Melissa is a Las Vegas recruiter and shares good advice on finding a job in LV and who hasn’t thought about what it would be like to live in sin city. I look forward to this podcast every month.  

The Vegas Tourist Podcast

http://www.thevegastourist.com/

The Vegas Tourist podcast is a good podcast with good information. The following comes directly from their website.

“Let Mark and Sazzy show you around Las Vegas.
We are a couple of locals who love the city and want to share it with the world. Warts and all. There is a lot here, so sit back and look around. We have a great podcast where we like to share our thoughts and reviews on the places, people and events that make this the entertainment capital of the world. Plus interview some interesting characters along the way.”

 To be honest I struggle with this podcast, even though it manages to produce some good information I find the hosts annoying at times (most of the time) but judge for yourself.

 Vegas Gang Podcast

http://www.vegasgangpodcast.com/

The Vegas Gang podcast is a bi-weekly podcast that focuses on the gaming industry, LH politics and other issues related to Las Vegas. No “Drunk Dials” here, this is a more serious podcast with great information on the business side of Vegas. Sound quality is poor in my opinion because the podcast is a recording of a conference call. I hope this podcast continues, the participants are knowledgeable and I feel this more serious look at Vegas nicely balances the other Las Vegas podcasts.

Filed under: Fun, reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Vegas Trip Report: November 14 – 17, 2008

Posted on November 24, 2008 by scottyvegas

Departed Detroit Metro airport at 6:05am Friday morning (Flew SpiritAir $44/person roundtrip taxes/fees included), we arrived in Las Vegas at 7:15am (Vegas time). On this trip I went with a couple of buddies and stayed at the Riviera. We stayed at the Riviera because we got a great deal though TripRes.com with an average rate of $38 per night (Thur, Fri, Sat). The Riv casino is a shithole but the room was newly remodeled with a flat panel TV and an awesome bed, pillow, and blanket. Seriously one of the best beds I’ve ever slept in, what a total surprise!

Tip: Currently the Riviera is offering a free Breakfast or Lunch buffet when you sign up for their players card and if you show them proof that you flew there. They also give free play of $1 – $500, I got $2.

Warning: The Riviera buffet is barely worth being free. Do NOT pay for this buffet!

Warning: During time of this trip the Riviera was surrounded by construction making it very difficult to walk to any other casino other than Circus Circus (Dump).  We had a car which made it easy to travel (Dollar Rent a Car $10/day).

We visited a lot of off strip casinos this trip. Here is a run down:

South Point: This casino is about 5 miles south of the strip right on Las Vegas Blvd. The Casino/Hotel is large and offers many perks. I would definitely think about staying here. Great Sports book, $5 minimum on table games, a large variety of new slot machines, and a very good and very reasonably priced buffet. Breakfast is $6.99, Lunch $9.99, Dinner about $14.99 check the website for details, prices slightly higher on the weekend.  Breakfast was GREAT! I highly recommend this casino.

Terribles: Just off the strip, cheap tables, very smokey, and horrible waitress service. My friends did not like Terribles one bit they thought it was a real dump and I have to agree.

Silverton Hotel and Casino: Wow! The Silverton is just west of Las Vegas Blvd, south of the strip. We saw it on the way to South Point and thought we would check it out and I am glad we did. The casino offers $5 table games, good variety of slot machines, but it does not have a good sports book. This casino is a “locals” casino. When you walk in you are greeted with a very large saltwater aquarium with sharks, stingrays, and schools of fish. There is also a Bass Pro Superstore attached to the casino.

Green Valley Ranch: Interesting casino about 10 or so miles from the strip in I think Henderson, Nevada. The Casino looks good, has average waitress service, decent selection of slot machines but something is just not right with this casino but I can’t put my finger on it. This casino has a food court right on the casino floor with a good variety of items to choose from. New club members get $5.00 in free play when they sign up. I probably wouldn’t go back here as it doesn’t offer anything unique.   

Tuscany: About two blocks east of Bally’s on Flamingo. Small casino that is only five years old but looks like it’s twenty. It kind of reminds me of someone’s basement with slot machines and table games in it. However, this little casino offers some unique perks like very good waitress service. New club members get between $5 and $500 in free play when you sign up for their players club. And now for the best part, $3 minimum blackjack tables with an option to surrender half of your bet on the first 2 cards. To surrender you actually have to draw a line on the table (sand) for the cameras. No thrills casino but good blackjack odds just off the strip.

Scam Alert: Beware of con men approaching offering free tickets to events because they have to get out of town and don’t want to waste tickets. They will have you call the Bellagio concierge office and reserve them in you name. This is all very convincing, don’t get taken, just say no thank you!

In my opinion the best drinks in Vegas is hands down The Wynn Hotel and Casino, followed by Palazzo and The Venetian.  The Bellagio has the best Strawberry daiquiris, try one, you won’t be disappointed I promise.

November is a great time to visit, tempatures were in the mid seventies during the day and high fifties during the night.

We sadly departed Vegas at 8:20am Monday morning and arrived in cold rainy Detroit at around 3:15pm. I am eagerly awaiting my next Vegas trip.

Filed under: Gaming!, reviews, Tips, Trip Planning, Trip Report | Leave a comment »

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