Just got back from my first 3 days in vegas. Did a lot of touristy things and didnt look at the BJ games very close but here are some of my thoughts. I think I made it to more casinos than most people do in their first several years of going to Vegas. Hit nearly the entire strip, downtown, boulder highway, and a few other places off strip.
American Casino Guide: If you are going to be downtown, you have no reason not to buy the ACG. Most of the places downtown have coupons in the book, it easily pays for itself. Overall, the book cost me $12 and I won about $100 from match pays and used several BOGO and other food discounts so that was great.
Fremont street: such a different experience than the strip. I went on the zipline that runs above Fremont street. It cost $20 (not worth it but I was a tourist this weekend) and it was night time and I was drunk so it was fun. Got offered a slew of different drugs from this hood rat at 2:45am while walking on Fremont back to my hotel room. Probably the most scared I've ever been in my life.
Golden Gate: rooms here were super loud because they were facing Fremont street but they were free so im not going to complain. The sexy dealers on fri, saturday night was interesting. Dont order their orange juice in the restaurant (hand squeezed but it was warm and $4!WTF!?).
Plaza: no tables games during the remodel. Vegas club is honoring their coupons in the ACG. Cant remember when they said table games would be back (maybe July 2011?).
El Cortez: great BJ games. I managed NOT to get backed off on their single deck which was a surprise as I definitely dont look like I belong there
. Definitely some interesting characters here.
Western: I stopped by during the day and was with a group but jeezus this place is scary, I cannot image what it would be like at night.
Binions: had a burger here which was excellent. Other friends in my group liked the food as well.
Paris: Thought the buffet there was mediocre. Would probably advise people to choose another place.
Venetian/Palazzo: probably my favorite place to play poker. Lots of games running and overall very nice (everyone drinks Fiji water here?). $25 free slot play in the ACG which was great.
Wynn: $10 free slot play for new card members. Loved the Wynn. Poker action was good but not on the same level as Venetian.
Imperial Palace: stayed here one night. Room was dirt cheap ($20), not very nice but I didnt mind because I was never in my room. Bed and pillows were good enough to sleep on and thats all I needed. You really cant beat the location/price of this place. On future gambling-focus trips I will probably try to stay here. Only glanced at their BJ games but they looked shitty.
Casino Royale: great place to gamble cheap/drink cheap on the strip. $3 craps and free drinks at the tables. $1 drinks at the bar. The $50 free slot play for new members is a scam. You must hit one of the highest payouts on the machine and then it gives you $100. Estimated EV value: $.05
Bellagio: BJ was a joke unless you play $25 or $50 minimum. CSM everywhere jeezus! Their $300 min DD game looked great though. Poker room was crap. The tables were soo close together that it was really uncomfortable. Also the action on the two tables I sat in was horrible, which I found very surprising for a place of this caliber. 3 -4 10/20NL games going which was surprising. Made sure to do the most touristy thing you can do in Vegas and saw the O show at night.
Caesar Palace: Only walked through here so nothing to report but man is that place enormous.
NYNY: went on the roller coaster. Not worth $14 but I just wanted to say i've been on it.
Slot o' fun: This place is a dump. Needs to be torn down.
Riveria: Free slot play for new members and also an ACG coupon you can add on top of that so that was cool.
Sahara: free drink at the bar if you give them you email address when signing up for a card. Used my match play and left.
Luxor: Used a WIN card here. $30 in chips when you buy in $20. They give you promo chips that cant be cashed out and you keep playing them until you lose so that was nice.
O'Sheas: **** BJ. Playing cheap beer pong is the only reason to go there.
Ellis Island: use your ACG coupon for 4 free drinks and leave. Not much going on here.
Terribles: you get a free "Welcome to the fabulous Las Vegas" T shirt for signing up for their players club.
Big Horn/Long Horn: Cant remember which one was which. Both had ACG coupons. I ate at the restaurant at one of them and it was excellent and cheap. Its a locals place so they gotta offer good food to keep people coming back. Super low roller place though. Im pretty sure there were two BJ tables at one of them and they were $2 minimum. $1 drinks.
Poker Palace: $1 min BJ that paid 3:2, 6D, 50% pen??!!!!!!, cheapest food you will ever find. Friend got a burger, fries, and 12oz pop for $1.45 or something (no coupon). He said it was good but I didnt read too far into it. Super depressing place. $1 drinks.
Lucky Club: kind of a scary locals place. Wouldnt advise anyone to go here.
One other obsevation is that I never found a great way to get from downtown to the strip and vice versa. The deuce bus is $7 for unlimited rides for 24 hours but it also took an hour to get from fremont street to Bellagio. A cab from the Venetian to fremont street was about $15 (not bad cause split four ways but still) . Anyone know a better way?
I left out other places but this is all I could come up with off the top of my head. It was a great first trip. Got a lot of the "standard vegas stuff" out of the way so I can focus on gambling when I go back.
Places I didnt make it to but plan to on subsequent trips:
- Rio
- Palace Station
- MGM Grand
- Treasure Island
- ARIA
- Palms
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask
American Casino Guide: If you are going to be downtown, you have no reason not to buy the ACG. Most of the places downtown have coupons in the book, it easily pays for itself. Overall, the book cost me $12 and I won about $100 from match pays and used several BOGO and other food discounts so that was great.
Fremont street: such a different experience than the strip. I went on the zipline that runs above Fremont street. It cost $20 (not worth it but I was a tourist this weekend) and it was night time and I was drunk so it was fun. Got offered a slew of different drugs from this hood rat at 2:45am while walking on Fremont back to my hotel room. Probably the most scared I've ever been in my life.
Golden Gate: rooms here were super loud because they were facing Fremont street but they were free so im not going to complain. The sexy dealers on fri, saturday night was interesting. Dont order their orange juice in the restaurant (hand squeezed but it was warm and $4!WTF!?).
Plaza: no tables games during the remodel. Vegas club is honoring their coupons in the ACG. Cant remember when they said table games would be back (maybe July 2011?).
El Cortez: great BJ games. I managed NOT to get backed off on their single deck which was a surprise as I definitely dont look like I belong there
. Definitely some interesting characters here. Western: I stopped by during the day and was with a group but jeezus this place is scary, I cannot image what it would be like at night.
Binions: had a burger here which was excellent. Other friends in my group liked the food as well.
Paris: Thought the buffet there was mediocre. Would probably advise people to choose another place.
Venetian/Palazzo: probably my favorite place to play poker. Lots of games running and overall very nice (everyone drinks Fiji water here?). $25 free slot play in the ACG which was great.
Wynn: $10 free slot play for new card members. Loved the Wynn. Poker action was good but not on the same level as Venetian.
Imperial Palace: stayed here one night. Room was dirt cheap ($20), not very nice but I didnt mind because I was never in my room. Bed and pillows were good enough to sleep on and thats all I needed. You really cant beat the location/price of this place. On future gambling-focus trips I will probably try to stay here. Only glanced at their BJ games but they looked shitty.
Casino Royale: great place to gamble cheap/drink cheap on the strip. $3 craps and free drinks at the tables. $1 drinks at the bar. The $50 free slot play for new members is a scam. You must hit one of the highest payouts on the machine and then it gives you $100. Estimated EV value: $.05
Bellagio: BJ was a joke unless you play $25 or $50 minimum. CSM everywhere jeezus! Their $300 min DD game looked great though. Poker room was crap. The tables were soo close together that it was really uncomfortable. Also the action on the two tables I sat in was horrible, which I found very surprising for a place of this caliber. 3 -4 10/20NL games going which was surprising. Made sure to do the most touristy thing you can do in Vegas and saw the O show at night
. Caesar Palace: Only walked through here so nothing to report but man is that place enormous.
NYNY: went on the roller coaster. Not worth $14 but I just wanted to say i've been on it.
Slot o' fun: This place is a dump. Needs to be torn down.
Riveria: Free slot play for new members and also an ACG coupon you can add on top of that so that was cool.
Sahara: free drink at the bar if you give them you email address when signing up for a card. Used my match play and left.
Luxor: Used a WIN card here. $30 in chips when you buy in $20. They give you promo chips that cant be cashed out and you keep playing them until you lose so that was nice.
O'Sheas: **** BJ. Playing cheap beer pong is the only reason to go there.
Ellis Island: use your ACG coupon for 4 free drinks and leave. Not much going on here.
Terribles: you get a free "Welcome to the fabulous Las Vegas" T shirt for signing up for their players club.
Big Horn/Long Horn: Cant remember which one was which. Both had ACG coupons. I ate at the restaurant at one of them and it was excellent and cheap. Its a locals place so they gotta offer good food to keep people coming back. Super low roller place though. Im pretty sure there were two BJ tables at one of them and they were $2 minimum. $1 drinks.
Poker Palace: $1 min BJ that paid 3:2, 6D, 50% pen??!!!!!!, cheapest food you will ever find. Friend got a burger, fries, and 12oz pop for $1.45 or something (no coupon). He said it was good but I didnt read too far into it. Super depressing place. $1 drinks.
Lucky Club: kind of a scary locals place. Wouldnt advise anyone to go here.
One other obsevation is that I never found a great way to get from downtown to the strip and vice versa. The deuce bus is $7 for unlimited rides for 24 hours but it also took an hour to get from fremont street to Bellagio. A cab from the Venetian to fremont street was about $15 (not bad cause split four ways but still) . Anyone know a better way?
I left out other places but this is all I could come up with off the top of my head. It was a great first trip. Got a lot of the "standard vegas stuff" out of the way so I can focus on gambling when I go back.
Places I didnt make it to but plan to on subsequent trips:
- Rio
- Palace Station
- MGM Grand
- Treasure Island
- ARIA
- Palms
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask
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