It would be a shame to visit Vegas and spend all your gaming time and money sitting helplessly behind a video poker or slot machine. It's time to get involved in those table games everyone keeps talking about. It may be intimidating to step up to the table, but with our helpful hints and basic rules (not to mention gambling lessons at some casinos), you will have a much more exciting time in Vegas and have more stories to tell the folks back home.
A Bit of Advice
Most casinos offer free lessons on a variety of games -- craps, pokers, roulette and more. Check out for free lessons at your casino.
Watch the game you're interested in prior to playing. This will help you gain important insights such as where and when to place bets and which hand to use when picking up your cards (or if you even touch your cards at all). You also will determine whether conferring with other players is frowned upon. For example, in games such as Craps it's not, but in Caribbean Stud Poker, it is.
Ask the dealers questions. They have certain rules they must abide by and they're not playing with their own money, so they have nothing to hide.
Watch for table limits. It seems obvious to check for the minimum bet, but don't forget to check for the table maximum. If the table maximum is $3,000, don't expect to be paid $10,000 if you bet $100 playing Caribbean Stud poker and were dealt a Royal Flush with 100:1 odds. You will receive only the maximum $3,000.
Don't be intimidated by the pit bosses. They are paid to look at everyone as a cheater. Since you're not cheating, you have nothing to worry about. This doesn't mean you should get cocky, either. Pit bosses also have the right to throw out anyone they choose.
Payout odds vary from casino to casino. Check with the dealer or tabletop to confirm your odds prior to playing.
lunes, 28 de marzo de 2011
Free Las Vegas Attractions
Bellagio Fountains
The most ambitious water feature ever conceived in terms of choreography, complexity and scale, the Fountains at Bellagio express the romantic spirit of the Resort. More than a thousand fountains dance in front of the Hotel, creating a breathtaking union of water, music and light. The display spans more than a fifth of a mile, with water soaring as high as 240 feet in the air. The fountains are choreographed to music ranging from classical and operatic pieces to songs from Broadway shows. Performances range from delicate and whimsical to grand and commanding, and each performance is uniquely expressive in its interpretation. (from Bellagio's website) The Las Vegas Sun says it has 1,200 nozzles, 4,500 lights, and cost $40 million to build. Shows begin at Noon on the weekends and 3:00pm M-F. Shows happen every half hour until 8:00pm, and then every 15 minutes through midnight.
Mirage Volcano and Rainforest
Every fifteen minutes from dusk to midnight, flames shoot into the night sky, spewing smoke and fire 100 feet above the waters below and transforming a tranquil waterfall into streams of molten lava. The volcano at The Mirage has been Las Vegas' signature attraction ever since the resort opened in 1989. The show is free to the public.
Inside The Mirage's front entrance, you'll find a lush and verdant indoor rainforest housed under a 100-foot-high dome. Palm trees reach 60 feet above cascading waterfalls. Lagoons meander through a forest of rich tropical flora including bird of paradise trees, orchids and bromeliads. Woven into this waterscape is an artist's palette of beautifully colored, delicately arranged tropical flowers enveloped in natural sunlight. Water mists the area lightly throughout the day to enhance the atmosphere and help keep the plants cool. Six full-time gardeners spend over 240 hours each week to maintain the more than 100 different types of plants in the atrium. Over 300 fresh orchids and 1000 bromeliads grace the walkways
Pirate Show at Treasure Island
For years the free pirate shows at Treasure Island have been one of the most popular attractions on the strip. The show and showtimes are always changing, so see Treasure Island website for current info. From TI's website:
"a clash between a group of beautiful, tempting sirens and a band of renegade pirates. Visitors will be awed by the music, dance, excitement and seduction in this modern musical-meets-action-movie spectacular. From daring swordplay to high-diving acrobatics and eye-popping pyrotechnics, the show is packed with countless thrills. But beware the sirens, temptresses of the sea. Now, no man is safe in Sirens' Cove. FREE performances nightly at 6:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. in Sirens' Cove at the front entrance of Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. Note: VIP viewing for Treasure Island guests. For the safety of all our guests and patrons, strollers are not permitted at the Sirens of TI show."
Moving statues at Caesars Palace
At the very end of the Forum Shops at Caesars is a free show with large, moving statues acting out a short play, running every hour on the hour. It's very popular, but the sound system is horrible: it's almost impossible to make out what the statues are saying with the intense reverb and the thunderous sound effects. It's something about the two offspring vying to be the successors to their father's throne, and he can't choose so he leaves it up to the audience, but then there's some big bird thing and everybody dies. The statue that's the son looks like Keanu Reeves when he's been startled by some headlights. Anyway, it's free, so what have you got to lose?
The most ambitious water feature ever conceived in terms of choreography, complexity and scale, the Fountains at Bellagio express the romantic spirit of the Resort. More than a thousand fountains dance in front of the Hotel, creating a breathtaking union of water, music and light. The display spans more than a fifth of a mile, with water soaring as high as 240 feet in the air. The fountains are choreographed to music ranging from classical and operatic pieces to songs from Broadway shows. Performances range from delicate and whimsical to grand and commanding, and each performance is uniquely expressive in its interpretation. (from Bellagio's website) The Las Vegas Sun says it has 1,200 nozzles, 4,500 lights, and cost $40 million to build. Shows begin at Noon on the weekends and 3:00pm M-F. Shows happen every half hour until 8:00pm, and then every 15 minutes through midnight.
Mirage Volcano and Rainforest
Every fifteen minutes from dusk to midnight, flames shoot into the night sky, spewing smoke and fire 100 feet above the waters below and transforming a tranquil waterfall into streams of molten lava. The volcano at The Mirage has been Las Vegas' signature attraction ever since the resort opened in 1989. The show is free to the public.
Inside The Mirage's front entrance, you'll find a lush and verdant indoor rainforest housed under a 100-foot-high dome. Palm trees reach 60 feet above cascading waterfalls. Lagoons meander through a forest of rich tropical flora including bird of paradise trees, orchids and bromeliads. Woven into this waterscape is an artist's palette of beautifully colored, delicately arranged tropical flowers enveloped in natural sunlight. Water mists the area lightly throughout the day to enhance the atmosphere and help keep the plants cool. Six full-time gardeners spend over 240 hours each week to maintain the more than 100 different types of plants in the atrium. Over 300 fresh orchids and 1000 bromeliads grace the walkways
Pirate Show at Treasure Island
For years the free pirate shows at Treasure Island have been one of the most popular attractions on the strip. The show and showtimes are always changing, so see Treasure Island website for current info. From TI's website:
"a clash between a group of beautiful, tempting sirens and a band of renegade pirates. Visitors will be awed by the music, dance, excitement and seduction in this modern musical-meets-action-movie spectacular. From daring swordplay to high-diving acrobatics and eye-popping pyrotechnics, the show is packed with countless thrills. But beware the sirens, temptresses of the sea. Now, no man is safe in Sirens' Cove. FREE performances nightly at 6:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. in Sirens' Cove at the front entrance of Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. Note: VIP viewing for Treasure Island guests. For the safety of all our guests and patrons, strollers are not permitted at the Sirens of TI show."
Moving statues at Caesars Palace
At the very end of the Forum Shops at Caesars is a free show with large, moving statues acting out a short play, running every hour on the hour. It's very popular, but the sound system is horrible: it's almost impossible to make out what the statues are saying with the intense reverb and the thunderous sound effects. It's something about the two offspring vying to be the successors to their father's throne, and he can't choose so he leaves it up to the audience, but then there's some big bird thing and everybody dies. The statue that's the son looks like Keanu Reeves when he's been startled by some headlights. Anyway, it's free, so what have you got to lose?
Top 10 Las Vegas Tips
Visit mid-week. Hotel rooms often cost three to four times as much on the weekends as during the week! Plus, with weekend crowds you'll wait in line for everything. Mid-week visitors save tons of money and have a much better time.
Get a player's card. Go to the Player's Club desk at any casino you visit and sign up for a free player's card, even if you don't plan to gamble there. Then the casino will mail you offers for discounted or even free rooms on your next visit. You can also sign up for the MGM/Mirage card online, which will work at 10 Vegas Strip casinos.
Don't lose your shirt. Don't bet more than you can afford to lose. Set a budget for each playing session and if you lose it, stop playing.
Don't play slot machines. They suck your money away hand over fist. Compare $600 lost over 16 hours on a $0.25 machine compared to just $40 lost at blackjack or craps @ $5 a hand. See our crash course on table games to have a much better chance of winning.
Tip the dealers $5/hr., and the cocktail waitresses $1 every drink or two.
Ask for comps. When you play either slots or table games the casino will reward you with buffets, show tickets, or room discounts. Ask at the player's club booth (slot players) or at the tables (table players) for how to claim your goodies. (more on comps)
Use the buses. The Westcliff Express bus goes straight from the airport to the South Strip (MGM Grand, NY NY, Luxor, Tropicana) for $2. The #108 goes from the airport to the Stratosphere and then to downtown, for $2. Pay $7 for a 24-hour pass when you get on any bus, and then ride any bus in the city for free for the next 24 hours, including the Deuce and Strip/Downtown Express buses. See our special page that tells you all about the buses.
Don't try to get taxis on the strip. Taxis can't stop directly on the strip; that's why they're passing you by. Go to the taxi area of the hotel to get one. Up to 4 people ride for the same price as 1; if there's just 2 of you, don't be afraid to yell out, "Anyone want to split a cab to [some casino]?" It doesn't just save money, it's eco-friendly.
Walk. The whole strip is four miles long and you could walk the whole thing in an hour and a half. Plus, it helps work off the calories from the buffets.
Get Half-Price Show Tickets. You can get half-price tickets for most Vegas shows at one of the several booths on the Strip (just S. of the Riviera, outside the Fashion Show Mall across from the Wynn, in the Hawaiian Marketplace across from the Monte Carlo, and next to GameWorks), or downtown (outside the Four Queens).
Bank your winnings. Set aside half your win when you win big, and never gamble it, so you have a guaranteed win.
I hope this help your luck
Get a player's card. Go to the Player's Club desk at any casino you visit and sign up for a free player's card, even if you don't plan to gamble there. Then the casino will mail you offers for discounted or even free rooms on your next visit. You can also sign up for the MGM/Mirage card online, which will work at 10 Vegas Strip casinos.
Don't lose your shirt. Don't bet more than you can afford to lose. Set a budget for each playing session and if you lose it, stop playing.
Don't play slot machines. They suck your money away hand over fist. Compare $600 lost over 16 hours on a $0.25 machine compared to just $40 lost at blackjack or craps @ $5 a hand. See our crash course on table games to have a much better chance of winning.
Tip the dealers $5/hr., and the cocktail waitresses $1 every drink or two.
Ask for comps. When you play either slots or table games the casino will reward you with buffets, show tickets, or room discounts. Ask at the player's club booth (slot players) or at the tables (table players) for how to claim your goodies. (more on comps)
Use the buses. The Westcliff Express bus goes straight from the airport to the South Strip (MGM Grand, NY NY, Luxor, Tropicana) for $2. The #108 goes from the airport to the Stratosphere and then to downtown, for $2. Pay $7 for a 24-hour pass when you get on any bus, and then ride any bus in the city for free for the next 24 hours, including the Deuce and Strip/Downtown Express buses. See our special page that tells you all about the buses.
Don't try to get taxis on the strip. Taxis can't stop directly on the strip; that's why they're passing you by. Go to the taxi area of the hotel to get one. Up to 4 people ride for the same price as 1; if there's just 2 of you, don't be afraid to yell out, "Anyone want to split a cab to [some casino]?" It doesn't just save money, it's eco-friendly.
Walk. The whole strip is four miles long and you could walk the whole thing in an hour and a half. Plus, it helps work off the calories from the buffets.
Get Half-Price Show Tickets. You can get half-price tickets for most Vegas shows at one of the several booths on the Strip (just S. of the Riviera, outside the Fashion Show Mall across from the Wynn, in the Hawaiian Marketplace across from the Monte Carlo, and next to GameWorks), or downtown (outside the Four Queens).
Bank your winnings. Set aside half your win when you win big, and never gamble it, so you have a guaranteed win.
I hope this help your luck
domingo, 20 de marzo de 2011
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, an ever-changing fantasy-land of a city, has seen unbelievable expansion since it emerged from the desert just over 100 years ago.
The sights and sounds of Las Vegas are enjoyed by millions of visitors every year. They stay in some of the most glamorous, unique hotels in the world. They eat at five-star restaurants and expansive buffets. They play at casinos, pools, health spas and golf courses. Sometimes (many times, actually) they even marry each other.
You will be dazzled by Vegas, but the sheer number of things to see and do can seem overwhelming. A little advance planning will help you to enjoy your Vegas trip. Continue reading for basic visitor information (what to bring, things to know) and an overview of this special destination.
redit or charge cards are widely accepted throughout Las Vegas. The most common are Visa, MasterCard and American Express, while Discover, Diners Club and Carte Blanche are also generally accepted. Some vendors may accept international cards like enRoute, EuroCard and JCB.
Cash machines, or ATMs, are available at virtually every hotel. If you need to cash a check, some check-cashing businesses will handle out-of-state personal checks, with provision of verification and personal identification. (Check in advance to see what fees may be charged.)
In terms of budgeting, it all depends on how high or low you want to go. Las Vegas is a great choice for travelers looking for value; it's possible for two people to eat well and have a great time on around $100 a day, not counting room accommodations. Or, visitors can choose from among myriad world-class restaurants and spend more than that per person for dinner. It's all about choice!
Great deals are available on lodging throughout the city, where you can pay from less than $50 for a room to well over $1,000 a night. Prices vary widely depending on the time of year and day of the week.
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