We love playing casino games online. That’s wht we built the site, of course. But that doesn’t mean we don’t like going to Las Vegas. Who wouldn’t enjoy a couple of days in this crazy town (OK, we admit, it’s not for everyone).
But like any town, Las Vegas has it’s great stuff and it’s not so great stuff. So here, we have compiled a list of tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your stay in the desert.
1. Get a loyalty card.
Casinos love loyalty cards. It’s like a Tesco Club Card on steroids. Make sure you work out where you are going to be playing the most, and get a card for that casino. You’d be crazy not to- they have all sorts of deals on free chips, food, shows etc.
2. Study the games you are going to play before you arrive.
Obvious, eh? But you’d be surprised how many people just show up and learn as they go. And that costs money! Even study the slots.
3. Learn blackjack strategy.
Blackjack has got one of the lowest house edges of any game in the casino. But ONLY if you play a perfect strategy. So learn it! Practise online.
4. Enjoy the nosh.
The food is great in Vegas! Make the most of it. Don’t just eat sandwiches because you are too busy gambling- that would be sad. The buffet at the Bellagio and the Wynn are particularly recommended.
5. Set a daily playing budget
If you break your bankroll into a daily amount, you’ll
6. Don’t booze while you are playing
If you want to let your hair down, wait until after you finifh. By all means, have a few free drinks, but don’t go crazy. It’s a recipe for disaster and one of the reasons the drinks are free! You don’t want to re-enact the plot of “The Hangover” and wake up the following morning next to a Lady Boy and an empty wallet.
7. Careful with betting systems
If you use systems to help you control your play, then fine, but don’t expect them to magically make you money. Systems like the Martingale seem like a great idea, but they often are a fast track to No Chips Land.
8. Tip Well
The dealers like a tipper. Will it improve your odds? No, but you want the dealer on your side. Enough said.
9. Never chase losses
Stick to your stop loss limit and take profit limit. Chasing losses is a mug’s game. As they say on Wall Street or in The City, it’s easy to cut your position when you are up. Good traders also know when to take the losses. Everybody loses at some point- your aim should be to minimise the losses and maximise the wins. It’s as simple as that.
10. Don’t play slots unless you are going for the big jackpots and you understand it’s a lottery.
What’s the point? The house edge on the slot games is big. Play the tables, unless you are going for the monster jackpots, and then understand it’s like playing for the lottery jackpot. Very few people win a lot of money.
11. Take a break! Do something else!
There’s loads to do in Vegas. The restaurants are great. The shows are phenomenal. You
12. Dress properly
This is not just so you look the part at the tables. It can get chilly at night in the desert, and some casinos go for the Siberian feel with their air-conditioning. So bring a jacket or a shawl
13. Make sure you have some lower denomination notes.
No one claims to have change for a 20 in Vegas (!). Plus, they are useful for tips (see above).
14. Have a go at Craps
Craps looks difficult, but it isn’t really. If there is one game that encapsulates Las Vegas, it’s Craps (in Monaco it’s roulette and in Macao it’s Sic Bo). So have a go. Make sure you practise throwing the dice though- there’s nothing worse than not hitting the wall at the end.
15. Play single deck blackjack if you can.
Single deck has the best odds, particularly if you can card count. It’s pretty rare these day, but you can find it.
16. Bring Your Swimming Costume
The pools are great in Las Vegas. If you head out, spend some time lounging around the pools. Just make sure you slap on lots of sun tan lotion. We’d head for the pools at Mandalay Bay, the Cosmopolitan, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, or The Venetian. They are all superb, The Mandalay Bay probably tops the list in our opinion.
17. Baccarat has one of the lowest house edges.
This is the game that all the high rollers play, as the house edge is so small. You might not be able to play it without going into the VIP areas, but if you can, give it a go. it’s an easy game to learn.
18. Remember the Gambler’s Fallacy.
Alot of people think that future results are affected by past results. This is The Gambler’s Fallacy (for example, if you are on the roulette table and you see 9 reds in a row, the chance of a black landing on the next spins are exactly the same as the chance of a red landing). Past events have no influence on future events at a casino, each spin or dealt card, or whatever is a mutually exclusive event.
19. Bet the max coins on the slots and video poker
If you must play slots (see above) then bet the max coins and go for the biggest jackpots. You can always bet with the minimum coin size, but you are not going to hit the progressive jackpot by mincing around with smaller bets, and this is the only reason to play the slots in our opinion- to hit the lottery style win. You won’t eke out a profit on the slots like you can in Blackjack by playing smart. It’s totally random and the house edge can go up to 7%. The house edge on video poker is betterm but you’ll need to bet to the max to get the juicy Royal Flush jackpots. Check the pay tables and bet accordingly.
20. Bank the big wins
If you win big, the best thing to do is to cut short your session. if you don’t want to do this, at least bank some profit. Then you are ahead of the game for the following day!
101. Go to Las Vegas in style
And for the last Las Vegas tip: save a little money and do Vegas right. You can get by on a cheap budget, but you’ll enjoy your time much more if you save a little money first. Be willing to put your trip on hold for a while if you need time to work up a little more dough. Everything in Las Vegas costs money. If you’re stressing about money the whole time, you won’t get the full Vegas experience.
