This confirms my post about who Vegas is for now.
Add in if you're paying for a room and resort fee, then you don't gamble enough to be worth getting it comp'd. Refer to my above about the type of gamblers I mention.
Even when my gambling budget was only $2K, I played enough to get comps at shithole places like Excalibur. This was when Vegas had $10 tables on the strip and $5 downtown (precovid).
I never understood why people on vacation want cheap and shittty food. The Vegas social media pages I'm on, people often ask for cheap food. So they're told to go to McDonalds and get a hamburger that is under $3. If you cannot afford to eat a regular strip priced meal that's about $15-18, then don't go to Vegas. I mean, I get if there's no other options, but the strip has tons of food.
When someone goes to Vegas their first time, they need to expect to spend more for what they get. However, for those of us with the better player ratings, most of the routine expenses like food, beverages and rooms are comped.
There are books written on how to be treated like a whale in Vegas without gambling like one. I'm sure current editions have changed many of their tips and advice, but it all comes down to how much time you spend playing and at what level you are betting. Even if you walk away ahead, you've accumulated rating points. Each game has a calculated house advantage, and if you play X number of hours and make an average size bet of Y, they will multiply those numbers with Z -- the house edge. That result is the expected house winnings over time. That's converted into rating points which will vary by casino.
Once you've established yourself in their rating system, the key is to buy in for more at the tables than you are willing to lose, bet more than the bare minimum per hand/dice roll, and try to walk away up, even, or only down a tiny bit. Your goal is to maximize winnings and minimize losses so you aren't having to dig yourself out of a deep hole. Try to keep playing for as long as the game is keeping you about even after the ups and downs. The longer you play, the higher the rating. Manage your money so you ride the ups longer than the downs. If I've doubled my buy-in, I play on whatever I have over that. If my profit keeps rising, I keep adjusting my "stop-loss" amount so I don't give it all back. If you can walk away even or a little ahead each session, you're a winner -- it doesn't matter how much ahead that is.
i've been able to use my points to pay for all my rooms after my first trip about 30 years ago. i asked for a player's card in every place I've played, and I always remembered to hand it to the dealer/insert it into the machine every single time i played a game. if you don't, you're throwing away points.
When you start getting offers from the casinos, they are based on your points and rating level. if you achieve a higher level, the offers get cheaper and better. At beginner level, you might only get a room discount offer, but at higher ones, you'll be offered free rooms and more.
It's a good idea to try and play mostly in the place you're staying, but going to another casino isn't going to hurt you as long as you only play a few hours at each. if i'm staying at The Cal, points accrue at all Boyd's properties, so sticking to that family of casinos really helps build up the point bank. Most big casinos are owned by just a few companies, and most have consolidated their points programs so gambling at any property owned by the same people will keep adding to your one account.
I can't remember the last time i paid for a meal in Vegas -- not since they closed The Hard Rock, i think. I really liked The Pink Taco Mexican restaurant. Very good food at prices that are similar to a mainland Chili's. i also took my younger girl to Olive Garden. it's one of the places we ate at often when living in VA, so she wanted to go.
That same trip with my daughter, The Cal put us on their invite list for the New Year's Eve party at Main Street Station. Full buffet, free drinks, party favors, souvenir champagne glasses, and chances to win door prizes including $500 in gaming chips and a trip to Hawaii. Hawaii residents could pick an alternate destination (e.g. Vegas?
).
I don't take the food coupon book at The Cal unless it's part of a package I bought to save my Frequent Flyer miles. If air fares are cheaper than normal, I'll usually pay that, then use my miles to get a first class upgrade. You have to check the flights carefully. Some legs don't offer 1st class, but as long as the Pacific Ocean leg does, I think it's worth the upgrade. The other legs, i just get the "more leg room" seating.
You really need to practice the games on your computer, phone, or with actual cards and dice. Put in lots of time so you're comfortable with the rules, the mechanics as well as the types of bets you can make. Go to The Wizard of Odds website for advice on which bets to avoid and how to use the rules to your advantage. Memorize the strategy charts/cards especially for BJ. Most places let you use the cards while playing, so pick up strategy cards for the games you play. You can print them from online, order nice plastic ones, or wait to buy them in the casino gift shops.
Take enough cash to withstand some down sessions early on. I set up a line of credit, so I have up to $10K available when i arrive just by signing a marker. Allows me to have that much available without carrying a lot of cash on the plane or around Vegas. It also saves on ATM fees which are pretty high in most casinos. Don't use credit cards for cash advances in a casino. You'll be paying way more than it's worth. For markers against your casino credit line, you have about 2 weeks +/- to pay it back after you take the parker out. You can buy back the markers with winnings before you leave, or just wait until you get home for the bill to arrive. Once you settle any outstanding markers, your credit line will be available on your next trip. Very convenient -- play now, pay later!
