7 Useful Tips for Your First Time to Las Vegas

Planning a trip to Las Vegas and need some advice? Here’s what I’ve learned over the years as a hobby gambler in Vegas. Experiencing Sin City the right way is crucial and it’s important that you know what to avoid and what’s worth your time.

Trust me, I’ve made all the mistakes, so you don’t have to! Below, you’ll find useful tips for your first time to Las Vegas. Whether you’re a casino-goer or just a tourist looking for a good time, you’re sure to benefit from this page.

1 – Join the Casino’s Players Club

Every casino on the Strip has a players club or loyalty program. It’s much like the loyalty program at your favorite grocery store or car wash.

Since you’re a first-time visitor, you will most likely give your necessary contact information and be given a card. Most casinos will provide you with a couple of dollars to spend on their slot machines.

These cards become a real gem when you start to rack up enough points to receive discounts at the casino restaurants, hotel rooms, and some retail establishments.

There is not really a downside to joining the casino loyalty clubs. Odds are that you’re going to be back for more Sin City fun. So, why not get discounts towards your future trips?

2 – Pack Accordingly

This should be a given for anyone that has traveled outside of their climate. I wanted to hit on this one specifically for Vegas.

Vegas is a casual place, but its temperatures vary wildly depending on the time of year. Yes, Vegas is in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Yes, it’s hot in the summer. The temps can average as high 111 degrees in the summer.

But did you know that in the winters, it can also be brutal?

The average winter high during the day around 60 degrees, but it gets down to 27 degrees at night. So, packing accordingly is vital to having a fantastic first trip to Vegas.

Read the weather reports! Check dress code regulations for where you plan to dine or visit. Some night clubs and restaurants will turn you away if you show up in shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops.

3 – Visit Different Casinos

So, you’ve booked your trip. You decided to stay at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. Good choice. It’s one of my favorites. It has almost everything you could want. But you know what? You need to venture outside of your “home” casino and see the other casinos and attractions, too.

New York-New York Casino has a roller coaster. The Bellagio has a famous fountain show that is best seen from the sidewalk on the Strip. The Fremont Street LED canopy is mind-blowing.

The casino-hotels in Vegas are all-inclusive. They don’t want you to have any reason to go visit one of their rival competitors. It would be a shame if you didn’t. Spread the love.

You might not like the Venetian’s casino floor, so why not scope out the other casinos for more choices? That’s the beauty of Las Vegas—abundance.

4 – Take Care of Yourself

This is the caretaker in me talking. Please remember to drink water, eat more than just fried food, and get enough sleep.

Gambling requires a sharp mind. The best way to stay on your game and live your best life while in Vegas is to make sure you take care of your body and mind.

It’s so tempting to drink all night, eat all the fatty foods, and convince yourself that you can sleep when you’re dead. This is going to spell a bad time for your body and mind.

You will end up dehydrated, hungover (the pits), and tired. Try to slip a salad or a smoothie in once a day. Drink water. Sleep. Vegas is 24/7. You’re not going to miss much between 3:00 AM, and 10:00 AM.

Longer Vegas trips (more than three days) can be a marathon. Treat your body the way it deserves to be treated. It doesn’t have to be a gluttonous booze fest every day.

My favorite meal to order at lunch when I know it’s time to slow down and mainly treat my body what it deserves is a Caesar salad, iced tea, and water. Drink and eat it all. All your nutritional needs will be met.

There is just enough caffeine in the iced tea to get you going, but not so much that you can’t take a nap by the stunning pool at your hotel.

Maybe treat yourself to a pedicure or a massage after. You’ll feel like a new human and be back on your mental and physical game by dinner.

5 – Casino Etiquette

There are unsaid etiquette rules at casinos. They don’t usually vary from casino to casino. You need to know about some basics.

Here are a few that I think are vital to not looking like a total dummy at your first Vegas casino:

1. Don’t put your drink on the game table.
2. Don’t take pictures on the casino floor. Some casinos will kick you out for this one.
3. Don’t sit down at a table that is the middle of a game or hand.
4. Do tip your dealer.
5. Be polite. Don’t over-celebrate or show anger at a table or slot machine.

These are my top etiquette tips that any new visitor to a casino and La Vegas should know. It’s a real buzz kill when you make a mistake because no one told you about the rules.

6 – Don’t Play Slots to Win Money

Slots will take all your money before you win.

The odds for slot machines are terrible. They are never in your favor and are almost impossible to win. They are not the ideal game to play if you want to win.

Choose a table game that has a better house edge. Bet on a game at a sportsbook. Bet your nephew that he can’t eat 30 saltines in a minute. This is a better use of your money if you want to win.

You should only play slots for fun. I personally love slots. I won over $400 once on a slot machine. But that was just luck.

That’s what slots need, just dumb luck. There are no strategies that work because the odds are so skewed. Don’t fall for all the blogs selling courses or books on slot strategies. It’s like snake oil; it just doesn’t work! Losing all your money on a slot is not an ideal way to experience your first Vegas trip.

7 – Have Fun

This is the most overlooked tip for most visitors to Las Vegas. You’re on vacation. You’re there to have fun, let your hair down, and relax. A lot of first-time visitors lose sight of the fun of Vegas. What happens is they get too wrapped up in winning or making sure to see everything.

A good rule of thumb to follow is that you’re not going to be a professional gambler on your first, heck even 700^th, trip to any Vegas casinos.

Some professional gamblers only make $48,000 a year. And that’s gambling 52 weeks a year for 20 hours. You can have the best trip of your life if you just relax. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Gambling shouldn’t be a stressor in your life.

The first tip I give to people who are visiting Vegas for the first time is to set a budget. And be realistic. It’s for fun. Gambling is merely a hobby.

I have been gambling in casinos for decades, and I know that it’s just a means of entertainment in the end. I’m a writer and entrepreneur. I’m not a professional gambler and don’t want to be. I want to enjoy gambling.

If you love gambling, that doesn’t mean you need to make a profession out of it. You don’t think of becoming a sponsored skier every time you go on a vacation to Colorado, do you?

Leave the retirement-size jackpots and hands to the professionals—this is all for fun. Don’t let the idea of winning a nest egg ruin a trip for you. Vegas has chewed up too many hobby gamblers and spit them out. Trust me.

Conclusion

I hope you feel like you have a better grasp of what to expect and prepare for your maiden voyage to the City of Sin. Of course, there are thousands of other tips, but I can’t possibly give up all my secrets, can I? Have fun, be realistic, and remember to tip!