When you first arrive at Las Vegas, you might feel like your head is on a swivel as you look around wildly trying to take in all the excitement and fun energy from other Vegas visitors . This truly is an amazing place to behold and it is certainly deserving of all the accolades and all the commotion surrounding it.
At the same time though, some people might find all this to be a little bit too much. There’s just so much going on that it can be almost impossible knowing where to start – and if you’ve never gambled in a casino before then the thought of sitting down at a craps table is going to be pretty intimidating!
So what do you do on your first night in Vegas? And more importantly, how do you survive?
The Vegas Casinos
While you might associate Vegas with people losing all their money, the irony is that you can actually have a great time here very affordably. There are so many Vegas Casinos & Hotels that there is always a good price. Many of these casinos have 3,000-5,000 rooms and the MGM Grand has an astounding 6,852 hotel rooms!
A good way to start is by setting a max budget per night. Then decide if you want to stay on the Strip, off the strip or Downtown. If you want to stay at a casino on the strip, try to narrow it down to North Strip (TI/Wynn area), Center Strip (Ballys/Paris area) or South Strip (Excalibur/MGM area).
Another place worth checking out is Paris. Not actual Paris of course but the Paris Hotel – which looks like a slightly smaller Eiffel Tower. Head inside and prepare to be confused by the blue sky and wispy clouds…
Or how about Luxor? The huge pyramid that’s entirely hollow. This is one of the most exciting casinos to stay in, so spend some time gambling here and see if you can’t get a free room.
Let’s go Gambling
There’s little point coming to Vegas though if you’re not going to try your hand at a little gambling. For your first night, it’s often wise to stick to the easier games. Playing something like craps requires a surprising amount of nerve just to approach the table – and it’s also all too easy to get sucked in.
Sports fans will definitely want to visit the sportsbook area at the casino. Having a knowledge of sports betting and the the terms (point spread, moneyline, parlay etc) and types of bets will give you a big head start. To make sports bets for real money online (outside of Nevada) check real user reviews of sportsbooks to find the legit ones that will pay winnings fast. In Nevada most casino sportsbooks have apps, so you can bet on your phone without visiting the sportsbook.
A quick and easy game is Roulette. This has very simple rules and lots of people can play around a table at once. Also safe for beginners are the fruit machines, which you can actually still win a surprisingly large amount of money on. The easiest way to practice/learn the casino games is with online gambling. You can play most casino games for free (demo mode) the Caesars casino site.
Now, what’s important is that you avoid the common mistake of blowing your load (money!) on your first night. A good way to start out then is to give your debit/credit card to a friend while you look after theirs. Take out a set amount of money each and pledge only to spend what you have in your pocket. Of course you can re-invest your winnings – just don’t be tempted to dig into your bank account further unless it’s for more drinks!
Oh, and save the heavy drinking for the clubs after the gambling. Not the other way around. Playing the fruit machine tipsy is just about the best way to lose all your cash!
Vegas Expert Tip: On your first night, take your time. drink in the sights and save some funds for the week ahead. Spending your second day in bed and hungover is no fun..