A Tourist's Guide for Las Vegas: Gambling

Every tourist goes to Las Vegas with the hopes that they'll strike it rich, but few people actually do. Hopefully, after reading this article, you'll have a better idea of what to expect.

First, have you ever been to Las Vegas? I lived there for almost a year. Here's what I noticed about it: The people who actually live there DON'T GAMBLE. Why is that? It's because gambling is as addictive as crack or heroine, if not more so.

Drive down to the far-end of the Las Vegas strip, where the streets start to crumble, and you see homeless people. Hopefully, you'll realize that gambling is an addiction, a disease, and this disheveled area will shock you into reality.

OK, you've been warned.

Here are my tips for making money in Las Vegas.

CHOOSE GAMES WITH HIGH SUCCESS RATES

Some games are set up to earn the house money. The worst games to play, for your money, are: roulette, slots, and the odd games like Go-Fish, War, and Hi-lo.

The best games are: Blackjack, Poker, Craps, video Poker, and sometimes Keno (comped buffets)

TALK TO THE LOCALS

Talk to your blackjack dealer, the waitress, the money-changer, and the people around you. Get the insider's opinion.

One of the stories that I have heard is the old slot machine and the waitress.

TOURIST: Which of these slot machines has not yet hit a jackpot tonight?

WAITRESS: That one in the corner, a guy was playing it for three hours, nothing hit.

TOURIST: Oh, thanks, I'll play that one.

An hour later, jackpot.

GET COMP'ED

After a certain amount of money spent gambling, the casino may offer a "comp" (slang for complimentary). Comps can range from the tiny (gift certificate, meals) to the extreme (hotel rooms). Comps are a way of the casino to say "We appreciate your business and we want you to come back soon.

Whatever comp you get, realize that you have just made back some of the hard-earned cash you risked in their casino.

LEAVE WHEN YOU'RE AHEAD

Obviously, you must leave when you are ahead. Get out while you still can. People have a natural reaction with their brains that is similar to addiction, this tendency is why gambling is so addictive. Realize that you're not REALLY on a hot streak, this is all in your head. You've just gotten lucky.

There, these tips should steer you in the right direction. Remember, Las Vegas today is about fun and vacation; it's not about making money.