Sportsbooks Doing Away with Free Drinks?

A longstanding Las Vegas tradition is slowly eroding and gamblers are not happy about it. If you have ever been to the Sin City, then you know about the popular Vegas tradition of awarding free drinks to players who choose to risk their money within the casino. Along those same lines, sports books within these casinos used to give out free cocktails to any person who had a bet going with the book. It looks as if the days of placing a bet and then sitting around in the sports book with a fancy free drink are long gone, though.

In the last year, more casinos are adopting a policy that leaves sports bettors devoid of their favorite drinks. In the past, a person could place a small bet and spend the night in the sports book, surviving only on the free drinks provided by attractive cocktail waitresses. Even in the finest casino sports books such as the one found at the Wynn and the Bellagio, gamblers found refuge in huge leather chairs and top-shelf liquor. All you had to do to claim these rewards was place a little bet on the action. Freeloading locals, it now seems, have done much damage to the old system. When these people began to place small bets and sit around the area all night sipping on drinks, the old system looked like it was no longer profitable.

Today, the system looks much different than it did even a year ago. When you place a bet in today's sports book, be prepared to receive a "drink ticket" that will entitle you to one complimentary drink. While the "free" drink is nice, it is nothing compared to what bettors used to receive. Only one casino sports book is said to still be providing occasional complimentary drink service. At the Venetian sports book, there are times when players will be able to drink all that they can hold for free.

If your favorite sports book has gone to the new system, do not fret. While it might not be the most positive of situations, there are certainly ways to get around the restrictions on free booze. Since most books offer one ticket per bet, break your bets into smaller increments and get the extra tickets. If you were going to bet one hundred dollars on a game, consider placing four $25 bets instead. This will enable you to cash in on all of the free drinks that you can handle. In addition, it is always a good idea to ask for extra tickets when you place a bet. Most sports bars will give you extra tickets if you ask - it just takes a little bit of gumption.

The days of freeloading in the sports book look like they're over, but there are still some great drink deals to be found in Las Vegas. Shop around and if all else fails, head to the casino floor, where drinks are still free.