First time to vegas

things I should be aware about?

best places to do sports bets?

cheapest places to eat?

any good game shows I can attend?

I be staying at the ballys anyone else been there?

Help a rookie out LOL cheers

Originally Posted by Blingbling

best places to do sports bets?

The betting lines vary from casino to casino. Since the lines are set by the bets made, there is no way to know ahead of time who will have the best lines for the games you're interested in. Check the casinos before the games.

Originally Posted by Blingbling

cheapest places to eat?

Get the American Casino Guide (ACG). That's a book that you can find at book stores and online, virtually everywhere. It includes a ton of coupons that will pay for the book the day you arrive. Read the coupons thoroughly, plan ahead, and don't EVER eat without a 2fer. The ACG coupons will decide where you eat. Here are a few that you can take advantage of in Ballys' immediate vicinity.

• Ellis Island (on Koval, a block behind Ballys) 2for1 menu item. Terrific food and prices!
• Imperial Palace breakfast buffet 2for1
• Gold Coast buffet 2for1 (over the I-15 bridge, next to the Rio)
• Le Burger Brasserie, next door at Paris (2for1 will help, but be prepared for $20 burgers)
• Sahara buffet 2for1 (a little walk, but worth it. Great deal!)
• Tuscany (a few blocks east of Ballys) 2for1 menu item at the Tailgate
• Tuscany 2for1 menu item at the Cantina
• Terribles Casino (another block beyond Tuscany) 2for1 buffet

Don't be afraid to take a bus downtown to get lots of cheap eats and free entertainment. Check your ACG for coupons downtown at Binions, 4 Queens, and Plaza. (Hint: walk down to Paradise to take the bus downtown. It's a lot cheaper than the Deuce buses. Bus routes are in the phone book.)

I can't recommend trying to walk downtown from the Strip area. It's a creepy walk from the Stratosphere to downtown, particularly at night.

Originally Posted by Blingbling

any good game shows I can attend?

Shows are expensive, typically $50 to $125 per person. There are tons of free things to see and do in Las Vegas. Go for the free entertainment the first trip. The ACG book covers free Las Vegas entertainment pretty well.

Originally Posted by Blingbling

I be staying at the ballys anyone else been there?

For your first trip you would have done a lot better downtown. Hotels are pricey and food coupons are scarce on the Strip. Plan on eating at Ellis Island a lot (located on Koval a block behind Ballys. Look for the Super 8 motel sign. Great place to eat!).

I agree that Ellis Island (especially the barbeque) is a great place with good prices near to Bally's, but I disagree that for a first trip you'd be better off downtown...personally I feel exactly the opposite - first trips should be on the strip.

Getting the American Casino Guide may be a good idea though you will get more value if you have a rental car and to some extent, for a first trip, all plans go out the window so you would have to decide if you would use enough coupons to pay for the book. Le Burger Brasserie is one we tried last trip with a 2-for-1...the burgers are about $13 but don't come with fries.

Some other cheaper options nearby will be the little food court at O'Sheas - they have a Burger King and a Subway plus a few other non-chains if you just want to grab something quick. There are Nathan's hot dog locations all over the place which can serve as a quick meal on the go.

Another option is to check out tix4dinner.com - you can get 50% off main meals there for (I think) $3 per person - you pay the $3 and get a voucher which entitles you to 50%. The Paris buffet is listed and really convenient to Bally's...various others in or around Bally's and nearby.

We always stay at Bally's...if you're booked in the south tower the rooms are a lot older and more worn - but some have great views...the north tower doesn't have such great views, but the rooms are nicer...so if you'd rather have a nicer room you may want to try nicely asking if there are any complimentary upgrades available..or you may want to play the 'it's my first time' card and see if you can get a room with a nice view of the Eiffel Tower and Bellagio Fountains. The location is great - right in the middle of the strip so easy access north and south. One tip is if you're heading out and want to go north, don't follow the signs to the strip (they'll take you up an escalator then onto some moving walkways which will seem to take forever)...go out the main entrance where the taxis and valets are, turn immediately to you right...a few steps you'll be at a light to cross Flamingo and then pretty much be at Bill's - much quicker. To go south we normally just go through Paris.

You asked about game shows - there is a deal for The Price is Right at Bally's for $37 here...

http://www.smartervegas.com/shows/th...discounts.aspx

I think there is some good advice here and I may or may not get the ACG. You kind of have to live your trip around the book for it to be worth while.

I would get a rental car. Vegas is larger than you think and going from MGM to Wynn can take a long time if you walk it, and if you cab it be prepared to pay a little. The bus is a good option, not the duece. Get a cheap rental car and examine a street map carefully before you go. You can save yourself time and money...mostly time.

Ellis Island is the best advice if you are staying at Ballys. Eat there often and don't forget to ask for the non advertised steak special. Not on the menu, but great deal at 6.99

Free Vegas Shows: See the fountains at Bellagio, Sirens of TI. The Fremont St. Experience

Your trip will change the moment you get to Vegas, all plans will more than likely go out the window and you will be all over the place. Have a great time, just take it in one day at a time.

Don't get long-hauled with the tunnel from the airport if you take a cab to your hotel, ask cabbie to take Paradise up to Flamingo.

Good Luck, Write a Trip Report When You Get Back

I have to give another vote for Ellis Island. We stay at Bally's and walk to EI for breakfast nearly every morning.
Also, if you exit out the North side of Bally's and cross Flamingo Blvd, there is a little store that sells bottled water and beer and snacks, etc. Instead of paying $4.00 for a little 12 oz bottle of water in Bally's, you can get a 40 oz bottle of water for $.99 in that store. We also buy beer for our room there. Instead of $5 - $7 for 1 beer at the bar, we pay $5.00 in the store and get a whole 6-pack.

Originally Posted by Sinatra_79

I think there is some good advice here and I may or may not get the ACG. You kind of have to live your trip around the book for it to be worth while.

Well, I only discussed the food coupons. There's a lot more ACG benefit from the match play coupons, certainly enough to pay for the book. And that's just in the immediate vicinity of Ballys.

Hard Rock $10 MP
Hard Rock $10 Free Slot Play
Palms $10 MP
Gold Coast $5 MP
Ellis Island $10 MP
Terribles $10 MP
Sahara $5 MP

Match play coupons are free money. By the odds, a match play coupon should profit about half the face value. In other words, a $10 match play coupon should earn you about $5 in profit on average. I can go into detail about that if you wish, but 50% of the coupon's face value is what you should expect.

There's no way you can play all of those match plays listed above and not come out $30 ahead. There are many more match plays for downtown, which are easier to get rid of with the casinos being so close to each other.

ACG is a terrific value, with or without a car. I start off buying 2 each year. By the way, you can also trade off your Atlantic City coupons for Las Vegas coupons in the coupon exchange forum right here at openvegas.com. That way you double the coupons you will use most.

Sign up for Player's club cards. Their marketing departments often send out discount JUST for signing up. If you want to get serious with any, HET (Harrah's properties, of which Bally's is one) is about the easiest to score free rooms for future, however, their gambling conditions suck.

Originally Posted by Sierra1

Sign up for Player's club cards. Their marketing departments often send out discount JUST for signing up. If you want to get serious with any, HET (Harrah's properties, of which Bally's is one) is about the easiest to score free rooms for future, however, their gambling conditions suck.

I haven't been having as much luck with players club signup bonuses as I used to have. Again, there are some bonus coupons in ACG and LVA that kind of forces them to be generous at signups.

I suggest spending a night reading the replies to this thread but also searching and reading the numerous threads this web site has.

You can spend hours. Also, are you looking to stay on the strip or plan to venture off strip or down town as these could alter some of the replies.

I would really like to see a sticky or new section for newbies where a number of replies can be compiled. There is almost a limitless number of replies that can be made and a wealth of information.

Good luck and don't forget a trip report for when you return.

Originally Posted by Sierra1

Sign up for Player's club cards. Their marketing departments often send out discount JUST for signing up. If you want to get serious with any, HET (Harrah's properties, of which Bally's is one) is about the easiest to score free rooms for future, however, their gambling conditions suck.

That's a good point...and for MGM properties - when we were there in April, Bellagio (and I think Monte Carlo) were offering $10 free slot play for new sign ups...the other MGM properties were not offering anything noteworthy.

As for HET's gambling conditions - we're slot players and HET is very good to us...though I understand that they do seem to treat their slot players better than table players.

Originally Posted by ajonate

For your first trip you would have done a lot better downtown. Hotels are pricey and food coupons are scarce on the Strip. Plan on eating at Ellis Island a lot (located on Koval a block behind Ballys. Look for the Super 8 motel sign. Great place to eat!).

I must disagree with this. Virgins should always stay on the Strip!

Originally Posted by goldil

I must disagree with this. Virgins should always stay on the Strip!

That's two people who have said that now, but I wonder why.

I recommend downtown because the hotels & restaurants are less expensive, the odds at gambling are better, and the food & gambling coupons are more plentiful. The hotels are also closer together, so exploiting food & gambling coupons is much easier to do. There's lots of free entertainment downtown too. I think it's also fair to say that the cocktail waitresses downtown are a lot better about taking care of low-stakes gamblers than they are on the Strip.

Of course, taking a bus down to the Strip is a must-do activity, but they'll get their fill of those attractions within a few hours.

Understand that when I started going to Las Vegas downtown was THE PLACE to be. That's where the real gambling and action took place. If you brought your wife, who wanted to lay out by the pool and take it easy, then a Strip resort was the appropriate place to go. But if you wanted to experience the REAL Las Vegas, you went downtown. I've never really gotten over the romance of downtown Las Vegas.

I know that things have changed a lot since then, and I even used to live near the Strip twice in the past 6 years, but I still like downtown.

You don't have to sell me on downtown -- that's where we always stay. But I'm a firm believer in noobs staying on the Strip for their first time, and the OP couldn't have picked a better spot. The location of Bally's can't be beat.

It may not be the same for everybody but we hardly gambled at all on our virgin trip -- there was just too much other stuff to see and do.

Originally Posted by goldil

You don't have to sell me on downtown -- that's where we always stay. But I'm a firm believer in noobs staying on the Strip for their first time, and the OP couldn't have picked a better spot. The location of Bally's can't be beat.

It may not be the same for everybody but we hardly gambled at all on our virgin trip -- there was just too much other stuff to see and do.

No reason in particular, just a firm belief?

Man, my first trip I sure gambled a lot. Being downtown I did okay. I went to the Pioneer Club at about 3:00 pm and got two rolls of nickels ($4 worth). That kept me going in nickel slots until 7:00 pm, when the nickles ran out, but they fed me and kept me in beer for 4 hours. I'm sure I drank $20 worth of draft beer that day. Not bad for $1/hour.

I think everyone missed this one.

Originally Posted by Blingbling

any good game shows I can attend?

Do you mean like, Price is Right, Jeopardy!, that kind of thing? If so, then I don't know of anything like that in town, unless they're doing a "contestant search" of some kind, or a special edition show, etc.

Free show: Big Elvis at Bills Gamblin' Hall. Close to Bally's on the strip. He's great. Wynn players club sign up is $5.00 each freeplay. I know many other players club have similar offers, so always sign up even if you don't think you'll play much. You're going to love Vegas! That first loose your cherry visit is the greatest.

Originally Posted by AliGee

Free show: Big Elvis at Bills Gamblin' Hall. Close to Bally's on the strip. He's great. Wynn players club sign up is $5.00 each freeplay. I know many other players club have similar offers, so always sign up even if you don't think you'll play much. You're going to love Vegas! That first loose your cherry visit is the greatest.

I second the Big Elvis show. Last trip out the wife and I were sitting at the VP bar and noticed a flood of people coming in and sitting near the stage, I couldn't figure out what they were doing. An hour (no lie, one hour) later the Big Elvis show started and it was great!
Also, go to the trip reports section of the forum and just read, something will spark your interest.

I would also agree that staying on the Strip is a must for newbies. I'm new to this site, but have made numerous trips to Vegas. The next one, in two weeks, will be my wife's first trip. We are staying at Bellagio (got a sweet deal).

The reason that it is a must is because there is significantly more to see & do. I agree with one of the other posters that you probably won't gamble a whole lot on your first trip. It is much easier and cheaper to take one ride down to downtown vs. multiple trips up to the Strip for shows etc. Just my opinion.

I agree that the strip for newbies is the place to be as there is so much to do and see on that first trip.

In fact, our first trip was about 6-7 days and we never made it down town until our second trip because there was so much to see and do on the strip. When we finally made it downtown on the 2nd trip we spent about 8 hours there.

As far as hotel costs, have you not been see some of the threads like "Luxor for $38 or Excalibur for $22..." What would you be saving per night by staying downtown and do the rooms compare? Any cost savings would be eliminated by paying for transportation to the strip.

As far as better odds, not sure it comes in play significantly enough on a single trip to warrant not gambling on the strip. In fact, none of our visits downtown resulted in positive results and that is playing mostly machines and only some table games.

I stayed with 6 other guys in one grimy room at the Lady Luck downtown on my first trip to Vegas, and I remember thinking, "wow, this isn't *that* much better than Reno". LOL. So I agree with those who say to stay on the strip your first time.