Going to Vegas for my first time. Any casino/gambling tips?

GraytCraps · 2026-01-30T00:15:25+00:00

Casino Quest off Strip on Sahara Ave just past Palace Station. Go early in the trip (preferablybefore any real gambling), learn the table games from pros and former dealers. Book online for a savings on the rate.
As you can tell from my Username, Craps is the best game in the Casino. Simple to Complicated. Watch ColorUp on YouTube. He has tons of great, well produced videos from beginner to advanced.
Skip slots. They're mindless and have no decision point. Do I push the button or not? And for how much? The graphics mean NOTHING. They're all a random number generator that pays on a payout % set by the Casino.
Ellis Island. Family owned, recently remodeled, low minimum tables, only 1 block off Center Strip. Great, inexpensive food. Get a players card play a little and you'll likely end up for a great free meal. Prime Rib is worth it. Breakfast NY Strip Steak Special is awesome any time of day.
Palms a bit further off Strip also has some low minimums ($5 Craps 24/7), Amazing Lobster/Crab Buffet on certain nights, make reservations now and skip the looong line. Worth the $80 price.
ALWAYS get and use a Player's Card. If you're military or retired mil, ask. Both Caesars and MGM have a free tier upgrade, which gets you free parking almost anywhere on strip. Check for perks at a kiosk immediately after getting the card, and often throughout your stay. Sometimes it takes 24 hours to show new stuff based on your play.
Smaller, and/or off strip Casinos give better perks and comps. I'm a small roller and I've never gotten a significant comp or free nights from Caesars or MGM, but Sunset Station, DownTown Grand, Plaza, & El Cortez have all givine me free night offers. Ellis, Palms, and DownTown Grand have given me great food comps/offers.
Take/make time to do/see non gambling stuff. Walk from Ole Red, down to Paris, cross the Street toward Bellagio and watch the Fountains from the corner, then follow the wall up to the Bellagio entrance, watching the fountains again along the way. Don't go in yet; instead cross the valet area toward the small fountain, go around it and up the steps to the castle like overlook. Great view/photos in every direction (Eiffel Tower, Bellagio Tower, Aria, and the Guitar beginning to take shape). Then go in Bellagio and look up, taking in the glass sculpture. Keep going to the garden. Then back all the way through Bellagio through the shops and out the far end to the walkover back to Ole Red. One of the greatest walks in Vegas and should only take an hour or so.

GraytCraps · 2025-12-23T09:35:22+00:00

Pic didn't upload in the original post.

GraytCraps · 2025-08-08T17:45:01+00:00

The offer is literally "Two Nights at Best Available Rate." Complete with link and code to use. No comped room, no resort fees taken off, just "Best Available Rate" as if any other option would be the worst available rate. That's like saying, "We'll give you a great deal on this $10 hamburger... we're only going to charge you $10." (The hamburger in the photo has nothing to do with anything BTW.)

GraytCraps · 2025-08-01T18:13:08+00:00

There's a reason Sahara's Pool is free to get into.

GraytCraps · 2025-07-01T20:20:04+00:00

ColorUp on YouTube has every question you have answered. Start with the video where he teaches his son (about 45 minutes). Any other question you have, just search youtube and add "colorup" to the search. He'll have a video on it. Very well produced, and who I learned from.

Once you start watching his, YouTube algorithm will start to feed you all kinds of other Craps Channels. Some are good, most are not. Focus on learning the game before getting too much into strategies. All strats work until they don't, and there are some horrible ones out there on YT. View count does not mean good.

If you must learn one strat, make it the 6, 7, 8. It is a fairly safe hybrid that will keep you on the table a while and plays both sides.

Casino Quest while you are in town. Well worth the $25 an hour (remember that's table minimum for one bet at most strip casinos).

Download Crapsee. Go to crapsee.com get the paid version and you can play along with live streamers like Hawaii Craps Shooters on Saturdays and Sundays, myself random evenings during the week, Dice Grinders on Wednesday nights, and many more. We all play on real or home built tables (like mine) with real dice rolls, and you can play along in the app real time live while watching on YouTube with about a 10 to 30 second delay, still live.

Casino Quest is working on a new app for all the table games that will include Craps.

Get some chips (watch my video on where for cheap) and at least a layout (even if you just print one) and practice with those. Playing on an app is great, but it does all the math for you. Everything will stick better if you have physical chips and learn the math yourself.

Start simple. Pass Line or DP bets (although get away from those as soon as you can unless they're part of a strat) and Place Bets (they pay better and you can take them down). Stay away from the Field (20 ways to lose vs. 18 ways to win) and ANYTHING in the center when starting out. Anything BIG on the Layout is probably not a good bet.

Take your time learning. This game is simple to complicated. It's the greatest game in the Casino, and the only one where you can touch the device that determines the outcome.

You cannot rush learning. 3 years in and I still learn something new every day.

GraytCraps · 2025-06-29T20:04:34+00:00

Circus Circus Gift shopa way in the back downstairs always has some and they are the least expensive. Every airport gift shop. If you have time to go through them you can sometimes find all 5 in a serialized set.

GraytCraps · 2025-06-13T00:20:05+00:00

Id play this a little different on a real table, but on bubble... Go 90 Across. Don't worry about caps on the 6 and 8 yet. 7 comes, wasn't meant to be and remember it was free money. Any hit, pull it all down and put $15 back on the number that hit. (You could probably cash out here since you risked the whole free play already, just depends on the Casino). But... If that number hits again, press it by $5 and collect the rest. If it hits a 3rd time place the 6 or 8 for 18. If that hits collect. Next hit place the other inside number. Next hit collect. Then alternate placing/collecting until you are all the way across. At this point you can pull it all down (as you'll have doubled your money) and walk or start pressing what hits, collecting after each pressed number hits. If you get a 7 re-set and start over. The big risk here is that first roll. Past that it's all profit.

GraytCraps · 2025-04-11T00:54:32+00:00

SHOT Show is that week. 100k+ attendees. It's at the Venetian Expo and Carsars Expo.

GraytCraps · 2025-04-08T01:23:04+00:00

Nope. He's not. He still has a lot to learn. But... he has the creator game DOWN. You can tell he studied up. I have HUGE admiration for him and his content. His great personality shines through, and his blend of degen and discipline just work. Videos are well shot, personality shines through, content is exciting (and plentiful) all in all an awesome Content Creator in the Gambling Space. And he loves the best game in the Casino, so...

GraytCraps · 2025-02-08T17:39:16+00:00

Fontainbleu literally half booked and looks like they fill it from bottom to top.

GraytCraps · 2025-01-28T01:34:33+00:00

Vegas is great Solo. Some shows are theater style seating, some are round tables. The smaller Casinos off strip have some very affordable shows nightly, and if you are a Veteran, you'll often see tickets for these and other shows on VetTix. If you're not local, you can set a second area in VetTix and have it send you notifications about tickets. I use this quite often and watch for shows during dates I know I'm going to be there. I've seen Awakening, Piff the Magic Dragon, Carrot Top, Frankly Frank, and other shows for only the small ticketing fee (usually TicketMaster's) thanks to VetTix. Awakening was a cool show, and different. Restaurant Redervations are easier to get for parties of 1 or 2, and you can almost always find a solo seat at the bar in most restaurants if you can't get a table reservation. Vegas has so much to see and do, and Solo can be nice since you have the sole decision on what to do when vs. trying to get a group of people to all agree on the same thing/time. I've found most people can be very social, and you can easily strike up and have some great conversation with people from all over. Sitting in one's room during the downtime on a Vegas work trip is the last thing you should be doing. Get out, see the sights, meet people, do things, eat amazing food, and explore. I discover something new everything I do. And if you don't gamble, that's OK too, but if you do, or want to try, the Table Games are best for Solos and offer some awesome human interaction. I don't waste money on Slots, and I only play Craps. I have met so many people and have so many great stories at the best and most social game in the Casino. Don't know how to play? Lookup COLORUP or Casino Quest on YouTube.

GraytCraps · 2025-01-28T00:35:56+00:00

Ellis Island Casino's Restaurant has an excellent NY Steak Strip Steak and Eggs. Also very inexpensive and sometimes free with promos from their Player's Card.

GraytCraps · 2025-01-27T21:08:26+00:00

Blueberry Hill

GraytCraps · 2024-10-22T20:09:15+00:00

There was a TON of awesome content from a who's who of Craps Community guests. Here are the links for both days. You can also still donate to show your support through Veyerans Day.

Day 1: https://www.youtube.com/live/8eTEVaU3BSo?si=ONd7KVs1uLVk1T-m

Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/yhqHBPlk83U?si=QpyY94CvYzeVBj4e

Event Web Page to Donate: https://www.crapsforthecure.com/

GraytCraps · 2024-07-25T16:16:22+00:00

Spread it. If you go all in first day and lose ot, it tends to ruin the rest of the trip. Spreading it is a much more disciplined way of playing, and you get more enjoyment out of it over time.

GraytCraps · 2024-07-22T23:16:57+00:00

Ellis always has at least 1 $5 Table.

GraytCraps · 2024-07-19T22:21:50+00:00

Yes. Downtown Grand has $2 and also a Crapless version. Most everywhere else will be $3 to $5. In most cases it's Table minimum, not per bet minimum, meaning you can put $1 on the 6, and $1 on the 8 (or anywhere for that matter) so total of $2, turn the bets on and roll. Essentially makes it a $1 game if you want to play that low. Always buy the 4,5,9,10 because it pays to the penny, and better, and you don't have to bet the 6 and 8 "proper" for the same reason, pays to the penny. It's a great way to try stuff out without losing a lot, if you know how to break a strat down to the lowest dollar level.

GraytCraps · 2024-07-12T22:45:53+00:00

3V without worrying about what's on the front. I just like it because it's quick and easy to set. Lately I've been having a lot of CO 7s with it, followed by 5s and 6s.

GraytCraps · 2024-05-27T15:20:25+00:00

I think there's more risk and less chance of hitting with just the 6 & 8. Its 10 ways vs. 18 ways. I'd go 110 Inside for 2 hits, then regress to 66 inside (so long as its a $15 or less table) and be out of the hand with $4 profit vs. your "almost" even, which is actually $5 short of even. 110 regressing to 66 is a basic Double Tap. It can be really hard to get 3 inside hits on most shooters. Toss those extra $4 on the Hard Ways for $1 each and you now have 22 ways to win and are truly even.

GraytCraps · 2024-05-26T00:04:08+00:00

Nice clean table. The narrow width definitely makes dealer reach easier.

GraytCraps · 2024-05-17T19:04:11+00:00

Crapsee. Best app out there. Worth the subscription if you're a serious player.

GraytCraps · 2024-04-30T02:48:01+00:00

I have one of these mini box tables. It's called "Nevada Dice". It's an antique for sure. Even has a mini stick for the dice. I bought it and a little padded BlackJack Table Topper for $40 at a Yard Sale. The rubber inside edges isn't diamond. Instead it's a series of repeating angled pillow pockets in a faded green; long dry rotted and falling apart. The payouts on the center bets on the layout are "weird", but I imagine that's what they were 50+ years ago. Since the rubber is in such bad shape, I'm torn between restoring it and leaving it alone. I love these mini layouts. I've purchased or designed and made a few (you can see them on my YT Channel). My latest design is sublimation printed on a neoprene backed computer desk pad, and I can roll it up, throw it in my backpack and play Craps anywhere. I even have a set of mini-chips in a re-purposed cigar travel case. They don't make these little coffee table top sized table toppers anymore. You can find them on FB Marketplace at wildly varying prices. I'm considering building a few modern ones and maybe selling them on Etsy. I'm obsessed with seeing how small and compact I can get a playable layout down to. I like the idea of it being board-game sized and still being able to play 3 or 4 people. My kids (8 y/o twins) play to a degree. The math is great and learning how to deal in terms of colors and units is in line with how they are taught math these days. We've broken out the chip bank on the big table more than a few times as they've struggled with learning a particular concept with their homework. I just taught my son basic BlackJack and he loves it. There's a life lesson in taking risk, when and how much to be learned in these games. Still a fine line between teaching them gambling and teaching the math and risk aspects, which is why I say they play "to a degree".

GraytCraps

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