If the lights of Las Vegas鈥 many casinos lure you on the floor, here鈥檚 all you need to know as a first-time gambler 漏 Veronica Jones / Getty Images
If you fancy placing a bet or two (or 20), you鈥檝e hit the jackpot in Las Vegas.
Gambling in all of its forms has been legal in Nevada since 1931, which has made Las Vegas the essential place in the USA to let it ride, double down and max bet (oh my!). Even with other states legalizing casinos and sports betting as well as Native American tribes unveiling casino-resort destinations, Sin City remains in a class of its own.
And yet...that grumpy chain-smoking dude at the blackjack table judging your every hit. The hundreds of lights blinking at you on a single slot machine. The seemingly endless plusses and minuses on a sportsbook screen glaring down on the masses. We鈥檇 forgive gambling rookies for finding it all very intimidating.
But don鈥檛 be scared. Las Vegas is as friendly as it gets in terms of easing into your new favorite game.
In between strolling The Strip, a day trip into the desert and seeing a fabulous show, chances are you鈥檒l want to give the tables and slots a shot. When you do, here are the answers to any Las Vegas gambling rookie鈥檚 key questions.
How many different games can I play in Vegas?
With new games being unveiled seemingly every day 鈥 particularly from slot-machine manufacturers 鈥 you can easily gamble hundreds of different ways under the roof of a single Las Vegas casino. Table games include such classics as blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and various forms of poker, like Ultimate Texas Hold 鈥橢m and Three Card Poker.
Slot machines feature thousands of different themes, paylines and jackpot options. Among the most omnipresent machines citywide are and , which have progressive statewide jackpots that often reach the million-plus level. Sports betting is also a significant draw: you can bet on everything from big-time NFL battles to a small soccer match in Colombia. In some casinos, you鈥檒l even find halls where you can play bingo.
What are the rules?
You must be 21 years or older to gamble and drink in Las Vegas casinos. An important yet unspoken rule in our increasingly digital world: casinos don鈥檛 take kindly to folks being on the phone during table game action. This policy extends to taking phone calls, scrolling digital inboxes and making Google searches as to whether or not you should hit on 12 against a dealer鈥檚 6 at a blackjack table. (Don鈥檛 tire your fingers: the answer is no.)
As for game-specific rules, your best bet is to simply ask a dealer or pit boss before you sit down. Don鈥檛 make the rookie mistake of plopping it at a table, betting $100 and saying, 鈥淯m, how do I play this?鈥 Settle in at an empty or relatively empty table game 鈥 and don鈥檛 be bashful in getting your questions answered before diving in.
What about refreshments? In Nevada, you can indeed drink for free while gambling. If you鈥檙e feeding a video poker machine embedded in a casino bar, count on the bartender comping your drinks. The same goes for when you鈥檙e sitting at slot machines and table games: cocktail waiters and waitresses make regular rounds. Whether your drinks are comped or not (and, really, especially if they鈥檙e not), make sure to tip your bartenders and waiters with each round.
What is the etiquette? And what about strategies for the different games?
Remember that you will be playing every game (save for the action in poker rooms) against the dealer (or 鈥渉ouse鈥). You are not competing against the person at the slot machine next to yours, the dice roller that鈥檚 on fire at the craps table or your fellow players at the blackjack table.
Don鈥檛 be afraid to ask the dealer general questions about both etiquette and strategy. You鈥檒l be sure to get an opinion 鈥 but remember that this is gambling, and you may want to go with your gut regardless. Here are a few pro tips that align with the odds of common games:
Blackjack: Stay if your cards add up to 12 or more and the dealer has a 3, 4, 5 or 6 showing.
Three Card Poker: Play if you have a Queen鈥6鈥4 or better.
Video poker: Always place the maximum bet, as there is a higher bonus payout should you hit a coveted royal flush.
How much money should I bring to place bets with?
This is contingent on how much money you are willing to lose. Casinos are in business to make money, after all 鈥 and the house always has the edge. Always.
Bet minimums run the gamut in Las Vegas 鈥 you can wager a (literal) penny on select slot machine spins, or $100,000-plus on a single roulette spin at a high-limit table. Before sitting down at any machine or table, note the minimum and maximum bets posted 鈥 and place yours accordingly.
Given that ATM machines within casinos charge exorbitant fees (typically $10, in addition to any fees charged by your bank), bring your budgeted cash amount with you rather than make an on-site withdrawal.
We must never fail to mention that gambling can highly be addictive, and isn鈥檛 for everyone. If you鈥檙e having trouble stepping away once you鈥檝e started, chat with a casino employee or call the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Are there dress codes at Las Vegas casinos?
Las Vegas resorts span high-end restaurants, raucous nightclubs and the most informal of poolsides. Given that diversity, dress codes really aren鈥檛 a thing on the gambling floor. If you鈥檙e coming from the pool, you may be asked to cover up 鈥 but that鈥檚 about as strict as it will get.
Which casinos are best for beginners?
You鈥檒l likely want to start cheap, and blackjack table minimums can be indicative of the prices of other table games at any given casino. A $5 blackjack table isn鈥檛 too common these days 鈥 but you can find many of them at the no-frills , just off The Strip, and at Downtown Grand. Fun fact: Downtown Grand even offers a $1 game of blackjack.
Most casinos also offer free 鈥渓earn to play鈥 sessions. For example, the Golden Nugget offers daily lessons on nine different games spanning pai gow poker to craps to roulette. Ask someone at the casino cage (cashier) wherever you may be staying for the latest schedule of free lessons.
Which game is easiest?
Slot machines merely require you to push a button or pull a lever. That鈥檚 it. If you know the basics of poker, the video version of the card game is pretty seamless as well. A third option is roulette: there are 38 numbers (inclusive of 0 and 00) on most roulette wheels in Las Vegas, with your odds contingent on how many numbers you place bets on.
Is there such a thing as a smart bet?
It鈥檚 called gambling for a reason, and any form it takes carries inherent risks and zero guarantees of winning. With that said鈥 鈥渟mart bet鈥 in Las Vegas would be one with a lower house edge, meaning better odds to the player. Some of the safer, long-established bets in Vegas include betting the pass line in craps, betting on the banker in baccarat and playing blackjack 鈥渁ccording to the book鈥 (or basic strategy).
Keep planning your trip to Las Vegas:
All the best things to do in Sin City
Skip the casino floor and check out these free things to do
How to get around Las Vegas
See desert beauty at the city鈥檚 best parks
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