Quote: pronto "Ill be in Vegas thursday week just in time for the northern invasion of the Mancs to watch the Hatton fight. Its taking place in our hotel. We booked up long before the fight was planned. Anywhere to recommend particularly Mr Lister ?'"
Its at the MGM isn't it? Excellent, it will be buzzing. I stayed there too, get to the hotel early if you can, I arrived at about 9am and they gave me a room with a view of the Strip on the 26th floor. No tip needed either so don't waste your money trying the "$20 trick".
We spent most of our time in Downtown as the limits are slightly lower
You can get $5 Blackjack at the MGM when its really quiet (probably no chance when you are there) so its usually $10 and these will be tricky to find on evenings. There is occasionally a $5 Craps table too but again, never on an evening (in fact I only saw this happen once). Roulette tends to have a $5 table most of the time if thats your thing but it doesn't really interest me.
Downtown is superb though and I spent pretty much every day there. Highlights include $3 Blackjack at the Golden Spike - a really small, friendly casino with a decent cocktail service. Get in before 7 and it should still be $3, sometimes it stays that way all night too. You might even get a free t-shirt, although they only had 2XL left
If you go in and see the blonde pit boss called Rita, tell her that Pole sent you. They have friendly dealers on the tables too.
Times are tough in Vegas, play pretty much anything or even stand near a craps table and the cocktail waitress will serve you. $1 tip is more than enough, only 50% of people bother I would say. I was sat playing 50c Blackjack on a GameKing machine at 8pm in the MGM and within about 3 hands I was been pressured to order a drink
Away from gambling, I would have to recommend Main Street Station in Downtown. I had the lunch time buffet which was fantastic and very cheap. They have a brewpub there too, and the beers are excellent. I ate in the pub too and ordered the chicken strips - and out came 4 massive chicken steaks. Amazing. Additionally, go into 4 Queens (also Downtown) to the Chicago Brewery Cigar Lounge. The beer in here is magificent as well - for food, the pizzas are nice, but the egg rolls they serve are incredible. Closer to the strip, go to Ellis Island Super 8 and have the steak special - a cup of soup to start with and then a huge piece of thick steak with all the trimmings - a free pint too, and change for $10.
The bus is $15 for a 72 hour pass but The Deuce (the bus that goes up the Strip and towards Downtown) is VERY slow at times, as the bus drivers like to wait and try and fill the buses up at every stop. This pass is good on all RTC buses. They are doing some fairly major roadworks on the Strip too and certain areas are a bit of a mess. Oh and a taxi from the airport to the MGM is $10. Is it your first time in Vegas? It was for me, and I have never had so many static shocks in all of my life. Literally ANYTHING you touch in a casino from the doors to the machines to the lifts will shock you. Its great
