Let's Go to Vegas

20 February 2025

By Royal Flushes

CINDY: When folks think of gambling, I am sure the first town that comes to mind is Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a giant city with maybe a hundred casinos of all types.

ABBY: You can go low-brow, the old-time sawdust joints – which don’t have any sawdust on the floors anymore but you get the idea. Relatively low stakes. Some shabby patrons. These are basically just a bar area and games like blackjack and maybe a craps table or two. Some don’t even have hotels or, if they do, they are low-roller level.

CINDY: Then you have dozens of casinos that fit the middle-class level of play.

ABBY: These would be a range of casinos.

CINDY: The hotels are nice but not spectacular, the games are basically affordable by middle-class players. You have some good (or decent) entertainment choices on weekends mostly. These are the most commonly visited casinos in Vegas. They aren’t Bellagio or any of the other A+ type casinos. But most players would consider them good places to play.

ABBY: But they provide the average player with a chance to play the games. Table games and slot machines. Some of these places do have loyal followers.

CINDY: Some are what are called “locals’ places” that the native Las Vegans play in. They will have some shows, usually rockers or singers that aren’t in the limelight but still have fans, that type of thing. Some of the old celebrities who live in Vegas will play these places too.

ABBY: I remember one casino that Tony Curtis played in in the late 1990s. Gray hair. An old version of Tony Curtis.

CINDY: And, of course, you have the glitter and glamour of the A+ casino-hotels. This is the highest level of Las Vegas. The movies will usually focus on the A+ casino-hotels. They have resident shows by big stars and minor shows too.

ABBY: If you are planning a trip to Las Vegas then you have to be aware of the overall cost of where you will be staying. Can you afford table minimums of $25? What about the more expensive types of slot machines?

CINDY: If you are not a comped player or a partially comped player, you might prefer the middle-class level of casino. You don’t want to go broke by thinking you are A+ but you aren’t.

ABBY: Early on we couldn’t afford to play the big houses. We stayed at our financial level with no heartaches. As time passed, and we got older, and our family obligations became somewhat less and less, we could start enjoying the premium casino-hotels.

CINDY: I think overall that we handled the economics of casino playing quite well.

ABBY: Now shows are next. What shows should you see? Obviously, if you have performers that you love then of course make the effort to see them. Just about every show that is associated with Cirque Du Soleil is spectacular and we both definitely recommend reserving your seat.

CINDY: Here is where the cost of something isn’t all that important. These shows are worth the expense.

ABBY: Absolutely.

Next week: Atlantic City.