The Open Road Travel

Las Vegas is a city synonymous with excess, which is perhaps why it is known as Sin City.

From legendary casinos and plush bars and restaurants to performances by some of the world’s biggest artists and entertainers, Las Vegas is a destination known as a playground for the rich and famous.

Despite its grandiose façade, Las Vegas isn’t just a city for people with money to burn though. While going in blind can make Sin City an expensive destination, there are plenty of tricks and tips that can make it a city you can enjoy, no matter how much you have to spend.

With that in mind, allow me to show you how to experience Las Vegas on a budget. I will provide you with 12 top tips to help you save money during your stay, while even suggesting a few of the best hotels for you to stay on a budget.

So, if you’ve always wanted to visit Las Vegas but thought it would be out of your price range, this is the article for you.

An often overlooked fact about Las Vegas is that while you are gambling you won’t be required to pay for any of your drinks. While this may seem strange on the surface, it certainly benefits the casino to have people betting after they have a drink or two.

This means that, even if you aren’t the biggest gambler, playing a little can be a great way to actually save money, even if you are only going out for drinks.

Sitting at a table may not make it easy to gamble slowly and make the most of the free drinks. However, games like keno are considerably easier to use this trick with.

Most casino bars will even have slot machines built into them. As long as you make sure to have a few dollars in the machine and be actively playing, even slowly, the bar tenders will keep the drinks flowing (even more so if you are a good tipper).

If you have your heart set on seeing a particular show, especially an extremely popular one, then it may be in your best interests to book it as soon as you can, to ensure there is availability.

However, if you don’t have something special in mind, then leaving it as late as possible is often the way to go. With venues desperate to sell out as often as they can, there are often great discounts to be had by not purchasing your tickets until the day.

This way, you will be able to score the best deals possible, as the tickets will have reached the lowest price the venues are willing to let them go for.

There are even a number of booths located along the strip that are dedicated to last minute ticket sales. These will have a list of everything going on for the next few days and show you just how cheaply you can get a ticket for.

This means not only can grab a good deal, but you may even discover a show you otherwise wouldn’t have looked at, helping to broaden your horizons during your stay in Sin City.

Resort fees are something that are standard across almost all hotels in Las Vegas, no matter what price range you are shopping in. They are designed to cover the luxuries on offer, such as casinos, swimming pools, restaurants etc

However, as resort fees are paid when you are at the property, they have become a way for many hotels to hide the true cost of your stay. This means the fantastic deal you are looking at may not be as good as it first seems.

When booking your hotel, make sure to compare the prices of different options with their respective resort fees included. That way, you will be able to work out which one truly offers the best deal.

Everyone will have seen movies and TV shows where people receive comps in casinos. These are complimentary products and services which can range from rooms and meals to show tickets.

This may seem like a luxury reserved only for high rollers, however, they are actually something everyone can make the most of, if you know how to work the system.

The sort of comps you will qualify for are dependent on your level of play. This doesn’t necessarily mean how much you actually gamble though.

In most Las Vegas casinos, you will be required to sign up for a player’s card.

This is what you will then add money to, in order to be able to exchange it for chips at the tables. It is also what keeps track of how much money each person has “in play” and can help to determine your comp level.

If you aren’t planning on gambling too much and trust yourself with money, it is a good idea to add as much as possible to this card in the morning and then cash it out again at night.

Doing this each day will register you as being a relatively high level player, even if most of it isn’t seeing the tables. Just remember, you will still need to spend a reasonable amount of time playing, otherwise casino staff will catch on incredibly quickly.

It is also a good idea to get friendly with a host, dealer, pit boss, or floor manager, if possible, as this will boost your level of comps even quicker.

Most people know you will pay a premium to stay on The Strip in Las Vegas, as it is the epicentre of the city’s attractions.

However, if you are struggling to justify the price it costs to stay in The Strip hotels, there are nearby options you can make the most of, without missing out.

Many of the hotels surrounding The Strip have their own casinos, which often compare to those located on it. Most will also offer shuttle services to and from the main attractions, while plenty are within walking distance to begin with.

By staying at one of these options, you will get a very similar experience to staying directly on The Strip, yet potentially pay a dramatically lower fee.

One of the best things about Las Vegas is the incredible amount of variety you have right on your doorstep. No matter where you stay, there will always be countless bars, restaurants, and similar establishments to choose from.

Now, while the more famous establishments won’t be worried about attracting patrons, there is a lot of competition for the smaller businesses.

As a result, many of them will offer incredible deals, which they advertise through fliers or leaflets that are handed out throughout Sin City.

By doing this, they hope to not only draw you in to begin with, but also score your repeat business, when you no longer have the flier and have to pay full price.

If you keep track of these deals and hang on to any vouchers, fliers, or leaflets you are given, you can spend the majority of your trip paying substantially less for food and drinks than is normally the case.

These deals aren’t just restricted to bars and restaurants either. Many of the smaller hotels and casinos run their own promotions, as keeping you on the property as much as possible maximises the amount of money you are likely to drop in the casino.

When you check in to your hotel, be sure to make a note of any coupons or vouchers they may give you.

With deals ranging from a free play at a table to half price meals in their restaurants, you can get some great deals right at the start of your visit that many people often overlook.

Much like we have just looked at with deals, many bars and restaurants will also offer a “happy hour”. This is a period where all or part of their menu will be available at a significantly reduced price for a very short period of time.

The idea is to get customers in the door, then make the money off of them when happy hour is over. The thing to remember though is that, in order to avoid too much competition, many of the establishments in Las Vegas hold their happy hour at different times.

If you can keep track of when each place runs its happy hour, you can hop between bars and restaurants, eating and drinking like royalty, while paying very little to do so.

Whether it be your 1st or 101st time in Las Vegas, most people are well aware that the odds are always stacked in favour of the house.

Even if you spend hours practicing or reading books on how to win big in Vegas, the chances of you coming away with a profit are still relatively slim.

If you want to increase your chances as much as possible though, you need to realise that not all of the games on offer have the same chances of winning.

For example, keno and machines like slots are heavily stacked in the house’s favour, making the chances of you winning considerably lower.

If winning is your main priority, blackjack is the game you want to familiarise yourself with. Not only is it one of the few where there is actually some level of skill involved, but the house only has an edge of around 1.5% over the player.

If blackjack isn’t your thing, perhaps give either roulette or craps a try. These are the second fairest games you will find regularly throughout Las Vegas, with the house edge ranging anywhere from 1.5% to 5.5%.

No matter which casino you choose to visit in Las Vegas, most are designed to make you feel you are in a stylish environment. With many of them interlinked, particularly on The Strip, you often won’t realise that there are actually dramatic differences between them.

The most important difference is the amount it costs per hand, spin, or roll of the dice. This can range from a minimum of just 2 or 3 dollars per play, all the way to $20 or more.

While the more expensive tables can offer bigger rewards, there are obviously substantially greater risks involved.

Before you sit down to play, make sure you are clear on the table minimum. This will stop you from losing more than you are prepared for or feeling embarrassed when you have to leave a table once you realise it is out of your price range.

Las Vegas has some of the grandest, most famous hotels in the entire world. With many boasting their own unique themes and selling points, it can be easy to get tempted into treating yourself to one of the many iconic destinations Las Vegas has to offer.

However, if you are travelling on a budget, this may not be the wisest move. After all, the more you spend on accommodation, the less money you will have to actually enjoy yourself while you’re there.

While I am by no means suggesting you need to find the cheapest option available, choosing a hotel that doesn’t break the bank will help you to have a more enjoyable trip overall.

As is often the case, prices for accommodation in Las Vegas are significantly higher on a weekend than they are during the week. The difference is that Las Vegas is a city where there is something going on every single day, with one day being almost identical to the next.

This means there is very little to be lost by adjusting the dates of your trip to avoid visiting over the weekend.

If you aren’t coming to Las Vegas for a particular event, try to plan your stay between Sunday and Thursday. This will allow you to score the best deals possible, without leaving you with a feeling that you are missing out.

Many of the tips we have looked at so far revolve around seeking out deals and ways to experience things without paying full price.

With that in mind, if you don’t have a specific time you need to visit Las Vegas, try and aim for a period outside of the busiest times of year. This can include the majority of summer, as well as special holidays, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.

The reason for this is that during busy periods the hotels, bars, and restaurants know they are almost guaranteed to be busy. As a result, they are much less likely to be running deals, making it significantly harder to find bargains and experience Las Vegas on a budget.

Now you know most of the tricks for how to experience Las Vegas on a budget, it makes sense that I show you some of the best hotels to stay in Las Vegas on a budget as well.

This will give you some of the very best options of where to stay to make the most of the city without breaking the blank, yet without having to go completely to the bottom of the barrel as well.

The Excalibur Hotel & Casino is one of the many MGM Resorts located throughout Las Vegas and is set right at the heart of The Strip. Designed in the style of a Medieval castle, it offers a personal balance of convenience, luxury, and the unique themes that Las Vegas is known for.

In addition to the casino, amenities including 6 restaurants, 4 outdoor pools boasting poolside cabanas and water slides, a fitness centre, numerous shops and bars, and even a children’s gaming area will keep your party completely entertained around the clock.

The rooms themselves are located in two incredible towers and are filled with luxuries like flat screen cable TVs and marble bathrooms. Many rooms will also boast incredible views of The Strip.

Each of the rooms is completely pet friendly and private parking and site-wide Wi-Fi are included as part of your resort fee. This all combines to make The Excalibur the best hotel to stay in Las Vegas on strip on a budget.

The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is a fabulous, 4-star hotel and casino, operated by Caesar’s Entertainment. It is well known as the home of one of the most famous shows in Las Vegas, Penn And Teller.

Despite being just a short walk from its sister hotel, Caesar’s Palace, in the centre of The Strip, its off-strip designation allows it to offer substantially lower prices. This makes it the best hotel to stay in Las Vegas off strip on a budget.

Each of the spacious suites boasts a refrigerator and safe, as well as a separate dressing area and panoramic views of either The Strip or the surrounding Nevada desert. Free private parking and site wide Wi-Fi are also included in the resort fee.

Among the amenities at the property, you will find a full-service spa and salon, outdoor pool, fitness centre, Indian and buffet restaurants, a bar, The VooDoo Lounge, where you can enjoy food, cocktails, and dancing, and, of course, the casino itself.

Located just a short walk from The Strip, the Days Inn By Wyndham Las Vegas Wild Wild West Gambling Hall is the best hotel to stay in Las Vegas as cheaply as possible.

Rooms here are available for incredibly reasonable fees, while still offering a convenient location and a few luxuries.

The most prominent of the luxuries you wouldn’t normally find in a cheaper motel is the well-equipped gambling hall, featuring tables and machines, as well as a pool, hot tub, bar, and a branch of Denny’s that is open around the clock.

The modest rooms are all spacious and comfortable, and feature Wi-Fi, cable TV with pay-per-view channels, a work desk, large seating area, and private bathroom.

That concludes our guide on how to experience Las Vegas on a budget. By now, you will hopefully be clear on how to have a fabulous stay in Sin City, even if you are travelling on the smallest of budgets.

If you still haven’t settled on exactly where to stay in Las Vegas, we also have an article on all the best areas that you may want to check out as well.

So, go and get your budget hotel booked and see if you can find any deals before you even leave home. That way, you can start looking forward to enjoying the Vegas vacation of your dreams as soon as possible.