No Money

How many people sit in the room because they spent all their money in the first few days? I am a 25-30 year veteran, so I know how to do it even if I'm losing. I remember one of the first times I was there-before ATM and all that. You took your money-cash or travelers checks-and if you lost, you were stuck. I had to call home and have my husband Western Union me money to Las Vegas Club. Am i the only one that remembers those days?

 

I remember the days before ATMs, however I was far too young for trips to Vegas then That said, I've never used an ATM in Vegas. I have a daily limit and I'm pretty good at sticking to it. Besides, there are so many things to do in Vegas that are free or dirt cheap, I would never sit around in the hotel even if I were broke.

Well, one exception... I have and would sit around on the balcony at Cosmopolitan. I love that view!

 

This reminds me of back in the day when Debit cards first started becoming main stream. I bank at a small local bank that is always the last to get with new technology (they still dont have an Iphone app). Well every Friday just like clock werk in the even their system would crash and you couldnt use their ATM/Debit cards!!!

After about the third time I opened an account at a large mainstream bank, I still maintain that acct to this day just because of the past. I have never gotten over the feeling of being out to dinner w a new wife and having my card declined over bank error!

So when I go to LV I am loaded for bear, cash, two ATM debit cards, at least two credit cards and a check book!

I take no chances in case mayhem strikes!!

 

there's plenty to do in Vegas even if you quit gambling. sometimes i even have a hard time finding time for gambling there's so much to do. sitting in my room isn't even an option.

 

I went with a a group of buddies and suffered the "Vegas Beatdown" one Sunday. We were already in agreement to allot a certain daily limit and putting the rest in the safe for the next day. Anyways we all were down to $20-$30 each after the meltdown at like 7PM But being Vegas we were on a mission to get loaded one way or another, we would stop at Stage Door for $1 beers, move to Ballys put a $10 in a slot wait for a waitress grab another, tip, then cashout, move up to Casino Royal and do the promo slot for 2-4-1 beers etc, and we just rinsed and repeated for the next 5 hours and it worked it to precision Still one of our best stories when we get together 2-3 times a year . " Hey remember how we got loaded for $10 that night ?" still a hoot :evillaugh I could never sit in my room and sulk, I look forward to ever trip , I can sit in my room anytime back home

 

I started post-ATM. I have seen myself dwindle to my last $100 or so but now I keep everything spaced out through the entire length of my trip. I basically do not play beyond an allotted amount for the day. However, if I am a little bummed about a previous play and I have no more play money for the day, I do rarely go up to the room to get a good nap and rest off that *feeling*. Then I grab a snack and PARTY (which is free)!

 

I would never sit in my room because I am losing.

I have however, gone to the room for a short nap to change my luck and woken up 8 hrs later.

 

When I got low on funds in the old days in Las Vegas, played Sigma Derby where the horses race each other... it cost a quarter! Always looked for the quarter drop off machines... sometimes money would drop if you went by the machine jiggling it...
---
My most miraculous recovery was one day at the Desert Inn in it's hey day. I had spent my markers for the 4 days I'd been there... $2000 worth, it was the end of the day, I was sadly going to go to my room with only taxi fare to the airport and enough money to get my car out of airport parking at my destination... and $1 lonely dollar.
---
I passed by a Big 6 Wheel... the worst bet in Vegas and thought "What the heck, I might as well lose it all" The money went on the $20 space. Now in those days, I was young and slim... the wheel man smiled and let me win $20... "now what do you want to put it on"... I laughed and said "Not on this game!'
---
Took the $20 and played quarter-mania slot machines... won $300 between a couple of the machines and took that to the black-jack table... when I had $2000 in chips... I asked for my markers... tore them up... and when to bed feeling like a winner!
---
Now that I'm much older and a little wiser, I put my money in envelopes for each day and so far have never run out... I even have an envelope to play at the airport... But what fun Las Vegas still is... this tale is my own version of "Vegas Vacation".

 

Pre ATM, you could cash a personal check for up to $300 a day at the hotel you were staying in. In one of my early trips to Las Vegas I did exactly that. If I remember correctly, if you were a player with the proper identification and a credit card, you could cash a personal check for at least a $100, at most large casino's. You always had emergency funds that way. Is this still possible?

 

Since I'm the only one who has obviously done this, I'll fess up and it was post ATM's. I took a solo trip and I lost so much so quick that I just felt defeated. I always stuck by the "daily allowance" method, but it all went out the window that trip. It sucked.

 

I don't know if the hotels get involved, but they all engage with a cash advance company. CASINOMONEY is a big player in that space. It's expensive as all get-out though.

The company charges you somewhere between 2-10% of your credit card cash advance to get the money (a sliding scale - the more you take, the less the percentage). The credit card company charges you somewhere between 3-6% (averaging 4% these days) for the transaction and the interest on the cash advance+fees starts that day - no grace period until your next billing date.

When I was younger and much more stupid, I did quite a bit of this sort of funny money.

 

I have never been to the "felt" on a Vegas vacation, however, I have been really close and I have hit the ATM in the past.

I can think of a million other things then sit in my room when I need a break. PLay cheap Pai Gow, walk the strip/people watch, etc...

 

Thank you so much for this thread

I mean really.

You described my last 3 trips to Vegas last year. And nearly nailed my trip in March. I don't have a problem with hanging out and not gambling. Actually this only happened once. I had just learned to count cards. A friend and I spent 18 months learning. Well, I did anyway.

My first time in Vegas, all I was hearing from the dealers was, "I can't beat this guy". Then later that night my friend and I were at the Riviera. I was on a streak. The cards were good that count was up in the 20's I place a 575 dollar bet my friend bet 25 at 3rd base. I get a solid 20. He pulls a 16. He looks over at me and hits it against the dealers 16 and bust. The dealer draws a 5 for 21. The next few hands were losers and I went broke.

The friend loned me 500 and within 30 minutes I was up a grand and paid him back. Later that night I lost all my money. Day 1 over. I spent the next 3 days in the room and wanted nothing to do with my friend. He burned me again 2 years later and I haven't spent time with the guy in 20 years.

So yeah, I've wasted 3 days in a hotel room in Vegas.

And as for your thread, while reading the post, I remembered that I have a few 100 dollars in cash comps on my rewards card.

Thanks again, you have made me a little happier. I've been doing math. I have a trip to Yellowstone coming up that I still need 600 for and then 11 weeks to save for my Vegas. The rental car is killing me this time. The last I checked, I will have 30 bucks for 7 days in Vegas. Now I'll have more, and it's all thanks to this thread.

 

Re:

I almost had to sit in my room during one visit, but it wasn't because I lost all my money at the casino. I spent most of my money even before arriving in town.

I was flying to Vegas from Houston and was planning on meeting a group of old friends that were flying into town from Tulsa.

Anyone that knows Houston, knows that Houston has two airports; and for some reason I thought that my flight left Hobby. When I got there to catch my flight (30 minutes prior to boarding) I soon realized that my airline didn't fly there, and I had to catch my flight at Intercontinental that is located about 45 minutes (if your lucky) away. I had no choice but to buy a one way ticket to Vegas with the money I had planned on using while I was in Vegas.

When I finally got to Vegas, I called my parental units and they wired me the money to the Wells Fargo in the Barbary Coast. My mom was worried about me being in Vegas without any money, but my dad was laughing is a$$ off.

 

You may also want to read the long thread about using ATM going on right now as well.

By the way, I am thinking Vegas must love ATMs. So easy for most people to grab a grand without any human interaction. Boom, there it is!

 

usually don't go back to the room. most of time go walk around check out all the casinos, go walk around in forums shops...etc. meet up with the friends that are with us and talk about how we lost/won $. yes sucks when it happens but id rather set a limit per day, and have money for the next day then blow it all first night....

 

I've never been so broke that I'm out of bankroll but I have just gone up to my room because I am too scared that I will run out of bankroll.

 

Well, last trip I got send to my room, but only really because I was losing and nothing was working. So I needed to stop for the day.

What did I do? I ordered room service (staying at the Mirage) and Bridesmaids, which had me laughing my ass off.

And I totally enjoyed it.

 

Back in 2005 I did just that. I had a low budget, low daily min and I lost my daily limit by 7am so I got into the next days limit and lost it. I went between the pool, the room and walking.

Last year when I went, I did not go to my room when my daily budget was lost, I just walked, one day playing my freeplays which netted me over $100 if I remember right. My last night on Fremont St I was broke by 6pm but it was a great night to people watch, I went hours and never spent a dime.

Typically I try to stay out of my room in vegas other than shower and a power nap, I dont travel that far to be in a room.

 

There is plenty to do in Vegas, but when I've exhausted my gambling funds there is NOTHING that I want to do other than gamble (yes, I realize that is called addiction).

I cannot stand the idea of not gambling in Vegas. I am the guy standing by the ATM at 11:58 nervously looking at my watch every 10 seconds.

When the cash is gone, I'm hitting the ATM. When the ATM limit has been reached I do credit card cash advance (ouch). I'm already "behind" at this point since I'm paying the casinos and banks a 1-10% on using my own money before I even get to the tables, but that's okay. There's nothing else that I would rather be doing, so I'm okay with paying handsomely for this privilege.