Big mistakes you made on your first trip

Did you make big mistakes on your first trip to Vegas?

I made the mistake of eating at a very cheap buffet. I do not remember which hotel but they had signs everywhere advertising it so I went and it tasted very bad.

I also didn't know how to gamble but my friend taught me martingale and it sounded good. I lost my money early in the trip using that method.

I was also scammed a lot by taxis and people in the casino asking for money or telling me to play a slot machine.

 

I did not sign up for a players card on my first trip because my aunt told me it does not make sense. Now i always tell people to get a card even before touching a slot machine. Its ALWAYS worth the freeplay, shirt or whatever you might get...!

 

November 1973- gambling budget of ~$300 and blew threw that the first night.

McDonalds for dinner the first night.

 

Got sucked in to a time share seminar.

 

Only went for one night. Didn't drink enough.

 

Took the bus from the airport instead of a cab and wasted precious Vegas time. Nothing like spending a grand to get there with my GF (now wife) only to waste the first night waiting for a bus and then slowly getting to our hotel.

Tried a buffet. The food was Ok but there are do many solid dining options for any meal that far exceed the ambiance and quality of a buffet for the same price. We did the Mirage buffet for breakfast only to find out later that they gave a poolside Cafe that serves all sorts of awesome breakfast food.

 

Not getting in pool shape.

 

It was 1984, and I knew nothing about playing machines. I put one quarter in a 25-cent 3-reel machine. Max bet was 3 quarters. Hit 3 red 7's and got $75. I was thrilled, but then found out that if I had played 3 quarters, I would have hit a big jackpot, lol.

 

Trying to do a week's worth of partying in the first night!!! I was much younger then, but still... bad idea.

 

On vacation with the family when I was 18 and used my fake ID(which was absolutely terrible) at the MGM to try and play blackjack. I was escorted out and the ID was taken. should have just stuck to slots

 

oh let me count the ways....

Took shuttle to property, didn't realize the process of calling to get a ride back to airport so wasted the money prepaid and still had to get a taxi.

Thought the timeshare guy was a concierge and tipped him $20 to get us on a guest list at a club. He didn't, we got in anyways though.

Thought you only put the players card in and pulled back out like an ATM. Didnt get jack for credit for our gambling.

 

Arrived 2 hrs after completing an exhausting 24 hour shift. Under bankrolled for the size of my wagering. Blew through my entire 3 day bankroll in a couple hours.

Forced me into using a daily bankroll to ensure I wouldn't burn through all the dough in the first day. 10 years later and with a lot more discipline, I'm transitioning back into a trip bankroll and not limiting myself to a daily limit.

 

I got long hauled BIG TIME. I went around the entire damn Strip in a circle, or at least it seemed that way, and paid like $42 to go to the Tropicana. Do you believe how dumb I was? The next trip I stayed at the same spot, and it was like nine bucks!

 

The biggest mistake on our first trip was not having a room when we arrived there late at night.

We were visiting LA for a couple days beforehand and were supposed to drive to Vegas in the morning but decided the night before to just head there early. We were only 21 and thought gambling and partying until check-in time would be a piece of cake. Big mistake. I just remember at some point all of us passing out wherever we could sit down in the MGM lobby. They eventually took pity on us and checked us in really early, and even upgraded us to a suite.

 

Ate the buffet at the Holiday Inn Boardwalk.

I think it was breakfast, $0.99.

<shudder>

 

+1 for the players card.

Will be my first stop when we return in May.

J

 

This is the easiest thread I've ever answered. I've only been to Vegas once with my girlfriend for 4 nights and absolutely lost the plot. I was just so incredibly over-excited and went on a gambling binge that was so out of control we did NOTHING else... to the following extent:

• In 4 days and nights WE DID NOT LEAVE THE VENETIAN
• We did not see any show, eat in any proper resaurant or go to a pool
• I used by entire bankroll in 24 hours then cleaned out my debit card (fortuanatly I was still young then and didn't have THAT much to lose)
• My favourite - by the last day we actually ran out of money COMPLETELY. The only way we could eat was by ordering room service beause it came off the room deposit we'd already left.
• The most shameful part of all - when they brought us our car I had NOTHING left to tip the valet. I sheepishly said I had no money left at all and he just looked at me with this look of anger/pity.

Anyway, you get the idea. It was brutal! Going back in a month and desperate to strategize not to repeat it!!!!

 

Bankroll management lol

nothing worse than having 2 days to go and being FLAT broke and making the "call of shame" to someone back home. I was young and dumb then..

 

Forgot to check for an Adam’s Apple on the hooker…

 

My first mistake was booking a return flight at 6:45 PM after my 3 night stay. I had no energy on the 3rd day as it was, and had no plans for the time between checkout and flight time. Ended up leaving with my brother in law who drove down. So i took an 8 hour drive vs. a 1 hour and 40 minute flight to get home about 5 hours earlier. The next trip i booked an earlier return flight.

I almost made the mistake of booking a downtown hotel because i had no idea of the geography of Vegas (downtown vs. the strip). I wanted to be on the strip, but the price of the 4 queens was good and the pictures looked so cool lol. Ended up booking the Luxor, which gets a bad rap, but i liked it.