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allocating money per day

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Wolvolad, Apr 1, 2014.

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  1. jamesdownthepub

    jamesdownthepub Tourist

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    Hi all,

    Booked our trip to vegas in oct for 7 nights and was wondering how much money should be more than enough for a day to spend. bearing in mind were 3 guys in our mid to late twentys, like to gamble, eat and drink well...

    I know you can spend as little or as much as you want in vegas but I was wondering whats an average bank roll to take.

    Was thinking bout 600 dollars...

    thanks
     
  2. stackinchips

    stackinchips VIP Whale

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    You said it yourself, it all depends on what your preferences are. For some people 5k a day isn't enough, and others get by on $100.

    The best thing to do for a first timer, is to look at what things cost in Vegas for what you typically do or want to do. For instance:

    Food
    Low End (Fast food) - Plenty of options on strip (Subway, McDs, etc.) $10/meal

    Mid Range - Casual Sit down spots (Cheesecake Factory, Burger Joints, Margaritaville, etc.) $20-40 (excluding alcohol)/meal

    Higher end - Fine Dining Spots (Steakhouses, any chef restaurant) $100-$400/meal

    Buffets - Breakfast is about $20, Lunch/Dinner $30-40 (more for Bellagio/Wynn types)

    This is of course you're staying on strip. Downtown/off strip you can get the $10 prime rib dinners and the other cheap eats.

    Look at that and figure out what you will primarily eat, and figure out your food cost per day.

    Gambling:

    Really comes down to your game of choice and how long you plan to play. Again if you're staying on the strip, plan on table games being at a $10 min. You may find some $5 games in off times/dive casinos, but they will be rare.

    Machines can obviously be played for pennies a spin or $100 a spin.

    Drinking:

    Drinks are free while you gamble. You can also go to a CVS/Walgreens to grab booze for your room for the times that you're not playing. Paying for drinks will run you ~$10 when buying them from a casino bar (mixed drink or a little less for beer), but you can also find deals at places like Casino Royale for $1/Michelob (and usually a 2/1 coupon), and again you can buy them at the hotel sundries as well.

    If you plan on hanging at the pool and drinking, you're going to be paying a big premium for drinks. Those will run $10-15 bucks, although some places have some deals for buckets of beers and what not.

    Clubs, you're looking at big money for drinks or bottle service, if that's your thing. Your 600 bucks would most likely be going just to booze for the night.



    If you want to know what you need for a daily budget, you need to look at those prices, and anything else you may want to do, and figure out what you need. The person eating at a mid range restaurants and playing 40 cents a spin for 3-4 hours a day can probably get by on $200-300/day (probably even less). The person dining at Prime, SW, Delmonico, Sinatra, etc. and playing $10 craps with full odds and $54 across for 10 hours a day is going to need a lot more.

    Transportation/Tips/Misc.

    You'll be surprised how much money you spend on random things, taxis, and tips. I'd estimate that I spend anywhere from $100-300 a trip just on these things. Granted I'm paying for the entire taxi vs. splitting with a bunch of friends, but the tips to CW, bellman, limo driver, etc. add up quick.

    Just be realistic about what you plan to do, how long you plan to gamble, and how much you'll spend on booze/food. Then add about 20% to be safe as there is nothing worse than being broke in Vegas.
     
  3. jhpa

    jhpa VIP Whale

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    There are a lot of variables
    .Lets see...., Me personally, I would want at least $100 for drink (remember you will have free drinks while playing) and $100 food per day. If you assume a $300 buy in at a craps table should last you at least 3 hours in the afternoon and a $500 buy in in the evening. I would say $1000 per day should last, unless you are unlucky.

    Then again, it depends on what you want to do. Laying around a pool is pretty cheap, but drinking at a pool can be expensive. You heading to any clubs? that will decrease your gambling but also increase your drinking budget.

    So let's look at your $600.

    A decent breakfast and lunch should be $20 each. You can cheap out if you want, maybe $10 and $10. Dinner, since you like to "eat well", has got to be at least $75, maybe you can do it less well for $50. So lets call it $70 total for food.

    If you drink a lot at the tables, you can also save on the booze. But even 4 non comped drinks a day will cost you $40, less if you are drinking beer. (Don't even consider going to a club for a couple hours and think you will spend less than $100 on booze) So let's call it $30 for drinking. Now you have $100 for food and drink.

    And that leaves $500 left for gambling. My opinion - and experience as a relatively low rolling craps player. in Vegas $200 in the afternoon and $300 at night might get you by - assuming $5 tables during the day and $10 tables at night. Of course, if you hit a weekend, or at some upscale properties with $15 minimum table, you are way out of your league. Here is my rule of thumb:

    When tables are $5, $75 minimum budget per hour of gambling.
    When tables are $10, $150 minimum budget per hour of gambling
    When tables are $15, $200 minimum budget per hour of gambling

    I would want at least $200 per hour gambling budget for each 24 hour weekend period. So if you want to gamble for 6 hours, I would need at least $900.

    Now if you are a skilled poker player, you can make a $500 buy in lst a pretty long time.
     
  4. stackinchips

    stackinchips VIP Whale

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    Pretty spot on, other than I would point out that you will need far less bankroll for basically any game besides craps. Hell you could flat bet a $10 BJ table on $200 for several hours unless you hit some really bad variance.

    You could also probably last a long time at a craps table if you just played PL and 1x odds, but it would get fairly boring IMO.
     
  5. touche22

    touche22 Low-Roller

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    If you have decent self control 600 is enough per day. Avg 150$ for food, drinks, and tips per day. If you are ok with 450$ a day gambling then you are good to go.
     
  6. ernestoc33

    ernestoc33 Low-Roller

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    It depends on how you roll and where you stay. Before I was married I would spend $500 a day. Now a days my wife and I stay on Fremont and often spend under $100 a day before gambling. We don't skimp on anything, but we do exploit all the offers, coupons and freebies that get thrown our way. The great thing about Vegas is that there's something for every budget.
     
  7. kps

    kps High-Roller

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    3 guys in their 20's who like to gamble, eat and drink well....$600 can be done as stack said. A few other suggestions to maybe lower the overall cost:

    1) vons.com can be your best friend. Free first delivery, you set up your time for delivery and they will bring it to your room if you tip them. We stayed for a week last July and it was the best $150 spent. Beer, food, snacks, liquor, etc.

    2) Take advantage of happy hours. They are all over the place in Vegas at pretty much every property.

    3) If doing clubs pre game and do pre sale tix to get into locations or hosts' guest list. Bottle service can range from $500-1k minimums depending on the day, dj and club you're looking at. Drinks are costly as stack said.

    4) Gamble down at Fremont Street. Money goes further with lower minimums than on the strip IMHO. Other angle if you need to gamble on the strip is gamble during the day as mins will be lower than at night from my experience.

    Hope this helps.
     
  8. Bigcash12000

    Bigcash12000 Tourist

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    Bank roll

    I would say $600 per day is just fine. I have gone and had $300-400 per day and had a blast. You just have to stay within your means or you could have big gambling days with a few low key days and of course if you hit big early that always helps. Like everyone else has posted it depends on your preferences. Table games generally require more money to play than slots or hitting the sportsbook for a few hours. I don't waste my money going to clubs bc I am in vegas to eat, drink, and gamble so I can get away with smaller daily bank rolls.
     
  9. DonnyC

    DonnyC VIP Whale

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    Was that a per day amount or total?

    There are a bunch of $5 BJ games available on the strip...you just have to be willing to find them: Excal, NYNY, Circus Circus, Hooters (just off strip), Riviera.


    Vegas can be done on the cheap or on the expensive.

    It's a marathon...not a sprint.

    My brother and I go (and have gone a bunch for much less) almost once a year from age 21 & 25-now (age 29 and 33)...and we always have a great time.

    Find the deals on drinks...a $10 Bud beer from a casino bar tastes no better than that same beer for $2.50 from a gift shop, CVS, ABC and the other stores littering the Strip.

    Groupon can be your friend - again the food tastes the same whether full price or half off.
     
  10. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    Gambling wont be as much of a concern as you might think because you will be very aware once you plunk down that money.

    The hidden costs will get you though. the eating and drinking.

    Sure, drinks are free while gambling but what about when you are just walking around or pre gaming? Do you want to wait for someone to bring your booze or just be able to have another anytime you want on your schedule? For me I need lots of beers at hand so i dont mind paying for them from the bar or whatever place is nearby when mine gets low.

    When getting free drinks while gambling someone has to tip to keep the cw's interest so that can add up too depending on your drinking habits.

    The food can be a killer too. Even a cheap breakfast will be $10- 15 after tip and thats the cheapest meal of the day. Now add a couple more decent meals and I am not talking fancy by any stretch, just like outback steakhouse caliber meals and you are up around $75- 100 per day each.

    Now if you plan on taking some cabs around that will add up as well. most people take a cab back from wherever they took the cab too so that will double the price of course.

    A $100 bill is like a stick of gum in vegas so even though you have a whole pocket full of them, many people around you will have more. some, way more so dont throw them around like they are nothing. its still a !00 bill afterall.

    Just keep you head about you and remember that the bulk of your time wont be spent gambling but walking around and goofing off.

    The best tips are to drink alot in your room before going out. preferably do this in the morning as it sets the tone for the day.

    Hit up food courts or cheap food options when yu seen them. $1 mcdoubles are satisfying and can really stretch the budget.

    You can drink along the strip and the tee shirts shops that sell vegas junk all sell cold beers at cheap prices. never pass one without buying one.
     
  11. jamesdownthepub

    jamesdownthepub Tourist

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    Wow, I didnt expect so much people to get bk to me :)

    Im taking about £2500 which equates to around $4000...from what im reading theres hidden costs I clearly hadnt budgeted for.

    Dont get me wrong...we like to eat good meals but we also like to eat on the cheap, I want to experience everything from playing blackjack and roulette to learning craps and playing soke.VP.

    Were stopping ar the signature at thr MGM Grand which like people are saying it expensive for drinks if not gambling...was thinking 450 -600bucks now its more like 700...that 600 is if Ilose it all...you never know...I might actually win something :)
     
  12. DeMoN2318

    DeMoN2318 The DERS

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    Figure $100/day for each game you want to try...
     
  13. numeno

    numeno VIP Whale

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    The length of time gambling is the biggest unknown.

    Food - ~$100/day I think is reasonable and honestly might even be too much. You won't be having 3 big meals a day.

    Drink - ~100/day again I think is reasonable and again might be too much depending on your tastes and how much you drink. Expect $7-$9/drink minimum. A few others have already suggested going and getting a few bottles to make some drinks in the room before going out as well. I'm completely ignoring clubs and bottle service here.

    So right there is ~$1400 for your trip. To me this seems very reasonable and you can have a great time.

    Beyond that is gambling. If you want to sit at tables for 8+ hours a day, that is very very different than on the tables for 3-4 hours a day.




    If you have the means I would stick with the ~$600/day idea and see how it goes. Bring or have available an extra ~$1000 or so just in case. You may find that after $200, you just want to go off and not gamble for the rest of the day. You may find that $5 tables are perfect for you and realize that $200 can last you an entire day. You may also realize you are bored and required playing $25 tables.



    In general if you think you will be fine with $5-$10 tables(and bet the minimum), then I really thinkg $4200 is a good number for 7 days. Yes, you could have some very bad luck, but that is a good chunk of money. You can always decide to just take it easy a day or 2, sit out by the pool and just walk around seeing sites.
     
  14. NickyDim

    NickyDim Hockey is life

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    Bring as much money as you can afford, with a reserve on a debit card if you need it, and then divide that amount by the number of days.

    You want to bring as much fun as you can, but it will only be fun if you don't need to pay for essential bills with it.

    Whatever you have left over each day you can either roll it into the next day for a bigger day, or put it in the return envelop and forget about it and you'll have something left at the end of the trip.

    How much is all about what you personally can afford.
     
  15. jamesdownthepub

    jamesdownthepub Tourist

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    Well im taking $4000 dollars and im prepared to spend it, hopefully it will last without me having to be to cheap...thanks for thr advice guys, appreciate it
     
  16. mgill1974

    mgill1974 Low-Roller

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    I take $500 a day for gambling

    I don't eat 3 meals a day in Vegas

    I buy lots of snacks at Albertsons right when I arrive in town.

    Room is stocked with beer/spirits for mornings/evenings
     
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