If you were thinking about taking a trip to Las Vegas for a vacation this is a must watch video before you make any bookings. Be prepared for a much more costly visit than what you may have before back the good old days!
In the video Jacob talks about what Sin City is like now post Covid, looks like the big business operators are in catch-up (let’s fleece the visitors) mode, it seems that all the earnings they lost due to the pandemic they are now trying to be re cooped any way they can.
What to expect in Las Vegas these days
Not only does it cost more in flights to get to Las Vegas now your going to have to find more dollars in your budget for hotels, resort fees, early check in fees (a scam), entertainment and shows, parking, drinks and dining on crab legs of just a few things to mention.
Nothing is free in Vegas these days, what will be the next hotel fee they come up with? using the TV fee, using toilet paper fee, opening the curtains fee, having a shower fee 🙂
It’s not all doom and gloom in Vegas on the dining front, you can still get many cheap eats on the strip when you getting low on the dosh or your just a cheap Charlie. Also If you are into people watching and love a few beers or cocktails in an outside environment the strip has many great outdoors drinking and eating venues plus the days of the $10 steak special are still available.
Most of mans best friends are still loving the visit to the strip and they can still book a 5 Star room that accepts doggies.
If you love watching sports on the big screens along with well priced craft beers and food you need to get a wee bit off the strip to get some respite from the tourist trap prices, do yourself a big favor and take a 5 minute walk too the popular Ellis Island Casino.
For all the bad boys among us if you are looking to partake in some Vegas hookers (i mean escorts) then you will probably need to talk with your bank manager first before getting naughty in Sin City. They also have raised their companionship fees to even higher ridiculous levels than what they were pre Covid.
You will also need to endure the lower service levels due to staff shortages so don’t expect someone to bring you a drink in a timely fashion when you are gambling in many casinos. In some venues you will be asked to pay what are called junk / hidden (CNF) fees on bills when dining or drinking.
Not only will you need to pay heaps more per night for hotels now, As many regulars already know you will need to pay about $25 per night for a separate bar fridge in most Vegas hotels these days. But some hotels are still giving guests a free fridge in the rooms. Most Vegas room fridges are by very thoughtful design cannot be used for your own drinks or food. If you take out a few of the hotel items from the smart room fridge to make way for some left over pizza or a few of your own drinks that may just cost you $50.00 or way more. Just leave the room fridge alone, grab some ice, drinks and snacks from a local shop and don’t forget to take your own cooler bag.
Be very aware that crime is on the increase in the strip area and this crime is of the very violent type including shooting and stabbing deaths. You will still get that same generally safe and fun vibe walking on the strip with mostly happy people out and about. But we warned: some areas that are just off the strip are no-go zones for visitors.
Now if you have made it this far and don’t care about the above issues you still have plenty of gambling options as ever in Vegas. But here is the kicker, the casinos over the last few years have improved their house edges on with the introduction of the 6:5 Blackjack in favour of 3:2 tables and the introduction of the triple zero Roulette games to most casinos.
Your going to have a harder time winning on these table games than you did a few years ago. If pro players like JV from Vegas Gambler finds it hard to win on 6:5 Blackjack then the rest of us don’t really have chance. Just between me and you though, a popular casino just a 5 minute walk from the strip still has the 3:2 blackjack tables available.
With regards to Vegas slot machines players apparently report even less pay-outs these days than before. Well they never paid out that much before Covid anyways in IMHO so player returns must be beyond woeful these days on the slots. So when the slots run you out of cash just make sure you have 5 bucks left for some great eats.
Many casinos have now reduced the players rewards programs to the point where some of them are just as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.
The buffets in Vegas have gone up in price quite a bit over the last few years, to still get some great dining value you may like to check out the South Point casino buffet just south of the main strip area.
Summing up
Personally, I love Vegas for the shows, the late night (got the munchies) eating and most of all the drinking at breakfast🍹, the 🍷 drinking at lunch and the happy hour drinking 🍺 and then the drinking at all other times 😊.
I am avid gambler but i only sports or race book bet when in Sin City, i feel the odds are just way to stacked against me on the gambling options in Vegas. The casinos for some time have been tweaking their house edge upwards on the games, plus increasing prices / lowering service levels to maximize their profits and this was happening even before Covid.
The Vegas casino bean counters are hoping that no one will notice what they are up too – good luck with that!
Is Vegas good bang for your buck these days? well it’s not as good as it was pre Covid that’s for sure and certain. Will these increased costs and casinos paying out less stop people from going to Sin City? No way!
I hope to visit Vegas again soon – I do miss those happy hours and that amazing buffet @ the Bellagio 🙂
