Here is a collection of general wisdom I've picked up over the years. Hopefully it will help you maximize your experience, and keep your best interests in mind, too!

Casinos

• They're run as a business, and that business is making money, so you have to beat them at their own game

• I only spend like $5 per property and when I don't win, I go to the next place (#next place vibes) - when I win, I play, if I don't I go to the next place. So many options in Vegas, no need to play where you aren't winning!

• How they balance their budget - in the days leading up to a holiday the slots are at maximum tightness - I call it "vacuuming up money", they do this so they have money to pay out on the actual holiday itself. That way people post wins on social media and they encourage you to book your trip for the next holiday. - you think the guy winning $11 million on Megabucks at Resorts World the day before Thanksgiving 2025 was random?

• Don't chase bonuses, wins, losses, near-wins, etc. Play what you want to play, at the amount you want to play, when you enjoy playing, but never throw "good money after bad money". Have a limit, and stick to it!

• Bet lower - betting higher doesn't mean you win more, it means you need progressively bigger wins just to "get back". Set a budget, consider it your cost of entertainment, and stick to it!

• Set some cash to the side for something non-gambling related when you win!

Craps

• Always bet odds if you're betting the pass line - if you're willing to bet, then believe in it!

• The longer the person's roll goes on, focus on Come bets - from what I've seen, super long rolls rarely hit the point and that money works better for you as a Come bet with Odds

• If anybody joins the table and bets Don't Pass it usually messes up the vibe and the rolling either knocks that person off the table in short order, or they stay and nobody can get a good roll going after - watch your money if there's Don't Pass action going on!

Hotels

• They have constantly changing, difficult to understand, typically un-usable "offers". Always screen/review/practice healthy skepticism before clicking that "book" button on emails!

• Examples: You'll get an email with an offer (like Fontainebleau offering weeknights for $150 including Resort Fees + $150 Slot Credit + $100 Resort Credit, etc. with a 2 night minimum stay), but when you try to book within the redemption window - the link won't work, or if you call they'll say you have to do 3 nights for the offer - whatever they can do to squeeze more money from you or have you NOT take them up on the offer so they can LOOK generous without actually having to do anything. Have a budget ahead of time, and stick to it!

• They'll have wildly different nightly rates on different sources 

• Example: Vegas.com has one price, Hotels.com has a different price, booking direct has a different price, they'll email you an offer with a different price, they'll have a special "package" offer that rolls in something like free drink tickets but then has a wildly different rate, etc. 

• Book when you have the budget, not when they try to entice you! Sounds cynical, but I have your best interests in mind, can they say the same?

Ticket Prices

• Watch out for "Promotions" that are more expensive than the normal price. Don't just book things off an email

• Example: Caesars Palace offering things like a 2 for $50 ticket week for the High Roller Ferris Wheel, but you might have a 2-for-1 on your Player's Card that makes it cheaper ($40 total) better than the "Special Price" ($50 total), etc. 

Slots

• Often the featured "max bonus" payout shown has to be on a specific payline configuration - and not just from getting the symbols

• Whole screen of one symbol and wilds = $25

• Lots of games these days have what I call "More Ways to Win, More Ways to Lose"

• Like Huff N' Puff (you can win on Hardhats, Buzz Saws, Deeds, etc.), but often times you'll get 2 of one symbol and 1 of the other - which means no bonus. Watch out for how they mix and tend to block each other - again don't "chase" wins, just play within your comfort level and budget and enjoy the game, don't try to get rich on slot wins that almost pay, if they were going to pay, they pay. 

• Be aware of the "Yin and Yang Effect" (like different colored trains in Monopoly, different colored balls on Fireball Paradise Lights - so you get 6 items that should start the bonus, but since they're mixed color, it doesn't do anything, don't get caught up chasing, just play within your means and enjoy the ride, it's the cost of entertainment to be in these billion dollar buildings, in the entertainment capital of the world!

• Watch for games with worse odds - like you need to get 6 icons that should start the bonus (that used to be 3 scatter symbols), but if you don't also get the treasure chest icon or similar in the final reel - then nothing happens (like on Buffalo Luxury Line or Raise the Sails, etc.)

• About 95% of the time - you'll get 2 of the bonus symbols and the machine will rev up and run and run and run, then you'll "almost" get the 3rd symbol but just barely miss it (it will be in the spot above the game where you can see it if it had just moved just a millimeter lower, you'll see it pass by and you just missed it - this is to hack your psychology and then they show the 3rd symbol on the NEXT spin of the reels. Don't chase bonuses, don't chase losses, don't chase wins - just play within your means and your budget on the games you enjoy when you feel like playing - noticing a theme here?

• I believe the machine knows how much money you have and it will give you some tiny win on your last spin where you'll be 1 penny short of being able to afford another spin - to try to get you to add some more money so you can spin again! Don't.