Many Las Vegas travelers will spend hours combing through online trip reports, websites, and books to find out insider information on particular casinos in Sin City. As someone who travels to Las Vegas on a regular basis, I have found that casino bartenders can be a great source of information. These are the top five secrets these men and women hold close which could save you money, make you money, or get you the best drink service.
Las Vegas Bartender Secret #1
Las Vegas bartenders might not tell you, but they know how the video poker machines set into the bar top are among the tightest in the casino. The casinos know people might sit at the bar for hours to drink and might need some type of entertainment while they drown themselves in alcohol. The video poker machines at the bar typically have the worst payout table of any you will find on the property and should be avoided if possible.
Las Vegas Bartender Secret #2
Bartenders know what is going on in the area around the bars they are stationed at. Chances are good a bartender will know about a machine which has been hitting more often than others. For a tip, a bartender might let you in on the secret. If a casino bartender gives me a tip which pays off, I will typically give 10 percent of whatever I won on the machine. While this is not a tip rule set in stone, I have found bartenders who were free with more worthy information after getting a nice tip.
Las Vegas Bartender Secret #3
Some of the best-kept secrets in Las Vegas fall into the category of off-the-menu meal deals. These deals are in place to keep the locals coming back to particular restaurants. Casino bartenders can let you in on some of their favorite deals for a decent tip. Spending the extra money at this point might save you much more when you are let in on the secrets of $10 complete steak dinners or $4 gourmet hamburgers. On a recent trip to Sin City, my wife and I saved $85 over three meals after giving a bartender a $10 tip for information on private meal deals.
Las Vegas Bartender Secret #4
When I sit down at a slot machine, I hope to have swift drink service. Since cocktail waitresses have to head to a bar to fill their drink orders, a bartender is going to have a good idea of where the most common places are for waitress traffic. Bartenders will usually be willing to help you find one of the best slot machine banks in the area for swift service.
Las Vegas Bartender Secret #5
Some of the poker rooms in Sin City will have bars inside so players do not have to wander far for a drink and have some place to sit while they wait for a table to open up or to simply unwind after a few hours of play. The bartenders spend time watching the crowd when the drink line goes down. They can point out the familiar faces of experienced locals who spend all day in the poker room or point out the players who have been sharking others for the last few hours. This information can be invaluable and is worthy of a strong tip.
