Tikay I have a question that hasn't been covered in the guide so far. You mention getting a taxi from the airport is easy - however, I was watching a youtube video about 10 things that will shock you in vegas (good or bad!) and the price of taxi's was one of them - with it costing at least $40 for a taxi from the airport to the hotels. But I saw someone in the comments mentioned Uber - do you (or anyone) here have any experience with them? They are apparently 3x cheaper and just (if not more) reliable. http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/uber-las-vegas-las-vegas Reading reviews on yelp they seem mixed. Some are really great - others have said they're not really any better than cabs (and only barely cheaper if some of them try and take you a weird long route) Posted by F_Ivanovic
The last couple of times I have arrived in Vegas I have just went to the cab rank and got a shuttle bus. There is a kiosk right at the exit selling the shuttle bus tickets which cost well under $10. There is usually a 10 minute or so wait while they pick up another passenger or 2 and then they deliver you safely to whichever hotel you want.
most of the casinos have their poker tournie schedules up online,worth a look to plan out your games in advance. Posted by TheMadMonk
Yup, also if you search for upcoming poker tournaments in las vegas on google you will see a link to 'poker atlas' which shows every tourney at all the casinos and has a section showing what cash games are usually running at each casino.
Tikay I have a question that hasn't been covered in the guide so far. You mention getting a taxi from the airport is easy - however, I was watching a youtube video about 10 things that will shock you in vegas (good or bad!) and the price of taxi's was one of them - with it costing at least $40 for a taxi from the airport to the hotels. But I saw someone in the comments mentioned Uber - do you (or anyone) here have any experience with them? They are apparently 3x cheaper and just (if not more) reliable. http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/uber-las-vegas-las-vegas Reading reviews on yelp they seem mixed. Some are really great - others have said they're not really any better than cabs (and only barely cheaper if some of them try and take you a weird long route) Posted by F_Ivanovic
Evening F Ivanovic,
After getting the, what seems like obligatory longer than usual route routine from the airport, we used Uber for the rest of our week in March. Apart from the occasional harder to find pick up points we found them fine. Half the price of the normal cabs too. Would definitely reccommend them from our experiences,
Panicked me for a minute there as my passport is almost 9 years old so thought it might not have the biometric chip. Upon checking it is fine though... (Apart from a few minor scuffs on the front cover)
New Biometric passports are needed to get into the USA as from 1st of May if you haven't got one you wont get in. Posted by Darkangel7
This happened to a mate of mine on Tuesday this week. The easy way to check if you have a "Bio" pp..on the front cover there should be a small "camera" motif.
Thanks for the info. Will be playing my first wsop event when I am there. Do I need to register with any site/skin before I go ? Posted by day4eire76
You don't NEED to no, & I would not recommend that you do. You CAN, if you wish, but I would not advise it, it gets messy with currency translation & so on. As it happens, there is one WSOP Event where you can get extra chips by via their Online Site, but it's too complicated by half.
All you need to do is get a Players Card from Desk at the far end of the Rio Corridor. Then, right next door to that is the Event Registration room, where you actually buy-in.
If ANY of our players are in Vegas this year & need any help with this sort of stuff, come see me, I'm usually in the WSOP Media Room (far end of the Rio Corridor, next to the Registration Room) from 0700 every morning. I generally stay there until midday, when I toddle off to go play some poker.
Once the Sky Poker qualifiers arrive, myself or at least one of the Sky Poker Team will be in the Media Room from 0700 until 0200 daily.
Note I will be intermittently scarce between June 6th & June 15th, as Gill is coming across, & we plan to go out & about on a few adventures.
In Response to Re: First trip to Las Vegas? : You don't NEED to no, & I would not recommend that you do. You CAN, if you wish, but I would not advise it, it gets messy with currency translation & so on. As it happens, there is one WSOP Event where you can get extra chips by via their Online Site, but it's too complicated by half. All you need to do is get a Players Card from Desk at the far end of the Rio Corridor. Then, right next door to that is the Event Registration room, where you actually buy-in. To buy in you need..... 1) Passport 2) Players Card 3) Money. Posted by Tikay10
Thanks again for the info.
When geting players card could I get the ITIN at the same place ?
In Response to Re: First trip to Las Vegas? : Thanks again for the info. When geting players card could I get the ITIN at the same place ? Posted by day4eire76
No, that can be obtained in a variety of places - best place to start is the Event Payout Room, which sits just the other side of the Event Registration Room, sandwiched between that & the Media Room, just opposite the Amazon Room.
Just FYI...going on the freeway from the airport if you are travelling to the strip is not faster, it just means the cab travels faster. The journey begins by travelling clockwise around the airport and away from the strip to get to the freeway entrance, that extra bit is what costs you up to $20 more and it's totally done so the driver can scam you out of that extra bit. The cab should go left and quite soon you'll be on the large highway that is Tropicana...It has many lanes but you can clearly tell it isn't a freeway.
This road brings you onto the strip on the corner inhabited by the MGM Grand, the Tropicana, the NewYorkNewYork and the Excalibur. The fare to the Bellagio in the centre of the strip will be about $23. Tipping $2 there would be slightly tight and $7 would be generous. I'd hope the fare is $22 and give $25 but generally you should keep a few $1s for tipping.
Can drivers in Vegas really vary between scuzzy and sleazy, crazy, chatty, lovely and downright criminal...bit like the rest of the world. The practise of "long-hauling", or taking people the slow and longer way to bump up the fare, is sadly rife. The companies actively encourage it by rewarding drivers who bring in more money by giving them the better shifts. The only way to avoid being a victim is to be very firm. It's best to always know the route you want and to specify it straight away. If I get out of the Rio and I want to go to the Wynn and I say please take me out at the Twain exit...if they still seemed confused then I'd say "take me Twain, Industrial, Fashion Show". If I don't show that level of knowledge they drive me out of the front of the hotel, I wait at two lots of traffic lights before I'm even on the road and then about nine other ones on the route plus I go at least a mile extra. The fare is now $14 instead of $8.70 and I'm probably expected to tip more, plus I waste an extra ten minutes.
Of all the things in Vegas this tilts me the most by a factor of 100.
Once when I was long hauled I refused to pay and refused to leave the cab when we arrived at the Venetian. The guy went absolutely mental and I suggested he call the police and we could explain to them what happened. In the end I just walked off without paying and he shouted and swore at me before roaring off. I didn't enjoy that much though...this city is pretty much the wild west and I'm not sure if natural justice would have followed.
Another time a guy got me for $14 on a fare I'd done at least 50 times for about $9. I had been on the phone and wasn't watching. I simply gave him $10 and explained the route he should have gone and told him that long-hauling was one of the main reasons Uber would kill their business. I don't think we'll keep in touch too much now but he took the $10 and said nothing.
I recall that you, Tal & myself went to the Baseball one evening last year, & you had the same sort of convo with the cab driver.
He went a particular route, & you queried it. He claimed "road works" & you countered by suggesting he should not be going that way anyway. And so it went back & forth.
Beep! So you lot can't wait to go, well don't forget the muggers in the car park waiting to steal your winnings and if someone points tiny little itsy bitsy Gun at you "It wont be a Toy" give them your shirt if they want it.? Bullet holes will ruin it anyway. "Sin City" stick to Man City.
Comments
If I don't go Vegas, customs searches for everyone!
All you need to do is get a Players Card from Desk at the far end of the Rio Corridor. Then, right next door to that is the Event Registration room, where you actually buy-in.
To buy in you need.....
1) Passport
2) Players Card
3) Money.
If ANY of our players are in Vegas this year & need any help with this sort of stuff, come see me, I'm usually in the WSOP Media Room (far end of the Rio Corridor, next to the Registration Room) from 0700 every morning. I generally stay there until midday, when I toddle off to go play some poker.
Once the Sky Poker qualifiers arrive, myself or at least one of the Sky Poker Team will be in the Media Room from 0700 until 0200 daily.
Note I will be intermittently scarce between June 6th & June 15th, as Gill is coming across, & we plan to go out & about on a few adventures.
Just FYI...going on the freeway from the airport if you are travelling to the strip is not faster, it just means the cab travels faster. The journey begins by travelling clockwise around the airport and away from the strip to get to the freeway entrance, that extra bit is what costs you up to $20 more and it's totally done so the driver can scam you out of that extra bit. The cab should go left and quite soon you'll be on the large highway that is Tropicana...It has many lanes but you can clearly tell it isn't a freeway.
This road brings you onto the strip on the corner inhabited by the MGM Grand, the Tropicana, the NewYorkNewYork and the Excalibur. The fare to the Bellagio in the centre of the strip will be about $23. Tipping $2 there would be slightly tight and $7 would be generous. I'd hope the fare is $22 and give $25 but generally you should keep a few $1s for tipping.
Can drivers in Vegas really vary between scuzzy and sleazy, crazy, chatty, lovely and downright criminal...bit like the rest of the world. The practise of "long-hauling", or taking people the slow and longer way to bump up the fare, is sadly rife. The companies actively encourage it by rewarding drivers who bring in more money by giving them the better shifts. The only way to avoid being a victim is to be very firm. It's best to always know the route you want and to specify it straight away. If I get out of the Rio and I want to go to the Wynn and I say please take me out at the Twain exit...if they still seemed confused then I'd say "take me Twain, Industrial, Fashion Show". If I don't show that level of knowledge they drive me out of the front of the hotel, I wait at two lots of traffic lights before I'm even on the road and then about nine other ones on the route plus I go at least a mile extra. The fare is now $14 instead of $8.70 and I'm probably expected to tip more, plus I waste an extra ten minutes.
Of all the things in Vegas this tilts me the most by a factor of 100.
Once when I was long hauled I refused to pay and refused to leave the cab when we arrived at the Venetian. The guy went absolutely mental and I suggested he call the police and we could explain to them what happened. In the end I just walked off without paying and he shouted and swore at me before roaring off. I didn't enjoy that much though...this city is pretty much the wild west and I'm not sure if natural justice would have followed.
Another time a guy got me for $14 on a fare I'd done at least 50 times for about $9. I had been on the phone and wasn't watching. I simply gave him $10 and explained the route he should have gone and told him that long-hauling was one of the main reasons Uber would kill their business. I don't think we'll keep in touch too much now but he took the $10 and said nothing.
^^^^
I recall that you, Tal & myself went to the Baseball one evening last year, & you had the same sort of convo with the cab driver.
He went a particular route, & you queried it. He claimed "road works" & you countered by suggesting he should not be going that way anyway. And so it went back & forth.
An awkward silence ensued........