First Time Las Vegas » casinos

Gambling: Watching but not playing

Steve the Texan — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:39:15 +0000

(NOTE: We received a couple of related questions this week, so we've lumped them together for an answer.)

Can I sit next to my friend at a 21 table if I am not playing?

Kelly
(Tacoma, Wash.)

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I'm going to Vegas with my 20-year-old daughter next month. Can she sit at the table with me while I gamble, as long as she doesn't play?

Michelle
(Illinois)

The answer is very simple for Michelle: No, your daughter will not be allowed to join you at the gaming table. Nobody under 21 is even allowed to linger in casino areas, much less sit at a table. In practice she's not likely to draw much attention if she watches over your shoulder for a hand or two, but young-looking folks will eventually be asked for an ID.

Kelly, the general rule of thumb for you is also a no. Seats at blackjack tables — and all games — are meant only for players. Sit down and you'll be asked to either bet or get up… usually. If things are very slow in the casino — early in the day, for example — and there are only one or two players at the table, some dealers don't mind if a non-player sits for a little while. As soon as the table begins filling, though, you'll be asked to move.

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Gambling: Watching but not playing

Stay safe on the beaten path

Ollie — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:38:30 +0000

Don't wander!

Fremont Street and Main Street form an "L" shape, with the El Cortez, the Plaza and MMain Street Station Casino forming the points of the "L." Stay in that boundary! Avoid everything away from the L after dark! You're perfectly safe inside this main area, but outside it… well, shady souls who have lost their way prey on wandering travelers in the darkness away from Fremont Street.

The "L" you need to stay inside:

View Larger Map

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Stay safe on the beaten path

Vegas is one of the last strongholds of smokers

Ollie — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:36:13 +0000

Smokers are everywhere. You can't escape them. It smells like smoke in the casinos, hotel rooms (the "non-smoking" rooms are only a half-notch better), restaurants, bars and even unlikely places such as the shower (the warm water reactivates the smell stored in your hair).

You're going to reek of cigarettes. Can't be helped.

Do this

Keep an outfit wrapped in a plastic bag until just before you leave your hotel, and only wear it for the ride home. You'll smell and feel a lot better.

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Vegas is one of the last strongholds of smokers