This FAQ has been created by and for the members of Vegas@eGroups.com to help answer the most "frequently asked questions" on the email discussion group. Many of the answers on this page will be beneficial to all visitors to Las Vegas but the primary purpose of this list is to give visitors to our list a starting point to find answers to their questions. We are trying to avoid giving opinions and hope to convey facts. We also hope to point you to the wide variety of excellent information that exists out there on the web. There are many wonderful websites available that have a wealth of information for visitors to Las Vegas.
A: You can subscribe completely via email by sending a message to Vegas-subscribe@eGroups.com. You will likely get a confirmation message. Read and follow the instructions in the message.
You can also subscribe at the eGroups site. Point your browser to: http://www.eGroups.com/subscribe/Vegas. If you haven't registered at eGroups before, you will be asked to do so.
A: Why would you want to do that? (Oh, yeah, you're asking the questions.) Send a message to Vegas-unsubscribe@eGroups.com and follow the instructions in the confirmation letter. It's important that you DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the list address. Without moderation, this means that hundreds of people will see your futile attempts to get off the list, and on other lists it would attract flames.
A: Just send it to: Vegas@eGroups.com. eGroups will handle getting it to everyone. But remember, you're sending it to hundreds of Vegas fanatics, so make sure it's of general interest and about Las Vegas. If you want to talk to someone privately, send it directly to his or her email address.
A: Sure. Send an email message to: Vegas-nomail@eGroups.com. When you want mail started again, send a message to Vegas-normal@eGroups.com (if you want single messages), or to Vegas-digest@eGroups.com (if you want a single large message consisting of 25 single messages).
A: No. The list is configured to strip attachments. This keeps the size of messages down, and prevents virii, trojan horses, worms, etc. from being distributed. You can upload pictures to http://www.eGroups.com/files/Vegas, and then post a short message on the list saying that the files are available.
Sometimes when you forward a message, your mailer formats it as an attachment. This often happens with AOL. If your mailer does that, the forwarded material won't make it. You'll have to cut and paste.
A: Moderation means that messages are reviewed before distribution to the list. Messages can be rejected or edited for excessive quoting, offensive language, advertising, or for being off-topic (not about Las Vegas). The listowner and a team of volunteer moderators review messages within minutes or hours of their being sent.
Message content is _never_ changed. So it depends on your view of censorship. The list is moderated to maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio.
A: Send a message to Vegas-owner@eGroups.com .
A: That's not a question. But go to http://www.eGroups.com/links/Vegas.
You can post a link or view all
the links posted by others.
A: Yes. Go to http://www.eGroups.com/polls/Vegas
A: There are two message repositories. The primary one is http://www.eScribe.com/travel/Vegas/index.html. You can view messages in date order, by thread, or by author. You can also search for keywords. The secondary archive is at http://www.eGroups.com/messages/Vegas.
A: It was started in April 1998 by Sue Wilson (swilson@dreamscape.com). It was reincarnated in its present form in June 1998 by Jim Poston.
A: The average number of postings per day is 20-25. There have been as many as 75 messages in a day, and as few as 3. As long as the messages are on-topic, they will be distributed to the list. There are two ways to cope with the amount of mail: go to Nomail status (mailto:Vegas-nomail@eGroups.com) and read the messages at the Web archives, or set your subscription to Digest mode (mailto:Vegas-digest@eGroups.com).
A digest is sent out once a day, or whenever 25 messages are collected. So
you get one or two larger messages a day versus 20-25 smaller ones. It is slightly
more difficult to reply properly from a digest. You will also get mail later
than people who are receiving single messages, so others may say what you want
to say before you've
even read the discussion.
We use a lot of different abbreviations on the eGroups list. Most of them are like second nature to us and we often forget that newcomers to the list might not know them all. Here are some of them. If you see one you don't recognize, please ask someone and we'll add it to our list here.
There are a number of common abbreviations used all over the Internet such as LOL (laughing out loud), BTW (by the way), IMHO (in my humble opinion), etc. I have not included them here on this list. However, if you are unfamiliar with these terms, there are a number of sites on the Internet that explains them. Click here for one of them.
LVRJ - Las Vegas Review Journal - a Las Vegas Newspaper. Click here for their website
LVA - Las Vegas Advisor - a monthly newsletter for Vegas visitors. Click here for their website
AVLV - This is the newsgroup alt.vacation.las-vegas where many participants of the list have come from. Because of the flames, bickering and advertisements, many have chosen to move their Vegas discussions to the moderated list at eGroups.
FSE - Fremont Street Experience - There is a canopy over old Fremont Street downtown where light shows are displayed every hour after dark. Visit their website at http://www.vegasexperience.com/
TR - Trip Report. This is the life blood of the Vegas@eGroup mailing list. Every member is encouraged to post a report of any trip they make to Las Vegas. You can be as detailed as you like or keep it simple; whatever your time allows. Much of the discussion on the group involves comments or opinions expressed in trip reports. Although someone may offer a different opinion than yours, don't take it personally. That is what we are all about - getting information and differing opinions about Las Vegas. The other reason trip reports are encouraged is that members who cannot make it to our favorite city can live vicariously through your exploits. So don't just lurk, join in the fun!
BJ - Blackjack (see below for more information on game play and strategy)
VP - Video Poker
There are many different kinds
of video poker games. Some of the abbreviations for them are as follows:
JB - Jacks or Better.
9/6 - (or 8/5) refers to the number of coins received for a full house and a flush.
DW - Deuces Wild
DB - Double Bonus
DDB - Double Double Bonus
TP - Triple Play
(see below for more information on game play and strategy)
Hotels:
Downtown:
GN - Golden Nugget
MSS - Main Street Station
LVC - Las Vegas Club
Fitz - Fitzgerald's
Strip:
CC - Circus Circus
Riv - Riviera
Strat - Stratosphere Tower
TI - Treasure Island
IP - Imperial Palace
CP - Ceasars' Palace
MC - Monte Carlo
MB/MBay - Mandalay Bay
Trop - Tropicana
NYNY- New York, New York
Video Poker:
Many of the members of this list are regular video poker players. The game is the standard 5-card stud poker game you have probably played at home with friends or family: the machine "deals" (displays) 5 cards from a full deck of cards then you try to make the best poker hand by "holding" (this is done by pressing a button below the card or by touching the screen on newer games) the cards you think will help you make a wining hand. As strategy differs for each game, sometimes you must hold different cards.
During discussions you will see references to "full pay". These are machines that payback all of your money, if you play the proper strategy. You may also see "9/6" or "8/5" or a similar abbreviation. This refers to the pay schedule of the machine, with the first number being what a 'Full House" would pay and the second a "Flush".
In our opinion, the best shareware program that will teach you the strategy for Jacks or Better is Bob Dancer's WinPoker. Registering the software will allow you to play the tutorials for a variety of different Video Poker games. To download the program, visit http://www.zamzone.com
If you would like to learn more about playing video poker, we suggest the following sites:
Basic Strategy for 9/6 Jacks or Better Video Poker - http://www.jazbo.com/videopoker/jacks96.html
http://www.jazbo.com/
http://www.vid-poker.com/
http://www.vpplayer.com/
Slots:
Casinos have a wide variety of slot machines ranging from .05 to upwards of $500, with multiple coin play required to realize the full payout on most.
When you select the machine you wish to play take a moment to study the pay table, check to see whether max coins in are required for certain payouts or are just multiples of a payout. As an example, one coin gets five coins for bars, but if three sevens appear you do not get paid unless you have the maximum number of coins in.
Traditional slots - Double Diamonds; Red, White and Blue, etc. are available just about everywhere, but casinos are giving more floor space to bonus video slots, such as Monopoly, Piggy Bankin', and Filthy Rich. These machines have a bonus feature that's triggered by specific payoff pattern - this starts a bonus round with payoffs of additional coins. Most of these machines are available in several denominations with a lot of interest in the .05 machines. Many of these .05 machines require up to 45 coins for full pay, so check these pay schedules out; it's a good idea to play all playlines for at least one coin.
Some links follow:
Play a slot machine on line - http://www.orleanscasino.com
Slots casino info - http://slots.casino.com
Gambling news - http://www.gambling.jaxworld.com
Casino info - http://www.casinocenter.com
Strictly Slots Magazine - http://www.strictlyslots.com
Blackjack:
More correctly known as 21 in Las Vegas, this is perhaps the easiest of the table games to learn. Judging by the name of the game, you would think getting Blackjack or 21 is the goal- that is not really true- the real goal is to have a better hand than the dealer. As most everyone can add to 21, the basics of the game are pretty straight forward, however you will see terms such as "Basic Strategy" and "Counting" used from time to time. These are methods of playing the game that can, and it has been mathematically proven, nearly eliminate the casino's edge and make the game a winnable proposition. However those terms are for another discussion. 21 is one of the more relaxing games in the casino- pull up chair and sit down and give it a try.
We recommend you take a look at the following sites for more information:
http://www.theslot.com/vegas/blackjack.html
Live Poker:
Playing poker in Vegas is a little different than playing at your kitchen table, although some games will be very similar. Most card rooms will offer Texas Hold Em, Seven-Card Stud, and Omaha Hold Em. (Sorry, no follow the Queen). Upon entering a card room for the first time, you want to find the guy with the clipboard. He will have the list of all the games that are currently being played and if there are any games that need more players before they can start. He can explain the betting limits, and the minimum buy-in. You will want to know that all games in vegas are played for table stakes - you cannot take money from your pocket to call a bet, and you cannot remove money from the table in the middle of a game. You are playing against other players, not the house, the casinos make the same amount of money no matter if you're playing for $3-$6 or $300-$600. The casinos will take a certain amount of each pot, usually 5%-10% up to a set dollar amount. Therefore, comps are figured mostly on the time you spend playing, not on the amount.
You can get "poker rate" on rooms if you spend a certain number of hours at the table. To find out the rates and the hours needed, call the poker room.
For detailed instructions on how to play the different games, a list of the casinos that have card rooms (not all do), check out the rec.gambling.poker FAQ at: http://www.conjelco.com/faq/poker.html
Some other sites that have great poker information are:
http://www.gocee.com/poker/
http://www.twoplustwo.com
http://www.pokerpages.com
Craps:
Also know as Dice, this is one of the oldest casino games around. It is also one of the liveliest, for when a table is "Hot" and the "Shooter" is rolling "numbers", a Craps table will be the noisiest place in the casino. There are a number of members of the group who play craps and thus you will see posts about it from time to time. The game can be rather complicated, however that is also part of it's attraction. If you don't understand what it means for a table to be "Hot", who a "Shooter" is or why it is good they are rolling "numbers", then we suggest you try one of the many lessons that are offered by various casinos, usually in the morning or early afternoon. You can also just walk up to a table and in most cases the dealers will help you learn the game. Give it a try- it can be a lot of fun!
If you would like to learn the basics about Craps, we suggest checking out one of the sites listed below:
http://www.gamblingmachine.com/craps/
http://home.earthlink.net/~compr/
Pai Gow Tiles:
Pai Gow is an ancient Chinese gambling game played with a unique set of 32 dominos, also called tiles. It has been played in the Far East for centuries, and the Chinese population brought it with them to California in the early 20th century. It has been played in the Nevada Casinos since the 1970's, and is now offered in the California Card Rooms.
The object of the game is to beat the banker. In Nevada casino play, the dealer usually acts as banker, but every player get an opportunity to take the bank if he wishes. Each player and the banker is "dealt" a hand of 4 tiles, with which he must create two hands, a high hand and a low hand. To win, both of the player's hands must beat both of the banker's hands. If both the banker's hands are higher, the player loses. If one of the player's hands is higher and the other is not, the round is a push. Tie (or "copy") hands are won by the banker. The Nevada casinos collect a 5 percent commission on all winning wagers, no matter who is banking the hand.
Those who already play Pai Gow Poker, a Westernized version of this game, are familiar with basic rules of play. Learning to read the tiles and the various strategies for setting the hands can be found at http://www.paigow.org or you can join the egroups mailing list at http://www.egroups.com/group/paigowtiles
Sonya at Travel2Vegas.com provides a very complete list of telephone numbers, websites and other hotel information on her site at http://www.travel2vegas.com/hotel.html
The best advice you'll get about finding a deal on a hotel room is to shop around and to keep shopping around. When you think you've shopped around as much as you can, do it some more. :-)
Here are some places to help you get started. First thing you should do is check the ads in the Los Angeles Times. They have a huge section of ads from Las Vegas hotels. Phil Feldman compiles a list every Sunday and it can be found on Sonya's site at http://www.travel2vegas.com/latimes.html
If you don't find anything you like there, you should visit the different hotel websites so see if you can find good deals. You can find links to all the hotel and casino websites at http://www.travel2vegas.com/hotel.html If you have a few hotels in mind, you might try calling their 800#'s (also listed on the hotel page) and asking if they currently have any specials going.
In addition, if you are a member of the slot club, you can call and ask for the slot club or for a slot host and ask them if you qualify for the casino rate or free rooms. Many times, if it is a slow period, you can get a free or casino rate room even if you have very little play on your account.
The other option is to get your room through a discount hotel broker. There are a number of them out there like lvrs.com, lvtb.com ,etc. Basically what they do is buy blocks of hotel rooms from the different casino hotels at a discount. Then they are able to pass that discount on to you. Sonya has a search feature through Hotel Reservations Network on her site at http://www.travel2vegas.com/hotelres.html (HRN pays her a small commission for reservations made through this link). HRN often has rooms available for as low as $30 per night in Las Vegas.
The disadvantages of booking through a room broker is that payment is required up front and that you will not be able to get your room rate discounted or comped based on your play as the room reservation is not through the hotel. If you plan to gamble a great deal with the hopes of getting your room comped, it probably isn't a good idea to use a room broker. However, even with the room broker, you can earn points towards food, shows, and future hotel rooms on your slot club card.
On top of almost every slot machine and video poker machine is a small light. This candle lights up when the change light is pressed (or is supposed to anyway) or when a jackpot is hit. The candle has a different color based on the denomination of the machine. It's a quick and easy way to find a particular denomination of slots or Video Poker if you're scanning around the casino floor. The color code is different in some casinos, but the typical colors are as follows:
Red - Nickles
Green - Dimes
Yellow - Quarters
Purple - Half Dollars
Blue - Dollars
Pennies - can be red or yellow
Purple - $5
Orange - $10
Yellow - $25
$100 machines have been seen to be either Blue or Purple
Here is an article on whether or not it's necessary to rent a car to get around town - http://www.travel2vegas.com/cars.html
CheapoVegas has another article about "To Rent or Not to Rent" - http://www.cheapovegas.com/needacar.html
The guys at CheapoVegas have put together the most complete and informative guide to the Las Vegas free shuttles. Free Ride comes in three forms - An electronic version you can download to your computer and print out for under $5, a complete version in book form for about $10 and a pocket guide without all the witty comments and information as the complete version for about $4. To get more information, go to their website - http://www.cheapovegas.com/freeride.html
Las Vegas Hack Attack has a pretty good table of taxi fares at the bottom of this page - http://www.lasvegastaxi.com/taxitips.html
There is a lot of good information about taxis and Las Vegas elsewhere on this site.
Here's the current weather: 
To search for average temperatures and precipitation for a particular month - click here.
The answer you get to this is going to vary depending on your tastes and the tastes of whomever is answering the question. Because it's such a subjective question, we've posted this link to a Las Vegas dining guide. Here you can search by the type of food you're looking for, or by your budget. You can get information on the restaurant as well as reading the opinions of others who have reviewed the place. Click here for the Dining Guide.
There are a number of great resources for finding out what events, conventions or shows are scheduled for any particular date in Las Vegas.
Billhere puts together a list of upcoming events that is posted on Sonya's site every month. The list looks forward about six months. http://www.travel2vegas.com/events.html
The Las Vegas Convention / Visitors Bureau has an events search engine on their site at http://www.lasvegas24hours.com
If you are looking for a particular entertainer or venue, you can search http://www.pollstar.com by name and/or venue.
In Las Vegas everyone seems to have their hand out. Tipping can result in great service, but sometimes you can get the same service without the added expense. What's standard? What's expected? Here are some links to help you:
Sonya's tipping guide is at http://www.travel2vegas.com/tipping.html
We have purposely left this information off of this FAQ. We decided that this information is very subjective and changes quickly. There are lots of other websites that have opinions on what the best show/restaurant/etc. Here are some places to start:
Travel2Vegas - What's the Best... ? - http://www.travel2vegas.com/bests.html
CheapoVegas - Great hotel reviews - http://www.cheapovegas.com
Ellen's Winter Pool Closures list can be found here - http://www.travel2vegas.com/poolschedule.html
There are a number of excellent websites out there that have information about Las Vegas. Here are a few:
Some of our members have great sites -
Sonya's Travel2Vegas - http://www.travel2vegas.com
Matt's CheapoVegas - http://www.cheapovegas.com
Patti Shock's Vegas FAQ - http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/faq.html
Hunter Hillegas' Rate Vegas - http://www.ratevegas.com
PocketVegas for your PDA - http://www.pocketvegas.net
Other sites of interest -
Las Vegas Advisor - http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) - http://www.lasvegas24hours.com
Las Vegas Sun Newspaper - http://www.lasvegassun.com
Las Vegas Review Journal Newspaper - http://www.lvrj.com
Billhere's Coupons & Lists and Viva Las Vegas Newsletter - http://www.billhere.com
A2ZLas Vegas - http://www.a2zlasvegas.com/
Jim Poston - Jim.Poston@bigfoot.com
Sonya - Sonya@travel2vegas.com Travel2Vegas.com
- http://www.travel2vegas.com
Lee C. - lcrowell@san.rr.com
Sandy - SAbramo102@aol.com
Mieko Sunbury - miekom@iwon.com
