If you’re going to Vegas, should you even bother worrying about being frugal? I mean, I’ve never seen so many Hummers in my life, and you need sunglasses while walking around at 4am. It’s the land of excess.
But one idea for the frugalites out there is the Las Vegas Coupon Run. Many casinos give you sign-up bonuses for signing up for their player’s card, which basically a “frequent flier card” for gamblers. (If you gamble a lot, these programs in themselves can be very valuable. But I don’t, so I just toss them.) The sign-up bonuses are usually in the form of coupons or “Fun Books”, which vary from free drinks, free trinkets, 2-for-1 dinner buffets, free Slot Play, or what’s called Match Play coupons. A $5 Match Play coupon means that if you bet $5 and win, you’d get $10. If you lose, you’re still out that $5. Theoretically, if you play a game that is very close to 50/50 odds, the value of a $5 Match Play coupon would be $2.50. You can also sometimes find them in as ads in the Vegas flyers and free tourist brochures. Get enough of these coupons, and it starts to add up.
So what you do? Basically, whenever you visit a new casino, just walk up to the Player’s Club counter and ask if they offer any sign-up perks. You can also try this FunBook Finder, but it doesn’t look like it’s been updated for a while. Many of the better perks are for places off the Strip.
Although, I’m not doing this myself this time around, I did do this last time I went as a broke college student. We drove the 10 hours to Vegas instead of flying, split a $59 hotel room, and just explored the city since we already had a car this way. We ended up scoring lots of gawdy t-shirts, keychains, shot glass, and cheap drinks. But the best part – we actually made about $200 cash per person! Most of this was after getting a scratch-off ticket and earning $100 in free slot machine credits at Palace Station. Essentially my first trip to Vegas was free! I tried asking around this week and the perks seems less abundant, but they were still out there. If you are looking for some cheap thrills and you want to explore many different casinos anyways, it can be a good time.
For another view, read this article on the Anatomy of a Coupon Run, which also included these hints:
- Look everywhere for coupons.
- Read everything you can about how coupons work. – Understand the difference between coupons that carry risk and those that are risk-free.
- Have a separate bankroll for couponing. – Keep track of your results.
- Be sure to read the fine print – Look for blackout dates and restrictions.
- Make a game plan to maximize your time.
- Don’t be afraid to use a coupon for a game you don’t know how to play.
- Always bet the maximum amount of money allowed for matchplay coupons.
- Never overbet your bankroll just because you have a coupon.
- The more people pooling their coupons on a run the merrier.
While you’re out exploring, consider spending some of your winnings on the Top 10 Bargains In Las Vegas. I’ve had the $4.95 Steak Dinner, the 99 cent Shrimp cocktail, and the $1 Michelob. They all paled in the comparison to the 99 cent deep-fried Twinkie and 99 cent 1/4 lb. hot dog at Mermaids on Fremont Street. 5,000 calories for $2, you can’t beat that 😉 In fact, I should add them to my post on What Does 200 Calories Cost?