do you remember your first trip to Vegas?

[burnsy]

I remember it well. My wife and I took a charter out of DFW airport. We stayed 4days/3nights at the Flamingo. This was in 1986. Our bank roll was a total of $750.00 between us. We had visions of doubling our money,but you know how that goes. Needless to say we were broke by the end of the trip. We were playing quarter slots,then dimes,then NICKLES! What a looooong trip. But we were hooked. We've gone back every year since. Las Vegas is our get away once a year. Over the years we've learn do's and don'ts of Vegas. Do relax and enjoy your trip and Don't think you're gonna get rich quick. We've learn that VP is more fun than slots.               

[EDC1977]

  I remember it well. My friends and I from work went for 2 days. Stayed at a small Strip motel called the Tam O' Shanter. Ate at Foxy's retsaurant and Battista's. Played nickels all day and evening @ the El Cortez. No VP or Wheel of Fortune slots back then, just fruits 777's or bar-bar-bar. didn't break even but been hooked ever since. Funny how we enjoy giving money to the Casino empires huh!

[chicagodiceman]

1979 the Dunes on a junket.  Walked up to a dice table with my boss (who got me on that trip) and made a valient effort to play while learning.  There was a guy at the end of the table making $5 don't bets while my boss has $500 pass with full odds and everything else placed.  This $5 yahoo is yelling, "Come on seven" over and over.  My boss is getting madder and madder and you just don't want to piss him off.  Finally, he could take no more and whipped a $5 cheque at the guy's head and said (cleaned up so I don't get tossed from the forum) "here's your <happy word> five dollars now shut the <happy word again> up.
 
I learned a lot during that session, and have been hooked on LV ever since.  A conservative estimate is 70 trips since then.

[bigsteve5273@yahoo.c]

Never gambled and didn't have a clue.  Stayed at the Nugget downtown Vegas with family.  Watched them having loads of fun.  Couldn't conceive of throwing away money at games I didn't understand.   I bought a strategy card from a street vendor for JoB.  Studied it that evening until I thought I stood at  least a chance.  The next morning before breakfast I sneaked over to the Fremont so the kinfolks wouldn't see me throwing my money away.  First time out , I played $1 JoB and won $300 that session.   First timers luck.  That strategy card was the best/worst investment I've ever made.  It led to a remarkably expensive hobby.  Oh, so sorry that wasn't the first time.  A $300 dollar cup of coffee at a Triple Diamond slot machine cured me of slots. 

[glenn n calif]

Early 60's wife and I along with another couple went to see the Lido show at the Stardust. Near front row seats, topless girls looked hard up that close. Saw Danny Thomas at another show, quite good. The other couple had a local relative who worked in casino as a "roofman". They actually worked above the dealer areas looking for cheaters. Spent one Thanksgiving at the Silver Slipper viewing the female impersonators in a show called Boylesque. That was great! Vegas was much easier o get around in those days, must be my age catching up with me. Mostly stay downtown now as it's more old style Vegas to me. Good memories tho.

[EDC1977]

 Glenn, I understand the casinos in Pahrump are a throwback to the old days with lots of coin acceptors and clank clank clank when you cash out.

[glenn n calif]

Ed
When I want to hear the coins fall I play at the Fremont or C C.
But thanks for the input.

[EDC1977]

 Just thought I'd throw that out there Glenn. Some people after years of TITO, still yearn for the dirty fingers and lugging of buckets to the cashiers cage. Not to mention numerous hand pays and waiting for the hopper to be filled or the ever present coin jam! Isn't technology great! A quarter royal used to take 20 plus minutes depending on the crowd.

[wilcoxfun]

The year was 1976 we were traveling out west.  Going from Oklahoma to California.  We stopped at LA for a couple of days and then went up to San Fran for a few days. Finally heading back to Oklahoma and stopped in Reno.  I was playing a slot with my five dollars I had in my pocket when I hit a jackpot.  I had won over $200!  I was so excited.  I went on to play another few spins and hit for another $100.  Thought this is easy (WRONG!) But I did quit and went back to the room with the wife. 

Next day we drove to Las Vegas.  Stayed in a small off strip motel for like $10.  It was actually a nice room with a good bed.  I had to have the car worked on and asked the clerk where to go. Got great directions and dropped the wife off to play at the casino.  When I left her she was playing slots on a nickel machine.  I had the car worked on and repaired quickly and with not a great cost--the lady had been right as the gentleman did not take advantage of me.
 
Came back to find wife still playing the slot machine.  She had won about ten dollars.  So we took the winnings and went out to eat and to see Flip Wilson that night.  He was great.
 
I just wish every trip to Vegas was a good trip (cash wise as we left up about twenty dollars).

[morgman]

My first time ever was when I was 15 in summer of 1984 on our family vacation en route to Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Canyon National Parks packing all 4 of us, luggage & all in our Chevy Citation.  We stayed at what was the El Morocco Hotel (long since defunct).  Lots has changed about LV since then!  Since then, I've been back a total of 7 times, as a bachelor, young newleywed, and now my own family of 4.  Stayed at a La Quinta Inn, Super 8 Motel, The Tropicana, Excalibur, Treasure Island, Harrah's, The Alladin(now Planet Hollywood), Mandalay Bay, and MGM Grand.  Looking for a place to stay next year for my big 40 b-day.  Debating whether to stay on The Strip or go off strip now that I've read this forum on how the VP is better off the strip.