The sparkling, glittering land of riches, a.k.a. Las Vegas, is unanimously regarded as the Casino Capital of the World. The Strip is lined with a countless array of casinos (more packed along a mile of cement than probably anywhere else in the world) that offer an equally mind-boggling number of games. Tourists traveling to Las Vegas are attracted by the glitz and glamour of the city and most make at least one trip to a casino to try their luck (and hopefully, hit the jackpot) and also to soak in the heady experience. The following guide will help you make the most of your travel itinerary and budget.

Where to Go Casino-Hopping in Las Vegas

For a Las Vegas-outsider, all the attractions, which include the casinos as well, of the city seem to be packed along both sides of the Strip. But there’s more to Vegas than the famous Strip. Games of chance are played all over Las Vegas, and casinos are strewn in many different quarters of the city. The downtown area of Las Vegas is home to a considerable number of casinos. Here’s an insider tip: the returns are more lucrative downtown than in any other casino along the Strip. So if you seriously want to make a mark at the table, you now know where to go and it’s not the famous Strip known around the world.

Here’s another little-known piece of information about the casinos in Las Vegas. There are many casinos along Boulder Highway and in pockets of the northern part of the city. These casinos pay even better than those located downtown. These are the preferred gambling dens of the locals who never venture out to the Strip or downtown Las Vegas to try their gambling chances if they can help it.

How to Play the Casino Like a Winner

You will need a master stroke of luck to hit the jackpot, but you can always give Lady Luck a little help so that you can better your chances of winning a tidy sum at the table. Here are the basic rules of not losing big money at the casino table:

• Monitor your financial situation or check yourself! This is the golden rule of not losing your shirt in one long gamblethon. Decide on a budget for every playing session and promise yourself that you won’t exceed this limit. Once in the thick of things and you find your discipline slipping, it always helps to have a partner escort you away as soon you exhibit signs of sloppy gambling. Check yourself also means knowing when to stop before the damage becomes irreversible. A losing streak will empty your pockets even before you can say “Viva Las Vegas.”
• Avoid slot machines. A regular casino-goer may have figured out the math already, but as a Las Vegas traveler you need to know that you have a greater chance of winning by playing blackjack or craps than by feeding a slot machine.
• Stick to the above-mentioned rules for where and how to go about casino-hopping in Las Vegas, and you will surely enjoy the time spent at the tables, and maybe even end up having Lady Luck smile upon you.