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Visitor Information
 Travelers
face challenging and sometimes confusing situations
when exploring new areas. Here are some tips when
visiting Las Vegas.
Airport
McCarran International Airport is one of the fastest-growing airports in the nation. It is beautiful, clean and
efficient. Moving sidewalks or trams connect some terminals. It is one of the few airports in the world where arriving
and departing travelers can play slot machines in terminal areas.
The airport is close to the heart of Las Vegas resort areas. A taxi ride to a Strip hotel from the airport costs
$7 to $10; to a downtown hotel, between $10 and $18 depending on the route. Airport shuttle fares are $3.50 to
Strip hotels and $4.75 to downtown hotels.
Entertainment
There is more live entertainment in Las Vegas than in any city in the world. It is easy to get into a good show.
Most hotels use a ticket-only policy, but some take reservations on the phone.
Visitors should call in advance to determine the showroom policy. Some showroom tickets include drinks, tip and
tax; others do not. Showrooms feature a wide variety of entertainment, ranging from superstars to super productions.
Prices range from $9 to $100 or more per person depending upon the entertainer or the lavishness of the production.
Tipping (gratuities)
Customers are free to tip at will, but there are some loose customs. Bartenders and cocktail waitresses generally
receive $1 per round for parties of 2 to 4; more for larger groups. It is customary for winners to tip keno runners,
slot machine change girls or casino dealers. Some gamblers who play for long periods of time tip casino personnel
whether or not Lady Luck is generous.
Maids expect $2 a day at the end of the visit; pool attendants get 50 cents to $1 for towels, pads, lounges, etc.
For food servers and room service, the standard 15 percent to 20 percent rule applies.
Many showrooms sell assigned-seating tickets that may include the tip. In resort showrooms that accept restaurant-style
reservations and seating, it is customary to tip the maitre d' $5 to $20 to improve seating. Showroom servers get
$5 to $10 for a party of two to four at a cocktails-only show, or $10 to $20 for a dinner show depending on the
service and quality of food.
Taxi drivers expect $1 to $2 for a direct route, more if the driver is friendly and helpful. Tour guides receive
$1 to $2 a person at the end of the trip. It is standard for valet parkers to receive $1; $2 if the service is
extra-quick.
Rules
The minimum age in Nevada to drink or gamble is 21. Proprietors may serve liquor 24 hours a day if they wish. Casinos
are open 24 hours every day.
Lingo
Every part of the world has its own language, and Las Vegas is no exception. Here are some hints to make the local
lingo more understandable.
Toke - Tip or a gratuity.
Comp
- Short for "free" or "complimentary."
RFB comp
- The casino is impressed with a credit rating and has ordered that a customer
be given free room, food and beverage (RFB) during a hotel stay.
In red -
A comped customer's name usually appears "in red" on a maitre d's
reservation.
High roller -
A customer with the reputation of wagering large sums of money.
Marker -
An IOU owed the casino by a gambler allowed by the hotel to play on credit.
Coupons
- Redeemable for nearly everything from a free meal to a free pull on a slot
machine. (Ask the hotel whether it has a coupon book.)
Shooter
- Person rolling the dice in craps.
Shoe -
A container from which several decks of cards are dealt on the baccarat and
blackjack tables, meaning the dealer does not deal the cards from his/her hands.
Boxman
- The craps-table worker who sits over the money box and supervises bets and
payoffs.
Limit -
The minimum or maximum bet accepted at a gambling table, established by the
house.
Stickman
- The dealer who moves the dice around on a craps table with a hook-shaped
stick,
Drop box
- A locked box located on live gambling tables where dealers deposit paper.
Eye in the Sky - A one-way mirror or dark glass in the casino area. Be sure to smile! Mirrors or dark glass
conceal people assigned to watch the casino action to prevent cheating by players or dealers. There also are cameras
behind the decorative-looking glass areas. They record action at the gaming tables.
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