A trip to the casino doesn’t have to break the bank.
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There are some trips that we go on where saving cash is easy. A weekend at a local camping ground, a hiking trip to the Rocky Mountains or even a short stay in a beachside hostel all come to mind. But then there are other trips that you know will eat into your rainy-day fund, and a casino trip is the perfect example.
But if you enjoy trips to the casino (who doesn’t?), then why should you have to spend a small fortune to enjoy yourself? The answer is simple: you don’t. That’s right. It’s entirely possible to enjoy a weekend of gaming in a nice casino for far less than you might expect. Here’s how.
Travel Outside the Tourist Traps
Okay, so quite a lot of casinos are in popular tourist traps. That means that prices are often inflated throughout the area, and there’s little chance of you finding affordable accommodations or even a decent but inexpensive meal. But not all casinos are in such areas.
There are hundreds of casinos throughout the world in smaller out-of-the-way towns and quieter areas. Sure, they may not be as glitzy as the Bellagio, but aren’t w talking about traveling on a budget here? On the plus side, these smaller casinos tend to be a lot friendlier with their clientele, and you may even manage to find some good deals at the casino restaurant, which reminds us.
Don’t Stay at the Casino
You can imagine how much one night would set you back here.
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Did you know that back in 2016, the average Canadian had a travel budget of $8,500 for the entire year? That’s probably at about $8,700 for this year, and while it sounds like a lot, it’s not. You see, if you’re planning on spending three nights at a four-star casino resort, you’ll eat into that yearly budget quickly.
As we said, we’re on a shoestring here, so bypass the casino completely in your search for accommodations. Look for local hostels or Airbnb accommodations, and you could cut your spending by half if not even more easily. The idea with this type of trip is to enjoy the gaming aspect of the vacation, so it’s probably best to go without a hot tub for the weekend.
Stay local, but if you find a good deal that means you need to take a bus to the casino and then a taxi home late that night, then do it. If you’re lucky, the casino may even run free transport service into the local town or city. Although these services are sometimes reserved for those staying at the resort, you might get lucky, so don’t be afraid to ask.
Play with a Plan
Casino regulars will know what we’re talking about here. When you play any game at the casino, you must have a plan and strategy to follow. And yes, that’s even true when it comes to casual gamers.
Take roulette for example. Contrary to what non-gamers believe, there is a great deal of thought that goes into playing roulette. In fact, industry experts such as Frank Scoblete have even gone so far as to produce in-depth guides on playing the game.
Once you’ve chosen your game, be it blackjack, poker or roulette, play with a plan. There are plenty of resources out there that will teach you the basics of any casino game, so make sure you use them. There’s nothing worse than losing your entire day’s budget on one silly decision.
Give Yourself a Gaming Budget
Your gaming budget could be $5 or $500, but whatever it is, you must stick to it, although we’re not quite sure why you would have $500 to spend at the tables when you’re on a shoestring budget. Nevertheless, a gaming budget has saved many casino trips from a potential disaster.
Decide how much you can afford to spend in a day and that’s your budget. Do not use tomorrow’s budget in the hopes that you’ll make it back on lucky number seven. Spend only what you had planned to and that’s it. If you walk out of the casino having won back your day’s spending, you’ll feel great. But if you’ll feel as good walking out only having spent one day’s cash. It’s better than blowing the whole trip’s budget in one night.
Stick to the Buffet
Now, this is a great tip for any trip: Always look for the restaurants with a buffet deal, and if it’s all-you-can-eat, even better. Casinos with restaurants will often have great offers on meals throughout the day, as they try to feed gamers to keep them in the building. Here’s your chance to eat well for less, and let’s face it: you’re going to have to eat. As a matter of fact, you may be able to eat for less using our last tip.
Use Coupons
Coupons for casinos are a thing.
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Yes, casinos have coupons, too. Go online and check out the casino you want to visit and see if they have a member’s club that offers discount vouchers and coupons for signing up. These coupons may require you to dine at a certain hour or play a specific number of games before you can redeem them, but they will offer definite value.
If there’s no information online, ask once you arrive at the casino or around the local community. There could be specific nights when buy-ins for games are quite low or when the casino has special offers. Take advantage of every single one that you can.
So, as you can see, a trip to the casino doesn’t have to be all high-rolling, rib-eye steaks and limousines. It’s entirely possible to enjoy a few days of gaming fun spending the same money you would on a weekend city break. You only need to do a little homework, find the right accommodations and remember those coupons.
