1. Planet Hollywood
   Most casinos do one thing very well – they are luxurious or they are intimate or energetic or sexy or rewarding or fun. It’s rare however that a casino does all of those things well, but Planet Hollywood does. It’s the most entertaining gambling space in town.

2. Caesars Palace
   I used to not be much of a fan of the Caesars Palace casino but the more time I spend there the more I like it. Its rambling layout provides a wide variety of gambling experiences, from loud and fast paced to more quiet and personal. And that history! Hard to beat that.

3. Red Rock Resort
   Everywhere you look at Red Rock Resort, there’s something to tantalize your eyes, whether it’s the glistening amorphous glass in the support columns or the glittering modern crystal chandeliers or the rough hewn stonework. It’s the most beautiful casino in the city.

4. Green Valley Ranch
   The warm and softly lit casino at Green Valley Ranch is probably the most comfortable in Las Vegas; the kind of place that makes you want to just sit and relax. And with lower limits on most of their machines and tables, you can often sit and relax longer.

5. The Mirage
   The revamped casino at The Mirage is not perfect; some areas are just a little too cramped for my taste. But it’s impossible to deny that the updated look is sleekly gorgeous, with dark woods and bursts of color turning gambling into a study of interior design.

6. Bally's
   It’s really just one big football field sized room but that’s part of the appeal of Bally’s. You don’t have to hike for miles to get where you’re going, there’s no fear of getting lost, and there are enough relatively affordable gaming options to keep you entertained for a long time.

7. Wynn Las Vegas
   Although there is more high-end gambling than there are low-denomination options, the casino at Wynn Las Vegas still offers an unexpectedly egalitarian experience especially when you consider how richly luxurious everything looks.

8. Treasure Island
   Understated is the key here, which may not be as much wacky fun as the old pirate theme but helps you to focus on the actual gambling part of gambling. Nicely laid-out areas allow for a good sense of intimacy and good spacing between the machines and tables keeps the claustrophobia quotient low.

9. Golden Nugget
   There’s still too much stuff in this casino – always has been – but the recent renovations have turned a hectic space into a warm and inviting one. The rich earth tones on the walls, tables, and floors practically wrap you in their warmth and the dealers are among the friendliest in town.

10. New York-New York
    Back in 2000 when I first start doing these awards, this casino was my favorite and up until recently it would’ve gotten much higher on the list. But the de-New-Yorkification of the New York-New York casino makes me a little sad. There’s still enough of that wackiness left that it deserves a place on this list but just barely.

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This list is all about the bucks. The stock market is in the toilet, the banks are going bankrupt, foreclosures are sweeping the country, and unemployment is up but that doesn’t mean we can’t blow some of our money in the casinos in Vegas, does it? Certainly not!

So this list focuses on the casinos that allow you to gamble less for longer without having to trade comfort or cleanliness. Plus, I’ve given extra consideration to my own win-loss statements, which of course doesn’t mean you’ll have the same luck I did but it’s still worth knowing about.

1. Green Valley Ranch
   On the main list this casino comes in at number four, but when you factor in the abundance of relatively affordable gaming options (plenty of penny, nickel, and quarter machines plus lower limits at the tables) and the fact that I’ve done very well here over the years, this casino takes the prize in these tough times.

2. Silverton
   The golden caramel hues make this locals’ casino almost glow with a comfortable vibe and the mostly low-limit machines and tables will keep your wallet more comfortable for longer. I’ve never actually won a great deal here but I certainly lose a lot less.

3. Palace Station
   Take everything that the Station Casinos chain does so well in a casino – lots and lots of options at much lower limits than on The Strip – and put it just a couple of blocks from The Strip and you have a real winner.

4. Boulder Station
   Just like its sister Palace Station, Boulder knows how to keep the locals happy with a vast selection of gambling at all different levels and to be honest, the train station décor and overall layout is actually better than Palace. However, it’s location on the far east side of town means you’ll have to spend more money to get there (gas or cabs) so it has to come in a spot lower.

5. Four Queens
   Downtown Vegas used to be known more for its low-limit gambling than its comfortable experiences. Times have changed and nowhere is that more evident than at The Four Queens, which still offers affordable gambling but in a much nicer, cleaner, and more pleasant experience.

6. The Palms
   The casino here has a bit of a split personality, with neighborhood drawing low-limits in some areas and high-end swank in others. You probably won’t find a cheap table here but you’ll find lots of machines that can fit your budget and it’s close to The Strip.

7. Gold Coast
   Right across the street is this casino, which has one mission and one mission only: inexpensive gambling for locals. The fact that you’re a tourist doesn’t mean you can’t go in! The décor is nice but nothing to write home about and my track record of wins has been spotty at best, but it still looks really good on paper.

8. South Point
   When it first opened at South Coast, I really didn’t like this casino. It was one big barn of a space that provided no sense of intimacy – I felt exposed. But recent changes in décor and layout have warmed the room up a lot both visually and physically, which makes the low-limit gaming much more appealing.

9. Sunset Station
   The fourth Station casino on this list is another affordable option with a gorgeous sunny theme. It would probably be higher on this list if it wasn’t so far from The Strip.

10. Orleans
    Although it bills itself as a locals’ casino, the Orleans draws a fair amount of tourists because of its relatively close proximity to The Strip and its raft of inexpensive machines and tables.

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1. Prive
   Most Vegas nightclubs charge outrageous cover charges and then make you buy obscenely priced bottles to be able to sit down in any of the seats. Prive’s cover is not cheap but they have non-bottle service seating and that’s a big bonus in my book. Add in the fact that the vibe here is much less competitive and much friendlier – like a big party that everyone was invited to – and you have the ingredients for the best nightlife in town.

2. Polly Esther's
   Several different rooms offer experiences from the disco ‘70s to contemporary times, drawing a crowd this isn’t as aggressively young and into the scene as you’ll find at most clubs. Bonus points for the “Saturday Night Fever” inspired dance floor in the ‘70s room and the Pac-Man theme in the ‘80s room.

3. The Griffin
   Sometimes a bar is much more than a just a bar. Located in Downtown Las Vegas, this cozy cave of a room draws all sorts of Sin City insiders who come to have an affordable drink, talk, mingle, and just have fun.

4. Tryst
   If you’re looking for an upscale nightclub experience, you really can’t do any better than Tryst with its luxurious main room and gorgeous outdoor patio complete with a giant waterfall. Leave your inhibitions at the door and have a good time.

5. Pure
   The biggest nightclub in Vegas (for now) offers a myriad of experiences that can satisfy just about any agenda: groove at the ultra-lounge, chill on the patio, or party hearty on the dance floor.

6. Tao
   Many other clubs have tried to steal the title of “hippest hot spot” away from Tao and all have failed. This is the place to see and be seen and while people of a certain age (read: me) find it overwhelming and exhausting at times, it is impossible to deny the energy of a club like this.

7. Krave
   Although billed as, and primarily drawing, an “alternative lifestyle” audience (read: gay and lesbian), Krave is welcoming to all open-minded people. The goth-inspired décor and the fiercely energetic dance floor are a hoot and the crowd is usually friendlier than what you’ll find at most of the straight nightclubs.

8. Downtown Cocktail Room
   A small, dimly lit, sleekly designed ultra-lounge like this is usually more at home in the corner of some Strip casino, but instead it’s on its own in Downtown Las Vegas. Mainly drawing an upscale but not stuffy crowd of local business types, the place has a laid back vibe that is as intoxicating as their specialty drinks.

9. Moon
   The roof over the dance floor retracts, showing off open sky. What else do you need to know? Okay, the views from the top of one of the towers at The Palms are amazing and the music (at least on the nights I have visited) has been an entertainingly eclectic mix of new and old.

10. LAX
    Luxor’s hot spot burst onto the scene last year and has already established itself as a prime party spot. The dimly lit, cavernous space feels exotic and edgy – the kind of place where you want to wear you sunglasses at night.

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1. The Griffin
   With its cozy Scottish castle motif (think stonework and fireplaces), the interior of The Griffin is a warmly inviting space often filled with fun, friendly locals. The fact that its inexpensive almost feels like a bonus.

2. Downtown Cocktail Room
   If you order some of the upscale mixed drinks at this sleek ultra-lounge you can rack up the tab pretty quickly, but it’s still going to cost you a lot less to get a buzz on than at similar, lesser ultra-lounges on The Stirp.

3. Sand Dollar Blues Lounge
   If there’s a cover it’s usually a very small one ($5) and the bottles of beer are only a few bucks. That’s great, but it’s the live blues bands that play almost every night that really turn this into a place worth knowing about.

4. Bar at Times Square
   The dueling pianos at this bar at New York-New York are almost legendary for inspiring boisterous sing-a-longs. It’s not always easy to get inside and the drinks are more expensive than they should be but here’s a tip: spend a buck or two at a slot machine and get a free drink from a cocktail waitress then stand outside the open bar for the entertainment. Trust me: you won’t be the only one doing so.

5. The Buffalo
   Pool tables, video poker machines, and really cheap drinks and beer busts make this the kind of neighborhood tavern lots of people are usually very comfortable with. Yes, fine, it’s a gay bar and yes, fine, it often draws the Leather and Levi crowd, but you’d rather pay a $20 cover and $8 for a domestic beer somewhere else when you can drink here amongst a friendly crowd for a microscopic fraction of that?

6. Hogs & Heifers Saloon
   The inspiration for Coyote Ugly (the movie and the chain of bars), this place appears to be much more rough and tumble than it actually is. Don’t be intimidated by the crowd or the catcalling barmaids, just go and have a good, inexpensive time.

7. Triple 7 Brew Pub
   Microbreweries used to be all the rage here and everywhere else, and while their appeal has faded a bit it’s still a joy to be able to find a warm, welcoming space like this one at Main Street Station. The drinks are inexpensive and if you get puckish, they have a full menu of really good food, too.

8. Polly Esther’s
   Probably the least expensive major nightclub on The Strip, Polly Esther’s offers a time-warp of entertainment (’70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and now) with covers and drink prices that are usually significantly lower than what you’ll pay down the street.

9. Beauty Bar
   Joining The Griffin and the Downtown Cocktail Lounge as a winning trifecta of Glitter Gulch honkytonks, Beauty Bar draws a slightly younger, more hip crowd than the other two and charges just a bit more for drinks but it is still a lot of fun and cheaper than what you’ll pay on The Strip.

10. Casino Cocktails
    This is not a bar or nightclub, per se, but rather those free drinks you are going to get when you gamble. Why pay a $40 cover and $15 for a Jack and Coke at some ritzy nightclub when you can get it for free at a blackjack table? Well, okay, maybe not FREE, but if luck is on your side you’re going to get a good return on your investment.

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