Hi folks! First time poster here, all the way from New Zealand.

My buddy and I are visiting the USA for the first time in December. We’re super excited – we’re doing a couple of days in San Francisco and LA, then heading to Vegas.

We love gambling but we’re also excited to see everything else the city has to offer.

I’m reading the threads on this forum to get as much intel as I can, but I thought I would also reach out to you all and ask for your top #1 (or more) tip, suggestion, piece of advice etc... for anything at all, from finding accommodation in CA & NV, to what to do/not to do, places to go, what to watch out for, where to find the best deals etc. Essentially – what you wish you’d known on your first trip to Vegas.

We're really excited about our trip but obviously trying to do it in a cost-effective way so we have as much leftover cash as possible to really enjoy it.

We would love to know your best tips and tricks for a couple of first-timers to Vegas. Thanks in advance!

In case you’re interested – a bit about ourselves...

My buddy and I are big fans of the slots. Here they are almost universally referred to as "pokies" (poker machines). New Zealand is so small that there are only 6 or 7 casinos in the country, and our legislation prohibits any new casinos being established. However, pokies are also available in pubs/bars/taverns which is where we play them the most, although the maximum allowable bet per spin is $2.50 and the maximum win per single play is $500. Our casinos do not have these restrictions and are much like overseas casinos although to the best of my knowledge, we are not taxed as ridiculously as our American friends on winnings and I don't believe there's such a thing as a 'handpay' limitation in NZ.

I mostly stick to Lightning Link/Lightning Cash machines - at our local bar we have two machines, High Stakes and Magic Pearl, that pay out phenomenally most nights. Also a fan of Eureka Reel and Electric Nights. My buddy plays a far bigger range and likes to explore new games but I'll stick with what I know and like.

We’re also both big fans of a range of table games. I love blackjack for its simplicity and the fact it was the first proper card game I ever learned to play.

Thanks for reading!