With over 40 million visitors to Las Vegas every year looking for fun and exciting things to do, Las Vegas has its share of scams and ripoffs that you need to be aware of. In this Las Vegas blog, we share with you 15 of the worst scams and ripoffs in Las Vegas to watch out for in 2023.
Arriving at the Airport
1. Airport Slot Machines
For many Las Vegas tourists, their visit begins when they arrive at Harry Reid International Airport. You can’t miss the many slot machines inside the terminal beckoning you to take a chance with your luck. The truth is that the slots at the Las Vegas airport have some of the worst odds in Las Vegas. A study conducted a few years ago showed that the airport slots returned just 85% of a player’s money over time, compared to 90-92% on the Strip.
2. Taxis
Taxis in Las Vegas are generally about 30% more expensive and Uber’s or Lyft’s. In addition, Las Vegas taxis have also been notorious for long hauling passengers (i.e. taking unnecessarily long routes to increase fares). Las Vegas authorities have now put in place fixed taxis rates from the airport to locations on the Strip – so long hauling fortunately is no longer a significant risk from the airport but definitely watch out on other routes.
3. "Official" Photographers
For many visitors to Las Vegas, a photo at the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign is a must do. Just beware of “official” looking photographers who may attempt to charge you to take a photo. There are no official photographers post to the sign. It’s a scam. You can take your own photo, or ask someone in line for help taking the photo. If you do ask the “official” looking person to take it – we advise negotiating any tip in advance to avoid any awkward situation.
At Your Hotel
4. Early Check-in or Late Check-out Fees
You arrive early and check to see if you room is available. Great new, your room is ready! BUT, there’s a catch. The hotel won’t let you in before 4:00pm, unless you pay an early check-in fee, which can easily be $50, maybe even more. This is a total scam and ripoff by the Las Vegas hotels. The same is true for late check-out – many hotels are charging high rates for a little extra time checking out in the morning even if no one is coming into room later that day.
Keep this in mind if you decide to do a split stay – where you stay in multiple hotels during your visit – you will likely have to check-out of the first hotel by 11AM and may not be able to check-in to your new hotel until 4pm. This has happened to us many times and you just need to be ready for it. Perhaps store your luggage at the hotel and head off for an activity before coming back to check-in later in the day.
5. Resort Fees
Resort fees are a controversial subject to say the least. Resort fees allow Las Vegas hotels to publish cheaper hotel rooms rates and bury a significant added cost, which they call resort fees. Unfortunately, almost all hotels on the Las Vegas Strip and many in Downtown now charge resorts fees. Even if your room is comped, or if you are using credit card or frequent flier points to cover the room cost, you will still likely be charged the additional resort fee, unless you have a certain status with that hotel’s loyalty program.
6. Hotel Parking Fees
Most hotels on the Strip are now charging parking fees. During the pandemic, most of the parking fees had been removed, but that is no longer the case. Parking fees are back! Most recently, Resort Worlds started charging for parking as well. Some of the remaining free parking hotel hold-outs on the Strip include Treasure Island, Venetian, Wynn/Encore, and Tropicana.
7. Hotel Convenience Stores
You are in your hotel and need some snacks or refreshments. Well, watch out for the “convenient” hotel store. The prices in hotel convenience stores are a major rip-off with prices for even just a small bottle of water often around $5-$6. Many of the hotel stores are also subject to variable or surge pricing based on hotel occupancy. Don’t buy from these stores, instead go to Target, ABC Stores, Walgreens, or CVS on the Strip.
8. Hotel Room Mini-Bar charges
The dreaded hotel mini-bar is a common ripoff at many hotels, and Las Vegas is no exception. Unless you know that you want to spend the high price and take something from the mini-bar, we recommend that you don’t even open it. Hotel mini-bars now often include devices that monitor if things are moved in the fridge and, if you move something, it will likely show up on your room charge. Be careful!
9. Poolside Food & Drinks
It’s great spending time poolside at your Las Vegas hotel. Just be away, that Las Vegas hotels typically won’t allow you to bring in your own food and drink to the pool. To make matters worse, poolside food and drinks are generally very expensive. We certainly enjoy poolside cocktails on occasion, but just be aware when ordering your drinks that a big bill may be on its way.
In the Casino
10. Casino Coin Redemption Tickets
This next Las Vegas scam is aggravating. A few years ago there was apparently a coin shortage, so casinos began to issue you tickets instead of giving you your change when you put your cash-out card into the money redemption machine. Well, casinos never stopped this practice and it is long after any coin shortage that may have existed. This is just a money grab by the casinos, betting on customers never cashing in their coin redemption tickets. We recommend that you just take your cash out ticket to a cashier’s desk to get you full cash out, change included.
11. 6-5 Blackjack
6-5 odds black jack has become very common on the Las Vegas Strip, versus the more traditional 3-2 odds blackjack. With 6-5 odds, a $100 bet will pay you $120 versus $150 with 3-2 odds, a big difference. To put it another way, the house edge increases 400% with 6-5 blackjack. If you want to play blackjack, we recommend going to a casino offering 3-2 blackjack and avoid any 6-5 tables.
12. Triple Zero Roulette
Triple zero roulette is becoming common in Las Vegas, especially on the Las Vegas Strip. We would not recommend playing triple zero and instead find tables offering at least double zero or, better yet, single zero roulette. On a single zero roulette table, the house edge is 2.7%. On a double zero roulette table, the house edge is 5.26%. With triple zero, the house edge jumps all the way up to 7.69% - NO thank you. Downtown Las Vegas casinos typically offer double zero roulette tables and some even offer single zero.
13. ATM Fees
ATM fees can be easily be $10 per transaction at Las Vegas casinos – a total ripoff. Watch out for this ripoff. We recommend bringing with you if you can to avoid those fees. You may also want to contact your bank in advance to check if they cover the cost of ATM withdrawals.
On the Strip
14. Photos with Showgirls and other Characters
Showgirls and Characters on the Strip will ask you if you want to take a photo with them. Just be aware that these people are working for tips. If you agree to take a photo with them, they will expect a tip. We recommend negotiating the tip upfront to avoid any awkward situations.
15. Time-share Reps
It will be hard to miss time share reps when you are in Las Vegas. They may try to intercept you as you enter your hotel lobby (this is very true at Excalibur and Westgate, for example) or when you are out on the Strip. A time share rep’s first questions is typically, “how long you are in Las Vegas?” Don’t waste your valuable time on your vacation at a time share presentation. You can expect time share reps to be very pushy and we have heard they often become rude when you decide not to buy a time share. Don’t do it!