- You should always sign up for players club cards. There free and usually include special offers on rooms, even to low $ gamblers.  Using this card is also how they track you play.  The more your "gamble" (win or lose), the more comps you qualify for.  You can't tip for comps, although there are reports that say you can try to tip a front desk person for a room upgrade.

- As far as good hotel deals. Check out TravelAxe.net. It is free software that you download and install on your desktop. You can then use it to search for the best deal on rooms on Vegas. It searches numerous hotel and travel web sites and displays all of the pricing. Its not perfect, but its a great tool.

Hope this helps.

If you don't mind using Priceline, here's a great resource.  It's a message board where people post what bids are being accepted at hotels across the country.  Scroll down the page til you get to the Nevada/Las Vegas board.  I've stayed at the Venetian for 80 bucks and the MGM for 50.

If your going to gamble always ...

Get a players card where your staying and get rated.... You don't have to tip anyone .. but you will need to gamble a min. of 4 hours per day for each day of your visit .. each casino has a different rate or avg. bet you must meet to get comps. comps can be drinks, meals, shows, room some or all depending on length of time gambling and rate... You can ask your host when you get your players card what goals you need to meet to get certain comps... example ... Mandalay Bay is 4 hours at a hand rate of 175.00 to get full comps ... Once you get established at your favorite casino then you can call and get a player's rate (discount) on your room and NOT have to gamble at all or at least not for the length of time or rate .. Now, if you win big right off the bat .. screw the time limit and the rate and pay for it all out of your winnings ...I do this often... hobby safe hobby well hobby all you can be

First, there's a great site for the occasional traveler to LV, the Las Vegas Advisor (probably www.lasvegasadvisor.com).

How much do you need to gamble?  For table games, it's usually a certain minimum bet amount over at least 4 hours.  The players card helps identify you to the pit boss (who does the tracking for most table games).  Best thing to do about comps is to ask either the casino host or the pit boss near your table of choice.

Get the players card for all the places you intent to go.  Even if you don't play a lot, it's worth getting offers in the mail for whatever deals they have.

You don't really tip for comp stuff although tipping the dealers is good form if you ask me.

As for the gamblers rate, you just have to ask based on your gambling habits that get tracked on that players card.  

The slot machines are all automated to track your play so stick your card in there if you play any slots.  Giving your card when you sit down at a table will get them to start tracking you, even if you only intend to play for an hour or two.

In any case, if they have rooms available, they tend to be willing to offer lower rates.  Of course, if there's a big convention in town that week or it's a big fight night or sports weekend, you might have some problems getting the low rates.  If you play a lot, you might even get the room/suite for free.

big up to BH...
 Bob