Say you're a rec player who consistently plays well in his local casino's 1/2 and wants to go up in the stakes a little bit with a moderate bank roll. What casino would you go to and what games would you play to make the most out of your money. In my case it will be 2, maybe 3 sessions buying in for the max.

I was thinking Bellagio 2/5 for 500 max, Wynn 2/5 $1,500 max. Maybe even Bellagio 5/10 $1,500 max just to say I did for the experience. I'm open to hear what you guys have to say though.

Again I should make clear that poker is not the focus of my Vegas trip but I do want to get some live hours in. Of course I would like to come out with a profit, but it would not be a big deal if I somehow manage to lose my bank roll in the first session.

Thanks for your input!

Bellagio 2/5, if you buy in for 1500 and lose it in one hand that is going to be very painful.

Good luck!

If you're only playing for a weekend, you don't have a bankroll, you have a budget.

Take whatever you can afford to lose and divide it by the number of sessions you intend to play. Everything you don't lose can get rolled into your final session.

Easy game, assuming the name of the game is to have a lot of fun.

Why would you buy in for the max? Several years ago I did something similar and played in the Wynn 5/10. One of the guys at my table used to be seen on tv a fair amount. But I bought in for 600, not the max.

Wynn $1/3 $400 buy-in is a good step up if you want a slightly bigger game without putting $1500 on the line at 2/5

I like Bellagio 2/5, as a lot of grinders stay away due to the "low" buy in. Much higher tourist to reg ratio there, IME.

E,

I’m basically the opposite attitude of everyone posting itt so far. You want to take a shot and try some new stuff and have some fun in Vegas with $3k.

One shot at 2/5 $1500 so you can play some deep stack poker with big stacks on the table and big pots.

One shot at 5/10 $1500 so you can play a higher limit where the money goes in a lot easier and you could easily run it up big.

My experience was 2/5 bellagio $500 max buy-in was very soft. Difference between that and the 5/T was night and day. 5/T be prepared for 4-5 pros/regs and mostly 3 and 4 bet pots, aggressive squeezing, etc.

I am going to be a bit nittier in my advice. I'd look for a room that has 2/5 plus a smaller NL game and I'd start out in the smaller game just to get your bearings, then move up when you feel comfortable. I would advise this even more strongly if it is your first trip to Vegas.

If poker is not the focus of your trip, then I would consider playing wherever is most convenient relative to where you are staying and what you want to do. I suspect the 2/5 games aren't that different so that adding a couple of random drunks to the worst game will often turn it into one of the best on the strip for as long as the fish have chips.

I agree with this...

1) I have always said that anyone who plays 1/2 'elsewhere' should be comfortable playing larger in Vegas ... lots of folks step up while out of town.
2) I think you would enjoy the late morning/afternoon games at Bellagio. You can catch a lot of players who are waiting for their ride to the airport and/or are trying to 'get even' from the night before.
3) I've had good success playing 1/3 at Aria overnight. I think the player pool is a bit deeper in the pockets and you will see some chips moved around.

4) I've heard the Wynn is pretty Nitty, but only played there for less than an hour.
5) I've heard the Golden Nugget has uncapped 1/2 and a player or two sit down with $5000 and 'only' play AA/KK.
6) Only you will know if buying in bigger will affect your play. If you know that because you bought in big that you only have 1-2 BI how will that change your play, if at all.

7) Get the Bravo App ... One of the issues in Vegas can be just sitting down at the game you want, when you want. Research and find out who takes call-ins so you don't waste an hour waiting to play.
8) I found the Venitian very accommodating (with open seats), but I do think it had quite a few Pros playing both the 2/5 and 5/10 ... but they paid me off pretty light a couple of times.
9) Don't chase any promos, TI has an 'hours' bonus but you have to collect it Sunday afternoon somehow ... hard to do from your plane!!

Post back your trip report .. GL

There is no special secret to the Vegas rooms. With such a large rotation of players every casino has had the softest games and hard games. Since your trip isn't poker based, select a casino that is convenient to mix in well location wise with your other plans. Next in line would be casinos you've always wanted to play. No matter where you go you will be sitting with 8 other players hoping you can identify the sucker before realizing it's player 9 staring you in the mirror.

My only advice is never sit down with an amount that you would be upset losing in one hand and/or one session. Never. It will affect your play and could affect your trip.

Great advice here otherwise. Have fun and run good!

3 1k shots at 5/10 FTW

I'd go in a different direction. If you're going to play just for a weekend, the game doesn't really matter. What you want is the experience of seeing players you recognize in the same room you're playing. That would be the Bellagio.

2/5 Fri, Sat nights at Planet Hollywood, Caesars and/or MGM between 10pm- 4am

You'll find socialable people at the tables with many of them drinking. Makes for fun and loose games most of the time.

It’s Saturday night past 10pm right now. There are zero 2-5 games at MGM and PH, and zero names on the waiting list. Caesars has one 2-5 game with 1 name on the wait list. You can find a game or two at Caesars, but 2-5 is pretty much dead at MGM and PH unless it’s the WSOP or a really busy night.

MGM used to have 2-5 much more often, but it’s pretty rare these days.