Unless you have family near Reno or love to ski in Tahoe I don't see any reason to pick Reno over Vegas. Cost of living in Vegas is higher but it's not like LA or NYC.

I've lived in Reno for 30+ years. It's a nice place to LIVE. I don't think it's more than a poor poker town, and the recent tournament fields (for the "big" tournaments are way down from say 5 years ago.

I'm not convinced the cost-of-living is lower than LV, because (for reasons I've never understood) housing in any place you'd want to live is significantly higher in Reno than LV. Other than that, I'd guess the costs are about the same.

We have gangs, like any good sized city, but "they only kill each other" mostly. I'm one of the senior ER docs at the trauma center. I'd see more cases in a night in Chicago than I see in a month here, in terms of penetrating (gun/knife) trauma.

LOUSY idea to count on driving to Sac on a regular basis. Caltrans spends about a third of their budget setting up and taking down cones on I-80 from April to October, and in the other months you have to hassle the possibility of snow.

As someone else noted, you should look around here a bit. I like it here, but I never have understood why people vacation here (lots of golf, tho)

MM MD

I live in Sacramento, and visit both Reno and LV 6+ times a year.
Yes, Sacramento is a 2 hour drive, minimum, in great weather.
Yes, no limit poker dries up to a trickle during the week, even at the large rooms. And, I don't consider Atlantis a large room anymore. Their business has been way off for a few years now, even though they are trying. They may get one table of sock-knitters on a daily basis, but that's not the kind of table you'll be looking for. You Will play at Eldorado and Peppermill. I can't speak to GS-I walked out of there years ago, declaring it one of the most filthy casinos I'd ever set foot in. It may have changed, but I have no idea.
There are nice areas of Reno,cost of living is a great consideration, but I think that given the parameters you are looking for, there are zero reasons to move there over Las Vegas. Table selection is the major reason, and it's been echoed a few times here.
One, small , average LV casino will have more 1-2no limit going than the entire city of Reno. Sure, during football games, with the promos, the locals come out. But on a tuesdaywed Thursday......I'd wager the mirage, or MGM, or Caesars will have more games than the city of Reno. And that leaves the mega rooms for you to check out,along with the constant stream of conventioneers looking to gambol.
Much better food choices, more and better living.
The only great thing I think about Reno is cheap golf.
Good luck.

Thanks for your feedback. For me it was mostly how many condos, private homes, duplexes listed for sell around 700-900 bucks a month in Reno. This right here explains it "(for reasons I've never understood) housing in any place you'd want to live is significantly higher in Reno than LV." Those places are at good prices, because the areas are around the casino where a lot of locals don't want to live.

The only thing I see listed for rent in Vegas is apartments. Not a huge fan of complexes. The last 4 years of lived in private properties.

A lot of what is online about Reno is from a couple of years ago. It seems to have gotten worse poker wise. My thing is how can a city be called a casino town,and not have poker action?! To me I thought the poker action was a given. Its like having a food town,but only have 2 restaurants that a couple people still eat at. smh

Today there was only one Casino listed for poker on Bravo that I could see. There might be others not listed for some reason. You can choose Reno for whatever personal reasons , but I would not think lots of good poker would be a valid reason. Maybe just rec play for low stakes is a start for you IDK.

Second time I heard that name bravo on here. I checked it out and it is very helpful. Great piece of info. It's looking like Reno is not an option.

At first I thought when the guy a couple pages ago said Bravo he was talking about a TV channel. lol He was right with a couple of clicks you can see what action is going on.

If you were to choose between living in Reno and Las Vegas, Reno is better...
Yes housing is cheaper and the weather is better, it does snow and have icy roads a lot of the time in winter. Its close to Tahoe so outdoor activities are abundant.

That's why I mentioned getting a part-time job and playing poker part-time. Easily doable. The good games are just not happening enough to make a living Full-Time.

Do you watch the Trooper Vlog? You might want to.....he essentially went broke trying to live off 1-3NL in Vegas. Now has a part-time job.....

^ I actually just ran into his videos yesterday. I already have a income pretty much set for next year. My thing is if I am going to go play poker the chance of winning good money has to be there. I don't want to be giving all of my money to rake and the casino.I've seen what rake does to profit. I need a lot of tourist, tables, different rooms to play in. To find the smallest edge. There is no edge playing tight players 365 in a couple of rooms. I am willing to play 2/5 in Vegas instead of waiting for games in Reno. I thought Reno being a casino town poker games would be plentiful. I was misinformed.

Reno isn't even much of a casino town anymore. Yes they have a bunch and there's certainly no lack of gambling opportunity, but it's been pretty depressed for the last 30 years or so. If you go there, you'll think of it as being stuck in time. I don't mind that (it keeps everything cheap and low-key), but it's not an example of a booming gambling resort town. The Indian casinos in Northern California and plenty of regional gambling around the country did it in. It's Laughlin+ at this point.

my advice is simple. Unless you are already close to beating 5/10 nl for 50/hr, it is very bad idea to not have a job. Even then, your goal should be to start at 5/T and move up to 10/20 asap. Long term its hard to survive and save up playing less than 10/20. I dont know anyone who has done it.

And if your serious about being a pro, dont even bother playing 1/2 or 2/5. Those are just recreational limits.

And yeh Reno doesnt have 5/T or higher, so dont go there

To be fair........Peppermill is the only room that uses Bravo app in Reno. You can see current action at Atlantis through their website, on the poker sub-site. Eldorado has just gone to an electronic wait list, but it's not a bravo linked application (maybe the clock.com), in any event it's not online either. They will always tell you by phone what the current action is. Eldorado is, and always will be, old school, given the management resumes.
Reno is no longer a great poker town. I still like it, wife and I get treated great there, and we go. But it's like a bag of apples vs. an entire orchard when comparing to LV.

Atlantis is on Bravo now. The thing is after going on poker atlas the comps don't add up in reno compared to Vegas. You get more bang for your buck in Vegas. Trust me, I am trying to find a reason to give Reno a second look, but Vegas has them beat in 99% of the areas that matter. Reno housing, and outdoor life is still pulling at my strings, but Vegas has the entertainment, and poker on lock.

Seems like a lot people that married or older like Reno more, but know Vegas is better for poker.

Completely false. There are two slow seasons in SLT. There are also TONS of extended periods/weekends with the kind of action that you can't explain to someone that hasn't witnessed it (for a 2/3 game). Also, I've played way too many nights in Harvey's where there might only be a couple tables going, but the tables going are free cash giveaways. You can only play at one table anyway.

Also the weather in SLT is paradise 80% of the year. The other 20% is quite tolerable. I would take Tahoe over Reno for low stakes action and weather any day. I don't think it's remotely close actually, but I guess that's just one man's opinion.

GL with whatever you decide OP

So much bad happening in this thread. wow...people just like to have something to say I guess.

^ Thanks for your insight. Like you were leaning towards with the last comment you quoted everyone has a different life and lifestyle. Someone said a youtube guy went broke and got a job and plays part time. Yes, very true, but a lot of people don't have the same situation. He came to Vegas with like 2000$ bankroll. I have up to 12000k available through out the year. A lot of other factors like 6 month rent saved, food, and someone splitting bills.

A lot of people seem to hate playing 1/2 and 2/5. I have no problem with the levels. Its just about the action. Vegas is ahead by pure common sense of action,comps, and profitability.

Yeah, but you often have almost no choice which table it is. I've been there more than once where there were only 3 low-stakes tables running in the whole area. Better than nothing, but not better than Reno, or almost anywhere else.

I didn't say it was intolerable, I said it was colder. Which means lots of ice and snow on the road at times. Or outright getting snowed in where you can't go back to Reno until the roads get plowed off. Not everyone has (or wants) a 4wd or to screw around with chains. None of that BS in Vegas. Dunno about Reno, but it would be substantially less than Tahoe in any case.

Right now there are 5 tables running at the peppermill. 3 at Atlantis. Probably 2-3 more tables elsewhere in Reno. That is not bad for Peppermill, but Vegas has 3 different casino right now with more tables than all the tables in Reno.

OP, how much experience do you have playing poker? Are you planning on pursuing other interests simultaneously? Imo, the low stakes games in Vegas are some of the nittiest in the country. They tend to play smaller than a lot of other 1/2 games, and will be slightly tougher than what you could find in other regions of the country.

iDntPlayPkr, I've been playing poker since 2002.You're one of the first people to say Vegas has a bunch of nits at low stakes. People keep saying that about Reno. Way more tourist that dump their money off in Vegas than in Reno. Just follow the comps. Vegas has way more comps to give out in poker, because they are turning a bigger profit. You should see some of the promotions Vegas is running for people putting in 12 hours or more a week. Some places take a max 3 dollar rake in Vegas.

Lets say you turn out to be right one month, but I would have at least 30 other casino's in Vegas that run low stakes games all day. In Reno if they are playing nitty I can't go anywhere else to find action that day.

Bro, I can't believe you left out 99% of the reason he went broke. He basically went to Vegas with 2000 bucks total, and had to live off that and play poker. My god, his story is mission impossible,damn near. Not my situation at all.

Yes, that is a good point about grinding different hourly freeroll promotions and things like that. I have known people that padded their hourly by sticking to a schedule to maximize stuff like that, and if you end up in Vegas, you should definitely do that. I can't say I'm current with the latest and greatest hourly promotions in Vegas atm.

If you are forced between only playing in Reno, NV and Las Vegas, NV, then you should probably choose Vegas. I will say that many, many people, successful pros, have found it very difficult to maintain long-term mental health and happiness living in LV full-time. That is not to say that you will have the same fate, but it is something to be mindful of. I would say do your best to build a routine that gets you away from the tables in a consistent, and structured manner- gym, volunteer/pt job, etc. It's near impossible to convey just how important this is.

If you are choosing Nevada because you see it as the poker mecca, and there is no other reason that you need to live in that state, then I would humbly suggest you at least look into other areas as well. I think FL, CT, northern and southern CA, and MD to name a few locations, would all likely provide low stakes games that played a bit bigger on average than most of the LV games, and might be able to provide a more rounded life experience.

A long time ago, I found myself in a similar place as you, going through a similar decision process. That's why I feel compelled to offer you some insight that I have gained through my experience, but we tend to need to learn for ourselves I guess. GL in whatever you choose.

Once again thanks for looking out. I have looked into Florida. Started yesterday, and will keep researching as an option. The rest of those places you named I wouldn't consider moving there for personal reasons.

I think you personally really hate Vegas. Which is fine, but it doesn't have much upside to you. Florida does intrigue me a lot. I think you're under playing the low stakes action in Vegas. I don't plan on playing low stakes for more than year in Vegas.

Vegas would be safer for a fall back plan if you go busto. Plenty of jobs and places that are always hiring. The rooms seem more "defined" in Vegas if you will, so if you can get in where you "fit in", you can carve a little nook for yourself and make some consistent profit. I'm only a part time player (20-25 hrs a week) but as a general rule of thumb, you can expect these traits from these Vegas rooms:

Red Rock: Older/Nitty locals crowd, not many guys that are running over the games. Decent game selection, room stays pretty full after dark.

Orleans: Like Red Rock with looser players. Way more Asians (close to Chinatown), so expect loose preflop play from the majority of the players chasing flushes (especially spades and clubs. Superstitious Asians love an Ace-high spade flush with any kicker). Good tournament selection with high payout. Good game selection in a big room that spreads a lot of Limit & Omaha variations.

Planet Hollywood: Small, very loose aggressive room. Mainly because PHo attracts a younger crowd due to it being pretty much in the middle of the shopping mall. Lots of drunk tourist types here. Spreads 1/3 & 2/5 with 4 daily tournaments ($80 w/ $1000 1st guarantee).

Caesars: Very slow paced, non-sociable room. Caesars, much like the other "premium" resorts attracts a more upscale clientle. Players here seem more tight-aggressive, but the games run pretty deep. Caesars is a little too slow paced for me, every pot seems like a guy making a decision for a bracelet

Venetian: Much Deeper games and a more "combative" atmosphere (I call it "Douchey-Executive"). Spreads a lot of games and is probably one of the best rooms for higher stakes. A lot of the better locals (in higher stakes) games will be here, and the fish trying to get a chunk of the deep action will be in the mix. I like the games here, but hate the staff and the overall atmosphere of the room/players. Good Comp structure.

Bellagio: See above
Aria: See above

Mirage: Never played there.

Treasure Island/Luxor/Excalibur/Monte Carlo/Flamingo/Linq: Lower limit beginner/tourist/low skill level smaller rooms with mostly lower limit games and low limit turbo tournaments daily. Might be good for starting out/getting comfortable live in a new town.

Golden Nugget: Small room, but a downtown treasure. No max on 1/2 makes for deep, unpredictable games. Not very many tables though. I love the game here.

**this is just my opinion. I highly doubt Reno can top the overall quality of games & living over Vegas. Unless you want to avoid a million people a day in town, or Vegas is just too much to handle, I can't see Reno being better.

^ A million thanks to you for writing all of that. That type of info is welcomed any time in this thread.

Do you know anything about the Harrahs?They have a really good comp system/ free roll thing going. You get 100 cash back for playing 20 hours a week. Something like that.

Very informative and interesting thread. I've been considering a move to NV or AZ for awhile. Not to play poker full time or anything, just a general get a job and relocate there type of thing. The availability of poker is just a side benefit.

megafresh - keep us updated. GL and hopefully it works out for you.