February is my first time in Vegas. Best OTB?

[Jay Trotter]

On my recent trip to Vegas we stayed at Ceasar's Palace. Of course the hotel and everything in it is top class including the Race & Sports Book . If you're looking for a nice atmosphere, with quality optics, drinks and people watching this is a fine place. As a place to focus on the races I found it a bit distracting as it is right in the open with all the non-racing patrons passing buy or sitting down for drinks.

Based on a friend's recommendation, we spent our horse racing gambling time across the street at Bally's Race & Sports Book . This is more like a simulcast theatre you would find at a real race track with tiered rows of seats, off to the side and away from non-racing traffic. It's not as glitzy but offers a comfortable way to focus on the races.

So, I would think it all comes down to what your looking for -- casual wagering or serious down and dirty betting. I think you'll find close variations of these two venues throughout the strip.

Enjoy your stay

[egreen]

Wynn is hands down the best, IMO. Fabulous facility, great deli next to it that will deliver to your seat, no waiting in line for horseplayers, best selection of Derby futures, top customer service, etc. Off the strip, but close by, I like the Hilton's Superbook. And at the other end, Mandalay Bay has a nice racebook. For a scaled down operation, the Rio has a friendly staff and free drinks for everyone, with no vouchers required.

[JBmadera]

Caesars, as mentioned, is solid. been going there since '84

[jmama62]

The Orleans is great. They even show all races from all tracks in your room.

The other book I really like is Sams Town, but it's a bit off the strip.

Happy New Year!

[calltopost]

More important question:

Do all these places have actual PEOPLE taking your bets? I personally cannot stand using a machine unless it is my home computer.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by calltopost

More important question:

Do all these places have actual PEOPLE taking your bets? I personally cannot stand using a machine unless it is my home computer.

Yes. They all have wagering with a live teller.

The only word of warning on Bally's is that I think it is only open this point during football season.

[amyloo2]

Loved the Paris sportsbook. Its in the corner and secluded from the rest of the casino. Saw the Kentucky Derby when Giacoma won and it got me loving horseracing. It was packed for the race and 1 minute after it was over, me and my buddies were the only ones left. The roar was amazing. Never forget the guy who asked who won and another guy said some blankety blank gicanamo. We still laugh about it. Ceasars and Venetian also top notch. Ballys good but older.

[appistappis]

best book, the hilton

nicest book, the palazzo

[BlueShoe]

In recent years my frequent Nevada trips have been mostly to Laughlin and Lake Tahoe, so am out of touch with conditions in the Las Vegas books and need to catch up. At any location visited prefer practical over glitz. By that, mean patronizing books that have a good comp program. At many of the high end Strip places mentioned in earlier posts, unless you are wagering big bucks you would not get so much as a breakfast buffet. At a good non Strip location they will have some kind of a players card program in which your card is scanned each time you make a bet, and credits are accrued that can be redeemed later for food, gift shop, or toward rooms. Also, and this can be important over a period of time, a few places are generous about Forms. They might offer free Forms outright, sell them to you and redeem the price to you later at the end of the day, or sell them at a discount in a package, like all three of the next day's for 5 bucks, or something similar. From what I can gather and recall, the Station racebooks are reputed to have a good system. The problem is that Las vegas is now so huge and spread out, with dozens of racebooks, that it would take a lot of time, gasoline, and shoe leather to check them all out. Comments? Personal experience? Suggestions?

[tokyo2002]

Stayed at the Mandalay Bay in April and I really enjoyed their Sports Book. It was larger than many of the others I saw and the drink service was great as well.

[joeyp]

i stayed and liked planet hollywood nice racebook with a vip section too

[Uncle Salty]

Originally Posted by Johnny V

If you do not mind staying off the strip I would recommend either the Orleans, South Point or the Red Rock. I have stayed at all three and they were all horseplayer friendly IMO.

Off-strip you will find the places that are most accomodating to the horseplayers. The ones Johnny V mentioned are all very good, especially Red Rock. South Point is a little to loud and dirty for me. The Palms is very good too...they have very spacious desks and executive-style chairs to sit in. It's very comfortable there and just across the street from the Rio, which really isn't too off-strip.

On strip the facilities will be nicer but you probably won't be taken care of as well with comps and so forth.

[RaceBookJoe]

As a resident, I am partial to the Station's racebooks, so when i actually go out to play its either Sunset Station or Green Valley Ranch since i live close to both. They both offer tv sets at your seat, easy to make bets, get drinks and if you have a players card, the DRF is $1 or sometimes free. Sam's Town is much better now that they have a newer book...not a station but a good locals place.

LV Hilton is a classic sportbooks and probably my favorite 'original'. Been to a few on the strip, dont like the newer ones so much. Imperial Palace is old, but usually quiet which is nice. My top3 on the strip, not counting the IP would probably be...Ceasars,MGM and Mandalay Bay( havent been to that one in a long time though)

South/West : South Point is decent, also some good food there.
Palms is decent, popular hotel so it can get busy at times.
Orleans is small but player friendly...and like the stations, they offer betting from home via telephone.

Hope you enjoy your stay in Vegas. rbj

[Some_One]

Originally Posted by BlueShoe

In recent years my frequent Nevada trips have been mostly to Laughlin and Lake Tahoe, so am out of touch with conditions in the Las Vegas books and need to catch up. At any location visited prefer practical over glitz. By that, mean patronizing books that have a good comp program. At many of the high end Strip places mentioned in earlier posts, unless you are wagering big bucks you would not get so much as a breakfast buffet. At a good non Strip location they will have some kind of a players card program in which your card is scanned each time you make a bet, and credits are accrued that can be redeemed later for food, gift shop, or toward rooms. Also, and this can be important over a period of time, a few places are generous about Forms. They might offer free Forms outright, sell them to you and redeem the price to you later at the end of the day, or sell them at a discount in a package, like all three of the next day's for 5 bucks, or something similar. From what I can gather and recall, the Station racebooks are reputed to have a good system. The problem is that Las vegas is now so huge and spread out, with dozens of racebooks, that it would take a lot of time, gasoline, and shoe leather to check them all out. Comments? Personal experience? Suggestions?

MGM will give you free forms if you are staying there (and produce your keycard)

[mannyberrios]

Originally Posted by Some_One

MGM will give you free forms if you are staying there (and produce your keycard)

I did not stay at the MGM, but they gave a free racing form for free everyday for 3 weeks straight