Losing money in Las Vegas can happen faster than anywhere else in the world. And you don’t even need to enter one of the 60 major casinos—danger for your wallet lurks right on the street. This article presents an overview of the most common scams locals use to profit from tourists. Being prepared means you won’t be taken advantage of.
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Table of Contents
- “Resort Fees” Beyond the Room Rate
- Early Check-in Fees
- ‘Three Card Monte’ or Shell Game Scammers
- Airport Slot Machines Have the Lowest Winning Odds
- Free VIP Club Tickets
- High ATM Withdrawal Fees
- Slot Machine Voucher Thieves
- Official Photo at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” Sign
- Without Pants, Without Purse
- “Don’t Buy Bottled Water on the Street”
- Taxi Overcharging
- Free Las Vegas Show Tickets
- Win and Run
- Phone Thieves Targeting Wireless Chargers
- Scammed Out of Money—and More
- Asian Superstition and Missing Hotel Floors
- Photos with Costumed Characters on the Strip
- Avoid Shopping at Hotel Stores
- Triple Zero Roulette
“Resort Fees” Beyond the Room Rate
Nearly all hotels in Las Vegas charge so-called resort fees in addition to the cost of accommodation. This is essentially just another way to extract money from visitors. The fee often isn’t included in the base room price on some booking websites and is instead listed under taxes. These fees typically range between $40 and $55 per night, per room.
In exchange, guests might receive perks such as internet access (often limited to one device), free access to the fitness center, or a daily complimentary bottle of water. However, the actual added value is minimal.
👍 Helpful Tip
Before booking a hotel, I recommend visiting websites that list the fees for each hotel, along with a breakdown of all included benefits.
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Early Check-in Fees
In most Las Vegas hotels, check-in is allowed from 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM onwards. It used to be common practice that if the room was ready, guests could check in earlier without extra charges. However, between 2015 and 2018, hotel operators realized that early check-in could become a significant source of income.
Today, most hotels charge for early check-in, with fees usually ranging from $30 to $50.
👍 Helpful Tip
When choosing a hotel, think about what time you plan to arrive. If you’re coming into town in the morning and expect to check in early, check the fee beforehand. Alternatively, consider storing your luggage at a luggage service (the cost is around $7.00 for 24 hours) and checking in at the standard time.
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‘Three Card Monte’ or Shell Game Scammers
Some scammers in Las Vegas use cards instead of shells, but the principle of the scam is the same. You place a bet on one of three cards, the dealer shuffles them, and if you choose correctly, you win double your bet. The catch? You’ll never win.
You’re most likely to encounter these scammers on sidewalks and pedestrian overpasses along the Strip. They often work in groups, with the dealer accompanied by several accomplices posing as tourists. These accomplices lure players by deliberately making mistakes (like “missing” an obvious card clue) and losing. Unsuspecting victims are led to believe they can guess better and join the game.
Another common trick involves the dealer “accidentally” bending the corner of the winning card before the game starts. The victim assumes this gives them an advantage, but during the shuffle, the dealer discreetly straightens the bent card and bends a different one. Confident victims are shocked when they choose the wrong card. There are many variations of this scam. If you’re interested, consider reading the Wikipedia article.
👍 Helpful Tip
The advice is simple: don’t play. The dealer always wins, and even if you’re convinced you’ve outsmarted them, you haven’t. If you want to gamble, go to a casino instead.
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Airport Slot Machines Have the Lowest Winning Odds
The odds of winning on airport slot machines are much lower than those on the Strip. Since airport machines have no competition and don’t target regular gamblers, the return rate is only about 85% of the money played, while Strip machines offer a return rate of around 90–92%.
👍 Helpful Tip
Resist the urge to play at the airport. Wait until you reach a casino on the Strip. The Nevada Gaming Control Board regularly publishes reports detailing win rates by location and game type.
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Free VIP Club Tickets
Dozens of promoters operate along the Strip, day and night, offering free VIP club tickets. The VIP status promises to let you skip the waiting line.
The trick is that while entry might be free, you’ll be paying for drinks. If free drinks are included, the quantity is minimal and typically limited to a specific time window. The quality of these drinks is often poor. The same goes for promotions like “women drink free all night,” which usually ends at midnight.
👍 Helpful Tip
Be cautious if you’re asked to pay for a voucher or if free entry seems too good to be true. Don’t hesitate to ask detailed questions about the club and what’s included. More reputable establishments usually offer discount coupons instead of free-entry deals. Never tip the promoter—they earn commissions from redeemed vouchers, often marked with a handwritten number.
Choose your venue by checking Google Maps for reliable reviews.
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High ATM Withdrawal Fees
The average fee for ATM withdrawals in Las Vegas is $5.00. In casinos, the fee can be even higher. For example, the MGM network charges a flat fee of $10.00 per transaction, while Caesars Palace charges $12.00 (both updated as of February 2025).
👍 Helpful Tip
There are several ways to avoid high ATM fees. If you need cash, visit a bank branch where fees are typically lower. Some credit cards don’t charge any fees for withdrawals.
You can also try a trick using the MGM or Caesars mobile apps, which allow you to deposit funds into an account for free. You can then convert those funds into cash directly at the casino without paying withdrawal fees.
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Slot Machine Voucher Thieves
Organized gangs also operate directly inside casinos, despite the efforts of security teams. One common scam targets players with large winnings displayed on the slot machine. One member of the gang distracts the player, often by dropping a bill on the floor and asking the player if it belongs to them.
Meanwhile, another accomplice prints the winning voucher and quickly runs off. In some cases, the thieves don’t steal the voucher but swap it for a lower-value one.
👍 Helpful Tip
Protect yourself by staying aware of your surroundings and not allowing distractions to divert your attention.
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Official Photo at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” Sign
Most visitors to Las Vegas want a photo at the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, located on the south end of the Strip near the airport. Scammers with official-looking badges take advantage of this by posing as official photographers and charging tourists for taking their picture.
👍 Helpful Tip
There is no such thing as an official photographer at the sign, and you don’t have to pay for the photo. If you don’t have someone to take your picture, ask a fellow tourist and offer to return the favor.
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Without Pants, Without Purse
There is a high risk of theft when you least expect it—while you’re using the restroom in a casino. A common trick involves thieves walking through restroom stalls and grabbing handbags or purses hanging on hooks from under the door. By the time the victim pulls up their pants, the thief is gone.
👍 Helpful Tip
Whenever possible, avoid bringing bags into restrooms. If that’s not feasible, remain alert and cautious at all times.
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“Don’t Buy Bottled Water on the Street”
This is more of an urban legend than an outright scam. It’s said that street vendors don’t buy bottled water but instead fill empty bottles with tap water from gas stations outside the Strip. No one notices, and the sellers make a bigger profit from each bottle.
👍 Helpful Tip
If you believe this myth, check the bottle cap before paying to ensure it hasn’t been previously opened. Personally, I believe this is mostly a myth. Bottled water sold for $1.00 can be purchased wholesale in pallets at Costco for about $0.23 per bottle.
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Taxi Overcharging
Traditional taxi drivers often try to scam tourists by artificially lengthening the route, relying on the fact that visitors unfamiliar with local fares will pay without question. This scam is most common on trips from the airport to the Strip.
Some drivers offer a fixed fare upfront, which is almost always higher than what you would pay by the meter.
👍 Helpful Tip
Instead of using traditional taxis, consider using Uber or Lyft. The app shows you the price before you book the ride, and you can also see driver ratings. If any issues arise, you can easily file a complaint. In most cases, rides via these apps are cheaper than traditional taxis.
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Free Las Vegas Show Tickets
Shows and performances are as iconic to Las Vegas as slot machines and blackjack. However, tickets can be expensive, with prices for the most popular shows often exceeding $150. So, if someone offers you a free ticket to Cirque du Soleil’s “O” or a David Copperfield performance, it might seem like a dream come true. But if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
👍 Helpful Tip
These “free tickets” are typically tied to timeshare presentations. The goal is to lure you into viewing a property and then persuade you to buy it. If you’re looking for cheaper show tickets, check out options available through Tiqets.com.
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Win and Run
Some scammers aren’t just after money—they also want a free meal. A common scam involves an excited “winner” stopping you and explaining that they’ve just won a big prize at the casino and want to celebrate. They invite you to join them for dinner or drinks. Just before the bill arrives, they excuse themselves to use the restroom—and they never return.
👍 Helpful Tip
Avoid accepting dinner invitations from strangers. Or, turn the tables and be the one to leave for the restroom first.
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Phone Thieves Targeting Wireless Chargers
Some slot machines in Las Vegas come equipped with wireless chargers for mobile phones. Although the charger is within the player’s line of sight and reach, organized thieves can strike in an instant if they manage to divert your attention, even briefly.
👍 Helpful Tip
Avoid using wireless chargers on slot machines, or be extremely vigilant. If a stranger starts talking to you, be wary—at that moment, an accomplice could be reaching for your phone.
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Scammed Out of Money—and More
The famous saying “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” often emboldens visitors. This mindset can lead some to invite companions back to their hotel room, believing they’re in for a good time.
Some prostitutes in Las Vegas earn their living through theft rather than through their services. After entering the hotel room, they suggest the client take a shower. While the shower is running, they go through the room, taking wallets, valuables, and anything else worth stealing. By the time the client steps out of the bathroom, they’re gone.
👍 Helpful Tip
If you plan to have fun in Vegas, avoid inviting strangers back to your hotel room—or don’t fall for their suggestion to take a shower.
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Asian Superstition and Missing Hotel Floors
Some hotels with a high percentage of Asian guests often skip certain floor numbers, such as the 13th floor and any floors starting with the number 4. For example, after the 39th floor, the elevator will jump straight to the 50th floor. This is because, in Chinese, the word for “four” sounds similar to the word for “death.”
Hotels also cleverly use this to their advantage in marketing materials by advertising rooms with views from the 51st floor, even though it’s actually the 41st floor.
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Photos with Costumed Characters on the Strip
Throughout the Strip, you’ll find individuals dressed as famous movie and TV characters offering to take pictures with you. Many tourists don’t realize until afterward that there’s a charge for the photo. These costumed performers are professionals who know how to negotiate a high price, with some charging as much as $100 per photo.
👍 Helpful Tip
If you want a photo, always agree on the price beforehand. Typically, you’ll pay between $5.00 and $10.00, but be aware that they’ll often try to get more out of you.
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Avoid Shopping at Hotel Stores
Convenience stores and souvenir shops inside hotels are notoriously overpriced. Operators rely on guests being too lazy or tired to shop elsewhere.
👍 Helpful Tip
You can find the same or similar products at much lower prices at Walgreens or CVS. You usually don’t need to go far—just cross the street or search for “grocery stores” on Google Maps.
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Triple Zero Roulette
Originally, roulette only had black and red numbers, giving players a 50% chance of correctly choosing the color. In 1842, a casino in Monaco introduced the green zero to increase the house edge. The chance of hitting the zero is 1 in 37, or 2.70%.
Casinos in the U.S. went further by adding a second green pocket, the double zero (00), which further decreased players’ odds. In October 2016, the Venetian casino debuted triple zero (000) roulette, a concept that other casinos have since adopted.
💬 Have you encountered any scams or tricks in Las Vegas? Share your experience in the comments section below—other readers will appreciate it. You can also read about how tourists are scammed in New York.
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