Your Daily Dose of Las Vegas

Summers in Las Vegas is a time of pool parties, excruciating heat, and the arrival of hundreds of the best poker players who set up temporary shop in Las Vegas for several months.  From May thru July, the World Series of Poker will host over 50 tournaments.  These massive fields generate huge earning potential for players in both cash games and the WSOP tournaments.  Many top avid and professionals will make Las Vegas their home for several months and partake in the cash grab.

If you’ve ever considered taking up part-time residency in Las Vegas, it certainly helps to do your homework first.  We spoke with Tommy Shipp, an accomplished cash game player, and Houston, TX resident who makes the move to Las Vegas every summer to compete in the circuit.

Q.  Where are most poker players renting these days?  What neighborhoods, or condo developments?

I guess this question really depends on how high your budget is. For the last 3 years I have rented from Housing Helpers who do a great job but have noticed players who go out for the whole series rent from a number of places. Most stay in or around the Decatur and Tropicana area since it’s close to the Rio and there are a lot of rental properties there. Personally, I have always stayed in condos off of Hacienda and Decatur.

Q.  What are the pros and cons to renting a house, compared to staying in a hotel?

I’ve done both and would much rather stay in an apartment. For the last Venetian Deep Stack events I was able to stay at various Harrah’s properties for free for a month, but for me hotels get really old after a few days. I feel like I’m more at home when we rent an apartment. Having things like washer/dryer/refrigerator and eating groceries instead of the hotel buffet and laundromat are really nice when you stay for a month or longer.

Q.  Do you need to have a car?

If you are going out to Las Vegas for an extended stay and don’t know any locals I would definitely recommend renting a car. Do you need one? No, but it helps a great deal. For this last trip we didn’t get a car so we took cabs everywhere for a month and I guarentee we spent way more in cab fare than we would have renting a car. Not only that, but you are limited to hanging out on the Strip or the surrounding areas if you don’t have a car and there is so much more to Las Vegas than just the Strip. I have a good amount of friends who live there now so we have cars to use this summer but I’m still thinking about renting a car for myself.

Q.  What kind of budget should one expect to need to rent a house for a month in the Summer?

If you are staying by yourself you will probably be looking at around $1,000 a month. We have been able to get some pretty nice 3 bedroom condos for $2,100 a month through housing helpers.

Q.  How do you go about finding roommates?  Poker forums, friends, etc?

I found mine through traveling the poker circuit. I have met some of my best friends through poker so it’s cool to travel with them and have a support system. If you are doing this for the first time and don’t know anyone who wants to go for the Series, forums like www.twoplustwo.com can help you find a roommate.

Q.  Talk about the kinds of things to look out for as a “new” Vegas local.  Do you ever worry about a roommate stealing from you?  What happens if they go broke and bail on you?  Does everyone prepay their rent?

The first thing that came to mind is taxi drivers. They spot a tourist from a mile away and will scam you any chance they get. Try to study a map of Las Vegas before you go out if you are going to rely on taxis to get you from A to B. It will save you  alot of money in the end. Also if they ask where you are from when you get in and you feel that you know your way around well enough to back up your story just say you are a local. This will usually discourage them from taking you to Henderson before dropping you off at the Rio. As far as my roommates, we are all in the same situations and have been there for each other financially time after time so no one in our apartment would ever dream of stealing from one another. If you do happen to meet someone through a poker forum who wants to share a room I would keep my money and valuables hidden but for me it was important that I trust the guys I am with which I do.

Q.  As far as leases and rents are concerned, how does that process work?  Does everyone sign the lease? Is rent paid up front?  Who handles the utilities?

One person signs the lease and the rest are guests. Similar to if you are going with a group and staying at a hotel, the room would be under one persons name and the rest of the people staying just pay him or her. The rent on apartments in Vegas is paid up front and things like internet, cable, and electricity are all included in the payment. You tell them how long you are staying and expect to pay up front for the full time. This may differ from company to company but through Housing Helpers you are expected to pay up front.

Q.  Because of the crappy economy, are there better deals to be had now?

I haven’t seen what the prices are for this year yet but I do know that Las Vegas in general is not getting the same business it has in years past so you might be able to find some good deals and comps with a little research that you would not in years past.

Q.  Do people stay in a hotel for a month or two?  Does that lifestyle get old after a while?

God yes! I guess it depends on the person but for me it gets old really quick! It is bad enough you are living away from your home but you really start to miss being able to wash your clothes at your home and living completly out of your suitcase. Casino food is good in small doses but I enjoy cooking my own food too and it can get a little disgusting eating the same fatty things day after day, not to mention expensive.

Q.  I’ve heard some people have roommates that party 24/7 while others are very quiet.  Talk about the pros & cons of each.

In 2006 my roommate LOVED to party. If we weren’t playing we were either at Pure, Tryst, or Tao. I had a blast but I also lost focus on why I was there.  Since then I’ve found a group of guys who enjoy partying but in small doses. You should definitely take some time to unwind while you are out there but if you are staying for a month it isn’t a vacation, it’s business, so try to surround yourself with people who will keep you focused.

Q.  Besides clothes and money, what else do you bring with you for a month-long stay in Las Vegas?

I can tell you what not to bring for starters… golf clubs. I made this mistake my first trip out before realizing that its 110 every day there during the summer. Bring an mp3 player, camera, etc… personally I make sure to have my backpack with me so that if I’m staying at the Rio or Venetian or wherever all day I can pack my headphones, mp3, batteries, food, Red Bull, (yes some places actually charge you or don’t have these) cash, players cards and ID. It’s easier to do this than stuff your pockets or come under prepared.

Q.  What times of year are the best to move out to Vegas and play poker?

The series always hosts a ton of action but this can also be a negative as a lot of the players are skilled and lists to sit in cash games around the city can sit 40-50 players deep. If you do go for the series make sure you are there during the Main Event as this tends to be when you can make the most money from either celebs who are in town for the tournament or less experienced players who won their seat off of 200 Full Tilt points. I’ve been to Vegas at all times of the year and while the series is the most fun, the best time to go from a financial standpoint is when there aren’t any big events going on in the city. This is when Vegas is filled with tourists and the better players are traveling to different events.

Las Vegas is a unique city, in that many people call it a temporary home nearly every year.  Doing your research and sticking to your game plan can put you in a position to have a very lucrative stay.  Thanks to Tommy for sharing his great insight.