If you are planning a trip to Vegas, prepare to be amazed, hopeful, ecstatic, and completely satiated. It’s the least we can do.

If you are a return visitor, things may have changed a lot or maybe not so much depending on the time between. One thing absolutely certain…Vegas is no longer a bargain. Pack a lot of cash or credit if you intend to eat, shop, stay in a room, or gamble. Not cheap. Not anymore

But can you still get lucky. Well sure, but the casinos are increasingly stingy with their odds. Be careful to play smart and selectively. And never play any game you do not understand whether it’s slots or tables. And if you think yourself pretty smart, be prepared to have less opportunities.

Above all else, keep track of your stuff. All the security staff on the planet cannot save you from being careless or just stupid. If you venture out onto to Las Vegas Boulevard, The Strip, be alert to scammers and ne’er do wells. The street is full of both. The bright lights are not so bright anymore. LED doesn’t hold a candle, if you will, to neon.

It can all be a fun time, but it really depends on you and your expectations. And if you hate to lose, Vegas isn’t for you. Vegas hates a loser.

That’s it. Welcome to Vegas. And by all means, have yourselves a blast.