Even the most dedicated gambler needs to take time out to eat. An abundance of food is easy to find, inside and outside of the casinos.

Casino Buffets

Casino buffets are well known. The super-large spreads offer such a range of choices that even the pickiest eater will be satisfied.

The casinos originally began serving the buffet meals at a low-cost as a way to keep gamblers in the building, rather than them taking long meal breaks.

Today, the casino buffets remain a popular meal choice. The all-you-can-eat meals range in price from $10-$40 and usually serve foods ranging from standard salad bar fare to sushi to King crab legs to crème brulee. The higher the buffet price, the more variety and more sophisticated the menu. A change from the original intent of the casino buffet is that now, instead of using them to keep patrons from leaving, the buffets are used to entice patrons into entering. Many casinos offer special prices, hoping to bring in people who may not otherwise visit the casino.

Restaurants

Most casinos also have a number of sit-down restaurants available, ranging from coffee shops to very formal dining. Patrons in Atlantic City casinos have the opportunity to dine in restaurants with ocean and boardwalk views, while patrons on riverboat casinos may be able to have a Mississippi River view during their meal.

Caesar’s Atlantic City is home to a restaurant called Bacchanal, which features a five-course feast with dancers, musicians, and wine goddesses for meal-time entertainment. Diners are also treated to shoulder massages and back rubs, which feel heavenly after a day hunched over slot machines.

Favorite Cuisines

Although a typical casino may feature a dozen or more restaurants, the cuisine is that is found is fairly standard. Italian food and steakhouses appear to be the most popular types of foods, but most casinos will also feature Chinese and Mexican restaurants, as well as delis and sushi bars.

Patrons can also find chain restaurants such as the Hard Rock Café and Sbarro’s pizza in and around the casinos.

Sampling Local Foods

For native specialties, however, casino guests will need to head outside. Along the Mississippi River, many of the towns by the casinos feature small-town diners and locally-owned restaurants.

One thing is for sure – hungry gamblers will have no trouble finding something good to eat.

Let’s face it. When women go on vacation, they like to shop. Even if the vacation is in Las Vegas, a woman can’t spend all of her time gambling. If she is going to lose money anyway, she may as well do it with a purchase or two to show for it. More ideally, what better way to celebrate a jackpot win than with a big shopping trip.

Shopping on the Strip

Las Vegas has become a shopping town, as well as a gambling town. Within a half mile, the determined shopper has a choice of 510 stores, found in Aladdin’s Desert Passage, Caesar’s Forum Shops, Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes, and the Fashion Show Mall.

The stores on the strip tend to be high-end specialty shops, catering to tourists. But one of the joys of shopping is finding stores not found at home.

One such shop is M&M World in the Showcase Mall next to the MGM Hotel and Casino. M&M World is a four-floor store devoted to M&M candies. There, the chocoholic can purchase M&Ms by the color and munch on them while watching a 3D M&M movie, then buy some novelty clothes and other items.

For those who like vintage clothes, The Attic has found recent fame on a credit card commercial. Part clothing store, part museum, the Attic does charge a dollar admission (for the museum). It also boasts to being the largest vintage clothing store in the world, specializing in clothes from the 60s and 70s, as well as featuring its own clothing line.

Hotel Shops

Shopping in the hotels is an experience all its own. The hotel-casino shopping malls complement the casino theme, so one can feel like she is shopping along the streets of Paris or beside a Venetian canal, with gondolas and Italian architecture. Be warned, however, the hotel stores are, for the most part, extremely expensive. Most of them, too, are chain stores. On the other hand, if it was a good day at the slot machines, these shops would be worth the splurge.

On a Budget

For those who cannot or do not want to spend all their money in the hotel shops, Las Vegas offers budget shopping. Outlet malls on the edge of town include shops like Nine West and Saks 5th Avenue. There are shuttles available to some off-strip shopping areas.

And since no vacation is complete without souvenirs, there are shops inside the casino and around town, with enough diversity to match any shopper’s taste and budget.

Texas hold ‘em poker may be the most popular game of any type in the country right now. Tournaments are on cable television almost nightly. Kids play it in the lunch room and at parties.

It is also become more popular with women. Women are joining in the big money tournaments (and are starting to win). They are also playing the game more in casinos, on-line, and for fun with friends.

Why Texas Hold ‘Em

Traditionally women gamble in games that require luck over skill, such as slot machines or video poker. However, with the popularity of poker escalating, it isn’t surprising that women have taken an interest in it.

For women who know little about poker but enjoy an occasional game, Texas hold’ em is the ideal version of poker to play. It is one of the easiest games to learn and one can play well in a short time.

How to Play

The rules are simple. It is played with a regular 52-card deck. Players are dealt two cards, face down each. In poker jargon, the face-down cards are called hole or pocket cards. After bets are placed, the dealer “burns” or discards the top card of the deck to avoid any signs of cheating. The next three cards, called the flop cards, are dealt face up on the table. They are not dealt to specific players, but are communal cards for all players to use with their pocket cards. After another round of betting, the dealer again burns the top card in the deck and places a card called the turn card face up. This card can be used to form a five-card poker hand.

Players do another round of bets or fold out of the hand before the dealer repeats this process on final time. This last face-up card is called the river. Now those left in the game can use any combination of the five face cards and their two pocket cards to create a five-card poker hand.

After one last round of bets, players reveal their hands. This is called the showdown. The best hand wins. You can read more about how to play poker here.

How to Bet

Betting varies from game to game, but the most common method to begin a game is the two players to the left of the dealer bet a predetermined amount of money called posting the blinds. The first round of betting after the pocket cards are dealt is begun by the person left of the two who posted the blinds. Betting in subsequent rounds is led by the person to the left of the dealer.

Practice Practice

Even though Texas hold ‘em is an easy game to learn, the people who play in casinos have mastered it. Before gambling at a casino, it is recommended that players spend a lot of time practicing. Many on-line casinos have Texas hold ‘em rooms that use play money or are free. It is possible to become a very good player this way; a recent world champion honed his skills with on-line play.

In an effort to attract women to the casinos, entertainment managers are looking to the pages of old Tiger Beat and 16 magazines. Thirty years ago, the teenage fan magazines featured photo spreads and cover articles on teen idols like David Cassidy, Donny Osmond, and Rick Springfield.

Today, the casinos are giving baby boomer women the chance to relive some of their childhood as the former teen idols are now headlining performers.

David Cassidy

The man best-known as Keith Partridge from television’s The Partridge Family has made one of the most successful jumps to life as a casino performer. Although he gained respect and new-found recognition through his work with major Las Vegas show productions, David Cassidy decided to return to performing his music. His casino shows are played to sellout crowds of forty- and fifty-year-old screaming women.

More Teen Idols Finding New Stardom

Casinos have proven to be an ideal venue for former stars wishing to make a comeback. Casino entertainment has long been famous for its lounge acts, a performance style that is perfect for these now-middle-aged pop stars. The average female casino patron is in her mid-to-late forties, a woman who would have been a teenager when these former stars were at the peak of their fame. These are the casino patrons who see the names on the marquis and jump at the chance to buy the tickets. It turns out to be a win-win situation for everyone involved.

When the Real Stars Aren’t Available

Part of a casino’s charm is its ability to transform reality. Not only do the casinos create their own little universe with theme and décor but also with the entertainment on their stages.

One of the most popular types of shows in casinos around the country is the impersonator. Shows like Legends in Concert, which has companies in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, feature look-alike and sound-alike performers impersonating all types of famous musical acts. Knowing that nostalgia is a huge draw for a baby boom audience, these shows highlight the stars from the audience’s youth. Dead stars come to life. Former stars still alive but no longer touring get their time on stage as well.

Casinos are a way to disappear from the stress of real life. It only makes sense that a female patron has the chance to be a teenager again while she lustfully screams over her teen idol.

With all the security personnel and security cameras in plain view, it is easy for women gamblers to be lulled into feeling safe. However, as they would in any other situation, women need to exercise caution while gambling.

Avoiding Theft

Women will lose enough money simply by gambling, so it is doubly important to make sure currency and credit cards are well protected. Purses should be kept on laps, with straps crossed over the body if possible. Purses and other personal items should never be placed on trays, countertops, or the floor. A lot of women like wearing fanny packs because they are easier to carry than a purse (plus many women think they are better at preventing theft). However, the straps can be easily cut. Or, if the patron is engrossed in play, contents can be readily taken from the pack (if it is worn behind the body) or the snaps can be quickly unhooked and pulled away (if the pack is resting in the front).

Trust Your Intuition

There is a lot to be said for a women’s intuition, and it should always be trusted if safety is at stake. If a situation feels uncomfortable, even if there is no visible reason for the discomfort, walk away. Women are most vulnerable in areas like rest rooms, where there are no security cameras, and elevators, where it is easy to become trapped. If at all possible women should not go to these areas alone. If she must, she should at least make sure there are plenty of other people around, and never get on an elevator with just one other person.

General safety precautions practiced in any normal situation should be practiced while visiting the casinos. If visiting a town like Las Vegas or Atlantic City, go in pairs or groups. Always know where members of your party are so they can be easily found in an emergency.

Be Aware of Surroundings

It is easy to become overwhelmed in a casino, especially the first visit. However, when too caught up in the sights and sounds of a place, it means paying less attention to other things happening. To avoid this, make plans in advance, rather than trying to see and do everything at once and making decisions on the fly. In other words, try not to behave like a tourist. Most importantly, keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. Women are most vulnerable while under the influence of alcohol, and this is when their safety is most compromised.

Practicing safety precautions will guarantee that the only losses will come from gambling.