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In essence, you have three game elements to master when playing any at any casino whether you are playing online or in a real room. These three elements are: the potential for the dealer to bust, the opportunity to double down and the chance to split a pair.

Whether you win is very dependent on the casino dealer’s potential to bust especially if you have a low hand. In this case your only hope of winning is if the dealer goes over 21 and busts. The dealer is more likely to bust if holding a 4, 5 or 6. If one of these cards is face up then it is quite lucky the dealer is holding a 10. The more likely the dealer is to have a 13, 14, 16 as a total then the more you are in luck as the dealer must draw another card until 17 is reached and potentially bust.

Your ability to maximize your profits is also increased if you split your pairs. When you split your pairs you are obviously given two chances to beat the dealer. However the absolutely best cards to split to beat the online casino dealer are Aces and 8s. This is because it is probable that you would hit at least an 18 with the 8 and 21 with the Ace on at least one of the hands. However it is not always the best idea to bust. If the online dealer is showing hands that might bust then sometimes it is a waste of time and money to risk splitting your pairs.

Another way to make money while playing at a casino is to learn the fine art of doubling down. When you double down you increase your bet in the middle of playing a hand. It is best to double down if you see that the online casino blackjack dealer is holding cards that might bust such as a 4, 5 or 6.

Keep in mind however that most casinos will not allow you to double down on anything but a hand containing a 9, 10 or 11. The rules vary greatly from casino to casino though so be sure to know the rules first.

Remember however, that it is not always a good idea to double down on a 9, 10, or 11 especially if the dealer is showing busting cards. One golden rule however is to always double down on an 11 except when the dealer is showing an Ace. Got more rules? Share them in the comments

First thing to know, Las Vegas is not cheap. If you are a moderate drinker and you like to have decent food, you had better allocate between $80 and $100 just for that. Yes, you can do it for cheaper but I am trying to ballpark it here.

Gambling. Do you gamble? If so you already know your own budget and I won’t bother with you. If you are new to gambling and think that you might like to try your luck, what I recommend is allocating about $100 a day for play money. That may seem like a lot if you don’t play, but if you are a seasoned gambler you will know that this is a drop in the bucket.

If you are planning on going to a show, than you will want to do some research first. We have an entire category for shows that you are welcome to peruse. I have done quite a few shows in Las Vegas and the prices are all over the place. I have paid as much as $200 for one show and as little as $29. Another great resource is Tix4Tonight as they offer mainstream shows for a fraction of the cost, the catch is that you usually have to use them that day.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released a report that shows what the average expenditures. I have collected some of the highlights here

– Hotel rooms not booked as part of a package cost on average $75.78 per day in 2009, down from $101.68 in 2008 — and down from between about $107 and $109 when the economy was booming in 2006 and 2007. The actual cost for hotel rooms booked by all means averaged $92.93 in 2009, down from $119.19 in 2008, the LVCVA has reported separately.

– Average spending on food and drink per trip in 2009 was $250.32, down from $273.39 in 2008.

– Average spending on shopping per trip to Las Vegas in 2009 was $101.97, down from $121.90 in 2008.

– Eighty-three percent of visitors gambled in 2009, a five-year low and down from 85 percent in 2008. Of those gambling, they had an average gambling budget of $481.57, down from $531.98 in 2008 and well off the recent peak of $651.94 in 2006.

– Sixty-four percent of visitors attended shows in 2009, down from 72 percent in 2008. On a per-trip basis, visitors spent on average $39.87 for shows, down from $51.64 in 2008.

Las Vegas Sun

So if you my recommendation are at all close the average amount for one person for a 3 day weekend in Las Vegas who also attends one show should be around $600. Let me know what you think.

A blackjack session begins when the player places his wager. It is important that you know the table’s limits before you take a seat. They will be posted on the table, or if you are unsure, simply ask the dealer. They are there to help

After you place your bet at the Blackjack table you and the other players will be dealt two cards. The dealer also deals himself two cards but only exposes one of them.

Your goal in this game is to beat the dealer by having a higher hand without going over 21. Part of blackjack strategy is figuring out when you can beat the dealer with even a low hand (which is very possible if you get the feeling that the casino dealer may go bust if it draws another card.)

The Blackjack dealer will then ask you whether or not you wish to stand (not be dealt any more cards) or take another card from the deck. Taking another card it called taking a hit.

If you have been dealt two cards of the same numeric value, the dealer may ask you if you want to split the hand. This means you can make two hands out of those two cards. When you split, you are required to place a second bet equal to your original bet for your second hand.

You will also be offered the option to double down. If after being dealt your first two cards and you have a hand that adds up to 9, 10, or 11 you are given the opportunity to double your bet. If you draw one card that adds up to a hand that will beat the dealer then you double your money. The caveat is that you only get one card, so if the Blackjack dealer gives you a 2 on a hand of 11 you will only have 13 which is unlikely to beat the house. However if you draw a 10 then you have what is called a natural blackjack.

You will find that playing Blackjack can be a bit intimidating in a casino, not because the game is hard but because other players expect you to play a certain way. This is not hard and does not require much brain power, l as long as you remember that the goal of the game is to beat the dealer and not necessarily get 21. So don’t split 10′s and don’t hit if the dealer is showing a break card (5 or 6).

If you have any tips that you would like to add, please put them in the comments.