To Vegas or not to

I don't know why but for some reason everybody wants to go to Vegas. EVERYBODY!! Either it is their wish to lose a lot of money, or they have the misconception that Vegas has many tourist attractions. What is it about Vegas that attracts them so much?

So many other cities have casinos, what makes them unattractive? If you ask a good poker player, he would prefer going to Vegas only when he is sure that there will be many people who want to lose their money. Well, that is almost everyday. That's why the good poker players go there. The same reason for good blackjack players and other card game players. My curiosity begins when people can find casinos in their backyard, with the same game stakes, same setup, yet still want to go to Vegas to do the exact same thing. Weird!!

I have some rules about going to Vegas that I wouldn't like to break. These simple thoughts usually determine how much you get raked.
1) If I go to Vegas 'to play', I would prefer going alone. Simple. Isn't it? No worries about what the time is, who's waiting for you, whether they are getting bored. You have complete control over your decision-making on and off the table.
2) Play in games that you don't find elsewhere. For somebody who has never been to Vegas, you wouldn't know what is different in Vegas unless someone else tells you or if you analyze each casino website and game format closely. Whatever you find in most casinos across the world, you find in Vegas. But the casinos have more to offer. Did you know that there are almost 20 different 'satellites' to the World Series of Poker every day around April-May? That's what I call different, something you won't find in your backyard casino.
3) The strip ain't everything. If you are a tourist, i.e. not a person who has any skill or idea about any gambling that Vegas has to offer, then you really need to think if Vegas is the place where you want to visit by spending your hard-earned cash. If you think it is, then check out this link, which gives you most of the attractions that you can see.
4) Be as thrifty as possible in Vegas. Yes, I said it. I have seen people have a margarita, then some more, before sitting down at a table. My only suggestion to these people is to try and calculate how much they pay when they order those very same drinks 'after' sitting at a table. If you are going to play, then most casinos offer exclusive game suites with excellent benefits. But you gottta make sure that you play, and play well.
5) Who are you going to Vegas with? If its your new wife/husband, are you telling me you couldn't find a better, more romantic honeymoon destination? If its your entire family, what are the kids going to do while you're sitting at the tables or at the strip club with your uncle/father-in-law and the ladies are at a beauty parlor? If its with friends, will you really get a chance to coordinate with each one of them and party better than if you were in your home city considering each of your friends plays a different game?

Some might feel that I'm being too harsh when I say the above. Well, try this. If you are a good card player, go to Vegas for a week. ALONE!! Stay at the best game suite which might cost 35$ per day plus casino money. Work hard on your game and don't spend too much money off the table. Quit early on bad days, i.e. not days when you lose money but days when you are actually playing bad).

Vegas is a good place, lots of attractions. Gotta give kudos to marketing and the sheer lure-factor that they have managed to create. Going there won't be a complete waste of time, but you can bet good money that it will be a waste of money.