Las Vegas attracts a wide range of personalities. It’s a city that melds creative types with the highly logical, the dreamers with the realists, and the rich with the poor. Amidst all of that are the locals, the ones who see it all first hand.
Local people, with years of experience in the city, identify five types of people you’re guaranteed to run into during a trip to Sin City. Here’s how to identify and deal with those types of people so you can adjust accordingly and make your trip as enjoyable as possible.
#1 The Gambler
Everyone who goes to Las Vegas gambles, but there is a large number of people who ONLY gamble. They visit solely for this purpose and travel alone to avoid being bothered by friends and family who want to see other attractions. These folks are easy to spot because you’ll only see them in a casino playing their favorite game.
The gamblers come in all shapes and sizes. Everything from grandmothers playing three slot machines at once to the lawyer posted up at the bacarat table. This is also the person at the blackjack table telling you when or when not to hit based on what the dealer is showing.
A gambler takes their gaming very seriously, so unless you are well-versed and just as dedicated as they are, you may want to steer clear. In most cases, the gambler doesn’t want to give you tips or engage in any conversation.
#2 The Small-town Tourist
Las Vegas gets tourists from all over the world, but the type that stands out the most is the classic small-town visitor. You can find them either poolside, at the buffet, or circling the low-limit tables.
If not at those places, a small-town tourist can also be found walking up and down the strip, taking pictures. They will most likely complain about the heat and also comment on how far apart each casino is, even though “tHeY loOk so cLoSe”.
First-time small-town visitors will stay on the strip, but experienced small-town visitors know that downtown is where it’s at. Fremont Street caters perfectly to their needs as everything is close and much more affordable. Not to mention the more laidback attitude as there are fewer fancy restaurants, clubs, and high-end shops.
Feel free to engage with these lovely people, as most of them are salt of the earth with big hearts and the gift of gab. But make sure you have ample time to chat; they love to talk about their hometown and the great people who live there.
#3 The College Student
Ironically enough, you won’t find too many UNLV students roaming around the strip. Instead, students from California, Arizona, and Colorado make up most of these young revelers looking for a taste of the high life.
During the summer months, you may see students from all over the country as they clamour for a spot at one of the popular pool parties. You’ll also see the college crowd surfacing at certain local spots around town as well. College kids have a knack for scouting out the cheap food and drinks. Don’t be surprised if they turn up at your local haunt.
Spotting college kids is easier than seeing the Luxor spotlight on a moonless night. They don’t travel in packs; they travel in herds. They’re the bane of all Peppermill and Denny’s waitstaff, and most will have their phones in hand, texting or filming content. However, this behaviour makes them easy to avoid, and avoid you should.
#4 The Business Execs
If you met a business exec in Las Vegas, you were probably in the city during convention season. These types travel from their hometown to the desert to network and make sales. However, when they’re not wheeling and dealing on the convention floor, they’re wheeling and dealing on the casino floor.
Speaking loudly and telling people about how great their company is makes it easy to spot these types. They’ll wear the same suit they’ve had on all day, but now their jacket hangs on a chair, their tie is loosened, and their sleeves are rolled halfway up their forearm.
For the most part, this group is harmless. They are reveling in their time away from the grind of their normal schedule back home. But every now and then, one bad apple spoils the orchard by letting the temptations of Vegas get the better of them. This usually happens when they gamble money they can’t afford to lose and then make a fool of themselves. Or they spend too much money at the gentlemen’s club…and then make a fool of themselves.
#5 The Honeymooners
Although not as common these days, honeymooners still raid buffets and take in as many shows as they can. Honeymooners live in their own world since they only have eyes for each other.
If honeymooners do leave the comfort of their suite, they’ll be fueling up at a breakfast buffet. On their way back, they’ll make a dinner reservation for that night at a romantic establishment. Numerous empty food trays and champagne bottles on the floor outside their suite identify the other type of honeymooners.
While these Vegas visitors are in great spirits, good luck conversing with them. That would require the honeymooners to detach their faces from each other, which is difficult for them to achieve.
