Though not as frequently as they used to occur, there are still junkets offered that include air fare, hotel room, some of your meals, a show or two, souvenirs, and even a bit of play money. Read the fine print before you accept a junket. More often than not, they require a certain amount of gambling, both in bet size and in hours played...in the hotel that you are booked at. If you are there for more than gambling in the pit games, it may well be a better deal to shop around, and find the best hotel deals on your own.

The hotel you choose doesn't have to be on the strip, as long as it is secure, clean, and either near public transportation (which is excellent in Las Vegas) or has a taxi stand right at your hotel for your convenience. Unless they are there for their honeymoon, few people who visit Las Vegas are going to be spending much time in their hotel rooms. However, if you want pampering, make sure that the hotel deal you set up includes the health spa, a gym, and whatever other luxuries you desire.

When you are ready to start choosing the best deals to Las Vegas, be prepared. When looking and comparing prices online, you will need to be aware that weekdays are cheaper than weekends, and that you have to know your arrival and departure dates. When comparing, use the same number of days and dates to get a fair comparison of prices.

Know what you can afford to spend on your room, and don't go higher. You need to not be "room poor," so make sure you have provided for eating, a couple of gourmet experiences, a couple of shows, some sightseeing, and, of course, gambling. Conversely, don't pick out the cheapest, either. As in all things, you do get what you pay for...

A very good way to choose the best hotel deal is to check online, where the very nicest hotels offer discounts during anticipated slow times, especially if there are no conventions coming to town that week. And if you are a gambler at heart, you can wait till the last minute, come into town, and shop person to person. All hotels would rather fill a room than hope for full price at the last minute. Warning: if you choose this method, make sure there is nothing big going on in town that week. Examples would be Nascar, the Magic convention, or special sporting events that fill every hotel room at higher than normal prices!