The next big Las Vegas sports experience is just weeks away.
What will soon take place in the desert during March Madness might even be a better attraction than the Super Bowl which has one big day.
The opening two rounds of the NCAA tournament provide game action from Wednesday to Sunday night. There are loud, boisterous crowds and fans from all 68 tournament teams represented in sports books up and down the Strip. March Madness (the 14th – 19th) in Vegas is an annual trip for many and a bucket list item for even more.
It is a trip that I have made with the same group of friends since the late 1990s with the few exceptions of COVID and the birth of my first kid. I am not sure what it says about me as a father or sports bettors, but it didn’t deter me from making the trip after the birth of my second kid.
This familiarity with Las Vegas during March Madness provides me with insight to share. The perspective of a tourist is what novice visitors need since it is going to be much more relatable than if it comes from those who call Southern Nevada home. Those people can certainly provide fantastic recommendations to do within the city, but the opening week of March Madness is much different, and it is so hectic, locals avoid the Strip even more than usual.
The trip to the city in mid-March is exhilarating and worth all the expenses, but in order to maximize your time, the preparation starts now. So with March Madness just a couple of weeks away, those traveling to Las Vegas need to act like Bill Self and start game planning for the tournament.
Book it – Next to the Super Bowl, New Year’s Eve and Halloween, this is one of the biggest tourist draws of the year for the city. You want to go there no matter what, and the airlines and hotel operators are well aware of that. Inflated prices are the norm.
To combat this, every step of the trip must be made well in advance. Even booking early will still bring plenty of sticker shock.
At this point in late February, any prospective visitor holding out for a cheaper airline ticket or hotel room is making a mistake. The prices are going to keep on rising as the tournament approaches.Leave Your Significant Other at Home – March Madness in Vegas is a buddies trip— spring break for those who have gone years without being in a classroom. It's betting, drinking, eating, limited sleeping and then doing all of it over again for a few days in a row. That is not the best combination for a romantic getaway.
If March Madness is your time away with your buddies, use time wisely to build up some equity in your relationship to earn some time away. Now is the time to go out to dinner, buy some flowers, or suggest a night out to watch a Rom-Com.
Leave Your Clubs at Home – If your goal is to maximize the basketball and party offerings, there will be no time for golf. All the nearby courses are booked tight and that translates to around 6-7 hours on the course… away from the sports books. Those March greens fees are also double your most expensive course back home.
I have been to Vegas during March Madness with golf buddies of mine, and we have never played a round. Drinking, betting, eating and some sleeping take precedent.
Get your golf fix by betting on the Valspar Championship, played the same week at the first and second round of the basketball tournament.
Start Thinking College Hoops Now – Often on the plane trip out, I see and hear people doing homework on the tournament and teams that appear to be for the first time. The goal should be to have fun make winning bets. Just guessing on what teams to play and relying on brand-name teams is a terrible way of handicapping.
College basketball talk will dominate the sports media for the next couple of weeks. Tune into VSiN, and read the newsletter. Immerse yourself in college basketball news.
Bettors who have been involved with college hoops since October should review their futures portfolio to see if any tickets need to be added or if longshots are still around for hedging purposes. At this point, there appear to be about 15 legit contenders from Houston at the top to Creighton .
Prep work should also include downloading all the apps for the Nevada books. Make sure to wait and make any initial deposits until you are within the state to get the sign-up bonuses.
Pack lightly – Your March Madness Vegas attire should lean heavily towards, t-shirts, shorts, a golf shirt with a collar and jeans/casual pants. Bring one dress-up outfit for the night out at an expensive restaurant. Hopefully, all of this can be packed into a carry-on bag. That saves money instead of checking it in with the airline and time at the baggage carousel at what will be a packed Harry Reid (which will always be McCarran to me).
Be Ready for Massive Crowds – Every possible line in town this week will be long—at the airport, check-in at the hotel, sportsbook, restaurants, and table games. Visitors need to be mentally prepared to be around so many people and have a much different Vegas experience than most other times of the year. If this is a bucket list item for you, the same holds true for the thousands of others bumping into each other trying to walk down the Strip. This mob of guests means they will all be at least three-deep at the table games looking at $25 minimum for Blackjack and Craps. For those looking for $5 during March Madness, it might take a ride to Primm to find some.
Where to Watch – This could be one of the most important decisions made by March Madness enthusiasts. The options include “watch parties” sponsored by all the major casinos. They offer food and drink and seats to watch the game. However, those tickets usually go for north of $125 per session, the food tends to be from the mozzarella sticks family and the seats aren’t always in good viewing distance. Want better seats? Expect a higher price tag.
Watch parties are expensive, and that unexpected cost for some travelers cuts into their overall budget. Another downside of watch parties is it ties groups to one venue for the entire day.
Getting a seat in the sportsbook is the result of wetting a lot of beaks. So for those March Madness first-timers, a watch party ticket for at least one day might be a justifiable cost to best soak in the atmosphere.
The veterans should value the mobility that bouncing around can offer and look at other venues off the Strip. Heading out to the Westgate, Red Rock or the South Point provides less cost and crowds while still hearing the roars for every last-second bucket that alters a spread.
Having the option of betting via mobile apps gives freedom to move around the city and head out to local establishments and spend some time at the pool.
Get to Circa – Visiting the largest sportsbook in the world and Stadium Swim (which requires an admission fee) must be part of the trip. Would you ever go to South Dakota for the first time and not take a visit to Mount Rushmore?
Get a selfie with Pauly Howard – While at Circa, stop by the VSiN studio and get a selfie with Mitch Moss’ favorite on-air partner.
Go In-N-Out – While on the topic of VSIN personalities, make like Matt Youmans and head to one of Las Vegas’ In-N-Out locations. Doing so is a priority for many East Coast visitors who don’t have one near them back home. Ask for the Animal Style fries.
Go Local – Any person making a trip to Vegas will get a number of suggestions on places to eat. All of them are probably good choices. The city is known for its dining scene.
My group of March Madness buddies always makes it to these places off the Strip: Nora’s Cuisine (5780 W Flamingo Rd), Ellis Island (5780 W Flamingo Rd), Pizza Rock (201 N 3rd St), Capo’s (5675 W Sahara Ave), and Andiamo’s (The D).
Because of time, money and crowds, the choices are likely going to be skewed towards casual over fine dining. Make at least one expensive night out with steak and good wine. That is where Andiamo’s is the best choice. If you want to stay on the Strip, head over to STK at the Cosmopolitan.Be Flexible – Whenever or wherever dinner reservations can be made, they are likely going to be odd times. The prime 7 p.m. spot you want is already taken.
Hoops action will be taking place between 9:00 am and 10:00 pm. That long schedule means eating times are going to be much different than a traditional vacation.