Remember the days when information was in books? And you’d impatiently flip to the back and skim the index to quickly find what you need?
Then you’ll love the American Casino Guide. Except, instead of flipping right to the index, you’ll be making a beeline to the valuable Vegas coupons in the back of the book, and ignoring the pages of information about tribal casinos in Bumfuck, Nowhere.
The American Casino Guide (ACG) is a yearly guide to casinos that has largely been made obsolete by the invention of the internet. However, the coupons that it offers are still very relevant, and more than justify the <$20 purchase of the book through Amazon. There are a couple of articles about gambling at the start, that can make for entertaining reading on the plane to Vegas when your wifi is off, though.
In addition to the many valuable match play and free play coupons, there are some great deals on food, drink, and attractions every year. Since preferences can vary, I’ll leave it to you to determine the best value there; check out the ACG website for an updated list of Las Vegas coupons.
While many of these are BOGO (buy one, get one), solo travelers can also redeem them for 50% off (as I have done many times), or you can get some good karma and surprise someone with a free meal.
I highly recommend pairing the ACG with the Las Vegas Advisor (LVA) member rewards book. You can read my post about the LVA here.
ACG vs LVA
Being a value-minded reader, you may be wondering which coupon book to buy (if you’re not too busy cringing at the thought of paying for a coupon book). I can honestly recommend both; the price is a moot point when you factor in all of the savings above and beyond the combined $50 you’ll spend to get both.
The LVA and ACG excel in different areas, but compliment each other well. I feel the LVA has stronger gambling offers, but that comes with an increased price ($37). The ACG has weaker gambling offers, but a more accessible price ($12-18). Since they stack, there’s no reason not to use both and extract maximum value. (That said, you can only use one coupon from each book per year, so don’t go stocking up on a ton).
When it comes to food and attractions, everyone’s tastes are different, so I’d encourage you to check out the lists of coupons and see which better suits your tastes. That said, more options never hurt anyone, so it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have both books.
Redeeming Coupons
Unlike the Las Vegas Advisor (LVA), the coupons in the ACG can be removed prior to your trip. However, they come with a small cardboard card that must be cut out; they claim you have to present it every time you redeem a coupon, but I’ve never been asked for it. There’s a space to write your name on it, but I don’t do that unless I’m asked — so that I can hopefully share my unused coupons with someone else after my last trip of the year. I’d recommend cutting it out and keeping it in your wallet in case you need it.
Similar to the LVA, you’ll redeem your coupons at the players club unless the coupon specifies otherwise; don’t be the fool holding up the line trying to pay with a coupon when you need a voucher. You can only redeem one ACG coupon per year, but they do stack with the LVA coupons, which can double your free play at certain casinos.
Downtown Casino Crawl
While these coupons aren’t quite as strong as those in the LVA, they can stack with them! So, you can double dip on your Downtown Casino Crawl and get upwards of $200 in free wagers (or, if you’re a Vegas degenerate like me, you can save one set of coupons for your next trip)!
- $5 free play for each 50 points earned at The D
- $10 free play for 25 points at the Downtown Grand
- $10 match play at the California
- $10 match play at the Fremont
- $10 match play at the Plaza
- $25 match play at The D
- $25 match play at the Golden Gate
Please comment and let me know how your coupon run pans out and what other coupons you use!
thanks for the information and posts