Sin City. Lost Vegas. City of Lost Wages. You’ve heard all the nicknames. Aside from the “sin” aspect, Vegas has become a premier destination for families and for business travel. With resort and convention amenities, Vegas is turning into the ultimate spot to host weddings, business conventions and your usual family vacation.

With that said, the crowded hotel-casino market there is doing its best to accommodate guest 365 days of the year. The question is: Do you know how to take advantage of these hotel casinos and get the best price for your future vacation and business plans. The following is the Golden Rule or most recommended step into getting the best deal for your Vegas vacation.

The Golden Rule: Get a Players Card.

You will notice that a lot of players in the casino are placing a little card into slot machines while playing them. The same players are even handing these little card to dealers, pit bosses and hosts are the card tables. Whether it’s a $5 blackjack table to a $1000 baccarat table, players are handing these little cards over. No, it’s not a special exclusive card for “high rollers”, but it is a players’ card that is available to everyone. No matter what your gaming habits are, or even if you hardly play at all, these cards are available for you at no price.

With membership into various casinos’ player clubs, you will receive most importantly, discounts. These discounts are for accommodations, food, shows, golf, spas and a plethora of other resort activities. Sometimes, they will give a great deal right off the bat. I love it when I get a fully paid lobster buffet, that usually goes a $50 for most people. Just for signing up, you get it for free.

Aside from the instant gratification of receiving a perk for signing up, you get to be on their mailing list. Hotel casinos will go out of their way to get you to come back, so expect a lot of email newsletters and conventional mail coming your way. What to expect in these mailers? More discounts of course. Flight and room discounts. Slot tournaments and shopping events. These hotel casinos offer a lot of events and discounts year round, so keep an eye out fo which discount suits your vacation plans.

Last, so you’re not a casino; Does that mean you can’t sign up for a players card? Absolutely not, you can definitely sign up without having to step into a casino. Hotel casinos are stepping up to the digital age with the ability to manage players’ club accounts online. Along with signing up, you get the ability to create vacation plans, buy show tickets and reserve tee times at any Vegas golf course. With an online players account, this eliminates the headache of hiring a travel agent or constantly searching online for discounts. Try signing up for a players card today and find out what complimentary goodies or “comps” you can get.

Image Credit: xiquinhosilva on Flickr