Buses in Vegas overview boilerplate

I am not an expert. I do like promoting the bus because I think once most folks give themselves permission to use a city bus, it pleases them and because I like to talk about all things frugal.

However, I think I can answer your question with, with the caveat that all things bus like change periodically, and this year things are going through great changes again as they did in November of last year.

There are just two categories of bus routes One of those categories include the strip buses, the Deuce and the Strip to Downtown express (SDX). These buses are the ones that you want to use to get you from downtown to the strip and back. The decision will be where on the strip you want to go. The Express has fewer stops but is much faster and less crowded than the Deuce. You want to ride it whenever you can as long as it will drop you where you want to go. It also runs just during certain hours of the day, 9 am to 12:30 am (see the schedule page for details. It was designed to end the congestion on the Deuce so it runs during heavy traffic times and not in the early morning.

Here are all the bus routes.
http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/route/


Check the routes of the SDX and Deuce and see where they go. The Deuce you can pick up downtown just around the corner of the Fremont Experience. The SDX picks up at a stop near Binions. Those places should be well marked and you can ask people to be certain you are in the right place. The places have changed at times. Note where the SDX stops are located on the strip and write it down or copy the map to have in your pocket.

Neither of these are luggage friendly. Small bags, stuff that fits on your lap is always okay. Larger bags are up to the driver. More seems being allowed on the SDX than on the Deuce.

The SDX is a very different kind of bus. You don't meet the driver. You buy a ticket in a vending machine and get on board and at random these ticket checkers board and come through checking tickets like on many trains. You can even board from the back, but you have to already have your ticket. This speeds up boarding.

My guess is that strip buses are most of what you will travel for your first time; however, from downtown, once you get to the Bonneville Transfer Center (BTC) you have plenty of options. And if you want to go off the strip once to get there, the bus running down Flamingo 202 and the one running down Tropicana 201 are great resources, especially when used in conjunction with the free shuttles that Harrah's runs and the shuttles that the Boyd Casinos run between Bill's, Gold Coast, and the Orleans. Because their free shuttles do not run 24 hours, the buses give you cheap flexibility. These routes are called "residential" routes because most of the riders are locals.
The WAX that runs from the airport is counterintuitively classified as a "residential" route. So that makes the fare less expensive.

So here is the dilemma. If you first board a "residential" bus, then you get "residential" rates, including on the 24 hour pass. Technically, the bus folks claim that only folks with a local ID get to ride every bus after they buy a "residential" pass.
If you board the Deuce or SDX, then you get a little higher rate and an all-access pass that lets you ride anything.
Now, actually I have not read of a single person who has been asked for a local ID when using a "residential" pass of any sort to board Deuce of SDX and the bus company once told me on the phone what the WAX bus driver told me and that is that "residential" passes will allow even tourists to use the more expensive buses but the bus company wants to keep that a secret, so they don’t advertise it.
"It is a glitch in the system" the RTC person said on the phone.
Up until recently it was impossible to buy a 5 day pass without going out to the Bonneville Transit Center. The 5 day is not in vending machines.
Well planned bus riders like Jimbo338 would stop at the BTC on the way from the airport as the SDX has a stop across the street from the BTC, buy a 5 day or maybe two, and be set for the entire trip at a frugal price.
Now those 5 day passes can be bought at Walgreen’s right there in Downtown, but only the 5 day (as well as 30 day passes that are just too long for most tourists.)
Now they have decided, I guess, that the 5 day is now an all-access pass, officially. Jimbo will tell you that it has been all access in practice and that the 24 hour pass from the WAX driver also works on all buses in practice.
But remember, that is a secret.
Or the bus folks are confused.
One board member here asked the question of using "residential passes" on strip buses three times to three different drivers and got three different answers.

So, here is what I would do if I were you.

I’d buy a one way ticket on the WAX from the driver that will get you and your luggage downtown because you just need to take one ride to do that. There is some issue on whether older routes (108/09)are at sometimes faster because at times the WAX runs just every hour, but I’d stick with the WAX because the math I do suggests that even if you wait the full hour you probably will beat the 108 or 109 because with luggage you will then want to take another bus from the BTC to get to Fremont.
Some folks here actually walk the five blocks to Fremont from the BTC. I don’t. The neighborhood seems sketchy at times, and I feel vulnerable with a large suitcase held by an old weak guy.

All the buses from the airport are residential and since it is debated whether that pass would be honored on the Deuce/SDX, it is technically correct and safest to just go one way from the airport, get downtown, the then buy all access passes, either a 5 day from the Walgreen’s or a 3 day from the vending machine or a 24 hour from the vending machine.
However, Jimbo's strategy is to get to the BTC on his way into Vegas as cheaply as possible because he knows he can buy any pass there as well, board a bus to downtown, and get any information or new schedules so his information is current. That makes good sense as well. Then you don't have to decide between Walgreen's and vending machines at the bus stop.

On the other hand, to then get to your hotel you are going to have to activate and use a pass you bought. I won't leave downtown until a couple of days after I arrive, so Walgreen's works great for me. I don't want a 5 day pass that I won't use for the first three days.

Here are the prices. They might change but generally we get plenty of warning. They will change on September 11, but perhaps not for youngsters.

http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/fare_passes.cfm

Note that the 5 day pass has confusing-little-star notes in the fine print part that contradict what the RCT told me on Facebook. But that is part of the game here, just like figuring promos in the casino. They come, They go, They change the rules. Folks slip in and out. Also the website is always behind the times. I think the Facebook information is current correct. I know Walgreen's sells them because I called them and asked directly.

What the RTC decided in the midst of all this wonderful bus renovation is that they wanted to create two classes of fares, one for the locals and one for the tourists, so they could milk that tourist dollar a bit more, while giving a perk to the local riders, but they cannot figure a way to effectively and efficiently do that other than to charge one set of prices if we first board a "residential" but another if we first board the Deuce or SDX and then to make two classes of riders by letting the local ID sort us out, maybe, if anyone checks.

The move on 9-11 is to make tourist seniors second class seniors by no longer offering reduced prices on Deuce and SDX except for folks who boarded residential buses and have a local ID. If they take out the reduced fare options from the vending machines on the strip, then tourist seniors must pay full fare.
It is a nasty business.
I know residential bus riders are the working poor of Vegas, but tourist dollars drive the economy of Vegas, and we all have contributed to the fund of stimulus dollars that has allowed Vegas to revamp their bus system during the worst recession of modern times. Also, simple is always better.

All fares used to be the same for everyone. They should keep it that way for the fare to be fair.

Sorry. None of that needs to affect your trip as long as you go while the 5 day passes are still at the downtown Walgreen's.

Okay, let me recap and then you ask about places where I have confused you.
My suggested strategy is you buy a one way WAX ticket to downtown from ground Zero at the airport.
Once downtown you go into that Fremont Street Walgreen’s and buy a 5 day pass and you are good to go anywhere, anytime on any bus. You won’t find that ticket is available along the strip. Other Walgreen's and Albertson's have them, but they are in local neighborhoods for the convenience of locals, not where tourists walk.
If Walgreen’s decides they don’t want to sell the passes on the Fremont Experience, then you want to stop at the BTC on your way in to town and buy one or make do with vending machine options.

And I suggest that when you are on the strip you take at least one ride on the 202 or 201. Maybe you go to Terribles, stop there and walk down to the HardRock which most visitors think is inaccessible except by car or cab.

Get a feel for the Flamingo bus. It has changed how I see Vegas.
Basically, Flamingo is my "strip."
202 makes Flamingo, from Gold Coast to Eastside Cannery accessible at all hours of the day and night. Just the leg from the Gold Coast up to Ellis Island is a treat as it ties together inexpensive casinos with good food and good gambling. It is uncrowded and runs about 20 minutes until early AM when it runs every hour.

If none of that is appealing you might like a ride out the 201 to get to the well loved Pinball Hall of Fame where you can play the old pinball machines of my youth.

http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

These residential routes are free of the crowds of tourists and out of the strip traffic. Most Vegas visitors don't know anything about them. Some regular tourists find that being among the common folks grates against their upscale Vegas experience or they are in too much of a hurry for buses and they lean more to limo or cab or rental than city bus.

So these buses are underused resources.

However, there is a growing movement toward using the buses as they get better and better and other options get more expensive.
Take at look at this note in a recent trip report by The Bucket:

Quote:

It was time to return to Rio and collect my traveling companion and my car. I eschewed the free shuttle service, put off by the exorbiant wait I experienced to board it at Rio. Instead, I marched out to the strip, crossed the street, strolled past Caesars wishing that I had the time for a shoe of big baccarat within, took a right and leaned up against a post at the 202 stop that comes right before the Qua entrance. It took a few minutes, and I was joined by a few tourists and a number of hotel workers as I waited on the bus. Pretty soon, one pulled up, and I stepped on board and swiped my card. As usual, I didn't bother to sit down, but stood near the front in the area intended to hold wheelchair-using patrons, and held onto an overhead rail. As we pulled away from the stop, I struck up a short yet interesting conversation with the bus driver. He was impressed that I was a tourist using a standard city bus, and we traded stories of gambling for the few minutes that the bus ride lasted (he is a poker player, and spends his days driving a bus and his evenings taking advantage of drunk tourists on the strip who have seen far too much poker on television and have far too much cash available at the table). The bus soon arrived at Rio, where I hit the button, waited on the door, and stepped off, quickly asking my driver where he intended to play that night. Bally's, he informed me. Good to know. One placed I shouldn't play 1/2 NL that night (which was no loss, as I planned my poker play at the IP).

I also suggest that you print out a copy of the schedule for the 201 and 202, so you don’t show up at the bus stop with much waiting time.
In the daytime in the hot summer, waiting for a bus can be uncomfortable. At night it is just annoying. Planning can preclude that discomfort. If you are planned, you spend a bit more time at the table and then walk out for soon to come bus.

full trip report located here: http://www.vegasmessageboard.com/for...ad.php?t=65540

During the same week I read a post here insisting that folks who rented at the Gold Coast were stuck in the early hours of the morning because the shuttle did not run then.
I thought of it as ironic since I like the Gold Coast because with all the free shuttles and buses available it more easily supports late night gambling on the strip than many casinos on the strip like those on the North end.
Once we give ourselves permission to ride the bus, we increase our freedom to safely get around Vegas even when we are tired and drunk, at a reasonable price.

Finally, when you get back you owe us a bus report. Tell us how it went. You have a perspective that I don't have. You are new to buses. Help other newbies decide if they want to risk being awash amid the masses of an egalitarian democracy or enjoy an elite if rather pricey upscale transportation experience, if they want to be frugal or extravagant. It is not an easy decision.
This particular part of this board is the place to put that info, or if you write a trip report, give us a heads up here here with a link to your TR.

And win some money so next trip you can just hire a car, some foo foo chauffeur and say "James" a lot.

bus blierplate as of june 2011

I am not an expert. I do like promoting the bus because I think once most folks give themselves permission to use a city bus, it pleases them and because I like to talk about all things frugal.

However, I think I can answer your question with, with the caveat that all things bus like change periodically, and this year things are going through great changes again as they did in November of last year.

There are just two categories of bus routes One of those categories include the strip buses, the Deuce and the Strip to Downtown express (SDX). These buses are the ones that you want to use to get you from downtown to the strip and back. The decision will be where on the strip you want to go. The Express has fewer stops but is much faster and less crowded than the Deuce. You want to ride it whenever you can as long as it will drop you where you want to go. It also runs just during certain hours of the day, 9 am to 12:30 am (see the schedule page for details. It was designed to end the congestion on the Deuce so it runs during heavy traffic times and not in the early morning.

Here are all the bus routes.
http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/route/


Check the routes of the SDX and Deuce and see where they go. The Deuce you can pick up downtown just around the corner of the Fremont Experience. The SDX picks up at a stop near Binions. Those places should be well marked and you can ask people to be certain you are in the right place. The places have changed at times. Note where the SDX stops are located on the strip and write it down or copy the map to have in your pocket.

Neither of these are luggage friendly. Small bags, stuff that fits on your lap is always okay. Larger bags are up to the driver. More seems being allowed on the SDX than on the Deuce.

The SDX is a very different kind of bus. You don't meet the driver. You buy a ticket in a vending machine and get on board and at random these ticket checkers board and come through checking tickets like on many trains. You can even board from the back, but you have to already have your ticket. This speeds up boarding.

My guess is that strip buses are most of what you will travel for your first time; however, from downtown, once you get to the Bonneville Transfer Center (BTC) you have plenty of options. And if you want to go off strip, the bus running down Flamingo 202 and the one running downTropicana 201 are great resources, especially when used in conjunction with the free shuttles that Harrah's runs and the shuttles that the Boyd Casinos run between Bill's, Gold Coast, and the Orleans. Because their free shuttles do not run 24 hours, the buses give you cheap flexibility. These routes are called residential routes because most of the riders are locals.
The WAX that runs from the airport is counterintuitively classified as a residential route.

So here is the dilemma. If you first board a residential bus, than you get residential rates, including on the 24 hour pass. Technically, the bus folks claim that only folks with a local ID get to ride every bus after they buy a residential pass.
If you board the Deuce or SDX, then you get a little higher rate and an all access pass that lets everyone ride anything. Now, actually I have not read of a single person who has been asked for a local ID when using a residential pass of any sort to board Deuce of SDX and the bus company once told me on the phone what the WAX bus driver told me and that is that residential passes will allow even tourists to use the more expensive buses but they want to keep that a secret so they don’t advertise it.
Up until recently it was impossible to buy a 5 day pass without going out to the Bonneville Transit Center. Teh 5 day is not in machines.
Well planned bus riders like Jimbo338 would stop there on the way from the airport as the SDX has a stop across from the center, buy a 5 day or maybe two, and be set for the trip. Now those 5 day passes can be bought at Walgreen’s right there in Downtown, but only the 5 day (and 30 day passes that are just too much for most tourists.)
Now they have decided, I guess, that the 5 day is now an all access pass, officially. Jimbo will tell you that it has been all access in practice and that the 24 hour pass from the WAX driver also works on all buses in practice.
But remember, that is a secret. Or the bus folks are confused. One board member here asked the question three times to three different drivers and go three different answers.
So, here is what I would do if I were you.
I’d buy a one way ticket on the WAX from the driver that will get you and your luggage downtown because you just need to take one ride to do that. There is some issue on whether older routes (108/09)are at sometimes faster because at times the WAX runs just every hour, but I’d stick with the WAX because the math I do suggests that even if you wait the full hour you probably will beat the 108 or 109 if you then take another bus from the BTC to get to Fremont.
Some actually walk the five blocks to Fremont from the BTC. I don’t. The neighborhood seems sketchy at times and I’m vulnerable with a large suitcase held by an old weak guy.

All the buses from the airport are residential and since it is debated whether that pass would be good enough for the Deuce/SDX, it is technically correct and safest to just go one way from the airport, get downtown, the then buy all access passes, either a 5 day from the Walgreen’s or a 3 day from the vending machine or a 24 hour from the vending machine.
However, Jimbo's strategy is to get to the BTC on his way into Vegas as cheaply as possible because he knows he can buy any pass there as well, board a bus to downtown, and get any information or new schedules so his information is current. That makes good sense as well. Then you don't have to decide between Walgreen's and vending machines at the bus stop.

On the other hand, to then get to your hotel you are going to have to use a pass you bought. I won't leave downtown until a couple of days after I arrive, so Walgreen's works great for me. I don't want a 5 day pass that I won't use for the first three days.

Here are the prices. They might change but generally we get plenty of warning. They will change on September 11, but perhaps not for youngsters.

http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/fare_passes.cfm

Note that the 5 day pass has confusing-star-little notes in the fine print part that contradict what the RCT told me on Facebook. But that is part of the game here, just like figuring promos in the casino. They come, They go, They change the rules. Folks slip in and out. I think the Facebook information is correct. I know Walgreen's sells them because I called them and asked directly.

What the RTC decided with all this wonderful bus renovation is that they wanted to create two classes of fares, one for the locals and one for the tourists, so they could milk that tourist dollar a bit more while giving a perk to the local riders, but they cannot figure a way to effectively do that other than to charge one set of prices when we board residential and another when we board Deuce and SDX.

The move on 9-11 is to make tourist seniors second class seniors by not offering reduced prices on Deuce and SDX except for folks who boarded residential buses and have a local ID. If they take out the reduced fare options from the vending machines on the strip, then tourist seniors must pay full fare. It is a nasty business. I know residential bus riders are the working poor of Vegas, but tourist dollar drive the economy of Vegas, and we all have contributed to the fund of simulus dollars that has allowed Vegas to revamp their bus system during the worst recession of modern times.

All fares used to be the same for everyone. They should keep it that way for the fare to be fair.

Sorry. None of that affects you.

Okay, let me recap and then you ask about places where I have confused you.
My suggested strategy is you buy a one way WAX ticket to downtown from ground Zero at the airport.
Once downtown you go into that Fremont Street Walgreen’s and buy a 5 day pass and you are good to go anywhere, anytime on any bus. You won’t find that ticket is available along the strip. Other Walgreen's and Albertson's have them, but they are in local neighborhoods for the convenience of locals, not where tourists walk.
If Walgreen’s decides they don’t want to sell the passes on the Fremont Experience, then you want to stop at the BTC on your way in to town and buy one or make do with vending machine options.

And I suggest that when you are on the strip you take at least one ride on the 202 or 201. Maybe you go to Terribles, stop there and walk down to the HardRock which most visitors think is inaccessible except by car or cab.

Get a feel for the Flamingo bus. It has changed how I see Vegas.
Basically, Flamingo is my "strip."
202 makes Flamingo, from Gold Coast to Eastside Cannery accessible at all hours of the day and night. Just the leg from the Gold Coast up to Ellis Island is a treat as it ties together inexpensive casinos with good food and good gambling. It is uncrowded and runs about 20 minutes until early AM when it runs every hour.

If none of that is appealing you might like a ride out the 201 to get to the well loved Pinball Hall of Fame where you can play the old pinball machines of my youth.

http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

These residential routes are free of the crowds of tourists and out of the strip traffic. Most Vegas visitors don't know anything about them. Some regular tourists find that being among the common folks grates against their upscale Vegas experience or they are in too much of a hurry for buses and they lean more to limo or cab or rental than city bus.

So these buses are underused resources.

I also suggest that you print out a copy of the schedule for the 201 and 202, so you don’t show up at the bus stop with much waiting time.
In the daytime in the hot summer, waiting for a bus can be uncomfortable. At night it is just annoying. Planning can preclude that discomfort. If you are planned, you spend a bit more time at the table and then walk out for soon to come bus.

Finally, when you get back you owe us a bus report. How did it go. You have a perspective that I don't have. You are new to buses. Help other newbies decide if they want to risk being awash in the people of an egalitarian democracy or enjoy elite status, if they want to be frugal or extravagant. It is not an easy decision. This particular part of this board is the place to put that info, or if you write a trip report, give us a heads up here.

And win some money so next trip you can just hire a car, some foo foo chauffeur and say "James" a lot

Gold Coast boilerplate

Gold Coast is only bad location if you ignore the easy, uncrowded and cheap city Flamingo bus 202 that picks up about every 20 minutes across the street by the Palms and will deliver you to the strip, Ellis Island, Tuscany, Terribles, Sam's Town, Eastside Cannery.
Put that together with what a short walk to the Rio gets you in free shuttle to Harrah's, or what a free shuttle to the Orleans and then a 201 bus ride gets you to NYNY and you have pretty much the entire center of the strip covered at least for main hour (before midnight) access without crowds and at less expense than strip bus service.
The Palms has a shuttle to the Fashion Show Mall as well. I have not taken it, but it adds to the flexibility of location.
Early in the morning because the intervals are more like an hour, all you have to do is pay attention to the schedule you print and stick in your pocket, so you don't wait too long there at Caesar's to hop the 202 back.
Or if carrying a bus schedule is too complex a job in trip preparation, generally one cab ride back from the strip in you missed the last shuttle (12:30 last I was there) from Bill's will not add more to the cost of a stay at the Gold Coast compared to any strip hotel except maybe IP.

Generally, a B connected card will let you book a room for under $30. There is a resort fee of $3, but I have yet to actually have it charged to me when I book B Connected. Comped rooms are not charged.

By September this 202 will connect with the new express that goes along Boulder and gives us fast access to everything from Joker's Wild to Boulder Station and Arizona charlies and to downtown.

I pick the Gold Coast for cheap access to anywhere. So do others here. Catch the Bucket's last entry in his trip report. Page 11
http://www.vegasmessageboard.com/for...=65540&page=11


As well as casinos, all along Flamingo are interesting restaurants, places to get your haircut on the cheap, a library offering free wifi, the entire Nevada University campus to explore as well as interesting college ast food places to grab a quick bite.

And the access, unlike any strip bus travel, can be access with luggage. So I can grab a few nights at the Gold Coast before heading out to Eastside Cannery with my 85 pound suitcase and there is no issue on the bus. Or I can go from the Gold Coast to Paradise and there to the airport all on the bus.

The free shuttle over to the Orleans will get me free wifi in the coffee spot there in the lobby.

At the Gold Coast is a small and comfortable pool and simple jacuzzi. It is a heated pool much of the year so in April or November I can usually swim. I did hear that this year they are not sure about it being heated in November, another pullback that frustrates my planning.
However, when the Flamingo pool is down to just one open and that 2 feet of water could be used to get the beer cold, the Gold Coast offers heated water deep enough to actually swim around and uncrowded.
And next to it is a workout room that is also uncrowded and overlooks the pool. And there is fine cold water.

Along side are shaded sitting areas where reading and chilling are very comfortable. No extra fee for shade at this pool.

The buffet is one of the best low priced meals in Vegas with RedEye gravy for biscuits and pretty good choices. Once a year with an American Casino Guide coupon the buffet can be had for free after earning 200 points at 9/6 JOB.

I like to hear the music in the lounge in the afternoon. They dropped my favorite classic jazz band, but they still offer interesting choices and a place to dance if my wife is along. That is my cheapest lunch place because they have no issues with carrying in a drink and a couple $1.25 hotdogs from the sportsbook area. I'd go play 9/6 JOB, get my free beer, grab a hotdog iwth sauerkraut, go for a set of music, go back for the second beer on the long break between sets, play fifteen minutes more JOB, and repeat the pattern as long as I wanted. It stretches out my bankroll and gives me plenty of entertaining breaks.

So, for me this drop in VP is a bad thing. That bar served Sam Adams on tap with a friendly waiter. The last report I read, the poster asked the bartender if he could get Sam Adams free while he played,
"Only one at a time" the bartender quipped with a chuckle.

Now, not even one I guess.

Player card advice boilerplate

Quote:

I'd sign up wherever you play and use your card.

As a generalization this is good advice, but don't take it to an extreme. Here is why you should not just sign up at every place you pass or play a few dollars.
Sign up only where your play is concentrated. Some freeplay offers will come sometimes just because you are a newbie, so save some of the places to gamble on a later Vegas visit, and appear as a newbie to them at that later time.
How many free nights can you use for your next trip?
$100 a day pushed hard at only one place with get you offers. Pick a place or two and concentrate your play there. Don't then go there another day and just play a few dollars. That will decrease your daily average. You want to look to the casino like you would play and lose $100 each day. Even one day at some places will get you offers.
One technique is to take two days bankroll and gamble it in one day. Skip the first day, go to Red Rock or do shows or take a long sight seeing walk. Then the second day push your $200. Now you look like a higher roller. When you get your card ask what is a "day" in their records. Some casinos have days that start after midnight, others have days that start after 2 am. This is important. If a new day starts after midnight, cash out before that time so that your daily amount put at risk is the amount you gambled the first day, say $1000, not what you gambled for two days, say $1000 and $60 divided by 2 and so $530. For that extra half hour into the second day, in this example the gambler looks like half as hard a player.

If you really want to get offers, get off the strip and play at some of the smaller places: Try Orleans, Gold Coast. They are more likely to come back with some offers for free rooms. The gambling is generally better too.
Even if they don't, just holding a card and signing in to the Boyd website will get you some under $30 a night prices for weekday rooms most of the time, and it may well get you a couple free nights offered right on that website.

Or try downtown. Places like El Cortez, 4 Queens will come back at you with some 2 night offers for your next trip. Even Main Street Station might.
Again, pick one or two and save the rest for next time.
In your whole life you will only be a newbie once at each place or each system. Play at the Gold Coast for example and you are in a card system that includes the Orleans and Main street Stations and Sam's Town. That is not a bad thing, but know which casinos are attached to which card systems.
If you get a card everywhere and play a little everywhere, then you might get so many two night newbie freebies that you can't use them all, or more likely you will not look like much of a gambler and not get anything much. You will have lost your newbieness for no gain at all.

Seed a couple casinos where you might like to stay with concentrated play.

the other thing is that as they give you free nights over a few stays and you keep gambling just a little or your $100 one time goes down the drain too quickly for you to run much money through the machine, then the same casino that gave you as a newbie a freebie two night stay will stop sending them.
So, let's say you got a free night offer at the Orleans after your first visit. Then you went and used that but did not gamble much money there. But on the second visit you seeded yourself as a newbie with the El Cortez and there your daily bankroll held up a long, long time. Now the Orleans cuts you off, but the El Cortez has an interest in this newbie gambler, so they send you two nights or some promo deal.

Consider too how much you might go to Vegas. I made the huge mistake of signing up everywhere about ten years before retirement. I did not have the job flexibility to go when the free offers came. Then I retired and had the flexibility, but I could not present myself as a newbie. Having been too promiscuous on my first trip, my gambling virginities had been sold for nothing.

Finally, there are periodically sign up offers for newbies. Sometimes they are absolutely amazing. One of the best is that the casino offers to let you gamble $100 and lose it, and will then give it back to you in freeplay. However, most of these are just for newbies. So if you waste your newbie status for no sign-up bonus, then on some future trip, when you could sell it for $100, well......... you are used goods