The airport in Las Vegas is riddled with shiny slot machines blinking with LED lights; beeping and blooping the promise of an electronic windfall of endorphins. Frank Sinatra sings, faintly instilling the nostalgia of what we imagine is the essence of the romance of the Vegas strip.
Being morning, the machines mostly call out to passers by, sitting unloved in their clusters near the expensive pizza place and the diner with the smell of onion rings wafting into the crowds of semi-socially distanced travellers. The machines call out, along with the Polish lady selling perfume at the portable kiosk of beauty products.
Las Vegas is the world capital of gambling, so it only seems logical that the gambling starts at the airport already. There are slot machines all over the airport. They're waiting for travellers with some remaining currency to offload, or with a desire to pay their first tribute. You can win big in Las Vegas – even at the airport. According to KLAS-TV, an affiliate of CBS News, a woman from Roseville, California managed to win almost $12,000 on the penny slot machine at.
And then I see her— the goddess of the slots — she sits with one foot on the ground, and the other raised above her navel and planted against the machine — her stomach fat compressed into rolls under her bright pink t-shirt. She’s wearing a rhinestone encrusted baseball cap with “Las Vegas” printed across the front of it. She’s been there for a while — no one sits like that in the first 10 minutes, do they?
Her husband stands behind her, vacantly watching his wife pursue the orgasmic jingle of the payoff.
What is this man thinking about, watching her? Did he bring his wife to the city of sin to respark their love of adventure? Did he hope this flight to Las Vegas might draw them closer?
No. He must only be along for the ride. She found the plane tickets, and got a deal on the hotel. He'd rather be tinkering in the garage with something he can control.
But here they are, losing.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Especially the slot machines, who call out 24/7 like sirens to weakened sailors blinded by the beautiful songs they sing; you losers could be winners, should you cozy up to the warmth of my hopeful promise.
How you get to Las Vegas very much depends on how much time you have and how much you're willing to spend. It's a fairly short journey (though traffic can be heavy), and a taxi is many people's preferred option. It's far cheaper by bus, but a longer journey.
There is no train to the city, but a monorail connection is planned in the coming years.
Airport Slot Machine Voucher Las Vegas Airport
Taxi
Ten cab companies operate from the airport. Expect to queue during peak times, but don’t worry, queues typically move quite quickly. Journey time to downtown Las Vegas is around 20 minutes.
Location:
Terminal 1, outside baggage claim, exits 1-4
Terminal 3, Level 0
Cost: Around USD 35 (plus 15-20% tip)
Bus
To get to the city center by bus, take buses 108 or 109 from Terminal 1 or the Westcliff Airport Express (WAX) bus from Terminal 3. – it'll get you there quicker. Buses leave once every 30 minutes during peak times, and every hour at off-peak times from around 05:45-11:45. Journey time is around 10 minutes to the strip (Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard) and 30 minutes to downtown Las Vegas.
Airport Slot Machine Voucher Last
Locations:
Terminal 1, level 0, one level down from baggage claim
Terminal 3, level 2, departures curb, across from door 44
Cost: USD 2 one-way
Buying tickets: On the bus (exact fare in coins only) or at vending machines at the bus stop (cards only)