Ways to Stay Entertained when you’re Broke at the Casino

Creative Candor: How to have hours of casino fun with no money to gamble.

How to have Hours of Casino Fun with No Money to Gamble If you’re even a moderately regular casino goer, you’ve surely experienced this before. You get all dressed up, grab your stash of cash and head for the big casino. Whether it’s a Las Vegas vay-cay or the locals gambling joint, we have high expectations for these trips. And when our bankroll goes bust long before the night is over, it can ruin an otherwise fantastic evening.

Now what? Here you are, standing in a frothy sea of entertainment, with no cash to partake in any of it. You certainly can’t do any gambling. You probably can’t even afford a cold beverage to drown your sorrows in. Must be time to pack it in and head home. Or is it? With a little creative candor, you can have…

Hours of Casino Fun with No Money to Gamble

Don’t get me wrong. These major casinos were built to collect your money in as many ways as possible, from the negative expectation games to the overpriced (unless comped) drinks. Most people assume that without cash, there’s no fun to be had at a casino. But keep on reading, because there are four easy ways to keep the fun going, even when you’re broke at the casino.

#1 Like sports? Kick back and watch the game!

If your typical evening at home involves lounging around in front of the TV and watching sports, you’re in luck. Most casinos host a sports book, or at least a sports bar. They have wall-to-wall big screen TVs showing every major sporting event available. Boxing, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, football – if it’s happening, it’s probably broadcasting live at the casino.

Grab a seat, kick back and enjoy! If it’s a sports book, no one will say a word. If it’s a bar, you might be asked if you want to order a drink. If you have enough change to do so, go head, then sip at it nice and slow until you’re ready to go. If not, say you’re just waiting for you friends. Stick to your story as long as they let you.

#2 Is poker more your style? Rail a poker game!

Most casinos host a live poker room where cash games are played around the clock. If you’ve ever watched poker from home, you’ll find it a lot more interesting in person. There’s no harm or foul for rail-birding the games, so you can waste all the time you want here.

#3 Any points on your club card? Smoke if you got ’em!

Assuming you’re a smart gambler, you should have a rewards card for the casino. You know, that card that you slipped into all the electronic gaming machines or showed to the dealer at a live table just before that stroke of bad luck cost you all your money? That card has a purpose – to earn you points. See how many points you have on that card, because it may be enough to extend your casino fun with no money; worthy of free play credits, a free drink, a free meal, even a free room for the night.

#4 Ain’t to proud to beg? Ask for a comp!

I’ve always lived by the philosophy of, ‘Ask, and you might receive. Don’t ask, and you’re guaranteed to get nothing.‘ If you’re a regular, why not ask for a comp? What are they going to do, say no? Then you’re right where you started – broke at the casino. It can’t hurt to ask for a little free casino fun, especially right after you lost all your cash to them. A lot of establishments will be generous if you just ask nicely. You just might get a free buffet voucher out of it!