2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

Hi guys, my plan is to move to Vegas to stay 50-80 days with a small group. my girlfriend, 2-3players and one more girl. The girls are not going to play, but maybe they can get a part-time job if its allowed (they wont have a work visa and are -21).

I would like to hear any advice on where to stay and if buying a car is needed. I'm not from US but i'm allowed to drive a rented car. Unsure about being able to buy and drive my own car.I would sell the car when the trip is over. (is this a good/cheap/viable option?

I´ve searched the internet and found many big houses but they seem to be far from the Strip.
A 3to4-bedroom house in a resort or something with furniture, HDTV, high speed internet, pool, gym would be the goal if possible.

Anyone knows if such conditions exists? never been there. Also, if i'm able to get a car, driving for more than 20min every day to the casinos would be a pain, so i guess proximity to the Strip would be perfect.

Also, if i like the experience, maybe i would like to stay. Anyone knows if i can get a visa or greencard or something to live and work as a poker player in the usa?

any advice is appreciated. thank you very much.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

What country are you in? The only way you will get a green card is through the green card lottery and I guess they give out a lot of these to some countries. You could also get a green card if you have a relative in the US who would sponsor you but this would take some time. I think you can visit the US for up to six months but will have to spin some story to immigration on why you are staying that long and the playing poker story probably will not cut it. Jobs are plentiful in the Vegas Area so you could probably find some local employer who would help the girls get a work visa but the job would be in the service industry.

As far as the driving goes I would check into leasing a car for this short of time or get a monthly rate from the rental company. Try bargaining on Priceline and see what happens. As long as you have your passport stamped for you to be here it won't be a problem. If you buy a car again it will be better if you know someone here who will register it for you.

Im not an expert on these issues and im sure others can add more but the United States is a very strange country when it comes to immigration. We have a lot of people who should not be here and they tend to get away with it because they provide cheap labor. I heard a person can get a drivers license in California and not even be legal in this country but im not sure if this is true. The process of obtaining a legal green card is difficult it took me 5 years to get one for my wife and I am a US citizen who met her will serving in the US Air Force yet people who jump the fence from Mexico seem to have the same rights she does so it is certainly a very strange situation.

Good Luck

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

wow thx man. actually getting a greencard would be awesome but maybe there is some other way to stay legal for long periods with just some kind of work visa dont know.

btw, what is to register a car?? i just cant buy it, drive it, then sell it 2 months later for like 1.5k less? a 6-7k car or so.

the biggest problem is to find a big house on the Strip with those amenities i said. maybe separated 1-bedroom apartments for each couple would be fine aswell. in some big building i mean.

i guess when players go to vegas they just stay in some casino, but that is not the case since 150$ per day per room is bad. Split a big house would cost like 3-4k$ month, so less than 1k each guy.

anyone here ever tried to do something like this? seems standard.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis - US Gov's website for immigration issues. All US Gove sites end with .gov, most of the work related questions you have can be better answered using Google than on a web forum IMHO.

http://www.dmvnv.com/ - Nevada department of Motor Vehicles. In the US each state controls their own auto registration. Nevada charges a basic Registration Fee, Governmental Services Taxes and miscellaneous fees for titles, license plates, inspections, etc. You must register your vehicle for a full year. This includes a sales tax if your vehicle was purchased from an out of state dealer.

Apartment: Try craigslist.com and apartments.com

Plan well in advance like your doing and this will all be very easy!

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

Even if you can resell a car for the same price you bought it at (which seems very optimistic), you still have to deal with tax and other fees. I have no idea how much it would cost to rent or lease a car for a couple months but I would definitely look at that option first.

As for location, proximity to the strip is not the only factor in how long it takes to get there. Las Vegas isn't very big and as long as you have convenient access to a highway, it doesn't take too long to get around. And no matter how close to the strip you live, you're still going to have to deal with getting to the specific casino you want to visit, parking your car, and walking to the poker room. In the end, a couple minutes here and there aren't going to be a big deal.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

I will look through my book marks today, but i found a house 4 miles from the strip that goes for $1200 a week (might be out of your limits) but was 5 bedrooms 3 baths inground pool, hot tube, pool table etc etc. Was like 1 mile from a food store and shopping mall.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

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Even if you can resell a car for the same price you bought it at (which seems very optimistic), you still have to deal with tax and other fees. I have no idea how much it would cost to rent or lease a car for a couple months but I would definitely look at that option first.

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If your over 25 (dont know about foreigners) you can rent a car for around $500/month in Vegas.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

Look into student visas . . . that'd involve you going to college or something but you could take like 1 class and I don't think it'd be a huge problem.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
Look into student visas . . . that'd involve you going to college or something but you could take like 1 class and I don't think it'd be a huge problem.

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For two months he wont need a visa, but getting a job will be pretty tough with the new laws in place unless you get paid off the books (which is generally very low). Its getting harder and harder to get a gig at a restaurant as a foreigner, the risks for the employer are too great. Its possible, just becoming more unlikely.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

soah, i thought maybe living in the strip i could go by walk to the casinos, maybe wynn bellagio venetian, they seem close to each other. but if i need to go by car even living on the strip, then i can live anywhere 10min away or so.

resboard, 1200$/wk is top limit for me i guess. however i would need to get some more players to fill the 5 bedrooms =P

http://www.greatrentals.com/USA/Neva.../1/p155265.htm
i found this to be the perfect place if i can go the wynn by foot. oh and if it was 3 bedroom. this kind of building/amenities/location looks perfect, do you guys know if there are more buildings like these on the strip??
maybe i could find 1-bedroom apartments in buildings like these, so we can stay each couple in one individual apart.

wow 500$/month for a car would be soooo sweet. i need to find that.

ps: if its not permitted to post that link, im sorry, i can delete.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

He asked about ways to stay in the country for an extended period of time - I think a student visa fits the bill. For the 2 months you can just be here 'on vacation' or w/e.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
soah, i thought maybe living in the strip i could go by walk to the casinos, maybe wynn bellagio venetian, they seem close to each other. but if i need to go by car even living on the strip, then i can live anywhere 10min away or so.

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Your probably best off in Henderson based on what you describe, that will be 20-30 mins door to door. There isnt anything great that is close to the strip. I live on the strip (almost nobody lives on the strip), and it takes me 15 -20 mins to get to most casinos because of lights and traffic, sometimes longer.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

yeh toronexti, if this all works out fine and i like the lifestyle in vegas maybe i want to stay for more time and a student visa fits it well. probably there is a university in vegas but i dont even know how to apply. but thats just unknown future, ill think later.

so ill need a car whatever i choose to live? then i just need to find a place cheap and with even more amenities, since i'll need to drive to the casinos anyway.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
yeh toronexti, if this all works out fine and i like the lifestyle in vegas maybe i want to stay for more time and a student visa fits it well. probably there is a university in vegas but i dont even know how to apply. but thats just unknown future, ill think later.

so ill need a car whatever i choose to live? then i just need to find a place cheap and with even more amenities, since i'll need to drive to the casinos anyway.

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You can live closer, but you wont find the resort style living your looking for. The Vegas university is UNLV, try http://www.unlv.edu

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

You might want to look into more than one car. The girls will get very tired of the apartment while you guys are off playing. Las Vegas away from the strip is best accessed by car.

Maybe they could drop you off and pick you up but with a group this size might do better with two cars.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

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http://www.greatrentals.com/USA/Neva.../1/p155265.htm


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So for a five-day, four-night stay with 8 guys, is a house rental a better option than a couple rooms? More space, pool, stuff like that, but add on the cost of many cab rides or a couple car rentals?

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

http://www.greatrentals.com/USA/Neva.../1/p155265.htm


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So for a five-day, four-night stay with 8 guys, is a house rental a better option than a couple rooms? More space, pool, stuff like that, but add on the cost of many cab rides or a couple car rentals?

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Thats what I would chose in a heartbeat.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

yeh bulldog, i've found tons of 4-5bedroom houses for something like 3500$/mo. for 8 guys splitting that would cost almost nothing. the problem is that should be harder to find a well-equipped big house renting for a few days only.


another question I have is about bankroll, I'm probably taking 20-25k$ so I'm able to play NL2-5 or NL5-10? whats the usual maximum buy-in for 2-5? also I saw people talking about 5-10 uncapped, thats just sick, it means someone can sit in with 100k?? or I misunderstood?

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
soah, i thought maybe living in the strip i could go by walk to the casinos, maybe wynn bellagio venetian, they seem close to each other. but if i need to go by car even living on the strip, then i can live anywhere 10min away or so.

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If you start walking from the Wynn to the Bellagio, and I get in my car in Henderson and drive to the Bellagio, I might get to the poker room before you. And living in a hotel for two months will be expensive and not much fun. There are some extended stay hotels nearby, but not within walking distance. I mean... even when you're actually on the strip, half of it isn't within walking distance.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

For the house www.vrbo.com or as somebody else said www.craigslist.org

The craigslist house named 'movie house' or 'stripper house' cover exactly what you want.

A stay of under 90 days is good for a visa waiver form, if your country participates in the scheme. If not, or for longer stays you will need to visit your local embassy/consulate and obtain a visa.

if you are European, the cheapest hire car will be found via www.carhire300.com , they include all necessary taxes and insurances. They do not rent to Americans or Canadians.

Whilst I advise you to be honest with the immigration staff, I would have your story clear in your head with regard to the purpose of your trip. If you can show a bank statement proving you have funds for your trip, this could be very useful. I know other Europeans who ahve done what you are doing and they encountered problems at immigration, as once you state that your income will be poker, you are effcetively working in the U.S, and whilst Uncle Sam likes to tax his workers, you will not have a working visa. It is a horrid catch 22, and I am not sure of the official standing on this, so be prepared/warned.

Do not enter the US via NY either airport,LAX,Atlanta, Chicago Midway. Their immigration officials are notedly unsympathetic.
Vegas, Houston, and St Paul Minneapolis (sp?) are known for their friendliness.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

Why not just look like a tourist and wear a backpack etc, carry a trip plan for visiting multiple places and tell them you are going to tour around for a few months, show them the 25k (plenty of money) then you just happen to stop in Vegas and start making money playing poker. I have heard you can get a six month visa for this type of thing.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

Uncapped refers to uncapped buyin. All poker games at the Wynn have an uncapped buy-in, so you can sit with $25,000 at 1/3NL (I suggest all $3 chips [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]).

Caesars might have the same rules, Bellagio have 100bb caps on their msNLHE games. I think MGM has 200bb capped buy-in for 2/5NL, and Mandalay Bay as well. Red Rock I'm not sure on the buy-in, but pretty much anywhere else is only 1/2NL.

20-25K for just poker, or including expenses/emergencies? It would be a great roll for 30/60 LHE games at Bellagio (including taking shots at bigger games) and seems good for 5/10ish at Bellagio or 2/5 at Wynn. 5/10 at Wynn usually plays super-deep, I'd always hate knowing I have a limited bank and that i have to stay there for 6 more weeks with a depleted roll if i call this bet...

Living on the strip will save you little time compared to living anywhere else. It may be more convenient if you only have one car though, since some of you can walk/bus whatever for a shorter distance. Time-wise, you will be travelling an identical amount.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

wow its sick to seat with all my bankroll in a 5-10 table. and I wouldn't like to seat without having everybody covered, maybe I'm used to online too much. I mean.. I seat with 2k and everybody have 10k, and I open my AA and cant stack someone. I would feel like I'm in disadvantage.

I would take 20-25 for poker only, npknhldr. I guess my best game would be at 200bb 2/5 at MGM then.

thank you very much guys, I guess planning in advance will make this trip quite pleasant.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

I thought max buy at MGM 2/5 was $500. It's $1000 at 5/5.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

You may want to consider spending a week or 2 at an extended stay hotel so you can check out a few places in person. There are plenty of shady landlords posting 5 year old pictures of houses that have been demolished


Extended stay

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

You can stay in the US without a Visa for up to 90 days for tourism or business if your country is a participant in the Visa Waiver Program. If you indicate that you intend to earn any kind of living here then you could raise red flags with immigration, so your best bet is to say as little as possible and enter the country as tourists.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

I'm going out for a month in 2 weeks and found a 1 bedroom furnished condo for $1500 which has everything including a pool and jacuzzi. I looked all over the place and couldn't find any of those extended stay places that looked clean or safe. Renting a condo is definitely the way to go. Check out vacationrentals.com

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
Even if you can resell a car for the same price you bought it at (which seems very optimistic), you still have to deal with tax and other fees. I have no idea how much it would cost to rent or lease a car for a couple months but I would definitely look at that option first.

As for location, proximity to the strip is not the only factor in how long it takes to get there. Las Vegas isn't very big and as long as you have convenient access to a highway, it doesn't take too long to get around. And no matter how close to the strip you live, you're still going to have to deal with getting to the specific casino you want to visit, parking your car, and walking to the poker room. In the end, a couple minutes here and there aren't going to be a big deal.

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Don't forget as well, either way the OP will need car insurance for the car, and the kind that comes with Rental Cars, is very expensive.

However, many credit card companies (at least in the USA) offer insurance of some kind when you use their card(s) to rent a car here.

I might also recommend the following website for finding a Vacation Condo to rent (around the world I might add):

http://www.vrbo.com/

As for working someplace without being a US Citizen, or having a green card, very iffy to say the least.

Plus, if they catch the OP or any of his friends, they could be kicked out of the USA and banned from coming back from the US ever again.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
You may want to consider spending a week or 2 at an extended stay hotel so you can check out a few places in person. There are plenty of shady landlords posting 5 year old pictures of houses that have been demolished


Extended stay

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FYI, FWIW, I've stayed at the Extended Stay Hotel over by the Rio, located here:

http://www.extendedstayamerica.com/m...e/?HotelID=762

it was okay when I stayed there a few years back, and I've heard they just recently remodled all their rooms.

Keep in mind though, most of these places are Studio places (with Mini-Kitchens), so you still might be better off renting a Vacation Condo or something.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

wow that budgetsuites.com seems very ok to stay a few days searching for a condo.

you guys are really helping me here, this trip will go perfect with good planning.

about working it seems a bad idea indeed, and staying for a long period seems a bit too hard. no problem on staying one month for each six months or so.

I have another question, about internet connection. there are condos that have it for free, but its reliable? I mean, its not going to disconnect often?

also, there are some houses that doesn't offer internet, it would be easy to install an access point in there?


oh btw, my credit card offers car insurance if I pay with it. very nice discount there.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

[ QUOTE ]
wow that budgetsuites.com seems very ok to stay a few days searching for a condo.

you guys are really helping me here, this trip will go perfect with good planning.

about working it seems a bad idea indeed, and staying for a long period seems a bit too hard. no problem on staying one month for each six months or so.

I have another question, about internet connection. there are condos that have it for free, but its reliable? I mean, its not going to disconnect often?

also, there are some houses that doesn't offer internet, it would be easy to install an access point in there?


oh btw, my credit card offers car insurance if I pay with it. very nice discount there.

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I have lived in vegas 12 years and I think you are best off renting a house in Henderson or preferrably (IMO) Summerlin - which is the nicest part of town. For the amount of money you are willing to spend per month you should be able to get exactly what you want. Yes you will have to travel to the cardrooms on the strip (approx 20-25 min) but does not seem like a big deal to me.

Cable internet is very common and very fast in the US, but I would make sure that it is installed already before renting, it might be a bit of a pain to have it set up temporarily b/c the cable company might not trust your credit standing since you arent a US citizen.

In my opinion, budget suites are a total craphole, I do not know why you would waste any time there. One of the other posters had a decent idea since you seem to have the money to fund this trip - stay at the Venetian or something like that for a few day before moving away from the strip for the rest of your trip - this way you guys can have a good time, then move away from the jungle and start grinding the games.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

I lived in the budget suites by the Orleans a few years ago, overpriced dump. Stay at a casino for a few days.

Re: 2 months in Vegas - Advices needed
 

Look for locations that have free internet connections or ones at a low cost.

Be aware though, you normally get what you pay for, and many of these connections are UNSECURED.

In other words, it's really easy for someone if they want to, to 'peak' into your computer with those types of connections.

If you use them, be sure to do frequent virus scans on your PC. I picked up a ton (of virus attacks) when I was there during the summer, and started running scans 3 or 4 times daily to get rid of them, or to make sure one didn't sneak in under the radar so to speak.

With that exception, the connections I had were fast and reliable at the locations I stayed at.