The 5 Vegas Tests I Still Fail Sometimes

(And What I’ve Learned)

Vegas Uncomped

Jan 07, 2026

Monday, I wrote about the MGM tier status reset and how I keep Gold year after year without lighting money on fire.

But writing that got me thinking about something bigger.

Vegas isn’t a scam.

It’s a test.

And not the kind you pass once and never see again, the kind you get retested on every single trip.

I still fail some of them. Just not as badly as I used to.

Here’s what those tests look like in real life.

If you didn't read Monday’s post… 👇

The Yearly Vegas Points Reset

Vegas Uncomped

Jan 6

Read full story

Test #1: The “Just One More Spin” Test

Vegas loves this one.

I’m fresh off:

A $1,000 Royal Flush on quarter video poker (about five minutes of play)
A $363 hit on an $1.76 Hot Pots spin on my second spin & bonus round

That’s real. That happens. Las Vegas was not built on winners, but it wasnt built on everyone losing all of the time either. We’ve all seen the fake influencers hit (secretly off free play for content), and we’ve all seen the big jackpots only to look down and see theyre betting $60+ a spin. If you can do that, Great!! Most can’t, and you don’t need to either. I often wonder how much “coin in” they have had before and what they gave back afterward to determine the total win/loss ratio.

And here’s what I do after a large win that most people don’t do:

I get the fuck up.

Winnings go straight into my pocket.

I keep gambling on my original budget.

I often cash out and slip back in the remaining amount that I haven’t given to the casino for the day. Perhaps it’s my way of discipline, but it works. However, there’s no difference between cashing out with the total win amount if you continue playing, but most people don’t do that.

This is the test most people fail.

Passing doesn’t mean hitting big.

Passing means not giving it back.

What I still mess up sometimes?

Convincing myself I can “tighten it up” after a win and then slowly leaking it away.

Lesson learned (again):

Wins aren’t meant to be managed; they’re meant to be removed.

Test #2: The Status Amnesia Test

Every January, tier credits reset to zero.

And everyday, people complain about:

Resort fees
Parking
Full price rooms

I’m currently have a booking in a renovated MGM Grand King room, over a weekend, five nights, for $19+ tax total.

No resort fees. Heavily discounted room, not a huge gambling budget.

That’s Gold.

And here’s what I still forget sometimes:

Gold isn’t about spending less, it’s about spending smarter.

When the room is basically free, you stop stressing about:

A splurge dinner
A nicer cocktail spot
A little extra gambling cushion

Failing this test looks like paying retail and then complaining about Vegas prices.

Passing looks like planning before you book the trip.

Want to learn how to get Gold without being a high roller?

The Yearly Vegas Points Reset

Vegas Uncomped

Jan 6

Read full story

Test #3: The “Vegas Is Doing This To Me” Test

“The slots are tight.”

“The drinks are weak.”

“They nickel-and-dime you.”

Vegas isn’t doing anything to you.

It’s watching what you do when it presents friction. This is the one that makes people come home and start complaining because they overspent their expectations in one way or another, and that’s where you see most of the complaints. You’ll win some trips, you’ll lose some trips, but it’s the cost of entertainment that you need to settle on. Plan a budget, stick to it as closely as possible. That's your vacation cost, that’s your price of entertainment.

Your gambling budget + food + transportation + a little chaos buffer?

Once you accept that number, Vegas loses a lot of its power.

I’ve got a few hundred in slot dollars from my MGM credit card right now. Just from my everyday spending on shit I have to buy anyway. Gas Groceries, Bills, etc….

That money already has a job.

It can be:

A planned gambling cushion
A bonus night buffer
Or the thing that saves you when you convince yourself this Buffalo machine is definitely about to hit

(We’ve all been there.)

Where I still slip?

Oh, it’s not Gambling…

It’s Convenience.

Skipping the Total Wine run and paying casino shop prices or even CVS
Settling for a bad food choice because I didn’t plan ahead
Paying surge pricing because I didn’t want to walk ten minutes
Making one “quick” purchase that turns into three cans of casino Pringles

None of those feel expensive in the moment. You’ll go home and start to add these things up and this is where people feel like Vegas “got” them.

Lesson:

Vegas punishes impatience, not budgets.

Test #4: The ATM Test (The Most Brutal One)

Here’s the harsh truth:

If you’re hitting the ATM on the Strip, you already failed, and it isn’t always gambling. DON’T DO THIS! I don’t care if you get all your ATM fees back, and aren’t tipping the machine, the bank, and the casino.

It was:

Poor planning
Overbooking your days
Overspending early
Or chasing a vibe instead of a budget (Remember to have a strict Gambling limit)

I still fail this one occasionally, not by withdrawing, but by mentally justifying why it would be okay “this time.”

Lesson learned:

Cash decisions should be made at home, not under the influence of alcohol and neon lights.

Test #5: The “Why Are You Even Here?” Test

The smartest Vegas trips have an anchor.

A game.

A concert.

A festival.

A fight.

A reason.

Vegas destroys people who just “wander and see what happens.”

I still fail this when I overschedule or try to do everything. The trick is to have a few nights planned, dinner reservations, etc…. Always leave a night to wing it, though. I’d suggest Downtown. The trip that is my favorite is when we have NHL Games or concerts scheduled, some dinner reservations, and then nothing concrete for the day, and we usually always wing it on our final day. You never know how tired or hungover you might be.

Lesson:

Vegas rewards intention. It punishes wandering.