Vegas Trip Information for anyone looking to go this year.

[the sicilian]

Always direct. Always business class minimum.

Call !!!!!

Lay over in Iceland ..saves £20

[KarmaDope]

Dublin to Vegas, change at Gatters, selected dates in November £260. Book via Expedia/Google flights.

[Longines]

Dublin to Vegas, change at Gatters, selected dates in November £260. Book via Expedia/Google flights.

I remember my parents paying £330 each for us to fly to Los Angeles 38 years ago. (Just checked, equiv is £1330 today)
I've paid expensed more than £260 for a London-Manchester train ticket.

[Doobs]

Dublin to Vegas, change at Gatters, selected dates in November £260. Book via Expedia/Google flights.

I have thought about these Dublin flights, and am pretty sure I'd take flying direct in premium economy over upper class from Dublin with lots of extra flights and waiting around.

Upper is really nice, but getting there quickly is also nice.  I only get a week off there each year, so want to waste as little time as possible waiting around. 

If I lived a long way from Gatwick or Manchester I guess it works.  If you are having to fly from Inverness to Gatwick then you may as well go to Dublin instead. 

[Doobs]

Never been to Vegas before but after putting it off a few times and now recovered from illness that gave me a new look on life I’m looking at going this year...any advice appreciated

Looking to go 22-29th June to play either the monster stack and bounty and the Omaha hi/lo (definitely want to play this)

I am finding 7 day deals for flight and hotel for £900 upwards which I assume is a good price

What would be a half decent hotel  near the venues
Is it best to register the day before
Are there other tourneys (cheaper) if I bust out regularly played
Do they take any percentage of winnings off you (might as well be confident)
Is there plenty of choice for eateries (I have to be careful what I eat)
...and anything else a first timer would want to know

Uber is your friend, so anywhere on the strip is fine.

I've never done that, except for the Monster stack. Was absolute chaos the first year I played it, and we ended up being alternates.

More tournaments, than there are McDonalds.

The only place I know that has taken the 30% is the Golden Nugget. Not sure about the tax/itin rules at present, as there is so much conflicting information out there.

Every kind of cuisine, at every price point, is there. Most places have GF & Coeliac friendly menus, too.

Never go in the VIP room at the strip clubs

I had the Golden Nugget experience on my last day last year and couldn't get anything resolved in time.

I am going through the reclaim right now.  You can go through an agent in the UK to get an ITIN and reclaim your witholding back.   It s going to cost me just over £400.  I tried two others and one quoted near double that and another wouldn't quote before speaking to me on the phone, despite me asking twice.

I have to fill in form W7 and go to an office with my passport.   I am near that office next week, but you can do it be registered delivery and skype if that isn't possible.

Obviously this is al a bit of a ballache, but I'd take losing £432 vs losing the original $4705 (also the exchange rate hasn't been kind, but that is just randomness).  I expect I'll lose some costs on the transfer of cash too.

I will update the thread if and when it is through, and if I get paid.  As I understand it, I needed to wait until 2018 before I could start the process, but it would also have been possible to do in the US without the fees if I go back in June.   But given I only ever go for a week, spending a day or so of that trying to sort out tax doesn't appeal.

Before you play the Golden Nugget, either get an ITIN or recognise there is this possible downside.  The rake was pretty brutal too; the $250 tournaments were $200+$50.  On the upside, I played there three times and chopped two tournaments.  Poker room was lovely and the dealers were nearly all decent.    If you don't want the ballache, and don't have an ITIN, it is worth trying to chop under $5000.  In the first $250 tournament, the $5000 limit was on a few people's mind, hence the 6 way chop.   

     

Update on this.

I saw the agent today.  There is still a wait until they can send the form off.  It is Jan 20 something.

From there apparently it is a 6-8 week wait for the tax number then another 12 weeks to get a US Dollar cheque.   And then begins another ballache. 

[Marky147]

Never been to Vegas before but after putting it off a few times and now recovered from illness that gave me a new look on life I’m looking at going this year...any advice appreciated

Looking to go 22-29th June to play either the monster stack and bounty and the Omaha hi/lo (definitely want to play this)

I am finding 7 day deals for flight and hotel for £900 upwards which I assume is a good price

What would be a half decent hotel  near the venues
Is it best to register the day before
Are there other tourneys (cheaper) if I bust out regularly played
Do they take any percentage of winnings off you (might as well be confident)
Is there plenty of choice for eateries (I have to be careful what I eat)
...and anything else a first timer would want to know

Uber is your friend, so anywhere on the strip is fine.

I've never done that, except for the Monster stack. Was absolute chaos the first year I played it, and we ended up being alternates.

More tournaments, than there are McDonalds.

The only place I know that has taken the 30% is the Golden Nugget. Not sure about the tax/itin rules at present, as there is so much conflicting information out there.

Every kind of cuisine, at every price point, is there. Most places have GF & Coeliac friendly menus, too.

Never go in the VIP room at the strip clubs

I had the Golden Nugget experience on my last day last year and couldn't get anything resolved in time.

I am going through the reclaim right now.  You can go through an agent in the UK to get an ITIN and reclaim your witholding back.   It s going to cost me just over £400.  I tried two others and one quoted near double that and another wouldn't quote before speaking to me on the phone, despite me asking twice.

I have to fill in form W7 and go to an office with my passport.   I am near that office next week, but you can do it be registered delivery and skype if that isn't possible.

Obviously this is al a bit of a ballache, but I'd take losing £432 vs losing the original $4705 (also the exchange rate hasn't been kind, but that is just randomness).  I expect I'll lose some costs on the transfer of cash too.

I will update the thread if and when it is through, and if I get paid.  As I understand it, I needed to wait until 2018 before I could start the process, but it would also have been possible to do in the US without the fees if I go back in June.   But given I only ever go for a week, spending a day or so of that trying to sort out tax doesn't appeal.

Before you play the Golden Nugget, either get an ITIN or recognise there is this possible downside.  The rake was pretty brutal too; the $250 tournaments were $200+$50.  On the upside, I played there three times and chopped two tournaments.  Poker room was lovely and the dealers were nearly all decent.    If you don't want the ballache, and don't have an ITIN, it is worth trying to chop under $5000.  In the first $250 tournament, the $5000 limit was on a few people's mind, hence the 6 way chop.   

     

Update on this.

I saw the agent today.  There is still a wait until they can send the form off.  It is Jan 20 something.

From there apparently it is a 6-8 week wait for the tax number then another 12 weeks to get a US Dollar cheque.   And then begins another ballache. 

Missed this first time around, but my mates had the same aggro.

Two of them got pinged for 30% the same year. One got his done by a US person, and actually ended up getting more dough than he should have done, as they refunded him the wrong amount.

The other went through someone this side, and paid some fees. I don't remember it being as drawn out as this, though.

Do you want me to try finding out exactly what they did?

[Marky147]

Dublin to Vegas, change at Gatters, selected dates in November £260. Book via Expedia/Google flights.

I have thought about these Dublin flights, and am pretty sure I'd take flying direct in premium economy over upper class from Dublin with lots of extra flights and waiting around.

Upper is really nice, but getting there quickly is also nice.  I only get a week off there each year, so want to waste as little time as possible waiting around. 

If I lived a long way from Gatwick or Manchester I guess it works.  If you are having to fly from Inverness to Gatwick then you may as well go to Dublin instead. 

I thought about them, for about 5 minutes.

[superwomble]

Never been to Vegas before but after putting it off a few times and now recovered from illness that gave me a new look on life I’m looking at going this year...any advice appreciated

Looking to go 22-29th June to play either the monster stack and bounty and the Omaha hi/lo (definitely want to play this)

I am finding 7 day deals for flight and hotel for £900 upwards which I assume is a good price

What would be a half decent hotel  near the venues
Is it best to register the day before
Are there other tourneys (cheaper) if I bust out regularly played
Do they take any percentage of winnings off you (might as well be confident)
Is there plenty of choice for eateries (I have to be careful what I eat)
...and anything else a first timer would want to know

Uber is your friend, so anywhere on the strip is fine.

I've never done that, except for the Monster stack. Was absolute chaos the first year I played it, and we ended up being alternates.

More tournaments, than there are McDonalds.

The only place I know that has taken the 30% is the Golden Nugget. Not sure about the tax/itin rules at present, as there is so much conflicting information out there.

Every kind of cuisine, at every price point, is there. Most places have GF & Coeliac friendly menus, too.

Never go in the VIP room at the strip clubs

I had the Golden Nugget experience on my last day last year and couldn't get anything resolved in time.

I am going through the reclaim right now.  You can go through an agent in the UK to get an ITIN and reclaim your witholding back.   It s going to cost me just over £400.  I tried two others and one quoted near double that and another wouldn't quote before speaking to me on the phone, despite me asking twice.

I have to fill in form W7 and go to an office with my passport.   I am near that office next week, but you can do it be registered delivery and skype if that isn't possible.

Obviously this is al a bit of a ballache, but I'd take losing £432 vs losing the original $4705 (also the exchange rate hasn't been kind, but that is just randomness).  I expect I'll lose some costs on the transfer of cash too.

I will update the thread if and when it is through, and if I get paid.  As I understand it, I needed to wait until 2018 before I could start the process, but it would also have been possible to do in the US without the fees if I go back in June.   But given I only ever go for a week, spending a day or so of that trying to sort out tax doesn't appeal.

Before you play the Golden Nugget, either get an ITIN or recognise there is this possible downside.  The rake was pretty brutal too; the $250 tournaments were $200+$50.  On the upside, I played there three times and chopped two tournaments.  Poker room was lovely and the dealers were nearly all decent.    If you don't want the ballache, and don't have an ITIN, it is worth trying to chop under $5000.  In the first $250 tournament, the $5000 limit was on a few people's mind, hence the 6 way chop.   

     

Update on this.

I saw the agent today.  There is still a wait until they can send the form off.  It is Jan 20 something.

From there apparently it is a 6-8 week wait for the tax number then another 12 weeks to get a US Dollar cheque.   And then begins another ballache. 

Missed this first time around, but my mates had the same aggro.

Two of them got pinged for 30% the same year. One got his done by a US person, and actually ended up getting more dough than he should have done, as they refunded him the wrong amount.

The other went through someone this side, and paid some fees. I don't remember it being as drawn out as this, though.

Do you want me to try finding out exactly what they did?

Is there anything you can do before you go, in case you win while there, or do you have to try to sort it afterwards?

[StuartHopkin]

I think you can submit an IRS form W7 from here but you need to supply original documentation which will normally be your passport.
This would give you an ITIN number before you travel.

[Doobs]

Never been to Vegas before but after putting it off a few times and now recovered from illness that gave me a new look on life I’m looking at going this year...any advice appreciated

Looking to go 22-29th June to play either the monster stack and bounty and the Omaha hi/lo (definitely want to play this)

I am finding 7 day deals for flight and hotel for £900 upwards which I assume is a good price

What would be a half decent hotel  near the venues
Is it best to register the day before
Are there other tourneys (cheaper) if I bust out regularly played
Do they take any percentage of winnings off you (might as well be confident)
Is there plenty of choice for eateries (I have to be careful what I eat)
...and anything else a first timer would want to know

Uber is your friend, so anywhere on the strip is fine.

I've never done that, except for the Monster stack. Was absolute chaos the first year I played it, and we ended up being alternates.

More tournaments, than there are McDonalds.

The only place I know that has taken the 30% is the Golden Nugget. Not sure about the tax/itin rules at present, as there is so much conflicting information out there.

Every kind of cuisine, at every price point, is there. Most places have GF & Coeliac friendly menus, too.

Never go in the VIP room at the strip clubs

I had the Golden Nugget experience on my last day last year and couldn't get anything resolved in time.

I am going through the reclaim right now.  You can go through an agent in the UK to get an ITIN and reclaim your witholding back.   It s going to cost me just over £400.  I tried two others and one quoted near double that and another wouldn't quote before speaking to me on the phone, despite me asking twice.

I have to fill in form W7 and go to an office with my passport.   I am near that office next week, but you can do it be registered delivery and skype if that isn't possible.

Obviously this is al a bit of a ballache, but I'd take losing £432 vs losing the original $4705 (also the exchange rate hasn't been kind, but that is just randomness).  I expect I'll lose some costs on the transfer of cash too.

I will update the thread if and when it is through, and if I get paid.  As I understand it, I needed to wait until 2018 before I could start the process, but it would also have been possible to do in the US without the fees if I go back in June.   But given I only ever go for a week, spending a day or so of that trying to sort out tax doesn't appeal.

Before you play the Golden Nugget, either get an ITIN or recognise there is this possible downside.  The rake was pretty brutal too; the $250 tournaments were $200+$50.  On the upside, I played there three times and chopped two tournaments.  Poker room was lovely and the dealers were nearly all decent.    If you don't want the ballache, and don't have an ITIN, it is worth trying to chop under $5000.  In the first $250 tournament, the $5000 limit was on a few people's mind, hence the 6 way chop.   

     

Update on this.

I saw the agent today.  There is still a wait until they can send the form off.  It is Jan 20 something.

From there apparently it is a 6-8 week wait for the tax number then another 12 weeks to get a US Dollar cheque.   And then begins another ballache. 

Missed this first time around, but my mates had the same aggro.

Two of them got pinged for 30% the same year. One got his done by a US person, and actually ended up getting more dough than he should have done, as they refunded him the wrong amount.

The other went through someone this side, and paid some fees. I don't remember it being as drawn out as this, though.

Do you want me to try finding out exactly what they did?

I think that you have to wait until January to file your return as that is the earliest date you can file.  Two people told me this, and it seems to tally with the US tax form filing dates I read online for the 2017 tax year.  I assume that the other dates are just caused by the pace the refund system works in the US.  I guess he may well have been just giving me long dates so I don't start chasing him too early.  It is too late now, as I have signed the forms and paid the fee, so if there was a quicker way it will likely just be a rub now.  But I guess it is useful for anyone who gets caught like me in the future.

For Superwomble, a lot of Casinos will help you apply on the spot for an ITIN.  I know the Wynn and Rio have done in the past, and I think most of the big ones do in Vegas.  I had already read this was an issue with the Golden Nugget, but I played anyway.  As far as I understand, you can go to the tax office in Vegas and sort it out there without fees.  Unfortunately I cashed early in the morning on my last day.  I guess I could have tried to do it on the morning of my departure, but I needed to sleep and there was no guarantee I would be able to get it done on that morning if I tried.   

[Marky147]

I think that you have to wait until January to file your return as that is the earliest date you can file.  Two people told me this, and it seems to tally with the US tax form filing dates I read online for the 2017 tax year.  I assume that the other dates are just caused by the pace the refund system works in the US.  I guess he may well have been just giving me long dates so I don't start chasing him too early.  It is too late now, as I have signed the forms and paid the fee, so if there was a quicker way it will likely just be a rub now.  But I guess it is useful for anyone who gets caught like me in the future.

For Superwomble, a lot of Casinos will help you apply on the spot for an ITIN.  I know the Wynn and Rio have done in the past, and I think most of the big ones do in Vegas.  I had already read this was an issue with the Golden Nugget, but I played anyway.  As far as I understand, you can go to the tax office in Vegas and sort it out there without fees.  Unfortunately I cashed early in the morning on my last day.  I guess I could have tried to do it on the morning of my departure, but I needed to sleep and there was no guarantee I would be able to get it done on that morning if I tried.   

I've got no idea, as luckily I've not won anything at the Nugget since 2009, and I had my ITIN from the m/e in 2006 then anyway.

I'll say I could find out this summer, but I'd guess there is much chance of me playing, as there is of me winning

[Jon MW]

I think that you have to wait until January to file your return as that is the earliest date you can file.  Two people told me this, and it seems to tally with the US tax form filing dates I read online for the 2017 tax year.  I assume that the other dates are just caused by the pace the refund system works in the US.  I guess he may well have been just giving me long dates so I don't start chasing him too early.  It is too late now, as I have signed the forms and paid the fee, so if there was a quicker way it will likely just be a rub now.  But I guess it is useful for anyone who gets caught like me in the future.

For Superwomble, a lot of Casinos will help you apply on the spot for an ITIN.  I know the Wynn and Rio have done in the past, and I think most of the big ones do in Vegas.  I had already read this was an issue with the Golden Nugget, but I played anyway.  As far as I understand, you can go to the tax office in Vegas and sort it out there without fees.  Unfortunately I cashed early in the morning on my last day.  I guess I could have tried to do it on the morning of my departure, but I needed to sleep and there was no guarantee I would be able to get it done on that morning if I tried.   

I've got no idea, as luckily I've not won anything at the Nugget since 2009, and I had my ITIN from the m/e in 2006 then anyway.

I'll say I could find out this summer, but I'd guess there is much chance of me playing, as there is of me winning

I'm not planning on going back any time soon - let alone winning anything - but do ITIN's last forever once you've got one?

I think they do, and it makes sense they do - but thought this might be a good chance for someone to confirm it?

Because it'd always be handy to know I don't have to think about it whenever the next time I go to Las Vegas ends up being.

[Tal]

I think that you have to wait until January to file your return as that is the earliest date you can file.  Two people told me this, and it seems to tally with the US tax form filing dates I read online for the 2017 tax year.  I assume that the other dates are just caused by the pace the refund system works in the US.  I guess he may well have been just giving me long dates so I don't start chasing him too early.  It is too late now, as I have signed the forms and paid the fee, so if there was a quicker way it will likely just be a rub now.  But I guess it is useful for anyone who gets caught like me in the future.

For Superwomble, a lot of Casinos will help you apply on the spot for an ITIN.  I know the Wynn and Rio have done in the past, and I think most of the big ones do in Vegas.  I had already read this was an issue with the Golden Nugget, but I played anyway.  As far as I understand, you can go to the tax office in Vegas and sort it out there without fees.  Unfortunately I cashed early in the morning on my last day.  I guess I could have tried to do it on the morning of my departure, but I needed to sleep and there was no guarantee I would be able to get it done on that morning if I tried.   

I've got no idea, as luckily I've not won anything at the Nugget since 2009, and I had my ITIN from the m/e in 2006 then anyway.

I'll say I could find out this summer, but I'd guess there is much chance of me playing, as there is of me winning

I'm not planning on going back any time soon - let alone winning anything - but do ITIN's last forever once you've got one?

I think they do, and it makes sense they do - but thought this might be a good chance for someone to confirm it?

Because it'd always be handy to know I don't have to think about it whenever the next time I go to Las Vegas ends up being.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/unused-itins-to-expire-after-five-years-new-uniform-policy-eases-burden-on-taxpayers-protects-itin-integrity

Looks like they expire if you don't cash for five years

[redsimon]

I think that you have to wait until January to file your return as that is the earliest date you can file.  Two people told me this, and it seems to tally with the US tax form filing dates I read online for the 2017 tax year.  I assume that the other dates are just caused by the pace the refund system works in the US.  I guess he may well have been just giving me long dates so I don't start chasing him too early.  It is too late now, as I have signed the forms and paid the fee, so if there was a quicker way it will likely just be a rub now.  But I guess it is useful for anyone who gets caught like me in the future.

For Superwomble, a lot of Casinos will help you apply on the spot for an ITIN.  I know the Wynn and Rio have done in the past, and I think most of the big ones do in Vegas.  I had already read this was an issue with the Golden Nugget, but I played anyway.  As far as I understand, you can go to the tax office in Vegas and sort it out there without fees.  Unfortunately I cashed early in the morning on my last day.  I guess I could have tried to do it on the morning of my departure, but I needed to sleep and there was no guarantee I would be able to get it done on that morning if I tried.   

I've got no idea, as luckily I've not won anything at the Nugget since 2009, and I had my ITIN from the m/e in 2006 then anyway.

I'll say I could find out this summer, but I'd guess there is much chance of me playing, as there is of me winning

I'm not planning on going back any time soon - let alone winning anything - but do ITIN's last forever once you've got one?

I think they do, and it makes sense they do - but thought this might be a good chance for someone to confirm it?

Because it'd always be handy to know I don't have to think about it whenever the next time I go to Las Vegas ends up being.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/unused-itins-to-expire-after-five-years-new-uniform-policy-eases-burden-on-taxpayers-protects-itin-integrity

Looks like they expire if you don't cash for five years

Is there anyway casino knows when you last cashed? Or is it likely to come back to you if IRS pick it up later? I have ITIN from 2006 but not needed it since then as no cashes over $5k

[StuartHopkin]

I don't think using an ITIN that you now know is likely not valid is a good plan if you want to be sure of boarding your plane home, or possibly spending a long time trying to get in on your next visit!

From what I have read Doobs the tax office in Vegas cannot sort it in a day, which is a bit weird considering the casinos can, but it seems a pretty consistent story.