Pro in Vegas or LA

A buddy of mine and I are both in consulting and thus have our plane tickets picked up by clients - That said we are thinking of getting a 1 br apartment in either LA or Vegas so that we can spend every other weekend out there playing. Over the past 2 years I have made prolly 10-15 trips to vegas and the action has always been pretty good and I've won most of the trips we've made. He has been going out there for about 4 years and is doing well for that time.


My question is : Taking into account things like rental prices, proximity to casinos, safety etc, which would be the best place to get start playing semi-professionally? I have never played in LA, but have heard the stories, but if the rent is going to be 200 a month higher to live in an unsafe area, I'd prolly opt for the safer/cheaper area. Otherwise, I'd choose the place w/ best games/lowest rake/etc.


Any thoughts?

Vegas rents are cheap.


I lived in both Boston and Las Vegas and pay about HALF the rent here teat I would in Boston. I live in a nice, quiet, gated village (trees, grass, good maintenance staff, the "works") about one mile from the Bellagio and Mirage. The same type of place in Boston would easily cost twice as much. I suspect the same would be true of L.A.

I'm not one, and not there, BUT another thing you may want to consider is the fact that there is an inflow of tourists into the Vegas games.

"another thing you may want to consider is the fact that there is an inflow of tourists into the Vegas games."


still another thing you may want to consider is that the majority of people in LA play like tourists. and some of them are the tourists that vegas pros feed on. it's in LA that they learned to play so poorly!


relative to vegas:


--there are an awful lot of people in LA, and many of them have an awful lot of money to blow on "gambling". they cant play slots, craps, video poker, or even beatable 21. that leaves just pai gow and poker. many play both!


--there are many many more poker tables in LA. many.


--LA isnt so damn horridly hot.


--there are a higher percentage of recreational (read: fishy) mid and high limit players in LA.


--the rent really probably isnt that much more in LA than in vegas if youre just looking for a decent clean fine neighborhood one bedroom. it's amazing what a little shopping around will find you in LA. there's a very wide range of prices for what boils down to be the same thing when it comes to LA apts.

Vegas:

-cheap to live

-lots of apartments near strip (even some on mirage property)

-good games at night/weekends almost anywhere

-not many rooms spread above 1-4-8-8 consistently (bellagio,mirage,horseshoe)

-most games above 1-4-8-8 are not as good

-airport close to strip, you won't have to rent a car


LA

-better games at higher limits

-more pollutants in lower atmosphere (although strip has smog too)


Depends what limits you want to play I guess.


good luck.