Don't leave it to chance

If you're planning a trip to Las Vegas, here are some tips:

Live by the calendar: To get the lowest hotel rates, go when business is slow, such as midweek, much of July (except July 4, which is a big party) or just before the Christmas travel season. Avoid weekends, holidays, and dates when big conventions are in town. You can find a convention calendar at lasvegasadvisor.com.

Cast a wide net: Bargains show up everywhere, in newspaper ads and on websites of casinos, the tourist authority (visitlasvegas.com), lasvegasadvisor.com, and travel sellers such as vegas.com, Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, and Hotwire. LasVegasAdvisor.com president Anthony Curtis said he recently found a 20 percent off coupon for the Border Grill restaurant in a freebie magazine in Vegas.

Get on a list: Casinos regularly send deal offers by e-mail. Sign up for these for free on their websites.

Look for extras: Don't shop just by room price. Many hotels, reluctant to drop rates, instead offer add-ons. This year, "we see more types of deals," said Howard Lefkowitz, president of Vegas.com. Among those recently listed on Vegas.com were two-for-one show tickets from the Flamingo and a $25 slots credit at the Venetian.

Go to the fringes: You'll generally find better room rates downtown and toward the end of the Strip, rather than in the heart of the Strip.