Question of the Day - 29 August 2005

Expert contributor Rick Kanfer writes:

The absolute best way to buy Las Vegas show tickets is from the half-priced ticket outlets on the Strip ... if they’re for sale. And that’s a big "if." Availability varies, but there are never any Cirque shows, nor Danny Gans, Lance Burton or Mamma Mia! The outlets are open from noon to 9 pm every day and the discount is usually in the 35%-40% range.

There are two half-price (plus a service fee) ticket outlets: Ticket2nite (located across from New York-New York, next to the MGM Grand at the giant Coke bottle); and Tix4tonight (two Strip locations -- one between the MGM Grand and Harley-Davidson Café, the other across the Strip from the Stardust). Show listings are posted around 11:30 am and the booths open at noon, and you must go there on the day of the show to see what they have. This usually consists of around 20 shows, including a variety of the better ones.

Here are some other tips to bear in mind when booking show tickets:

• There are a lot of shows in Las Vegas (more than 100 ongoing, close to 100 free lounge shows, and many big-name entertainers on a rotating schedule) and it’s almost impossible for any periodical to keep up with the constant changes. So the best strategy is to call the casino where the show that you’re planning to see is playing to make sure it's still there, and that prices and times haven't changed.

• Don't believe reviews in the local freebie magazines; most are paid for like an ad.

• Buy your tickets directly from the hotel box office where the show is playing; if you buy tickets in another hotel, you’ll pay a stiff fee on top of the regular price, and you may be "sold" the wrong impression of the show you want to see (these ticketing agents are paid by the producers to tout specific shows and the shows that pay the most commission get pushed the hardest.)

• Check the calendar in the LVA for the month that you’ll be in town; if there’s a big convention at the same time, it's a good play to get your tickets in advance. Also, several of the more popular shows routinely sell out (O, Mystère, Danny Gans), so these tickets must be bought in advance, usually by calling the box office at the show’s casino.