The last time we tackled currency-exchange rates was back in December 2005 and was in relation to pounds and euros. Back then we found that rates certainly varied around town between different casino cages and money-exchange companies, but the range amounted to less than 2% between the various cages we checked with (the worst rates were at Travelex at the airport, which also charges an exchange fee).
This time around, we found a staggering 32.1% discrepancy and, perhaps, an explanation as to how the El Cortez has financed its recent renovations (see below). In each instance we've indicated how many US dollars you'll get for $100CDN.
| Casino | US$ |
| Bellagio | 102.14 |
| Caesars | 100 |
| Flamingo | 98.4 |
| Palms | 95 |
| MGM Grand | 102.10 |
| Gold Coast | 97 |
| Golden Nugget | 99 |
| Red Rock | 98 |
| El Cortez | 70 |
| Hooters | 100.67 |
| Red Rock | 98 |
The US$70 for $100CDN at the El Cortez is the same rate that it was back in 2005. The cashier laughed when she told us, but confirmed that it's still the current rate, so wherever you choose to exchange your Canadian cash, don't do it at the El Cortez!
That insanity aside, our research revealed that exchange rates can vary significantly between various cages -- it might not seem like much of a difference when you talk about 95ยข as opposed to $1.02, but if you're changing $1,000, that's seventy bucks you'll lose. So, our advice is definitely to shop around -- just do as we did and call ahead to a few casino cages to find out what their current rate is. It might even be worth the cost of a cab fare to get a better number.
