Fun and Frustration in Las Vegas -- A Buyers Guide to Sex in Sin City
Where would "Sin City" be without fairly easily accessible prostitution? Certainly a lot less sinful. Despite the fact that prostitution is illegal in Clark County, hundreds, if not thousands, of prostitutes and other sex workers make a living in Las Vegas. Their services are not hard to find. Prostitutes are easily found at casino bars, the Internet, strip clubs, and just about anywhere a male tourist is likely to be. Flyers, magazines, and roaming billboards put the temptation right in your face. For the consumer of such services, the problem is a tyranny of choice. What this article endeavors to accomplish is to go over the pros and cons of the most well-known options.
Before going further, let me say that opinions and quoted prices are going to obviously be subjective. So please take everything in this article with a grain of salt. Your own experience may vary. There are likely a host of ways to pay for sex in Las Vegas this author doesn't even know about. Finally, for those new to the topic, please note the glossary at the end.
Flyers/Free Publications
Every visitor to the Strip has seen them. People of dubious immigration legality standing on corners in yellow and red shirts passing out flyers for prostitutes. They do everything they can to get them into your hands, short of touching you, which would be illegal. If you desire more of a selection, magazine racks are easily found, especially near bus stops, offering dozens of ads for working girl agencies.
But what can you expect if you get up the nerve to call? A prostitute will indeed show up to your hotel door. She likely won't be as pretty and young as the models in the ads. If the ad quoted a tempting low price, that is what you will pay to get her to walk through the door. Anything more costs extra. The woman will say that the fee quoted goes 100% to her agency and that she relies on "tips" to make a living. Such statements I think are truthful.
These women tend to be over-experienced and jaded, wanting to maximize what they can make and minimize how long it takes. Unless hundred dollar bills are raining down, don't expect a lot of chit chat. Instead, a technique they commonly employ is to get both of you naked. Then when the man is in a position where the blood leaves his brain for another part of the body, she goes for the kill. Although the woman will resist, try to have the conversation about prices and services as sober as possible and fully clothed. Business before pleasure, as they say.
Expect prices to be high and the experience rushed. Depending on what you want, from a hand job to the full service, and how attractive the woman is, a rough range for the price would be $500 to $2,000.
If the price range doesn't scare you off, be very careful to put into words what you'll pay and what you'll get. Don't be afraid to get specific in the terminology -- these women are not easily embarrassed. If you don't, you may easily get less than what you thought you were paying for. This goes for any prostitute. A frequent trick is to be vague about what services will be rendered. That way, she leaves room to charge more.
Whatever happens, expect it to be rushed and unromantic. Many of these agency girls will pay more attention to their cell phones than you. Choosing an agency is certainly convenient. "One call, that's all," to quote a well-known Vegas personal injury attorney. The negative is an overpriced shoddy service much of the time.
By the way, don't bother asking questions about services or prices over the phone. They will absolutely not get into details about what happens after the girl walks through the door, as they are independent contractors and do what they wish. Plus, nobody is going to easily volunteer that they offer an illegal service.
Yellow Pages
My copy of the Yellow Pages has eight pages devoted to "entertainers" and seven for massage. I think your experience calling these numbers will be similar to that in the flyer/free publications section.
Internet
Craiglist
Web sites like Craigslist and Backpage are chock full of ads for sex workers in Vegas of various types. If forced, I would say that Craigslist (under the category of Casual Encounters) tends to advertise amateurs and Backpage the professionals.
Unlike agency workers, like those who you would find on flyer or free publications, the Internet prostitutes tend to work independently. They may hire others for help in marketing but there is usually no middle man, which lowers prices. However, the flip side of that is there is no guarantee of quality. Anybody can post a Craigslist ad for free and say whatever they wish, regardless of the truth.
One common Internet trick is to post pictures of some other prettier girls or themselves ten years younger. An excuse they will give is concern for their privacy. If the picture looks like it was taken by a professional photographer of a raving beauty, I'd estimate the chances are 99.54% it isn't who is placing the ad. If you're unsure, copy and paste the image into images.google.com and see what turns up. If nothing turns up, or the ad itself, then it probably is really her. It also doesn't hurt to just ask her. Finally, if the advertiser is using false pictures, and the one who shows up isn't even close on the beauty scale, then don't have any compunction to send her away.
Another issue is that wording about what services will be rendered is both vague and put in coded language. Remember, prostitution is illegal in Clark County, so they can't be too specific in a public advertisement. Often they will be more specific over the phone or text. However, anybody advertising in the "casual encounters" section likely offers whatever you want to do. Prices will vary significantly, but for the full service I think most would fall in the $300 to $600 range.
In contrast, Backpage is pretty much just a prostitute/escort site. Yes, they have other categories, but most postings will be found under "escorts." Again, to make a sweeping generalization, these are much more professional, attractive, and expensive women compared to Craigslist. Of course, expect to pay for that, roughly twice as much as you would on Craigslist for the same service.
Backpage
To summarize, I think the Internet is a better way to go than going through a phone number on a flyer, free publication, or bus advertisement. Prices tend to be much better because there is no middle man. Plus, you can enjoy shopping around, as there are plenty of girls competing for your business.
Casino Bars
Again, I hate to stereotype, but any attractive woman sitting at a casino bar in Las Vegas by herself is likely a prostitute. Other signs are that she is wearing a sexy outfit, check their cell phone a lot, and are nursing an exotic feminine-looking drink. Working girls tend to like certain bars at each casino. As a rule of thumb, bars near the hotel elevators are a good bet. Otherwise, bars in well-seen and high-traffic areas. If you're ever in doubt, just sit down and a working girl is likely to make eye contact or chit chat with you pretty quickly. This phase of the courtship will usually not last long. Don't be surprised if she asks to see your room or some other obvious hint within a few minutes of making verbal contact. Time is money, as they say.
It isn't just bars where hotel prostitutes hang out. If you sit down to play a high-limit slot game, or even low-limit, don't be surprised if you're approached. Sometimes it starts with just eye contact and other times they are more aggressive, sitting next to you and starting a conversation. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes men just walking around, minding their own business will get approached for a date. Other times they look for a man playing by himself at the table, sit down, and slow play the game as she markets herself. Working girls also work out of the swimming pools and nightclubs. In short, they aren't hard to find and are often found even if you're not looking.
The big pro with bar girls is you see what you're getting and have a chance to flirt with her first. They also tend to be more young and attractive than mystery girls who work out of agencies. A con is that they tend to be expensive and clock watchers. They know that a client is likely a tourist she will never see again so she will try to slaughter the sheep as opposed to shearing it. The full service price will likely run in the $500 to $1,000 range. The nicer the hotel, and the more attractive the girl, the more you will pay.
Gentlemen's Clubs
Many young and attractive Las Vegas prostitutes market themselves out of gentlemen's clubs. Of course, not all strippers are prostitutes. How do you tell which ones are? They usually make it pretty obvious. Legitimate strippers will try aggressively to get you into the VIP room, or whatever they call it. The prostitutes are fairly direct about it with any customer who shows interest and don't take the stripping thing very seriously.
"Which are the good clubs to find prostitutes?," you might ask. Well, I hate to throw out names but generally the smaller ones that cater to locals. Your chances are also better in ones that are totally nude as opposed to topless. Your odds are not good at the huge clubs like Sapphires, but you never know.
Massage Parlors
Almost any massage parlor in Las Vegas with an Asian name will at least offer "happy endings" and sometimes more. There is a concentration of them around Chinatown on Spring Mountain road. Others are scattered around the Strip but never directly on it. Exceptions to the Asian rule of thumb is that Thai massage parlors are often legitimate as well as foot massage places with Asian names. Hints you can get more than a massage are neon lights, pictures of cute Asian girls in the window or other advertising, and dark lighting in the lobby. You are more likely to find such places close to the Strip, especially in Chinatown. You can also expect to pay more than out in the suburbs.
What you can expect to happen is being greeted by the one who is up next. At small places she may be the only one there. She will usually just ask how much time you want. A half hour is the usual answer. Then she will lead you to a massage room and give you a few minutes to get ready. When she returns she will start to give you a very unprofessional soft massage. Usually the girls don't speak much English but when they do, they can sometimes be very chatty -- I think in an effort to feel out how much money you are prepared to pay.
However, everybody knows that nobody goes to an Asian massage parlor in Vegas for a massage. Quickly she will ask you to "turn over." Then there will usually be a little guessing game. The girl will almost never be direct and say "I'll do this for $x." Instead, there will be a lot of coded language. For example, "What a big boy you are! Do you want to be a happy boy?" If the girl senses you're experienced at the Asian massage thing she may get to the point more quickly by asking how much you can tip.
A downside to Asian massages is that the so-called massage therapists are often leaving to answer the phone or the door. They tend to not bother hiring a receptionist so if every girl is busy expect a lot of interruptions. If it is slow and other girls are sitting around in another room they seem to have a propensity to get into loud arguments in Chinese over the phone or with each other. I'm not sure if it is thin walls or their volume but it can be distracting and put a damper on the mood.
The bottom line is that most women at such places don't do more than happy endings. The going rate for the tip for that service is $60-$100. That is on top of the $60 or so you will pay for a half hour massage. As usual, the prettier the girl, the more she will likely ask for. I'm not sure where all the attractive Asian women are, but they almost never seem to be found in the massage parlors. Instead, they tend to employ more average looking women who are often past the age of 40.
It is not to be expected, but some girls do offer more. Prices tend to be quite reasonable, especially compared to other options. As a rough guide, oral sex would run about $200 and the full service $300.
As a final word, the neighboring city of Henderson seems to have a more liberal policy than Las Vegas of policing massage parlors. Here you are much more likely to find more than a happy ending. However, these parlors are far from the Strip and the women who work there are average, at best, in the looks department. The Henderson massage parlors, as opposed to their counterparts in Chinatown, tend to be small and discreet looking. It may be hard to find one. Craigslist or Backpage may be of help in that regard under the "massage" categories.
Brothels
You may think you need to drive 90 miles to Pahrump, in neighboring Nye County, to find a brothel, but you would be wrong. Las Vegas sports a few full-blown brothels, usually operating out of massage parlors. However, they are always very discreet about advertising. You pretty much have to know from word of mouth where to find them. The Internet classifieds on Craigslist and Backpage may offer some clues.
If you manage to find one, you can expect to find attractive girls and a selection of races. If you are a new customer there will be a little bit of a guessing game but it won't take long to get down to business. Most customers likely come for the full service, which will run $400-$600.
Final Advice
Let me remind you that prostitution is illegal in Clark County. To find it legally, you would have to drive about 90 miles to the two legal brothels in Pahrump, which are expensive. The City of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Police Department seem to mostly turn a blind eye to prostitution as long as it isn't too blatant. However, they keep the girls on their toes by doing random stings out of hotel rooms or as massage parlor patrons. Any smart or experienced prostitute would rightly suspect you might be an undercover cop. Thus, the frequent guessing games. Many prefer the man to make the first move so she could have an entrapment defense if he was indeed a cop. However, in any business, the one to throw out the first number usually loses the negotiations, so try to get her to go first. It can be frustrating if you have two stubborn parties who don't wanting to throw out the first number -- in any transaction.
100% of Las Vegas prostitutes are doing so illegally as well as their customers. While many of them operate fairly, either out of karma or attracting repeat customers, many others do not. Story after story could be told of prostitutes stealing from their clients or worse. When engaging in any illegal transaction, I would be very careful. For one thing, don't have with you more money that you might spend or any expensive jewelry. This suspicion cuts both ways, as the women should rightly be worried you are a cop, will stiff them, or worse. The mutual mistrust can often put a damper on things and make doing business unromantic. For that reason, if you find someone you like, and you visit Vegas often, I would ask for her contact information and make yourself a repeat customer.
I would also recommend against asking cab drivers for advice. They will probably have plenty of it. However, they will steer you to whoever gives them the biggest kickback. This will usually be a clip joint that will tease the patron with pretty girls making vague offers. What often happens in the end is the patron pays a lot of money for a tease and leaves very frustrated and dissatisfied. Again, I hate to stereotype, but Vegas cab drivers are in general a dishonest group of people. If you use one to go to any kind of adult establishment absolutely insist to go where you want to go and don't accept his suggestions for a better place.
When given a choice of women, which usually you aren't, don't put too big of an emphasis on beauty. The younger and more attractive prostitutes will exploit their marketability as much as possible with much higher prices and watching their cell phone and the clock. While looks certainly count, I would put more of an emphasis on friendliness. That will go a long way towards a more enjoyable experience and you'll be much more likely to strike a fair deal.
Finally, be a gentleman. That means be clean, respectful, and honor your end of the deal. Do not be drunk, profane, or insulting. Not only will it likely lead to a better experience, but it is the right way to treat a fellow human being.
Terminology
- Escort: This is somebody who will spend time with a client, for example gambling or dining, followed by sex. Escorts are generally more attractive, professional, and expensive than prostitutes.
- Full service — Vaginal intercourse -- and nothing more.
- Half and half — Some oral sex to warm up followed by vaginal intercourse.
- Hand job — Massage of the penis.
- Happy ending — Same as a hand job.
- Prostitute — Someone who sells sex for money.
- Working girl — Same as a prostitute.
Comments
Hey-O!!! Best mission article yet, giggity giggity. Lol
You forgot to mention wearing protection. I've heard if a woman is doing the work for drugs, they're more likely to be carrying disease, more easily gained from drug use than sexual activity, and infecting the johns. I wouldn't be comfortable unless at a legal brothel where the women are trained and tested weekly.
The main point is that Las Vegas is not really a place to find a "Dedicated Woman". That is, a prostitute who rents her body and does not rob or steal or take money and run or take a man's pants with her. Most hookers want money and are not above grabbing wallets and running. ALL cab drivers know what its like to have a hooker jump into their cab and say two hundred dollars to get me out of here as some man is chasing them down the street.
It used to be that pimps were unneeded, but now an independent woman will be accosted by other hookers and told "you now work for XXX or you get a face that will insure you never work again".
Strawberries are girls who take drugs instead of cash and are usually at the bottom of the heep in health and attractiveness.
Pimps often own large mansions to house their stable in one place.
Note: Ain't no escort in town that does not have a straight edge razor if she works for an agency. If you are at an upscale hotel will nocturnal guests must be screened before entering the elevator and you make a phone call be sure to meet in the lobby and NOT shake hands, she will convert any handshake to a hug. You can't fool security by shaking hands in the lobby and then telling the elevator screener she is a friend.
At four pm if you are approached in a casino, its probably an undercover Metro Vice Cop, at four in the morning, its probably not.
Its a sad situation and if you are drunk and rich, you may find yourself getting a Mickey Finn and having your room slowly searched as you doze off helplessly. In some hotel bars, the Mickey Finn will come from a man working in concert with a hooker.
If a woman approaches you, chances are she's a prostitute.
Your article didn't mention two other possibilities:
She might be a cop.
She might be a dude.
Lest anyone think ill of me, my comments are derived mainly from a blog by a former LV cab driver and a blog by a former LV escort.
Mcallister3200,
Just for the record, and while this article is very well-written and informative, I did not write it nor would I know anything at all about the subject matter.
For anyone interested in doing this my recommendation is to visit the public library, find a book on STDs, put your dick in the book and slam it shut! That should get your mind off of this pretty quickly.
Mission.
My bad. I see now that you did not write the article. I assumed without looking at first. Maybe Simon's alternate name is Mission147?
Slam a book? No, just go to Ziggy's and people watch. I think they even have a sign 'heterosexuals allowed'.
Can you imagine an article on Sex in Vegas and no one mentioned The Green Door.
Thank you for all the comments. Let me address some of the points:
Safe Sex: We've all heard that lecture 100 times. We like to think we have an intelligent readership here that already would know to practice safe sex with a prostitute.
Might be a cop/dude: This is getting out of my area but I think police stings going after men is pretty rare in Vegas. The prostitutes here complain about that unfairness. About it being a dude -- I've heard stories of that, especially in Thailand. Maybe this could be a topic for a future Simon article. I'll bring it up to him.
FleaStiff: I'd be interested in that blog. Can you give me a link? I think Vegas runs the gamut from $4,000/day escorts, like Eliot Spitzer hired, to drugged-out hustlers working out of cheap motels around the Stratosphere. As with many professions, it is hard to generalize all Vegas prostitutes. The only thing they all have in common is that they all love money.
Having seen some documentaries about pimps and human trafficking, I think people should only do business with legal avenues for prostitution. Escorts, Craigslist, Backpage, out. It's disgusting to even think supporting these women forced into sex work, not even able to keep their proceeds, not to even mention minors forced into this.
I fully support prostitution for those who seek it, and for those providing the services, if it is a willing service and they retain the majority of their income for themselves. There is no way to even know the difference unfortunately, because the providers will not be forthcoming because their pimps need to get their money.
