Getting ignored by waitresses at the slots? Here's a tip!

If you've ever sat around at the slots for 30 minutes or an hour just to see the waitresses pass you by and liquor up the table players every 2-3 minutes, don't go to the slot manager and complain, don't harass a waitress that is serving a section other than yours, and instead go to one of the bars inside the casinos, sit down, put a few dollars in a machine, play your deuces or jacks for a few hands, order a drink from the bartender, thank them, tip them, and then go happily back to the game of your choice on the floor. Just make sure you ask the bartender if the drinks are comped at the bar while playing. To date, all that I have sat at (save one at the Wynn) have comped their drinks at the bar. It's MUCH easier than complaining and bothering people that have nothing to do with your absent cocktail waitress.

I agree you get quick service at the bar. However, a downside is that the pay tables at the bars are usually lousy. I've noticed, not surprisingly, that cocktail service gets better as the denominations of the area goes up. If you comfortable with $1 video poker, consider playing just one hand on a $1 50-play or 100-play game in the high limit room, if they have one.

If cocktail service is slow, once you get your first drink, if you tip well (like $5), your odds of the service improving should go up significantly.

I actually found that a lot of the bars have quarter machines as well as dollar denominations. I do agree with your assessment of quicker return service after a larger tip, but when I played machines frequently, I noticed the hard part was just getting the first drink - there were times where I would not see a waitress in my section at any point during my entire session. These days I spend more times at pai gow poker and bj though, so I get asked if I want a drink more frequently then I could possibly consume. Still, if I plan on doing some vp, I always start off at a bar, poor pay table or not, and play a few hands. Last few times I made a 4 of a kind on my first few hands at pick em poker :)