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FEATURES
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 | Hot Bets
Tips from our SportsBook expert
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 | A Velvet-Rope Guide to Sin City
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• DON'T show up past 10. It may sound lame, but popular clubs often shut down the guest lists at 11, and the lines can get ridiculous.
• DON'T get hammered until you're inside the club; drunk people just look like potential lawsuits to club owners, and they'll deny you entry if you appear tipsy.
• DON'T forget this easy trick: Stay in the same hotel where the club is! Your room key often gets you a line pass.
• DON'T lie about being on a guest list or knowing the owner; bouncers can contact owners or promoters on their headsets within seconds.
• DON'T ever threaten or argue with bouncers; you'll only feed their already towering egos, and you still won't get in the club.
• DON'T wear jerseys, flip-flops, cutoffs or baseball caps, even at the friendlier clubs. Dress codes are on the rise in Vegas.
• DON'T even wear white shoes, just to be safe; if bouncers mistake them for sneakers, they may accuse you of being underdressed and send you home.
• DON'T dance on tables. Unless you're at Light--it's encouraged at that freewheelin' Bellagio hang.
• DON'T Don't ever forget that clubs are about having fun. If bouncers or owners give you attitude, cool it!
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 Light.
"If anyone who is anyone is in town, they're at Light," Goldman says. This ultra-busy venue at the Bellagio packs the pretty ones in, mostly on Saturday nights (it's only open Thursday through Sunday). Unlike Ghost Bar, this is where the celebs end up until the wee hours--and unlike the mammoth dance party that is Rain, it's more intimate, replete with plush pillows, cozy seating and rich jewel tones.
Hard to get into? Don't be ridiculous. Not only do you need to be on the guest list, but there is a whole line of people who are on the list-it's worse than most places in L.A. (The Bellagio's Website is gentle about it: "Reservations suggested.") The best strategy is to slip through the cracks before the dinner hour.
But beware the dress policy. Like a little bit of Mussolini's Italy right on the Strip. "They're very, very strict on their dress policy," Goldman says. "Mark Wahlberg didn't get in once because he was wearing tennis shoes. It doesn't matter who you are: No tennis shoes. If you wear any kind of shoes like that, the guy at the door will be like, 'It's not going to happen. Go home, Okay?'"
 Rumjungle.
This top draw at Mandalay Bay is a sort of consolation prize for people who can't get into Rain. And a recent Number 1 rating on Zagat's nightlife survey isn't going to help your chances at dealing with the long lines, which, insiders say, can materialize almost any night of the week. (Mandalay Bay spokesman Gordon Absher's tip on getting in the door: "Your room key gets you a line pass.")
Once inside, you're bound to love the faux-abalone-topped bar, water wall and gigantic selection of rums from around the world. Not to mention a "fire pit" menu that charges about $38 for pretty much unlimited eating--nine courses of charred things, to be exact. Not to mention 150 kinds of rum.
Visitors--and that includes the likes of Christina Aguilera, Helen Hunt, Jamie Foxx and Charles Barkley--have raved about the acrobats that swing overhead, go-go girls, bongo players and other crazy set pieces. Dinner patrons fare better than people who come later just to dance; the lines can get very long as this place.
 House of Blues Mandalay Bay.
Yes, this is part of the corporate behemoth that stretches from Los Angeles to New Orleans. So how could it possibly maintain its cool? Don't ask us; ask the huge rap and R&B stars who frequent the place on Sunday nights. Called "Juice" night, these dance parties attract the likes of Erykah Badu, Lil Jon and the EastSide Boys and Coolio.
Unlike some rival clubs, there's no dress code at the HOB, but on Sunday nights, it's
"No jerseys, no baseball caps"--quite a sacrifice for hip-hopsters worth their street cred. Here's the trade-off: the exclusive Foundation Room. (Oddly named, given that it's on top of Mandalay Bay.) Like its equally snooty L.A. counterpart, the Vegas room limits access to members and VIPs and looks more like a London social soiree, with fireplaces and couches.
Weekends, in general, get pretty packed at the HOB, but here's one morsel of encouragement: a spokesperson swears the club "has no velvet rope."
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