The $20 Trick in Vegas: Does It Still Work in 2026? (My Real Results)
7 min read
The $20 trick is Vegas legend: slip a twenty under your ID at check-in and ask for an upgrade. Everyone wants to know if it still works in 2026.
Short answer: sometimes. I tested it across my 21-hotel run and got mixed results. Here is the honest breakdown of how it works and what your real odds are.
1. How the sandwich trick actually works.
You fold a $20 (sometimes more) and slide it between your ID and credit card when you hand them over at check-in. As you do, you ask: "Any complimentary upgrades available?"
The cash is a quiet tip to the front desk agent to either upgrade you for free or apply a discount. The agent either pockets it and helps you, or hands it back if nothing is available. It is low risk because worst case you get your twenty back.
2. My real results: it is genuinely hit or miss.
It worked for me at Mandalay Bay and at Fontainebleau. Both times I got bumped to a better room, a higher floor and a real view, for the cost of a twenty.
It did nothing at Aria and at the STRAT. At Aria the agent politely handed the cash back and said they were sold out of upgrades. At the STRAT, same story. So that is two for four, which matches what I expected going in.
3. Realistic odds in 2026.
Be honest with yourself: this is closer to a coin flip than a guarantee. On a sold-out weekend your odds are low because there is simply nothing to upgrade you into.
On a slower midweek night with empty premium rooms, your odds jump. The trick does not create availability, it just nudges the agent to give you what is already sitting empty.
4. Which hotels are worth trying.
It works best at properties with lots of room tiers and a real chance of empty premium rooms. Mandalay Bay, Fontainebleau, the Cosmopolitan, and the Venetian-style suite hotels are decent bets.
It tends to flop at places that are either always full or have rigid systems, and on peak weekends anywhere. The fancier and more corporate the check-in, the lower your odds.
5. Exactly what to say and do.
Be casual and friendly. Hand over your cards with the folded bill between them and say, "I know it's a long shot, but are there any complimentary upgrades available tonight?"
Do not announce the money or make it awkward. If they say no, smile, take your twenty back, and move on. Never act entitled. The whole thing works on being polite, not pushy.
6. Time it for the best shot.
Check in midweek and later in the evening if you can. By night the front desk knows which premium rooms are going to sit empty, which makes them more willing to give one away.
Avoid Friday and Saturday and event weekends. That is when the trick almost always fails, because the good rooms are already sold.
7. Better alternatives that work more reliably.
Loyalty status beats the twenty most of the time. MGM Rewards and Caesars Rewards members get upgrade priority for free, and status earns it consistently.
Booking direct, mentioning you are celebrating something, and simply asking nicely about upgrades with no cash at all all work too. The $20 is a fun bonus play, not your main strategy.
Frequently asked
Does the $20 trick still work in Las Vegas in 2026?
Sometimes. In my own 21-hotel test it worked at Mandalay Bay and Fontainebleau and failed at Aria and the STRAT. It is closer to a coin flip, and your odds are best midweek when premium rooms are sitting empty.
How much money should I use for the upgrade trick?
Twenty dollars is the classic amount and works for a basic bump. For a bigger property or a real suite, some people slip $40 or $50. If the answer is no, you get the cash back, so there is little downside.
What do I say when I do the $20 trick?
Hand over your ID and card with the bill folded between them and ask casually, "Are there any complimentary upgrades available tonight?" Keep it friendly and low key, and accept a no gracefully.
