Vegas is two casino areas - Fremont and the Strip. Fremont is walking-friendly and has cheap food and much better odds. The Strip has high-class everything, and is a place where you are going to pay through the nose for the highbrow experience.
I prefer Fremont's bargains to the Strip's highbrow style, and I felt safer walking around Fremont. Plus, all the casinos are older and established, so you're not paying extra for building expenses. Check out the local Fremont Street book to find a coupon, which you can redeem for a coupon book to save quite a bit more money!