# Las Vegas smell **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 14, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170 "2010-10-14T20:00:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/1 "2010-10-14T20:00:30Z")
Inspired by [this thread on subway smells](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=581760). I’ve been to Vegas several times, and each time I notice that there’s a distinctive smell inside all of the casinos and even at the airport. It’s not really a bad smell; the closest thing I can compare it to is popcorn. Or maybe a bit like pot, except not as strong. What is making that smell? Is there some kind of air freshener or carpet cleaner everybody in Vegas uses? And is it just me, and nobody else picks up on an odor? ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/2 "2010-10-14T20:14:17Z")
Could be smoke-related. When I come back from Las Vegas, even from a half-day business meeting, every stitch of clothing I wear and/or bring with me has to be cleaned. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/3 "2010-10-14T20:14:26Z")
Vegas definitely has a smell. What it is? Couldn’t tell you. But you’re not alone. It might be the smell of HOPE :). ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/4 "2010-10-14T20:16:17Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Vegas definitely has a smell. What it is? Couldn’t tell you. But you’re not alone. It might be the smell of HOPE :). Ah, no wonder it’s not that familiar. 😃 I’m pretty sure it isn’t smoke. Glad to know I’m not the only one. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/5 "2010-10-14T20:48:17Z")
I was there last weekend and noticed the same thing. To me, it smelled like a sewer, or gas. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/6 "2010-10-14T20:50:12Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Vegas definitely has a smell. What it is? Couldn’t tell you. But you’re not alone. It might be the smell of HOPE :). More like desperation… ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/7 "2010-10-14T22:38:48Z")
Probably all buying their cleaning supplies from the same mob-controlled company. Since they can’t really own the casinos themselves anymore. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/8 "2010-10-14T22:45:19Z")
I think it’s all the carpet, everything is carpeted in Vegas. I can’t really understand the reasoning except it does make for a little more comfortable feel. With the amount of drinks that are sloshed around they must clean the carpets constantly. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/9 "2010-10-15T15:26:09Z")
If it’s in Vegas, I would assume that the casinos spent millions of dollars researching the exact smell that they could release onto the gaming floors that would relax their patrons enough for them to let their guard down and wallets open. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/10 "2010-10-15T17:18:10Z")
The smell I smelled wasn’t inside, and it was a nasty smell. I wanted to get out of the area right away. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/11 "2010-10-15T17:19:50Z")
Yeah, there’s some sort of sewer problem down on the strip not infrequently, which is what you smelled I’d imagine. As for the insides of casinos - I don’t even know. My sense of smell for subtle stuff must suck, because other people tell me it drives them nuts but I can’t smell anything usually. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/12 "2010-10-15T17:34:01Z")
The inside of the casinos definitely do have a smell. It smells like a cleaning product that they just use in bulk but I’m sure there’s much more to it than that. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/13 "2010-10-16T04:54:52Z")
I wonder about the carpet theory. I bet (hope) they’re cleaning sections throughout the day and night. Every day and night. So maybe it is a constant carpet-cleaning-detergent-drying smell. ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/14 "2010-10-16T10:51:26Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > If it’s in Vegas, I would assume that the casinos spent millions of dollars researching the exact smell that they could release onto the gaming floors that would relax their patrons enough for them to let their guard down and wallets open. Bingo! ---
**Author:** ![Snake\_Plissken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@Snake\_Plissken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snake_Plissken)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/15 "2010-10-16T12:55:16Z")
I guess I didnt notice any particular smell in the casinos when I was there in late September. I went downtown on a Saturday night and once out of the car, noticed it smelled gawdawful. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/16 "2010-10-16T13:19:14Z")
Different casinos use different stuff to cover up the scent of smoke, BO, puke, and fear. Being a frequent Vegas visitor, I notice that the most overwhelming stuff is in the Venetian. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Corleone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@Michael\_Corleone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Corleone)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/17 "2010-10-18T06:57:00Z")
Planet Hollywood smells really nice in the lobby! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/18 "2010-10-18T07:10:30Z")
Several casinos have, over the years, had the practice of releasing extra oxygen into the ventilation system late at nights, to make people feel a bit more alert and ready to keep gambling a bit longer. But oxygen does not have a smell. ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/19 "2010-10-18T07:15:25Z")
To me it smells like a cross between one of the car scent cards and cigarette smoke. And it’s strongest to me at the Venetian too! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170/20 "2010-10-18T09:49:51Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > If it’s in Vegas, I would assume that the casinos spent millions of dollars researching the exact smell that they could release onto the gaming floors that would relax their patrons enough for them to let their guard down and wallets open. Casinos smell like teenaged snatch? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/las-vegas-smell/557170.md?page=2)