If you're looking for something that's a little more affordable than the mega casinos and you don't mind being 10 minutes away from the Strip, the Cannery Hotel and Casino is a good choice.
The Cannery is located just off the I-15 near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Nellis Air Force Base. If I were going to spend much time at either location, I would certainly stay at Cannery.
We stayed at Cannery on the same trip that we stayed at Mandalay Bay. I have to admit that I really did enjoy the intimate atmosphere at Cannery compared to the size of Mandalay Bay that can be overwhelming at times.
I also enjoyed playing at the tables at Cannery because of they have better odds and lower table minimums. They had several poker tables on the casino floor, but I didn't get a chance to play poker because we only stayed at Cannery for one day.
I have one minor complaint about Cannery. They didn't have poolside music or cocktail service. At the very least, they should consider having one of their cocktail servers from the casino stop by the pool at the top of each hour or install a walk-up window at the pool area where guests can serve themselves without the need to go into the casino.
On the plus side, Cannery has a large courtyard next to the pool that's perfect for special events such as car shows, boxing, concerts, etc.