Anyone seeking a fun day at a gaming hotel close to New York City or Boston can take advantage of discount buses for as little as $1 each way (typically $10 to $35, depending on the day of the month, the day of the week and time of day) plus a 50 cents booking charge.

New Jersey Transit, as well as the MVP buses (operated as “Goto Bus” on the Internet), Megabus and Greyhound Lucky Streak have service to big Atlantic City hotels as well as the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. and Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn.

Potentially the cheapest fare is on Megabus, which operates buses to Atlantic City under the Academy name from midtown Manhattan. That’s because Megabus promises it is giving away 100,000 free tickets for travel between Jan 6 and March 20, 2010 anywhere on its routes. The promo code to use when making a reservation online or on the phone is “GETAWAY.” There is the standard 50-cent charge for the reservation.