Archived Poll Results

View QoD Archives

Apr 9, 2008 - Apr 17, 2008 :: with 528 total votes
Who do you think will win the 2008 Toyota Pro/Celeb Grand Prix? Check out our coverage in 'Spotlight' and help A.C. make his picks...
(211) Mike Skinner (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champ)	(40%)
(42) Drew Lachey ('Dancing with the Stars')	(8%)
(34) Sarena Traver (Grand-Am race car driver/jewelry designer)	(6%)
(33) Tony Pedregon (NHRA Funny Car Champ)	(6%)
(27) Wilmer Valderrama ('That '70s Show')	(5%)
(23) William Fichtner ('Prison Break')	(4%)
(21) John Salley (NBA)	(4%)
(20) Eric Dickerson (Pro Football Hall of Fame)	(4%)
(18) Whit Bazemore (two-time NHRA U.S. Nationals Funny Car winner)	(3%)
(16) Nancy Lieberman (Basketball Hall of Fame)	(3%)
(15) Beccy Gordon (NASCAR spokesmodel/ESPN pit reporter)	(3%)
(14) Bud Gordon (CEO & President Gordon Automotive Group)	(3%)
(13) Jamie Little (ESPN/ABC pit reporter)	(2%)
(9) Daniel Goddard ('The Young & the Restless;)	(2%)
(9) Email us why you picked who you did!	(2%)
(7) Marty Nothstein (Olympic Gold cyclist)	(1%)
(6) Brad Lewis (Antz/Ratatouille producer/director)	(1%)
(5) Raymond Cruz ('The Closer'/'Breaking Bad')	(1%)
(5) Craig Barto (Boys & Girls Club charity auction high-bid prize winner)	(1%)

Mar 26, 2008 - Apr 8, 2008 :: with 1561 total votes
Which is your favorite live-music lounge in Las Vegas?
(232) Piano Bar (Harrah’s)	(15%)
(205) Bill’s Lounge (Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon)	(13%)
(203) Gold Coast Lounge (Gold Coast)	(13%)
(138) Fontana Lounge (Bellagio)	(9%)
(83) Indigo (Bally’s)	(5%)
(82) Casbar Theater Lounge (Sahara)	(5%)
(65) Bourbon Street Cabaret (Orleans)	(4%)
(44) Le Cabaret (Paris)	(3%)
(44) Rocks Lounge (Red Rock)	(3%)
(43) La Scena (Venetian)	(3%)
(42) Rush (Golden Nugget)	(3%)
(36) Napoleon’s (Paris)	(2%)
(34) Other -- email us!	(2%)
(32) Galleria Bar (Caesars)	(2%)
(28) Brass Lounge (Fremont Street)	(2%)
(23) Dublin Up (O’Shea’s)	(1%)
(22) The Lounge (Palms)	(1%)
(22) Petrossian Bar (Bellagio)	(1%)
(21) EXTRA (Planet Hollywood)	(1%)
(20) Houdini’s (Monte Carlo)	(1%)
(19) The Lounge (Excalibur)	(1%)
(19) Images (Stratosphere)	(1%)
(16) Del Mar (South Point)	(1%)
(13) Hank’s Martini Lounge (Green Valley Ranch)	(1%)
(12) Addison’s (Rampart)	(1%)
(12) Naughty Ladies Saloon (Arizona Charlie’s Decatur)	(1%)
(10) Celebrations (Tropicana)	(1%)
(9) J-Pop (Mandalay Bay)	(1%)
(7) Palace Grand Lounge (Arizona Charli	(0%)
(6) Salute (Palazzo)	(0%)
(6) Pinups (Cannery)	(0%)
(4) Nomiya (Imperial Palace)	(0%)
(4) Artisan Hotel (W. Sahara at I-15)	(0%)
(3) Il Caverna (Casino MonteLago)	(0%)
(2) Cabo Lounge (Fiesta Rancho)	(0%)
Since we started Question of the Day back in 2005, we must have received close to 100 queries on the subject of Las Vegas lounges and who has the best one. Although the days when lounges offered opportunities to see big-name artists for free are long gone, there are still a lot of casino (and some non-casino) properties that offer a comfortable lounge with bar and/or cocktail service, often featuring live music and sometimes dancing. Of the options offered, the most popular choice was the Piano Bar at Harrah’s, with the dueling-piano twins, followed not too far behind by Bill’s Lounge, home of Big Elvis. The Gold Coast Lounge was another popular choice, with the newly-reopened Fontana Lounge at Bellagio, with its great views of the fountain show, coming in 4th place. As far as your "other" picks are concerned, some of which were not strictly lounges but are being included nonetheless, these included Roxy’s Lounge at Sam’s Town (duh! How did we miss that one off the list? Good call!), Sand Dollar Blues Lounge (just behind the Rio -- yup, we like this place too, although it's kinda divey to qualify as a "lounge"), Bootlegger Bistro, New York-New York’s Bar at Times Square (really more of a pub than a lounge, but the dueling pianos are fun), the piano bar/deli at the Golden Gate ("ok, so it isn’t a real lounge, but it’s my favorite place to hang after a fun evening in Las Vegas"), Carnaval Court at Harrah’s (definitely not a lounge, but great flair bartenders and regular live music), Beauty Bar ("I don’t know if that’s considered a lounge" [Ed: Not really], "but the live music that’s been happening there has been consistently good to excellent"), the lounge at the Range Steakhouse at Harrah’s, the Tequila Bar at Bally’s ("every night, except Wednesday, from 4-7 p.m. Rick Chavez plays songs for every taste. This is also Happy Hour -- free chips & salsa! And a shot and a beer for $4.50!"), the Palms lounge ("simply because of the Monday night shows put on by Santa Fe & the Fat City Horns. They are fantastic!"), the dueling pianos at South Point, and the Plaza’s Aqua Lounge ("a nice hidden gem. They recently renovated and the venue has a great sound system and the house band rocks, plus the drinks are pretty cheap and you can play 3:2 blackjack for $5 while watching the band"). We have bad news for some of you, whose picks are now defunct. RIP the Big Apple Bar at NY-NY (closed for remodeling), the Island Lounge at MBay (now eyecandy), and the Lounge at the Riviera ("used to be my favorite, but now they’ve blocked it off and you have to pay to listen to any of the music"). We hope this gives all you lounge lizards some good ideas. Listings for all the lounges can be found in the... "Lounge" section in Nightlife, while the other venues are also to be found in the umbrella Entertainment & Nightlife section, listed either under Bars (in the Nightlife subsection) or Live-Music Venues (which is where the larger music venues, like The Railhead at Boulder Station and the House of Blues, which some people picked, are housed.)

Mar 12, 2008 - Mar 25, 2008 :: with 1986 total votes
Have you ever searched for rates and/or booked a hotel through Travelaxe? If so, what did you or didn't you like about it? [Note: You may check more than one box.]
(735) I’ve never heard of Travelaxe. What is it?	(37%)
(370) I think I’ll get a better rate booking direct on the hotel’s own Web site, so I always do that.	(19%)
(288) Travelaxe is OK. Sometimes I’ve found cheaper hotel rates on there but it’s not consistently the cheapest, so I don’t always use it.	(15%)
(241) I don’t trust third party booking agents. I’m sure they must be getting a commission at my expense, or else I’ll show up at the hotel to find they’ve never heard of me! Plus, I worry about getting refunds if something goes wrong.	(12%)
(121) I’ve found cheap rates on Travelaxe but when I’ve come to actually book the room, the rate has changed and was more expensive. That’s really annoying.	(6%)
(115) Travelaxe is great -- I’ve consistently found cheaper hotel rates on there than other booking Web sites. It’s my favorite hotel search.	(6%)
(72) Other: Please email us your comments and experiences.	(4%)
(24) I don’t know if Travelaxe is good or not. I don’t use it because I find the interface confusing. (If so, please email us why.)	(1%)
(20) I like the convenience of being able to book everything in one place (room, shows, rental car etc.), so I prefer to use sites like Vegas.com, even if they might be more expensive.	(1%)
Interesting results to this latest poll. A good reason many of the respondents have never heard of Travelaxe is because we’ve tempered our promotion of it over the past year. In a nutshell, Travelaxe is an online room-rate search engine (not just for Vegas or the U.S., but worldwide) that compares the offers of multiple travel Web sites and identifies the lowest rate—something akin to Kayak or Sidestep, but not quite. When we first came across it in 2002, we thought it was the best thing since steamed broccoli and we made it available for our customers on the Web in a download version, but it didn’t really catch on. Over the years we’ve heard lots of good and bad about it, and have come to better understand its flaws. But overall, we’re still high on the service’s potential, especially now that it's available in a more user-friendly Web version, and we’re trying to determine the best way to incorporate it into our travel offerings. Hence, this poll. Truth is, we wanted to get input straight from you, and with over 70 submitted email comments in addition to the straight votes, we got a lot of it. For example: "I have used it as a reference point for price comparisons, but have found that if and when there's a problem at the hotel with the room etc. on an Internet booking, they are less than accommodating. More than once I've been told at the front desk (at a hotel on the Strip) that essentially I got what I deserved and with a low-cost Web booking, can only expect a less desirable room that's ineligible for any upgrade." "I usually stay in comped rooms, but on several occasions I've used Travelaxe to find and book a room at a good rate. For example, last summer we stayed at Main Street Station for several comped nights, but I used Travelaxe to book one night at the Golden Nugget, so we could experience the new pool area. We had a great time and it didn't cost much at all -- less than booking through the Golden Nugget's Web site!" "The biggest problem is that you have to pay for your entire trip when you book it [with Travelaxe]. Also, your money is non-refundable. When you book directly with a hotel, you need only put down one night's deposit and your money is refundable." "I tried Travelaxe several times. It was too difficult -- crashed a lot and was really slow. I always find better rates by booking on the hotel's Web site and get treated much better when I arrive." "Not only is Travelaxe the best hotel booking site, but it includes all the taxes and fees up front ... We've never had a problem with checking in, though we were once sent to another hotel because they were overbooked. We were given a better room at the other hotel. If you have dial-up, Travelaxe is really slow, however." "I took a break from Las Vegas last May and went to New Orleans. I wanted to stay at a small boutique hotel near Harrah's, but its Web site stated that no rooms were available. I searched on Travelaxe and got a room at that same hotel and with a very good rate." "I like the display of hotels and prices that Travelaxe uses." "I have used Travelaxe a couple of times for actual reservations and several times for just checking rates. The problem with using the 'axe for reservations is that the type of rooms reserved are always the worst rooms in the hotel and apparently, there's nothing that can be done about that ... If there was a way to indicate room preference, it would be more valuable." "We never actually booked through it ... as I usually have a mail comp lying around for Las Vegas, Tunica, and Biloxi. But it would probably be good if I were traveling elsewhere." "I used Travelaxe last summer. I wound up booking the rooms through the hotels' reservations themselves, but I got the best rate listed on Travelaxe without paying the fees. I called the reservations departments of Harrah's (where I stayed three nights and thought it was terrible) and Orleans (I switched for the Friday and Saturday nights and loved it) and told them I could get a better rate through whomever had the lowest rate on Travelaxe. They both agreed to match it and I didn't have to pay any fees. If they hadn't matched it, I would have booked through Travelaxe -- I thought it was a great tool." As you can see from that taster, some varied and valid responses. We’re going to go over all the results (and suggestions) and formulate a bigger report on Travelaxe that we’ll post in a future report or QoD. In the meantime, the results themselves should suggest that this can be a good search tool even if you don't book with it (and there are no hidden fees, by the way; it’s free to search and book). You can give Travelaxe a look by clicking here.

Feb 27, 2008 - Mar 11, 2008 :: with 2979 total votes
Following January's bit-of-a-downer poll about the worst trends in the new Vegas, we'd like to hear about what you most like -- and love -- about LV.
(1011) I just like that Las Vegas never stands still and keeps reinventing itself -- always something new to do/see.	(34%)
(716) I like that Vegas has returned to being an adult playground, with sexier shows & nightlife and much less emphasis on the "family destination" of old.	(24%)
(384) I’m glad to see the regeneration of downtown – there’s getting to be a cool scene down there with the Arts District, Fremont East, and all the funky new bars.	(13%)
(331) It’s had a bad press, but I really like the Monorail!	(11%)
(148) I’m most happy to see the resurgence of poker, with civilized non-smoking rooms and good games/tournaments.	(5%)
(78) I’m most excited by the spectacular growth of Las Vegas – City Center looks to be awesome!	(3%)
(71) I love fine dining and most welcome the proliferation of great restaurants.	(2%)
(65) I’m happy to see more and more interesting late-night eating options, not just limited to the coffee shops and graveyard specials of old.	(2%)
(57) I think the cheesy theming has had its day and I’m glad to see more elegant world-class hotels.	(2%)
(47) Other -- email us!	(2%)
(41) The Las Vegas live music scene is getting better and better, from the arena headliners to the local venues for up-and-coming bands. That rocks!	(1%)
(30) I’m happy to see Vegas offer more specifically to female visitors who don’t necessarily want to gamble – better shopping, great spas, galleries etc.	(1%)
Another great response, with Las Vegas' ability to keep reinventing itself and offering something new clearly emerging as the winner. We can't think of another city that comes close -- it's a full-time job keeping our Web site up-to-date with all the new bars, clubs, restaurants, shows, and stores that seem to open on a weekly basis. While some people wrote in bemoaning the increasing "flesh-factor" and what they see as a shift towards a sleazier Sin City, a lot of people are evidently happy to see Vegas return to being primarily an adult destination. (We'll never forget a quote we read from a former Las Vegas Hilton executive who commented, at the height of the "family-destination" experimental period, that every time he saw a child here, they were crying.) We wholeheartedly agree with the thumbs-up for Fremont East and the Arts District and hope those initiatives continue to thrive. Hopefully, downtown has finally found its new niche and it's great being able to bar-crawl on foot from one cool joint to another. And a surprising fourth place for the Monorail. Who knows what lies in its future, but evidently a lot of people are hoping it has one. Among the plentiful emails we received with your "other" likes were the following: "I love that you can still have the option to smoke while drinking and gambling. "The thing I like about Vegas the most is that it caters to all budgets and, whether you spend $5,000 a day or just $100, you can still have a great time." "We love a lot of things about Las Vegas. The glitter, the glitz, people-watching on the Strip, but especially how friendly everyone is. It's a place for us to come unwind, sleep when we want, eat when we want, be totally selfish to ourselves." "I love the weather from October to April. I love our city skyline on a clear day and the lights at night ... I love the buffets when guests come to visit. I love our mountains, especially sunrise. I love our sunsets." "I love that properties are getting more aggressive in marketing to low rollers like myself and I am able to get great hotel rates to stay in Vegas. The offers I'm getting are from Boyd, Palace Station, Orleans, Circus Circus, and yes, even some from the Strip -- Excalibur, Luxor, Hooters. And you can still go on a coupon run and win moneny. Heck, that in itself is something to love." "What we like best? The buffets. While they're no longer the world's greatest bargains, they are still sumptuous and scrumptious." "I love downtown. It's like a big party all the time and you still feel safe. I like the Strip but I love downtown." "Every time I visit, it just knocks me out that visitors are willing to be so genuiniely helpful to other tourists." "I like the feeling of being a kid in a candy store and not knowing what to do next." "I'm probably one of the few Vegas visitors who does not come for the shows, entertainment, or the high-end dining. I come to satisfy my inner gambler, who gets little attention much of the year ... So, I guess what I like about Vegas is the wide choice of casinos and especially what your POV booklet offers me. Keep it up!" "I love everything! The "cheesy" part, upscale restaurants, down & dirty bars, the shopping, the variety of gambling, getting away from kids, themes, watching thousands being blown or made at the tables, live bands - the music is sensational. Of course, people-watching. And so much more!" "I like that there is an interest in keeping and restoring 'old Las Vegas,' instead of just continuing to do 'out with the old - in with the new.' Granted, the latter is still the case with hotels; I'm talking about other places - historic homes, schools, etc. There are a lot of old-timers (and new-comers) who appreciate what's good and remarkable about historic Las Vegas." "I love the grandiose quality of the newer megaresorts." "Love Vegas because you can't be bored. If you are, it's time to throw dirt on you. Love Vegas because we can see different, top-name entertainment every trip. Love Vegas because the surrounding area is awesome and offers a respite from gambling."

Feb 13, 2008 - Feb 26, 2008 :: with 698 total votes
What's your favorite LVA Locals Corner?
(100) Luv It Frozen Custard	(14%)
(66) Hash House A Go Go	(9%)
(63) Freakin’ Frog	(9%)
(50) Ruth’s Chris (West)	(7%)
(37) Crown & Anchor	(5%)
(35) Golden Steer	(5%)
(32) 4 Kegs (Stromboli pizza)	(5%)
(31) Motor City Coney Island (hot dogs)	(4%)
(30) The Tillerman	(4%)
(29) Barbeque Masters	(4%)
(26) Nora’s Cuisine	(4%)
(24) Firefly	(3%)
(20) Hash House	(3%)
(20) Chang’s Hong Kong Cuisine (dim sum)	(3%)
(16) Santora’s (wings/pizza)	(2%)
(15) Sammy’s Dog House	(2%)
(13) Hot ’n’ Juicy Crawfish	(2%)
(12) Pho Vietnam/Capital Seafood	(2%)
(12) Casa di Amore	(2%)
(10) Bagelmania	(1%)
(9) Roma Deli	(1%)
(8) Dragonfly	(1%)
(8) Coachman’s Inn	(1%)
(7) Diamond China	(1%)
(6) Paradise Grill (Peruvian/ceviche)	(1%)
(5) Josette’s Bistro	(1%)
(5) El Taco Fresco	(1%)
(4) Sushi Fever	(1%)
(3) Origin India	(0%)
(2) Panevino	(0%)
For those of you who don’t know, "Local Corner" has been a monthly fixture in the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter since June, 2002. We figured that like us, a lot of people like to explore outside of their hotel when they travel, especially when you’ve visited Vegas numerous times and are looking for a new experience. With Las Vegas’ continuing meteoric growth, more and more interesting neighborhood eateries are popping up all the time and some real gems have joined the ranks of beloved old timers like the Golden Steer (LVA Feb., 2007) and Ruth’s Chris West (Nov., 2003). Some don’t make it, including our first Local Corner, the Polish deli Polonez on E. Sahara, but most have stood the test of time and we highly recommend a foray off the beaten path to sample the ambience at Nora’s Cuisine (Feb. , ’03), a luxurious and refreshing treat from Luv It Frozen Custard (July, ’03), the outstanding beer and whisky selection at Freakin’ Frog (Jan., ’06), late-night tapas at Firefly (Feb., ’04), a tranquil lunch at the Tillerman (Sept., ’07), or authentic dim sum at Chang’s Hong Kong Cuisine (April, ’05). In the 2008 Pocketbook of Values we bagged coupons for some of your top picks in this poll, including Detroit Motor City Coney Island hot dogs, Hot ‘n’ Juicy Crawfish, and Barbeque Masters. We hope to bag some more discounts for other favorites in the future, so thanks for the feedback.

Jan 30, 2008 - Feb 12, 2008 :: with 13652 total votes
Which of the following things did you not know you could find on lasvegasadvisor.com and would find most useful if you knew where to find them? (Note: You can check as many boxes as you like.)
(1156) Free shuttle info. (including printable route maps & schedules)	(8%)
(990) Where to find current best video poker	(7%)
(984) Up-to-date flight information	(7%)
(878) Current slot club bonus points	(6%)
(867) Non-smoking casino areas	(6%)
(803) Buffet times, prices, reviews, and LVA-member ratings	(6%)
(740) Current Megajackpot levels/locations	(5%)
(624) Las Vegas radio stations & their frequencies	(5%)
(569) WiFi hotspots	(4%)
(560) Tips on tipping	(4%)
(528) Las Vegas restaurants, reviews, & LVA-member ratings	(4%)
(519) Las Vegas city maps	(4%)
(504) Info on pools, including summer pool parties and pools that admit non-hotel guests	(4%)
(480) Schedules/locations of free gaming lessons (poker, craps, etc.)	(4%)
(459) Show reviews and reservations	(3%)
(423) Late-night dining options	(3%)
(422) Poker & blackjack tournament schedules	(3%)
(329) Phone numbers for taxis	(2%)
(315) Info on tours and tour operators	(2%)
(290) Info on the arts (local galleries, off-Strip theater, film festivals etc.)	(2%)
(288) Info. on special dietary needs (vegetarian-friendly & gluten-free menus, etc.)	(2%)
(262) Hotel/casino phone numbers & reservations	(2%)
(246) Information for handicapped visitors	(2%)
(214) Casino childcare facilities	(2%)
(202) Citywide spa listings (including LVA-member ratings)	(1%)
Whoaa! The latest poll garnered no less than 13,652 votes from a total of 2,324 individual voters. The good news is that we have a whole heap of information on our site that you want; the not-so-good news is that you didn’t know we had it, or if you did, where to find it. Even though we now direct QoD and Poll readers to our home page, a lot of people don’t seem to venture beyond those areas, possibly with the exception of a quick foray into Today’s News. From those who do know what LasVegasAdvisor.com has to offer, we hear over and over that it’s an invaluable resource for their trip planning. We have a dedicated research department constantly working to update our content, from free shuttle schedules to WiFi hotspots, buffet prices to poker tournaments, and pride ourselves on being a one-stop-shop for pretty much everything you could want to know about Las Vegas. But you have to know where to look for the info and, evidently, a lot of you out there don’t, which is why a poll like this is invaluable to us in helping to craft our site to better suit your needs. We’re already on our fourth major incarnation Web-wise and it’s always a work in progress. We like our current look but we think it could be easier to navigate and more intuitive, so we’re in the midst of working on a subtle but significant redesign, for which your feedback via this poll will be invaluable. In the meantime, here are some tips for what’s currently where: "Stay" section: Hotel list and contact numbers; room-booking service; all you need to know about transportation; WiFi hotspots and hotel Internet charges; pet-friendly accommodation; RV parks; and childcare. "Play" is where you’ll find all our gambling info: Casino list; where to find the current best video poker; slot club bonus points; current MegaJackpot levels; tournament schedules; non-smoking areas; and a whole bunch of other useful stuff. "Eat" section: Buffets (including times, prices, and reviews) and restaurants (including late-night dining options and info. on special dietary requirements like vegetarian-friendly eateries and restaurants with gluten-free menus). "See & Do": Currently includes everything from shows (including reviews and a booking service); upcoming events (concerts, wine tastings, fashion shows, fights etc.); golf; spas; tours; shopping; attractions and more. "Party": Kind of speaks for itself, but in addition to nightclubs and strip clubs did you know we also list lounges, ultralounges, cool bars, sports bars, cigar lounges, karaoke, pubs & microbreweries, wine bars, and gay and lesbian nightlife? "Visitor Info": This section in the blue left-hand menu contains all kinds of cool stuff we bet you didn’t know we had, including wedding chapels, webcams, convention dates, first aid info, FAQs, radio stations, the ultimate guide to tipping, and the weather.

Jan 23, 2008 - Jan 29, 2008 :: with 1744 total votes
If you're going to be in Vegas for the Super Bowl, or wish you were, where would you most want to watch it?
(301) Caesars Palace	(17%)
(242) ESPN Zone (NY-NY)	(14%)
(209) Las Vegas Hilton	(12%)
(98) The Orleans	(6%)
(85) Green Valley Ranch (race & sports)	(5%)
(77) The Mirage	(4%)
(63) Golden Nugget	(4%)
(61) Other--email us where	(3%)
(57) Palms	(3%)
(44) 40/40 (Palazzo)	(3%)
(43) The Mirage	(2%)
(42) South Point	(2%)
(41) Starting Gate (Bellagio)	(2%)
(40) SCORES (gentlemen’s club)	(2%)
(40) Gold Coast	(2%)
(35) Brew Pub (Monte Carlo)	(2%)
(33) Hard Rock	(2%)
(29) Sapphire’s (gentlemen’s club)	(2%)
(26) The OG (gentlemen’s club)	(1%)
(26) Imperial Palace	(1%)
(25) Pete & Shorty’s (Hooters)	(1%)
(22) Playing Field Lounge (Planet Hollywood)	(1%)
(20) Hofbräuhaus	(1%)
(18) Jillian’s (Fremont St.)	(1%)
(17) Blondie’s (Miracle Mile)	(1%)
(13) Buffalo Wild Wings (various)	(1%)
(12) Big Dog’s (W. Sahara)	(1%)
(7) Seamless (gentlemen’s club)	(0%)
(5) Barley’s	(0%)
(5) Crown & Anchor	(0%)
(4) PT’s Pubs (various)	(0%)
(2) Roadrunner (various)	(0%)
(1) Nikki Lee’s (E. Sunset)	(0%)
(1) Steiner’s (various)	(0%)
Yikes! We almost accidentally omitted Caesars from the vote-able options, which would have been nothing short of a catastrophe (not least because we’d have received another 298 emails for the "other" option and might have had to kill ourselves!). So, the granddaddy of the Strip’s your top spot for catching "the Big Game", aka "the Big Bash", aka "the Big Pigskin Party", aka "the Annual Bowl Bash", aka "the Tailgate Super Party, aka the "Don’t-mention-the-Super-Bowl Party"? Doubtless a good choice: Big sports book, plenty of eating and drinking options, guaranteed to be a big crowd, and they won’t sweat your action. The ESPN Zone was a logical pick, too, having recently been voted "Best Sports Bar in Vegas ," according to the 2007 Citysearch audience poll. This year, however, unless you’re on the invite list you’ll be sorely disappointed – it’s closed to the public on Feb. 3 for a private Super Bowl XLII event. Las Vegas Hilton came in an honorable 3rd place, which doesn’t surprise us. It’s a great book – Fezzik’s pick as the top race and sports book in Vegas, in fact (see QoD 5/4/05) – and as we mentioned in Thursday’s QoD, they’ll be serving $1 beers and hotdogs in the theater. Nice. The Orleans always enters fully into the Super Bowl spirit and will be hosting a party that encompasses four venues and includes autograph sessions, cash prizes, and a whole host of food and drink specials – another excellent pick. And the revamped GVR sports book recently garnered big praise from Anthony Curtis (LVA, Feb. ’08) as an excellent viewing spot for any sports event. As far as "other" picks are concerned they were, as always, numerous (although thankfully not as numerous as they would have been if we’d missed out Caesars!) The Triple 7 Brew Pub at Main Street Station was a popular pick ("Plenty of TVs, large amounts of food, and the best beer in town.") "I’ll be watching "the Big Game" at Santa Fe Station, either in the book or in the Chrome Showroom. "In a Jacuzzi suite, in the Jacuzzi, with my wife." [Ed: Nice!] "How about in the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa at the Palms with 10 or 15 of my closest friends? Hey … why not dream big? That’s what Vegas is all about!" [Ed: Right. And you only need $40K to make that dream come true – maybe a little more on Super Bowl Sunday. Maybe the Hef wants it for himself!] "My vote would go to somewhere with no smoking! It’s such a long event that I surely wouldn’t want to sit around in some yucky smoky sports bar." "I’d like to watch the Super Bowl from my room … on a 50" flat screen TV … in my salon suite at the Wynn hotel, with maybe a dozen close friends, and have it catered, while taking advantage of all the unusual prop bets being offered n the sports books on the Strip." "Bellagio sports book." "I will be at TI because it’s small and I have a lot of luck there." "Peppermill Fireside Lounge." "I will be watching the widescreen from my Penthouse Suite at Ny-NY, with ten of my friends and buckets full of Heineken. A.C., you’re invited to join us!" "Dino’s (on Main St.)." "a) Flamingo, because I have free tix to SB party there; b) HET/Diamond Lounge, because of the free drinks/food and big screens with good service." "You don’t have Bally’s race and sports book listed? I’ve never been to Vegas on Super Bowl Sunday, but Bally’s is a great place to be at for any major sporting event, so that’s my pick." "How about the new Sportsdome at the Plaza, (where the Center Stage restaurant used to be)? That looks like a nice place!" "I would be at Treasure Island. They have a tremendous party at a great price, with unlimited amounts of their wonderful home-brewed beer. What could be better than watching football in a brewery and being able to gamble?" "From the spacious and most comfortable Texas Station." "Harrah’s sports book. I know a very generous bartender there." [Ed: And the new Sports Pit has over 40 high-definition TVs in all, including two 100" projection screens for big events like Super Sunday.] Other "others" included Palace Station, Sam’s Town, the Rampart, Red Rock, Flamingo ("very cozy there" and "because I have"), South Point, Stardust (RIP), Diamond Club at Paris, Excalibur sports book, and Mandalay Bay.

Jan 16, 2008 - Jan 22, 2008 :: with 3296 total votes
What’s the worst trend you’re noticing in Las Vegas from your personal point of view?
(581) The disappearance of the older, smaller properties and their character/personal service	(18%)
(491) Worsening video poker pay schedules	(15%)
(427) Increasing room rates	(13%)
(360) The shift from 3:2 to 6:5 blackjack	(11%)
(323) Tighter slot machines	(10%)
(318) Tighter comp polices	(10%)
(218) Higher table limits	(7%)
(181) More smut-peddlers on the Strip	(5%)
(165) Smoking bans	(5%)
(107) Worsening traffic	(3%)
(51) Other -- use this link to email us	(2%)
(34) Too many Cirque shows	(1%)
(33) The demise of the keno lounge	(1%)
(7) Less tournaments (aside from poker)	(0%)
The results of this poll really speak for themselves, with the rise of the mega-properties and loss of familar old favorites clearly the biggest complaint/sadness of the nearly 3,300 respondents, followed by the associated higher room rates and a host of other economic factors that all hit you in the pocket. The feedback that we received was so plentiful and heartfelt that, rather than summarize it in the limited space available here, we're going to run it in the Question of the Day spot tomorrow. So, tune in on Sunday to read the obervations and complaints of your fellow readers, both with regard to the voting options we presented and the other unwelcome trends that you wrote in about. Many thanks to all who took part.

Jan 9, 2008 - Jan 15, 2008 :: with 2513 total votes
How much do you budget as your gambling bankroll on an average trip to Las Vegas?
(666) $1,000 - $2,000	(27%)
(630) $500 - $1,000	(25%)
(474) $2,000 - $5,000	(19%)
(357) $250 - $500	(14%)
(168) More than $5,000	(7%)
(136) $100 - $250	(5%)
(48) $50 - $100	(2%)
(24) Less than $50	(1%)
(10) Zero -- I don’t gamble	(0%)
Certainly our poll was structured and administered differently than Las Vegas’ official Visitor Profile Study (with 3,600 respondents), but some reasonable comparisons can be made. While our poll wasn’t structured to pinpoint an average, we’re able to rough one out and it comes to about $1,750 per person. That’s a lot of coin, especially when you consider that the VPS pegs the overall Las Vegas average at about $650. But guess what? We’re not surprised. In fact, our result was about what we would have predicted, since just about every such study we’ve ever done has put the gambling bankrolls of LVAers at about three times the Visitor Profile average. And why wouldn’t it be? LasVegasAdvisor.com was made and molded for those who are most into this activity—of course they back up their study with play. Heck, even our most populated category, $1,000-$2,000 is better than double the VPS average. And one more comparison is interesting. Whereas 13% of those polled in the VPS did not gamble, only 1% of our respondents did not. There’s little doubt that many who do not partake simply didn’t vote, but we’d wager that total falls far short of 13%.

Jan 2, 2008 - Jan 8, 2008 :: with 2070 total votes
Which casino, Strip or otherwise, serves up the best comped drinks while you're gambling? (Take into account politeness and promptness of service, as well as quality/quanity of the drinks.) Use email link for COMMENTS.
(135) Wynn Las Vegas	(7%)
(108) Bellagio	(5%)
(103) Orleans	(5%)
(96) Harrah's	(5%)
(78) Rio	(4%)
(75) Main Street Station	(4%)
(69) Paris	(3%)
(63) Venetian	(3%)
(55) Caesars Palace	(3%)
(49) Flamingo Las Vegas	(2%)
(42) Imperial Palace	(2%)
(41) MGM Grand	(2%)
(41) Sam'