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The Backstreet Boys are joining the residency rotation at Planet Hollywood. Shows will begin next March with tickets starting at $39 base.
Five Boyd sports books have begun offering the daily fantasy sports model created by USFantasy. You can currently bet casino-based DFS at Cosmopolitan, Hard Rock, Palms, M Resort, Silverton, The Linq, Flamingo, Paris, Sam's Town, Suncoast, Gold Coast, Orleans, and Fremont.
As expected, the sports book at Klondike Sunset will be operated by William Hill. It will also be a DFS outlet for USFantasy. WH expects to be up and running by mid-October.
The Cincinnati Bengals are -7.5 favorites over the Miami Dolphins in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 46. Find out which which Las Vegas bars support your team at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
The best sports book in Nevada is in Mesquite? Yep. Two of 'em, in fact. There's good news for sports bettors in the city 80 miles north of Las Vegas, including all-the-time -105 pricing on football sides and totals. Frank B provides all the details in his latest blog post at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
At a loose end? Looking for inspiration? Here are some of this weekend's highlights:
The new Nora’s Italian Cuisine has opened at 5780 W. Flamingo Road. It’s only a block east of the previous location, but it’s a completely different scene with a beautiful bar area, outside dining, and a bocce ball court in the back. The place was hopping when we checked it out.
The Las Vegas NHL hockey franchise says it’s reached its limit for season-ticket sales, with 16,000 sold. A waiting list has been started to handle the ongoing demand. Meanwhile, it looks like the team name will be something "Knights," as the names Desert Knights, Golden Knights, and Silver Knights have all been trademarked. The official announcement is expected in October.
Legal wranglings between the co-producers of Absinthe have resulted in the canceling of an announced move to the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. As of now, the show continues to play at Caesars Palace.
Bob Dancer discusses the wisdom of playing better games even when the jackpots are lower in his weekly article just posted at GamblingWithAnEdge.com. Written in the context of "wasting an ace" that could have scored a big payoff, this one has a good lesson for all of you Double Double Bonus players out there who like to chase the big payday, but give up long-term expectation in the deal.
The Aliante sports book, formerly run as an independent book, has been converted to the Boyd Gaming system following the recent approval of Boyd's purchase of the casino. Frank B provides all the details on the switch at GamblingWithAnEdge.com
Media opinions may differ on who won last night's presidential debate, but the gambling markets say it was Hillary Clinton. Prior to the debate, Clinton was a -190 favorite over Donald Trump. Today she's -235 after spiking to -245 immediately following the debate's conclusion. Trump is currently +195.
The New Orleans Saints are -3 favorites over the Atlanta Falcons in tonight's Monday Night Football game. The total is 54. Find out which which Las Vegas bars support your team at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
We received another long description of Biff's and the Las Vegas Club, its history, more links to photos, and appearances in several movies, which we've posted as the third update on yesterday's Question of the Day.
The big Global Gaming Expo (G2E) opens today and runs through Thursday. The show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center isn't open to the public, but we'll be attending and reporting on any significant developments and surprises we encounter on the exhibition floor.
Going into tonight's first presidential debate, offshore sports books have put up dozens of interesting Super Bowl-style props. They include, "Will Clinton say 'deplorable'?" (NO -350); "Will Trump say 'build a wall'?" (YES -350); and "Will either candidate say 'gambling'?" (NO -130). Entering the debate, Clinton is a -190 favorite to win the presidency.
Two readers weighed in on the question of who "Biff" might have been as taken from old signage of the Las Vegas Club. The first sent a link to the menu from Biffs restaurants; the second supplied a long explanation of why Biff's Las Vegas Club was most likely the name of the restaurant, along with exactly who Biff was. Everyone can see the updates till midnight tonight.
The Dallas Cowboys are -6.5 favorites over the Chicago Bears in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 45. Find out which which Las Vegas bars support your team at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
If you like to watch the Sunday games in the big Westgate theater, there's now a $5 admission fee. It includes one beer, but it's still the only football-viewing party outside of a strip club that we know of with an admission charge. It's still free in the sports book, which is better anyway.
Mariah Carey has announced that her two-year run at Caesars Palace will conclude early next year. The final nine shows for Mariah -- #1 to Infinity will run April 26 to May 13.
Bob Nersesian was the guest on the House of Cards podcast last week, talking about several of his cases involving advantage players in disputes with casinos and gamblers' rights. Bob is the author of our book The Law for Gamblers, which is also discussed in detail.
Cristiane Justino is a monster -1025 favorite over Lina Lansberg in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Renan Barao is -520 over Phillipe Nover.
The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved two big industry deals -- Red Rock Resorts' (Station Casinos) purchase of the Palms and Boyd Gaming's purchase of Aliante. Neither is expected to change names or anything else materially in the near term, though Red Rock says it will invest in a 6- to 18-month "freshening" of the Palms.
It looks as though efforts to expand casino gambling in New Jersey beyond Atlantic City will be discontinued, as the pro-expansion group, discouraged by bad poll numbers, has pulled its media ads. David McKee provides the details in our Stiffs and Georges blog.
The former S+O at the Downtown Grand has reopened as Freedom Beat. Gone from the menu is the excellent huevos rancheros. Also gone is the off-the-menu $9.99 prime rib special.
The only way to know is to go, and that's what we did tonight to learn that our report earlier today on the closing of Boomers bar was inaccurate. In fact, the joint had more customers tonight than we've seen there in quite a while. Our apologies to the bar for that mistake, though the information about the relocation of the magic gathering is correct.
Governor Brian Sandoval says that he will call a special session of the Legislature in early October to consider the package of recommendations made by the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee regarding the financing of an NFL stadium in Las Vegas. The session will be held somewhere between Oct. 7 and 13 and require a 2/3 vote for passage. If approved, the matter would be able to go to the NFL owners for a vote in January.
We've just received the shipment of our newest book, The Essentials of Casino Game Design -- From the Cocktail Napkin to the Casino Floor. If you've already ordered, we'll begin shipping on Monday. If you want to order, it's available at a 25% discount from ShopLVA.com or from Amazon.com.
We've received a report that the west side bar Boomers has closed. Boomers had been the long-time location of the ongoing Wednesday-night magicians meeting, where several magic and gambling types gathered to discuss business. We're told that meet has been moved to Tommy Rocker's on Dean Martin Dr., running Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Only 2 days after showing up in Downtown Las Vegas the Naked Trump statue has been vandalized. Fox5Vegas has photos showing a Naked Trump covered in graffiti and laying on the ground with only it's feet still attached to the pedestal.
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has unveiled its autumn display, with a harvest tableau that will be featured until Nov. 25. The exhibit is free to all to enjoy and if you aren't in Vegas at the moment (or won't be before Nov. 25) check out the exhibit from the comfort of your armchair via the live-feed link in our Vegas Webcams section.
The New England Patriots are -1 favorites over the Houston Texans in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 39.5.
With the Life is Beautiful Festival taking over Downtown and the iHeart Radio Musical Festival on the Strip, it's going to be a great weekend for Celebrity sightings, so keep your eyes peeled and your camera ready.
Get ready for this weekend's and the Monday-night football games with two excellent posts from LVA contributors. Frank B has put up his big round-up of early season sports book finds, including info on betting deals and contest updates, at GamblingWithAnEdge.com. And Arnold Snyder lays out the MNF party scene in the strip clubs at ToplessVegasOnline.com. Lots of good info in both that you'll find no place else.
Larry's Villa strip club has closed after ongoing problems and infractions at the club resulted in its liquor and gaming licenses being permanently revoked. Notably, it reduces the number of strip clubs with video poker to three: Olympic Garden, Club Platinum, and Play it Again Sam.
Naked Trump, the controversial statue that depicts a naked Donald Trump, has made its way to Las Vegas. The statue, which was created by a local artist, showed up yesterday, surrounded by velvet ropes, in a downtown parking lot.
Ticket sales are reportedly brisk for the recently approved non-stop Las Vegas to Beijing route that will be served by Hainan Airlines of China. Inaugural promotional fares are expected to start at $600 round-trip for the three-times-per-week flights that begin on Dec. 2.
You've probably read the results of dozens of presidential polls, but not one that reflects the preferences of gamblers and that you can also be a part of. Trump? Clinton? Someone else? Cast your vote for Prez in our new Reader Poll. We're guessing that this poll will provide some interesting data leading into the final weeks of the campaigns.
The bloggers have been busy at GamblingWithAnEdge.com. New posts are up from Bill Ordine (DFS), Blair Rodman (poker), Richard Munchkin (millennial gambling), and Bob Dancer (video poker). Check 'em out, plus listen to the latest Gambling With an Edge podcast.
Our current hot-topic Reader Poll on the subject of how and how often you read our daily "Question of the Day" closes at midnight. We'll be adjusting some of the QoD protocol based on responses, so be sure to vote to make your preferences known.
Atlantic City's Revel is changing its name to TEN. The resort remains closed, but plans now call for the reopening as a hotel-casino in the first quarter of 2017.
One leaves, another shows up. The new Klondike Sunset is serving a $1.49 breakfast daily from 7 to 11 a.m., with two eggs, choice of bacon or sausage, hash browns, and toast. It's not only the lowest-priced eggs & meat breakfast in town, it's better than many that are priced higher.
In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the Chicago Bears are -3 favorites over the Washington Redskins. The total is 43. Find out which which Las Vegas bars support your team at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
We're not sure what the deal is at TopGolf Las Vegas for Thursday Night Football, but it's not what's being advertised. Ads for "Thirsty Night Football" there promoted a city-specific menu tied to the teams participating and drink specials. We checked and neither was offered. With its outdoor orientation and screens everywhere, it's a fun place to watch, but don't go for the specials.
Eldorado Resorts, owners of the Eldorado and Silver Legacy in Reno, has purchased Isle of Capri Casinos for $1.7 billion. Eldorado which currently owns seven casinos will raise that total to 20, spread across 10 states, with the completion of this deal. Eldorado's $1.15 billion market capitalization will make it the second largest regional gaming company behind Boyd Gaming.
Contrary to predictions by Caesars Entertainment, singer Frankie Valli was on hand for the closing performance of Jersey Boys last night at Paris-Las Vegas. Valli was joined by original Four Seasons member Tommy DeVito, whose unpublished memoir was among the source materials on which the wildly successful musical was based. An eyewitness reported to LVA that Valli looked rail-thin, sported an enormous wristwatch, and went on the record as saying that the Las Vegas cast of Jersey Boys was the best he'd seen. Although present, DeVito refrained from making any remarks.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was cautious, if not somewhat negative, with comments over the weekend regarding the possible relocation of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas. "There's still a lot that has to happen before we would get to that stage," Goodell said. "I think we can do it in Oakland," he continued, "I think there's a solution there ..."
The Green Bay Packers are -1.5 favorites over the Minnesota Vikings in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 42.5.
If you're a Green Bay fan, Packer bars are Big Dog’s Draft House, Jackson’s Bar & Grill, Rum Runner (Boulder Highway), Rum Runner (Tropicana), Rum Runner (E. Desert Inn), Timbers (E. Lake Mead), and Chilly Palmers. If you're a Minnesota fan, Vikings bars are Blue Ox Central and Blue Ox Tavern. Our complete list of team bars, with an area for comments for each team, is posted at GamblingWithAnEdge.com
Tonight marks the final performance for Jersey Boys at Paris. Its eight-year run that began at the Venetian is the longest ever for a Broadway show in Las Vegas, a full two years better than the run of Mamma Mia! at MBay.
Station and Fiesta casinos have upped their game this year for sports book viewing. Hot dogs with all the fixin's and beers are $1.50 each. Buy 'em as a combo and and get a choice of pretzels, Doritos, or Cracker Jacks thrown in. Buckets of five beers are $5. Similar good deals with burgers and beers are available at the Wildfires.
Registration is now open for our "Sunday Funday 32" poker tournament. Play begins at noon PST/3 p.m. EST today. Along with $100 for first, prizes include an autographed hard cover of The Law for Gamblers, the classic blackjack reference book Blackjack Attack, and our new books, Cherry Picker and Mad Dog Coll. Prizes will again be awarded to the first 14 finishers. See the entire prize pool and register to play at the LVA Casino (once signed in, click on "Poker Tournaments" and register for Tourney ID 11696). This tournament is completely free to play. There will also be other tourneys running all day for gift cards and play chips. Come have some fun! See you at noon.
Dustin Poirier is a -165 favorite over Michael Johnson in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Derek Brunson is -190 over Uriah Hall.
Online gambling's handle (amount bet), currently estimated at $550 billion worldwide, is projected to reach $950 billion by 2021. That will be nearly equal to the $1 trillion estimate for total spending on all digital goods in the same year. The increase is expected to be spurred by mobile users and the possible introduction of virtual reality.
M Resort is advertising a special on Johnny Walker Blue Label, with shots for $10. The deal is offered in the restaurants only (no bars). We've seen JW Blue going for more than $30.
Reserve some time tomorrow to play in our 32nd Sunday Funday online poker tournament. First place gets $100, and prizes will be awarded to the top 14 places. Prizes include the autographed hard cover of our new book, The Law for Gamblers, the new Eating Las Vegas 2016, and and the classic Blackjack Attack. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. EST/noon PST. It's completely free to play, with registration beginning two hours before the tournament at the LVA Casino.
The Siegel Group has acquired the 40-unit Somerset apartment complex for $6 million. Located on a 1.2-acre parcel just east of the Strip near the site of the former Riviera, Siegel says it will create another extended-stay complex called Siegel Gardens, but also explore redevelopment options in the area that will benefit from the $1.4 billion expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Somerset apartments were built in 1961.
Britney Spears has signed up for another set of shows at Planet Hollywood in 2017. She'll play 18 additional shows from March 22 to May 20. These are in addition to several already-scheduled shows running Oct. 19 through Feb. 4.
The Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee yesterday voted unanimously to recommend the financing plan put forth for an NFL stadium in Las Vegas, which moves the proposal to the desk of Gov. Brian Sandoval. According to the proposal, $750 million of the $1.9 billion project will come from public funding that will be raised though a room-tax increase. It's now up to Sandoval to decide whether or not to call a special session of the state Legislature before the Nov. 8 elections to grant final approval to the plan, allowing enough time for the NFL to consider it in its January meetings.
The Buffalo Bills are -1.5 favorites over the New York Jets in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 40.5.
If you're a Buffalo fan, Bills bars are Johnny Mac’s, Moon Doggies, Stake Out, Time-Out Sports Bar and Grill, and Town Center Lounge. There are no bars that follow the Jets. Our complete list of team bars, with an area for comments for each team, is posted at GamblingWithAnEdge.com
Like the Westgate, the CasaBlanca and Virgin River sports books in Mesquite are also offering -105 pricing on football bets on Thursdays. Both take bets on sides and totals, as opposed to sides only at Westgate, but the Mesquite promotion runs only from noon to 4 p.m.
A third Sagos bar is planned for the west side of town. Rather than take over an existing location, the new bar on Farm Rd. in the Centennial area will be built from the ground up. No opening date has been announced. Sagos is one of the city's better gaming bar, with a good food-comp promo for a $20 buy-in at the Ft. Apache location.
It's a multi-cultural, musical, and festival filled weekend, so no excuse to be bored! Check it out:
The famed Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire, opened in 1906, has closed. Live horse racing was discontinued in 2010, but the The Rock remained open, simulcasting races and serving as a venue for special events. An auction of equipment and furniture will be held on the grounds Sept. 27 and 28. The facility will then be demolished to make way for a retail plaza.
For the first time since Krave closed in 2012, the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will host a gay nightclub. A new LGBT dance spot and hangout called Revolt opens in the Saxe Theater this month. Revolt will be the first smoke-free LGBT venue in Las Vegas and, as of now, the only gay club on the strip.
What can casino surveillance departments learn from a two little kids playing cards? James Grosjean tells us in his latest post, "Six-and-a-Half Little Words" at GamblingWithAnEdge.com. This is a good one.
Former president Bill Clinton will be in North Las Vegas today, campaigning on behalf of Hillary Clinton. Mrs. Clinton was supposed to appear, but canceled on doctor's orders following her dizzy spell last weekend. Bill Clinton will appear in the June Whitely Student Lounge at the College of Southern Nevada at 11 a.m. The appearance is open to the public, but you may have to RSVP at hillaryclinton.com.
The first set of road closures tied to next week's Life is Beautiful festival in downtown Las Vegas will began at midnight tonight. The closures include Mesquite Ave. between Las Vegas Blvd. and 8th St., 6th St. between Stewart Ave. and the U.S. 95 freeway, and 7th St. between Stewart Ave. and U.S. 95. Fox5Vegas has a handy map and details about the rest of the weeks scheduled closures.
It's hard to believe, but today marks the 20th anniversary of the murder in Las Vegas of rapper Tupac Shakur. If you're not familiar with the story surrounding his still-unsolved slaying, check out The Killing of Tupac Shakur (now in it's Third Edition) by Las Vegas crime reporter Cathy Scott.
Lots of gambling is black and white, but not all of it. And when opinions come into play, experts don't always see things the same way. Such is the case in the new post put up today by Bob Dancer at Gambling With An Edge, in which he takes issue with some of Jean Scott's ideas on how casinos should promote. Meanwhile, Jean points out where a "Today's News" item didn't tell the whole story in a recent post at her Frugal Vegas blog.
The two most expensive football contests in Las Vegas both set records for entries. The SuperContest at Westgate Las Vegas ($1,500 entry fee) had 1,854 entries, surpassing last year's 1,727. The Friday Football Showdown at Golden Nugget ($2,000) had 97 entries, up from last year's 87.
The $2.9 billion Sands Parisian has opened on Macau's Cotai Strip. The resort features 3,000 rooms, multiple restaurants, shopping arcades (yes, plural), and a water park. The Parisian is Sands Corp's fifth resort in Macau.
Grimaldi's Pizzeria is running a good $100-for-$50 promotion targeted to its email list. The promotion (and how to get on the list) is detailed by our newest blogger, Jimmy Jazz, at the Gambling With An Edge SuperBlog. Check it out and follow the link to the Grimaldi's deal at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
In tonight's second Monday Night Football game, the LA Rams are -2.5 favorites over the San Francisco 49ers. The total is 43. Here's where to catch the game if you're a Niners fan; there are no bars that follow the Rams.
In the first of tonight's Monday Night Football double-header, the Pittsburgh Steelers are -2 favorites over the Washington Redskins. The total is 49. Here’s where to catch the game if you’re a Steelers or a Redskins fan.
According to a new report from a group called GamblingCompliance Research Services, legalizing sports betting throughout the United States would create $11.9 billion in gross gaming revenue and make it the world's largest sports betting market with more than four times the revenue generated by the current leader, the United Kingdom. Nevada plus the pseudo-legal markets in Delaware, Montana, and Oregon currently generate just $300 million.
Criss Angel's H.E.L.P (Heal Every Life Possible) fundraiser for pediatric cancer begins at 5:30 tonight at Luxor. More than 100 stars are expected to make appearances, but ticket sales are said to be lagging. Tickets start at $50 for a good cause and a good show.
The east-side non-casino restaurant Lucky Foo's has closed after operating for less than a year. Thanks to one of our top restaurant-information sources, Westie, for conveying the news.
Following the abrupt closing of Paul Zerdin: Mouthing Off at Planet Hollywood, two more Strip shows are getting the ax. According to John Katsilometes of the LV Review-Journal, Puppet Up! Uncensored at the Venetian will close this week and Sin City Comedy & Burlesque, also at Planet Hollywood, will close in early October.
The Arizona Cardinals are -9 favorites over the New England Patriots in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 44.
Novak Djokovic is a -300 favorite over Stan Wawrinka in today's U.S. Open tennis men's final. Djokovic is seeking his 13th major championship, which would put him in fourth place for most ever.
Today's the first weekend of the free Pick the Pros contest at Boyd casinos. First prize is $30,000, split between all winners if there are ties. The other good freebie to play is Station Casinos' Gridiron Glory. All registration and picks for both are done at kiosks and you can enter up till kick-off of the first game today (remember to slip in an underdog or two).
Stipe Miocic is a -120 favorite over Alistair Overeem in tonight's UFC main event. In other featured matches, Fabricio Werdum is -260 over Travis Browne and Mickey Gall is -450 over CM Punk, who is the second big name from the WWE, along with Brock Lesnar, to attempt to cross over to the UFC.
A new club called Red has opened downtown in the space that used to be Insert Coins. It's outfitted with big screens throughout that show sports during the day, then switch to music videos for the nighttime crowd.
Angelique Kerber is a -160 favorite over Karolina Pliskova in today's U.S. Open tennis women's final. Kerber will be the new #1 women's player in the world after the match, regardless of the result.
As part of the promotion for its new sports book, hot dogs are free today at Santa Fe Station. The offer is good for the first 1,000 takers until 8 p.m.
On the one hand, Carl Icahan has finally filed a petition with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for permission to wind down casino operations at Trump Taj Mahal. The filing came almost a month after the billionaire's announcement that he'd decided to close the property, leading to speculation as to whether his actual intent had been to smash the union, whose workers currently remain on strike; but the September 2 filing demonstrates that Icahn is serious about shuttering the former Donald Trump-owned Taj.
Meanwhile, everyone's favorite casino maverick, Glenn Straub, is back in the headlines again, having first been goaded into applying for a casino license earlier this month, this week Revel's owner apparently stormed out of a hearing with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority’s land use board, which is haggling with Straub over the number of plants being proposed for inclusion in the landscaping element of his development plan for the site. The latter responded by repeating a threat he's made previously over frustration with dealing with various regulatory and utility entities: "Just keep it up. This building will be shut down forever."
The Rouge Lounge at MGM Grand is getting a makeover and a new name. What's most interesting is that the new name will be Losers Bar, a choice you might not expect from a casino. The new bar will open in December.
There's still time to join all of the football contests (except the "Friday Football Showdown" at the Golden Nugget). Details about all the contests we know about are provided, along with a new list of football "Team Bars" at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
Downtown's Neonopolis complex is getting a new e-sports arena, designed to host e-sports video game tournaments. The arena will be built on the third floor in the converted venue that was formerly a movie and a nightclub. The venue is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
This week's Gambling With An Edge podcast has been posted. The guests are GWAE bloggers FrankB and Anthony Curtis who talk football betting. Go to GamblingWithAnEdge.com and click into the post to listen to the show.
The Carolina Panthers are -3 favorites over the Denver Broncos in tonight's Thursday Night Football game that opens the 2016 NFL season. The total is 41.
If you're a Denver fan, Broncos bars are Balboa Pizza, Black Mountain Grill, Four-Mile Bar, Jake's Bar, and Road Runner (N. Buffalo). There are no bars that follow the Panthers. Our complete list of team bars will be posted tomorrow at GamblingWithAnEdge.com
As it's done for the past few seasons, the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas is offering -105 pricing for football bets on Thursdays, beginning today. On this promo you bet $105 to win $100, as opposed to the standard $110/$100 everywhere else in town, but you have to bet off a sheet with the -105 numbers (not directly off the board). The reduced-juice wagering is for both college and pro games, sides only, and runs from 3 p.m. till closing.
Here are this weekend's entertainment highlights:
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has unanimously recommended for approval the sales of both the Palms and Aliante, the former to Red Rock Resorts and the latter to Boyd Gaming; final approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission is expected when it meets on September 22.
Downtown's SlotZilla Zipline/Zoomline will host its one-millionth rider this month and is celebrating with a giveaway of rides and cash. Every day in September, free rides will be given away at the ticket booth to customers chosen at random. A similar promotion will be run on SotZilla's Facebook page, which you can access at vegasexperience.com. The best day to take your shot will be September 28, when 10 guests will win $1,000. LVA members can use the Member Rewards coupon for a 25% discount, even if they don't win a freebie.
The owner of the shooting range Machine Guns Vegas has proposed an adult-activity theme park called Xpark Vegas. The park would include speedboat channels, a dirt-bike obstacle course, a heavy-equipment-operation zone, and a bungee tower. It would be built near Sloan, the small town located about 12 miles west of Las Vegas where the Speed Vegas raceway recently opened. If approved, Xpark would open next summer.
Las Vegas' next casino opening has been announced. The Lucky Dragon, located on Sahara just west of the Strip, will open on December 3. The "boutique" resort with just 200 rooms is marketing hard to the Asian market, with its name, motif, and restaurants all engendering a Far East theme. Even its press releases are written in both English and Chinese.
Employees at Boulder Station have voted 355-177 via a secret ballot for representation by Culinary Local 226. It's the first Station Casinos property in Nevada to conduct a vote to join the Culinary union and is likely to lead to similar votes at other Station properties.
Get ready for those DFS ads. The NFL season is set to begin, which means the daily fantasy sports companies will be back on TV and radio. Not with as much force as last year, but significantly for sure. Assuring that was a $150 million funding infusion secured last week by DraftKings from a venture capital group. The investment is an important vote of confidence for the DFS industry, which has had to weather several attacks on its model. Follow the DFS story on Fantasy Sports Real Money author Bill Ordine's blog at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
Press releases circulating today say that the under-construction Wilshire Grand Tower in Los Angeles will be the new tallest tower west of the Mississippi. This naturally caught our eye, given that it would mean displacing Las Vegas' Stratosphere for that distinction. The only problem is that the Wilshire will top out at 1,099 feet, whereas, last we looked, the Strat was still 1,149.
It looks like we jumped the gun on the opening of the Big Mess Bar-BQ at Sam's Town. We're now told that the opening hasn't taken place. Apologies, and we'll let you know when it does.
After beginning the year as the third-ranked high school football team in the nation, Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman has ascended to the top spot after a 44-14 trouncing of formerly 5th-ranked Cedar Hill, Texas. Gorman has finished first in the rankings the past two years.
The diner portion of the Huntridge Pharmacy and Soda Fountain has closed. The adjacent Huntridge Tavern remains open.
The Big Mess Bar-BQ has opened at Sam's Town in the space that was formerly Billy Bob's. We haven't tried the food, but give it points for coming up with yet another way to spell barbecue.
The casinos are busy for the end of the three-day weekend. Labor Day isn't a big promotions day, but Gold Coast, Suncoast, Sam's Town, and Orleans are awarding 15X points on penny slots, 11X on other slots, and 7X on video poker. Silverton has 10X-16X points, depending on tier level.
The new restaurant replacing S+O at the Downtown Grand will be named Freedom Beat and specialize in American comfort food. It’s expected to open this month.
After a trial period to test the policy at limited bars, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is going to a voucher system for dispensing comped drinks at all of its bars. It sounds like the first drink will still be comped automatically, but the comping of subsequent drinks will be based on playing to specified levels. A similar system is in place at select bars at MGM and the Mirage.
The Rampart has overhauled its players club and given it a new name: The former Resort Rewards is now Rampart Rewards. New features include free car washes, accelerated discounts when paying with points, and points awarded toward tier status for bingo play. According to ads for the club, the cash back return is .5%.
In his latest feature for the New York Post, veteran gambling writer Michael Kaplan ventured inside the seedy world of New York underground poker clubs -- a lucrative, cutthroat, and sometimes dangerous parallel universe inhabited by a cast of professional gamblers, hustlers, mobsters, celebrities, degenerates cheats, millionaires, and marks who inhabit it. Essentially accessible only to those with skill and/or money, it's the kind of world in which on any given nights, you might find Alex Rodriguez in a game with Phil Hellmuth; where six-figure sums change routinely; and where occasionally, people get killed. As usual from Kaplan, a credible and compelling account and recommended read.
Downtown's "Rock of Vegas" summer concert series at the Fremont Street Experience concludes tonight with Smash Mouth. The free concert begins at 9 p.m. on the 3rd Street Stage.
Josh Barnett is a -145 favorite over Andrei Arlovski in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Alexander Gustafsson -550 over Jan Blachowitcz.
While a few games were played earlier this week, today is considered the true opening of the college football season. Today's game line-up is being touted as the best opening Saturday ever with several Top 25 teams in action. Check the lines in real time at LVASports.com.
It looks like some kind of "Knights" for Las Vegas hockey. The team has registered the names Desert Knights, Golden Knights, and Silver Knights. Owner Bill Foley originally wanted Black Knights, but the name wasn't embraced by fans.
Tonight's the grand reopening of the gentleman's club StripTease. Located at 3750 S. Valley View, this one's had it's share of openings and closings, but it's back for another swing.
The strange saga of the $350 million Baha Mar resort in Nassau, Bahamas continues. After sitting idle for two years despite being 97% completed, the Bahamian government says that agreements have been reached with an undisclosed buyer to resume construction this month, with an opening targeted for 2017.
Our complete (almost, there are still some details pending) guide to this year's football contests is up at GamblingWithAnEdge.com. This year we've added a space for comments, so you can ask questions, suggest strategies, or just brag when you win a big weekly.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is adding 21 new suites that it says will "set a new bar for luxury on the Strip." The penthouses will be located on the top floor of the Boulevard Tower and range in size from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. Accompanying the Boulevard Penthouses will be a private gaming salon overlooking the Strip. All are expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2017.
That didn't take long. After making a big deal earlier this year about leaving its long relationship with Station Casinos to pursue other opportunities, the lounge band Zowie Bowie has signed back on. It's a good thing -- ZB is one of the best lounge acts in Vegas. Catch 'em in Rocks Lounge at Red Rock on Friday nights, beginning around 10 p.m.