Yesterday's ferocious winds did damage and caused power outages throughout Las Vegas, as well as delayed and diverted flights. A sign was blown over at Main Street Station, a construction wall collapsed at Monte Carlo, and monorail service was suspended. Gusts were mostly in the 60- to 70-mph range, though a top gust of 84 mph was recorded. While winds persist today, they've dropped significantly to the 20 mph range.
According to an article in the LV Review-Journal, Caesars Entertainment has begun rolling out its paid-parking program. Locals are exempt and the first hour is free for all, but non-Nevadans will pay $5-$13 for 1-4 hours, depending on the casino. Parking remains free at the Rio.
It was a hairy day in Vegas. Winds in the 60- to 75-mph range put the town in a tailspin. Just things that we've personally witnessed: Koval Ln. closed from Flamingo to Harmon because of downed telephone polls, power outages at Sam's Town and Lucky Dragon, street lights out all over town, trees on the ground, flights canceled, damaged roofs. More tomorrow.
It's everything country this weekend with the ACM Music Awards taking place at T-Mobile Arena (4/2); LOCASH performs at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues (3/31) along with the ACM Music Awards Bash at the Beach (3/31-4/1); at the Palms, you have the ACM Party For A Cause: Songwriter Showcase (3/31); while Hard Rock features the ACM Party For A Cause benefiting ACM Lifting Lives (4/1), followed by the ACM Awards Official After Party benefiting ACM Lifting Lives (4/2), and to finish off the weekend Dwight Yoakam performs at the Star of The Desert Arena at Primm. (4/1)
If country music isn't your thing, don't worry there's plenty more stuff to keep you entertained. Here are the highlights:
Louie Anderson will host a new comedy club called “Louie Anderson Presents: The After Show” that runs once a month on Saturdays at the new entertainment venue at 3460 Cavaretta Ct. called The Space. The first scheduled shows are April 22, May 13, June 17, and July 15; tickets start at $20.
Already the most expensive buffet in Las Vegas, the price of the Sunday Sterling Brunch at Bally’s has been raised by $5 to $95. This one's in a league of its own price-wise, but it's also the most opulent in Vegas, featuring king crab legs, American sturgeon caviar, and unlimited Perrier-Jouët Champagne.
The brewing operations of Barley's Casino are being taken over by Las Vegas' Banger Brewing. Barley's has brewed its own beer since it opened and Barley’s beers will remain, although they might be changed slightly by the Banger brewers.
A couple of new posts are up at GamblingWithAnEdge.com. Bob Dancer explains the proper way to play two pair in Double Double Bonus. And for DFS Fans, Bill Ordine relays some changes in rules and proceedures for baseball that have recently been put in place by FanDuel.
A new mini-golf complex is planned for the Boulevard Mall. Created by the King Putt group, the 30,000-square-foot course that will also include a laser-tag venue is scheduled to open this summer. It will join the SeaQuest Acquarium as a second unlikely attraction at the shopping mall, but part of a targeted plan of diversification by the Boulevard owners, who stated, “We continue to move away from traditional retail eroded by Amazon and other online retailers to family entertainment.”
Will robot bartenders be the next new thing on the Strip? A new bar under construction in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will feature the world’s first land-based robotic bartenders (they’re already in action on cruise ships) that will mix and serve drinks and even communicate to some degree with patrons. The bar, tentatively called Tipsy Robots, is expected to debut in June.
The Zoozacrackers Deli, which opened with Wynn Las Vegas, will close for good when the sports book undergoes its renovation starting April 3. The space will reportedly be used for a giant LED screen.
Raiders talk is dominating the media since yesterday's announcement that the NFL franchise is relocating to Las Vegas. Best guesses have the Las Vegas Raiders playing in a temporary facility, possibly Sam Boyd Stadium, as early as 2018, then taking residence in a new stadium in 2020. The likely stadium location is an area on Russell Rd., just west of I-15. There's been no information released about ticket prices.
The 2017 line-up for the Junefest music festival has been announced. REO Speedwagen will headline, with Don Felder and Martha Davis and the Motels also appearing. The show will be held on June 3 at the Sunset Station Amphitheater, with tickets starting at $29 base. Junefest was Las Vegas' first music festival and helped open the door to the city's spectacular live-music explosion, a story that will be told in an upcoming book from Huntington Press titled Rock Vegas.
By a vote of 31-1, the NFL owners have approved the Raiders football franchise's request to move from Oakland to Las Vegas. The lone no vote was cast by the Miami Dolphins. There are still lots of details to be worked out, not the least of which is where the team will play, but the road is now clear for the move and the team is expected to be playing in Las Vegas as early as the 2019 season.
You can still park free at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, but that won't be the case for long. Paid valet parking will begin on April 18, followed by paid self-parking on May 16. The fee structure can be viewed on our Parking Fees page.
In the poker "Grudge Match" played last week at Philadelphia's SugarHouse Casino, Cate Hall defeated Mike Dentale 2-0 in a best-of-three showdown. The poker battle of the sexes didn't get a lot of press, but you can read a good blow-by-blow in Bill Ordine's account at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
JC's Irish Pub has closed at the Rampart. A replacement for the space hasn't been announced.
If you’re a slot-machine player who’s feeling neglected, you can get some love from Jean Scott’s latest post on her Frugal Vegas blog discussing why playing the bandits isn’t always a bad thing. And Jean’s more than a sympathetic supporter. As she makes clear in her blog, slots have changed a lot over the years, and there’s a long chapter in her new book, The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide, on slot-machine play.
Here are updates on yesterday's double-dose of crime on the Strip. It's been determined that there were no shots fired in the robbery of Tesorini at the Bellagio. Three subjects dressed in tuxedos and wearing pig masks broke through the store glass with sledgehammers, causing some to think it was gunfire. They got away with an undisclosed amount of merchandise after shedding their suits and masks and have not been apprehended. The shooting in front of the Cosmopolitan took place on the upper level of a double-decker bus, when a man reportedly began firing at random. One person was killed and another wounded. After a standoff, the suspect, who was described as having apparent mental issues, surrendered without further incident.
The Loose Caboose bar at S. Flamingo and Arvill has closed. As has been the case with many bars that have closed over the past few years, it will become a Dotty's.
The strip has been closed between Flamingo and Harmon after a shooting in front of the Cosmopolitan. The suspect is reportedly barricaded in a bus on the Strip with a second suspect at large. The incident is not related to the earlier burglary at Bellagio.
Today's LV Review-Journal contains a feature on Contrarian Investments LLC, the main sports betting fund operating under the Entity Betting law. The writer doesn't fully understand the subject, but provides some interesting information about the fund's performance. Last year the fund ended down 23%, and year-to-date in 2017 it's down 4%. The minimum investment is $5,000 for U.S. citizens and $10,000 for non-U.S. The fund has 32 investors and a current bankroll of just under $500,000. CG Technologies is still the only book accepting Contrarian's action.
A jewelry store at Bellagio was robbed early this morning by by three men in pig masks who used sledgehammers to break through the displays. Initial reports that shots were fired in the casino were in error. No one was injured and at least one suspect is in custody.
A 15-story apartment building has been proposed for Las Vegas Blvd. between Sahara Ave. and downtown. Thunderbird Lofts would be built on the site of the old Thunderbird Hotel, a building with a whole lot of history behind it. No timetable has been divulged, as the project has yet to be green-lighted by city planners.
In his new blog post titled "The Cheating Game," Blair Rodman explains how cheating has always been a part of poker and likely had a lot to do with the success of many of the game's big names, and why it's not necessarily a thing of the past. Read this interesting take from a first-hand observer at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
D owner Derek Stevens likes to make big public sports bets, especially when they involve teams from his home state of Michigan. Last week he bet $12,500 at 80-1 on Michigan to win the NCAA Basketball Tournament, a bet that would have returned $1 million if it won. Alas, the ride was short, as Michigan lost to Oregon in a Sweet 16 match-up last night.
It seems as though a lot of you have been looking for our "Today's News" posts. They've been right here since the launch of the new site, but apparently weren't prominent enough, so we've altered the design so it stands out more. This is just one of the many changes we've been implementing on the website, as you can now read in the first of a series of blog posts by Anthony Curtis at VegasWithAnEdge.com. Check it out.
The Mob Museum has announced plans for a $6.5 million expansion that will add several new exhibits, including "Organized Crime Today," "The Crime Lab," and "Firearms Training Simulator." There will also be and expanded retail area and a food and beverage outlet. Work will begin this summer and conclude in the first quarter of 2018. The museum attracted more than 350,000 visitors last year bringing the total to 1.3 million to date.
The spring display at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens has a Japanese theme, featuring a tea house, a temple, a 35-foot Kabuki figure, and 80,000 (count 'em) flowers. The display is free to enter 24/7 and runs through May 14.
The road-construction project dubbed the "Big Squeeze" is underway. Part of the huge Project Neon plan, the Big Squeeze is another Spaghetti Bowl interruption that will affect southbound traffic on U.S. Highway 95 to Reno, from just east of I-15 to the Rancho exit. The work on a new flyover is expected to last until early 2018.
Bob Dancer provides insight into how a video poker pro assesses opportunity in his just-published blog post, There's More to EV than Just EV. It's something of a mini version of his classic Million Dollar Video Poker, in that he explains all of the elements that must be considered in the expected-value equation to determine the real value of a gambling play.
The Atlantic Club in Atlantic City has been purchased by a group that wants to reopen the hotel as part of an indoor water park and family entertainment center. The sale price wasn't disclosed, but developers say they will invest $135 million to create the complex, which will not include a casino. The property that was orginally Steve Wynn's Golden Nugget and then the Atlantic City Hilton closed in 2014, the first of five Atlantic City casinos to cease operations since then.
Part of the big overhaul at Palace Station will be the transition of the railroad theme to a "mid-century modern design." Not sure what that means, but the train's been rolling since 1983 and a change makes sense. There's been no indication that the name will change.
Another March Madness betting deal has turned up, but it's not in Vegas. CasaBlanca and Virgin River in Mesquite are dealing -108 for the remainder of the tournament. It's not as good as South Point's -105, but it's offered on sides and totals, including both halves.
Welcome to the new LasVegasAdvisor.com. As is expected with any launch of this magnitude, there have been some problems. The site has crashed a couple of times, there are issues with the log-in sequences, broken links, etc. This is standard. We're finding the problems and fixing ’em as we go. You can read more about the new site and our plans for it in today's "Question of the Day." But for now, the most important thing for you to do is to register so you'll have all the access you're entitled to based on your membership level (paying or non-paying). If you followed the directions on the pop-up when you first came to the website, you should already be registered. If you clicked through the pop-up, erase your cache and cookies and log on again. The pop-up will appear, then follow the steps.
Japonais at the Mirage is rebranding as OTORO Robata Grill & Sushi. It sounds like a name change more than anything, with much of the staff and the cuisine remaining the same. The change will take place May 1.
South Point will deal a 5-cent line for the remainder of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, meaning that you have to lay $105 to win $100, as opposed to the standard $110. The nickel line is for straight bets on sides only; no totals.
When D owner Derek Stevens publicly bet $11K on each of the 32 opening-round games of the college basketball championship it seemed like a pretty good play considering the PR value, and it probably was from an expected-value standpoint. But as we always try to make clear, EV and actual results can vary greatly. Stevens went 10-19-3 for a net of -$109,000. Ouch.
A new PTs Gold has opened at 7355 S. Buffalo. It’s the 54th Nevada tavern operated by Golden Gaming and the 52nd in Las Vegas.
Earn 500 points today ($500 coin-in) at Jokers Wild today and get $10 in slot free play, up to a maximum of $30 in FP. That’s a sweet 2% perk at a casino with good video poker paytables. A similar deal runs on Mondays for a $10 food voucher. These are March deals that will also be offered on Sunday and Monday next week.
Registration is now open for our "Sunday Funday 38" poker tournament. Play begins at noon PST/3 p.m. EST today. Along with $100 for first, prizes include LVA membership with the 2017 Member Rewards Book, copies of our just-released The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide and Blackjack for Blood, and several new prizes. 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 12381). 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.
Jimi Manuwa is a -145 favorite over Cory Anderson in today's early UFC main event. In the other featured match, Gunnar Nelson is -330 over Alan Jouban.
Ticket prices for The Roller Coaster at New York-New York have been raised by $1. It's now $15 per ride and $26 for an all-day pass.
Reserve some time tomorrow to play in our 38th Sunday Funday online poker tournament. First place gets $100, and prizes will be awarded to the top 14 places. Prizes include LVA membership with the 2017 Member Rewards Book, copies of our just-released The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide and Blackjack for Blood, and several new prizes. 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.
Bloomberg reports that CG Technologies, formerly Cantor Gaming, is "shopping the business," as reported earlier in this space. The strange and volatile run of CGT in Las Vegas is outlined by FrankB in a fascinating blog post titled The End of Days for CGT. Read it at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
This Sunday a heads-up-poker match will take place at the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia, but this one is a little different from what you're used to seeing on TV. The match is being billed as the "Grudge Match" between feuding male and female pros. Get the lowdown on this upcoming battle of the sexes in Bill Ordine's latest post at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
The March Madness frenzy in Las Vegas is the front-page story in today's USA Today, which dubs Sin City the "spiritual home of college basketball." Brent Musburger and VSiN get more good ink and the D's Derek Stevens is quoted.
In addition to the list posted yesterday, Henderson’s Emerald Island is throwing a big shindig with food, drinks, and gambling incentives. O’Sheas’ "Bloq Party" features a parade and live bands all day. The Plaza is running a free party in the dome, matchplay vouchers at the bars, and a "green fireworks" show at 10 p.m. Snag $20 in matchplay at any of the four Sean Patrick’s Pubs, assuming you can get to the bar (they've been super crowded in previous years).
Our new book Blackjack for Blood is in-house and shipping. This isn't really a new book. In fact, it's been out since 1992. But we acquire only the best previously published gambling titles to add to our roster and BJFB qualifies as a classic among blackjack books. Get it now at our publisher's discount of $11.97 plus shipping from ShopLVA.com.
Las Vegas tends to go big when it comes to St. Paddy's Day celebrations, so expect the green beer to be flowing all over town this weekend. A good strategy for finding parties: Head to any bar with an Irish name—you know, JC's (Rampart), Ri Ra (Mandalay Bay), Jack's (Palace Station), or McMullan's. The big party is downtown on Fremont Street, March 16-19, with free performances by The Angry Brians, the Johnny McCuaig Band, the Celtic Rockers, Bogtrotters Union, Darby O'Gill & the Little People, and Finnegan's Wake. You can check out the full schedule at < a href='http://vegasexperience.com/best-place-spend-st-patricks-day-las-vegas-fremont-street-experience/' target='_blank'>Vegasexperience.com.
The March Madness college basketball tournament begins today and free viewing parties have been announced for South Point, Treasure Island, Tuscany, Palms, Palace Station, El Cortez, and almost all of the Boyd casinos. The Fremont Street Experience is hosting the 8th annual "Downtown Hoopstown" celebration with free entertainment, the "High Hoops Zone" basketball-shot challenge, and the "World's Largest NCAA Bracket" displayed on the Viva Vision canopy.
Mach Madness and St. Patty's aren't the only things going on this weekend. Here are some other highlights:
While the Super Bowl is the biggest single-game wagering event, the March Madness basketball tournament in total is much bigger. The American Gaming Association estimates the $10.4 billion will be wagered on the tournament, compared to an estimated $4.7 billion on the Super Bowl. Similarly, the legal sports books in Nevada expect to take close to $300 million in action, and surpass the $138 million bet on this year's Super Bowl by the end of this opening weekend. It's estimated that 40 million people will fill out 70 million brackets.
The Washington Post ran a good article today about Bret Musburger's move from ESPN to headline at the new Vegas Stats and Information Network. It's an interesting read, especially if you're interested in the VSiN effort.
With flights east backed up and canceled, the D is offering some entertainment relief. Stranded travelers who present a ticket or itinerary showing an east coast flight with a departure date of March 13-15 will receive one free ticket to one of the casino's shows, Defending the Caveman, Adam London’s Laughternoon, or Jokesters. It's another good move by the promotion-savvy Derek Stevens and his crew.
The Cosmopolitan will host an NCAA Basketball Tournament seminar today starting at 4 p.m. in the race & sports book. The seminar will be moderated by TC Martin, with panelists from CG Technologies. Admission is free.
Both James Grosjean and Bob Dancer have put up new posts at GamblingWithAnEdge.com. You'd be hard-pressed to find two more prominent gambling names writing in one spot, and both just happen to have written on subjects related to women. Some good stuff here.
It's not official, but Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem is being sold to MGM Resorts International for something in the area of $1.3 billion. Sands Bethlehem, considered one of Pennsylvania's most successful casinos, will enhance MRI's growing east-coast presence, joining its casinos in New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The deal may take up to six months to close.
Sunset Station is holding an NCAA Basketball Tournament seminar tonight from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Club Madrid. Hosted by SS race & sports book director Chuck Esposito, the panelists are Brian Blessing, Hank Goldberg, Bruce Marshall, and Andy Isko. Admission is free.
The Plaza is debuting a new "event space" just in time to host its "March Mania Viewing Party," March 16-19. Located just off the casino floor, the 5,000-square-foot space features 18 big-screen TVs, a state-of-the-art sound system, and two stages.
Las Vegas' best Bloody Mary deal is now a little less best. The price of Sunday BMs at Irene's on Spring Mountain has been raised 50 cents to $2.50. Originally only $1, this is still a bloody good play.
The Who has been booked to play the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The first six dates of the mini-residency will be July 29 and Aug. 1, 4, 7, 9, and 11. Tickets starting at $76 go on sale at the Caesars box office at noon on March 17.
North Carolina is the favorite to win the NCAA basketball championship, but its crowded near the top. North Carolina is +700, followed by Kansas (+850), Villanova at (+900), Gonzaga (+925), and Duke (+950). The long shots are Iona, Kent St., Troy, Jacksonville St., Northern Kentucky, North Dakota, Mt. St. Mary's, New Orleans, North Carolina Central, UC Davis, Texas Southern, and South Dakota St., each at +999999 (10,000-1).
After being taken to the hospital following a show mishap on Friday, Cris Angel was back performing at Luxor on Saturday. Dehydration was blamed for Angel losing consciousness during a Friday performance of Mindfreak Live!.
Expect more traffic snarls around today's NASCAR Kobalt 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race starts at 12:30 p.m., which means I-15 will be jammed leading up to the race. It will be even busier when the crowd lets out around 5 p.m. Avoid the area if you can.
Don't forget to move your clocks forward one hour for Daylight Saving Time. Sports bettors in particular are affected, especially when there are early games.
Kelvin Gastelum is a -365 favorite over Vitor Belfort in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Mauricio Rua is -160 over Gian Villante.
Friday's performance of Mindfreak Live! at Luxor was canceled mid-show when star Criss Angel was injured. According to reports, Angel was unable to escape from a straightjacket and lost consciousness while suspended upside-down. He was rushed to a hospital and reportedly was able to leave later that night.
NASCAR's Boyd Gaming 300 runs at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway today at 1 p.m. The big race of the NASCAR Weekend is the Kobalt 400, which runs tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. Expect heavy traffic on I-15 coinciding with these events, and it figures to be worse than usual with two lanes of the freeway closed for construction.
Heading into NASCAR Weekend, it's been announced that a second yearly NASCAR event is coming to Las Vegas. The event will be held in the fall beginning in 2018. It will be one of the final 10 races of the season, making it part of "The Chase for the Cup."
Three new Las Vegas restaurants have been awarded Five Stars from the Forbes Travel Guide. The new recipients are Le Cirque and Picasso from Bellagio and Wing Le from Wynn Las Vegas. They join returning Five Star winners Joel Robuchon from MGM, Guy Savoy from Caesars, and Twist at Mandarin Oriental. Las Vegas' Five Star hotels are Aria Sky Suites, Encore Tower Suites, Mandarin Oriental, Skylofts at MGM Grand, and Wynn Tower Suites. Wynn was a triple Five Star winner for hotel, restaurant, and spa.
The price tag for the under-construction Wynn Boston Harbor is rising again. Originally bid at $1.6 billion, then projected to cost $2.1 billion, changes being made to the design – including less retail and more restaurants and bars -- have raised the estimate to $2.4 billion. The resort is scheduled to open in 2019.
Daily fantasy sports giant DraftKings got a welcome cash infusion in the form of a $100 million investment from a group led by the part owner of the LA Dodgers. It's a positive sign that comes at a critical time for the industry as a whole. Bill Ordine, author of our DFS book Fantasy Sports Real Money breaks down the deal at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
We just learned that a technical glitch temporarily disabled our on-site email function, which primarily affects messages sent to Question of the Day and the Poll. Hence, if you responded to "Other" in the current poll, or sent in a QoD question this week, your email was likely not received. The email is working now and you can resubmit through normal channels or by clicking here.
The Strip gets all the attention, but the locals joints are where the deals are. Our new Reader Poll gives you a chance to pick your favorites. The choices include locals casinos only, none from the Strip or downtown. Should be interesting.
The stadium project first proposed for the former Wet 'n' Wild location in 2013 is still kicking. Two years since the last activity was seen on what was called the All Net Arena, work crews have been grading and leveling at the site. The project's developer maintains that funding is in place and that the stadium and resort can open by late 2019.
Bob Dancer's weekly blog post, titled "Whom Do You Trust," discusses the need for keeping particularly good gambling opportunities quiet. Read it to get some interesting insight into how a high-level video poker pro operates at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
Station Casinos is getting into the social-gambling business. The company announced that it will launch its free-play Station-Play app in the second quarter of this year. The app will tie into the Boarding Pass system, allowing players to earn points redeemable at Station properties.
Boyd has reversed its decision on Young at Heart eligibility for at least one casino. Following a change that limited participation to locals only, Jean Scott informs that everyone at least 50 years old is again eligible at Gold Coast, and likely all Boyd properties where the promotion runs.
A reporter for the Wall Street Journal wants to talk to players about their reaction to paying for parking. Anyone who has strong feelings either way and is willing to be interviewed, send an email or phone contact to [email protected] and we'll hook you up.
Our current hot-topic Reader Poll is on the subject of your favorite machine game. Is it Double Double Bonus video poker? Jacks or Better? Video keno? The poll closes at midnight, so there's still time to get your vote in.
West Virginia may be the next state to throw its hat into the sports betting ring. A bill was introduced last week that would sanction sports betting in the state and override the federal prohibition known as "PASPA." The outline of the plan calls for a 2% tax on every wager, which would be bad news if passed on to the customer, which seems likely.
In celebration of National Pancake Day, IHOP restaurants are serving free pancakes until 7 p.m. today. The offer is for a short stack of Original Buttermilk Pancakes, one per person, no other purchase required. There are three IHOP locations in Las Vegas.
Bank of America has stepped in as the funding source for the proposed Strip stadium, pledging to provide the $650 million that was originally expected to come from LV Sands. Details are sketchy, but the reports indicate that the deal will be structured as a loan, with B of A taking no equity stake in the stadium.
Estimates of the potential size of the gambling market in Japan are being scaled back. Though still juicy at $5-$10 billion in the first year, earlier estimates of as much as $20 billion are being discarded due to signs that the Japanese government is likely to restrictions on the industry that will affect the volume. Meanwhile, Galaxy Entertainment Group is the latest to declare an interest in obtaining a license to operate in Japan.
The former Pink E's pool hall on Flamingo just west of the Strip was completely destroyed in a fire last night. The blaze was so large that fire-fighters concentrated on containing it rather than trying to put it out quickly. The cause has not been identified.
Olivia Newton-John Summer Nights has concluded its run at the Flamingo. The official word is that ONJ's 2017 schedule didn't line-up with showroom availability. The show was a month shy of its third anniversary.
The Wheel has been hot. Another Wheel of Fortune jackpot was hit on Friday, this one at Monte Carlo for $585,000. It's the third big WoF jackpot to be reported this year.
The first in Nevada and farthest western location of a northeast chain called the Philly Pretzel Factory has been announced for the Grand Bazaar Shops at Bally’s. It will also be the first in the chain to offer alcohol (natch). The opening date hasn’t been set, but it’s expected to be this year.
The championship rounds of the USA Sevens rugby tournament are today at Sam Boyd Stadium, with play beginning at 11:30 a.m. The United States will play South Africa in one semi-final, while New Zealand meets Fiji in the other. The championship game will be aired on NBCSN, with coverage starting at 12:30 p.m.
Stephen Thompson is a -125 favorite over Tyron Woodley in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Alistair Overeem is -145 over Mark Hunt.
Nightclub impresarios Jesse and Cy Waits reportedly have a deal to bring back Rain at the Palms. The twins formerly ran XS at Encore and were planning to open a club at Alon, before that project was halted.
Jean Scott provides information on March casino promotions in her latest post at FrugalVegas.com. This month's focus is the changes in the Boyds' "Young at Heart" program, with plenty of follow-up comments from readers.
The USA Sevens rugby tournament runs today and tomorrow at Sam Boyd Stadium. The action began at 8 a.m. and there are almost 30 games scheduled today, with matches lasting only 14 minutes. In yesterday's play, the U.S. team went 2-0, beating Samoa and Chile. A portion of the action will be televised at 2:30 p.m. PST on NBCSN.
The Broadway hit Hamilton is coming to Las Vegas as part of the Smith's Center's 2017-18 show line-up. A touring company will perform for nearly a month in June 2018. Season subscribers will have first option on the Hamilton tickets.
The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide is in-house and shipping. This is the best book ever from Jean Scott and you can get yours now at our publisher's discount of $12.71 plus shipping from ShopLVA.com.
You've probably heard about Brian Zembic, the subject of the book The Man With the $100,000 Breasts, which tells the story of how he got breast implants to win a bet. Brian is a legend in gambling circles and he's gotten a lot of press for the obvious reasons, but he's also very reclusive. In a rare pubic appearance, he's the guest on this week's Gambling With an Edge podcast with Bob Dancer and Richard Munchkin. You don't want to miss this one.
Las Vegas' big rugby weekend kicks off tonight with the parade of nations at the Fremont Street Experience. Members of 28 teams from all over the world will participate and downtown will be packed tonight with visitors in for the games. The USA Sevens International Rugby Tournament will be played Friday-Sunday at Sam Boyd Stadium, with 1-day tickets starting at $107.
A new strip club that will accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is scheduled to open soon. The Legends Room is taking over the club that is currently Centerfolds and used to be Club Paradise. Read the whole story at ToplessVegasOnline.com.
Hooters is dealing $1 blackjack 24/7. There was only one game in action when we checked and naturals pay even money on bets of $5 or less, but the table was full. Lucky Club in North Las Vegas also deals a dollar game.
Atlantic City's Taj Mahal has been sold to an investment group that includes Hard Rock International. Other than the sale announcement, no other details were released, but it's possible a Hard Rock may be coming to the Boardwalk. The seller, Carl Icahn, also owns the AC Tropicana.
Bob Dancer's weekly blog post is titled "You're Not Ready Yet." In it he discusses how much preparation is necessary to take the next step toward high-level gambling. Read it at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
The former Kilroy's on W. Spring Mountain is now officially Sagos with the placement of a new sign on the building. It's significant because one of the best video poker coupons in the LVA Member Rewards Book says Kilroy's, but it's still redeemable at this location. It's also something of a changing of the guard, as all of the Kilroy's, once known for making one of the best burgers in town, are now closed, while this is Sagos' second location and a third is on the way.