The four-day Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly music festival returns to the Orleans on April 27-30. This year is its 26th anniversary, making it Vegas' longest-running festival. It's also the largest rockabilly event anywhere, featuring 85 bands and DJs, a burlesque showcase and competition hosted by filmmaker John Waters, burlesque bingo, vintage fashion show, dance lessons and competition, tiki pool parties, swimsuit and pinup contests, 120 vendors, all-night record hops, and a classic-car show with 1,000 cars on display. Tickets start at $40 for single events and go up to $230 for the full four-day admission, same as last year; they're available now on the VLV website.
Yet another attempt to legalize a lottery in Nevada is under way. Legislation has been introduced to amend the state constitution, which expressly prohibits lotteries, and it's not difficult to wonder why. Even if successful (we're taking the No), the earliest it could be put on a ballot for Nevadans to vote on would be 2026. Lotteries currently operate in 44 states.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Reid International will receive a federal grant of $31 million for upgrades to the baggage systems at Terminals 1 and 3. The grant is from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s airport-terminal program. The project will include replacing the conveyors and carousels and upgrading the standby power system at Terminal 1; a new control system at Terminal 3 will match the one at Terminal 1. The new systems will "enhance the capacity, security, and energy efficiency at the airport." The project is expected to get going at the end of the year; no timetable for completion was announced.
Our own Jean Scott, author of the Frugal series of casino guidebooks, was profiled and interviewed in a long piece at CDCGaming.com yesterday as part of CDC's "Faces of Gaming" series. Dubbed "the original casino influencer," Jean discusses her upbringing, early days as an advantage player, the extent of the comps she and her husband Brad earned over the years, her transition from gambler to writer, her life today, and much more. This is as good a summation of Jean's amazing career as we've seen in many many years. Catch it here.
Though it was open for less than a year, the Moulin Rouge, Las Vegas' first integrated casino, continues to make waves here nearly seven decades later. The Mob Museum hosted "A Night at the Moulin Rouge" last Thursday and in attendance were Anna Bailey, one of the showgirls at the Rouge and then the first Black showgirl on the Strip, as well as Manny Davis, Sammy Davis Jr's son. Bailey told the Review-Journal about opening night: “Everybody was there. Almost all of Hollywood was there. Almost all the Strip was there. All the showgirls from the Strip came over. It was a hit right from the beginning.” Davis said his father "received encore after encore while performing in Las Vegas, but then was ushered out through the venue’s kitchen." A panel discussion, temporary exhibit of Rouge artifacts, and live entertainment rounded out the evening.
Every year, hundreds of "tower runners" race up the 1,445 stairs to the top of the STRAT tower in a fundraiser, "Fight for Air," sponsored by the American Lung Association. This year over the weekend, more than 600 runners ran up the 108 stories and one, the world's top-ranked tower climber, beat his own record by 11 seconds and tied the all-time record. Malaysian national Soh Wai Ching, 28, took six minutes and 46 seconds to reach the top; it was his second year in a row winning the time contest. A Mexican national set the record in 2020.
Las Vegas' XFL pro-football team, the Vipers, lost their second game in a row in their season-opening home game at Cashman Field yesterday. The Vipers lost 22-20 to the Renegades in Arlington, Texas, last week after leading 14-3 at halftime; they lost 18-6 at home yesterday against the D.C. Defenders, despite leading 6-0 at halftime. The game attracted a decent crowd of local fans, with announced attendance of 6,023, more than half filling the 10,000-seat stadium. A steady downpour dampened the game in the second half and by all reports, the makeshift football field at Cashman didn't stand up to it.
The Cosmopolitan has announced the movies it will be showing on its 65-foot marquee with seating at the fourth-floor pool this summer. The movies will be shown every Monday from May 22 to Sept. 11 starting at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7) and though they cost $15 per person ($10 for locals), they're free if you're a member of Cosmo's Identity club. The newish flicks are Elvis (June 19), Top Gun: Maverick (July 3), Crazy Rich Asians (July 10), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (July 31). You can see the full schedule here. We reviewed this scene a couple of summers ago, our reviewer sitting in a lounge chair at the shallow end of the pool in a bathing suit to watch the movie in 100-degree heat overlooking the Strip for free.
As promised since last month, in this week's video, Anthony takes a deep dive into this year's Member Rewards Book (MRB), the big package of coupons that come with a subscription to the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter. For anyone visiting Las Vegas even once, the MRB is an absolute no-brainer: With it in your hot little hands, you can pay for the cost of the membership at least 10 times over without breaking a sweat. This year, we have two "master coupons," each of which is worth at least the cost of signing up by themselves, one at the Palms (2-for-1 buffet), the other at the Downtown Grand (best room rate up to five nights with no resort fee). More room, dining, drinking, entertainment, activity, eat-and-play, and gambling promotions fill the MRB and Anthony details most of them. Bottom line: You can visit Las Vegas and pay retail like the tens of millions of other suckers. Or you can play it smart with the Member Rewards Book. And don't forget, the LVA newsletter has the most valuable information we publish; what you can see for free on this site is just a tease. Click, subscribe, and save!
The winner of the January 13 Mega Millions jackpot for $1.35 billion, the fourth largest lottery prize in U.S. history and second largest MegaMillions jackpot, claimed the money on Wednesday, taking full advantage of a state policy that allowed the winner to remain anonymous via establishing a trust. The winner opted for the lump-sum payment of $723.6 million before taxes, $498 million after ($173.6 million in federal, $51 million in state). The trust is domiciled in Las Vegas, which made this story interesting to us. Because Nevada collects no state income tax, it also has no Information Sharing Agreement with the IRS; there's no information to share. In addition, thanks to Nevada's friendly environment for business structures, shareholders in Nevada-registered entities can remain anonymous. Finally, if the winner establishes Nevada residency and spends 181 days a year here, he/she can avoid Maine state taxes, even spending the rest of the year there. It sounds like this winner is getting very good advice.
The annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon is here this weekend and three different races -- 5K, 10K, and half-marathon -- will take place downtown today and on the Strip tomorrow. Today's 5K race starts at 5 p.m. and will disrupt traffic on and around Las Vegas Blvd; tomorrow's 10K and half-marathon races will start at 4:30 p.m. near Park MGM and close lanes up to the Mirage from noon to midnight.
Superstar 44-year-old R&B singer Usher told The Hollywood Reporter this week that he moved to Las Vegas about a year ago. “I began to curate my own little world here, so much so that I’ve actually put a flag in the ground. I’m not saying that this is the end-all-be-all, but I have a place here so I can accommodate my family,” while he continues his multi-year residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Usher is twice divorced and has four sons.
This big hit took place in northern Nevada in the small town of Minden, 15 miles south of Carson City in the Carson Valley. An Oregon woman was playing a Wheel of Fortune Penny Progressive machine at the Carson Valley Inn last Saturday with a 100-penny bet when she hit the progressive jackpot for $3.27 million. That's what we call a decent return on investment.
The ever-alert folks over at VegasChanges.com (whoever they may be) noticed a new food court on the second floor of New York-New York across from the Pour 24 bar and Coyote Ugly. VegasChanges is the only coverage we've seen on this development. Interestingly, it's called NYNY Food Hall, but a food hall, at least according to our definition (populated by numerous local and/or artisanal dining options, rather than the usual fast-food chains) is more than what's there: Capriotti’s, Wing Zone, and a pizzeria. Food Hall is definitely a food court and a mini one at that.
Businesses in Alamo, a tiny Nevada town located about 100 miles north of Las Vegas on US 93, have been cleared to sell alcohol. The town’s board has overturned a “dry” law that’s been in place there since 1985. Now all they have to do is work out how to get around other zoning laws (distance requirements from churches, schools, etc.) to get the booze on shelves. A bar? Not likely in the near future. Heck, only two businesses in one-square-mile, a grocery store and a gas station/mini-mart on the highway, sell anything at all.
TheFamilyVacationGuide.com has ranked Las Vegas in its top-ten list of most family-friendly destinations in the U.S. for a winter vacation. The city just made the cut, coming in at number 10, behind Orlando (#1), Indianapolis (really?), and Phoenix, Austin, two towns in Virginia, Atlanta, Maui, and Savannah. Metrics included family-friendly hotels, average winter weather and snowfall, and safety. What caught our attention, though, was the average cost of one night in a hotel. According to the Guide, Las Vegas placed fifth at $171. The highest-priced room was on Maui ($556), the lowest in Austin ($106). Vegas isn't the bargain destination it used to be, but at least according to this survey, room rates are about average.
Martin Yan, star of the PBS cooking show "Yan Can Cook" for the past 41 years (wow!), winner of an Emmy and several James Beards, and cookbook author among other claims to fame, will open M.Y. Asia at the Horseshoe on March 13. Along with Yan's pan-Asian menu, the 5,300-square-foot will have150 seats, noodle bar, open kitchen complete with noodle-pulling demonstrations, Yan merch for sale, and food-warming lockers for take-out after ordering online. M.Y. Asia will be open 11-11 Mon.-Thurs., till 1 a.m. Fri.-Sunday.
We don’t pay much attention to these non-stop National-Everything Days, but today’s National Margarita Day might yield some good results in Las Vegas. So far we’ve seen half-price margaritas in STK at Cosmo and 2X loyalty points (eh?) at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. If you’re in a bar or restaurant today, basic strategy is to ask if there’s a deal going on.
Steve Asmussen, an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer, achieved his 10,000th victory when his horse finished first on Monday in the fifth race at Oaklawn, located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. That number of wins put Asmussen, who comes from a racing family, in a league entirely of his own; in 2021, he broke the career-win record of 9,541 training victories, set by Dale Baird before his death in an auto accident in 2007. Asmussen has won the Preakness twice and the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer twice and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2016. He's 0-24 in the Kentucky Derby, but at only 57 years old, he'll probably win that one sooner or later.
Poker superstar Patrik Antonius scooped a pot worth $1.98 million on Sunday during play that was live-streamed on PokerGO’s show, “No Gamble, No Future Cash of the Titans.” The pot set a new record for being the largest ever live-streamed, breaking the previous record of $1.16 million, won by Alan Keating during a game on Hustler Casino Live. Six players bought in for $1 million to participate in PokerGo's cash game, with blinds of $1,000/$2,000 by the third day. In the record hand, Antonius held ace-king of hearts, while Eric Persson had queen-nine, also of hearts. The flop was 8,3,3, with two hearts. The two went all in and the turn was the ace of spades, so on the river, Persson was drawing dead. Antonius' huge pile of chips didn't last long; he later lost a $1.27 million pot.
Of course, we don't know the whole story, but on the surface, it sounds to us like the Wynn's vaunted customer-service culture was, in this case, superseded by the dealer imperative never to stop the game. A Florida family is suing the Wynn for delaying emergency care for an attorney who had a heart attack at one of the blackjack tables. The suit claims that the man collapsed at the table and remained slumped over with his arm extended unnaturally for 20 minutes before anyone came to his aid; in the meantime, play continued at the table, while other employees started counting his chips. Lawyers for the family state that sleeping or becoming unconscious at gaming tables is a violation of Nevada gaming law and employees “should have known” to intervene. Finally, a new dealer arrived and noticed discoloration in the man's skin and that he appeared not to be breathing. Only then did employees summon a defibrillator, but they weren't trained in its use. The man died three days later and the family is suing over wrongful death, negligence, negligence in security, and negligence in training and hiring. In a statement, the Wynn said that it will "strongly defend" itself against the "false allegations" in the lawsuit. We'd love to get a look at that surveillance tape.
Allegiant Air will launch non-stop round-trip service between Reid International and Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 15. The route will operate Thursdays and Sundays. On both days, the flight will depart LAS at 6:35 a.m. and arrive at LEX at 1:34 p.m. The return trip will depart LEX at 2:24 p.m. and arrive at LAS at 3:41 p.m. Introductory tickets begin at $69 each way.
Mega rapper Usher's second Las Vegas residency in two years began on July 15 at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The 23 shows ran through October and all sold out well in advance. Then, Usher announced 25 more shows from March to July, 2023, which are also, according to the press release, "on track for a sellout." Now comes word that "Usher: My Way The Vegas Residency" will be extended by 15 dates in June and October: June 16, 17, 20, 23, 24, and 29 and October 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 25, 27, and 28. Tickets are on sale now for all shows at Ticketmaster.
Poker books that aren't about strategy don't get a lot of attention, but our title, The 50 Greatest Stories in Poker History by Marton Magyar, just did and it's in very good company. Read the review here.
The Wealth Report is an annual study conducted by Henley & Partners, a London-based consultancy that advises high-net-worth clients on residency and citizenship programs around the world based on investment. (For example, invest $100,000 in the Caribbean island of St. Lucia and qualify for a passport in 90 days.) This year's report contains an interesting detail about Las Vegas. According to Henley, Bellagio is the number-two most popular hotel in the U.S. for centimillionaires. The Mansion at MGM Grand is number nine. (First place goes to the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, third is the Plaza in Manhattan, fourth the Beverly Hills Hotel, and fifth the Fisher Island Club in Miami Beach.)
This year's Forbes' Five- and Four-Star hotels, restaurants, and spas have been announced and Wynncore garnered seven of the 16 Five-Star facilities: Wynn and Encore for overall hotel, Wynn and Encore Tower Suites, the spas at both, and Wing Lei at Wynn. The others are the usual suspects: Aria Sky Suites, Joël Robuchon (MGM Grand), Le Cirque and Picasso (Bellagio), Restaurant Guy Savoy (Waldorf Astoria), Skylofts at MGM Grand, and the spas at ARIA, Encore, Four Seasons, Wynn, and Waldorf Astoria. Forbes awarded Four Stars in the hotel category to Aria, Crockfords (Resorts World), Four Seasons, Palazzo, and Venetian. For restaurants: Blossom (Aria), Cut (Palazzo), Genting Palace and Kusa Nori (Resorts World), L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (MGM Grand), Michael Mina (Bellagio), Mizumi (Wynn), Mott 32 (Venetian), and Sinatra and SW Steakhouse (Wynn). For spas: Awana (Resorts World), Bellagio, Canyon Ranch (Venetian), Mio (M Resort), Red Rock, Sahra (Cosmopolitan), and Vdara.
Team LeBron is a -2 favorite over Team Giannis in tonight's NBA All Star Game. The total is 323.5.
Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney are the co-favorites to win today’s Daytona 500 auto race at +950 (bet $100 to win $950), followed by Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott, both at +1075. In his return to NASCAR after a fling with IndyCar, two-time winner Jimmy Johnson is +2570.
There's a lot of buzz around the latest rumor that the Oakland A's might build their stadium on a portion of the vast parking lot behind the Rio. A lot of the excitement is coming from right here at our office, which is across Twain Avenue (and slightly caddy corner) from the back of the Rio; we have a nice view of it from the second floor. Unlike previous rumors, the Rio wouldn't get torn down; the parking lot is plenty big enough to host the stadium and parking for thousands. Of all the possibilities for the stadium -- Las Vegas Festival Grounds, excess Circus Circus land, Tropicana site, Summerlin -- this one certainly seems to have the most possibilities. It's not on the Strip, so traffic wouldn't be impacted, but it's definitely part of the tourist corridor. But like Allegiant Stadium, it would overlook the Strip, so the stadium could be designed to maximize the views. Three hotels with nearly 4,000 rooms are within a few minutes' walking distance. The newish Harmon Avenue/Valley View arterial makes it a quick hop from the Strip to the Rio (literally; catching all green lights, it's a five-minute drive). Also, as we reported the other day, the Rio's owner, Dreamscape Properties, is planning on making a sizable investment into returning the hotel-casino to its former glory. Finally, it wouldn't hurt the value of our own property and how cool would it be to watch MLB games from our roof! Here's hoping!
British singer-songwriter-punk/classic rocker Billy Idol will perform an exclusive concert at Hoover Dam on April 8 for 250 people willing to pay $1,500-$2,200 for the show package (the $750 tickets are sold out). It includes a room at the Waldorf Astoria, transportation, food and drink, after party, and swag. Idol's long-time guitarist, the Pete Townshend-like Steve Stevens, will also perform. It's unclear where the stage will be; this is the first concert of its kind. But if it's at the base of the dam, it'll be spectacular. The concert is a fundraiser to raise awareness of the long-running drought in the U.S. For package details and to buy tickets, visit the website, thisisvertigolive.
The XFL football season opens today. It’s the third go-round for the league that, similar to the USFL, which will begin its second season in April, seeks to cut into the dominance of the NFL. Both upstart leagues employ variations on NFL rules designed to increase action and scoring. In today’s inaugural game in the eight-team league, the Arlington Renegades are -3.5 favorites over the Las Vegas Vipers. The total is 36.5.
Vegas Eater has cracked open the latest hidden-bar door, this one into Easy's Cocktail Lounge "tucked away behind an unassuming doughnut stand" named Easy Donuts at Aria's new food hall, Proper Eats. "A false wall behind the cappuccino machine gives way to a velvet-enrobed lounge" with some of the most expensive drinks we've seen: $27 for signature cocktails and $50 for "showstopper" drinks. Here's how Eater describes two of the showstoppers. "The Smoke Show cocktail is served with a cigar box filled with candy cigarettes, a smoking ashtray, and two cocktails of bourbon, banana liqueur, sweet vermouth, and chocolate bitters in glass barware that looks like pipes. The Heart of the Ocean cocktail blends tequila, orgeat (syrup), lime, blueberry, and a black-sea-salt foam for a briney inhale with every sip. It’s presented within a glass seashell, inside a bowl of real seashells and, of course, floating over a dry ice fog. Blue LED lights ensure it catches the eye as it moves from the bar to your table." For food, you have your choice -- are you ready for this? -- of caviar or donuts. And live entertainment, from single performers to jazz or swing groups, is put on all five nights a week Easy's is open: Thurs-Mon. 6 p.m.-2 a.m.
Bottled Blonde, a Scottsdale-based bar brand, has announced a $50 million four-story entertainment venue to be located at "the southeast corner of the Strip and Flamingo Road." It sounds to us like it will join Blake Shelton's Ole Red four-story entertainment barn at the fast-disappearing Grand Bazaar Shops that front the Horseshoe. The 225,000-square-foot venue will, of course, feature an open-air rooftop lounge with a reported full view of the fountains across the Strip. According to the press release, Bottled Blonde has three locations in Texas and one in Miami, with another opening soon in Nashville; the PR claims Bottled Blonde is the highest-grossing bar brand in Arizona and Texas. The Vegas venue is expected to open toward the end of 2024.
Travel website ThePointsGuy.com reports that the new MGM Rewards program can now be matched to World of Hyatt points to get MGM parking and resorts fees waived at certain tier levels. Hyatt's lowest-level Discoverist tier (10 nights or 25,000 base points) equates with MGM's Pearl level and gets rid of parking fees, while the higher levels, Explorist and Globalist, can be matched to MGM's Gold tier for waived resort fees and certain VIP perks. For the full story on how to match the two programs, go to Hyatt's website, scroll down the MGM page, and click on the Learn More button.
The American Gaming Association reported on Wednesday that gross gaming revenue for commercial (non-tribal) casinos set a new record in 2022. The $60.4 billion was just under 14% more than the previous record of $53 billion set in 2021. The $7.4 billion difference nearly equates with the $8.3 billion brought in by Strip casinos during the year, which was 17% above 2021's $6.9 billion. Atlantic City ranked second in GGR at $2.8 billion. The Boulder Strip came in 10th at $966.6 million, Reno/Sparks was 12th at $910.7 million, and downtown Las Vegas was 16th at $787.1 million. The AGA projected that, including tribal casinos, total GGR for 2022 will break the $100 billion mark for the first time.
In this week's video, Anthony and Andrew touch on the wacky weather, some Super Bowl numbers (including the countdown to Big Game 2024 right here in Sin City), two new machine-only casinos that they visited, and how to get your Member Rewards Book delivered to your hotel if you can't make it to the office. This is where it gets really interesting, as Anthony describes his first-ever experience being "backroomed" by security. The Jackpot of the Week is also a doozy, a dealt royal on a Three-Play Super Times Pay machine winning $6,000 on a 50-cent bet. Find out where and why Anthony was backroomed and how the small bet turned into a big win -- just by clicking the red arrow.
In the midst of a four-month tour of North America and Europe, the Chicks, formerly known as the Dixie Chicks, will stop at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood for a six-show mini-residency on May 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, and 13. Founded in Dallas in 1989, the Dixie Chicks' current lineup hasn't changed since 1995, but the name changed to just The Chicks in 2020. The band has been nominated for a total of 111 awards (Academy of Country Music, Country, American, Billboard, Blockbuster, UK and Canada, Critics Choice, and Grammy music awards) and have won 61, including 16 Grammys. Tickets are on sale now and start at $109 at Ticketmaster.
The New York Post is reporting that James Dolan, owner of Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks and Rangers, "has quietly agreed to pay the legendary rock group U2 $10 million to produce a splashy show to open the MSG Sphere." And that's not all. The 10 mil, according to the Post, is in addition to the "guaranteed proceeds U2 will reap from the gigs, collecting more than 90% of earnings from ticket sales." Which should be a lot, considering that U2 will play "roughly 12 shows, with the first slated for around Sept. 29 and the rest spread over a few months, according to sources briefed on the talks." But wait, there's more. The Post writes that the Sphere is burning through cash so fast that a crisis is consuming the company and two top executives "decided to exit effective immediately." Also, the Sphere is having trouble attracting corporate sponsorship; the Post claims that MSG "hasn't found any." The Sphere is now banking on immersive films that will be presented on "a 160,000-square-foot LED screen that’s the size of three football fields and a state-of-the-art sound system that fires through the floorboards." The Post also reveals: "MSG projects that in its first full year, the Sphere would present between 400 and 500 film screenings, attracting 3 million to 4 million customers, with seats priced as high as $50 each," but much fewer concerts; "MSG Sphere is having trouble booking other rock bands and top entertainers. Many acts are balking at the idea of producing splashy visual spectacles that might overpower their music, a source close to the situation said." Is the Sphere too ambitious to start? This should be interesting.
Take a cool three-minute scroll through Insider.com's story, "A History of Las Vegas in Photos: How It Transformed from Railroad Town to Infamous Gambling Mecca." In all, 35 photos and captions guide you from the early 1900s up until 1977 and the Insider folks took a deep dive into the archives to come up with a majority of them. If you like Las Vegas photo history, this is one page you shouldn't miss. (And thanks to Canada Roy for sending the link.)
Flurries in the valley, including a trace at Reid International, marked the first time since official record keeping started in Las Vegas in 1937 that snow has fallen here on Valentine's Day. Snow was recorded all the way from the airport to Boulder City, with winds reaching 60 mph in some places. The Spring Mountains got dumped on, with "mid-blizzard" conditions and temperatures dropping to below zero. Today will be windy again, but dry, with the high right around 50 and the low tonight right around 30, 12 degrees colder than normal.
The handle for Super Bowl bets in Nevada sports books came to $153.2 million. It was the fourth highest total in Super Bowl history statewide, considerably less than the record of $179.8 million set last year. The hold was $11.3 million or 7.4% of the handle. That too was comparatively tame, the lowest amount since the sports books held $10.8 million in 2019; the highest was in 2020, when the books earned $18.8 million (the Chiefs beat San Francisco 31-20). All eyes are now focused on Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Some analysts are predicting that the handle could be as high as $200 million, smashing the old record.
As part of a 47-date tour around the world, early this month global superstar singer Beyoncé announced a single show at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday August 26. Now comes word that due to demand, she'll stick around for a second show the following day, Sunday the 27th. Only "Verified Fans" will be eligible for tickets; you can register for fanship and see the other tour dates here.
Vic’s Las Vegas Italian restaurant and jazz club has opened at 355 Promenade Place in the Symphony Park neighborhood (across the way from the Children's Discovery Museum and Reynolds Hall at the Smith Center). The 8,650-square-foot 88-seat restaurant is named for Vegas Vic, the iconic Fremont Street sign, and is owned and operated by Paul, Chris, and Paul Jr. Lowden. Paul Lowden started in Las Vegas as a keyboardist and bandleader in the early '60s, then went on to own the Hacienda, Pioneer, Sahara, and Santa Fe. Paul's son Chris also runs Stoney’s Rockin’ Country at Town Square. There's no cover to see Vic's jazz entertainers; the restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner 5 p.m. to midnight, and the lounge 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
Mark Calloway, better known to WWE wrestling fans everywhere as the Undertaker, is bringing his popular "UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW" to the Cosmopolitan for one night only on March 24. The show is described as taking place in an "intimate setting," where the Undertaker will "share never-before-heard stories from his Hall of Fame career and take questions from the WWE Universe in attendance."
The show has sold out venues in Nashville, Philadelphia, Boston, and San Antonio since debuting last summer and tickets went on sale a minute ago (10 a.m. PT) at Ticketmaster.
Now that the Super Bowl is over and NFL fans have seven loooooooong months till the 2023-2024 season starts, the XFL pro-football spring leagues gets underway with the first of the 10-game season being played next Saturday. The lineups are set and you can see the rosters for all eight teams here. Scroll all the way down to the bottom from the Vegas Vipers, last in alpha order. (And thanks to Canada Roy for the link.) The Vipers will play at the 10,000-seat Cashman Field stadium just north of downtown, where the first home game will take place on Saturday February 25 against the DC Defenders. Tickets aren't quite available yet, but look to be in the $25 range.
GeoComply, the Internet compliance and anti-fraud company, announced this morning that they conducted more than 100 million geolocation checks in 23 U.S. states and the District of Columbia over the weekend, a 25% increase from Super Bowl weekend 2022. The company also recorded 7.4 million accounts, a 32% increase over 2022’s game. (Since Super Bowl LVI, four states -- Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland, and Ohio -- legalized sports betting.) Also, more than 100,000 geolocation checks were conducted near or inside State Farm Stadium, where the game was played, from more than 8,000 sports books accounts. GeoComply checked the most geolocations in New York (13.9 million), followed by Pennsylvania and Kansas, home states for the Super Bowl contestants (11.8 million and 2.2 million, respectively). A quarter-million bets were rejected from Missouri, where the Kansas City Chiefs stadium is located, but sports betting isn't legal.
The Irish band U2, considered by many the biggest rock 'n' rollers in the world, made the long-anticipated announcement of their plan to open the MSG Sphere with a Super Bowl ad yesterday. The show, dubbed “U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere,” will be U2's first appearance in four years, but without long-time drummer Larry Mullen, who's taking a sabbatical. For more info as it's announced, go to U2xSPHERE.com; to register for tickets, go to verifiedfan.livenation.com/u2.
The Philadelphia Eagles are -1 favorites over the Kansas City Chiefs in tonight's Super Bowl. The total is 51.
Get your phones ready to time the singing of the Super Bowl's National Anthem. The over/under on how long it will take Chris Stapleton to sing it is 2:06.5. This bet is available only at offshore books, with several time variations at different odds, but this is the proposition at -110 either way.
If you’re in Arizona (you don’t have to be a resident), there’s still time to get in on one of the best deals we’ve ever offered for LVA membership. Fund an account and bet at least $10 at Desert Diamond Sports and get a choice of two incentive packages, one of which includes a one-year LVA membership. Additionally, you’ll get a match bonus (up to $250) and a $25 free-bet on the Super Bowl. The offer will continue after today, but won’t include the SB bet. If you’re not in Arizona, hold tight – we’ll soon be rolling out this deal in other states with legal sports betting.
https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/play-desert-diamond/
In what's become something of a national holiday in both the U.S. and Canada, North America will essentially shut down for the Super Bowl this evening. This game will mark several firsts in Super Bowl history: the first time two black quarterbacks will start the game, the first time two brothers will play against each other, and the first time the military flyover will be piloted by an all-female team. For our purposes, it's also the first time sports betting is legal in the home states of both teams, as well as the state where the game is being played; it's also the first stadium that has a bona fide standalone sports book, a 17,000-square-foot BetMGM building within walking distance of State Farm Stadium in Glendale (Arizona is also a top-10 state for handle). Of course, it will also, by all accounts, be the biggest single-game gambling event in sports history. More money will change hands over the outcome of legal wagers on today's game than the gross national product of 60 countries and illegally than at least half of them. And here's the thing: This is just the lead-up to next year's Super Bowl, which will be played in the Gambling Capital of the World. How big will that be? We believe it's impossible to overestimate.
Islam Makhachev is a -415 favorite over Alexander Volkanovski in tonight’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, Yair Rodriguez is -190 over Josh Emmett.
Currently under way is ICE London, the world's largest gambling-industry conference and trade show. In a panel discussion on tribal gaming, the chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) presented some interesting statistics on the extent of the tribes’ influence in California. He noted that of the 270 tribes in the U.S. involved in gaming in some way, 70 (26%) of them are in California. Then, citing a recent report on total gaming revenue in the U.S., the chairman said that tribal gaming represents 44% of the total gaming market in the U.S. and that 24% of that 44% comes from California tribes. Doing the arithmetic, California tribes represent close to 1/10th of the gaming market -- tribal and commercial -- in the entire country. Imagine what it would be with sports betting.
Sitting at a Wheel of Fortune Triple Gold Spin machine at Bellagio on Thursday, a player hit the progressive jackpot for a major $3,257,830. No other details were released by IGT.
In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal late last week, the Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.'s CFO yesterday told the that MSG Sphere will open sometime in September. That's good news for the MSG company, as the one-of-a-kind arena will be in action for the F1 race in November and CES in January. The CFO wouldn't identify the opening act (widely rumored to be U2) or describe the immersive film that will run multiple times daily. But at least we know that the venue will be completed in the next seven months or so.
In this week's video update, Anthony and Andrew 'splain a couple of snafus from last week's update, then launch into a long discussion on -- what else? -- the Super Bowl: the current line and total, the National Anthem prop bet, the parties in Vegas, and more. Anthony also provides details again on the great deal LVA's got going on a free sports bet and Advisor membership for Arizona residents. Our new book, even though it's strictly for blackjack nerds, gives Anthony a chance to spell out how the 350 pages of charts help card counters increase their edge via deviations from basic strategy. Finally, the Jackpot of the Week is a deuce at Deuces, a pair of four-deuce jackpots within five minutes of each other. Click and enjoy!
On the heels of Hustler Club Live's plan to host a poker cash game with a $1 million buy-in sometime in May (players unknown at this point), PokerNews.com reports that PokerGo will live-stream a $1 million-buy-in cash game on its usually pre-recorded show "No Gamble No Future" next Friday, February 17. The cash-game episode, dubbed "The Rich Get Richer," will start at 5:30 p.m. ET and the announced players include Eric Persson, Patrik Antonius, Rob Yong, Andrew Robl, MJ Gonzales, and Rick Salomon. You can see it for free on PokerGo's YouTube channel.
Durango Hotel-Casino, going up in the southwest valley (S. Durango Drive and the 215 Beltway), has unveiled renderings and announced tenants for its food hall. The 25,000-square-foot space, dubbed Eat Your Heart Out, will offer 11 food and drink eateries. Outlets of local establishments include Yu-Or-Mi Sushi, Shang Artisan Noodle, a facsimile of Palace Station's popular oyster bar, Nielsen’s Frozen Custard, and Vesta Coffee. New to Las Vegas will be Fiorella (Italian) from chef Marc Vetri; Irv’s Burgers, founded in L.A. in 1946; Uncle Paulie’s (deli), with three locations in southern California; Prince Street Pizza from Manhattan's Soho district; Ai Pono Cafe (Hawaiian) from a local "Top Chef"; and DRNK, the centerpiece bar. Durango is scheduled to open this fall.
Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk, an autobiography by famed sports bettor and gambler Billy Walters (written with journalist Armen Keteyian), will be published on August 15, by Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Nearly $1.2 billion is expected to be bet legally on this year's Super Bowl; if it is, it will break the billion-dollar mark for legal handle for the first time. Last year, the handle was $957 million. Including casual and illegal betting, the handle could go as high as $16 billion, twice as much as last year, according to the American Gaming Association. Meanwhile, Deadline.com reports that FOX Sports sold out all of its spots for Super Bowl ads, with some costing as much as $7 million for 30 seconds of air time. Most ads fell between $6 million and $7 million, but they didn't sell out until a couple of weeks ago, long after the traditional sellout dates, due to economic volatility, especially with cryptocurrency advertisers. The average prices were 3.5%-11.5% higher than last year's $5.8 to $6.2 million.
To us, no matter what the press releases indicate and how many grand opening celebrations are held, here in the Sign Capital of the World, it's not the Horseshoe until the signs say Horseshoe. And finally, the word "Horse" can now be seen on one of the former Bally's hotel towers. When all the signage is in place, we might even feel at ease with dropping "the former Bally's."
The Big Game is always a BIG deal here in Vegas and this year is no different. If you don’t know where to go, simply hit the nearest sports book or local bar where the game will surely be on. This year the Chiefs take on the Eagles and the 3 team bars' details are:
Chiefs:
Eagles:
Other notable parties:
For a more extensive list of Super Sunday parties check out Vegasthenandnow.com, who we must thank for saving us a LOT of typing.
New Mexico-based Electric Playhouse will open its second location this summer at the Forum Shops at Caesars. The attraction is described as "an immersive-experience venue in which the walls and floors react to players' movements and no headsets or controllers are required." The website lists 16 games, such as "Space Runner," "Power Twist," "Light Hockey," and "Paint Pong," intended for ages 3 and up for anywhere from one to 20 players and two difficulty levels: moderate and extreme. The venue also hosts "fine dining," entertainment events, and parties. General admission to the New Mexico location costs $15-$18. Sounds different.
The producers of Hustler Casino Live (HCL), the super-popular poker show live-streamed from Hustler Casino in Los Angeles (launched in August 2021), have announced a cash game with a $1 million minimum buy in to be played and streamed in May. According to HCL, it will be "the biggest event in live-streamed poker history." PokerNews.com reports that it will be no-limit hold 'em with blinds starting at $500/$1,000, "but you can expect frequent straddles, the blinds to increase as the session progresses, and potentially upwards of $15 million or more on the table before it's all said and done." The exact date of the game will be announced when the players are in place.
Van Morrison will play three shows at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood on September 6, 8, and 9. The 77-year-old Sir George Ivan Morrison has been performing since he started as a musician for Northern Irish showbands in the late 1950s. He's recorded more than 40 albums with dozens of hit songs and 150 that have been used in movie soundtracks; he's also earned two Grammys and was knighted in 2016. Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday at 10 a.m. PT at Ticketmaster.
Two weeks and a day after receiving the approval of the Nevada Gaming Commission, U.K.-based sports betting company Betfred will open its first sports book in the U.S. at the Virgin on Thursday February 9, just in time to book Super Bowl bets. Elbert “Ickey” Woods, a running back for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1988, the year they lost the Super Bowl to the San Francisco 49ers, and a UNLV graduate will make the first bet; Woods is still remembered for his "Ickey Shuffle" end-zone dance. Betfred is the official betting partner of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Harry Reid International handled a record 52.6 million passengers last year, beating the previous record of 51.5 million set in 2019. It was also 33% more passengers than in 2021. December's 4.37 million passengers set a new monthly record and helped the annual count reach its highest total ever. International passengers soared in 2022 at 2.5 million, a 235% increase over the 757,642 in 2021. Las Vegans passed through the airport in record numbers as well; long-term parking spaces reached capacity three times more last year than in 2019. As always, Southwest Airlines booked the most passengers in 2022 (18 million, 29% more than 2021). Spirit came in second (7.3 million, +54.2%). Frontier was third (5 million), followed by Delta (4.7 million), American and Allegiant (4.2 million each), and United (3.6 million). Though the airport was busier than ever, the number of total visitors to Las Vegas, 38.8 million, dropped nearly 9% from the 42.5 million pre-pandemic in 2019.
An article in this morning's Review-Journal cites a study by insurance company HiRoad, which compared gasoline prices from GasBuddy with the average hourly salary of state residents, as listed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The study found that in 2022 on average, Nevadans spent 27% of their hourly wage for a gallon of gas; HiRoad ranked it "the least affordable state for gas related to salary." Nevada was followed by Idaho (23.6%), California (23.3%), Indiana (22.8%), and Hawaii (22.5%). Late last week, Nevada gas stations were selling the fourth-most-expensive gasoline nationwide at $4.01 per gallon, behind Hawaii ($4.93), California ($4.59), and Washington ($4.13). Las Vegas was a little lower at $3.97 per gallon.
The Clark County Marriage License Bureau has set up a temporary office at Reid International to facilitate the licensing process for the thousands of couples getting married in the lead-up to Valentine's Day. The pop-up Bureau helps couples avoid a trip downtown to the main office and spreads out the waiting time between the two venues. The office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in the Terminal 1 baggage-claim area near Carousel 5. It will issue marriage licenses and vow-renewal certificates and accept credit-card payments only. This is the fifth year the Clerk’s Office has opened a temporary facility at the airport.
South Point is dealing -105 for the Super Bowl, meaning you have to bet only $105 to win $100, as opposed to the standard $110/$100. It’s offered for sides and totals only, currently Eagles -1.5 and 50.5. There’s also a 10¢ straddle on the money line (20¢ at most other books), currently Eagles -120/Chiefs +110. The betting deal is also available in South Point-affiliated books at Rampart, along with CasaBlanca and Virgin River in Mesquite. Bets must be placed in person.
Don't be surprised if you stop off at the Peppermill on the north Strip between 11 p.m. tonight and 7 a.m. Wednesday morning and find the restaurant closed. Apparently, some maintenance work on the 50-year-old building is necessitating the two-day closure.
To commemorate its reign as #8 on Yelp’s “Top 100 U.S. Restaurants 2022," the Goodwich downtown sandwich shop will charge $8 for every sandwich on its menu on Wednesday February 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Patrons can tuck into the GW Patty Melt (ground beef, smoked cream cheese, onion, pepper jack, marble rye), the Reuben-ish (corned beef, swiss, fennel kraut, 1000, marble rye), or seasonal items like the Hulkster (double beef patties, cheddar, arugula, bacon, tomato, chipotle aioli, bun) and the Chilean Beef (ribeye, muenster, red pepper relish, tempura green beans, tomato, avocado, chipotle aioli, ciabatta roll). Normally selling in the $12-$16 range, the limit is two sandwiches per customer. Goodwich is located at 900 Las Vegas Blvd., a block north of W. Charleston.
Don’t bother trying to make a bet, or even find a line, on the NFL Pro Bowl. Nevada’s sports books aren’t booking the game that’s being played in a 7-on-7 flag-football format, and it doesn’t look like books in other states will either. DraftKings had lines on some of the skills contests, but not today's flag game that’s being played at Las Vegas’ at Allegiant Stadium starting at noon PST.
Grand Funk Railroad, featuring two of the three original band members, will tour this year to 10 cities to celebrate their 55th year since arriving on the rock scene from Flint, Michigan, playing one show at the Golden Nugget Showroom on March 3. Their hits include "We're an American Band," "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)," "Some Kind of Wonderful," "Rock & Roll Soul," and our all-time favorite, “Footstompin’ Music.” Tickets start at $112, the highest price for all 10 tour stops and more than twice as much as the lowest ($53). Three Dog Night will make a stop at the Orleans Showroom on February 11; this show is mostly sold out and tickets start at $325 each. Finally, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will play the Westgate Showroom on March 10; tickets are on sale and start at $92 exclusive of fees. Valli is the only original member of the band.
Just click the arrow in the video box below to hear all about the line on the Super Bowl, which keeps changing and makes shopping around worthwhile; Anthony also names the only sports book in town with a nickel line, charging half as much juice as all the dime lines. Not only that, but he identifies the team he'll be betting on to win the Big Game. The Westgate Super Book was once the place to be when the 400-500 Super Bowl prop bets were unveiled. Is it still? We've got video coverage. Circa, meanwhile, has introduced Circa Squares, a new way to bet -- and have fun for a buck -- on the NFL championship. And LVA is offering a deal for Arizonans: Bet between $10 and $250 at a Desert Diamond sports book (four locations around the state) and get a matchplay bet from the book, plus an LVA membership and one of our sports betting titles. This is the "dry run" for similar upcoming deals at sports books all over the country. Finally, the Jackpot of the Week is a hearts festival, with three royals on Joker Poker, a little different game than what we normally focus on. All this and more, right behind the arrow!
Up for grabs in tonight's Powerball drawing is a $700 million jackpot. It's the sixth largest in Powerball history and jumped into the top 10 of all-time jackpots at number 10. It's also the third massive jackpot in less than three months, coming on the heels of the $1.35 billion Mega Millions prize won a couple of weeks ago by someone in Maine and the number-one-highest $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot hit by a Californian in November. The lump sum for the $700 million is roughly $375 million.
An article in this morning's Review-Journal real-estate section lists the 10 Las Vegas condos that sold for the highest prices in 2022. Number one on the hit parade is a penthouse on the 38th floor of Turnberry Place. The two-floor 10,0000-square-foot unit (including the wrap-around deck) at the top of one of the towers has a theater, wine cellar, pool, and a view of the Strip, downtown, and mountains and sold for $6.5 million. The second-highest-priced condo is on the 16th-floor of One Queensridge Place, the massive condo complex next door to Suncoast. The 6,404-square-foot four-bedroom with a five-car garage sold for $5.6 million. That was followed by a condo on the 47th floor of the Waldorf-Astoria on the Strip. Though only 2,126 square feet, with two bedrooms and three baths, it fetched $4.9 million; the $2,305 per square foot was the highest ever in the building. Also interestingly, the seller had just bought the unit a few months earlier for $3.93 million and flipped it for a nearly million-dollar profit. The Waldorf Astoria accounted for five of the highest sellers, with Queensridge and Turnberry at two apiece and the Martin, on Dean Martin Drive (originally Panorama Tower North), rounding out the top ten.
A new music festival, complete with an expo, has been announced for April at the Michelob ULTRA Arena and Convention Center at Mandalay Bay. The two-day We Bridge Music Festival (April 21-22) and three-day expo (April 21-23) will celebrate Asian entertainment and culture. Headlining the music festival are, among others, K-Pop acts Kang Daniel, CIX, Dreamcatcher, and ONEUS on Day 1, with ENHYPEN fromis_9, VIVIZ, and BE’O on Day 2. Tickets ($65-$300-plus) are on sale now here.
The World Series of Poker has announced its full schedule for the 2023 WSOP, its 54th annual tournament that runs May 30 to July 18 at the Horseshoe. Featuring 95 bracelet events and the WSOP's biggest-ever capacity (608 tables in more than 200,000 square feet of convention space), organizers predict that it will be the largest tournament in its history, with the largest-ever field for the Main Event, which will take place July 3-17. If the Main Event does set the all-time attendance record, one player drawn from the field in a lottery will win a "Main Event for Life" prize, fading the $10,000-buy-in every year for 30 years. The WSOP is holding a number of promotions in the run-up to this year's series to help break the Main Event player record. A new event, Gladiators of Poker, will boast the smallest buy-in event in WSOP history: $300. Mystery Millions will guarantee a $1 million prize pool. And the $1 million freeroll Tournament of the Champions has been moved to early in the series. Once again, CBS Sports will broadcast the series highlights and PokerGO will stream the events daily.
The initial Formula 1 agreement with Las Vegas was for three years and expires in 2025. But both the company and county are poised to extend the race for seven additional years, which is expected to be announced after a resolution by the Clark County Commission on February 7. The long-term contract sets the race, annually, for the weekend before Thanksgiving for the next 10 years. It isn't a surprise, given the investment F1 is making in infrastructure in Las Vegas, as well as what the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is calling "the biggest event in the world in 2023." Steve Hill, CEO of the LVCVA, sounded excited when he said, “Having Formula One on Las Vegas Boulevard on a Saturday night just isn’t going to be beaten."
Three of the Jackson family will appear at the Pearl Theater at the Palms at 8 p.m. on Saturday April 1. Tito Jackson, 69, along with brothers Jackie, 71, and Marlon, 65, according to the press release, will perform "all of their mega-hits made famous with their brother, Michael Jackson," including "ABC," "I Want You Back," "I'll Be There," and "Can You Feel It." (Michael would've been 64 as of August.) Tickets go on sale to the public tomorrow at 10 a.m. PT at Ticketmaster.
According to the wine website VinePair.com, Nevada ranks number four for the most alcohol consumed per capita in the U.S. at 3.43 gallons per year. New Hampshire came in first at 4.83 gallons, but the state doesn't charge sales tax, so residents of neighboring states are partially responsible for that amount. Delaware placed second (4.01), Washington, D.C. third (3.79), and Montana fifth (3.32). It should be noted that, like New Hampshire, Nevada's visitor volume no doubt contributes to the number of gallons attributed to residents. Not surprisingly, Utah, which has the most stringent alcohol laws nationwide, place last (1.36 gallons). Nationwide, Americans drank nearly eight billion gallons of alcohol in 2020, of which beer accounted for roughly 6.4 billion, followed by wine (931 million) and hard alcohol (635 gallons).
As part of a 47-date tour around the world, global superstar singer Beyoncé will stop in Las Vegas and play Allegiant Stadium on August 26. As is often the case, only "Verified Fans" will be eligible for tickets; you can register for fanship and see the other tour dates here.
LVA.com readers are familiar with the name Dennis Conrad. A long-time friend of the Las Vegas Advisor, as a marketing executive at Harrah's, he hosted two subscriber parties in the mid-1990s before moving to Reno to become an EVP at Circus Circus. He founded Raving, a casino consulting company and in his semi-retirement is a columnist for CDC Gaming Reports -- since 2002, the gambling industry’s premier source for news, commentary, and analysis. A fan of awards, in his latest CDC column, Dennis introduces the Dennis Awards for Long Overdue Recognition to Those Who Really Deserve Them, "Dennys" for short. Out of the 18 awards, you'll be familiar with at least four of the recipients and learn about others who do good unsung work. It's well worth the five-minute read.
This coming Monday, the former Lucky Club (former Speedway) at 3227 Civic Center Drive in North Las Vegas will reopen as Ojos Locos (Crazy Eyes) Sports Cantina Y (And) Casino. According to press releases going back to the original announcement last April, Ojos Locos is the first U.S. hotel-casino dedicated to the Latino community. The casino has gone into partnership with Dallas-based Ojos Locos, a sports bar brand boasting 18 restaurants in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona that show sports on Spanish-language stations.
The normal range of high and low temperatures throughout February in Las Vegas provides for comfortable outdoor experiences, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s; the averages are 63 and 41 degrees. The record highs and lows, however, can veer wildly in either direction. The record high for the month is a sweltering (for February) 87, set on the 26th in 1986, while the record low is a chilling (even for February) 16, reached on the 7th (1989). February typically sees the most precipitation of any month of the year, .7 of an inch.