https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/ Today's News from Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Buffets, Restaurants, Events, and Things to Do en-us https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mike-tyson-legacy-coming-to-flamingo https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mike-tyson-legacy-coming-to-flamingo The first-ever official multi-sensory Mike Tyson experience, dubbed "Iron Mike Legacy," will open at the Flamingo sometime this fall. Its 12,000 square feet will encompass "seven immersive rooms featuring VR, AR, holograms, projection mapping, and spatial audio" as visitors relive the defining moments of Tysons boxing career. Tickets will cost $59 (afternoon), $79 (evening). $99 (anytime), and $129 (VIP). Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:00:43 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#diana-ross-back-at https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#diana-ross-back-at Diana Ross will play three shows at Encore Theater October 2, 3, and 4. Ross, now 82, performed six shows at Encore in 2022 and three last February. Her legendary career in show biz spans more than 50 years and includes successes in music, film, television, theater, and fashion; she also received the Grammy Awards' highest recognition, the Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2012. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $115. Sat, 25 Jul 2026 08:31:39 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#beer-friday-back-to-friday https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#beer-friday-back-to-friday After a couple of Beer Fridays had to be moved to Thursdays because of scheduling conflicts, we're back to Friday. Be sure not to miss Anthony and Andrew live and in person on the LVA YouTube show this afternoon. The livestream starts at 4 p.m. PT and you can find it here (scroll down a bit to check out other Beer Friday shows). Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:25:32 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#beer-fridays https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#beer-fridays Be sure not to miss Anthony and Andrew live and in person on the LVA YouTube this afternoon. Beer starts at 4 p.m. PT and you can find it here (scroll down a bit to the Beer Friday series). It's always a rollicking good time.  Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:26:43 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#and-valuable-inside-information-is-for-sale https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#and-valuable-inside-information-is-for-sale Want to be the first on your block with information that will (not might) move markets? It can be yours -- for a low low $100,000 a month or better yet, only $60,000 if you lock in for three years ($2.16 million up front). That's all we'll say about it here, except that the seller of this information controls this information, and the timing of the release of this information, and the absolute certainty that this information will move the (stock and prediction) markets. For the rest of the story, simply google "Truth API." Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:25:31 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#card-counting-is-quaint https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#card-counting-is-quaint "The cutting edge never stays sharp for long." So begins a good story by Eric Raskin, author of our book The Moneymaker Effect, about the current status of card counting in the pantheon of advantage play, which is "as antiquated as weekly door-to-door deliveries of milk." Our own Anthony Curtis is quoted extensively, mostly contrasting tracking the deck in blackjack to betting on forest fires, assassinations, and other questionable events via prediction markets. Long-time AP Captain Jack Andrews is also interviewed and he called card counting "the gateway drug, effective and not terribly exhilarating. I don't know many people who stay card counters. They evolve into hole carding, shuffle tracking, card steering, manipulating casino comps, etc." Still, Anthony told Eric that card counting remains extremely popular, though the approach has changed. Our biggest selling book for the past three years has been The 21st Century Card Counter by Colin Jones and that's about the new way to play. You can read the whole piece here. Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:10:38 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ac-dc-plays-allegiant-pop-up-at-hard-rock https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ac-dc-plays-allegiant-pop-up-at-hard-rock AC/DC will play Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night as part of its "PWR/UP" tour. Tickets are still available from Ticketmaster, the original vendor, and the secondary markets, averaging around $100 a seat. The Review-Journal reports that a fan activation will coincide at the Hard Rock Cafe (on the Strip across from Park MGM) on Friday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. It will include band memorabilia, merchandise, photo ops, and giveaways; the first 200 attendees each day will receive a poster not on sale to the general public. It's free and open to all ages. Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:10:08 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#heart-shaped-hotel-casino-approved-for-skyvue-site https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#heart-shaped-hotel-casino-approved-for-skyvue-site In early May, the 12-acre south Strip site of the failed SkyVue observation wheel was sold to a local real estate developer for $70 million. If you've driven past this acreage in the past 15 years, you've seen the two concrete support columns left over from that particular pipe dream. Big plans were announced for a heart-shaped 874-room hotel-casino, giant heart-shaped LED marquee, Fremont Street Experience-like covered pedestrian plaza, theater, and 265-foot-high "midair restaurant" that would incorporate the two smokestacks into the new property. After a review by the Federal Aviation Administration, the hotel tower was reduced by six stories and 122 rooms. Yesterday, the Clark County commissioners approved the revised plans, as they always do; now we wait and see what happens with the so-called "Heart Hotel," for which financing, timeline, and official name have yet to be revealed. You can see the rendering here.  Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:28:18 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-23-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-23-26 The annual Monster Jam tears up the dirt in wide-open competitions at Thomas and Mack Center (7/24-26) Virgin Hotels welcomes country singer Koe Wetzel (7/25) Rock out as the All-American Rejects takes over Resorts World (7/25) And if you're our and about in the heat this weekend, Clark County has opened cooling stations all over the region: full PDF guide here (7/20-24) Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:55:14 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#extreme-heat-warning-through-monday https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#extreme-heat-warning-through-monday Yesterday, the official high temperature hit 106 and today, an Extreme Heat Warning from the National Weather Service starts at 10 a.m. Temperatures rise to 111 today, which continues at 110-111 through Monday. Why it ends at 8 p.m. that night we don't know; the highs breach the 110 mark on Tuesday and Wednesday, then rise to a forecast 112 on Thursday and 114 on Friday. Though the monsoon has been threatening for several days, as this high-pressure front settles in, the odds of a monsoon event drop like a rock.  Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:39:23 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#southwest-adds-boston-miami-cancels-costa-rica https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#southwest-adds-boston-miami-cancels-costa-rica Southwest Airlines will start flying direct from Reid International to Boston and Miami on March 11. The airline has also dropped its plan to connect to San Jose, Costa Rica, from Las Vegas, which was announced in February. The cancellation of what would have been a six-and-a-half-hour overnight flight reflects a scaling-back of long-haul international routes in favor of higher-yield domestic markets. Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:22:35 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#2026-wsop-by-numbers https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#2026-wsop-by-numbers Poker.org yesterday reported on the final numbers from this year's WSOP (all but the order of the final nine, which will be decided in a couple off weeks). The total number of entries was 251,899, setting a new record for a single year, though the 9,208 who bought in to the Main Event fell far short of the record of 10,112 set in 2024. The total prize money came to just under $470 million, of which 41 prizes were over $1 million. The rake was $47.3 million, of which $14.2 million was paid out in salaries, leaving a mere $33.1 million for the WSOP. Players from 149 countries entered the series, with 111 countries represented in the Main Event, a new record. Seven tournaments attracted more than 10,000 entries. And the oldest player to enter this year's WSOP was 95. You can see many more statistics about this year's WSOP in the Poker.org story here.  Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:33:41 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#reid-international-fifth-worst-for-luggage https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#reid-international-fifth-worst-for-luggage A study of 10 years of luggage handling at the 20 busiest U.S. airports has found that Reid International was the fifth worst in the country. Holafly, a provider of eSim cards (digital SIM that eliminates expensive roaming charges for devices while traveling), analyzed lost and mishandled luggage complaints between 2015 and 2025 and determined that Reid mishandled 4,388 suitcases and lost 128 during that period; combined, that totaled 15.8 complaints per million passengers. The study identified Orlando International as the worst for luggage reliability (19.2 complaints per million passengers), while San Francisco International was best (3.83). All that said, we'll take odds of .99998 out of 1 million of getting our luggage intact any day of the week. Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:28:59 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#primm-valley-reopens-tomorrow https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#primm-valley-reopens-tomorrow The Primm Valley casino will reopen tomorrow just after 12 noon. It will have 422 slots, 250 rooms, a William Hill sportsbook, a sports bar, and 24/7 quick-bites eatery. In addition, there will be no resort fees and all previously held rewards tiers earned by returning customers will be matched. Terribles, the new operator, will launch new promotions and rewards for both new and returning gaming customers. Terribles immediate plans include opening several new dining options, including a coffee bar, 24-hour café, and steakhouse. Work is already underway on these projects. Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:16:05 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#top-gun-attraction https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#top-gun-attraction Deadline.com reports that Paramount and an entertainment company have announced a partnership to develop a Top Gun attraction on the south Strip. The press release calls it "a next-generation entertainment destination celebrating the enduring values of excellence, teamwork, courage, competition, and the exhilaration of flight. Top Gun Vegas will be an immersive destination that authentically celebrates the excitement, adventure, and enduring spirit of Top Gun while giving fans an entirely new way to experience the brand. Details so far are sketchy, but the story describes a 2.5-acre site at 4815 Las Vegas Blvd. near the Welcome to Vegas sign that the companies plan to develop, which will include the Hard Deck restaurant and bar featured in Maverick, plus "other dining and retail options and experiences designed to immerse people in the world of the movies." We've seen this movie, so to speak, many many times before, and wrote about the failed "Game of Thrones" attraction in a recent QoD. But we chronicle these things as they arise, for the record if nothing else. Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:37:43 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ikons-of-rock-new https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ikons-of-rock-new John Katsilometes, entertainment columnist for the Review-Journal, reports today that Ikons of Rock, a classic rock tribute revue, will open at the STRAT Theater on Aug. 25. It will run Tues.-Sat. at 7 p.m., alternating with the adult variety show Rouge at 9 p.m. Kats notes that Ikons opened in January at the Hard Rock Cafe and features performances by artists impersonating Kiss, Heart, Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne, Journey, Joan Jett, Alice Cooper, and Motley Crue. Tickets are on sale now at thestrat.com and start at $73. Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:50:11 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#gas-prices-up-again https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#gas-prices-up-again The average price of a gallon of regular gas here jumped back up to $4.62, seven cents more than a week ago and up from $3.74 a year ago at this time. It has a ways to go to break the $4.80 of a month ago, but it's a full 62 cents higher than the national average, which breached the $4 threshold again yesterday. Analysts expect the price to continue rising, due to the resumption of the war with Iran.  Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:08:30 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#prediction-markets-capitalize-on-world-cup https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#prediction-markets-capitalize-on-world-cup According to market-analytics firm H2 Gambling Capital, prediction markets accounted for an estimated 27% of all sports bets in the U.S. over the course of the World Cup. We're not sure how H2 came to this conclusion, given that sports books haven't reported betting activity on the tournament, but if the numbers come anywhere close, they'd indicate a nearly 10% increase in prediction's share of the sports betting market over the past six months. Data from Apptopia, an analytics firm that tracks app metrics, and Dune Analytics show that Kalshi generated twice the "trading" (betting) volume of its arch-rival Polymarket and Kalshi told CNBC that it acquired three million new users during the tournament. Mon, 20 Jul 2026 08:39:25 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-final-line-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-final-line-26 Spain is a -155 favorite over Argentina in today's World Cup championship match. The goal line is 2.5. Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:06:55 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#manilow-and-murder https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#manilow-and-murder Barry Manilow has returned to the Westgate. After recovering from surgery for lung cancer, the 83-year-old Manilow will play another 37 shows through the end of the year in the International Theater, where he has a "lifetime residency." He also holds the record for the most performances there, breaking Elvis' string of 636 a few years ago. In other entertainment-longevity news, the long-running Marriage Can Be Murder show has closed at the Rio. This interactive murder-mystery-comedy dinner show lasted for 27 years at nearly 10 different venues and claims that it will reopen again. The also-venerable Tony n' Tina's Wedding will take its place starting August 13.  Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:39:20 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#burns-favored-in-open-championship https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#burns-favored-in-open-championship Going into the final round of golf's Open Championship (British Open), Sam Burns, leading a crowded field with four players within three shots of the lead, is the +135 favorite to win. Hes followed by Woo Kim at +500 and Ryan Fox at +775. Sun, 19 Jul 2026 01:48:23 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ufc-du-plessis-usman https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ufc-du-plessis-usman Dricus Du Plessis is a -210 favorite over Kamaru Usman in tonights UFC main event. In the other featured match, Christian Leroy Duncan is -330 over Jared Cannonier. Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:39:28 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#two-jackpots-at-venetian https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#two-jackpots-at-venetian A player from L.A. hit a royal flush in spades at Ultimate Texas Hold'em on Sunday at the Venetian. He'd made the Millionaire Progressive side bet, so he won $2,235,550. And last week, a Venetian player turned $30 into $764,467 playing Buffalo Diamond Extreme. Sat, 18 Jul 2026 10:34:33 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#lagasses-meril-opens-at-m https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#lagasses-meril-opens-at-m Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse has opened his third Las Vegas restaurant, this one off the Strip at the M Resort. Meril, named after his daughter, is described as a "lively Contemporary American restaurant with global influences inspired by Emeril's travels and the food he loves to eat." It looks like a glorified coffee shop to us, serving breakfast (from biscuits and gravy $10 to steak and eggs $28), lunch, and dinner (same menu, with small plates like meatballs $16 to BBQ shrimp $26, flatbreads $15-$19, fettucine $18, and ribeye $56). Emeril's other two restaurants are Delmonico's Steakhouse at the Venetian and Emeril's New Orleans Fish House at MGM Grand.     Sat, 18 Jul 2026 08:38:27 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#daily-specials-and-free-play-at-fat-choy https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#daily-specials-and-free-play-at-fat-choy We haven't covered these specials at the excellent bargain eatery Fat Choy at the Eureka for a year, but they're still going strong. The current lineup includes a French dip sandwich and fries on Monday ($15), three tacos with salsa on Tuesdays ($9), half-pound burger and fries on Wednesdays ($12), half-rack of pork ribs and fries on Thursdays ($15), and a 12-inch pepperoni pizza on Fridays ($12). Better yet, they all come with $10 in free play, so subtract around $9.50 in expected value from the meal deals and you've got a heck of a dining-gambling tandem on weekdays at the Eureka.  Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:21:11 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#burning-man-horizon https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#burning-man-horizon Burning Man, the annual week-long countercultural arts event and temporary community held in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, will start next month on Aug. 30 and run through Sept. 7. Upwards of 80,000 people are expected to attend the conclave, 90 miles north of Reno, for the 35th year. A new documentary from HBO "pulls back Burning Mans fiery curtain on the massive undertaking that includes 134 full-time employees and a yearly operating cost of over $60 million." Of course, along with the ecstasy, theres been plenty of agony along the way. The four-part series premiered last Thursday, continues tonight, and runs for two more Thursdays. You can see the 2:19 trailer here. Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:06:58 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#lucky-watching https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#lucky-watching Perhaps the Vegas antidote to "The Ultimatum," "Lucky" premiered with two episodes last night on Apple TV. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy, who was excellent in "The Queen's Gambit," as some kind of fall girl for some kind of scam involving millions of dollars in cash that starts in Las Vegas (Caesars). This is limited series that will run each Wednesday through Aug. 19. If this trailer doesn't grip you, check yourself for a pulse. Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:10:58 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-16-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-16-26 Park MGM hosts RandB superstar Mary J Blige (7/17-18) Enjoy the free-to-attend Morgan Medallion Classic Charity Horse Show at South Point (7/15-19) Allegiant Stadium welcomes back Ed Sheeran on stage (7/18) Take the family out to experience the one-of-a-kind Block Party at Area 15 (7/18) Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:55:26 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ultimatum-streaming-from-vegas https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ultimatum-streaming-from-vegas Canada Roy nailed it when he sent us the following, with the admonition "Barf alert!" The fourth season of the Netflix "reality" show, "The Ultimatum," is now streaming. This piece of ... entertainment follows six couples at a crossroads: one partner is ready for marriage, the other isn't. The ultimatum is marry or move on forever and the decision has to happen within about eight weeks. Participants split from their partners and choose new "trial" partners from the other couples. The new "couples" live together like they're married for about three weeks, then return to their original partners, reflect on their experiences, and ultimately decide whether to get engaged/married or break up. Previous seasons were filmed in Austin, Charlotte, and Phoenix; the current season, now streaming, is in Vegas, filmed at local spots, but centered at the Ariva Luxury Residences, a couple of miles south of South Point, where the couples live. If you can stand it, here's the trailer. Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:13:17 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mob-museum-makes-top-10 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mob-museum-makes-top-10 WorldAtlas.com selected the 12 best museums in the U.S. from a list of "hundreds, maybe thousands, spanning nearly every major city." Our own Mob Museum squeaked in as last on the list, but it's in pretty heady company. First is, no surprise, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), followed by the National Air and Space Museum (Washington, D.C.), the Art Institute of Chicago, the Getty Center (Los Angeles), and the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston). A couple more fine arts museums and car, pop culture, WW II, and spy museums round out the list. As for the Mob Museum, the description lauds "personal items from Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel" and "the basement-level speakeasy that hosts a working distillery." It also mentions the Neon Museum nearby.  Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:48:35 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#open-championship-line-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#open-championship-line-26 Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win golf's Open Championship (British Open) at +800. Hes followed by Rory McIlroy at +950 and Tommy Fleetwood at +1450. Tiger Woods is not in the field. Thu, 16 Jul 2026 06:13:48 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-argentina-england https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-argentina-england England is a -125 favorite over Argentina in todays semi-final match of soccers World Cup. The Total is 2.5. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:33:00 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#upcoming-shows-of-note https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#upcoming-shows-of-note Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artist Ricky Martin ("Livin' La Vida Loca") will play BleauLive Theater at over Halloween weekend, Oct. 30 and 31. tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PT. Country star Brad Paisley will do two acoustic shows, One Man Six Strings, at Encore Theater at the Wynn Nov. 6 and 7. Tickets for both will be available Friday at 10 a.m. Carlos Santana continues his residency, 14 years and counting, at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. He'll appear for 16 dates: Sept. 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, and 27 and Nov. 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, and 15. Tickets are available now. Howard Jones will appear at Resorts World on Sunday July 26. Benson Boone will play T-Mobile Aug. 14. And Morrissey will perform at Encore on Aug. 18.   Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:29:37 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#wsop-final-9 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#wsop-final-9 The final table of the World Series of Poker's Main Event has been decided, with 9,208 players whittled down to nine. Twenty-two-year-old Luke Jumalon is the chip leader with 194 million. Rami Hammoud is a distant second with 79 million and Finnish pro Lauri Saaskilahti is in third with 56 million. The rest are Rami Hammoud, Jamie Shaevel, Greg Mueller, Michael Gagliano, Mario Boos, Lauri Saaskilahti, and Han Feng; Evagoras Evagorou brings up the rear with 22.5 million. All are guaranteed $1 million in prize money. Michael Mizrachi, last year's champion and this year's winner of his eighth bracelet, busted out in 241st place, winning $50,000. The grand finale will take place at Paris Aug. 3-5, broadcast in its entirety by ESPN. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:36:46 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mlb-all-star-game-line-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mlb-all-star-game-line-26 The National League is a -130 favorite over the American League in tonight's Major League Baseball All-Star game. The total is 8. Note, this line was posted with the game in progress. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:01:02 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-france-spain https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-france-spain France is a -140 favorite over Spain in todays semi-final match of soccers World Cup. The Total is 2.5. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:26:58 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#raiders-announce-open-practices https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#raiders-announce-open-practices As they do every year, the Las Vegas Raiders are holding practices that are open to the public and free on select dates. Fans can attend practices on Aug. 2, 3, 7, and 8 at the Raiders' team facility, 1475 Raiders Way in Henderson, starting at 7:30 a.m. The big show is Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. at Allegiant Stadium, two days prior to the first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at home. Tickets are free for the Raiders HQ practices as long as they last; you can sign up starting Thursday. The practice session at Allegiant costs $5 and all proceeds go to the charitable Raiders Foundation. The team's first regular-season game is on Sept. 13 at home versus the Miami Dolphins. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:36:33 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#what-weekend-for-aces https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#what-weekend-for-aces The WNBA's Las Vegas Aces demolished the Phoenix Mercury 106-58 on Saturday night on their home court, Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay. It was the largest margin of victory in Aces history and their eighth win in 11 games. Yesterday, they faced the Indiana Fever with both team stars, Caitlyn Clark and Sophie Cunningham, healthy and found out how the Mercury felt the day before when the Fever annihilated them 109-75. The 82-point differential was the largest in back-to-back games in WNBA history, while the 34-point win tied the Fever's largest in its own history. Still, the Aces' record is now 17-7, second best in the league. Attendance was 10,513, a sell-out-plus to catch Clark and Cunningham in action. On Saturday night, Cunningham did a cameo as a ring girl at the UFC 329 match.  Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:13:13 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#can-you-say-monsoon https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#can-you-say-monsoon The monsoon season is upon us. Sort of. The past few years, it's been a bust, what we call a "nonsoon." Typically, it runs from late June to mid-September and when (if) it hits, it can be ferocious -- huge black clouds blowing in rapidly from the southeast and bringing a desert lightning storm with ear-splitting thunderclaps, torrential downpours, and often flash floods, which can be life threatening. If you're safe, a monsoon event provides a bit of relief from the relentless onslaught of heat and sun and you might even be able to turn off the air-conditioning for a while. But after an hour or so, the cell blows through and except for mud in the streets and downed trees and wires, it's like nothing ever happened. This week could see some of that, with sporadic storm activity predicted through the weekend. Normal Las Vegas averages are .38 of an inch of rain in July, .32 in August, and .32 in September and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting above-average amounts through the rest of the month. Hope springs eternal.  Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:19:37 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#golden-nugget-reopens-poker-room https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#golden-nugget-reopens-poker-room The only poker room downtown has been relocated and condensed. The old poker room at the Golden Nugget was 13 tables; the new room, in the Rush Tower, holds nine. But the tables come complete with built-in mobile-device chargers, mobile carts serve food tableside, TV screens showing sports dot the walls, and plenty of space around the tables provide increased legroom. The GN's Grand Poker Series is currently in progress and the $100,000 bad beat jackpot was hit on Tuesday for $100,000. The photo on Facebook shows quad 6s taken down by a straight flush, the 3 through 7 of hearts. Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:14:55 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#sports-betting-spasms https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#sports-betting-spasms Like many things in life, sports betting scales the heights (Mattress Mack's record-setting hedge wins, Blair Rodman's book All about Sports Betting) and plumbs the depths. Here are a few of the most recent latter. A study by the Urban Institute, a think tank that researches economic and social policy, found that online sports bettors make bigger and riskier bets, save less money for the future, and are 15X more likely to fall behind on bills than their counterparts who gamble only at casinos or racetracks. The survey compared the betting habits and financial outcomes of more than 320 online and in-person sports bettors. A controversy involving Nathan's July 4 hot-dog eating contest has surfaced that might or might not involve cheating, but has some over/under bettors peeved about the total dogs downed by women's winner Niko Suki and her husband, fellow competitor Nick Wehry. You can read the whole story in USA Today. And a former DraftKings employee is looking at felony charges for his alleged involvement in a betting scheme involving a Fresno State men's basketball player in a 2025 game.   Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:46:09 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mens-wimbledon-final-line-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mens-wimbledon-final-line-26 Jannik Sinner is a -485 favorite over Alexander Zverev in todays Wimbledon men's tennis final. Sinner is seeking his second consecutive Wimbledon title and 5th Grand Slam championship overall. Zverev is playing for his 2nd Grand Slam in a row after winning this years French title. Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:26:06 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ufc-mcgregor-holloway https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ufc-mcgregor-holloway Max Holloway is a -300 favorite over Connor McGregor in tonights UFC main event. In the other featured match, Benoit Saint-Denis is -145 over Paddy Pimblett. Sat, 11 Jul 2026 16:51:54 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#womens-wimbledon-final-line-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#womens-wimbledon-final-line-26 Karolina Muchova is a -145 favorite over Linda Noskova in todays Wimbledon women's tennis final. The all-Czech final is the first at Wimbledon to match two players from the same country since Venus and Serena Williams played in 2009. Both are seeking their first Grand Slam championship. Sat, 11 Jul 2026 06:30:32 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mega-millions-jackpot-in-top-ten https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#mega-millions-jackpot-in-top-ten The Mega Millions jackpot now stands at $604 million, 10th largest in the game's history. The jackpot was last hit on St. Patrick's Day in March, 32 drawings ago. Someone could get very lucky in tonight's drawing, though the odds, of course, are way against.  Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:14:54 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#new-igaming-jurisdiction-launches-monday https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#new-igaming-jurisdiction-launches-monday For various reasons, not the least of which it's the major growth engine in the gambling industry and possibly augurs the eventual extinction of brick-and-mortar casinos, we follow online gaming fairly closely. Legal in eight states and available only in seven, igaming's gross gaming revenue was nearly $960 million in May and will, by most reckonings, break the billion-dollar bubble sometime this year. That's per month. Though it's high-growth in GGR, it's low-growth in legalization, especially compared to sports betting, again for numerous reasons. So a new jurisdiction for internet casinos is pretty big news, even if it's in Canada.   Alberta will launch its market for igaming and online sports betting on Monday, making it the second province to offer the options, after Ontario. The province has been planning for igaming for the better part of two years. Registration opened in January 2026 and gray-market (unregulated) operators were given a deadline of this Monday to submit completed applications, pay all required registration fees, and cease all unregulated betting activities. Upwards of 30 operators (plus suppliers) will go live on Monday or shortly thereafter, including FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, BallyBet, PointsBet, theScore Bet, BET99, Betway, and several Canadian/local players like River Cree iGaming and Play Alberta. Alberta's icasino and sports betting market could generate nearly $3 billion in revenue over its first two fiscal years, according to numerous estimates and could encourage other Canadian provinces to move away from government monopolies and adopt competitive igaming markets. Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:17:46 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#harveys-lake-tahoe-rebranded https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#harveys-lake-tahoe-rebranded Originally announced in April of last year, the venerable Harvey's up in Stateline at Lake Tahoe has officially been rebranded as Caesars Republic. Caesars held the grand opening on Tuesday after a multiphase $200 million remodel and repositioning. It's the end of one of the longest eras in Nevada casino history; Harvey's opened in 1944, only three years after El Cortez. This is the second Caesars Republic-branded property. A Hilton Hotel of the same name opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2023, but it doesn't have a casino.  Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:26:38 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#lva-july-youtube-update https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#lva-july-youtube-update Taped on July 4th, this is one of the more laid back LVA videos you'll see, but it covers all kinds of territory: a description of the new Vanderpump Hotel, the changing situation in downtown Henderson, a huge airport jackpot, what we found for our July room-rate survey, and updates about the in-progress World Series of Poker and World Cup tournament. The grand finale, worth watching all the way through for, is where Anthony reveals what's perhaps the only eatery in Las Vegas that doesn't take tips! Just a click away.    Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:09:32 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-09-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-09-26 Its a jam packed comedy weekend with Adam Carolla at Jimmy Kimmels Comedy Club (7/10-11), Jimmy Carr at the Wynn (7/10-11), Brian Regan at the Venetian (7/11), and Martin Lawrence at Resorts World (7/11) The 2026 NBA Summer League gets started in earnest this week at UNLV Thomas and Mack (7/9-19) If youre ready to rock, go enjoy the free Downtown Rocks concert where this weekend theyre featuring Sleeping With Sirens (7/11) And UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 is over at T-Mobile Arena (7/11) Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:35:00 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#enhyphen-to-play-t-mobile https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#enhyphen-to-play-t-mobile For those of you keeping score of young K-pop groups, Enhyphen, the male counterpart to the female Blackpink, will perform one show at T-Mobile on Saturday August 1 as a stop on its "Blood Saga" world tour. Like Blackpink, Enhyphen was formed via extensive competition, this time on Korea's "America's Got Talent" survivor show "I-Land." The group's hook is storytelling; their entire discography is built around vampire lore. According to the Korea Herald, "Rather than releasing random collections of songs, they intertwine their music, lyrics, concept trailers, and multimedia into an immersive dark-fantasy narrative." Tickets are on sale now and are running from around $90 to $600. (Plenty are available, according to the seating chart.) And that's your K-pop update for today. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:04:58 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hundred-and-ten-is-here https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hundred-and-ten-is-here The high temperatures today through Sunday are almost certain to breach 110 degrees, as a high-pressure heat wave moves into the Southwest. Today will be the first time it's hit 110 since August 21 of last year, which set a record for the latest 110-degree day in history. Typically, the first day with that high is July 1, so we're a week-plus late, though the official thermometer registered 109 on June 16 and 23 and yesterday. It's cold comfort, so to speak, that two years ago at this time, it was actually 10 degrees hotter; Las Vegas' all-time record high was recorded on July 7, 2024: 120 sizzling degrees. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:25:22 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#eagles-are-at-it-again https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#eagles-are-at-it-again The Eagles have added four more shows to the band's never-ending story. This is the 12th time they've extended the residency that began all the way back in September 2024 and will total 68 shows (so far), the longest-running stint by a long shot of any act since Sphere opened. The new dates are December 4, 5, 11, and 12. The general on-sale for the new dates begins on Friday July 17 at 10 a.m. PT. Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:43:35 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#club-fortune-north-opens-in-two-weeks https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#club-fortune-north-opens-in-two-weeks Club Fortune North, formerly Poker Palace, in North Las Vegas has announced its opening dates. Following a $20 million remodel, the soft opening is set for Sunday July 19. The full opening will be three days later on Wednesday the 22nd. The new joint will have neither table games nor a poker room, but the race and sportsbook operated by Boomers. Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:26:13 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#m-raki-greek-grill-opens-new-location-downtown https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#m-raki-greek-grill-opens-new-location-downtown One of the best fast and inexpensive Greek/Mediterranean restaurants in town is about to open a sixth location. Méraki Greek Grill debuted in early 2017 at the original S. Rainbow location and has since expanded to four more venues in Las Vegas (Summerlin, Blue Diamond, Centennial Hills, and Henderson, with a second Henderson location coming) and three in Utah. Now, the ninth restaurant in the chain will hold its grand opening next week downtown in the Arts District at 1551 S. Commerce St., Suite 110, two blocks west of Las Vegas Blvd. near W. Wyoming. Méraki offers a "modern take" on Greek cuisine: salads $11-$16, falafel pita $11, gyros $12, kalamakia (kabobs) $22-$28, baklava $7. Wed, 08 Jul 2026 08:08:08 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#horse-racing-in-las-vegas-again https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#horse-racing-in-las-vegas-again Horse racetracks have come (infrequently) and gone (quickly) in Las Vegas over the decades and you can read our Question of the Day about them. Now, a story on ThoroughbredDailyNews.com (TDN) reports on one Chip Meyers, a Las Vegas resident and Bitcoin vending-machine mogul, wants to try it again. He told TDN that the entire facility would cost upwards of $550 million, not including the land, which he hopes someone else would buy and lease to his group, and he has half the funding in place; he also hopes to raise the rest through a Hong Kong-type membership model. In addition, to secure a gambling license, he'd need a minimum 200-room hotel, which he doesn't want to build, so as not to compete with the casinos. It's a grandiose vision that he's pursuing vigorously (his wife is the daughter of a long-time horseracing-industry executive) and we wish him all the best. Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:20:25 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#whos-moving-here https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#whos-moving-here According to a report from Realtor.com, the official website of the National Association of Realtors, a third of all people looking to relocate to Las Vegas are searching online for houses from the Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Anaheim area (24%) and San Jose-Santa Clara (9%). The other 23% of searches from out of state are from Phoenix, Chicago, Seattle, New York, Denver, Tucson, and Dallas. Nearly 40% are searching from Las Vegas, with 3% international and less than 1% from elsewhere in Nevada. Searches by potentially outbound Las Vegas residents are highest in the Phoenix metro area at 6% (Las Vegas isn't hot enough for them in July), Riverside-San Bernardino (4.3%), and Tucson (4.2%). Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:01:30 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-houses-hit-all-time-high-price https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-houses-hit-all-time-high-price The selling price of a Las Vegas single-family house held steady in June, matching May's all-time high of $490,000. It's roughly $5,000 more than June of last year. Unlike other areas in the country, Las Vegas is experiencing a relatively tight housing supply and consistently strong demand from buyers. Sales were up nearly 20% year over year for houses and a point or so for condos and townhomes. Inventory of 7,000 unsold properties is up 2% from last June. Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:55:16 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-usa-belgium https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#world-cup-usa-belgium The USA is a -130 favorite over Belgium in todays match to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals. The Total is 2.5. Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:03:47 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#elton-johns-hologram-residency-next-summer https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#elton-johns-hologram-residency-next-summer We'd been hearing rumors of this sort for a few weeks and now AV magazine, a trade pub for audio professionals, reports that Elton John "has signed a multimillion-pound deal for a Las Vegas residency at the new Hard Rock performing as a hologram." The 79-year-old Sir Elton retired from touring in 2023 (his eyesight is failing), so this allows his fans to get up close and personal again, at least to a computer image. Elton, along with duet partners Dua Lipa singing "Cold Heart" and Kiki Dee singing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," will record at the UK's Pinewood Studios in the next few months, with an eye toward opening with the Hard Rock by the end of next year.  Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:25:25 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#deep-dive-into-caesars-mgm-going-private https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#deep-dive-into-caesars-mgm-going-private We've been receiving a number of questions about the two blockbuster deals that would take Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International off the NASDAQ and New York stock exchanges, respectively. Though not outside of our wheelhouse, we're holding off on answering them until these transactions are closer to fruition. In the meantime, long-time Las Vegas and gambling-business reporter Howard Stutz posted an extensive analysis of the two takeovers, which you can read here if you're following these deals. One thing we can say is that LVA correspondent Bradwww tells us that Tilman Fertitta and Barry Diller "are taking us back to the days of the Mob and Benny Binion." How so? By taking the companies private, they no longer have to play the quarterly earnings game, "having steady income over every single quarter or else your stock gets killed." Rather, private companies "can do crazy things, like take million, five million, even 10 million dollar bets, which will all profit in the end." And it doesn't stop at the casino. "Also, they'll probably get rid of the resort fees, because they know people hate stuff like that. Weekdays will be cheap again. They won't nickel and dime -- as if that was still an accurate phrase! They'll give good value, necessary in this day and age, because casinos are in nearly every state now. The only way they can win big is by taking big chances. I believe that's the opportunity they see, because I see it and it's obvious." The whole Las Vegas Strip time traveling back to the Binion model? We'd be surprised, but again, we're wait and see.  Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:30:59 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#luxor-beam-to-get-color https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#luxor-beam-to-get-color VitalVegas reports this morning that the Luxor Sky Beam, which has been bright white for its 33-year lifetime, is getting "its first splash of color." Red, apparently, will debut the eventual color scheme and will be tested, according to VV, over the next couple of weeks. Read the whole story here. Sun, 05 Jul 2026 13:42:11 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#another-sinatra-themed-restaurant-at-encore https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#another-sinatra-themed-restaurant-at-encore The venerable Sinatra restaurant at Encore is now serving breakfast and lunch. Called Sunrise at Sinatra, the meals are served from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Sinatra-themed space, complete with a terrace and bar. The online menu at WynnResorts.com actually has prices -- a miracle. It's also a miracle if you can pay them. For breakfast: coffee $6; orange and green juice and smoothies $15; Bloody Mary $25; oatmeal $22; French toast, egg dishes, pancakes, quiche $27-$31; steak and eggs $48. For lunch: soup $17, salads $24, sandwiches $26-$29, pasta $29, salmon $39, fries $12-$15. In short, for eggs and a shared Bloody Mary or sandwiches and fries for two, expect to pay $100 before taxes and tip. Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:22:43 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#see-fireworks https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#see-fireworks Las Vegas' America250 fireworks display was, by all accounts, a dazzling eight-minute show comprising bursts of color, light, and sound. Fireworks by Grucci put on more than 70 fireworks shows around the country, with Las Vegas's their biggest. You can get a small-screen idea of the extent of the display in a 2:25 compilation video.  Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:43:02 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#happy-fourth https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#happy-fourth Today we're in the middle of an eight-week celebration of the 250th birthday of these United States. The fireworks began on Saturday June 6 and have continued every Saturday since, with tonight's show the climactic display, launching at exactly 9 p.m. from nine Strip rooftops: MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, ARIA, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, Venetian, Resorts World, Fontainebleau, and The STRAT. The displays are synchronized to music broadcast on three local FM stations (KOMP 92.3, 97.1 FM The Point, and 98.9 HANK), with coordinated red, white, and blue building lighting and a 30-minute show on marquees along the Strip. In addition, Sphere's exosphere will light up throughout the evening with complementary fanfare. The fireworks continue on Saturday nights through July 25. Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:17:15 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#nathans-famous-hot-dog-contest-line-26 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#nathans-famous-hot-dog-contest-line-26 Nothing new, Joey Chestnut is the prohibitive favorite at -4200 to win today's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. The over/under for dogs downed is 69, a relatively low number due to a projected 93-degree temperature during the competition. Chestnut is seeking his 17th championship. Earlier, Miki Sudo ate 38.75 dogs to win her 12th womens title after going off as the -1400 favorite. Sat, 04 Jul 2026 08:38:41 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#slotapalooza-2 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#slotapalooza-2 Circa is running the second Slotapalooza on July 18. The Worlds Largest Slot Party features a free and open-to-the-public slot tournament (11 am-7 pm) with a grand prize of a video poker machine and $15,000 in free-play split among the top scorers. Several game manufacturers (Interblock, AGS, Light and Wonder) will be there, distributing free-play to guests. The official party begins at 7 pm, with more giveaways and a two-hour open bar. Fri, 03 Jul 2026 13:35:11 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#seven-card-straight-flush-wins https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#seven-card-straight-flush-wins A pai gow player at the new Vanderpump Hotel (formerly Cromwell) hit a seven-card straight flush to win the progressive jackpot of $813,553 on Wednesday. The player, from Littleton, Colorado, in town with her husband, was dealt the 6 through 10 of hearts, a wild card, and the queen of hearts. She said she'll spend some of the winnings on a European river cruise. Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:32:57 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hot-but-not-sizzling-through-weekend https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hot-but-not-sizzling-through-weekend Today's high of 102 is a couple of degrees below normal and a full 14 degrees cooler than the record for the day, set in 1937. For the holiday tomorrow, the high will rise two degrees to 104 and the low will drop to 78; the records are 115 (1973) and 60 (1941). The dry spell continues with no precipitation in the forecast; on the Fourth in 1949, Las Vegas received nearly a fifth of an inch, the most ever. Temperatures will climb steadily through next week and could hit 110 for the first time this year on Wednesday or Thursday. Fri, 03 Jul 2026 08:39:49 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#boomers-to-replace-william-hill-at-four-queens-binions https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#boomers-to-replace-william-hill-at-four-queens-binions VitalVegas is reporting this morning that Boomer's, the new (10 months old) independent sports book in Nevada, will assume sports betting operations at the Four Queens and Binion's from William Hill on Sept. 1. This is the first we've seen this information, so we technically consider it a rumor, though VV's Scott Roeben (almost) always has the inside track on what he reports early. Also, we know from recent Nevada Gaming Control Board meetings that Boomer's has been working on approvals for several new sports books around the state in time for football season. So this report makes sense to us.  Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:58:59 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#big-fourth-but-not-biggest https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#big-fourth-but-not-biggest The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is predicting 329,000 out-of-towners for the long Independence Day weekend and a hotel occupancy rate of 88%. Last year saw 310,000 visitors a year ago and the occupancy rate was 85.7%. Typically, the occupancy rate for the Fourth is 91%-95%; this year, Las Vegas has 1,000 more rooms than last year, which skews the comparison slightly. The LVCVA also projects the economic impact from the weekend at $690.6 million, up 5.8% from $652.7 million a year ago.   Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:33:21 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#home-builders-convention-settles-in-las-vegas-for-while https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#home-builders-convention-settles-in-las-vegas-for-while Since 2003, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has held its annual International Builders' Show and Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando 11 times and Las Vegas 12. It was in Orlando this year in mid-February, with 120,000 attendees and nearly 2,000 exhibitors occupying more than one million square feet of indoor and outdoor convention space. But that's about to change, according to early reporting from Fox35Orlando. From now until at least 2039, the NAHB will hold its convention in Las Vegas, signing a contract for the next 13 shows, with possible extensions. An NAHB executive told Fox that it "needed more space, more hotel rooms, and easier transportation options between those hotels and the venue." The convention typically takes place between Jan. 21 and Feb. 27. Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:27:23 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-01-2026 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-07-01-2026 It's First Friday in the Downtown Las Vegas Arts District (7/3) Dont miss out on the "Full Strip Spectacular" fireworks show at 9:00 p.m. Where nine resorts (Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, The Venetian, MGM Grand, ARIA, Planet Hollywood, Resorts World, Fontainebleau, and The STRAT) launch synchronized fireworks simultaneously to music broadcast on KOMP 92.3 FM, 97.1 FM The Point, and 98.9 HANK FM (7/4) Enjoy the free Downtown Rocks concert where this weekend theyre featuring George Birge (7/4) And if you want to get out of town but still enjoy a good fireworks show, head over to Rock the Sky Festival in Moapa Valley (7/3-4) Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:17:56 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#primm-valley-shuts-down https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#primm-valley-shuts-down Primm Valley, the last hotel-casino operating in Primm, closed on Monday, completing the trifecta of closed casinos at the state line 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas on I-15. Terrible's, the brand owned by the Herbst family, was approved at an emergency meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission last week to take over all the operations of Primm businesses from Affinity Gaming as of today, but when that might happen remains up in the air. In a statement, Terrible's wrote, "Our teams are working diligently to minimize disruptions, maintain essential services, and reopen businesses as quickly and safely as possible throughout the transition process.   Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:15:17 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hot-fun-in-summertime https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hot-fun-in-summertime With apologies to Sly Stone and his "family" for the title, here we're talking about weather in July. Typically, temperatures this month don't fluctuate too widely, with normal highs between 103 and 105 and lows between 79 and 82. Record high temperatures, however, have risen all the way to 120 (July 7, 2024) and for the first time ever, the average daily temperature was above 100 degrees (100.1 to be exact, also in 2024, breaking the year-old record of 97.3). Other records from the epic heat wave in 2024 included seven consecutive days of new high-temp records (July 6-12), 11 days in a row of 110 or more (the old record set in 2023 was 10), and 13 days of the low temperature above 90 (breaking the record of eight set in 2023). Record lows for the month have dropped to 56 degrees twice (1937 and 1940) and 58 twice (1938 and 1940). As for precipitation, nearly a half-inch of rain falls during a normal July (fifth-highest total by month of the year), but it depends on the severity of the monsoon season. This year's monsoon is predicted to be ferocious, but that could be wishful thinking.    Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:39:07 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#westgate-football-contests-signups-open-tomorrow https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#westgate-football-contests-signups-open-tomorrow The Westgate has posted all the official rules for its four football contests. Signups start tomorrow at 9 a.m. and run through Saturday Sept. 12 at 3 p.m., except for the College contest that ends on Fri. Sept. 4. The rules for the SuperContest are here; it's a $1,500 buy-in with a 100% payback. It will also have three six-week contests, six three-week contests, and two nine-week contests for in-season bonus cash awards to the contestant(s) who accumulate the most points during the time frames. The SuperContest Gold has a $5,000 entry fee and is a winner-take-all format. The entry fee for the SuperContest Survivor is $5,000 with a max of 10 entries. Those three contests conclude on Saturday Jan. 10. The SuperContest College is a $500 buy-in and no rake; it concludes on Sat. Nov. 28.  Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:40:06 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#giant-jackpot-at-reid https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#giant-jackpot-at-reid A lucky traveler leaving Las Vegas from the airport over the weekend was playing a Wheel of Fortune machine in the C Gates when lo and behold, the reels lined up for a $3.3 million jackpot. That's getting close to the record; in January 2005, a player won nearly $4 million on a 25-cent Wheel of Fortune machine. In 2010, an airline passenger hit the Megabucks jackpot for $10.4 million, but that was at Reno-Tahoe International. As far as we know, it was the largest jackpot hit at an airport anywhere. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:42:42 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#dont-leave-valuables-in-cars-in-chinatown https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#dont-leave-valuables-in-cars-in-chinatown A report on 8NewsNow, the local CBS affiliate, warns about a rash of car break-ins in parking lots throughout Chinatown. The thieves pull up close to the target car, break a window, steal valuables, and are gone "within 20 seconds." The police have received 597 reports of car thefts in Chinatown so far this year, nearly double the number of other precincts, including Summerlin and downtown. They've made 17 arrests. Business owners in the Chinatown plazas strongly advise that patrons bring luggage and smaller bags into the stores and restaurants with them. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:48:07 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#final-parcel-for-diamond-arena-on-strip-acquired https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#final-parcel-for-diamond-arena-on-strip-acquired The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the developers of the Las Vegas Diamond Arena have acquired a three-acre parcel of vacant land on the Strip across from Mandalay Bay. According to the publicist, that piece "gives the group control of the land needed to build the proposed 21,212-seat arena" to host a putative Las Vegas pro basketball team. The three acres gives the group a total of 11; they're also "in the process of acquiring land just south of the site, where it plans to develop a private jet terminal." The proposal includes an underground tunnel linking the terminal to the arena for the exclusive use of the teams, VIPs, and artists who'd perform there. Diamond is one of at least six proposed sites for an NBA arena -- if the league grants Las Vegas an expansion team, whose inaugural season would be 2028-2029. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:31:59 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#master-kims-korean-bbq-opens-at-palace-station https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#master-kims-korean-bbq-opens-at-palace-station According to the Palace Station website, Master Kim's Wagyu House is open at Palace Station. This is the brand's fourth location and only venue in a casino. It's an all-you-can-eat meat deal with conveyor-belt-style service for some items and serving robots, but it's also praised for its vegan and vegetarian options, including plant-based proteins. We've heard that wait times at the three other locations can approach 90 minutes at popular times. The AYCE at the other locations run $29.95-$42.95. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:43:53 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#visitation-down-gaming-revenue-up https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#visitation-down-gaming-revenue-up Total visitation numbers for May were up 2%, or 68,000 people, over May 2025, attributed to higher convention attendance and more vehicle traffic from southern California. Despite paying a record-high average daily room rate of $211, 3.48 million visitors were recorded last month. The comparison was soft, given that visitor volume in May 2025 was down 5% from May 2024; in addition,  8.4% fewer airline passengers arrived that May 2025. Meanwhile, gaming revenue was up up up, at least on the Strip, nearly $100 million higher than in May 2025 at $808 million compared to $713.7 million last year (13%). Baccarat led the charge, rising 60% to $174 million, while slots were up 8% to $411 million. Downtown, Balance of County, and locals casinos fell a few points; North Las Vegas and the Boulder Strip rose a few. The baccarat result especially is yet another indication that though visitation remains a bit depressed, the people who are gambling on the Strip are playing higher and losing more.   Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:39:07 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ed-sullivans https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ed-sullivans There's a YouTube channel, The Ed Sullivan Show Live from Las Vegas, showing 15 performances on his show that were taped in Las Vegas. They range from the late 1950s, with Patti Page and Louis Armstrong to the late '60s with the Chamber Brothers and Fifth Dimension. But the one that caught our eye is "Ed Gives History on Las Vegas." It's a three-minute montage of Vegas from July 1958. The aerials are a bit shaky, but you'll see how our town looked nearly 70 years ago: the airport, one-armed bandits, the Convention Center under construction, a dude ranch, the Stardust stage, the Desert Inn Golf Course. It's a blast from a past when Ed Sullivan was one of the kings of TV and Vegas was among the most exotic cities in the country. And thanks to LVA correspondent XY for the link.  Sun, 28 Jun 2026 10:30:09 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#permanent-corporate-realignment https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#permanent-corporate-realignment A short but hard-hitting article on TravelandTourWorld.com, "The Death of the Cheap Getaway: How Luxury Tycoons Quietly Rewrote the Rules of Las Vegas Travel," puts to rest the widely circulating idea that "Vegas is back." True, you can still find bargains and the casinos are promoting a bit with all-inclusive deals and loss-leader meals. But this story explains, in no uncertain terms, that "the iconic desert oasis has fundamentally broken with its budget-friendly past" in favor of a "jaw-dropping high-rolling playground tailored almost exclusively for luxury, elite sports franchises, and premium spectacles." Continuing: In "this aggressive upscale repositioning, the era of casual perks has been almost completely replaced by an uncompromising fee-driven structure." And "Gaming entities have realized that high-net-worth individuals, experiential festival goers, and corporate conventioneers generate far more predictable profit margins than the traditional weekend slot player." The piece concludes with a few "tactical travel strategies" that are old hat to the likes of us. Still, the whole page is worth a quick perusal for yet another "massive reality check."  Sun, 28 Jun 2026 08:45:09 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-among-densest-urban-areas https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-among-densest-urban-areas Las Vegas ranked 16th for the densest metropolitan area in the U.S., according to a study by the UNLV Lied Center for Real Estate. The study compared 233 of the largest metro regions in terms of overall sprawl, density, land use, street connectivity, and other technical metrics. It found that the Las Vegas valley's population is more compacted than 93% of the country's urban areas, including "peer cities" Phoenix, Houston, and San Diego. The study concluded that the sprawl is limited by geographical constraints, being surrounded by mountains, and federal land-use policies, so "infill development" concentrates the population more tightly in the available space. Sat, 27 Jun 2026 10:43:05 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#thunderbird-flyover-route-revealed https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#thunderbird-flyover-route-revealed As announced a few days ago, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will do a special flyover around Las Vegas and Hoover Dam this evening as part of southern Nevada's ongoing America250 celebration. The aerial show will feature the Thunderbirds' six-aircraft delta formation, marking the first time since 2020 that the iconic delta, six red, white, and blue F-16 Fighting Falcons in tight formation, has flown over Las Vegas. The aircraft will take off from Nellis Air Force Base at 7:15, then do a five-minute roundtrip pass over the Strip starting at 7:20. Heading north, the group will pass Lone Mountain, then turn west to Las Vegas Ballpark and Red Rock Canyon, then climb over Mt. Charleston and reach Hoover Dam at 7:47. From there it's back to Nellis, landing at 8 p.m. If you're anywhere in the vicinity, you can't miss the event; the roar of the jets reach 115 decibels and 120 is the typical threshold for pain. Sat, 27 Jun 2026 08:52:55 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ufc-fiziev-torres https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#ufc-fiziev-torres Manuel Torres and Rafael Fiziev are pick em in todays early UFC main event. In the other featured match, Shara Magomedov is -350 over Michel Pereira. Sat, 27 Jun 2026 08:38:45 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#benny-glaser-wins https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#benny-glaser-wins British poker pro Benny Glaser won the prestigious $50,000-buy-in mixed-games Poker Players Championship yesterday, earning $1.34 million, his ninth WSOP bracelet in 11 years (an unprecedented run), and his name on the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy. He had to beat Phil Ivey, who bowed out in third place ($600,000), then Josh Arieh heads up ($900,000), to become this year's Players champion. Only five poker players have more bracelets than Glaser: Phil Hellmuth (17), Phil Ivey, and Erik Seidel, Johnny Chan, and the late Doyle Brunson (10). Glaser is the youngest of the group by 12 years at 37; Ivey is 49. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:38:46 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#airport-passenger-counts-down-significantly https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#airport-passenger-counts-down-significantly The 4.57 million passengers who traveled through Harry Reid International Airport in May were a decline of 8.4% from May 2025's 4.99 million. The drop is attributed to Spirit Airlines shutting down operations completely on the second day of the month. Year to date, Reid has served 21.5 million passengers, down 6.2% year over year. Domestic travel in May was down 8.6%, while international passenger counts dropped 5.7%, from 303,000 flyers in May 2025 to 286,000 this year. Spirit processed only 3,900 passengers in May compared to 511,000 in May 2005. Otherwise, Frontier, American, and United passenger numbers were up in May, Southwest and Delta down slightly. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:28:36 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hard-rock-to-add-new-2-000-seat-theater https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#hard-rock-to-add-new-2-000-seat-theater The Hard Rock has submitted applications for a new 2,000-seat entertainment venue to complement the two existing theaters. The main Mirage Theater hosted Siegfried and Roy; that will be transformed into a venue that hasn't been announced. The former Love Theater will be expanded into the 5,000-seat Hard Rock Live Arena for major concerts and productions. The new 2,000-seater, so far called "the west theater," will be five stories tall, the centerpiece of a retail promenade and a karaoke bar on the second floor. The application is expected to be approved by the Paradise Town Advisory Board and the Clark County Commission within a month. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 08:16:30 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#great-video-on-vp-players-accused-of-cheating https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#great-video-on-vp-players-accused-of-cheating You might recall a case from back in 2012, in which two video poker players were arrested, jailed, and charged by federal prosecutors with "hacking" video poker machines from coast to coast. This "open-and-shut" case of cheating involved "exploiting a hidden glitch" in the machines' Double Up feature and over a three-year period, the players won a cool million dollars, ending when they were taken into custody. The whole episode is dramatized in a 14-minute YouTube video produced by TILT, a podcast dedicated to casino cheats, scams, and heists. This story, however, turns out to be something else entirely. It's definitely worth a watch. And once again, thanks to Canada Roy for the link.   Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:11:35 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#1-5-million-hit-in-laughlin https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#1-5-million-hit-in-laughlin A California visitor hit a jackpot for $1,527,942 on a Wheel of Fortune machine last Friday at the Edgewater in Laughlin. It was on a $3 bet.  Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:24:57 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#rain-finally https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#rain-finally Yesterday, 0.02 (one-fiftieth) of an inch of rainfall was recorded at the official measuring station at Reid International, which officially ended a 124-day streak of completely dry weather throughout the valley. That didn't come close to breaking the record, 240 days in 2019-2020, when no rain fell over the winter, spring, and into the summer. Monsoon season is around the corner and if the Super El Niño forecast for this year comes to fruition, it could mean records for rainfall will be broken and then some.  Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:57:34 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-06-24-2026 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#las-vegas-weekend-highlights-06-24-2026 Comedian superstar George Lopez does stand up at MGM Grand (6/26-27) Josh Gates brings his legends, mysteries, and tales of adventure to Planet Hollywood (6/26) Princess of Hip-Hop Soul Keyshia Cole takes the stage at the Wynn (6/26-27) The free Downtown Rocks Concert on Fremont Street features Finger Eleven (6/27) The annual Hot Wheels Monster Truck Glow-N-Fire stops by at the Orleans Arena (6/27-28) Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#tim-mcgraw-to-play-five-dates-at-caesars https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#tim-mcgraw-to-play-five-dates-at-caesars Country superstar and three-time Grammy Award winner Tim McGraw will appear at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace for five shows October 23 and 24 and November 4, 6, and 7. The fan presale began yesterday and general tickets will be available starting Friday at 10 a.m. PT. Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:43:05 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#redeem-plaza-chips-sooner-than-later https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#redeem-plaza-chips-sooner-than-later A post on X indicates that the Plaza is "retiring" select chips on August 30. They're in all denominations from $1 to $1,000, so if you're holding any Plaza chips at all, you'd be wise to click this link to see if they'll be worthless in a couple of months. And thanks to Canada Roy for alerting us to this development.  Wed, 24 Jun 2026 08:37:33 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#parking-fees-going-up-at-airport https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#parking-fees-going-up-at-airport This mainly applies to locals, but it's good to know for general purposes. Starting a week from tomorrow, parking fees at Reid International will be raised. Long-term parking at the airport and economy parking at the remote lots will both increase by $2 per day to $20 and $14, respectively. The first two hours of short-term parking will be $4 each, $5 after that, with a daily maximum of $38; that's up $1 per hour and $2 on the max. Reservation parking will be $30 at Terminal 1 and $23 at Terminal 3. Discounted parking at Terminal 3 long-term parking with a reservation will be $16 Saturday through Wednesday and $20 Thursday and Friday. It's the first increase in parking fees in seven years. Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:47:00 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#michelle-chin-wins https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#michelle-chin-wins With her first-place finish in the WSOP $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Event (tournament #58), American poker pro Michelle Chin became the first woman in 15 years to win a mixed-game event. Not since Carol Fuchs won the $1,500 Dealers Choice tournament in 2015 has a woman bested the field in a mixed-game tournament. Chin took down $161,313 and her first WSOP bracelet. Chin was also the first woman player to win a WSOP Circuit Main Event (also in 2015), so she now possesses a WSOP bracelet to go with her Circuit ring.     Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:51:35 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#eye-dropper-thrill-ride-opens-at-area15 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#eye-dropper-thrill-ride-opens-at-area15 Move over Big Shot (at the STRAT). Eye Dropper is a 200-foot "psychedelic thrill ride that transforms the classic drop tower into a cinematic story-driven experience inspired by trippy art and altered states of perception," per the hyperbolic press release. "Delivering multiple high-intensity sensations," Eye Dropper combines space shot (up) and turbo drop (down) sequences at speeds up to 36 mph and 4 Gs to -1.2 Gs of weightlessness. "Following each drop, guests descend through a sensory cool down as the system resets, completing a fully immersive spectacle." The ride is part of Area15's 30-acre Zone 2 expansion, along with the Universal Horror Unleashed attraction, Museum of Ice Cream (opening on July 3), the long-awaited Boeing 747 private event and lounge venue, and several new eateries. Eye Dropper hours are daily 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and tickets are $25 for 13 and older, $20 for 12 and younger and military, etc. Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:13:31 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#thunderbirds-to-fly-over-valley-and-dam https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#thunderbirds-to-fly-over-valley-and-dam As part of southern Nevada's ongoing America250 celebration, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will do a special flyover around Las Vegas and Hoover Dam on Saturday starting at 6:45 p.m. The aerial show will feature the Thunderbirds' six-aircraft delta formation, marking the first time since 2020 that the iconic delta, six red, white, and blue F-16 Fighting Falcons in tight formation, has flown over Las Vegas. The route will include several landmarks and neighborhoods, culminating with a flyover of Hoover Dam, where a 45,000-square-foot American flag and nightly patriotic lighting display continue through July 4. Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:07:50 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#gold-spike-changes-hands https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#gold-spike-changes-hands We haven't heard much about the old Gold Spike, once Las Vegas' ultimate downtown dive, since Tony Hsieh bought it for $27 million in 2013, eliminated the casino, and (tried to) turn it into a "nightlife and entertainment destination, featuring live music, special events, bars, lounges, and arcade-style games," as we wrote at the time. Under Hsieh's benign neglect approach, not much happened. We reported on a short-lived synthetic ice rink there that same year and in 2017, the 42 residential units were converted into hotel rooms due to increased demand for nightly rentals. Now, the Gold Spike has been sold again to two local real estate investors for $11.4 million, around 40% of what Hsieh paid for it. The sale, according to the Review-Journal, includes the "Gold Spike entertainment complex," the adjacent Oasis hotel, and the parking lot. No word on what the developers' plans might be for the property. Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:51:57 +0000 https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#caesars-50-show-tickets-25-each-for-two https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/news/#caesars-50-show-tickets-25-each-for-two Through June 29, Caesars is discounting show tickets. You can buy tickets for $50 each to 26 shows on select dates till the end of the year and two tickets for $50 to nine shows and the High Roller observation wheel, the Linq Promenade zipline, and the Eiffel Tower observation deck. To order, go to the dedicated Ticketmaster page. Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:37:14 +0000