This year’s party landscape has an added outside element affecting it. A dispute between Cox Cable and Channel 8, the channel airing the game, has left many cable customers worrying that they might not be able to watch from their homes. It’s also possible that the problem spills over to bars that use Cox, though it’s a fairly safe bet that contingency plans are in place.
Of course, this problem won’t affect the feed at the casinos, which are all running an event, or multiple events, of some sort. Unlimited food and drink parties at a reasonable price can be found at Buddy V’s at Venetian ($39 food), Kahunaville at TI ($50 food), Silverton ($59 food), Sayers Club at SLS ($60 drinks), Brooklyn Bowl ($75 food & drinks), Umami Burger at SLS ($75 drinks/food $25 extra), and Plaza ($100 food & drinks). There are dozens of others that are (mostly) more expensive. A good round-up is provided at Eater Vegas.
If you don’t want to pay the high tariffs, just hanging out in one of the sports books is as good an option as any. All the books will be jumping, but the deals on dogs and drinks will be better in the locals joints. South Point, for example, is running its annual free bash in the showroom, with $1 dogs, cheap beer by the bucket, and prize drawings. Similar parties with free entry and food/drink deals will run at Gold Coast, Suncoast, Sam’s Town, Orleans, Silver Sevens, and Aliante. The Station casinos haven’t advertised anything special, but they can be reasonably counted on to offer $2.50 dogs and $1 beers during the game. Arizona Charlie’s has $8 buckets of five beers ($1.60 per).
Ellis Island is hosting a free tailgate party in the lot in front of the casino, then a $50 viewing party during the game that includes a merchandise raffle, plus food and all the Ellis Island beer you can drink. On the west side, the Rampart party is $49 (with a club card) for unlimited food and drinks at multiple "party venues" casino-wide, plus a logoed T-shirt. Downtown, the D will hold its viewing party in a big tent on the concert grounds behind the casino, with ESPN sports-radio personality Scott Ferrall presiding. It’s free to enter, but food and drinks are extra.
Many non-casino bars will also be running parties. An easy basic strategy is to watch the game at a bar that follows your team. That works for Broncos fans at Balboa Pizza Co., Black Mountain Grill, Four Mile Bar, Jake’s Bar, and Road Runner (Buffalo). Panthers fans will have to improvise, given that there are no bars this year that followed Carolina (we’re betting that will change next season).
Parties at bars and other non-casino venues are often less expensive or more creative. For example, Via Brasil on Fort Apache has an open bar for $40 and an appetizer bar for an additional $20. Davidoff of Geneva in the Fashion Show Mall is offering 2-for-1 beers and 4-for-3 cigars. The non-gaming Gold Spike downtown will host "The Big Spike" viewing party, with free admission (first come, first served basis) to catch the game on their giant projection screens and enjoy ice-luge shots, squares, trivia games, and prizes; or for $50/person upgrade for the open bar (all drafts and domestics, house wines, and well/premium liquors including Crown Royal, JD, Tanqueray, Absolut, Fireball, Jose Cuervo, and more), plus a tailgate buffet, from 3-6 p.m.
All sound good. So do these.
The party at The Sporting Life bar at 7770 S. Jones costs $125 for an all-you-can-eat pig roast and unlimited beer, wine, and well drinks, plus a raffle with good prizes, including a TV and $2,000 in cash given away during the game. The expected return from the cash and raffle giveaways knocks the price down to well below $100 per person. There are less expensive options, but The Sporting Life with its impressive TV walls is an excellent place to watch the game. Dealers Choice Lounge at 4552 Spring Mountain is charging a $50 entry, which includes a buffet during the game, but there’s also a squares pool worth $50 in expected return, which means the buffet is theoretically free, and free, even when theoretical, is always good.
As for betting bargains, no reduced-juice deals have shown up this year, but there will be add-ons. For example, both Arizona Charlie’s will give you a logo T-shirt for making a $20 parlay or $50 straight bet. That’s pure value added. The best we’ve seen so far is at Jerry’s Nugget, where a $20 parlay-card bet gets you a Corona bucket filled with two hats, two T-shirts, two decks of cards, a martini glass, a koozie, and a bottle opener.
It’s only Thursday, folks. More will show up between now and the game. Check "Today’s News" for late breakers right up till kickoff.
