Everywhere! Especially today with the St. Patrick’s Day overlap. But sticking with the college basketball tournament, the basic strategy is to get yourself to a sports book … any sports book.
If you haven’t experienced being in a book for March Madness, you need to give it a try, especially on this opening Thursday-Sunday, when the games begin early and run one after another all day long for four days straight. The sports books air every game in real time and it’s an amazing scene when just about everyone in the room has money riding on something. Even the most humble sports book in town will have the vibe, but for the whole magilla, check out one of the recently renovated books at Westgate, The Cosmopolitan, Red Rock, or the just-completed Boulder Station.
Several casinos are hosting dedicated viewing parties, with free tournament bashes running at South Point, Westgate, Stratosphere, Aliante, Treasure Island, and in various venues throughout the Boyd properties. There’s a $100 fee at Hard Rock (three days for $250), but the party in the Joint comes with unlimited draft beer and a buffet. Similar all-you-can-eat-and-drink set-ups are offered at Planet Hollywood, Harrah’s, and Flamingo for $149 each, and, for the first time that we’ve seen, at Caesars Palace, for $200. Downtown, the Downtown Grand is running a $25 party that includes an all-day buffet, and the Fremont Street Experience is hosting the 7th annual "Downtown Hoopstown" celebration with free entertainment, the "High Hoops Zone" basketball-shot challenge, and the "World’s Largest NCAA Bracket" displayed on the Viva Vision canopy.
The best deal we’ve seen on food and drink is in the casino lounge at Ellis Island, where 20-ounce drafts and hot dogs are only $1 each, and an order of five wings is $2 (40¢ per). Orleans and Gold Coast have $1.50 dogs and $2.50 beers (when you buy a $15 bucket). El Cortez has $2 dogs and beers, Rampart has $2 beers and half-price appetizers in JC’s Irish Sports Pub, and Aliante has $2 beers and $3 shots in the ETA Lounge. South Point has $25 pitchers of I’m coming to town for the big first weekend of March Madness. Where will the action Bloody Marys or margaritas. The PT’s throughout the valley are serving $3 drafts and $2 tequila shots. Rick’s Rollin’ Smoke BBQ & Tavern at Pawn Plaza has $2 shots; $10 pitchers; and unlimited barbecue sliders plus two beers for $25. And you can count on Station casinos to do their thing with dollar dogs and some kind of deal on beers sold from carts in the sports book.
For gamblers, Station Casinos is running its "Last Man Standing" contest with a $25 entry fee (buy four and get one free) with 100% of the entry fees returned. But hurry, entry closes at 9 a.m. this morning. If you’re betting the games, it’s always good to get something extra for your action. The only such deal we know of now is at either Arizona Charlie’s, where you’ll get a free logoed T-shirt for a $50 straight bet or a $20 parlay. But all you have to do is show your B Connected card to get a T-shirt at the Orleans or Gold Coast (no bet required), presumably as long as supplies last.
So there’s your round-up for March Madness. As far as St. Paddy’s goes, the "Ultimate St. Patrick’s Day Celebration" at the LINQ Promenade figures to be as crazy as any, with O’Sheas serving as ground zero. And the three Sean Patrick’s Pubs in town are advertising $20 in matchplay from 10 am to midnight. Otherwise, just wander around and you’ll trip over a party somewhere.
