Today, we’re going to answer two related questions in one, received from two different readers: "We are visiting Vegas in May and wondered about your evaluation of the High Roller at the Linq. Hours of operation and cost? Do you think it is worth the expense? How a about a day ride versus a night trip? Anything else we should consider?" And (a topical one, given our recent weather): "The High Roller is up and running, but I wanted to know if there is a wind-speed limit that shuts it down for safety reasons?"

Standing in front of the Bellagio at night with the Eiffel tower at my back while watching the beautiful fountains dance to the music is a favorite must-do for me on every trip to Vegas. It's magic that I think no one should miss! I'm curious, though, as to how much it costs the Bellagio to stage each presentation. Any idea?

My question pertains to a bet I made at Binion's a couple of months ago. I placed a $100 futures "win" bet on Shared Belief in the Kentucky Derby at 8-1 odds. In the interim, I’ve learned that the horse will not run and I wonder about the status of my ticket. I know that if an event like a baseball game is canceled, all bets are returned. But what if a participant (in this case a horse) does not take part? Can I get my money back or am I just stuck?

I just got a message on my cell that there’s a new Las Vegas area code. How come I haven’t heard about this before? Did it just happen? And what’s the deal with having to dial 702 now?

Now that marijuana is legal in Colorado and Washington, what are the chances it will become legal in Nevada?

I am interested in purchasing a timeshare in Las Vegas. Most of the major companies are now going to a "point system"; I would just like to reserve the same week(s) every year (the "traditional way"). Are there still such units available? (I don’t like the point systems since the value of the points can be changed by the company; you are at their mercy when they decide to change the rules!)

Starting from one end of the Strip to the other, would it be possible to match up the casinos of today with the casinos that used to be at that location in the past, say in the '60s, '70s, or '80s? For example, what casino did Bellagio replace, or the Cosmopolitan, etc.? (Even mentioning the name changes would be great, e.g., the Aladdin was renamed Planet Hollywood.)

Re: Hotel32 at Monte Carlo, I just read of it, having previously been unaware of its existence, and that despite monthly visits to Las Vegas for the last 12 years! Can you comment? What's the history?

I saw in today's news that Clark County's population surpassed 2 million. But what about the the city? How many people live in the entire metropolitan area including North Las Vegas, Summerlin and Henderson?

You ceaselessly – and incorrectly – refer to the "Las Vegas Valley." Here’s a geology/geography lesson: A valley is an elongated depression in the earth’s surface carved out over a protracted period of time by the moving water of a river. No, the Colorado River doesn’t qualify because it’s too distant. The Las Vegas metropolitan area is situated not in a valley but in a "bowl" or "basin," surrounded by mountains on all sides. Look up at the horizon and check it out.