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Capons at Fountainebleau


Josh Capon, a New York celebrity chef with a number of restaurants under his belt, is renowned on the East Coast for his Bash Burger, a perennial people’s-choice winner at the New York City and Miami Wine and Food festivals. Which is why we found ourselves at Fontainebleau yet again, to sample the burger at Capons in the Promenade Food Hall.

As an aside, we’ve been to Fbleau way more than we would have expected when it opened. But we can say this: The easy in and out of the parking garage and the free four-parking for everyone provide all the incentive we need to try what we can there, without spending two arms and three legs.

First, the name is pronounced “KAY-pons,” not kuh-PONE’s, the way we suspected.

The menu consists of three burgers — Capons Classic with lettuce, tomato, pickles, cheese, and secret sauce ($15), the Smoke Show that adds onion-bacon jam and onion straws, and the Blackjack with truffle aioli and potato sticks (both $16). There are also chicken sandwiches ($14-$16), chicken “tenderonies” with a choice of four sauces ($15), waffle fries and onion rings ($7), a dozen varieties of scooped gelato, soft-serve shakes, and sundaes ($7-$12), and a few adult beverages ($9-$10).

We sampled Capons Classic, which might not look like much, especially in the photos, but it’s made from a custom beef blend and the patty is extraordinarily juicy, with very fresh lettuce and tomato, a sauce somewhat like In-N-Out’s, and a bun that holds up fine, even under the onslaught of ooze. And this bad boy is good for a meal and a half, even without fries. We brought home half for later.

We also had to order a Topo Chico (“Little Mole”). We rarely see this sparkling mineral water in Vegas, but we’ve always liked it in Mexico, sourced and bottled in Monterrey since 1895. It’s $7 and worth it, at least to us.

The total bill came to $27.14, including tax and a $3 tip.

Yes, pretty steep for a burger and bottled water from a food hall. We’re not soft-pedaling that. But we do like Fbleau and Capons is among the few food items there that are (mostly) affordable for the likes of us non-jetsetters.

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Love and kisses from Wall Street

Not-so-buried Treasure,” said Truist Securities analyst Barry Jonas about Boyd Gaming, in a playful allusion to its new Treasure Chest casino, which has been steadily outperforming the New Orleans market. Even so, he kept his price target at $77/share but rated the stock a “Buy.” Big deals were deemed unlikely, Penn Entertainment takeover talk having long since gone off the boil. Boyd beat Wall Street estimates across all divisions, delivering net revenue of $961 million and cash flow of $337 million.

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Hockey Knights in Vegas Episode 84: The VGK Teeter-Totter

Hockey Knights in Vegas is BACK!

Everyone played on a teeter-tooter when they were children. Well, 7 games in, the VGK Season is very much a seesaw.

Chris and Eddie delve into what went wrong on the 0-2-1 road trip and what changes led to a dominant win
over the Los Angeles Kings in the first game of a four-game homestand. Once again, the boys make predictions for the homestand. They couldn’t be worse than the road trip predictions from last week, right?

All that and details on the Golden Giveaway!

Want to win two Lower Bowl tickets, parking, and dinner with Eddie for the VGK vs. Carolina game on November
11? Details are in this episode of Hockey Knights in Vegas.


To listen to Hockey Knights in Vegas on your favorite platforms, follow on social media, and all things VGK on
all new platforms around the internet?
All Links – https://www.hockeyknightsvegas.com
Instagram – https://hockeyknightsvegas
Hockey Knights in Vegas is brought to you by:
Anthony Curtis’ Las Vegas Advisor – http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com
Dr. John Pierce | Ageless Forever – https://www.agelessforever.net
Marathon Law Group – https://www.marathonlawgroup.com

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Honeymoon in Vegas? Try Halloween in Vegas

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Unless you want to “get married in blood” at the Little Chapel and do both. It’s the best of times and quite possibly the wildest. And I’ve DJ’d some very wild parties where when I put on Nelly’s “ Hot in Here,” half the room actually did take off their clothes. So in Vegas my “wildest” means it.

If you haven’t experienced Vegas’ end of October’s hallowed eve, believe me when I say it’s a thriller, a valley-wide party to die for. Just don’t actually die, okay? Fake the ghost-pale complexion, blood and rubber knife in your head, and appropriately, or inappropriately if that’s your poison, you can be all you wanna be, whether it’s a Chippendale, a dungeon master, a vampire bride with a blood lust that can’t be satisfied, or just a hottie in a French maids outfit. Guys too, anything goes.

Indulge your cross-dresser fantasy or drag your willing partner or partners in leather and chains or have her/him/them do it to you and any other kinky crazy themes you desire to display.

No one will bat an eye, but there may be some actual bats and “can I join in?” or “How did you build the Eiffel Tower on your head out of chopsticks?” Hint: Make it sturdy.

Planning on winning one of the many incredible costume contests or just wanna stand out? Invest some time, money, and ingenuity, because every dirty, sexy, gory, crazy, funny, silly, spooky fantasy will be parading down Fremont and at one of the killer club parties or the dozens of major themed events. Vamping or vampirelling, it’s all happpening in Vegas under the howling good-time October moon.

On the Record gives away some serious four-figure cash for best costume. Arriving at Park MGM, a pickup truck pulled up and three folks unloaded … really, I wouldn’t even call them costumes, more like parade floats.

Madelon Hynes’ article LVRJ.com/Halloween/2024 has a comprehensive list of events valley wide.

Area 15 becomes Scaria 15. There are by my count three Rocky Horror-themed events. And the entertainment options? Spooky good. Check who’s playing between the 26th and 30th: Adelle, Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Earth Wind and Fire, The Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, SZA, Travis Scott, U2 Sphere concert movie, Usher … phew… And in the clubs? Steve Aoki, The Chainsmokers, DJ Snake, Zedd, and a host of others.

And the weather is great finally.

I’ve done Vegas Super Bowl, July 4th and New Year’s, but Halloween takes the cake.

Though this blog is late to go this year it will give you a heads up, so you can plan for next.

Leave the candy at home. There’ll be plenty of eye candy. Bring your vampire queen or queens, your whips and chains. Rocky Horror will be there and you’ll never be the same.

BTW, no advantage play was harmed in the creation of this article.

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On the radio

This morning saw (heard?) us do a guest stint on KNPR-FM‘s State of Nevada. We expounded on various and sundry topics, mostly Global Gaming Expo and the sorry condition of what passes for casino regulation in Nevada. Smoking in casinos—and why it persists—was dwelt upon, as was the failsino that Bally’s Corp. is fancifully planning for the Tropicana Las Vegas site. After his laughable project design was met with much Sin City derision, Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim was quick to walk it back, via his reliable PR organ, the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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What It Takes to Lose

Bob Dancer

I have a gambling partner, “Abe,” and, in 2024, we split gambling wins and losses 50-50. Our partnership encompasses video poker, slots, and occasionally other games. I am the stronger partner when it comes to video poker, although the difference between us is shrinking. He is stronger on slots, overall, but I am more knowledgeable about certain games.

Abe and I recently played at an out-of-Las Vegas casino, accompanied by our wives, and also accompanied by “Bo,” who is one of our slot gurus. Bo is a man who lives outside of Nevada, makes a very nice living playing slots, and sometimes shares information with us. We saw a new game at the casino. Bo had heard about it and had some good ideas about how to beat it.

The game needed to be played a lot by others before it was ready for us to play it. The right conditions didn’t happen at this casino, so we didn’t play.

When we returned to Las Vegas, we found that game in several casinos, but usually not in a beatable condition. Eventually we found a game that met our criteria. I took a picture and texted that to Bo. He agreed conditions were right. He said that if he were in town, he’d snap it up. Although he didn’t have data on this particular game, he believed that it was similar to other games he knew well and that we should hit the jackpot within the next six hours or so.

Over the next 18 hours, Abe and I played this game and proceeded to lose $27,000, at which point we “pulled the plug” and gave up on it. The top jackpot was still on the machine and not in our pockets. Possibly we’ll play this game in the future, once more data is obtained, but right now we’re not sure if it’s not as Bo believed it was, or if we were just plain unlucky. Either explanation could be correct.

Most players wouldn’t have lost that much on the game. To do that, you had to have the bankroll and a lot of confidence that you’re on the “right side.” Relatively few players have that combination of bankroll and knowledge, at least on this game at the present time.

The vast majority of slot players believe the house has the advantage on whichever game they’re playing. They might try a game, see how it goes, and leave before they’ve lost too much. They probably would never have played this game for the stakes we were playing simply because they were unfamiliar with the game and didn’t recognize what a profitable opportunity it presented.

The three of us, Abe, Bo, and me, are now analyzing what happened. Our current “best guess” is that we were on the right side of the game and got unlucky. Over time, we’ll collect more data and come to a more definite conclusion as to the profitability of this particular game under these conditions.

The knowledge and willingness to gamble that we have has served us well over time — just not this time. 

Oh well, we’ll shake it off and keep doing what we’re doing.

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Silliness, sleaze and s**t

That dingbatty mess you’re contemplating is the proposed “master plan” for Bally’s Las Vegas. Or whatever it will be called. If it gets built. A big “if.” Since it centers upon the proposed—but still improbable—Sacramento Athletics stadium in the middle, it’s more that a colossal “IF.” Before we get into why this megaresort is highly unlikely to transpire, let’s unpack what passes for a design.

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How I Found Treasure Perusing the MRB!

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

Happiness is full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better with a $500 coupon!

So I’m lounging in bed with some Haagen Dasz (2-for-1) and perusing my Member Rewards Book wondering what coupons I’ll have left for my end-of-year Vegas trip, when I stumble on a treasure.

Wait. Did I read that right? A royal flush $500 free-play bonus? At the Plaza? In the Sand Dollar Lounge? Am I DREAMING? Great music and free drinks playing Jacks or Better at 100.65?

It took all my self-control not to jump on a plane, but I’m still recovering from my recent medical emergencies and surgeries, so I’m handing it to all you APs.

I love the Plaza (will be writing more about it in the next few blogs). CEO Jonathan Jossel is doing everything right, in my humble opinion.

Like the Plaza’s recent EDM Festival in the parking lot (I love the band Jungle) and their FP VP, single- zero roulette, matchplays, Pink Box donuts, Hash House A Go Go, pizza, and much more. Also their location at the Circa end of Fremont Street’s not too shabby either.

I’ve tried to use my free-champagne MRB coupon at Circa, but I keep getting comped. Wow. It’s a tough job, but hey, somebody, right?

Trivia: The Plaza bought the first round of Fontainebleau furniture sold off by Carl Icahn out of bankruptcy. Nice.

But I digress.

I loved 9/6 JOB (mostly graduated to higher tighter VP). Back in the day, it was my go-to game, with its low variance and two units for your second pair. God Bless America, that’s a beautiful thing. Sorry, Macklemore! (That’s a Plaza joke.) And now I can play it with a $500 free play bonus? Katie (Perry?) bar the door — right after I get in.

Adding .1% for comps and using the Wizard of Odds calculator, I get a return percentage of 100.68.

If you win, there’s a slight EV loss playing $500 free Play through 9/6 JOB. Or heck, go throw it at the slots. Your choice, baby.

How did I miss this fabulous advantage-play coupon until now?

I do peruse Anthony’s list in the Las Vegas Advisor of the expected value of the MRB’s gambling coupons, but this coupon wasn’t there! And the coupon index in the back of the MRB listed it simply as a royal flush bonus. Yawn. Most of them are like … well, they’re not $500 in free play.

Glad I was actually looking through the MRB. It’s coupon 46.

And here’s my challenge: Try walking into Pink Box and buying just one donut. Then go over to the Sand Dollar and soak up some positive expectation JoB, great music, and free drinks.

If you hit it, send a photo to A.C. for the weekly YouTube and thank me in the comments.

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Atlantic City & other distractions

Atlantic City dip; Another strike in Motown? 2

Expect many cries of anguish and much rending of garments from Big Gaming over the September casino grosses from Atlantic City. To hear them tell it, the Boardwalk is going to dry up and blow away any minute now. What’s the latest provocation? Last month’s tally of $230.5 million was 6.5% down from last year—but 3% higher than pre-pandemic 2019. And there was one weekend less than last year, which ought to soften the blow. iGaming, meanwhile, was a bonanza, leaping 27% year/year.

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