{"id":516,"date":"2015-04-03T10:17:00","date_gmt":"2015-04-03T17:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lva.local\/secure\/shop\/products\/whale-hunt-in-the-desert-third-edition\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T15:18:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T22:18:24","slug":"whale-hunt-in-the-desert","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/shop\/products\/whale-hunt-in-the-desert\/","title":{"rendered":"Whale Hunt in the Desert"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
<\/a><\/th>\n<\/a><\/th>\n<\/a><\/th>\n<\/a><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A top casino host reveals\u00a0the truth about the\u00a0lifestyles and motivations of\u00a0the world\u2019s biggest gamblers, the “whales,” and\u00a0<\/strong>how the casinos “harpoon” them.<\/p>\n

This definitive expos\u00e9 reveals the shrouded world of ultra-high rollers and the Faustian pacts they forge with their hosts, the casino representatives whose job it is to part them from their fortunes, using an arsenal of “weapons” including complimentary suites, private jets, diamond jewelry for their wives (and\/or mistresses), front-row seats to sold-out events, and other shadier “tricks” up their sleeves …<\/p>\n

This third edition includes an extensive update about Las Vegas, the “greening” of gambling, the nightclub and “day life”\u00a0scenes, the evolution of the host position, and much more — all in the words of superhost Steve Cyr.<\/p>\n

“Relentless salesmanship, intense attention to detail, the willingness to play dirty — Cyr walks a fine line between the house and the suckers.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/i>— Michael Kaplan, Cigar Aficionado<\/i><\/strong><\/div>\n

Click to see the Whale Hunt in the Desert<\/u><\/a><\/strong> Table of Contents and read an excerpt.<\/p>\n

About The Author(s)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Deke Castleman<\/strong> wrote six editions of Nevada Handbook<\/em> between 1988 and 1999 and seven editions of Compass Las Vegas<\/em> between 1991 and 2003. He’s contributed to Fodor’s, Frommer\u2019s, Unofficial, and Access Las Vegas guides, as well as numerous Nevada and general travel magazines and websites. As editor at Huntington Press, he’s edited 100 books on gambling and Las Vegas. Whale Hunt in the Desert<\/em> is the culmination of his 25-year career in travel and gambling writing and publishing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A top casino host reveals\u00a0the truth about the\u00a0lifestyles and motivations of\u00a0the world\u2019s biggest gamblers, the “whales,” and\u00a0<\/strong>how the casinos “harpoon” them.<\/p>\n

This product is available on Amazon only.<\/p>\n

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