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ANTHONY CURTIS’ LasVegasAdvisor February 2021 • Vol. 38 • Issue 2 $5

THE GATEWAY ARCHES Do they put on the Strip? … pg. 4

RESERVA- TIONS LOST Defending against disappointment … pg. 1

THE SOUTH POINT BUFFET Portion control is the key … pg. 7

SHOWTIME Who says you can’t see a show? … pg. 10

WSOP Poker champ crowned, at last … pg. 13 Local (702) Toll Free

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COUPONOMY by Anthony Curtis Kicked to the Curb

Last month, we wrote the following in News: “Park MGM, Mandalay Bay, Planet Hollywood, , and Rio, have closed their on week- days, though their casinos continue to operate.” If you’d read that and had reservations at one of those resorts, you would probably have been com- pelled to make a call before your trip to confirm that everything was okay. But what if you hadn’t read it? What if the casino’s website advertised availability on, say, January 14, allowed you to book a room online, sent you a confirmation number for a reservation on Wednesday January 27, and you received no subsequent contact about changes of any kind? You might just show up with your luggage on the appointed date expecting to get a room, right? That’s exactly what happened to someone we know (call him Mr. B). When Mr. B showed up at the Rio, confirmation in hand, at 10 pm that Wednesday, there was no one at the registration desk. He walked around not knowing what to do next until a security guard informed him that the hotel was closed. What now? First, he had to find a place to get on a phone and call Caesars Enter- tainment. Never mind that figuring out whom to call at midnight took some investigation. When he finally got to the right desk, he had to deal with a 40-minute runaround that included operators refusing to let him talk to a supervisor (one hung up on him), the supervisor he finally spoke to refusing to answer questions, and multiple attempts to up-charge him for relocation. The relocation eventually offered was at Bally’s, where Mr. B absolutely did not want to go, since he’d stayed there during the peak of the summer street violence on the Strip and had unfond memories of the experience. It took some arguing and a lot of inconvenience, but Mr. B was finally relocated to Caesars Palace, where, when he checked out, he was over- charged by $105 and then had to pursue a remedy for that. So what’s the takeaway here? Caesars sucks? I guess that’s part of it continued on next page Couponomy continued …

(I’m not a fan). But the real lesson is that right now in Vegas, service sucks and you have to be aware of that. We’ve been making the point over the past several months that the pandemic has eroded more than the obvious. Casino systems have been disrupted, but more important, many—not all, or even the majority—but many service employees seem just not to care. Any way you look at it, the combination of compromised systems and employee lethargy produces a heightened prospect for negative EV. I’m not suggesting that this is a rea- son to stay away. I am saying that it’s a reason to pay attention—to every- thing. Follow up on things like room and show reservations. It might save you a whole lot of hassle. Things are bound to get better, but they aren’t better yet. n

VPW Post Flash

My favorite video poker software is Bob Dancer’s Video Poker for Win- ners, and it’s not because we publish it. Honestly, it’s because it does more of what I want from tutoring/analysis software than any of the other options on the market. If you use it as much as I do, you might be wonder- ing why it suddenly looks different. Here’s why. An element of the program called Flash has been discontinued by its developer and that has affected two areas. One is the landing screen, which no longer dis- plays as it originally did. In place of the former screen, opening the program now calls up the image here. It looks bad, but it’s simply a cosmetic problem. Go to the “Games” dropdown menu (see arrow) and everything is there. The only other area that’s slightly affected is in the game Super

Publisher: Anthony Curtis Researcher: Brenda Stewart Dancer, Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot Krause, LAS Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Customer Service: Paula Machado Bradley Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott VEGAS Accounting: John Leitner Shipping/Receiving: Matt Wondolleck Cover: City of Las Vegas ADVISOR Web Manager: Tanya Maynard Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob LAS VEGAS ADVISOR (ISSN 1064-167X USPS 008602) is published monthly and is available for $50 per year ($60 Canadian; $70 foreign purchasers) and $5 per single issue at 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV, 89103. Phone: (702) 252-0655 • Fax: (702) 252-0675 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Las Vegas Advisor, 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. e-mail: [email protected] • Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com. All information is current at press time. Listed offerings are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press©2021

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 Times Pay, but that’s also a cosmetic problem in that the multiplier anima- tion displays a gray Flash symbol for a few seconds instead of the X val- ues when the multiplier is being selected. The Super Times Pay game still functions and no training features have been impacted. It’s the same for all other functionality of the program, which remains intact. n

Now I Might Be Right

The newsprint magazine Gaming Today has been sold and the new owners are discontinuing print and going to an all-online format. Gaming Today is a good source of Las Vegas information, so the change is note- worthy. But I bring it up for a different reason. A couple years ago, I made a statement that LVA was the “longest tenured gambling newsletter or mag- azine ever,” then had to recant when I realized that GT began publishing in 1976, therefore out-tenuring LVA. So maybe now my statement is accu- rate. Whether it is or isn’t, GT had a long and good run in print and I hope it gets even longer online. n

NEWS

Shutdown—Another month, another extension of the “pause.” The heightened restrictions related to COVID-19 precautions in could have been lifted last month, but instead were extended until February 15. That means the continuation of 25% capacity limits in casinos, restaurants, and bars; reservations being required to dine out; a 50-person max on gatherings, and strict enforcement of mask rules. It’s the second extension of the order that was first issued on November 24 and was expected to last less than a month. Continued high infection rates and the fear that more bad numbers are on the way as a result of holiday gatherings are behind the decision to keep the precautionary measures in place. Sands Corp.—Sheldon Adelson, who founded Las Vegas Sands Corp. and was ranked as one of the wealthiest people in the world, has died at 87. The new chairman and CEO is Robert Goldstein, who pledged to con- tinue on the path forged by Adelson. However, Goldstein also expressed that he has “very strong thoughts” in favor of online casino gambling and sports betting, two sectors of the business to which Adelson had been opposed. The statement appears to indicate that Sands might finally become a player in the igaming field. Rio—In a Gaming Control Board suitability hearing, a principal in Dreamscape Companies, the new owner of the Rio, testified that it hopes to take over operation of the property “before 2023” (it’s currently oper- continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3 News continued … ated by Caesars in a leaseback arrangement). Dreamscape has also said that it will implement a “monster refresh” of the property, including a “re-examination” of the food and beverage product. Contrary to rumors about everything from condos to a baseball park being in store, there have been no indications of plans other than continuing to operate the Rio as a casino. The Pass—The former Eldorado in Henderson will be rebranded as The Pass. The name reflects the new ownership by the same company that runs Railroad Pass, which is located near Boulder City and is the oldest casino in the Las Vegas area. Along with the new name comes an exterior makeover and new signage inside and out. An opening date has not been announced. Golden Gate—The Golden Gate celebrated its 115th anniversary in December. The original building opened in 1906 as the Hotel Nevada, then changed its name to the Sal Sagev (Las Vegas spelled backward) in 1931. It became the Golden Gate in 1955 and continues to operate as Las Vegas’ oldest hotel. —After completion, the cost of Allegiant Stadium came in at $1.944 billion, $25.1 million under budget. After adding in work done by third parties, the total cost was $1.99 billion—impressive when compared to LA’s concurrently built Sofi Stadium, which came in at $2 billion over budget. Take a free virtual tour of Allegiant by logging on to homie.com/raiders. Majestic—Construction is scheduled to begin in July on . The $850 million 720-room business hotel at the former site of the Clarion will have everything but a casino, including several restaurants, an entertainment component, a spa, and 35 corporate suites on the top 10 floors of a 620-foot-tall tower. The project was originally scheduled to launch in 2020, but was delayed by the pandemic; it’s expected to open sometime in 2024. Gateway Arches—Eight months and $6.5 million after starting, the pair of arches that cross between St. Louis and avenues next to The STRAT have been completed (see this issue’s cover). The arches are 80 feet high and 140 feet wide. They feature more than 13,000 LEDs and 700 feet of neon tubing, with a retro 20-by-40-foot “City of Las Vegas” sign hanging from the apex. Speakers can play music for special occasions. The hateway arches will light up 365 days a year at dusk. Whether or not the gateway, which conveys the feeling of passing from one area to another, will add credence to The STRAT’s long-running campaign to be considered part of the Strip remains to be seen. Moulin Rouge—The latest attempt to develop the former Moulin Rouge site is underway. The 11.3 vacant acres where the resort once stood have

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 TOP 10 VALUES 1. Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99 2. Buffet • South Point • Daily • $11.95-$18.95 The Ellis Island steak dinner 3. Beer • Stage Door • 24 hours • $1 holds the top spot in the Top 4. Breakfast • Arizona Charlie’s • Daily • $5.99 Ten. It’s served 24/7 in the 5. Hot Dog • South Point • Daily • $1.25 Café, get the $7.99 price by 6. Shrimp Cocktail • Fremont • Daily • 99¢ playing at least $5 in any slot 7. Prime Rib • Ellis Island • Daily • $16.99/$26.99 machine with your club card 8. Lunch • Planet Hollywood • Daily • $4.99 inserted, then downloading the 9. $1 • OYO • Daily • $1.20 required discount coupon from an EI kiosk. If you don’t want to 10. Room Rates • El Cortez et al • $49 and up play, you can get it for $9.99 ($3 off the listed price) just by downloading a coupon from the kiosk that’s available to everyone with a club card. The South Point buffet (#2) remains the only casino buffet in a town that used to have more than 40 of them, and there’s no sign of that changing in the near future. Read about what it’s like to eat a buffet today in Dining. Budweiser and Michelob Light in the bottle are $1 at the Stage Door slot house on Fla- mingo, just east of the Strip (#3); a ¼-pound hot dog and a Bud is $3. The steak or ham & eggs at either Arizona Charlie’s (#4) is served in the Sourdough Cafés for $5.99 when you show your club card, available 24 hours at Decatur and 6 am-mid. weekdays and 24 hours weekends at Boulder. The hot dogs at South Point (#5) are sold from a cart in the sports book from 10 am until they close down the cart around 5 pm. The Fremont’s shrimp cocktail is the last of the easy-to-get 99-centers (#6); it’s served in the Lanai Express snack bar all hours except 7 to 11 am daily. Ellis Island’s potent prime rib tandem (#7) is available 24/7. You won’t get a better prime deal for the price anywhere in town and the humungous double cut stands up to anything you’ll find at twice the price. Everything on the lunch menu is $4.99 at Ocean One (#8) in the at Planet Hollywood; lunch hours are 11:30 am to 5 pm daily. Oyo’s $1-minimum blackjack game (#9) runs 24/7 in the pit; naturals pay even money on bets of $1-$4. The $1.20 listed cost is your expected loss for one hour of play at these stakes. Room rates continue to be low enough to bag the #10 spot on the list. Do some research before you book. been sold to an Australia-based private-equity investment firm, BBC Cap- ital for $3.1 million, plus the assumption of $2 million in debt. BBC Capital says that the company “is very excited about doing a casino project on the property, has already engaged with some community members, under- stands the history of the site, and looks forward to working with the city.” We’ll see. continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 5 News continued …

Arizona—The We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort has opened east of Phoenix. It features a 246-room hotel; restaurants; an entertainment venue; spa; meet- ing space; and a casino with 850 slots, 22 blackjack tables, and poker and bingo rooms. Statistics—Nevada’s statewide gambling win was down 17.8% in November compared to the same month last year. The Strip win was down 32.5%, but downtown was up 1.7%. The capacity restrictions continue to affect the Strip far more than other areas of the state. Visitation was down 56.8%, with convention attendance registering 0 for the eighth consecutive month. The hotel occupancy rate continued to fall, dropping to just 39.3%, the lowest since June, hitting 55.4% week- ends and only 32.4% weekdays. Airline traffic was down 57.7%, with 1.8 million travelers passing through McCarran International last month. All but 1% were domestic trav- elers; only four international flights (three to and from Mexico and one to and from Canada) are flying through McCarran currently. Macau’s gambling win for 2020 was $7.56 billion, a decline of 79.3% from 2019 and its lowest total in 14 years. n

Sports Betting Scorecard

A federal circuit court has thrown out a Justice Department ruling from last year that, if upheld, could have quashed mobile sports betting, along with multi-state lotteries, and igaming in general. The court affirmed an earlier district court’s ruling that the 1961 Wire Act applies only to interstate sports betting, rejecting the much broader view cited in the 2018 opinion by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. Thus, this particular sword of Damocles, which has been hanging over the online-gambling industry for more than two years, has been permanently beaten into a plowshare. As expected, live mobile sports betting began last month in Michigan and Virginia, with Michigan also becoming the fifth state to offer igaming, along with New Jersey, Pennsylvania, , and West Virginia. Also, the prospects for allowing online sports betting in New York continue to improve, with the potential to generate an estimated $20 billion handle. However, there’s concern that the state will run the concession exclusively, disallowing competition from multiple operators, a practice that has proven to truncate results in other markets, e.g., Montana, Oregon, and Rhode Island. Follow the progress of sports betting legalization across the country and track developments as they occur via our map at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n

6 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 DINING South Point Buffet

South Point is hanging in there. In August, we reviewed the SP break- fast buffet when there were three buffet options in town (the Wynn and Cosmo were still serving). Now South Point is the sole survivor and the breakfast buffet isn’t currently being offered—only lunch for $11.95, dinner for $18.95, and weekend brunch for $17.95. These are the prices when you show a SP players card; they’re $3-$4 more without. We went for the prime rib and peel-and-eat shrimp dinner, served every day from 4 to 8 pm. It’s a good buffet for the price and we list some of the offerings below, but more important are the different protocols you’ll encounter if you go. 1. You have to make reservations. It’s really not a big deal, but you’re required to put your name on a list. This might change when the current “pause” is rescinded, but you should call ahead to check. 2. You can walk around and check out the selection, but you have to wear a mask while you do it, as well as when getting your food. 3. It’s the staff-served format. You can grab some things (small plates and condiments) yourself that don’t require a serving utensil. However, everything else is scooped or ladled onto your plate by a server. The first problem with this is there may not always be an employee at every sta- tion. There usually is, but sometimes you have to wait or come back. The bigger problem is portion sizing. The natural inclinatiion of the servers is to give you a big, or even giant, helping of whatever you’re getting. You have to be assertive and cut them off at the pass. “No, too much.” “Way too much!” “Half of that.” Don’t be shy or you’ll wind up with a plate full of something you wanted Be in control of your portion size only a spoonful of. 4. You can’t customize dishes. This is related to #3 and is most noticeable with salads. There’s a good selection of salads, but they’re all pre-mixed, so you can’t build your own (and they dish those out, too). 5. Dinner seating ends at 8 pm and at 8:30, everything gets taken down. Fast. By 8:38, nothing was left out, not even desserts for those fin-

continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7 Dining continued … ishing. We’ve never seen a buffet shut down that quickly and completely. So, yes, it’s different. And for some, it will be too different to be enjoy- able. Overall, we found it fun to eat at a buffet again and the food was good. The peel-and-eat shrimp is served in plastic cups that you can pick up on your own. There are about six or seven shrimp per cup and they’re fresh. The sushi is also better than most buffet sushi (California roll variety). The carving station has prime rib, rotisserie chicken, and pork, and there’s a Mongolian grill. We liked the enchiladas and chile verde at the Mexican station, the mac & cheese, fried scallops, and the big selection of soups, including a cream of cauliflower that was the star of the show. Props to South Point for keeping it going. We’ll be back. You can get a look at the buffet in our new YouTube video at . com/c/lasvegasadvisorshow. n

More Buffets

Similar to South Point, the Atlantis has the only full-time buffet in Reno (the Grand Sierra buffet is open on weekends). We showed the review above to someone who recently ate there and he confirmed that the format was almost identical, with the main difference being that the salads aren’t pre-mixed (though you still can’t prepare the plate yourself). It looks like if the buffets are coming back, the South Point model is what we can expect. It should also be noted that there are some non-casino buffets in opera- tion. In Las Vegas, there are a few Asian buffets and one remaining Golden Coral (a second in Henderson won’t reopen). These are also staff-served, also referred to as “cafeteria-style.” n

Legitimate Late-Nighter

One of Las Vegas’ many advantages has always been the availability of dozens of options for eating after midnight. Unfortunately, late-night dining has taken a ferocious hit during the pandemic with so many casino restau- rants closed and bars closing their kitchens early. Like most other things, late-night hours will come back, but right now it can be difficult to find food even as early as 10 pm. One unfailingly reliable late-nighter going back even to the complete shutdown has been Thai Street Cafe (it says “THAI St. food” on the front of the restaurant). It’s a small place located behind Circus Circus at 3137 S. Sammy Davis Jr. Drive that’s open 7 days a week until 2 am (and even that’s been cut back; it used to be 4 am). No, it’s not Lotus, but a full menu has most selections priced around $10, including a good street-style chow mein among several noodle and curry dishes. n

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 $1 Tacos at Mr. D’s

We first told you about this taco special in 2012 and we could almost run the same review, as almost nothing has changed. On Mondays and Tuesdays, the bar Mr. D’s on Rainbow has a $1 taco special that’s as good as any in town. D’s makes its own hard taco shells, serves them warm, and loads them up with shredded beef and fresh toppings. They’re not only fantastic, but also big enough that two will probably do you. That’s dinner for $2, folks. Not to mention that Mr. D’s is one of the more interesting bars in town, with bikinied bartenders and high-return video poker (see Gam- bling). Don’t let the line-up of choppers outside dissuade you from going in. Mr. D’s is known as a “biker bar,” but these tend to be the domesticated type—you know, bikers by night, accountants by day. While we’re on the subject, there’s also a good “Taco Tues- day” deal at Moon Doggies, which is no longer affiliated with Naked City Pizza and is now running its own kitchen. Potato tacos are $2, tilapia tacos are $3, and dirty tacos, a kitchen-sink concoction, are $4. These are good, too, and the kitchen is open till midnight. n

Dining Notes

Prime Climb—We’ve pointed out that prices are being raised during the pandemic and another example is a $2 increase for the prime rib special in Siegel’s 1941 at the El Cortez, which is now $14.95. GC Dogs—The hot dog cart at the Gold Coast, thought to possibly be gone for good, has resurfaced, though only on weekends. Hot dogs with all the fixins are still $2. French Cellar—The owners of the restaurant Partage have opened a French food & wine shop called French Cellar by Partage at the site of their former restaurant, Eatt (Sahara and Buffalo). Along with wine and French delicacies that you can take out, charcuterie plates and salmon boards are available for dining in house. Fish Market—Trattoria La Strega has launched a Sunday fish market that runs from 11 am to 3 pm at 3555 S. Town Center Drive. The market that’s currently slated to run “through the winter season” features a crudo bar along with wine, spritzers, and coffee for purchase. Crazy Corkage—Normally, we don’t mind paying corkage fees, but continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9 Dining continued …

$50? That’s what they charge at Rao’s to open a bottle of wine that you bring in. It’s the highest we’ve ever seen. n

Openings/Closings

Vegas Test Kitchen has opened downtown. It’s a unique format that allows several chefs to work out of a “communal kitchen.” It was originally floated as a place for new chefs to perfect their game, but several who are there have impressive credentials and some run restaurants that are currently closed. If nothing else, there’s plenty of variety, including pizza, sushi, bagels, ramen, and even a Bulgarian specialty called baniza (stuffed pastries). The Beast by Todd English has opened at AREA15. It’s a 6,500-square- foot food hall that features fare ranging from cheeseburgers to chile-lime watermelon salad created by the celebrity chef formerly of Olives at Bella- gio and other high-end restaurants on the Strip. The Italian restaurant Al Solito Posto has opened in the shopping district. It’s run by James Trees, the owner of highly regarded Esther’s Kitchen. Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse has opened at the in the space formerly occupied by Kona Grill. The latest high-profile COVID closure is Elio at Encore. Elio opened briefly in June with much fanfare, but operated only till November until it closed again and now will not reopen. For reasons undisclosed, celebrity chef Hubert Keller will not return to his two restaurants at Mandalay Bay, Fleur and Burger Bar. Fleur is expected to reopen under MGM management. Sixth + Mill has closed at the Venetian and will be replaced by Brera Osteria. All three Las Vegas locations of the chocolatier Godiva will close this month. n

ENTERTAINMENT Some Shows in Action

While everyone talks about Las Vegas being showless, that’s not the case. Although the mandated capacity restrictions have kept the big pro- ductions on the sidelines, more than a dozen smaller shows are back in action. Following is a list of casino shows that are performing now: Extrav-

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 aganza (Bally’s); “Delirious Comedy Club” (Downtown Grand); Thunder from Down Under (Excalibur); Piff the Magic Dragon and X Burlesque (Flamingo); Tape Face and X Country (Harrah’s); “Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club” (MGM Grand); “LA Comedy Club” (The STRAT); Murray the Magi- cian, “Laugh Factory,” and “Rich Little Live” (Tropicana); The Rat Pack is Back (Tuscany). Outside of the casinos, the hotel hosts four shows: Alain Nu, Amazing Magic Starring Tommy Wind, BurlesQ, and Jokester. Also, the independent Mosaic theater has three: Aussie Heat, Piano Man, and Queens of Rock. More are on the way. Several productions are expected to resume in the Miracle Mile mall at Planet Hollywood in March and announcements of planned returns are now being made, including Barry Manilow at Westgate in June, Donny Osmond at the Flamingo in August, and a residency by Chicago at the Venetian in September. Of course, seating is limited and schedules can change in a second, so be sure to reserve your tickets well ahead. n

Jazz Bar Coming

We’re often asked where to go to catch live jazz. It’s not an easy rec- ommendation, as dedicated jazz clubs have come and gone over the years with nothing sticking. One decent constant has always been the Sand Dol- lar Lounge, but that tends toward blues and rockabilly. Another is the Dis- pensary Lounge (also known for its hamburgers), but the regular jazz nights there haven’t returned since the shutdown. Now a new club called Level One Bar & Lounge is preparing to open downtown at 1410 S. Main Street. It’s being touted as a jazz and blues bar that will host live performances at least twice a week and stay open till 3 am on weekends. We spoke to the owner, who says Level One could debut as early as February 20. We’ll keep an eye on it and report when it happens. n

Super Bowl Parties

It’s difficult to say what the Super Bowl parties will be like this year in light of the gathering restrictions and a warning issued by the Gaming Control Board that the parties will be monitored and violators will be penal- ized. Still, there’ve been plenty of party announcements already (go to LasVegasAdvisor.com for an extensive list). One thing’s for sure, though. Watching the game in any Las Vegas venue will save you a lot of dough (assuming you aren’t watching from a seat at a slot machine); we’ve seen prices for a single seat at the game itself starting at $7,500. n continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11 Entertainment continued … The Fear is Real

We’ve made some com- ments about hyper-enforcement of mask rules in some places and explained why some are so stringent. It’s because they truly fear for their licenses given the heavy scrutiny from authorities. The notice here was placed in front of each bar seat at Rum Runner Tropicana and it provides some perspective regarding the situation and why you shouldn’t take it personally when someone asks you, even when it seems unreasonably, to comply. n

Bars and Happy Hours

The 6500 Tavern at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza on Sahara has a happy hour daily from 3 to 6 pm, with $2-off beer and wine and half-price appe- tizers. Island Sushi & Grill at 9400 S. Eastern Ave. has all-day happy hours daily, with different drink specials, e.g., 50%-off wine and sake on Wednesdays and 50%-off all drinks Friday-Sunday. There are also daily 50%-off sushi specials. The Marché Bacchus happy hour now runs daily from 4 to 7 pm, with half-price on 26 wines by the glass and appetizers from $7 to $14. The Dueling Axes bar has opened at AREA15. Let’s see, a bunch of people drinking and throwing axes … What could possibly go wrong there? At El Dorado Café, a margarita is $15.17. At the Artisan, a rum and Coke is $11 and a Heineken or a Modelo is $7. At the Bootlegger, a draft Peroni is $9. At Griff’s, a Heineken is $5.25. At Distill Durango, a draft Stella Artois is $5. At Dispensary Lounge, a Heineken is $5. In the High Limit bar at Palace Station, a Heineken is $5 and a Bud is $4. At Mr. D’s, a Heineken is $4.50. In Tailgate Social at Palace Station, a Bud is $4. At the Hard Hat Lounge, a Sol or PBR is $3. At the Emerald Island main bar, a Heineken is $3. Note: The $1 Sol special at Hard Hat has been discontinued. n

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 Entertainment Notes

Siegfried Passes—Siegfried Fischbacher of Siegfried & Roy has died at 81. MGM Resorts International casinos lit their marques for an hour dis- playing a tribute to the senior partner of the most famous production-show duo in Las Vegas history. Bellagio Display—The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has unveiled its annual homage to the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Ox display features golden oxen on a red footbridge across a pond with a covered rowboat and rower, plus several Chinese structures, trees, birds, and fountains. The display will run through March 6. Venetian Display—A 13-foot-tall and 15-foot-long ox with metallic gold horns, tail, nose, and hooves, and gold armor on her legs, is now on dis- play at the Venetian. The ox, dubbed “Alessandra Heng,” is surrounded by IChing coins displaying the symbols for prosperity, good health, and hap- piness. Coaster Comeback—As new train cars on the roller coaster at New York-New York were being tested last month, one three-car train derailed. The future of the ride was in doubt, but evidently, the track is being repaired and signs indicate that the will reopen in early March. New Thrill Ride—The at Circus Circus has opened its first new thrill ride since 2013. NebulaZ is 32 feet tall, with four arms that rotate in fast intermeshing orbits. Eight gondolas hold four riders each and they experience top speeds of 14 rotations per minute and catch air as they fly over the top. The minimum height requirement for NebulaZ is only 42 inches, so kids around six and older can ride. Pricing for all-day ride passes includes the $19.95 Junior Pass for children under 48 inches and a $39.95 Regular Pass for guests 48 inches and taller. Good Golf—Three Nevada courses were named to Golfweek magazine’s list of the Top 100 Golf Courses “that you can play,” which doesn’t consider 100% private courses. Shadow Creek was ranked highest at #7, Boulder City’s Cascata Golf Club was #77, and Mesquite’s Wolf Creek was #90. n

GAMBLING WSOP Champion

After being postponed last summer, the 51st World Series of Poker Main Event was finally concluded in January, with 45-year-old Damian Salas of Argentina emerging as the new World Champion. Salas won the event by continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 13 Gambling continued … placing first in the “International” portion of the tournament, then defeat- ing Joseph Hebert, the winner of the “Domestic” (U.S.) tournament, in a heads-up match that lasted 173 hands. At one point, Hebert had a 9-1 chip lead, but Salas survived multiple all-in bets and worked his way into the lead. On the final hand, Salas had KJ to Hebert’s AQ. Two kings fell in the community cards to give Salas the win and a $2,550,569 first prize, which included a $1 million bonus for winning the heads-up match. Hebert earned $1,553,256 for second. Of course, it was a very different event this year, with two separate tournaments producing the two-man final. Accordingly, there was no “Last Woman Standing” or “Bubble Boy” (first player out of the money). With the number of players down 84% from 2019, the prize money was also greatly reduced. Still, they managed to pull it off and now we’ll wait to see if the usual format returns for this year’s tournament. n

Poker HOF

Huckleberry “Huck” Seed has been voted the 59th member of the Poker Hall of Fame. Seed has four World Series of Poker bracelets, one of which was for winning the 1996 Main Event. Whereas most poker greats aren’t known for fitness, Seed was distinctly different. A high-level ath- lete, he’s distinguished almost as much for making big-money proposition bets based on physical performances as he was for poker. Perhaps most famously, Seed bet that he could break 100 on a Las Vegas golf course four times in one day (in the middle of summer) using only three clubs. He won the bet. n

Football Contest Results

The Westgate SuperContest was won by a partnership of well-known poker pros Mark Gregorich and David Baker. Playing under the name “ODBMG2,” the duo went 54-26-5 (67.5%) to win $435,623. The prize was far below last year’s $1.47 million due to the COVID truncation in entries, but also as a result of competition from the two Circa contests. In SuperContest Gold, an entry called BRETTFAVRE444 went 54-27-4 (66.7%) to snag the winner-take-all prize of $360,000. Last year’s winner used the handle “Walter Payton,” making it two in a row for entries named after former NFL greats. In Circa Million II, an entry called “DSR901” went 56-27-2 (67.5%) to win the $1 million first prize. Westgate winner ODBMG2 nearly pulled off an amazing double-win, but finished a half-point back in a tie for second. Well, perhaps it’s not as amazing as it sounds, given that they’d have played

14 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 mostly the same picks in both contests, but an impressive result under any circumstances. Circa’s inaugural Survivor contest didn’t turn out the way it was planned, as 35 players went 18-0 to split the $2.9 million winner(s)-take-all pot, $68,000 each. Two contestants had two winning entries. Something tells us the rules for this one might be a little different next year. ’ Last Man Standing winner was Amber Hanover, who took down the $66,000 prize as the second woman in a row to win the contest. n

Super Bowl Preview

The Super Bowl line opened with the Kansas City Chiefs -3.5 favorites over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was bet down to -3, and is now bounc- ing between those two numbers. The total opened at 57.5 and has been bet down to 56 and 56.5. The Westgate didn’t let COVID affect its output of proposition bets, though there was a big drop-off in attendance at the book the night they were released. is also prolific again, and it figures that there will be more to choose from than ever, considering the new operators around the country. We’ll provide a complete post-Super Bowl roundup in the March LVA. n

WoF Zone at the Plaza

The Plaza has unveiled its new Wheel of Fortune Slots Zone, a 2,900-square-foot space dedicated exclusively to Wheel of Fortune slots. The WoF Slots Zone hosts more than 40 Wheel of Fortune machines, including both new and classic themes in mechanical- and video-reel for- mats. Wheel of Fortune is the most successful slot theme of all time. Since the game’s 1996 debut, IGT has produced more than 250 variations and distributed them in countries around the world. Wheel of Fortune slots have made more than 1,000 millionaires, totaling well over $3 billion in jackpot payouts. n

Gambling Notes

Tuscany Table Games—The table games are closed at Tuscany, due to COVID concerns. No timetable for reopening them has been announced. Poker Feud Update—As reported last month, poker superstars Dan- iel Negreanu and Doug Polk are in the midst of a 25,000-hand heads-up match. With about 5,000 hands remaining, Polk holds the same $800K lead continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 15 Gambling continued … he had at the halfway point. The match should be concluded this month. Tahoe Rebate—The Hard Rock in Lake Tahoe is offering a $100 loss rebate for new club members who sign up in February. Lose $100 and get $100 in free-play distributed in two sessions. It appears that additional time to redeem is allotted non-locals, which is a customer-friendly component that we haven’t seen before. Our new book, Radical Blackjack, has exten- sive information on playing loss rebates. Lottery—Mega Millions was hit by one winner in Michigan for $1.05 billion, the third largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. Two days earlier, Powerball was hit in Maryland for $731.1 million. In Spain, El Gordo (“The Fat One”), billed as the world’s richest lottery in terms of total prize money, paid out $2.9 billion. Numerous holders of the winning ticket—in all, 1,600 tickets with the same number are bought at sales points across the coun- try—won $487,000 each. Tie-Breaker—Tied elections have been resolved by coin flips, the cast- ing of lots, and poker hands, but how about a game of mini-keno? The race for mayor of a small Texas town, Dickinson, was tied at 1,010 votes for each candidate (adding up to 2020—really?). Dickinson officials put two ping-pong balls in a top hat and drew one to determine the winning candi- date. The winner also got to keep the hat. Uncool Pool 2—First it was betting on the number of shootings in major cities during the summer protests (LVA 10/20), now it’s wagering on COVID-19. Tyson Foods has fired seven food-processing plant managers in Iowa for running a betting pool on how many employees would test pos- itive for the virus. A lawsuit has been filed by a family of a worker who died, charging that the pool and other policies threatened workers’ health. n

Video Poker Lost and Found

According to the online database vpFREE2, both Arizona Charlie’s have upped their game big-time and now offer Full-Pay Deuces Wild (100.76%), Kings or Better Joker Wild paying 20 for 4-of-a-kind (100.65%), 10/7 Double Bonus (100.17%), and 10/6 Double Double Bonus (100.07%), all for quar- ters. Several schedules return 99%+ at 5¢ and 10¢. The strategy seems aimed directly at Station Casinos, which is tightening up everywhere. Given that and the fact that these good games are at low denoms, they might last. Also from vpFREE2, the Fremont has downgraded its previously strong inventory and now offers a best game of Deuces Wild Bonus paying 9 for a straight flush (99.45%) at 25¢ and 50¢. The next best game is 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%) from 25¢ to $1. Mr. D’s on Rainbow now ranks as one of the top video poker bars in town, dealing a best game of 9/7/5 DB from 25¢ to $2. This game has a

16 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2021 99.11% return with perfect play, which is a level rarely found on a non-pro- gressive option outside of a casino. It also has 9/6 DDB (98.98%), 8/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe (98.49%), and 7/5 BP (98.01%). Careful, though. Several of the other games have very low returns, including a bad DW that returns a paltry 94.82%. Last year, we reported that Rum Runner Tropicana was dealing stan- dard 6/5 BP (96.87%), but it also has 7/5 BP. Additionally, there’s currently a play-$100-get-$20 deal on Wednesdays. The PKWY Tavern on W. Flamingo has 7/5 BP and is running a play- $20-get-$10 deal Mon.-Fri. from 7 to 10 am. There’s also two $3.95 break- fast specials for players. There are five PKWYs around town, with a sixth soon to open at Flamingo and Decatur. The Sammys 6500 Tavern (see Entertainment) has 7/5 BP and a play- $20-get-$20 sign-up bonus. Bob Dancer’s free video poker classes are expected to resume at South Point, but a date hasn’t been set. In the interim, be sure to check out Bob’s weekly Tuesday blog and the Thursday “Gambling With an Edge” podcast, with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n Rain

Las Vegas’ record streak of 240 consecutive dry days was finally broken when four-one-hun- dredths of an inch of precipitation was measured at McCarran International Airport, the official measuring site. It beat the previous rainless record set in 1959 by 90 days. WEATHER KEY dates JANUARY MARCH Mean 43° Avg. Max. 59° Avg. Min. 28° 14-18 Int’l Wireless Communications—12,000 Cool and dry. Days are crsip, but pleasant. Cold evenings. Pools: Currently closed by government order. Attire: Sweater and jacket—desert winters are cold. FEBRUARY JUNE Mean 49° Avg. Max. 66° Avg. Min. 33° 20-21 Int’l Esthetic Cosmetics—25,000 Days begin to wram, evenings still cool. Pools: Currently closed by government order. Attire: Light jacket for day, something warm for evenings. MARCH JULY Mean 55° Avg. Max. 72° Avg. Min. 39° 20-23 Assoc. of Woodworking—18,500 A fickle month for weather. Occasional rain and high winds, warm days. Pools: Currently closed by government order. Attire: Light jacket or sweater for evenings.

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After stints in the Navy and Coast Guard, Joe Dorsey worked his way up the ranks of the San Diego PD to become a detective with the elite Robbery Unit. But it was when his career took him to Las Vegas that he really began to make his mark—as an in- vestigator for the Gaming Control Board, director of security and surveillance for several major Strip casinos, and an international debt collector. Security and debt collecting are hidden aspects of the gambling business but revealed in Joe’s Dash.

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