$5

ANTHONY CURTIS’ January 2018 Vol. 35 LasVegasAdvisor Issue 1

LEGALIZED SPORTS BETTING SCOTUS poised to open floodgates … pg. 1

2018 PROG- RESS REPORT Big boom around the corner … pgs. 1, 4

MRB 2018 Another banger for LVA members … pgs. 2, 11

A.Y.C.E Palms unveils new buffet … pg. 9

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saying it will be that big, but it will be similar. It’s an im- COUPONOMY portant fact that sports betting is much more democratic by Anthony Curtis than poker, which means many more players will be able to participate in this arena without being dominated by superior competition (although a version of that dynamic New Year New Look will still exist). We were involved with the poker boom, publishing some of the best books on the subject, but we were We felt it was time to switch things up. If you’re caught off guard there and came in late. Not so with holding this issue in your hands right now, the changes sports. We saw this one coming and have seven sports- are obvious. If you’re reading online, they might be a betting books in production. Also similar to poker will be little less so. It’s actually the fact that more of you are opportunities to cash in on valuable sign-up incentives now reading LVA online than in-hand that led us to seek as states and online books compete for customers and a less restrictive way of presenting information. we plan to be all over that. Exciting times to be sure. n Personally, I was getting tired of the rigidity of “mak- ing things fit” into the same prescribed spaces month after month, year after year, so I was ready to experi- Preview 2018 ment a little. What exactly will the changes entail? We’re not sure yet. We only know that we want the newsletter to be Last year, as predicted in the 2017 Preview, not a more free-flowing and less formulaic. We also want to single new casino opened. In fact, even the major re- place a bigger emphasis on instant information at Las- designs that were expected to debut—most prominent VegasAdvisor.com, so some items that used to appear among them the conversion of the Monte Carlo to Park here will heretofore be found on the website. With the MGM—were pushed back to 2018. The largest develop- changes that are taking place, both in Las Vegas and ment capital-wise in 2017 was the $100 million renova- throughout the gambling world as a whole, we need the tion of the Palace Tower at Caesars. This year, the pace flexibility to spread our wings a bit, and that’s what we’re will pick up substantially, with larger investments being doing beginning with this first issue of the new year. n made in the renovations at Palace Station ($115 million), the expansion of MGM Grand’s convention center ($130 million), and the remake of the Palms ($485 million). The SCOTUS Hears referenced transformation of the Monte Carlo will be completed in April, so for the first time in four years (the Sports Betting Arguments opening of SLS in 2014), we’ll have a “new” casino on the Boulevard. The biggest news by far going into 2018 is the po- These extravagant expansions are a pretty big deal, tential explosion of legalized sports betting pending the but there’s quite a bit more ahead. The crane presence Supreme Court’s decision in the New Jersey case. The of yesteryear is beginning to take shape at the Resorts Court heard arguments last month and is expected to World project. Work has also begun on Paradise Park at rule anytime between now and June, with a later time- the Wynn, which promises to be yet another bar-raiser table the -130 favorite. for which Steve Wynn is rightfully famous. And Wynn has Nothing definitive is known at this point, but close purchased the Alon property across the street, so even observers who’ve reviewed the proceedings are more at 75 years young, he’s obviously not hanging up his confident than ever that the court will rule to rescind developer’s hat (though a defined project for that par- (or at least sidestep) laws that prohibit legalized sports cel is likely several years away). After a year of silence, betting outside of Nevada. If (when!) this happens, it’ll the joint-venture arena project between the Sands and resemble the poker explosion of a decade ago. I’m not continued on next page JANUARY 2018 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 1 Preview 2018 continued … Member Rewards

Madison Square Garden is not only moving forward, but By now, most of you have seen the new Member has been expanded by 1,000 seats. Even the ill-fated Rewards Book offers. If you haven’t, you can see the list Fontainebleau has been given a new lease on life (and a on the inside front cover of this issue, or in more detail new name: Project Blue). I’m curious and excited about on the Member Rewards page at LasVegasAdvisor.com what might happen to that hulking presence on the north (in the drop-down menu under Member Benefits). For end of the Strip. the first year in several, I won’t declare it the best one Then there’s what have become the two lynchpins ever, but it’s close enough and I definitely like it. for all of this—the full force of Raider Nation heading This year’s MRB is very similar to last year’s in this way and the looming Las Vegas Convention Center make-up. There are 28 discounts for buffets, 36 non- expansion. These two projects essentially bookend ev- buffet dining discounts, 33 gambling incentives (see pg. erything mentioned above, with the NFL stadium prepar- 11 for the value totals), and 30 more for drinks, attrac- ing for construction across I-15 from Mandalay Bay and tions, and other activities. New properties onboard are the LVCVA behemoth underway on the site of the former Treasure Island, Lucky Dragon, and Club Fortune on the Riviera. casino side, plus Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N., Happy In the more speculative category, the All Net Arena Feet Spa, the Mob Museum, New York Street Dogs, and project, on life support for many years, has been revived Jackson’s Bar and Grill. to the tune of (an announced, but not verified) $2.7 bil- Of particular interest among the newcomers is lion in private funding for the sports and hotel project Happy Feet. Though we’ve tried several spas in the on the former Wet ’n’ Wild site. Nearby, the Triple Five past, we couldn’t seem to come up with a deal that group claims it has something up its sleeve for its acre- made sense. But I think we’ve done it this time with a age close to the Riviera site. And the Downtown Grand 60-minute full-body massage for just $34. You can find is making moves toward a couple of expansion projects. this price in some of the Chinatown establishments, but Speaking of downtown, if you’re looking for an you never really know what you’re getting into with those odds-on-favorite to get a big job done, that might be places. Happy Feet is located inside the El Cortez, which found in the closely guarded 18 Fremont project, where is assurance that it’s reputable. Plus, you can use the the built-from-the-ground-up casino will be the most other good dining, gambling, and room offers from EC significant downtown development in decades. The old while you’re there. Vegas Club is being slowly taken down (no implosion Again this year, our solid partners continue to be the this time), clearing space for the Stevens brothers’ next locals and downtown casinos. Station Casinos leads the contribution to the ongoing renaissance of Glitter Gulch. way with excellent offers from all of its properties, in- It’s a pretty full slate, but for me the most signifi- cluding the cool $50 discount at the Palms that pays for cant takeaway from this year’s report is the multi-year your membership all by itself. Boyd is also represented construction window it presents. While nothing will ever pretty much across the board. And downtown’s partici- recapitulate the monumental boom years of the 1990s pation is stellar again, with representation from every and early 2000s, the line-up for the near future reminds casino except the Golden Nugget, along with SlotZilla, me of those periods, with almost every one of the major the Mob Museum, and the aforementioned Happy Feet. projects just mentioned slated for a 2020-2021 debut. On the negative side, we had some problems on Remember, perhaps as responsible for those Las Vegas the Strip, as the bigger casinos continue to tighten up. boom years as the openings of the giant casinos them- After their moves with resort fees, parking charges, drink selves was the local trickle-down created in the construc- comps, game rules, and pricing in general, we kind of tion phases preceding them. The picture painted by this saw it coming. Most Strip casino participation is grudg- year’s Progress Report indicates that we’re looking at the ing, to put it mildly. That doesn’t apply to everyone, as beginning of another one of those phases right now. Of course, the Strip shooting of a few months ago LAS VEGAS 3665 Procyon Street • Las Vegas, NV 89103 is still fresh on many minds. And like the aftermath of (702) 252-0655 • (702) 252-0675 Fax ADVISOR e-mail: [email protected] • Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com 9/11, the wounds will heal slowly. Also, it would be dis- Publisher: Anthony Curtis Shipping & Receiving: Scotch Henderson ingenuous not to express concerns about the increase in Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob customer-gouging policies on the Strip. But in a macro Accounting: John Leitner Dancer, Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot Krause, Production Manager: Laurie Cabot Bradley Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott, sense, Las Vegas continues to provide excellent reasons Web Manager: Tanya Maynard Michael Shackleford to look forward to the future. Competition has always Research Assistant: Brenda Stewart Cover: ©Tobb S. Shayakorn/Dreamstime Customer Service: Danielle Molette been the great equalizer in this town, and there’s a big LAS VEGAS ADVISOR (ISSN 1064-167X USPS 008602) is published monthly and is available for $50 per year ($60 Canadian; dose of that right around the corner. See the complete $70 foreign purchasers) and $5 per single issue at 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV, 89103. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Las Vegas Advisor, 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. All information is current at press time. Listed offerings Report Card and Progress Report on page 4. n are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press ©2018

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • JANUARY 2018 evidenced by the new offers from TI and Lucky Dragon, Las Vegas’ Top Ten Values but the big boys are getting more difficult to work with. It doesn’t make sense, especially considering the su- perb monetization potential of our group, but that’s how 1. Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99 they’re playing it for now. Also this year, the bonus offer 2. Shrimp Cocktail • Skyline • 24 hours • $1.49 for the Cosmopolitan’s Wicked Spoon is restricted to 3. Breakfast • Klondike Sunset • Daily • $1.49 new club members only. Sorry about that. But while we 4. Draft Beer • Flamingo • Daily • 5¢ don’t usually accept this restriction, we know there are 5. Mac King • Harrah’s • Tues.–Sat. • $14.98 lots of current (and new) members who will be able to 6. Hot Dog • South Point • Daily • $1.25 take advantage, so we went with it. 7. Beer • Stage Door • 24 hours • $1 Overall, the 2018 Member Rewards is another 8. $1 Blackjack • Hooters • 24 hours • $1.20 powerhouse and this year we’re placing an increased 9. Lunch Comp • Crown & Anchor • Daily • $20 buy-in emphasis on our online “Printable Rewards,” so you can expect the value of your membership to increase 10. Photo • Binion’s • Daily • Free throughout the year. n The Ellis Island steak dinner (#1) is served in the Café and requires that you print out two coupons from an EI kiosk, the second one after playing at least $5 in A Treasure at TI any slot machine with your club card inserted, to get the $7.99 price. The shrimp cocktail at Skyline (#2) is served As mentioned, Treasure Island is a new participant at the main bar. The $1.49 bacon or sausage & eggs in the MRB, with a discount for the buffet and the Mar- breakfast at Klondike Sunset (#3) is served every day vel Avengers experience. It was a welcome addition in Sarah’s Kitchen from 7 to 11 am. The 5¢ beers (#4) considering TI’s anti-gouging stance in comparison with at the Flamingo are served in the Margaritaville Casino other Strip resorts, and when you add everything up and area’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar from 5 to 6 pm. Get a consider location and quality, the TI is one of the better ticket to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show and a drink lodging plays in town. Deke Castleman spent a few days for $14.98 by asking at the players club booth (#5). The there last month and provides the following report. hot dogs at South Point (#6) are sold from a cart in the sports book from 10 am until they close down the cart Steve Wynn spared a lot of expense when he built Treasure around 5 pm. Pabst Blue Ribbon in the bottle is $1 (#7) Island as a 2,900-room “annex” for , which was at the Stage Door slot house on Flamingo, just east of continuously sold out. And after MGM acquired Wynn’s hotel- the Strip. Hooters’ $1-minimum blackjack game (#8) runs casinos, it quickly divested the TI, selling out to Phil Ruffin. So the 24/7 in the pit; naturals pay even money on bets of $1- joint started out as a bit of an afterthought, but now that it’s on $4. The Crown & Anchor bars’ lunch comp (#9) runs daily its own, we like it for several reasons. from 8 am to 2:30 pm at the east location and 11 am to First, parking is free—no gates, no tickets, no room keys; 3 pm at the west, and is good for an appetizer until 6 pm you’re right in and right out of the parking garage and it’s hard on the east and 7 pm on the west. Returning to the list to overstate how convenient that is. Better yet, access to the this month is the free photo with $1 million dollars at Bin- garage off the freeway is a snap—exit onto Spring Mountain ion’s (#10), available 9 am-11:30 pm; the photo takes 30 Road, take a right onto Mel Tormé Way, then go right into the minutes to process and you can get one per day. n parking garage, and you’re getting out of your car two minutes from I-15. And contrary to popular rhetoric, plenty of spaces are available on the upper floors; over a busy weekend, I saw no ily ignored (note that you can’t waive the RF and simply itemize evidence of visitors heading to casinos nearby that charge for unless you’ve specifically booked the TV-Ad Special). parking overwhelming the TI garage. Eliminating a $10-per-day And third, you can take advantage of a nice $100-for-$80 everyday parking fee for hotel guests is significant, saving $30- across-the-board dining discount. This must be paid in advance $40 over a long weekend right off the bat. or at check-in, but if you plan on eating in one of more of TI’s Second, there’s an ongoing room deal that eliminates the good restaurants, this is a nice little play that saves you 20% on resort fee. They call it the “TV-Ad Special.” You pay a little extra your food costs. Buy the package, then just give the waiter or on the base room charge, but much less than the $39.68 resort cashier your room number, sign the tab, leave or add a tip, and fee (incl. tax) for every night of your stay. The fee includes wifi it’s done. If you run over the $100 (or $200 if you buy two of ($11 per day), access to the fitness center ($17), daily news- them), the overage is tacked onto your room bill. paper and printed airline boarding pass ($1.50 and $5), a The room is small by Strip standards—no coffee maker, but 2-for-1 cocktail voucher, in-room local calls ($1 per), and a $25 an iron and ironing board, blow dryer, room safe, mini-fridge, voucher for a return stay. If you can’t do without wifi, you can and a large comfortable bathroom. pay the $11 charge separately; the rest of the amenities are eas- continued on page 5

JANUARY 2018 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3 2017 REPORT CARD Opened Expanded/Renovated Changed Closed Millennial Esports1 Skyline Hotel4 California7 Rumor12 Stratosphere15 Auto Collections18 Wynn Plaza2 T-Mobile garage5 Golden Gate8 SLS13 Fontainebleau16 Cashman Center19 Girl Collection3 Tru6 Strip bridges9 Westin14 Alon17 Palms10 Caesars Palace11 2018 PROGRESS REPORT Opening Aria Convention Center20 Park MGM23 Mob Museum26 Palms28 Ellis Island Front Yard21 Skyline24 Palace Station27 MGM Convention Center29 Esports Arena22 Hooters25 2018 and BEYOND In Progress On the Drawing Board All Net Arena30 18 Fremont34 San Antonio Stars38 Monorail41 Downtown Grand43 The Edge47 Showcase Mall31 Resorts World35 Las Vegas CC District39 FLYLINQ42 Triple Five44 Virgin Casino48 Cosmopolitan32 Raiders Stadium36 Sands Arena40 Pot Lounges45 South Point49 Bally’s33 Paradise Park37 Summerlin Stadium46 Revenant50

1. 200-seat stadium that hosts video-game tournaments opened downtown in 28. $485 million renovation including room redesigns, new restaurants, nightclub, March year-round pool club spa and salon, and revamped Pearl Theater 2. $54 million Phase 1 luxury boutique shopping complex fronting Wynn opened; 29. $130 million 250,000 square feet of expanded convention space, including a Phase 2 set for summer 2018 football-field-sized ballroom 3. Gentlemen’s club owned by boxer Floyd Mayweather opened on Highland Ave. 30. Arena and hotel project on former Wet ’n’ Wild space to be completed in 2020- in May 2021 4. 51-room hotel added onto in Henderson 31. Adjacent Smith & Wollensky bought and razed to make room for a new four- 5. $54 million 3,000-car garage behind Excalibur opened in September to serve story addition T-Mobile Arena 32. Complete renovation of all 2,895 rooms at more than $100 million 6. 166-room non-casino Tru by Hilton Hotel opened near McCarran in December; 33. Adding a 10,000-square-foot mini-golf, bowling, and arcade attraction it’s the largest in the Tru brand 34. Details still forthcoming on the big downtown rebuilding of from 7. Complete renovation of the West Tower rooms and suites and casino makeover Main to 1st, replacing , Girls of Glitter Gulch, and Mermaids 8. Casino space doubled, outdoor One Bar extended, and new entryway off the 35. Work started in earnest on $4 billion 3,000-room resort with modern China Fremont Street Experience built during 5-day closure in August theme scheduled to open in 2020 9. All four bridges at the Strip and Tropicana upgraded ($34 million) and reopened 36. Excavation and improvements on the 62-acre site have begun; building phase 10. Casino renovated, new bars and restaurants, new buffet beginning toward the end of the year 11. $100 million renovation of 1,181-room Palace Tower completed, with 10 new 37. Work beginning on a 1,500-room hotel-casino and lagoon, with carousel, zip villas ranging in size from 2,750 to 4,085 square feet lines, bumper-car course, and nightly parades 12. 150-room boutique across from Hard Rock sold for $18 million and renamed 38. Relocation of WNBA San Antonio Stars to Las Vegas approved; team will be Serene Vegas owned by MGM Resorts and play at Mandalay Bay Events Center in 2018 sea- 13. SLS Las Vegas sold to Meruelo Group, owners of the Grand Sierra in Reno son 14. Max Casino closed in July, new restaurants and bar 39. Construction scheduled to start in mid-2018 (and run through 2022) on a four- 15. Golden Entertainment (of PT’s bar chain) acquired Stratosphere, both Arizona phase $1.4 billion expansion Charlie’s, and Laughlin Aquarius for $850 million 40. Joint venture between Sands Corp. and Madison Square Garden to open 16. 3,900-room unfinished hulk sold to real estate-investment companies Witkoff 18,500-seat arena; construction to be completed in 2020 and New Valley for $600 million; tentative new name is Project Blue 41. Approval granted for Monorail extension from MGM Grand to Mandalay Bay, 17. Wynn Resorts acquiring 38 acres of vacant land across the Strip where the New scheduled for completion in 2020 in time for the Las Vegas Raiders Frontier stood for $336 million 42. Zipline the length of LINQ Promenade, with a top height of 122 feet expected to 18. Long-running vintage-car museum and showroom at closed on De- be completed in late 2018 cember 30 43. Eight-story hotel tower will add 495 rooms; also reports about a dining, enter- 19. 34-year-old theater and tradeshow venue next to Cashman Field closed tainment, and retail district bordering the resort 20. 200,000-square-foot expansion of convention and meeting space nearing 44. 4.5-acre parcel just off the Strip near site of former Riviera planned for 35- to completion 40-story hotel and possible casino 21. Front Yard beer garden nearing completion 45. Several state lawmakers want to establish legal consumption areas, which 22. The Strip’s first esports arena to debut at Luxor in early 2018 would be first in the nation 23. Transformation from Monte Carlo to be completed in April 46. $150 million 10,000-seat stadium to be new home for the Las Vegas 51s minor 24. $7 million hotel expansion; second tower with 41 rooms and a pool league baseball team, planned to open for the 2019 season 25. $20 million remodel of all 657 rooms, new Steak n’ Shake and another restau- 47. Speculative $800 million “extreme sports” park and hotel proposed for 130 rant (TBA), and a doubling of the size of the sportsbook acres at LV Blvd. and Sunset Road 26. $6.5 million expansion adding several new exhibits, expanded retail, and food 48. Richard Branson’s Virgin Group wants to acquire an existing hotel-casino to and beverage complement Virgin’s airline and other hospitality arms already in Las Vegas 27. $115 million makeover with a new 27-story 600-room tower, restaurants, meet- 49. Outdoor equestrian facility possible on vacant land owned by South Point south ing space, bowling alley, movie theater, and de-theming of the resort 50. 175,000-square-foot mixed-use project proposed for downtown Henderson

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • JANUARY 2018 A Treasure at TI continued … that intended to build a resort called the Plaza. No imme- diate plans for the parcel were announced and nothing There’s a CVS on property, which comes in handy. Also on near-term is expected given Wynn’s full plate of develop- site are Dollar Car Rental, Krispie Kreme, and Starbucks, along ment in Las Vegas and Boston. with a pedestrian bridge to the Fashion Show Mall. The tram to Project Blue—Work on the former Fontainebleau and from the Mirage runs every five minutes, so you have quick may begin soon. We say former, as the resort is now be- access to a whole other megaresort, plus points south. ing referred to as Project Blue. While plans for the tower On the Friday and Saturday night I spent there, I saved $20 still haven’t been revealed, permits have been taken out on parking, $40 on dining, and $50 on resort fees and would to bring construction materials onto the site. do it all again in a heartbeat. All in all, though it’s often over- Skyline—Skyline Casino on Boulder Hwy. has an- looked and under-reviewed, the TI is a fine place to stay and play nounced a $7 million expansion of its hotel. Less than a on the Strip and relatively inexpensive for a Steve Wynn-built year after opening a 51-room tower, a second tower with hotel-casino right in the heart of the action. n 41 more rooms and a pool will be added. The project is expected to be completed before the end of 2018. Cashman Center—After 34 years, North Las Ve- gas’ Cashman Center closed last month. Over the years, The Vegas Golden Knights the 1,900-seat theater has hosted touring Broadway plays, the MDA telethon, and even the 2008 Democratic Now here’s some real excitement. The VGK, Las Primary debate. It was also the venue for numerous Vegas’ first major league sports team, continues to win tradeshows and graduation ceremonies. Plans for the games, break records, and far surpass expectations space that’s adjacent to Cashman Field have not been nearly halfway through its inaugural season. The team disclosed. quickly won the hearts of local sports fans when it or- Strip Bridges—All of the pedestrian bridges at chestrated a highly emotional ceremony before its first Tropicana and the Strip are now open. The bridges have home game at T-Mobile Arena less than two weeks after been in an under-construction rotation since May. The the events of October 1. The VGK went on to win four $34 million project was scheduled for completion in 2018, out of the next five games, then compile an amazing 25- but the timetable was sped up to open in time for New 9-2 record as of this writing, despite losing their first-, Year’s. second-, and third-string goaltenders for most of those Tru—A new Tru by Hilton hotel has opened near games. Even the fourth-string goalie was up to the task! McCarran International Airport. The 166-room non-casi- Vegas is running neck-and-neck with the L.A. Kings no hotel is the largest in the Tru brand. for the lead of the Pacific Division, essentially unheard The Bend—A new retail and office plaza has been of for an expansion team made up of castoffs from the announced for the southwest corner of the valley, across NHL’s 30 other teams in its first season. Many Las Veg- the street from the giant Ikea store. Plans call for the ans have become hockey fans for the first time after ex- 200,000-square-foot complex to include a five-story of- posure to all the drama and elation surrounding this team. fice building and a 13-screen theater complex. The proj- On our blog site, VegasWithAnEdge.com, you can ect is scheduled to be completed in 2019. read posts after every game, penned by lifelong hockey Labor Talks—Employees at Green Valley Ranch fan Joe Pane. And check out last November’s LVA for voted to join the Culinary Union, making it the third Sta- complete instructions on where to park and how to best tion Casinos property to unionize, joining Boulder and attend a home game. n Palace Stations. However, Station has filed a challenge alleging improper conduct in the voting process. A simi- lar complaint was lodged by the union following a losing campaign at Palace Station and led to an undisclosed settlement between the parties. NEWS Penn/Pinnacle—Penn National Gaming is buying Pinnacle Entertainment for $2.8 billion. Boyd Gaming is also involved in what is described as the biggest gam- Alon Site—Steve Wynn has purchased the parcel ing deal since 2013, buying four Pinnacle casinos for across the Strip from Wynn Las Vegas that was formerly $575 million. All of Pinnacle’s properties are outside of the New Frontier and was supposed to be the site of Nevada, making Penn Gaming the largest regional opera- Crown Resorts’ Alon. In a complicated deal that involves tor by property total, with 41 casinos in 20 jurisdictions. additional land not owned by Crown, Wynn acquired 38 Penn owns M Resort and the Tropicana in Las Vegas. acres for $336 million ($8.8 million per). The Alon site was Atlantic City—A 227-foot high observation wheel purchased for $1.2 billion in 2007 by a group out of Israel has opened on the Boardwalk. Though only about half as continued on page 8

JANUARY 2018 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 5 ADVANCE PLANNER—HEADLINERS AND EVENTS

JANUARY 1/20 • Katy Perry 2/3 • Tonight Alive & Silverstein 1/2-1/20 • Celine Dion T–Mobile • $50.59–$200.59 Hard Rock • $19/$36 Caesars Palace • $95–$500 1/20 • Lil Duval • Orleans • $30–$46 2/7 • Fetty Wap 1/5 • Lita Ford 1/20 • My Favorite,//;;, Murder Live! Brooklyn Bowl • $32–$55 G. Nugget • $31.61–$107.91 Red Rock Resort/, • $43/$53I 2/7-2/24 • Chicago • Venetian • $52–$289 1/5-1/6 • Ice Vegas Invitational 1/20 • Najee • Aliante./ • $32.50–$48.50/ / 2/7-2/24 • Diana Ross T–Mobile • $30–$100 1/20 • National • Hard Rock • $50.50/$126 Wynn LV • $60.50–$301 1/6 • Another Journey 1/20 • Spoon • Cosmo • $29.50/$38 2/8 • Jeezy • MBay • $39.50–$55 Brooklyn Bowl • $12 1/24-1/25 • Jeff Foxworthy 2/9 • America 1/6 • Colin Quinn Venetian • $56–$159 G. Nugget • $42.51–$206.01 Cannery • $29.95–$39.95 1/24-2/3 • Carlos Santana 2/9 • Lights • Hard Rock • $21 1/7 • Markiplier MBay • $99.50–$300 2/9-2/11 • Atlantic City Boys Hard Rock • $41.50–$125 1/25 • Gilberto Santa Rosa South Point • $25–$35 1/7 • Miss Nevada USA Finals Hard Rock • $45–$75 2/9-2/27 • Elton John South Point • $55–$483 1/26 • Ambrosia Caesars Palace • $55–$500 1/10-1/20 • John Fogerty ,, G. Nugget • $31.61–$107.91 2/9-12/15 • Ron White • Mirage • $68–$88 Wynn LV • $59.50–$1,100 1/26-1/28 • Capitol Steps 2/10 • Judah & The Lion • MBay • $22 1/11-1/14 • Disney/ On Ice • T&M • $18–$93 South Point • $25–$35 2/10 • Shakira 1/12 • Rick/ Derringer/ ,, ,,,. 1/26-1/31 • Moody Blues MGM Grand • $50.50–$140.50 G. Nugget/ / • $20.71–$107.91,, Wynn LV • $59.50–$275 2/10 • Three Lock Box • Cannery • $15 1/12 • Ricky Nelson Remembered 1/26-2/3 • Styx & Don Felder 2/10 • Valentine’s Love Affair SouthIf/ Point • $20–$30 Venetian • $71.50–$324.50 Orleans • $25/$76 1/12 • Tracy Morgan 1/27 • 2017 AVN Awards Show 2/10-2/11 • Engelbert Humperdinck Hard~/ Rock • $49.95–$109.95 Hard Rock • $300–$1,000 Orleans • $65–$85 1/12-1/13 • Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 1/27 • Adam Sandler 2/11 • Pod Tours America Monte Carlo • $35–$143 Cosmo • $49–$640 Hard Rock • $39.50–$69.50 1/12-1/13 • Marilyn Manson 1/27 • Calibash 2018 2/13 • Lettuce • Brooklyn Bowl • $27/$32 MBay • $59.50–$73.50 T–Mobile • $28-$158 2/14 • Next Movement 1/12-1/13 • Willie Nelson & w/Lukas Nelson 1/27 • Sommore • Aliante • $30–$46 Cannery • $20/$25 Cosmo • $20/$45 1/27 • Tommy Davidson 2/15 • Poppy.Computer Tour 1/12-1/30 • Matt Goss Cannery • $32.95/$39.95 Hard Rock • $20/$35 Mirage • $54.49–$87.19 1/27-8/24 • Tim Allen 2/16 • Lana Del Rey 1/12-5/27 • Gabriel Iglesias • Mirage • $100 Mirage • $65.39–$87.19 MBay • $39.50–$125 1/13 • 38 SPECIAL 1/28 • Sommore • Suncoast • $30–$46 2/16 • Orleans Orleans • $39.95–$59.95 1/31-2/3 • Van Morrison G. Nugget • $20.71–$107.91 1/13 • Deon Cole Caesars Palace • $59.50–$250 2/16 • Queens of the Stone Age Cannery • $29.95–$39.95 w/Royal Blood • Cosmo • $49/$69 1/13 • Naturally 7 • M Resort • $21–$41 FEBRUARY 2/16 • Special EFX All Stars 1/14 • Katt Williams 2/1 • Rebel SoulJahz Aliante • $25–$45 Monte Carlo • $52–$93 Brooklyn Bowl • $22–$40 2/16 • Tribal Seeds 1/14 • Minimalists • MBay • $36/$96 2/2 • Eddie Money Brooklyn Bowl • $25–$35 1/16 • K.FLAY • Brooklyn Bowl • $21/$22 G. Nugget • $31.61–$173.31 2/16-2/17 • Jim Jefferies • Mirage • $60/$70 1/17 • G3 2018 2/2 • Peabo Bryson 2/16-2/18 • Peter Noone Brooklyn Bowl • $49.50–$99 Texas Station • $20–$50 South Point • $50–$60 1/17-1/27 • Pitbull 2/2-2/3 • Artie Lange 2/17 • CAKE • Cosmo • $25/$45 Planet Hollywood • $39–$149 South Point • $40–$50 2/17 • Beth Hart • MBay • $30–$55 1/17-1/31 • Classic Cher 2/2-2/3 • Classic Cher 2/17 • WANTED/Bon Jovi Tribute Monte Carlo • $55–$475 Monte Carlo • $55–$475 Cannery • $15 1/19 • Association 2/2-2/3 • George Strait 2/17-2/18 • Hacken Lee and Queen Bee G. Nugget • $20.71–$107.91 T–Mobile • $50–$200 Venetian • $71–$245 1/19 • Dave Coulier 2/2-3/31 • Incubus 2/18 • Theory of a Deadman Sunset Station • $35 Hard Rock • $50.50–$176 MBay • $25/$42.50 1/19-1/20 • Challengers Cup Finals 2/2-5/12 • Daniel Tosh 2/18-4/28 • Tiffany Haddish South Point • $20 Mirage • $70.99–$106.99 Mirage • $37.20/$43.60 1/19-1/20 • Norm Macdonald 2/3 • Arsenio Hall 2/22 • Dark Star Orchestra South Point • $35–$45 Orleans • $29.95–$49.95 Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$30 1/19-1/21 • John Mulaney 2/3 • Killers 2/23 • Black Label Society Mirage • $60.99–$80.99 MGM Grand • $40.25–$69.50 MBay • $29.50

6 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • JANUARY 2018 ADVANCE PLANNER—HEADLINERS AND EVENTS

2/23 • Felipe Esparza 3/10 • Russ Freeman & Rippingtons SHOW NOTES TI • $39.19/$54.45 Aliante • $39.50–$59.50 2/23 • Tonic 3/14 • Donavon Frankenreiter • Ticket prices for World’s Greatest G. Nugget • $36.61–$118.81 Brooklyn Bowl • $22/$25 Rock Show at Stratosphere have been 2/23-2/24 • Dennis DeYoung 3/14-3/24 • Reba, Brooks & Dunn decreased from $79.36-$114.24 to South Point • $55–$75 Caesars Palace • $59.50–$205 $55.15-$87.85. 2/23-3/3 • Nickelback 3/15 • Flogging Molly • Cosmo • $40 • Ticket prices for David Goldrake: Hard Rock • $50.50–$251 3/15 • Hippie Sabotage Imaginarium at the Tropicana have 2/23-11/17 • Ray Romano & David Spade Brooklyn Bowl • $22–$80 been changed from $56.53-$106.54 to Mirage • $90–$120 3/15-3/25 • Ricky Martin $52.53-$121.54. 2/24 • Average White Band Monte Carlo • $54–$321 Aliante • $25–$45 3/16 • Fortunate Youth • Ticket prices for X Rocks at Bally’s 2/25 • G-Eazy • Monte Carlo • $45/$63 Hard Rock • $15/$25 have been increased from $64-$82.37 2/25 • Josh Turner • MBay • $35–$45 3/16 • Tommy James and Shondells to $75.88-$133.25. 2/25 • WWE Elimination Chamber G. Nugget • $31.61–$140.61 • Jarrett & Raja Magic vs. Magic has T–Mobile • $32.25–$550 3/16-3/17 • Kenny Chesney closed at the Stratosphere. 2/27 • Celebrating David Bowie Hard Rock • $150/$500 Brooklyn Bowl • $32/$35 3/16-3/18 • Letterman 2/28 • Day To Remember South Point • $35–$45 Hard Rock • $29.50–$150 3/17 • Jonathan Butler 2/28-3/10 • Elvis Costello and The Imposters Aliante • $30-$55 Wynn LV • $59.50–$150 3/17 • Psychedelic Furs • MBay • $27 3/23 • Jeffrey Osborne MARCH G. Nugget • $42.51–$162.41 3/1-3/2 • Elton John 3/23-9/1 • George Lopez Caesars Palace • $55–$500 Mirage • $65–$87 3/2 • Black Veil Brides and Asking 3/24 • Blue Oyster Cult Alexandria • MBay • $32.50 Aliante • $30-$55 3/2 • Bill Engvall • TI • $52.27/$81.70 3/24 • Kid Rock • MBay • $49.50–$149.50 3/2 • One Night For One Drop 3/24 • Ministry • Brooklyn Bowl • $35/$40 MBay • $125–$1,500 3/27 • Galactic • Brooklyn Bowl • $22/$25 3/2-3/3 • Rick Thomas 3/27 • Michael Schenker Fest South Point • $25–$35 MBay • $37.50–$99.50 3/3 • Demi Lovato 3/27-3/31 • Celine Dion MGM Grand • $29.95–$149.95 Caesars Palace • $95–$500 3/3 • Masters of Puppets/Metallica 3/30 • Bobby Bones Tribute • Cannery • $20 G. Nugget • $72.51–$195.11 3/3 • Walk off the Earth • MBay • $29.50 3/30 • Darkness 3/4 • NASCAR Cup Series Brooklyn Bowl • $25–$40 LV Motor Speedway • $59–$169 3/31-4/2 • Donny Edwards 3/4 • Of Mice & Men South Point • $25–$35 Hard Rock • $19.50/$36 3/6 • K. Michelle • MBay • $32–$55 3/7-3/20 • Lionel Richie Planet Hollywood • $59–$347 3/8 • Datsik • Hard Rock • $40/$70 3/9 • Grand Funk Railroad G. Nugget • $58.41–$162.41 3/9 • Noel Gallagher

Cosmo • $32.50/$37.50 / 3/9 • Stone Temple Pilots MBay • $33 3/9-3/10 • Bill Maher • Mirage • $65–$87 3/9-3/10 • Tower of Power South Point • $50–$60 3/9-4/21 • Jerry Seinfeld See inside wrap (pg. 13) for Caesars Palace • $82.50–$165 “Weather,” “Room Rates,” and 3/10 • PVRIS • MBay • $25.50–$117.50 “Key Dates.”

JANUARY 2018 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7 News continued … the Downtown Grand. It runs Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm in Freedom Beat and costs $20. Start with a fresh fruit plate and monkey bread, then tall as Vegas’ High Roller, the Wheel at Steel Pier is still order away from the menu: slider & fries, chicken biscuit, the third largest in the U.S. Tickets are $15 to ride for fish & chips, maple walnut brioche toast, silver-dollar one16-minute revolution. The wheel is projected to at- pancakes, velvet waffle, pastrami hash & egg, biscuit & tract 50,000 riders per month. gravy, eggs & potatoes, and three kinds of Benedicts. California—San Diego’s Pechanga Resort & Casino They’re served in small-bite portions that aren’t really has completed a $285 million expansion that makes it that small, so choose wisely. the largest casino resort in California. The expansion includes a second hotel tower with 568 rooms (1,090 total), plus a new restaurant, events center, and spa. Vietnam—As of December, Vietnamese citizens are now allowed to gamble in the country’s casinos. To qualify, customers must show that they are at a mini- mum income level and only specified casinos are autho- rized to accept them. Statistics—Visitor volume was down 4.2% in Octo- ber, a relatively steep decline that’s being attributed to cancellations and postponements of trips following the Oct. 1 Strip shooting. The result isn’t as bad as originally anticipated, but it contradicts early reports that there had been almost no effect. There wasn’t much impact on the gambling win, as Nevada’s statewide win was up .3% in October com- Our starters were the classic Benedict, crab-cake pared to the same month last year. The Strip win was Benedict, and hash & egg (above). The classic was the down 6.1% and downtown was up 10%. best of the three. Other recommended dishes are the Airline traffic set an all-time record with 4.33 million pot roast Benedict, eggs & potatoes, and the brioche passengers, a 1.5% increase. The six biggest airlines toast, along with a surprisingly good IPA slider and fish serving McCarran International Airport are Southwest & chips (below). Everything is brought to your table and (with 1.6 million passengers in October), American you can reorder as often as you like. (390,000), United (364,000), Delta (347,000), Spirit (313,000), and Allegiant (187,000). n

DINING

Downtown Grand Weekend Brunch

Las Vegas is loaded with weekend brunches. Or at least that’s what they’re called. In most cases, brunch is nothing more than a combo breakfast and lunch menu, Of course, it’s not a brunch unless you add some maybe with a couple of specials added on. But we’ve alcohol, so we did. Add $10 for bottomless Bloody always thought a brunch should have more selections, Marys or Mimosas. For $20 you get premium vodka, which makes buffets a better format, and Las Vegas has but it’s not necessary. Get the $10 option and load your plenty of weekend-brunch buffets. But the best format drink up with fixins from the make-your-own BM bar and by our reckoning is one that combines a buffet and table you can’t tell the difference. It’s not the most lavish bar service, where you can order multiple items off a set we’ve seen, but with bacon, peppers, celery, olives, and brunch menu. These don’t show up very often. Border lots of spices, it’s good enough. Grill (at MBay and the Forum Shops at Caesars) has had The place was busy when we went, so there was a a good one for several years. Now there’s a new one at good vibe along with a live performer playing a hit list

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • JANUARY 2018 from Zeppelin, Tom Petty, and Neil Young. Two of us Bar Breakfasts had the works for $65 before tip. After or before brunch, you can find some good games at the bar, where the keno is the loosest in town with only about a 5% casino We’ve written on multiple occasions about the excel- edge and the 25¢ Double Double Bonus progressive is lent ham or steak & eggs at Irene’s, but that was before always pushing a 100% return (100.1% when we were we were using photos in the newsletter. At $9.99 each, there). This one’s definitely worth doing. n these are still among the best in the city, served 24/7 with two eggs, breakfast potatoes, and toast.

First Look at the Palms’ A.Y.C.E. Buffet

The new A.Y.C.E. buffet is open at the Palms. We haven’t eaten there yet, but we walked through on me- dia day (when the hordes of invited guests line up like they’ve never been fed) and it looks fantastic, featuring lots of creative small plates similar to the Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan or the Bacchanal at Caesars.

Monster ham steak at Irene’s

As good as they are, though, the deal is even better at the PT’s Pubs, where from 6 to 10 am daily, all break- fasts are half-price. That means most (three-egg) break- fasts are $5.50, omelets are $6, and steak & eggs is $7.50. We’ll take the PT’s deal from 6 to 10, and Irene’s any other time.

The big difference between A.Y.C.E. and Cosmo/ Caesars is pricing—A.Y.C.E. is significantly lower at $12.99 for breakfast, $15.99 for lunch, and $21.99 for dinner. It’s not clear yet what the club discounts are, but from what we observed, even at retail this could be the best buffet deal in Las Vegas. There are seven islands. The salad station, called The Greenery, has a complete build-your-own set-up, but also pre-made veggie concoctions, including small antipasto bowls. The Roastery carves the usual meats (though we didn’t see a beef round), but also goes non- traditional with a big selection of sliders, calamari steak, and a cool giant stalk of roasted cauliflower. Perhaps the most interesting station is the comfort-food Hearth, with Steak & eggs at PT’s mac & cheese, stromboli, chicken pot pie, and shep- herd’s pie. The other stations are Smoke & Fire (BBQ), Revival (wellness and power-boosting), World Pan (pa- ella, cioppino, stroganoff, congee, bao, and dim sum), Dining Notes and Sweet & Light (desserts). As mentioned, this was just the press peek. We’ll Taste of Bellagio—The Buffet at Bellagio has check out what’s different for breakfast, lunch, and din- added the “Taste of Bellagio” line-up, featuring cuisine ner and report. Use your 50%-off voucher in the MRB to try the new A.Y.C.E. buffet for half price. n continued on next page

JANUARY 2018 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9 Dining Notes continued … Rock in February. Red Lotus Asian Kitchen has been announced for an “early 2018” opening at the Tropicana. from four of the resort’s top restaurants: Lago, Harvest, Olives at Bellagio is closing on January 13. Noodles, and Olives. Portofino has closed at the Mirage. n Lotus is Back—The new location of Lotus of Siam is finally open at 620 E. Flamingo. Lotus has been closed since September, when the roof collapsed at the original Commercial Center restaurant, which continues to be re- paired and is expected to reopen around February. This ENTERTAINMENT Thai restaurant, considered among the best in the west, is so well-known in Las Vegas that the opening was a front-page story in the LV Review-Journal. And you’d Masters of Illusion better call ahead. We tried for day-of reservations on a Wednesday morning and the restaurant was booked for the night. Bally’s Flock & Fowl Flies Downtown—A second location $65.16/$89.96/$114.26/$125.16/$149.96/$160.86 of Flock & Fowl has opened downtown at . Wed-Mon, 7 pm (dark Tues.) Hours are 6 to 10 pm, whereas the original on Sahara is open for lunch only. Specializing in Asian chicken The latest show to hit the Strip has a whole lot of dishes, both restaurants are run by the owners of Fat magic going on. Big box, close-up, metamorphosis—it’s Choy at the Eureka, which has a 2-for-1 offer again in all packed into 90 minutes of revolving performers in the the MRB. Jubilee Theater at Bally’s. Good Pie—The former pizza-maker at Evel Pie (LVA Based on the TV and touring shows of the same 6/17) is opening a new pizzeria called Good Pie. It’s due name, Masters of Illusion brings together four talented to debut in February at Pawn Plaza, specializing in two magicians who lay down slick presentations one after styles: New York street pizza and Detroit-style square another. Each has a different specialty, so there’s plenty pizza (a la Buddy’s). of variety, and a touch of one-upsmanship spices things Steak ’n Shake Coming to Hooters—The Mad up further. Don’t let the fact that there’s not a lot that Onion restaurant has closed at Hooters and will be re- hasn’t been seen before by veterans of the art dissuade placed by a Steak ’n Shake. It’s the third Steak ’n Shake you. This is sturdy magic that will entertain you (and ab- in Las Vegas, joining its predecessors at South Point solutely wow your kids). and on the UNLV campus, and a fourth is planned for While the pricing may seem a little steep, this is a Henderson. The opening date of the Hooters location case where you can definitely do better. Check our dis- has not been announced. count codes at LasVegasAdvisor.com for $15-$40 off Wing Challenge—There’s a new food challenge (depending on seat selection) via a Travelzoo offer, as n in The Still at the Mirage, but be careful with this one, well as other discounting avenues you come across. ’cause it can cost you. The challenge is to eat 75 hot wings in 60 minutes. If you do it, the wings are free and you get your picture on the wall. If you don’t, you pay Bars and Happy Hours the $99 tab. Adding insult to injury, that’s a distinctly un- bargain-like $1.32 per wing! n Dollar PBR—Another $1 beer deal has hit the Strip. Rockhouse at the Venetian has initiated a new happy hour featuring $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon. The HH runs Mon.- More Openings/Closings Fri. from 4 to 7 pm. Openings/Closings—G.O.A.T. has opened on Sa- Bavette’s Steakhouse has opened at Monte Carlo. hara in the space that was Shifty’s for years. It advertis- A fifth Shake Shack has opened at Las Vegas Pre- es itself as a major sports bar, but a week after opening, mium Outlets North. the TVs still weren’t hooked up. This one might need a Sapporo Revolving Sushi has opened in Chinatown little time. at 4671 Spring Mountain Road. A new PT’s Gold has opened at 8275 Ft. Apache, Eureka! has opened downtown. just north of Wigwam. It’s the 56th in the PT’s group to Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen opens at Caesars open in Las Vegas. Palace on January 16. Todd English Pub closed at CityCenter, then imme- n Masso Osteria from Scott Conant opens at Red diately reopened simply as The Pub.

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • JANUARY 2018 Entertainment Notes 2017 2018 Total Value $511 $519 AI Value* $233 $238 Gaga in the Park—Lady Gaga has announced a Free-Play Value $75 $65 Las Vegas residency. She’ll be playing the Park Theater at Monte Carlo (soon to be Park MGM), but it won’t be- *AI stands for “any idiot,” as achieving at least close gin until December of 2018. The two-year residency will to optimal value from an AI offer requires no skill aside comprise at least 36 shows. In a Tweet disclosing the from just showing up to play it. plans, she wrote, “Get ready for a brand new show.” Opium at Cosmo—A new show from the producers The new offers are from Lucky Dragon, Club For- of Absinthe is on its way to the Cosmopolitan. Opium, tune, and Golden Gate, along with a gambling-generated debuting at Cosmo with previews on March 13, is sure comp from Jackson’s Bar and Grill. The Jackson’s offer to be another avant garde production—or at least it’s is an extension of a creative deal the bar ran last year being promoted as such. A press release says, “This is that awards a complimentary steak dinner for earning the show that Elon Musk will want to take to Mars.” 100 points. The numbers are really good on this one, Renegades—A new show called Renegades will adding up to what is essentially a 500% comp return open at Caesars Palace on January 25. Playing in (this is explained in LVA 6/17). There’s a similar deal at Cleopatra’s Barge, the “interactive show” will star some The Sporting Life Bar, bringing the total number of gam- combination of sports bad boys José Canseco, Jim bling offers to 35. McMahon, Terrell Owens, and Jimmy King. Your guess Downtown is again the place to get the most action is as good as ours, but it sounds like a Mike Tyson Un- in one general area, coming in with $239 in total value. disputed Truth type of format. Assuming you cut out the high-variance video poker Circus Leaving Town—The show Circus 1903 con- offers at the D and Golden Gate, there’s still a juicy $133 cludes its run at Paris on January 7. It ran for a limited in EV to be had. A tip of the cap goes to the D, Golden engagement of only six months and will embark on an Gate, and Silver Sevens for their creative blackjack bo- international tour in February. nuses—push on 22 at the D and 2-1 on your first natural J. Lo Leaving Town—Jennifer Lopez is also set to at GG and SS—that yield added time-on-game enter- leave, but not for several months. The final performance tainment value. n of Jennifer Lopez: All I Have at Planet Hollywood has been announced for September 29. Mindfreak Leaving Town—Mindfreak Live! will close at Luxor in October, marking the end of a 10-year Jackpot at Jackpot collaboration between Criss Angel and Cirque du Soleil. The production was originally called Believe, before be- Jackpot Bar and Grill (4360 S. Decatur) is running ing revamped and changing to Mindfreak Live! after early a good free-play promo on Thursdays, but you have to bad reviews. accept some risk. It’s a play-$500-get-$50 deal. Every Britney’s Left Town—Britney Spears: Piece of Me Thursday, earn 500 points with the Jackpot club card has concluded its run at Planet Hollywood. inserted and get $50 in free-play. The deal is great— we’ll take a 10% bonus any time—but there’s a lot more See the Advance Planner for dates, prices, and addi- exposure involved in this promotion than others you n tional show updates. typically find in the bars. We’ve discussed variance, or risk, as it applies in gambling before. But since this is such an interesting example, we thought we’d paint a more complete pic- ture. One of the best ways to get to the bottom of what’s GAMBLING possible results-wise in a situation like this is to use a product we’ve endorsed for years called Dunbar’s Risk Analyzer for Video Poker (DRA-VP). The following analy- MRB Gambling sis was provided by Dunbar himself, using DRA-VP to sort out what the risk really looks like in this deal.

Despite some shuffling in the mix, for the second Using the above example, if you play quarters, year in a row there are 33 matchplay, free-play, and your average net win, including the play-through on the gambling bonuses in the MRB, and with an almost iden- free-play, will be $23. You’ll end up a winner (of some tical value. amount) 55% of the time, with nearly 1 chance in 4 that continued on next page

JANUARY 2018 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11 Jackpot at Jackpot continued … Gambling Notes you’ll win more than $50. Forty-three percent of the time WSOP to Play Through—The schedule for the 2018 you’ll lose, but there’s less than 1 chance in 40 that you’ll World Series of Poker has been released. The meet will lose more than $50. So it’s 10 times more likely that begin May 30 and run through July 17. The biggest news you’ll end up $50 ahead than $50 behind. Nice! is that there will be no break in the Main Event, which will With a deal like this, it’s important that you don’t run now play all the way through to a champion. Last year out of ammunitition before earning the $50 bonus, so there was a two-day break before final-table play, follow- how much money you have with you is a serious consid- ing nine years of delaying the final table until November. eration. If you bring $150, there’s a slim 1-in-700 chance There will be nine new events and the tournament will you’ll run out before putting $500 through the machine. If conclude with the $1 million buy-in “Big One for One you bring $200, there’s almost no chance of that. Drop.” If you’re in a hurry, you can play the $2 denomina- No Line on the Aces—MGM Resorts International tion. You’ll only have 50 bets to make, but your risk is says it won’t book bets on the WNBA team, the Las much greater. Now you have a 7% chance of losing Vegas Aces, which it recently acquired and who’ll play more than $150, an outcome that’s almost impossible at Mandalay Bay Events Center. No decision has been when playing for quarters. And even though you’ll still av- made on booking the rest of the WNBA, but it’s not a big erage a $23 net win, you’ll lose more often than you win. issue either way, according to sports book director Jay Finally, if you’re a skilled video poker player, you’ll do Rood. “The handle for the entire year in the WNBA,” he significantly better than the above numbers—your aver- says, “is probably less than what we do on a really good age net win will be $32 and your risk will be smaller. But NFL game.” skilled or not, it’s a really good play. n Big Chalk—The favorites went 14-0 in Week 15 of the NFL schedule, only the third time that’s happened since 1970. That was bad news for the sports books, as Video Poker Lost and Found the public (as always) was backing the faves. n

The new MRB video poker matchplay from Club Fortune is strong given the good games there, including 15-8 Loose Deuces Wild (100.15%), 10/6 Double Double FAST TRACK Bonus (100.07%), and NSU Deuces Wild (99.73%) from 5¢ to 25¢. At the front bar, there’s 9/6 DDB (98.98%), 25- 15-9-4-4-3 Deuces Wild (98.91%), and Deuces Wild Bo- Auto Collections at the LINQ Closing—The long- nus paying 13 for a straight flush (98.80%). Club Fortune running Auto Collections vintage-car museum and show- also has a good players club. room at the LINQ has closed. The auto collection was According to the online database vpFREE2, Aliante one of Vegas’ longest running public displays, dating has downgraded its former excellent inventory of 5¢ back to the early days of the Imperial Palace. games with returns of 100%+. These included 10/7 Feed the Birds, Go to Jail—An ordinance passed Double Bonus (100.17%) and Full Pay Deuces Wild by the Clark County Commissioners that took effect in (100.76%), among others. These schedules are still avail- November makes it a misdemeanor to feed feral pigeons able in denoms from 25¢ to $1. in the county, which includes the . This The back (west) video poker bar at the California has new crime is punishable by a fine of $1,000 and/or up been removed. to six months in jail, though it’s expected that a first of- Bob Dancer’s free video poker classes start again fense will receive a warning. The law was implemented in this month, running on Tuesdays in the Silverado Lounge an attempt to deal with the nuisance of flocks damaging at South Point—beginner classes at noon and interme- landmarks and buildings with their droppings, which are diate at 2 pm except where otherwise noted. Must be acidic. 21. Topics are 9/6 Jacks or Better (on 1/9); 9/7 Double Number One in Baskets—Taking over where Bonus, one class only at noon (1/16); 9/6 Double Double Bishop Gorman High School dropped off in football, Bonus Quick Quads Wheel Poker, one class only at Henderson’s Findlay Prep opened the season as the na- noon (1/23); 9/6 Jacks or Better Multi Strike (1/30), one tion’s number-one-ranked boys basketball team. It’s not class only at noon. Be sure to check out Bob’s weekly unfamiliar ground for Findlay, a hard-recruiting basket- Tuesday column and the Thursday “Gambling with an ball factory that has finished atop the nation’s standings Edge” podcast, with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at three times in the last decade and is a perennial con- n GamblingWithAnEdge.com. tender. n

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • JANUARY 2018 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 1 Las Vegas Market—50,000 WEEKDAY WEEKEND 1-3 Safari Club International—21,000 Four Queens • $35 Silver Sevens • $51 12-14 MAGIC Marketplace—83,000 Wild Wild West • $37 Wild Wild West • $58 27-3/1 HELI Expo—20,000 El Cortez • $45 AZ C. Decatur • $71 Circus Circus • $49 Circus Circus • $76 Tuscany • $49 Treasure Island • $95 MARCH Palace Station • $55 Tuscany • $103 5–9 Healthcare Info & Management—30,000 Hard Rock • 90 Palms • $137 11–14 ASD Las Vegas—46,000 Palms • $101 Hard Rock • $150 20–22 International Pizza Expo—12,000 Mirage • $104 Mirage • $154 23–25 National Automobile Dealers—30,000 27–28 Nightclub & Bar Show—39,000 MARCH KEY WEEKDAY WEEKEND Four Queens • $37 Silver Sevens • $65 APRIL Wild Wild West • $37 Four Queens • $70 9-12 National Assoc. of Broadcasters—103,000 Fremont • $50 Wild Wild West • $72 24-26 Waste Expo—12,000 DATES Circus Circus • $50 Westgate Las Vegas • $101 Rio • $59 Rio • $119 JANUARY Sam’s Town • $65 Palace Station • $120 Mean 45° Avg. Max. 57° Avg. Min. 32° Pools: Closed Hard Rock • $82 Hard Rock • $120 Cool and dry. Days are crisp, but pleasant. Cold eve- Palms • $101 Palms • $161 nings. Mirage • $124 Paris • $174 Attire: Sweater and jacket—desert winters are cold. APRIL

FEBRUARY ROOM WEEKDAY WEEKEND Four Queens • $35 Four Queens • $70 Mean 50° Avg. Max. 62° Avg. Min. 37° Pools: Closed Wild Wild West • $37 Wild Wild West • $72 Days begin to arm, evenings still cool. El Cortez • $45 AZ C. Decatur • $80 Attire: Light jacket for the day, something warm for Circus Circus • $51 Westgate Las Vegas • $105 evenings. Stratosphere • $55 Palace Station • $115 Westgate Las Vegas • $56 Sam’s Town • $121 MARCH Hard Rock • $80 Palms • $151 Mean 56° Avg. Max. 69° Avg. Min. 42° Pools: Closed Palms • $91 Paris • $154 A fickle month for weather. Occasional rain and high RATES Mirage • $114 Hard Rock • $160 winds, warm days.

WEATHER Best rates at press time from sample of 54 Las Vegas casinos. Rates NOT guaranteed, subject to Attire: Light jacket or sweater for evenings. change without notice, and do not include tax. Lower prices may be available online.

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