$5

ANTHONY CURTIS’ March 2019 Vol. 36 LasVegasAdvisor Issue 3

FOUR QUEENS They don’t need no stinking resort fees … pgs. 1, 3

EATING LAS VEGAS ON THE CHEAP 24 top restaurants with bargain pricing … pg. 4

54¢ BAGELS Take that Sadelle’s … pg. 8

‘LITTLE MISS NASTY’ Edge-pushing dance show hits Hooters … pg. 8

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New Jersey—Gaming Capital COUPONOMY of the U.S. by Anthony Curtis

Oooh, that just doesn’t sound right. But it might be Four Queens Is King the case soon. While Nevada drags its feet, New Jersey is jumping into the new world of sports betting head- first. Gambling authorities in the Garden State have It’s time to give the Four Queens its due. The moved quickly in several areas, including being the first 54-year-old downtown stalwart is the only major casino to take bets on the Academy Awards last month. It’s in Vegas with the grit to stand up to resort fees and a little thing, but little things can accrue to big effect. parking charges. That’s right, there’s no RF, yet its room Some analysts called the state’s $35 million handle for rates are among the lowest in town. In our three-month the Super Bowl disappointing (see Gambling). I say not advance room-rate survey for March, the Four Queens bad for a state that’s been taking bets for only a few was second lowest twice and lowest in June at $39 per months. Everything I see there indicates a resolve to night. It’s not the Bellagio, but who cares when you’re move forward and innovate. Nevada had better be care- saving $150 a night! ful. New Jersey wants the crown. n As for parking, I rate it as one of the best spots to park downtown. It’s a first-level comp the way it still is in most of downtown, but now is almost extinct on the Then One Day Strip. You’re issued a ticket when you enter the garage and you’ll be charged if you don’t get it validated, but validation is as simple as putting a twenty in a bar Our new book is Then One Day—40 Years of Book- machine and handing the ticket to the bartender. Get a making in Nevada. It’s written by Chris Andrews, who’s couple of free drinks while you’re at it; there are no qual- worked in and run the books at multiple casinos in Las ifying meters on the backs of these machines. Vegas, and one in Reno, and is currently the sports book The Four Queens has excellent video poker sched- director at South Point. It’s the first of as many as 10 ules at the 25¢-$1 levels, including progressives at the books on sports betting we have in development and it’s bars that often go positive. It’s fun to play games that the perfect first release. give you some bang for your buck and points accrue Then One Day provides a window into how the quickly on the players card. Use those points to defray sports-betting industry evolved and works via fantastic costs at one of the best old-style gourmet restaurants in stories involving lots of names and locales that you’ll Las Vegas, Hugo’s Cellar. Or use the good offers in the recognize (same for the center photo spread, that will Member Rewards Book for free slot play and dinner at take you back to the days of independent sports books Magnolia’s. and balding bookmakers when they had hair). Since we The Four Queens represents the traditional value- want all of our books to be instructive, we took extra focused Las Vegas. And for that, it deserves to be in care to make sure terms and techniques are explained the Top Ten. It’s there this month, the first time ever that throughout. And we didn’t just stick them in a glossary we’ve listed a casino predominantly for its customer- that you’ll never look at. Rather, they’re defined when friendly policies. This place deserves your business. necessary as they’re introduced. By the way, right up there for room deals is El If you want to learn about sports betting, follow our Cortez, which does have a resort fee of $14.95 per night, lead with the books we’re putting out, starting with this but even after adding it, often comes in lower than the one. We’ll publish an excerpt next month. See the wrap Four Queens for price (it beat Four Queens in two of the for your pre-pub discount. n three months surveyed). n continued on next page

MARCH 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 1 Couponomy continued … as they’re currently positioned in a big dug-out space below sidewalk level while the base is created for what Snow Day will be the 44-story tower and 9-story parking garage. MGM Grand—With an upgrade to the lobby com- pleted (including the addition of four new giant ultra- It doesn’t happen often, but it happened last month. high-rez video screens behind the front desk), MGM A prolonged storm resulted in snow sticking on the Grand is turning its attention toward a redevelopment ground (flurries usually melt immediately in Vegas). I’d of the casino’s Strip frontage. Part of the plan involves rate it the second-biggest snow in the 40 years that I’ve opening up access to the 700-rooom west wing, which been here. Dogs were euphoric. Kids made snowmen. was formerly the Marina Hotel-Casino. Schools closed. Huh? Yep, Virgin—The 1,500 rooms at the School District declared (which will replace the Hard Rock) will be managed by a “snow day.” Not on the day Hilton’s Curio Collection brand and be part of the Hilton that the streets were actually Honors loyalty program. It will be Curio’s largest hotel slick, but on the following day and the only one in Las Vegas. when the sun was shining and LV Convention Center—The 10-acre parcel of Strip the snow had melted. I’m from frontage where the Riviera used to stand is being put Michigan where a snow day up for sale by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors usually meant you had to sled Authority. It means that the new convention center will it if you wanted to go some- not extend out to the Strip as originally planned. It kind where. I just laughed. Las of didn’t make sense anyway and the sale is expected Vegas is good at gambling. to fetch a big number and spawn yet another something Not so much at snow. n new on the north Strip. Las Ramblas Site—In another interesting land-sale development, the Las Ramblas site has been sold. The 60-acre parcel on the east side of Koval Avenue was originally earmarked for a $1.7 billion W Hotel-Casino. NEWS A year later, George Clooney and a local developer stepped in with plans to build the $3 billion Las Ramb- las. Another year, another sale of the lot, just before the —The Stratosphere has been renamed real-estate crash; it was foreclosed in 2014. Now comes The STRAT as part a $140 million overhaul of the prop- news that the site was sold last month for $130 million erty. Along with the name change, the top-of-the-tower to a Beverly Hills-based real estate company, 3D Invest- observation decks will be rebranded the Skypod. Work ments. Plans for the parcel have not been divulged. is in progress on a remodeling of the guest rooms, res- North Las Vegas—The big Maya Cinemas com- taurants, and the race and sports book, which is slated plex, located across the street from the Silver Nugget, for completion in time for the March Madness basketball has opened. The announcement of the project in 2017 tournament. New restaurants and bars are also in the indicated that restaurants and retail would be involved. works. The project is expected to be completed by early Nothing yet on that front; however, there’s lots of empty 2020. land around the theater that looks like it’s being prepped Binion’s—After closing its hotel in 2009, Binion’s for more work. has announced that it will open 81 of its 366 rooms Oklahoma—Oklahoma is now home to the third to serve as a boutique hotel-within-a-hotel dubbed most casinos in the U.S. with 141, trailing only Nevada the Apache Hotel at Binion’s. The rooms will feature and California. This includes the giant WinStar Casino in retro furniture and decor from the 1930s; the actual Thackerville near the Texas border that advertises itself Hotel Apache opened in 1932 on the site. In addition, a 6,500-square-foot bar will open on the second floor LAS VEGAS 3665 Procyon Street • Las Vegas, NV 89103 above the casino. The new venue that will seat a couple (702) 252-0655 • (702) 252-0675 Fax dozen and rotate 360 degrees every 15 minutes will ADVISOR e-mail: [email protected] • Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com Publisher: Anthony Curtis Customer Service: Nicole Watchus boast a dance floor, mechanical bull, and a view onto Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Shipping & Receiving: Scotch Henderson the Fremont Street Experience. The rooms and bar are Accounting: John Leitner Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob scheduled to debut this summer. Production Manager: Laurie Cabot Dancer, Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot Krause, Web Manager: Tanya Maynard Bradley Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott Circa—For the first time in decades, multiple cranes Research Assistant: Brenda Stewart Cover Image: Four Queens are in evidence downtown with construction in full swing 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. POSTMASTER: Send address on Circa, being built on the site of the former Las Vegas changes to Las Vegas Advisor, 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. All information is current at press time. Listed offerings Club. The cranes aren’t as visible as those on the Strip, are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press ©2019

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MARCH 2019 as the “world’s largest casino” with 600,000 square feet of floor space. Las Vegas’ Top Ten Values Canada—Edmonton’s Northlands Park and Casino has closed. It follows the closing of the Northlands Park 1. Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99 horse racing track three months earlier. The track had 2. Buffet • Palace Station • Daily • $8.99-$16.99 operated since 1900. 3. Mac King • Harrah’s • Tues.–Sat. • $14.98 Statistics—Nevada’s statewide gambling win was 4. Hot Dog • South Point • Daily • $1.25 up 4.1% in December compared to the same month 5. Beer • Stage Door • 24 hours • $1 last year. The Strip win was down .9%, while downtown 6. Shrimp Cocktail • Skyline • Daily • $2.25 was up a big 26.6%. Nevada casinos won $11.9 billion 7. Breakfast • Club Fortune • Daily • $1.99/$2.99 in 2018, a 3% increase over last year and the third high- 8. $1 Blackjack • Hooters • 24 hours • $1.20 est annual total ever. It was the fourth year in a row of 9. Photo • Binion’s • Daily • Free gaming-revenue increases, and the eighth in nine years. 10. No Resort Fee • Four Queens • Daily • $39 and up Every market in the state experienced an increase for the first time in 14 years. The strip win was $6.56 billion, up The Ellis Island steak dinner remains in the top 2%. Reno casinos won $636.9 million, up 4.4%; it was spot in the Top Ten. The complete steak dinner is Reno’s biggest win since 2008. served in the Café and requires that you print out Airline traffic was up 2% in December, topping two coupons from an EI kiosk, the second after off a record year that processed 49.7 million arriv- playing at least $5 in any slot machine with your club ing and departing passengers, up 2.5% over 2017. card inserted, to get the $7.99 price. The Feast Buf- Domestic passenger counts increased by 2.2%, with fet at Palace Station (#2) is our choice for Las Vegas’ Spirit and Sun Country logging the highest year-over- best buffet when considering the combination of year increases, while Southwest, the traditional market quality and price; get the listed prices by showing a leader, was down 0.1%. Internationally, traffic increased Boarding Pass card. The price of the late-night Feast by 5.6%. Canada, Mexico, and the UK were the top was raised by $1 this month, but that’s not where three countries of origin for international passengers. the value is, so we didn’t hand out any demerits. Hainan and Korean airlines both registered gains for the Get a ticket to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show year and LATAM Airlines inaugurated the first scheduled and a drink for $14.98 by asking at the players club nonstop flights to Las Vegas from Brazil. International booth (#3). The hot dogs at South Point (#4) are sold totals should continue to go up in 2018, with KLM from a cart in the sports book from 10 am until they launching nonstop flights from Amsterdam and EL AL close down the cart around 5 pm. Michelob, Mich- n arriving direct from Tel Aviv beginning in June. elob Light, and Bud Light in the bottle are $1 apiece at the Stage Door slot house on Flamingo, just east of the Strip (#5). The Skyline shrimp cocktail (#6) is Sports Betting Scorecard available 24/7 at the main bar. New to the Top Ten this month is the breakfast special at Club Fortune (#7). Get the lowdown on this special and the state New Hampshire has filed a federal lawsuit to pre- of bargain breakfasts in general in Dining. Hoot- vent the U.S. Department of Justice from taking action ers’ $1-minimum blackjack game (#8) runs 24/7 in to prohibit online gambling. New Hampshire’s concern the pit; naturals pay even money on bets of $1-$4. is its lottery program, which, along with lotteries across Returning to the list is the free photo in front of $1 the U.S. and other forms of now-legal online gambling, million at Binion’s (#9). The deal hasn’t changed in could be forced to cease operations if the DOJ’s revised years; it’s available 9 am-11:30 pm and the photo interpretation of the Wire Act is enforced. We expect that takes 30 minutes to process. It’s a great free sou- this is only the first of many challenges to the DOJ deci- venir. Finally, we’re recognizing the last hold-out on sion. instituting resort fees. Standing firm where (almost) Sports betting is now legal in Washington D.C., no other has, the Four Queens joins the list at #10. though sports books are not yet operating. Read about all the reasons why this assignment is Caesars Entertainment has bought an undisclosed long overdue in Couponomy. stake in DraftKings, a deal that should pave the way for DK to operate sports books in several new states as legislation allows. books won $301 million, up 21% over 2017, on a record Although some are pointing to the legalization of handle of slightly more than $5 billion. sports betting in other states as a reason for the decline Follow the progress of sports betting legalization in the Nevada Super Bowl handle (see Gambling), not all across the country and track developments as they the data supports that notion. In 2018, Nevada sports occur via our blog and map at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n

MARCH 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3 Klondike Krumbles DINING Also biting the dust this month are two former Top Tenners at Klondike Sunset. The $5.55 prime rib special Eating Las Vegas (in last month’s Top Ten as well) is no longer offered. The on the Cheap $12.99 cut remains, but we tried it and it’s diminished in quality. The second loss is Klondike’s breakfast special. Formerly $1.79, it’s now not special at all for $2.95 with- After each edition of Eating Las Vegas is published, out meat and $4.95 with. The saving grace here is the we highlight the bargain-dining elements of the book in 2-for-1 in the Member Rewards Book, which cuts the LVA. Following is the compilation from the 2019 edition. price of the prime rib dinner to $6.50 each for two. n Each restaurant in the “Essential 52” has one of four price designations: “$125 and up,” “$75 to $125,” “$25 to $75,” and “$25 or less,” which reflect the per-person cost for a complete meal. This seventh edition of the DG Docks Discount book contains six restaurants in the $25-or-less range and 18 in $25-to-$75. That puts almost 50% of the Here’s another former Top Ten Value that’s taken essential restaurants in the two most affordable catego- a turn for the worse. Previously, you could swipe your ries. players card at Downtown Grand to get 50% off several The five $25-or-less are Chengdu Taste, District items in Freedom Beat, but now you have to earn 25 One, Edo Gastro Tapas & Wine, Khoury’s, Pizzeria points before swiping. That’s only $50 coin-in on video Monzu, and Yuzu Kaiseki. Note that there’s a misprint poker, so this remains a pretty good insta-comp, but it’s in the book that designates Monzu in a higher category, still a negative development compared to what it was. but they’re not selling $100 pizzas there. The best choice is the prime rib, a decent value at The following are in the $25-to-$75 category: Allegro retail, but smokin’ for $8.50. It’s a good cut of prime that (Wynn), Bouchon (Venetian), Carson Kitchen, Eatt isn’t nuked, so you can get it to order. It comes with Gourmet Bistro, Elia Authentic Greek Taverna, Esther’s mashed potatoes Kitchen, Hiroyoshi Japanese Cuisine, Japaniero, Julian and a better-than- Prime rib at Downtown Grand Serano (Aria), La Cave (Wynn), Libertine Social (MBay), average carrots- Lotus of Siam, Marche Bacchus, Other Mama, Pam- and-broccoli plona, Raku/Sweets Raku, Sparrow + Wolf, and Trattoria medley. No salad. Nakamura-Ya. These aren’t super cheap, but they still If you’re playing rate as a deal when considering what it costs for this at DG you’ll get to level of quality elsewhere. the coin require- Additionally, the Chinatown section and the back ment in minutes, of the book cite dozens of low-cost restaurants in sev- so take advan- eral categories, including one titled “Cheap Eats/Local tage; you can do n Favorites.” it once per day. n

C&A Comp Rescinded Best-Deal Breakfast

For the first time in at least 15 years (when we first With this month’s Top Ten shake-up, we had some wrote about it), both Crown & Anchors have discontin- spots to fill and were poised to bring back Klondike’s ued their lunch comp for a $20 buy-in. This happened breakfast special. That’s no longer an option. And nei- within the past few weeks, as the offer was in our Top ther are several other low-priced breakfasts of the past. Ten Values list only last month. These deals show up in According to website and phone research to check for- bars from time to time and there are three such offers mer sub-$2 breakfasts, the Silver Nugget is now $2.99, (Sporting Life Bar, Jackson’s, and G.O.A.T.) in the Mem- Jokers Wild is $3.49, and the Rainbow Club is $5.99. ber Rewards Book, but C&A was the granddaddy of the The lone remaining eggs & meat breakfast for under $2 $20 comp. You now have to pay $10 (and a penny) for is at Club Fortune. The special in the Club Café is $1.99 the best chicken fingers in town. The comp is still being Mon.-Fri. from 6 to 11 am and $2.99 for ham & eggs dur- advertised in a few spots, but we checked both loca- ing the same hours on weekends. n tions and it’s toast, at least for now. We tried the weekday special that comes with two

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MARCH 2019 eggs, two strips of bacon (or sausage), hash browns, shrimp puttanesca, and meatballs ($15-$18) round out and one slice of toast. Nothing fancy (and no substitu- the menu. We tried the minestrone, a chef’s salad with tions), but this is a hearty plate for the price. Careful, skirt steak, and a fennel sausage pizza and it was all though; they’ll double you up with a $1.89 charge if even better than expected from a chef the caliber of you want coffee (it’s free, along with a 10% discount, Tom Douglas, at a bargain $47.63 before tip. In short, if you’re military). The Club Café has lots of other good the food court it ain’t. For an excellent and reasonably selections, including daily lunch specials for $3.99 and priced meal at the Fashion Show, keep this hidden gem steak/prime in mind. n Vegas’ last $1.99er rib specials for $13.99. Club For- tune is way out in Lamaii Henderson, but this is a cool little throwback casino It’s no secret that Lotus of Siam is generally consid- with good video ered to be the gold standard in Thai restaurants, both in poker schedules Las Vegas and beyond. We’re anything but bandwagon- making it worth ers here, but Lotus is hard to argue with. However, we the trip, and were more than satisfied with two excellent alternatives, you can parlay Chada Thai and Chada Street, both run by Lotus dis- with the Skyline ciple Bank Atcharawan. Then they closed. So news that shrimp cocktail Atcharawan was opening another Thai restaurant was big that’s only about news for us. Of course, we ran in as soon as it opened. a mile away. n The current menu is only a partial while the full menu is being put together, but there’s plenty to warrant a visit now. The tom yum goong ($9) is our favorite in town. Jeannie’s Many refer to it simply as shrimp tom yum—it’s the spicy clear-broth version with lime and lemongrass, and the exact same as was served at the Chadas. Even better Now for something a little different. Celebrity chef is an oyster dish we’d never had before called hoi nan- Tom Douglas, who has 15 restaurants in Seattle, has grom. These are raw oysters in the shell, topped with published four cookbooks, and is a two-time James chili lime sauce and fried shallots (crunchy oysters with a Beard Award winner and one-time “Iron Chef” win- kick). They’re $15 for six, ner, makes his Vegas debut with Jeannie’s, a casual, Hoi namgrom at Lamaii but well worth the $2.50- contemporary, but surprisingly sophisticated 120-seat per tariff. Our bill for two, restaurant on the third floor of Nordstrom at the Fashion including six beers (yeah, Show Mall. No kidding. The whole restaurant is open to beer goes well with Thai, the lingerie department, with an espresso and gelato bar even though this is pre- and bakery up front if you’re just looking for coffee and dominantly a wine place sweets while you shop and an open kitchen, full 12-seat with a vast selection) was bar, and 40 tables in back. $85. Lamaii is a mod- Starters include minestrone and tomato-basil soups est little restaurant that’s ($6), marinated cauliflower ($9) that gets a lot of raves, set back a ways from the roasted apple with smoked bacon ($12), and salads street (4480 Spring Mtn.), ($11). Toasties (grilled but it’s easy to find, shar- cheese on house-made ing a parking lot with Spar- focaccia) come with row + Wolf and PT’s. n cheddar, eggplant, and prosciutto ($10-$13). A half-dozen full-size Dining Notes pizzas include fen- nel sausage, oyster mushrooms, and broc- Buffets—The South Point buffet has reopened coli rabe ($15-$19), after a big remodel with higher prices. Breakfast is now and pasta dinners $11.95, lunch $13.95, and dinner $20.95, all up $3, but such as cauliflower you get $2 back if you show a players card. The price of Fennel sausage pizza at Jeannie’s mac-n-cheese, spicy continued on page 8

MARCH 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 5 ADVANCE PLANNER—HEADLINERS AND EVENTS

MARCH 3/9 • David Victor 3/23 • Monster Jam 3/1 • Blues Traveler Suncoast • $19.95/$24.95 Sam Boyd Stadium • $18-$73 Brooklyn Bowl • $35–$50 3/9 • Kenny Lattimore 3/23 • Uli Jon Roth • Rio • $28 3/1 • Marshall Tucker Band Santa Fe Station • $40 3/23 • Why Don’t We Golden Nugget • $39–$129 3/9 • Martin Nievera w/Filipina Moris- Palms • $35.95–$79.95 3/1 • Southbound: Skynard Tribute sette Amon • M Resort • $32–$52 3/24 • Cypress Hill and Hollywood Orleans • $19/$24 3/9 • Sharon Cuneta Undead • MBay • $39.50–$117 3/1–3/3 • NASCAR Pennzoil 400 Cannery • $68-$128 3/26 • Galactic LV Motor Speedway • $29-$169 3/9 • Tori Kelly • Palms • $32-$77 Brooklyn Bowl • $22/$25 3/1–3/3 • Dennis DeYoung 3/10 • Metric & Zoé • Cosmo • $36-$175 3/26–3/31 • Greatest Piano Men South Point • $60–$70 3/13 • Stephen Marley Flamingo LV • $49–$77 3/1–3/16 • Celine Dion Brooklyn Bowl • $29–$41 3/27 • Foals Caesars Palace • $109–$549 3/13–3/30 • Classic Cher Brooklyn Bowl • $33.50/$38.50 3/1–3/16 • Gwen Stefani Park MGM • $68–$332 3/27–3/30 • Kenny Loggins Planet Hollywood • $70–$210 3/14–3/28 • Frankie Moreno Wynn LV • $59.50–$225 3/1–11/9 • Tim Allen • Mirage • $65–$87 South Point • $20–$30 3/28 • Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 3/2 • Bob Seger 3/15 • Flogging Molly • Cosmo • $39-$79 MBay • $25/$75 MGM Grand • $99–$199 3/15 • Jeffrey Osborne 3/28 • She Wants Revenge 3/2 • Chuck Negron Golden Nugget • $49–$129 Hard Rock • $23/$45 Orleans • $19–$42 3/15 • Il Divo • Palms • $59.50–$329.50 3/29 • Citizen Cope 3/2 • Gladys Knight 3/15 • Steep Canyon Rangers Brooklyn Bowl • $33–$50.50 Buffalo Bill’s • $25–$60 Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$30 3/29 • Death Cab for Cutie 3/2 • Highwaymen 3/15 • Tobe Nwigwe Hard Rock • $32/$42 Cannery • $19.95–$36.95 Hard Rock • $20–$69 3/29 • Morgan Wallen • MBay • $20–$45 3/2 • MUSE: • MBay • $48.50–$98.99 3/15–3/16 • Jim Jeffries • Mirage • $54/$76 3/29 • Michael Carbonaro 3/2 • Twiddle w/Iya Terra 3/15–3/17 • Donny Edwards Mirage • $50–$70 Brooklyn Bowl • $25–$100 South Point • $25–$35 3/29 • Night Ranger 3/2 • UFC: Jones vs. Smith 3/16 • December 63: Frankie Valli & Golden Nugget • $49–$139 T-Mobile • $235–$2,000 The Four Seasons Tribute • 3/29 • SWMRS w/Regrettes and Beach 3/2 • UFC: Woodley vs. Usman Suncoast • $16–$24.95 Goons • Hard Rock • $18/$34 T-Mobile • $235–$2,000 3/16 • Deon Cole 3/29 • Trinity Tribute: Styx, Foreigner, 3/2 • Under the Streetlamp Cannery • $22.95–$44.95 & Journey • GVR • $14 Green Valley Ranch • $29 3/16 • Enuff Z’nuff • Rio • $23 3/29–3/30 • Osmond Brothers 3/2–3/3 • Zomboy 3/16 • ONE OK ROCK • MBay • $28 Suncoast • $29/$50 LV Events Center • $40/$75 3/16 • Overnight: Boy Band Tribute 3/29–3/31 • Duprees • South Point • $30–$40 3/3 • Kurt Vile and the Violators Orleans • $20–$25 3/30 • Boyce Avenue MBay • $25 3/16 • Revivalists • Cosmo • $38–$101 Aliante Casino • $25–$40 3/3–3/31 • Matt Goss • Mirage • $27–$91 3/20–3/23 • Daryl Hall and John Oates • 3/30 • Lion Fight 53 3/6–3/16 • Robbie Williams Caesars Palace • $55–$322 LV Events Center • $50/$87 Wynn LV • $59.50–$250 3/20–3/30 • Earth, Wind & Fire 3/30 • Michael Bublé 3/7 • Band of Horses Venetian • $72–$325 T-Mobile • $70–$154.50 Brooklyn Bowl • $35/$40 3/21–3/23 • Hoops & Hops 3/30 • Nero 3/7 • Cradle of Filth • MBay • $32 Cosmo • $150–$425 Brooklyn Bowl • $29.99–$80 3/7–3/30 • Barry Manilow 3/22 • Brett Young • Hard Rock • $42.50 3/30 • TESLA • MBay • $45–$85 Westgate LV • $39.75–$329.75 3/22 • Grand Funk Railroad APRIL 3/8 • Diamante Eléctrico • Rio • $15 Golden Nugget • $59–$129 4/2 • Dance Gavin Dance 3/8 • Justin Timberlake 3/22 • Hippie Sabotage Brooklyn Bowl • $23.50/$28.50 T-Mobile • $60-$280 Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$30 4/2–4/21 • Greatest Piano Men 3/8 • Ken Jeong • TI • $48/$76 3/22–3/24 • Lettermen Flamingo LV • $49–$77 3/8 • Tommy James & the Shondells South Point • $35–$45 4/4–4/6 • Tony Orlando Golden Nugget • $59–$129 3/23 • 4NR: Foreigner Tribute South Point • $50–$60 3/8–3/9 • Dana Carvey & Ray Romano Suncoast • $16/$19.95 4/5 • Buckinghams Mirage • $90–$120 3/23 • Andrew McMahon Golden Nugget • $29–$99 3/8–3/10 • moe. w/Pigeons Playing Ping Pong MBay • $25–$45.50 4/5 • Trevor Hall Brooklyn Bowl • $80–$119 3/23 • Aziz Ansari Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$30 3/8–3/10 • Herman’s Hermits Caesars Palace • $54-$169 4/5–4/6 • Up, Up and Away South Point • $40–$50 3/23 • Bat • Cannery • $24-$49 Orleans • $34.95–$54.95 3/8–12/21 • Ray Romano & David Spade 3/23 • En Vogue 4/6 • Chris Tucker Mirage • $90–$120 Orleans • $49.95–$59.95 Wynn LV • $59.95–$139.95 3/9 • Crime Comedy Podcast 3/23 • Jess Hilarious 4/6 • Hollywood’s Greatest Game Park MGM • $51–$78 Mirage • $50.99–$70.99 Shows • Cannery • $25–$45

6 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MARCH 2019 ADVANCE PLANNER—HEADLINERS AND EVENTS

4/6 • Hotel California, Original Eagles 4/26 • Jeff Dunham SHOW NOTES Tribute • M Resort • $22–$42 Hard Rock • $40-$178 4/6 • NEEDTOBREATHE 4/26 • Last In Line • Vegas Gone Country opens March 3 in Palms • $34.95–$129.95 Golden Nugget • $39–$109 the V Theater at Planet Hollywood; tickets 4/6–4/26 • Aerosmith 4/26 • Steven Wright • TI • $43/$71 are $66.98/$76.98. Park MGM • $215-$688 4/26–4/27 • Alanis Morissette 4/7 • 54th ACM Awards Palms • $54.95–$159.95 • Ticket prices for Mystere at Treasure MGM Grand • $409–$763 4/26–8/24 • Chris D’Ella Island have been decreased from $98.16- 4/7 • Hozier • Palms • $42–$128 Mirage • $43.59/$54.49 $159.20 to $76.36-$111.51. 4/7/–4/28 • Matt Goss • Mirage • $27–$91 4/27 • 16th Annual LV Crawfish Boil • • Ticket prices for The Comics Battle at 4/10–4/20 • John Fogerty LV Events Center • $15–$700 Alexis Park have been increased from Wynn LV • $81-$228 4/27 • Cole Swindell • MBay • $55 $13.45-$44.95 to $18.95-$40.45/$50.45. 4/10–4/27 • Backstreet Boys 4/27 • Jon Anderson PH • $76.86–$684.60 Cannery • $29–$69 • Popovich Comedy Pet Theater in the V 4/11 • Jake Miller • Hard Rock • $20/$43 4/27 • Kevin James • Mirage • $60–$80 Theater at Planet Hollywood will be dark 4/11–4/13 • Barry Manilow 4/27 • Latin Legends until May. Westgate LV • $39.75–$329.75 Buffalo Bill’s • $35–$70 4/11–4/25 • Frankie Moreno 4/27 • Mary Wilson & Martha Reeves South Point • $20–$30 Orleans • $39.95–$59.95 4/12 • Andy Black 4/29–4/30 • Bruno Mars Hard Rock • $28.50/$50.50 Park MGM • $171–$1,100 4/12 • Brothers Osborne MAY Brooklyn Bowl • $35–$50 5/1–5/11 • James Taylor 4/12 • Craig Ferguson Caesars Palace • $55–$215 GVR • $37.50–$50 5/1–5/11 • Steely Dan • Venetian • $72–$251 4/12 • P!nk • T-Mobile • $47.45–$227.50 5/2–5/11 • Barry Manilow 4/12 • Stayin’ Alive Westgate LV • $39.75–$329.75 South Point • $25–$35 5/3 • Juice WRLD • Hard Rock • $39.50 4/12 • Weezer • MBay • $39.50–$99.50 5/3 • Nicky Jam • Cosmo • $71–$201 4/12–10/12 • Bill Maher • Mirage • $65–$104 5/3 • Passion Pit: Manners 4/13 • Brian McKnight MBay • $29/$122 Buffalo Bill’s • $20–$50 5/3–5/4 • Bruno Mars 4/13 • Modern Gentleman Park MGM • $171–$1,100 Suncoast • $24.95–$44.95 5/4 • Buckcherry 4/16 • 1975 w/Pale Waves and No Brooklyn Bowl • $30/$35 Rome • Hard Rock • $40/$50 5/4 • Phil Lesh & Friends 4/16 • CHVRCHES Hard Rock • $49.50 Brooklyn Bowl • $31–$51 5/4–5/5 • Taking Back Sunday 4/17–4/27 • James Taylor MBay • $35–$55 Caesars Palace • $55–$215 5/5 • Clintons • Park MGM • $72–$228 4/19 • Bone Thugs-n-Harmony 5/5 • Colin Hay Brooklyn Bowl • $30–$45 Brooklyn Bowl • $35/$40 4/19 • Michael Cavanaugh 5/5 • Pepe Aguilar’s Jaripeo South Point • $20–$30 MGM Grand • $49–$249 4/19 • Sweet 5/5–5/26 • Matt Goss • Mirage • $27–$91 Golden Nugget • $29–$99 5/8 • Yngwie Malmsteen 4/19–4/20 • Gabriel Iglesias MBay • $27.50 Mirage • $54–$98 5/10 • Jenny Lewis • MBay • $25–$40 4/20 • Coolio, Tone Loc, & Young MC 5/10–5/11 • Daniel Tosh • Mirage • $65–$104 Cannery • $19–$49 5/10–5/18 • Lady Antebellum 4/20 • Slightly Stoopid Palms • $32–$275 Hard Rock • $38/$45 5/11 • Ariana Grande 4/24–4/27 • Steely Dan • Venetian • $72–$251 T-Mobile • $49.95–$224.95 4/24–4/27 • Sarah McLachlan 5/11 • Carrie Underwood Wynn LV • $59.50–$179.50 MGM Grand • $49.50–$99.50 4/25 • Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern 5/11 • Crosby, Stills, & Nash Tribute Jukebox • Mirage • $43–$87 Suncoast • $19/$22 4/26 • Earl Sweatshirt & Friends 5/14–5/31 • Celine Dion Hard Rock • $30–$82 Caesars Palace • $88–$689 4/26 • Frankie Avalon 5/15–5/25 • Carlos Santana See inside wrap for “Weather,” South Point • $45–$55 MBay • $99–$374 “Room Rates,” and “Key Dates.”

MARCH 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7 Dining continued … Old Soul has opened in downtown’s World Market Center. The restaurant is furnished with items that pro- prietor Natalie Young, also the owner of Fremont East’s the late-night Feast at Palace Station has been raised $1 Eat, says were procured almost exclusively from down- to $11.99 ($9.99 with a players card). Railroad Pass has town’s antique stores. cut the price of the Box Car Buffet almost in half and is Santos Guisados Tacos & Beer has opened down- now charging a back-in-time $5.50 for lunch and dinner. town at 616 E. Carson Avenue. Longhorn Steak—The price of the Longhorn’s 24/7 After closing last year, El Sombrero on Main Street steak special has been raised $1 to $7.99. downtown is reopening as El Zaguán Mexican Bistro. More for Wor—The price of the good wor wonton The original El Sombrero was Las Vegas’ oldest res- soup at HK Seafood Garden (4300 W. Spring Mountain taurant when it closed for the first time in 2014 after 64 Rd.) has been raised $2 to $12.99. years in business. Morning Oysters—Now here’s a creative oyster The Starbucks in the Grand Bazaar Shops at Bally’s deal. The Oyster Bar at Palace Station runs a $1 raw- has closed. It was promoted as a Super Starbucks when oyster special, Mon.-Fri. from 5 to 11 am. That’s right, it opened in 2015 with a stadium-style grandstand look- it’s available in the early-morning hours only, which is ing onto an oversized projection screen. one of the few times you can actually get to the counter Las Vegas’ two Macayo’s are closing. The second to without waiting in line. open, located on W. Sahara, will close this month. The HR Oysters—Formerly available to locals only, the original Macayo’s, which opened in 1959 on E. Charles- Hard Rock’s Tuesday $1-oyster deal in the Oyster Bar is ton and is Las Vegas’ fourth oldest restaurant, will close now available to everyone with a players card. You still later on an undisclosed date. have to buy a beverage (but beer goes well with oysters, Paymon’s Mediterranean Café & Lounge on Mary- too). The Oyster Bar is open 11 am-10 pm. land Parkway has closed. This was the original Pay- 58¢ Bagels—Last month, we busted Sadelle’s mon’s that has operated for more than 30 years. Two at Bellagio for its lousy $3 bagels and recommended other Paymon’s at 8380 W. Sahara and 8955 S. Eastern Bagelmania (855 E. Twain) as an alternative. Bagelmania remain open. n sells a dozen bagels for $11.95 and they’re superior in both quality and selection. On Tuesdays and Thurs- days, a dozen are just $6.50 (54¢ per). If you call the day before (702-369-3322), they’ll take your order and have it ready when you get there. ENTERTAINMENT Secret Pizza for Locals—The Pizzeria at Cosmo- politan, better known as “Secret Pizza,” has opened an outlet at The Lakes Town Plaza (2916 Lake East Drive) out on the west side of town. n Review

Little Miss Nasty Openings/Closings Hooters Thurs.-Sat. 10:30 pm (dark Sun.-Wed.) $58.91/$78.53/$114.50 Sara’s, the hidden “meateasy” supper club accessed via a nondescript door inside Mabel’s BBQ at [Editor’s Note: This review is adapted from Arnold the Palms, has opened. Snyder’s much racier version posted at ToplessVegas The Brass Fork Kitchen & Bar opens this month at Online.com.] Palace Station, replacing the Grand Café as the resorts If you like extra loud, thrashing, hard, punk/metal 24-hour coffee shop. rock and you’re partial to sexy dancers acting nasty, The first casualty of SLS’ $100 million remodel is you’ll like this show. Of course, “nasty” is in the eye of Katsuya, which is being replaced by a high-limit mini- the beholder, but in Little Miss it’s defined as a cast of casino and a Mexican restaurant called Uno Mas, due to four professional dancers performing a well-choreo- open this month. graphed program based more on stripper moves than Fellini’s is closing at The Strat. It will be replaced by classical or modern dance. That said, you might be sur- BLVD & Main Taphouse. There’s a bit of irony in this, prised that it’s not a topless show. Rather, it’s a lingerie given that the original Fellini’s, which was one of the hot show with a few instances where a dancer is topless places to see and be seen in the late ’90s, was located with pasties. Each performs with charisma, personality, adjacent to the Tap House bar, which is still operating and more than a dash of humor. This in-your-face bur- on W. Charleston. lesque show dishes the type of edge-pushing entertain-

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MARCH 2019 ment that Las Vegas is expected to serve up. The sports bar at Silver Sevens has been rebranded There’s no story or theme (other than nasty). There’s the Silver and Gold Bar. It’s themed for the Las Vegas no comic or magician. The whole show is done by the Golden Knights and during Knights games, pitchers are corps of four, but there’s a big assist from the music. $7 and Bud Light bottles are 77¢. The soundtrack includes tunes from Depeche Mode, Hazel Coffee & Cocktails has opened at Mandalay Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Korn, Rage Bay. Against the Machine, and Nine Inch Nails. Hooters’ Night The Don’t Tell Mama piano bar has closed its curb- Owl Theater is the perfect intimate venue for a show like side location in Fremont East and reopens March 19 at this, allowing the girls to come out into the audience a Neonopolis. lot, doing their bits on table-tops and in the laps of audi- Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar has ence members. It’s an exhilarating ride and you don’t opened at Town Square. even have to tip the dancers. At Mordeo, a glass of Ken Wright Pinot Noir is The show lasts about an hour and twenty minutes, $16.24 and a glass of Macon Lugny Chardonnay is including a strange 10-minute intermission. Providing a $15.16. At Pamplona, a sangria is $12.99. At Esther’s pleasant change from the time (and paid parking) com- Kitchen, a Lipstick & Cigarettes is $12 and a Silver State mitment you have to make to see a show in one of the beer is $5. At Velvetine Rabbit, an Almond Joy is $11 big casinos, it’s a quick in-and-out from this showroom. and a Cold Snack beer is $4. At G.O.A.T., a Johnnie Best of all, you can get a 2-for-1 coupon from LasVe- Walker Black is $10, a Heineken is $7, and a Bud is $6. gasAdvisor.com that makes it about $30 per person to In West Casino Bar at Park MGM, a Bud is $8.66. In attend. Go to the “Member Rewards” dropdown and Prohibition Bar at the Golden Gate, a draft Peroni is $8. click on “Printable Rewards” to download the coupon. At Crown & Anchor East, a draft Heineken is $6. At Rum Parlay with some $1 blackjack before or after the show Runner E. Tropicana, a (see Top Ten). n Heineken is $5. At Sport- ing Life Bar, a Heineken is $4.50 and a well rum or a March Madness Bud Light is $4. At Lamaii, a draft Singha is $4.33. In Laugh Trax bar at Palace The March Madness college basketball tournament Station, a Bud is $4. begins March 19 and kicks off three weeks of events Note: Esther’s Kitchen and frenzied action in the sports books. Best is the first and Velveteen Rabbit offer round that runs the long weekend of Thursday through lots of craft beers and Sunday, March 21-24. Much like the Super Bowl, pro- house cocktails. The price mos and parties are announced about a week before the of the Pamplona sangria event, but free viewing parties will be everywhere. Top has been raised by $2, candidates include Westgate, South Point, the D, and but it’s one of the best almost all the Station and Boyd casinos. But you don’t sangrias in town, loaded Sangria at Pamplona really need a party. This is one of those happenings that with fresh fruit. n attract so many fans who come specifically to be a part of it, all you have to do is set up in any sports book to be in the middle of the action. Monitor our coverage at Las VegasAdvisor.com to get the latest on the best options Entertainment Notes as they’re announced. n

Winter Day Club—Las Vegas’ only “winter day Bars and Happy Hours club” runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays on the Westgate pool deck. Opening at 1 pm, the Sunset Club features a DJ playing ’80s and ’90s music, an open Il Fornio at NY-NY has a happy hour daily from noon Jacuzzi, and gas heaters to warm up by. Admission is to 6 pm and 10 pm to close, with $3 beer, $7 wine and $25. cocktails, and half-price antipasti and pizzas. Patio Party—It’s not a day club, but the Hard Rock Mint Tavern runs a happy hour Mon.-Fri. from 5 to holds “Party on the Patio” pool-side at Pink Taco begin- 7 pm, with $3 draft beer, well drinks, and wine, and $6 ning at 5 pm on Thursdays, with live music and Mexican pizzas. street fare. Grimaldi’s Pizzerias have half-price wine by the NoMad Pool—The dedicated pool at NoMad, the bottle, carafe, or glass on Tuesdays. continued on next page

MARCH 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9 Entertainment continued … Get Your Cher hotel-within-a-hotel at Park MGM, opens March 22 on a third-floor roof deck. Starting in April, the deck will tran- We have a good code for Cher tickets at LasVegas sition into a daytime pool party with DJs and other live Advisor.com. The following came from a customer who knows entertainment. his way around a bargain and tested the deal. Legends Returns—Legends in Concert, Las Vegas’ I was on the LVA website and saw the offer for Cher at longest-running revue, has reopened at the newly Park MGM. With the two-for-$99 deal, I was expecting seats named Legends in Concert Theater at the Tropicana. in the last row of the arena. We ended up with tickets in sec- Various incarnations of the show have run for the past tion 204, row 10. On the Ticketmaster site, they were $125. 36 years, since opening in 1983 at the Imperial Palace, With tax and fees, that would be about $160 per ticket. With then moving to Harrah’s and the Flamingo. Sinatra, Elvis, the LVA offer, they were $130 total (including taxes, fees, Lady Gaga, and Whitney Houston impersonators are etc.). I saved $200. This is better than a buy-one-get-one offer. currently in the lineup. There’s no expiration currently on the offer and there’s a Residencies—Earth, Wind & Fire will play six dates limit of eight tickets. If you want to see Cher, lock it in. at the Venetian March 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, and 30; tick- ets start at $86 base. John Fogerty will play six dates at Encore beginning April 10; tickets start at $60 base. The New Jersey handle was much lower than expected James Taylor will play 12 dates at Caesars Palace at $34.9 million and the casinos and racetracks lost $4.6 beginning April 17; tickets start at $55 base. Steely Dan million (13.2%). The Mississippi handle “at non-tribal will play nine dates at the Venetian beginning April 25; casinos” was only $4.7 million. Put it all together (along tickets start at $142 base. Pitbull will play eight dates at with bets in other now-legal states) and it did make for a Planet Hollywood beginning May 10; tickets start at $39 record legal handle that approached $200 million. Also base. Janet Jackson will play 15 dates at Park MGM of note, the line closed Pats -3 in Rhode Island, illustrat- beginning May 17; tickets start at $79 base. Christina ing how regional betting will affect available numbers as Aguilera will play 16 dates at Planet Hollywood begin- new jurisdictions continue to legalize sports betting. ning May 31; tickets start at $159 base. Def Leppard will Bettor X—The mysterious player known as “Bettor play 12 dates at Planet Hollywood starting August 14; X,” thought to have won more than $10 million on last tickets start at $69 base. year’s game, was back this year with a different result, losing an estimated $3.8 million betting on the Rams. His See the Advance Planner for dates, prices, and addi- tional show updates. n biggest bet was reported as $2 million at MGM Grand. MGM also booked a $1 million bet on the Patriots from another player. Props—The props were again a major focus of the betting; however, it wasn’t all about the Westgate GAMBLING SuperBook this year. A few books put up some of their props (in groups over a few days to stem the rush to the windows) before the Westgate’s unveiling. William Hill essentially matched Westgate for quantity, with both Super Bowl books offering more than 400 options. The books had to sweat a 500-1 payout for no touchdown scored, but After opening pick ’em, the New England Patriots were bailed out when Sony Michel scored the game’s were quickly bet to -2.5 favorites over the Los Angeles lone TD with seven minutes remaining. Michel to score Rams in the Super Bowl, which is where the number the first TD paid +700 (7-1). Julian Edelman winning the closed. The total opened at 59 and closed 56. When MVP produced a big +3000 payout. No-overtime and New England won 13-3, Patriots and under bettors got no-safety both cashed at best-seen numbers of -800 the money. on both. In crossover bets, Russell Westbrook tallied 50 Nevada Handle—For the first time in four years, the points+assists+rebounds for the second year in a row, game handle declined in Nevada. The sports books took but only beat Greg Zuerline’s 53-yard field goal by the in $145.9 million, which is an 8% drop from last year’s grace of getting +3.5 on the prop; the Vegas Golden record $158.6 million. However, the books won $10.8 Knights had 35 shots on goal against the Florida Pan- million (7.4%) compared to only $1.2 million last year. thers to easily beat the Patriots’ 13 total points; and Outside Nevada—The first Super Bowl with legal Ricky Fowler’s fourth-round golf score at the Phoenix betting outside of Nevada produced disappointing Open crushed the total yards of all TDs, 74-2. In the off- results for the New Jersey books, due to the Patriots’ shore props, President Trump’s tweet total went under huge east-coast fan base coming in on the winning side. 6, Tony Romo said “Here we go” under 2.5 times, and

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MARCH 2019 the color of the Gatorade poured over the winning coach Blackjack Ball was blue, paying +400.

Anthem Controversy—How long did it take to sing nd the National Anthem? It was up to the grading protocol This year’s Blackjack Ball marked the 23 annual of individual books after Gladys Knight’s rendition could gathering of many of the world’s best and most suc- have been interpreted in two ways. Many books specify cessful blackjack players. The Hall of Fame inductee that the clock stops after the conclusion of the first utter- was Rob Reitzen, best known in blackjack circles as one ance of the word “brave” that ends the song. By that of the founding members of the CORE blackjack team, rule, the song went under the 1:56.5 total. However, but he’s also made his mark in many areas of advantage Knight went on to sing brave again as part of her perfor- play and in the financial world. The skills competition was won by a professional blackjack player who goes by mance, which put the time over. Sports books graded n the prop both ways, with a few jumping on the “Righ- the name of Tony S. teous Rebate” bandwagon and paying both sides. Next Year—The futures line for next year’s Super Bowl has the Chiefs favored at 6-1, followed by the Gambling Notes Patriots and Saints, both at 8-1. The long shot is the Dolphins at 300-1. n Jackpots—A Las Vegas local hit a $1.5 million jackpot on a Buffalo Grand slot at the Suncoast. On the Strip, a player from Canada won $1.1 million at the March Madness Contests Venetian when he was dealt a natural royal flush on Caribbean Stud playing the Sands Millionaire Progres- Two contests have been announced for the NCAA sive side bet. The side bet is also available on Ultimate Men’s Basketball Tournament. Station Casinos will hold Texas Hold ’em, Three Card Poker, Let Ride, Crazy 4 a Last Man Standing contest that’s similar to its football Poker, and Mississippi Stud games exclusively at the contests. It’s winner take all with a $50,000 guarantee. Venetian and Palazzo. Entry fee is $25 and when you buy four entries, you get a New Players Club—Golden Entertainment proper- fifth free. The deadline to enter is March 21 at 9 am. ties, which include The STRAT, both Arizona Charlie’s, Rampart is running the Million Dollar March Mania PT’s Pubs, PT’s Gold, Sierra Gold, and other bars in Las Challenge. It’s an online bracket contest with a $1 million Vegas and Reno, along with casinos in Laughlin and prize for a perfect bracket, which, to our knowledge, has Pahrump, has combined its frequent-player programs never been accomplished in any March Madness con- into one new club called True Rewards. There are five test. The winnable prize pool is $10,000. The first entry tier levels (True, Loyal, Solid, Legit, and Epic). In addition is free and you can earn additional entries with casino to earning points playing the games, you also earn for play. There are a lot of rules in this one and it’s not clear spending at restaurants and bars. how sign-up works, but instructions are supposed to be WSOP—The World Series of Poker will celebrate its published at rampart.marchmaniaonline.com beginning 50th anniversary in 2019, running from May 28 through March 7. n July 16 at the Rio. A number of special events will com- memorate the anniversary, including the “Big 50,” a $500-buy-in rake-free event with a guaranteed prize pool of $5 million and a $1 million first prize (May 30-June More Rebates 2). The main event will feature three starting flights on July 3, 4, and 5. The full event-by-event schedule for the M Resort is back with another rebate-on-loss deal. Series is expected to be released this month. This one is a $300 rebate for new members only. On Win Cards—Win Cards are now available at previous occasions that the M has offered rebates, the Excalibur. The Win Cards cost $20 and provide infor- redemption rules were somewhat prohibitive for visitors mation on how to properly play blackjack, craps, and (LVA 8/17). roulette, but they also come with $30 in non-negotiable Cahuilla Casino, located in Anza, California (near (play-till-you-lose) chips good in the casino. Win Cards Palm Springs), is advertising a $1,000 loss-rebate pro- are also sold at NY-NY, MBay, and Circus Circus, where motion. The only details available on its website indi- the deal is $15-for-$10. Purchases are usually limited to cate that the offer is for new members only and that the one per person per year. rebate is issued in mailers for future visits. That could NHC—A 12-1 long shot in the second-to-last race th make it unplayable for out-of-towners. We’ll report gave Scott Coles the win in the 20 National Handicap- details when we get them, but if you go before then, be ping Championship at Treasure Island. The 34-year- n sure to check the redemption rules before you play. continued on next page

MARCH 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11 Gambling continued … Bonus. With a return for optimum play of 96.38%, it’s almost a half-percent lower than the 6/5 BP return that almost every bar offers. On top of that, you’re on a meter old Illinois futures trader won $800,000 in becoming for drinks and don’t even get the first one comped for the contest’s youngest-ever champion. It was also the the buy-in. You have to give the bartender a credit card second-largest field in NHC history, with 668 entries and to hold while you earn the comp. Nothing like going from 522 individual players. best to worst. Vaccaro to PA—One of Las Vegas’ most revered Bob Dancer’s free video poker classes run on Tues- bookmakers has left town. Jimmy Vaccaro—a native days in the Silverado Lounge at South Point—beginner of Pittsburgh who ran sports books all over Las Vegas, classes at noon and intermediate at 2 pm except where including Barbary Coast, , and recently South otherwise noted. Must be 21. Topics are 9/4/4 Deuces Point—will join Rush Street Gaming, which manages Bonus Poker (on 5/5); “What Video Poker Players Should casinos in Pennsylvania. Vaccaro is highlighted in our Know About Slot Clubs,” one class only at noon (5/12). new book, Then One Day (see Couponomy). Be sure to check out Bob’s weekly Tuesday column Ivey’s Assets—A federal judge in New Jersey has and the Thursday “Gambling with an Edge” podcast, granted Atlantic City’s Borgata permission to attempt to with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at GamblingWith collect $10.16 million from Phil Ivey’s assets in Nevada. AnEdge.com. n Ivey had been ordered by the court to pay back the money he won in the baccarat edge-sorting incident that took place in 2016. n FAST TRACK Video Poker Lost and Found Birthday Play—If your birthday is in March, swipe The Golden Gate’s 8/5 Bonus Poker games with your club card at SLS to win prizes that include slot free- multiple progressives (99.17% at reset) are located in a play, point multipliers, and dining credits. If this is an single bank on the floor, located in the southwest corner ongoing promotion, it’s a good move by SLS in setting of the casino. They’re not easy to find among the maze up a motivating promo that no place else has. of slots that dominate the GG floor, but they’re the same Nevada Population Breaks Three Million—For the good machines found in Vue Bar at the D and were first time in its 155-year history, Nevada’s population returning 100.52% when we found them. Be sure not has exceeded three million. U.S. Census figures put the to confuse these with the 8/5 BP games at the bar that total state population at 3.03 million as of July 1. It took have a single progressive on the royal flush and pay only 123 years to break a million (1987), then another 13 to 1 coin for 2 pair—they were returning a lowly 86.14% break two million (2000). Nevada was the second fastest- on our visit. If you play at the bar, the best game is 8/6 growing state in the union in 2016 and 2017, and tied Bonus Poker Deluxe (98.49%). with Idaho for the fastest between July 1, 2017, and July Klondike Sunset has removed all of its $5 games. 1, 2018, growing by 62,000 people (nearly 170 people The highest denom is now $2, available at 8/5 BP. There every day). Still, Nevada is only 32nd out of the 50 states are better games at 25¢-$1, including NSU Deuces Wild in population, recently passing Arkansas and Mississippi. (99.73%) and 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%). Underground House for Sale—Las Vegas’ highly At press time, Jackson’s bar was still awarding $10 publicized “underground house” has been put up for in free-play for giving them your email. The bonus is sale for $18 million. Built in 1978 by a local entrepreneur, added instantly to your machine. the “doomsday bunker” is more than 16,000 square feet New month, new promotion at Jackpot bar. Sched- and made out of steel and concrete. For an in-depth uled for March is a play-$1,500-get-$100 offer on Sun- look at the underground house, read our “Question of days and Tuesdays. This one represents a 6.67% bonus the Day” at LasVegasAdvisor.com of a few years back on coin-in, as opposed to the 6% bonus for the previous on the subject. $60-for-$1,000 deal, but there’s significantly more risk Lights on the Eiffel Tower— is with the 50% higher play requirement. It’s still a positive celebrating its 20th anniversary this year (it opened on play if you don’t mind dealing with the variance. September 1, 1999), in part with a $1.7 million show fea- The Sand Dollar Lounge has video poker again. After turing new synchronized and choreographed twinkling dealing the best bar games in Las Vegas, then taking its and colored lights running up and down the Eiffel Tower. machines out completely, the new selection is among Upwards of 300 color-washing light fixtures and more the worst in town. This place doesn’t even offer 6/5 BP than 800 white strobe lights combine to create the light for quarters, with the best game being 9/6/4 Double show that runs every half-hour from sunset to midnight. n

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MARCH 2019 MAY APRIL 6–9 ServiceNow Inc.—22,000 WEEKDAY WEEKEND 7–9 Nat’l Hardware Show—37,000 El Cortez • $39 El Cortez • $82 7–9 Waste Expo—12,500 Four Queens • $42 AZ C Decatur • $96 20–22 RECon—37,000 Wild Wild West • $49 Four Queens • $99 Downtown Grand • $51 Tuscany • $103 JUNE Tuscany • $54 Palace Station • $115 4–6 Licensing Int’l Expo—16,000 Circus Circus • $58 Westgate Las Vegas • $119 6–8 Am. Institute of Architects—15,000 14–16 Amazing Comic Conventions—15,000 Hard Rock • $75 Hard Rock • $143 15–17 Int’l Esthetics Cosmetics & Spa—25,000 Palms • $118 Caesars Palace • $168 23–25 Society for Human Resource—18,000 Paris • $130 Red Rock Resort • $184 24–27 Nat’l Athletic Trainers Assoc.—15,000 JULY MAY KEY 14–18 Microsoft Ready & Inspire—40,000 WEEKDAY WEEKEND 17–20 Assoc. of Woodworking—18,500 El Cortez • $44 AZ C Decatur • $86 28–30 Cosmoprof North America—35,000 Four Queens • $49 El Cortez • $88 28–31 ASD Market Week—44,000 Wild Wild West • $49 Four Queens • $89 28–8/1 Las Vegas Market—50,000 DATES Downtown Grand • $49 Tuscany • $101 Circus Circus • $54 Downtown Grand • $109 MARCH Silverton • $58 Westgate Las Vegas • $111 Mean 56° Avg. Max. 69° Avg. Min. 42° Pools: Closed Hard Rock • $75 Hard Rock • $130 A fickle month for weather. Occasional rain and high winds, Paris • $120 Paris • $177 warm days. Mirage • $126 Caesars Palace • $178 Attire: Light jacket or sweater for evenings. JUNE

APRIL ROOM WEEKDAY WEEKEND Four Queens • $39 California • $87 Mean 64° Avg. Max. 78° Avg. Min. 50° Pools: Open Wild Wild West • $49 AZ C. Decatur • $96 Daily highs reach into the 80s with regularity. Winds subside. El Cortez • $50 Four Queens • $99 Attire: Spring wardrobe for days. Bring a jacket just in case Downtown Grand • $49 Tuscany • $101 for evenings. Tuscany • $57 Downtown Grand • $106 Circus Circus • $59 Sam’s Town • $112 MAY Hard Rock • $88 Hard Rock • $153 Mean 74° Avg. Max. 88° Avg. Min. 60° Pools: Open Paris • $121 Palazzo • $187 Palms • $128 Venetian • $187 The most pleasant month of the year. Las Vegas at its best RATES begins at the end of the month.

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

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