Lasvegasadvisor Issue 9 FOOTBALL CONTEST TIME Circa Million Takes on the Supercontest … Pgs

Home , Don Schlesinger, Highly Suspect, Neonopolis

ANTHONY CURTIS’ September 2019 Vol. 36 LasVegasAdvisor Issue 9 FOOTBALL CONTEST TIME Circa Million takes on the SuperContest … pgs. 1, 10

CREDIT CARD ADVANTAGE PLAY Big bonuses and 4% cashback … pg. 1

RESORT FEES ‘PRETTY HIGH’ So says casino boss … pg. 2

CASINO SUSHI New AYCE deal surprises … pg. 7

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there’s no space to tell you about it all in the newslet- COUPONOMY ter. Hence, we’re creating an e-letter called LVA Weekly by Anthony Curtis that highlights new developments. It will be in a digest format, allowing you to skim the headlines and click into the topics you’re interested in. We got the idea from an King of Contests industry e-letter we receive and the format works well. Some of the featured entries will be the weekly Bob Dancer video poker blog, the “Gambling With an Edge” In last year’s September issue, I predicted that foot- podcast, interesting Questions of the Day, room and ball contests would explode by riding the wave of sports show discounts as they arise, new Printable Rewards we betting legalization. I wrote, “Wait till next year.” secure, and good credit cards and credit card deals we Well, it’s next year, and that explosion hasn’t exactly uncover. materialized. In Pennsylvania, PlaySugarhouse and If you already get emails from us, you don’t have BetRivers are running a $500K Pennsylvania Pick ’Em to do a thing; you’ll get the inaugural e-letter and you contest ($150 entry) and word is DraftKings will hold the can update your profile preferences if you don’t want to second Sports Betting National Championship ($10,000 continue receiving it. If you’re not on our list, but want to entry), possibly in December. But that’s it. Nothing in get LVAW, go to LasVegasAdvisor.com and sign up by Mississippi. Nothing in Delaware, Rhode Island, or West clicking on the envelope in the upper right corner of the Virginia. In fact, with the exception of a couple free-to- home page. n play contests that were already in place in Atlantic City, there’s nothing anywhere but Las Vegas. If you want a representative picture of how the Credit Card Advantage Play national sports betting rollout is going, this is it. From what I’ve heard, pushback from the respective state gaming-enforcement agencies (especially in NJ) has Did you notice the mention of credit cards above? been a significant barrier to adding contests to the mix, After more than a year of working on this, we’ve finally but it’s also the same general confusion about how gotten to the point where we can start telling you about sports betting works that’s causing things to move so the good card deals that we find. It turns out that a lot slowly. New Jersey’s total handle may be sneaking up of rules and restrictions are involved, but we’ve sorted on Nevada’s at the live betting windows, but it’s not them out and will begin highlighting the best plays. The even in the conversation for contests. idea is to apply advantage-play techniques in choosing While I may have been wrong (or just a year early) credit cards that fit the profile of gamblers, casino travel- about the nation, I was right about Las Vegas. This year ers, and travelers in genera. The strategy is abundantly brings the new Circa Million contest and figures to be evident in the first card we’re featuring, which has two a record-setter for the SuperContest at the Westgate. distinct benefits that you’ll recognize. When it comes to football contests, Vegas is still king. First, there’s a $300 cash bonus after you spend Check out our annual football-contest listings and $3,000 on purchases within three months after issuance analysis in Gambling. n of the card. This is analogous to a juicy new-member players club bonus of 10% on coin-in, only you aren’t risking a loss in play-through (rather, you’re being paid LVA Weekly to buy things you would normally). Second, there’s a big 4% cashback rebate on dining and entertainment purchases. So if you go to Las Anyone up for a weekly dose of LVA? Actually, it’s Vegas to eat in good restaurants and see a few shows, a weekly dose of LasVegasAdvisor.com. We’re doing you’ll be earning the rebate (which is quadruple the so many things in so many areas on the website that continued on next page

SEPTEMBER 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 1 Couponomy continued … millionaires playing this way. But there’s much more to it. Today’s players learn differently. Author Colin Jones normal cashback rate of other premium cards) with has run BlackjackApprenticeship.com for more than a almost every vacation activity. And no matter what city decade. The website is loaded with information on how you’re in, “entertainment” has a very broad range. Mov- to play expertly and today’s beginners go online to learn ies, amusement park tickets, the zoo—all of these, and in ways that are far more efficient than the options of my more, count. day (books and personal contacts). As such, while The If you’re interested in this type of thing, you’re gonna 21st-Century Card Counter explains the concepts and, love what we’re doing in our new travel blog. Go to Las more important, the mindset you need to be successful, VegasAdvisor.com, scroll down to “The Travel Game,” a lot of emphasis is placed on explaining how today’s and click on the blog titled What Do You Prefer—Credit pros-to-be consume information. It’s different, but that’s Card $300 Bonus and Big Rebates or $150 Bonus and the point. 0%? n Bottom line: I believe this is an important book for anyone interested in playing blackjack seriously and maximizing results in today’s environment. And I’m not Resort Fees ‘Pretty High’ the only one who thinks so. The 21st-Century Card Counter is endorsed with cover testimonials from five Blackjack Hall of Fame It’s an ongoing story that we’ve been covering for members—Arnold Snyder, Don Schlesinger, Richard several issues in a row, but something new relative to Munchkin, Max Rubin, and the most famous name in resort fees emerges every month. Last month MGM blackjack history, Edward O. Thorp. The Foreword is Resorts International raised the RFs at Bellagio, Aria, written by a sixth Hall of Famer, Tommy Hyland, likely and Vdara to $45 per night. That now equals the high- the most successful blackjack team manager of all time. est in Las Vegas, along with Wynn/Encore, Venetian/ To say that this is the most prestigiously blurbed gam- Palazzo, and Waldorf Astoria. The move brought a sur- bling book in history is not remotely an exaggeration. prise response from one competitor. In a second-quarter Back to Tommy Hyland. He was easily the first earnings call, Caesars Entertainment CEO Tony Rodio choice to write the Foreword. Hyland is a legend. But commented: besides that, he was among the first of my generation of “At some point, there’s going to be the straw that players to adopt the more aggressive approach. Tommy breaks the camel’s back. I don’t think we’re there yet, was right. Colin is right. Here’s the Foreword. but I want us to be very judicious and cautious about taking those rates any further. It’s certainly a revenue I first met Colin Jones at Max Rubin’s famed Blackjack stream that’s hard to walk away from and it’s been Ball more than a decade ago. I recall him saying some- accepted at this point, but we’re getting pretty high.” thing like he was “honored and privileged” to meet me. It obviously ain’t his first Rodio. All I can say is the After getting to know him over the last 10 or so years, I comments we get from customers echo these senti- can conclusively say that it’s the other way around. I see a ments … loudly. n lot of similarities between Colin and a younger me, except I was never as smart as he is. For starters, Colin is the best blackjack teacher of all The 21st-Century Card Counter time. I’ve marveled at the success of his training program, Blackjack Apprenticeship, especially considering the many other blackjack schools I’ve seen fail over the years. I best Our new book, The 21 -Century Card Counter—The lieve Colin is the only person in the history of the game to Pros’ Approach to Beating Today’s Blackjack, is back have created and sustained a successful blackjack-teach- from the printer. Editing this book was an interesting ing model and today, after almost 11 years, Blackjack Ap- exercise for me. When I played professionally, the tac- prenticeship is stronger than ever. tics were very different. Due to the fact that there were far fewer places to play—just Nevada and Atlantic City in LAS VEGAS 3665 Procyon Street • Las Vegas, NV 89103 (702) 252-0655 • (702) 252-0675 Fax the U.S.—my approach, and that of my contemporaries, ADVISOR e-mail: [email protected] • Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com was based on preserving longevity. Today’s pro, how- Publisher: Anthony Curtis Customer Service: Nicole Watchus Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Shipping & Receiving: Scotch Henderson ever, is much less concerned with “being invisible.” In Accounting: John Leitner Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob fact, this is the second successive blackjack book we’ve Production Manager: Laurie Cabot Dancer, Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot Krause, published (the first being The Blackjack Insiders) that Web Manager: Tanya Maynard Bradley Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott Research Assistant: Brenda Stewart Cover Image: Circa Sports espouses a direct attack on the casinos. LAS VEGAS ADVISOR (ISSN 1064-167X USPS 008602) is published monthly and is available for $50 per year ($60 Canadian; Does it work? Yes. The book contains multiple $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 interviews with 30- and 40-year-olds who’ve become are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press ©2019

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • SEPTEMBER 2019 Equally important, Colin has walked the walk. He’s bet and won big money, both on his own and as one of Las Vegas’ Top Ten Values the leaders of the famous Church Team, immortalized in the documentary Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card- 1. Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99 Counting Christians. I particularly appreciate his success 2. Buffet • Palace Station • Daily • $9.99-$16.99 as a team leader—managing alpha personalities with lots 3. Mac King • Harrah’s • Tues.–Sat. • $14.98 of money on the line is no walk in the park. 4. Hot Dog • South Point • Daily • $1.25 Our philosophies on the game are similar. We both 5. Beer • Stage Door • 24 hours • $1 “worship at the altar of EV” and believe in playing ag- 6. Shrimp Cocktail • Skyline • Daily • $2.25 gressively to maximize it. I’ve operated this way for many 7. Breakfast • Arizona Charlie’s • Daily • $5.99 years and am considered overly aggressive by some of my peers. But it’s a method that gets the money. The suc- 8. $1 Blackjack • Hooters • 24 hours • $1.20 cess of Colin and his contemporaries—several of them 9. Football Contest • Boyd Casinos • Weekly • Free legitimate blackjack-made millionaires—validates the style, 10. No Resort Fee • Four Queens • Daily • $49 and up which is more effective than ever in today’s playing environment. The Ellis Island complete steak dinner is served I’m often asked, “What are the best books to read to 24/7 in the Café, get the $7.99 price by playing at learn about blackjack?” I always recommend the classics, least $5 in any slot machine with your club card such as Wong’s Professional Blackjack or Revere’s Playing inserted, then downloading the required discount Blackjack as a Business, but I have to temper my recom- coupon from an EI kiosk. If you don’t want to play, mendations by cautioning that much of the material in you can get it for $9.99 ($3 off the listed price) just those wonderful books is outdated. The 21st-Century Card by downloading a coupon from the kiosk that’s avail- Counter remedies that. Colin eloquently covers all the im- able to everyone with a club card. The Feast Buffet at portant aspects of the game, with clear explanations that Palace Station (#2) is our choice for Las Vegas’ best not only teach the techniques, but also convey the essence buffet when considering the combination of quality of why they’re important and how they all work together. and price; get the listed prices by showing a Board- I wish my former teammates and players I’ve bank- ing Pass card. Get a ticket to the Mac King Comedy rolled had access to this book before starting their careers. Magic Show and a drink for $14.98 by asking at the Heck, I know I would have benefited greatly myself had I players club booth (#3). The hot dogs at South Point read it before I started to play. It’s a must read for anyone (#4) are sold from a cart in the sports book from 10 planning on playing blackjack for profit under today’s am until they close down the cart around 5 pm. Mich- conditions and I believe it will remain relevant for a long elob and Michelob Light are $1 at the Stage Door time to come. slot house on Flamingo, just east of the Strip (#5); a Don’t play another hand before you absorb the wis- ¼-pound hot dog and a Michelob is $3. The Skyline dom in The 21st-Century Card Counter. You’ll learn a lot shrimp cocktail (#6) is available 24/7 at the main bar. and enjoy the read. Plus, Colin says some nice things Following a price increase for the Club Fortune break- about me. fast (see Dining), the steak or ham & eggs at either Ari- zona Charlie’s rejoins the list at #7. The breakfasts are See the wrap for information on ordering The 21st- served in the Sourdough Cafés for $5.99 when you Century Card Counter. n show your club card, available 24 hours at Decatur and 6 am-mid. weekdays and 24 hours weekends at Boulder. Hooters’ $1-minimum blackjack game (#8) runs 24/7 in the pit; naturals pay even money on bets of $1-$4. The $1.20 listed cost is your expected loss NEWS for one hour of play at these stakes. An analysis of all of the football contests in town points to the Pick the Pros free contest (#9) from Boyd Gaming as the Hooters—India’s biggest lodging company, Oyo best for its combination of entertainment value, con- Hotels and Homes, has purchased the Hooters Hotel venience, and a chance to win a big prize with no risk. and Casino for $135 million. Highgate, a New York- Get one free entry by swiping your B Connected play- based hotel and investment management company, ers card on a kiosk at Gold Coast, Suncoast, Orleans, is partnering with Oyo in what will be called Oyo Hotel Sam’s Town, Aliante, Fremont, California, or Main and Casino when the deal closes, possibly within the Street Station for a shot at $30,000 every week. Must next month. Highgate will assume management of the submit picks before the kick-off of the week’s first hotel and Paragon Gaming will continue to operate the Sunday game. The Four Queens takes the #10 spot as the last major casino still not charging a resort fee. continued on next page

SEPTEMBER 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3 News continued … miles of Interstate 15 between Sahara Avenue and the downtown Spaghetti Bowl, as well as 63 miles of repav- ing, 29 new bridges, 10 miles of drainage improvements, casino. Founded in 2013, Oyo claims to be “the world’s several new interchanges and ramps, surface-street- third-largest chain of hotels, homes, managed living, and connection improvements, and new digital signage, workspaces,” with more than 23,000 hotels and 125,000 which will go into effect in October. vacation homes globally. Given Hooters’ distinct market- Moulin Rouge—Last month we commented that ing focus, the rebranding figures to be extensive. “it’s hard to get too excited about new Moulin Rouge Virgin—The plan for the Hard Rock’s rebranding announcements,” and this month brings proof why. and conversion to Virgin Las Vegas has been changed The prospective developer of a $1.6 billion mixed-use for a second time. It was originally announced that the complex on the site failed to post a required $9.5 million resort would operate as the Hard Rock, without closing, deposit to secure the land. Next! until the transition was completed in the spring of next BleuTech Park—While we’re on the subject of year. That plan was altered to push back the opening things that probably won’t happen, a real estate invest- to the end of 2020 and include a four-month closure. ment trust called Bleutech Park Properties has unveiled Now a further revamped schedule calls for the resort to plans to build a $7.5 billion “smart city” somewhere in close completely between February 4 and the reopening, Las Vegas. The mixed-use development would show- sometime in November or December. case the entire range of smart-city technology: renew- Sahara—The name change from SLS Las Vegas to able energies from solar/wind/water/kinetic, autonomous Sahara is now official. If you want proof that the SLS era vehicles, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, auto- is over, “Sam by Starck” the strange marshmallow-look- mated multi-functional designs, drones, security handled ing thing that stood out front, has been removed. by robots and around-the-clock biometric systems to Circa—Barely eight months since the name of the name a few. BleuTech Park also includes affordable and first hotel-casino to be built from scratch downtown was luxury housing, office and retail space, hotels, and enter- announced and four months since the first concrete for tainment venues. the foundation was poured, the Circa high-rise hotel and Indiana—The Indiana Gaming Commission has low-rise sports book are taking shape. The hotel tower approved the relocation of Gary’s two Majestic Star is rising fast, up to level six of 35; the shape of the tri- casinos to a land-based site where they will be com- level sports book is evident from the steel framing. The bined and rebranded as a Hard Rock Casino. The signifi- restaurants, bars, and retail shops will be announced in cance in this is that it’s the first time an Indiana casino early January. has been permitted to convert from a riverboat and Allegiant Stadium—Naming rights for the stadium move to an inland location. where the Raiders will play have been sold to Allegiant Japan—Caesars Entertainment has announced that Airlines. Although the terms weren’t disclosed, it’s it’s ending its bid to build a casino in Japan in favor of believed that Allegiant will pay $20-$25 million annually focusing on the merger with Eldorado Resorts. The three for 30 years for the privilege of attaching its name to the “integrated resort complexes” up for bid are still a long stadium. The announcement was made during a top- way off; neither their locations nor a formalized proposal ping-off ceremony, for which one of the last steel beams process has been decided on. Still, competition is fierce connecting 26 canopy trusses was put into place, allow- for the estimated $20-billion to $25-billion-a-year gaming work to begin on installing the translucent roof. The bling market, with MRI, Sands, Wynn, Hong-Kong based stadium is on schedule to open on July 31, 2020. Melco, and Genting Singapore all vying for the lucrative MSG Sphere—Although the project was announced licenses. in May of 2016 and work began this year in March, only Statistics—Nevada’s statewide gambling win was now has the estimated cost of the Sphere been dis- up 11.6% in June compared to the same month last closed. During a conference call, the president of Madi- year, breaking a string of five consecutive monthly son Square Garden Co. shocked investors with a cost declines. The Strip win was up 17.7% and downtown estimate of $1.2 billion. That number was later updated was up 18.6%. by the general contractor, which put the ultimate price at Visitation was up for the second month in a row $1.7 billion. (The two are negotiating over the difference.) (+1.2%). The year-to-date visitor count is up a slight By comparison, T-Mobile Arena cost just $350 million .58% over last year. and the massive Raiders Stadium is budgeted at $1.9 Airline traffic was up 3.2% in June and is on record billion. pace for the year, up 3.1%. Southwest Airlines led the Project Neon—It took three years and a billion dol- way with 1.5 million passengers, 50% more than the lars, but Project Neon, the largest and most expensive combined passengers of the four leading budget airlines: public-works effort in Nevada history, has been officially Spirit (469,000), Allegiant (224,000), Alaska (188,000), declared finished. The road work encompassed four and JetBlue (105,000). n

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • SEPTEMBER 2019 Sports Betting Scorecard menu includes rolls only and not a big selection at that. To be honest, we weren’t very enthusiastic ourselves, but trying things we’re not enthusiastic about is part of Iowa and Oregon booked their first legal sports our job. wagers in August and Indiana is next. New Jersey Surprise—we liked it! There was no wait on a reported that 85% of its action now comes through Monday night with seats open at the bar. The setting mobile wagering, a statistic that must have preparing is beautiful (inside the Benihana garden area) and the jurisdictions rethinking their strategies. sushi chefs are easy-going and fun. You’re allowed to Meanwhile, the Department of Justice says it will order only two rolls at a time, which seemed strange challenge the latest federal-court ruling that the Wire Act until we got ours. These are some big sushi rolls and applies only to sports betting, a ruling that overturned when you add in the starter (choice of miso soup or the DoJ’s recent rethought opinion. (Whatever.) salad), sides (edamame, pot stickers, vegetable tem- Follow the progress of sports betting legalization pura, spring rolls), and dessert, it’s hard to finish it all. across the country and track developments as they n Quality is good and on top of everything, it’s affordable. occur via our blog and map at LasVegasAdvisor.com. All the sides are included and it comes with one sake or tea, which, if you value the sake (and we do), effec- tively cuts the price to about $20. This is one of the few Las Vegas in-casino AYCE sushi deals that we have no DINING problem recommending. n

Breakfast Bummer Milos Lunch

The last of the $1.99 breakfasts bit the dust last Going on nine years now, the three-course lunch in month when Club Fortune raised the price of its bacon Estiatorio Milos at the Cosmopolitan is still one of the or sausage & eggs to $2.99 and the weekend ham & great Las Vegas dining Whole grilled sea bass at Milos eggs to $3.99. Even with the increase, it’s still the low- plays. Setting, qual- est price in town for a full breakfast, along with another ity, price—Milos has it at Silver Nugget. The price increase pushes CF off the all. This daily special Top Ten list, replaced by the Arizona Charlie’s $5.99 debuted in 2011 and steak or ham & eggs specials. Also, two good options cost $20.11 (get it?). on the west side—the $3.99 bacon or sausage & eggs at The price has gone up Wildfire Valley View and the $4 breakfasts at the nearby about $1 per year to G.O.A.T. bar—are still available, but don’t begin serving reach its current $29, till 9 am. n which is still an excellent value. Appetizer choices include an assortment of Greek Riki Tiki AYCE spreads with vegetables and pita, salmon tartare, or Greek salad. Entrées Riki Tiki Sushi at are grilled sea bass (served whole), shrimp saganaki, Spicy tuna and rainbow rolls Westgate has a daily salmon, or organic chicken skewer. For dessert, there’s all-you-can-eat deal yogurt, a fruit plate, or karydopita (walnut cake) and ice for $28.88. As we’ve cream. A few other choices come with add-on prices, mentioned in the past, but the basic deal is all you need. What should you get? Las Vegas casinos It doesn’t matter; everything we’ve tried has been out- don’t have a very good standing, though our “A” line-up is the Greek salad, sea history with AYCE bass, and the fruit plate. The special runs daily, from sushi and it’s always 11:30 am to 3 pm (previously, it was weekdays only). been better to go to Of course, Cosmo is a paid-parking place, so that one of the city’s good puts a kibosh on the value. You can beat it by parking in non-casino sushi res- the Planet Hollywood garage across the Strip. Bear left taurants. Purists will when you enter the mall and exit from the doors next to dismiss Riki imme- PBR Rock Bar. Take the escalator to a pedestrian walk- diately, as the AYCE continued on page 8

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

SEPTEMBER 9/13 • Marco Antonio Solis 9/19–9/21 • Kevin Downey Jr 9/1–9/7 • Def Leppard • PH • $48–$249 MBay • $96–$389 Plaza • $20/$40 9/1–9/23 • Daniel Emmet 9/13 • Iron Maiden 9/20 • Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Caesars • $59/$79 MGM Grand • $49.50–$125 Golden Nugget • $39–$129 9/3–9/14 • Bruno Mars 9/13 • OneRepublic • Palms • $55–$183 9/20 • Los Angeles Azules Park MGM • $171–$1,100 9/13 • Banda MS • PH • $72–$458 MBay • $50/$87 9/5–9/15 • Dionne Warwick 9/13 • Cat & Nat: #MOMTRUTHS Live 9/20 • Kathleen Madigan Caesars • $125/$150 PH • $31–$55 Mirage • $33–$55 9/5–9/19 • Frankie Moreno 9/13 • David Crosby & the Sky Trails 9/20–9/21 • Jeffery Osborne & Peabo South Point • $20–$30 Band • Red Rock • $20–$50 Bryson • Orleans • $63–$103 9/6 • Scott Stapp of Creed 9/13 • Eric Clapton 9/20–9/22 • Crystal Gayle Brooklyn Bowl • $30/$35 T-Mobile • $99–$500 South Point • $45–$55 9/6 • Bill Burr • Cosmo • $49–$169 9/13 • Felipe Esparza • TI • $43–$59 9/20–9/28 • Christina Aguilera 9/6 • Buckinghams 9/13–9/14 • Gabriel Iglesias • Mirage • PH • $60–$226 Golden Nugget • $29–$99 $65–$98 9/21 • Gerald Albright 9/6 • Babara & Frank 9/13–9/15 • Nascar Weekend • LVMS • $59 Aliante • $35–$65 GVR • $19 9/13–9/15 • Good Vibrations 9/21 • 10,000 Maniacs 9/6 • Farruko • Palms • $36–$118 South Point • $20–$30 annery • $29–$49 9/6 • Richard Cheese 9/13–9/16 • Luis Miguel • Caesars • $84–$364 9/21 • Lion Fight 60 Red Rock • $35–$60 9/14 • Enrique Iglesias LV Events Center • $25 9/6–9/7 • Keith Urban Caesars • $73–$550 9/21 • Hollywood U2 • GVR • $19 Caesars • $79–$259 9/14 • Queen Nation: Queen Tribute 9/21 • Iliza • Mirage • $32/$43 9/6/–9/7 • Elton John Cannery • $19/$24 9/21 • La La Brooks T-Mobile • $59.50–$249.50 9/14 • Pancho Barraza Suncoast • $19–$32 9/6–9/8 • Letterman Cosmo • $53–$153 9/21–9/28 • Aerosmith South Point • $35–$45 9/14 • Travis Scott • Cosmo • $30/$50 Park MGM • $68–$821 9/6–10/12 • Bill Maher • Mirage • $65–$104 9/14 • Women In Me: Country Tribute 9/25–9/28 • Tony Bennett 9/7 • Arch Allies: Tributes GVR • $19 Venetian • $64–$357 Aliante • $25–$35 9/14 • Deep Purple • MBay • $99–$225 9/27 • We Are Two Different People 9/7 • Blackberry Smoke 9/14 • Maluma • MBay • $65–$756 Brooklyn Bowl • $30–$39.50 Brooklyn Bowl • $27/$30 9/14 • Maná 9/27 • Recodo and Vargas de Tecalit- 9/7 • Whispers w/The Emotions MGM Grand • $188–$412 lan • Cosmo • $95–$145 Cannery • $29–$79 9/14 • REIK • Palms • $41–$137 9/27 • Jefferson Starship 9/7 • Lost 80’s Live 9/14 • Gloria Trevi • PH • $36–$321 Golden Nugget • $39–$109 LV Events Center • $23–$145 9/14 • Serpentine Fire 9/27 • Greta Van Fleet 9/7 • Pat Benatar • GVR • $19 Suncoast • $19/$22 Hard Rock • $39.50 9/7 • Manhattans • Orleans • $19–$39 9/14 • Fury vs. Wallin 9/27–9/28 • Jerry Seinfeld 9/7 • Ottmar Liebert T-Mobile • $106–$606 Caesars • $82.50–$165 Sunset Station • $24–$44 9/15 • Alejandra Guzmán 9/27–9/28 • Daniel Tosh 9/7–9/8 • Duran Duran MBay • $55/$114 Mirage • $65–$104 Cosmo • $87–$799 9/15 • Alejandro Fernandez 9/27–9/28 • Nick Di Paolo • Plaza • $25/$50 9/8 • Heart with Joan Jett & The MBay • $109–$299 9/27–9/29 • Frankie Avalon Blackhearts • Palms • $55–$367 9/15 • Doobie Brothers South Point • $45–$55 9/10 • CAKE and Ben Folds Palms • $49.95–$269.95 9/27–10/5 • Eagles Hard Rock • $40–$174 9/15 • Marc Anthony Opus Tour 2019 MGM Grand • $321–$1,421 9/11 • Xavier Rudd PH • $96–$256 9/28 • Marianas Trench Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$28 9/15 • Nascar Cup Series Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$30 9/12–9/14 • Jim Florentine • Plaza • $20/$40 South Point • $91–$169 9/28 • Patty Smyth and Scandal 9/12–9/18 • Cesar Millan 9/18 • Mountain Goats Cannery • $23–$40 MGM Grand • $56–$261 Brooklyn Bowl • $26/$30 9/28 • Social Distortion & Flogging 9/13 • Lucha Vavoom 9/18 • Liang Jia • Orleans • $38–$88 Molly • LVEC • $36/$143 Brooklyn Bowl • $40/$50 9/18–9/21 • Smokey Robinson 9/28 • Midnight • Hard Rock • $22 9/13 • Three Lock Box: Sammy Wynn LV • $59.50–$199.50 9/28 • Taylor Dayne Hagar Tribute • Cannery • $20 9/18–9/29 • Carlos Santana Orleans • $40–$60 9/13 • Daddy Yankee MBay • $99–$374 9/28 • UB40 • Palms • $44–$137 Cosmo • $49–$249 9/18–9/30 • Rod Stewart 9/28 • Peter Frampton 9/13 • Last In Line Caesars • $49–$234 Red Rock • $40–$95 Golden Nugget • $29–$99 9/19 • Machine: Pink Floyd Tribute 9/28 • Wanted: Bon Jovi Tribute 9/13 • Oktoberfest Brooklyn Bowl • $20/$25 Suncoast • $19.95/$22 Hofbräuhaus • $85 9/19 • DeVotchKa & The Joy Formi- 9/28 • Chris Tucker 9/13 • Café Tacvba • MBay • $42/$82 dable • Hard Rock • $20/$35 Wynn LV • $59.95–$139.95

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

9/29 • American Led Zeppelin 10/11–10/12 • LV Pride Parade & Festival SHOW NOTES Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$30 LV Events Center • $15–$89 9/30 • Jake Shimabukuro 10/11–10/12 • Michael McDonald • BLANC de BLANC has opened at the Brooklyn Bowl • $35–$50 Venetian • $53–$236 Sahara; tickets are $59.95/$114.45/ OCTOBER 10/11–10/30 • Gwen Stefani • PH • $54–$230 $147.15/$170.04. 10/1–10/8 • Aerosmith 10/12 • Dropkick Murphys Park MGM • $68–$821 Brooklyn Bowl • $40–$55 • Atomic Saloon Show opens at the Vene- 10/2 • Broods • Hard Rock • $21 10/12 • En Vogue • Cannery • $29–$59 tian Sept. 8; tickets are $105.88/$131.15/ 10/2–10/5 • Rod Stewart 10/12 • Tribal Seeds w/New Kingston $156.41/$178.86. Caesars • $49–$234 & Tropidelic • Hard Rock • $26 • “The Comedy Works” opens at the Plaza 10/2–10/5 • Christina Aguilera 10/12 • Dean & Jerry Tribute Sept. 12; ticket prices are $25.89/$48.69 PH • $60–$226 Suncoast • $15/$20 (higher for special-guest performers). 10/2–10/5 • Steve Miller Band 10/12–10/13 • Sebastian Maniscalco Wynn LV • $59.50–$250 Wynn LV • $59–$155 • The lowest priced tickets for Potted 10/3 • Motet • Brooklyn Bowl • $20/$25 10/13 • Common Kings Potter–The Unauthorized Harry Experi- 10/3 • DragonForce • Hard Rock • $22 Brooklyn Bowl • $30–$45 ence at Bally’s have been decreased from 10/4 • Interpol • Cosmo • $39/$59 10/13 • Bridge: Orchestral Benefit $102.44 to $66.74. 10/4 • Don McLean Concert • Orleans • $35–$60 • According to the box office schedule, Golden Nugget • $39–$109 10/17–10/19 • Warren B Hall • Plaza • $20/$40 Defending the Caveman is closing at 10/4 • Daughtry w/Augustana 10/17–10/31 • Brian Newman the D Sept. 17. Hard Rock • $27–$114 NoMad LV • $63–$127 10/4 • Hoodie Allen: w/Jake Miller 10/17–10/31 • Lady Gaga Enigma • Blond Invasion has closed in the V Hard Rock • $29.50/$39.45 Park MGM • $82.57–$344.95 Theater at Planet Hollywood. 10/4–10/5 • We Will Rock You 10/18 • Frank Caliendo Orleans • $49–$152 Aliante • $35–$60 10/4–10/12 • Billy Idol • Palms • $32–$137 10/18 • Tommy James & the Shondells 10/4–12/21 • Ray Romano & David Spade Golden Nugget • $59–$109 Mirage • $90–$120 10/18 • Haus Party World Tour 10/5 • Stabbing Westward GVR • $25–$45 Brooklyn Bowl • $25/$30 10/18 • Todrick Haus • GVR • $29–$49 10/5 • Styx X: Tribute • GVR • $19 10/18 • Jonas Brothers 10/5 • Demetri Martin MGM Grand • $49.95–$204.95 Hard Rock • $35–$80 10/18 • Lynyrd Skynyrd 10/5 • Alexis y Fido • M Resort • $27 T-Mobile • $25–$575 10/5 • Meek Mill & Future 10/18–10/19 • Las Rageous MBay • $49.50–$149.50 LV Events Center • $136–$688 10/5 • Billy Currington 10/18–10/19 • Daniel Tosh Sunset Station • $29–$71 Mirage • $65–$104 10/6 • Steve Martin & Martin Short 10/19 • Exposé • Cannery • $29–$69 Caesars • $49–$229 10/19 • Schitt’s Creek: Up Close & 10/6 • Cult • Cosmo • $44–$64 Personal • Cosmo • $119–$132 10/6 • Stone Temple Pilots & Rival 10/19 • Atlantic Crossing: Rod Stewart Sons • Hard Rock • $50–$195 Tribute • GVR • $19 10/9–10/26 • Journey • Caesars • $79–$329 10/19 • Motor City Nights: Motown 10/10 • Taste of Downtown Tribute • M Resort • $23–$43 Plaza • $70 10/19 • Jimmy Buffett 10/10–10/12 • Tom Green • Plaza • $30/$60 MGM Grand • $40–$212 10/10–10/24 • Frankie Moreno 10/19 • Frank Caliendo South Point • $20–$30 Orleans • $39.95–$59.95 10/10–10/31 • Dionne Warwick 10/19 • 2019 Monster Energy Cup Caesars • $125/$150 Sam Boyd Stadium • $25–$140 10/11 • Melvin Seals and JGB w/John 10/19 • Phil Collins Kadlecik • Brooklyn Bowl • $25 T-Mobile • $55–$305 10/11 • Neighbourhood 10/20–10/26 • Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano Cosmo • $30–$60 Park MGM • $200–$505 10/11 • Steelheart 10/22–10/26 • Paula Abdul Golden Nugget • $29–$99 Flamingo LV • $69–$199 10/11 • +Live+ & Bush with Our Lady 10/23 • Highly Suspect w/Slothrust Peace • Hard Rock • $41–$169 Hard Rock • $31/$87 10/11 • WWE Smackdown Live 10/24–10/26 • Fat Chance w/Lisa Lampanelli See inside wrap for “Weather,” T-Mobile • $37–$130 Plaza • $30/$60 “Room Rates,” and “Key Dates.”

SEPTEMBER 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7 Dining continued … is intelligent, with three seating options: regular tables on the perimeter, long tables for big groups in the middle, and the bar. The thin-crust pizzas range from traditional way directly to the Cosmo door. The walk took us 10 to creative combos like pesto pine-nut chicken ($12.95- minutes. n $14.95). They’re smallish, but one pie feeds two. The big menu of other items includes salads, sandwiches, and wings with 10 dipping selections starting at 6 for $9.95. Plaza Steak Special Four of us had two pizzas, six wings, and three drinks (including an impressive tequila mixation called The Roxy) and the bill was $51. As a bonus, the video poker Did you know the Steak special at the Plaza is good for a bar (see Gambling) and you can stroll the Plaza has a steak spe- intriguing District, checking out its vibrant bar scene, if cial? It’s $9.99 daily you want to extend your evening. n from 5 pm to close in Brightside Breakfast and Burgers. We term Dining Notes this a “filler-up meal,” meaning if you’re hungry and on the go, Tapas Lunch—Just in time for our Milos review, Aria it will get you fueled next door has unveiled a similar lunch deal at Julian Ser- and back in action. rano Tapas—a three-course meal for $29 (served in 29 Understand that while minutes or less). We love competition. the Milos lunch rates a 9 for ambience, this one’s about Second Street T-Bone—The price of the T-bone a 2. Order at the register, then take a seat at a table special in Second Street Grill at the Fremont has been or the bar. The only choice is how you want the steak raised by $1 to $25.99. cooked, then the cashier cooks it (perfectly in our case) O’Aces Steak & Lobster—The price of the O’Aces right in front of you on a press grill. She adds a scoop steak & lobster (LVA 4/19) has been lowered by $5 and of mashed potatoes and a scoop of vegetables, both of is back at $24.95. This is a good one, available Fridays which taste way better than they look, and darned if the only at the O’Aces bar at Decatur and Tropicana. whole thing doesn’t hit the spot. Filler-up! Brawl is Back—The “Back of the House Brawl” In addition, the Plaza has a new $5.95 shrimp cock- returns September 14. The cultish meet-up and com- tail that’s also served in Brightside. It’s quick to grab and petition between chefs will be held at the Sand Dollar the shrimp are a lot bigger than those in the cocktail at Lounge. It kicks off at 10 pm with a food-truck rally and Fremont’s Lanai Express. But they’re not six times big- the cook-off starts around 1 am. ger (the Fremont shrimp cocktail is 99¢). n Tahoe—The long-tenured Sage Room at Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe has closed. It ill be replaced by Gordon Ramsay’s third Hell’s Kitchen. n Balboa Pizza Openings/Closings Balboa Pizza is the latest addition to our roster of Printable Rewards that can be downloaded at LasVegas Advisor.com. The deal is for a 2-for-1 pizza, so we gave Cereal Killerz Kitchen has opened at the Galleria Mall Pepperoni and Tostada pizzas at Balboa it a go. Man, this near Sunset Station. It offers 100 brands of cereal that place is cool. you can mix and eat with a choice of 20 toppings and 10 Located in the kinds of milk, along with waffles and milk shakes. District at Green After 60 years, the original Macayo’s has closed on Valley Ranch, East Flamingo. The owners have opened Blue Macaw it’s a restaurant/ (English for macayo), with the same staff and same bar named for menu, at 9695 W. Flamingo. Balboa Penin- Andiron Steak & Sea in Summerlin has closed for a sula in Southern remodel. It will reopen in “a couple months.” California and it Cleo at the Sahara has closed. manages to pull Kona Grill at the Fashion Show Mall has closed. off that beach-bar The vegan fast-food restaurant and drive-thru Veg- vibe. The set-up eway has closed. n

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • SEPTEMBER 2019 ered a cocaine- and methamphetamine-sales ring that ENTERTAINMENT was operating from within and had been for a couple of decades. Why is this important? It isn’t, really, except for a strange tie to LVA. Smuggle Inn was originally the Key- board Lounge, one of three major nightclubs in the area CBS Television City (along with the Brewery and the Elephant Bar) that were Research Center early-1980s’ precursors of today’s casino-based nightclubs. The connection? Anthony Curtis was a bouncer at the Keyboard and it was his last job before joining Stan- This free attraction at MGM Grand has been around ford Wong’s tournament team and gambling full-time since 2001 and after 19 years, we figured it was time to into the ’90s. “The Keyboard was a sizzling hot club,” check it out. A.C. says. “All kinds of celebrities showed up and I’d Television City is a consumer-research facility where make a healthy wager that there was a lot more cocaine participants watch upcoming TV shows, or current ones action then than whatever was going on now.” n on which the network wants immediate feedback, then fill out a survey about their viewing experience. Com- edies last 22 minutes, while dramas are 40 minutes (the run times without commercials), and the survey process Balls takes another 15 to 20 minutes, subject to how much time you spend on the couple of essay questions. So In a 2011 review of Rod Stewart’s show at Caesars depending on when the group ahead of yours starts the Palace we wrote, “Toward the end of the show, Stewart process, it could be an hour or so before it’s your turn boots about 30 soccer balls into the crowd. They’re all (though on a Sunday morning, we walked right in). signed, which makes for a pretty valuable souvenir if one The viewing room is somewhat sterile, with about happens into your possession.” It seemed pretty harm- 30 seats, each with a computer monitor. The attendant less, but it apparently wasn’t. A lawsuit has been filed gives you a few instructions on how to register on the by a man who claims he was knocked down and injured touchscreen and use the knob on the test device that as fans fought over one of the balls at a 2017 show on records what you like and dislike about the show as you the Strip. Another suit was filed in 2012 by a man who watch it on a bigger screen on the front wall. claimed that one of the balls hit him and broke his nose. At times, for example when the network is in a hurry Note to first guy: Get out of the way. Note to second to change a show in mid-season, you might be handed guy: Catch the ball. Note to Rod: Maybe it’s time to a coupon somewhere in the MGM to get paid for partici- rethink soccer-ball kicking. n pation—up to $25 per person. But that’s only on special occasions and when it happens, the line extends halfway down the hall. Otherwise, you’re given a little coupon book afterward: 10% off purchases in the nearby CBS Bars and Happy Hours retail store and some discounts at the food court with no expiration dates. STK at the Cosmopolitan has a happy hour Sun.– It’s definitely a unique free attraction and the only Thurs. from 10 pm to close, with $6 beer, $10 wine and one of its kind in Las Vegas. We loved the show we cri- well drinks, and $6-$12 appetizers. tiqued (a sitcom called “The Unicorn,” which premieres MB Steak at Hard Rock has a new happy hour daily on CBS on September 26) and had fun doing the survey. from 5 to 6:30 pm, with $5 beer, wine, and cocktails, and It’s kind of a kick getting to be part of a media focus $5 appetizers that include oysters (3), crab cakes, and group and maybe even have a little influence on what sliders. might appear on the boob tube in the near future. Edo Gastro Tapas & Wine has happy hours daily Television City is open daily from 10 am to 8:30 pm from 5 to 6 pm and 10 pm to close, with 50%-off select and located way in the back of the resort, right next bottles of wine, 50%-off oysters, and $2.50-$3.50 appe- to the entrance to the Grand Garden Arena (follow the tizers. signs to the arena or TopGolf). n Early disclosures of football drinking deals include $1 beer (and hot dogs) at Station casinos, $2 beer at Rampart, and $10 shots of Don Julio 1949 at Lucky’s Smuggle Inn Out Lounges at 7345 S. Jones Blvd. and 8025 Farm Rd., all available during games. A nightclub called Club 101 has opened at the A bar located off Maryland Pkwy. called Smuggle Sahara. Inn was shut down last month after a police raid uncov- continued on next page

SEPTEMBER 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9 Entertainment continued … place of purchase for information about refunds or rain checks. See the Advance Planner for dates, prices, and addi- Whiskey Licker Up Saloon is scheduled to open this tional show updates. n month at Binion’s. A wine bar called The Local has opened in The Dis- trict at Green Valley Ranch. Babes, the easternmost-located gentlemen’s club in Las Vegas, has been renamed Minks. The change was GAMBLING made several months ago, but we missed it. We need to pay more attention to our adult website, ToplessVegas Online.com, which reported the name change when it Football Contests happened. At Balboa Pizza, a Roxy is $10, a Dos Equis Amber is $6.25, and a Bud is $5.25. In Estiatorio Milos at the As expressed in Couponomy, Vegas remains the King Cosmopolitan, a Mythos beer is $9.74. In Oscar’s at of Contests, though there’ve been several changes on the Plaza, a Peroni is $7.58. At Crown & Anchor Spring the scene. Most significant is the introduction of the new Mtn., a draft Modelo is $7. At Scenic Brewing Company, pay contest from Circa Sports, which is played at the D a draft Scenic Lager is $6.50. At Badlands bar, a Bud is and Golden Gate. This contest is part of Derek Stevens’ $4.25. At Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant, a St. George beer big move into sports betting, which will culminate with is $4. In the center bar at Arizona Charlie’s Boulder, a the opening of the Circa Casino next year. As you’ll see Bud is $3.25. n in the description and analysis, this contest has some good features and a structure designed to compete for the top spot with the Westgate SuperContest. An impor- Entertainment Notes tant related development is the introduction of mobile apps for submitting picks at both Circa and Westgate. The ability to submit remotely eliminates a lot of the Adventuredome Coaster—El Loco, the roller inconvenience that goes with playing these contests; coaster at Circus Circus’ Adventuredome indoor amuse- however, you still must be physically in Nevada to use ment park, is running again. It was closed in March after the apps. a rider was ejected from her seat while it was moving. Station Casinos has changed the format of its main Very few details were released, but the woman was contest. After returning for just one year, the Great Give- reportedly a double amputee, which suggests that she away Football Contest has been retired again in favor of was likely at significantly greater risk than most other rid- the new $1 Million Pro Football Pick & Play. ers. With William Hill now managing the books at Arizona Go-Karts—Veteran race-car driver Gene Woods, Charlie’s and The STRAT, the Pick ’Em Right contest at who runs an outdoor go-kart experience near the Strip, those properties has been discontinued. There have also has opened another Gene Woods Racing Experience, been minor tweaks at several others, the details of which this one located at Neonopolis. It’s the latest addition to are delineated below. the Neonopolis complex, joining Cat’s Meow karaoke At press time, 12 contests had been confirmed. All bar and House of Selfies (though the interactive canna- have entry deadlines of Sept. 7-9, except for Golden bis museum, Cannabition, has closed). Nugget (9/3). The contests are separated by “Pay” and Residencies/Added Dates—Dwight Yoakam will “Free.” The list and brief analyses appear below. play nine dates between Dec. 4 and March 4 at Encore, Pay—Contests in the Pay category charge an entry tickets start at $108 base. Foreigner will play 10 dates at fee to play. The season-long prizes are dominant, mean- the Venetian between Jan. 24 and April 25; tickets start ing you either have to be a local or arrange for a proxy at $49.95 base. to get your picks in every week. All return 100% of the New dates have been added for Journey at Caesars entry fees or better, except the Westgate, which takes Palace. In addition to the band’s October performances, 8% out of the SuperContest prize pool (bonus money new shows are scheduled for Dec. 27, 28, 30, 31; ticket added recoups some of the shortfall, but it’s still well prices start at $69 base. New dates have been added below the take-out), and the Golden Nugget, which has for An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live added a 3% take-out this year. at the House of Blues: Jan. 22, 24-26, 28-29, 31; Feb. 1; The contests are listed in order of the amount of the May 13, 15-17, 20, 22-24. Tickets start at $99.50 base. entry fee. All six of Willie Nelson’s October shows at the Venetian Westgate “SuperContest Gold”: entry $5,000; prize have been canceled. Ticket holders should contact the depends on number of entries; winner-take-all.

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • SEPTEMBER 2019 Westgate “SuperContest”: entry $1,500; prize Station Casinos has added emphasis to its Last Man depends on number of entries; $45,000 added and Standing contests by upping the guaranteed prize pools awarded in three increments of $15,000 to leaders at for both (from $40K to $100K for college and from $75K four weeks and eight weeks, and the winner of the end- to $150K for pro) and juicing the bonus for the long- of-season mini contest; enter by 9/2 (4 pm) to qualify for shot double win from $135K to $750K, allowing them to the three-week mini; maximum entries two per person. advertise it as a $1 million contest. Golden Gate/the D “Circa Sports Million Pro Foot- We like Will Hill’s College contest again, as it con- ball Contest”: entry $1,000; prize depends on number tinues to return 100% and hasn’t fiddled with a good of entries, with a $1.5 million prize pool and $1 million format. Naturally, the SuperContest will have the big- first prize guaranteed; $200,000 of the prize pool paid to gest first prize by far and winning it will yield the greatest quarterly leaders; maximum entries three per person. back-end potential (the winner will have instant name Golden Nugget “Ultimate Football Challenge”: entry recognition), an important consideration given the rising $1,000; prize depends on number of entries; maximum profile of sports betting. entries two per person. Free—Four free contests have been confirmed so William Hill “College Pick ’Em”: entry $500; prize far. Full information for these usually isn’t available early, depends on number of entries and $25,000 added for so some details may change and other contests will hitting 70%; maximum entries four per person. pop up after this issue goes to press. Check our “Foot- William Hill “Pro Pick ’Em”: entry $25; buy four and ball Contests” page at LasVegasAdvisor.com (click on get one free; prize depends on the number of entries “Gambling with An Edge” under “Blogs,” then “Sports with a $300,000 prize pool guaranteed and a $100,000 Betting-Football 2019-Contests”) for complete informa- bonus for 200 or more winners; maximum entries 15 per tion and updates. person. Boyd properties “Pick the Pros”: 1-2 entries per Station properties “Last Man Standing NFL”: entry week (depending on club level); no season prize; $25; buy four and get one free; winner-take-all ($150,000 $30,000 per week. guaranteed); enter by 9/2 to be eligible for $750,000 Station properties “$1 Million Pro Football Pick & bonus for winning this and college contest. Play”: 1-3 entries per week (depending on club level); Station properties “Last Man Standing College”: weekly and season prizes from $10 to $1,000 with a $1 entry $25; buy four and get one free; winner-take-all million guaranteed prize pool. ($100,000 guaranteed); enter by 9/2 to be eligible for Rampart “Beat the Bookie”: 1 entry per week, $750,000 bonus for winning this and NFL contest. $2,000 in weekly prizes; play against the sports book Analysis—If you can’t play every week, you shouldn’t director’s picks. enter these. The pay contests are heavily skewed toward Ellis Island “Passport Pick ’Em”: 1 entry per week, the season prizes, so missing even one week is crip- $250 in weekly prizes and long-shot season prizes for pling. Another consideration is how you’d feel if you lost high percentage of winners. your entire investment. If that would bother you exces- Analysis—Any contest that charges nothing and sively, avoid the high-entry-fee contests. Pay contests gives away something is worth playing. Even if you enter tend to have top-heavy prize structures, making them and never play, you’re not out anything, but the more high-variance propositions. That means that even if you do play, the more value you rake. Additionally, all of you’re one of the better players, you’re still an underdog, these can be played at any point of the season for a shot and usually a big one, to get into the money. They’re at weekly prizes. great when you score, but the droughts can be dreadful. As it has been for many years, Boyd’s Pick the Pros The most dramatic example is the $5K-entry SuperCon- remains our favorite. It’s easy to play (submit your picks test Gold, where only the winner gets paid. each week at a Boyd-casino kiosk) and provides major Along with speculation about how many entries the entertainment value with a shot at a big $30K payday. SuperContest will get, the biggest buzz surrounds Circa You’ll probably need a perfect card to cash and that’s Millions. Key here is the potential for an equity overlay, difficult. Plus, even when you do, you’re likely to be split- meaning the contest will pay out more money in prizes ting the prize with other perfects. Still, it’s a cool gam- than it collects in entry fees. This is a strong fundamen- bling play that will nicely enhance your vacation action. tal reason for entering any contest. With an entry fee The Station switch figures to have been made to of $1,000 and a guaranteed pool of $1.5 million, this compete with Boyd. Whereas you had to pay up front in contest has to attract 1,500 entries to reach breakeven; the Great Giveaway, then play to get the entry rebated anything below that creates the overlay. The last update at the end of the year, Pick & Play is completely free. with a little less than two weeks to the contest deadline Where it differs from Pick the Pros is that rather than indicated about 900 were signed up. The rush comes at pay one big prize that’s hard to get, it pays lots of small the end, so it will be close. prizes. Lots and lots of small prizes—2,500 winners Along with the change in its free contest (see below), continued on next page

SEPTEMBER 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11 Gambling continued … Arizona Charlie’s Boulder—All live table games have been removed, though a sign suggests that they may return after a floor revamp. each week! When you boil it down, the Station contest Major League Upsets—The Baltimore Orioles is giving away twice as much money as the Boyd con- stunned the Houston Astros last month, beating them test, so it might be the better of the two in terms of pure 8-7 after the Astros had gone off as -550 favorites. expected value, but we won’t know until we’ve played It was hailed by ESPN as “one of the biggest Major it. Regardless, now you can sweat both contest cards League Baseball upsets in the last 15 years.” But that every Sunday with a big dream at Boyd and a realistic was nothing. One week later the Astros were the victim chance of cashing at Station. again, losing 2-1 to the Detroit Tigers, this time as -600 Rampart’s Beat the Bookie is another contest that favorites at some books. n gives you a good chance of cashing, though usually not for more than $5, as we discovered last year. Rampart is also running Red Zone to Riches again, but you have to earn entries with casino play, so it’s not included in our Video Poker Lost and Found list. Note that these are just the major free contests that The online database vpFREE2 reports that Ellis have declared. Several more will show up at casino Island has decimated its inventory with the removal of kiosks, local bars, and online. Most don’t offer a lot of its highest-paying schedules at all denoms. The best value, so play them only if they’re completely free. Hard remaining is $2 and $5 Aces Bonus returning 99.41%. Rock, Klondike Sunset, Longhorn, CasaBlanca/Virgin For quarters, the best game is now 9/6 Double Double River in Mesquite, and the PT’s Pubs all ran weekly con- Bonus (98.98%), but it’s available only on multi-play tests last year and probably will again. We’ll update our machines. (The steak dinner is still fantastic.) n listings next month. Also reported by vpFREE2, the Fremont has removed its dollar 9/6 Jacks or Better game. This is curious, as it still offers an excellent selection of games, 6-5 Under Attack including Super Double Double Bonus paying 50 for a straight flush and 8 for a full house (99.69%), 9/6 Bonus Two lawsuits have been filed in Massachusetts Poker Deluxe (99.64%), and Double Deuces Wild paying claiming underpayments by the casinos at blackjack. 11 for a straight flush and 16 for 5-of-a-kind (99.62%) The lawsuits charge that 6-5 blackjack payoffs at Encore from 25¢ to $1, all of which return more than Full Pay Boston Harbor and MGM Springfield are illegal under JoB. state law. From what we’ve seen, it appears that the Both Crown & Anchor bars continue to offer their rules do allow 6-5 payments, so we assume that some three-times-daily play-$200-get-$20 bonus. All the unclear language suggests certain games (e.g., games details we provided last month in an extensive analysis using multiple decks) should not be allowed to pay 6-5. still apply, except we didn’t mention that you have only The Encore suit also charges underpayment on slot until midnight of the day you earn the bonus to cash, so cashouts. This, too, in a seeming challenge to the way download and play before you leave. the rules are written. These suits don’t figure to get In addition to being a cool bar with good food (see much traction (an early ruling already favors Encore), but Dining), Balboa’s Pizza has some good video poker. The they shine a light on the player-unfriendly 6-5 payout best game is 7/5 Bonus Poker (98.01%), but the 9/5 that casinos rely on no one noticing. n DDB isn’t far behind, returning 97.87%. There’s a play- $20-get-$10 deal for new club sign-ups. Bob Dancer’s free video poker classes start a new Gambling Notes semester this month, running on Tuesdays in the Sil- verado Lounge at South Point—beginner classes at noon and intermediate at 2 pm, except where otherwise Book Back—We were a bit hasty in declaring “the noted. Must be 21. Topics are 9/6 Jacks or Better (on experiment over” at the sports book and bar at Park 9/3); 9/7 Double Bonus at noon and 9/6 Double Double MGM. The Moneyline Sports Bar & Book has reopened Bonus at 2 pm, both beginner classes (9/10); 9/7 Double with an expanded sports book area. Bonus Quick Quads, one class only at noon (9/17); 9/6 Sports Betting Seminar—The Rampart will host a Jacks or Better Multi Strike, one class only at noon free sports betting seminar on September 4. The begin- (9/24). Be sure to check out Bob’s weekly Tuesday blog ner session at 6 pm features Duane Colucci and Steve and the Thursday “Gambling With an Edge” podcast, Mikkelson; the advanced session at 7 pm features Brent with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at LasVegas Musburger, Vinny Magliulo, and Bruce Marshall. Advisor.com. n

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • SEPTEMBER 2019 SEPTEMBERNOVEMBER OCTOBER 2-5 Tableau Software Conference—21,000 WEEKDAY WEEKEND 19-21 Autodesk—12,000 El Cortez • $43 Wild Wild West • $132 19-21 ISSA Show—17,000 Four Queens • $49 Plaza • $140 22-24 Live Design Int’l —14,000 Wild Wild West • $51 AZ C Decatur • $142 Downtown Grand • $53 Tuscany • $129 Circus Circus • $57 Circus Circus • $131 DECEMBER Tuscany • $58 Excalibur • $136 11-13 Nat’l Marijuana Business Conf.—26,000 Hard Rock • $86 Hard Rock • $161 Palms • $98 Mirage • $186 Mirage • $116 Palazzo • $194 JANUARY NOVEMBER KEY 7–10 Consumer Tech. Assoc.—180,000 WEEKDAY WEEKEND 21–23 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show—33,000 Four Queens • $42 Plaza • $85 21–23 Int’l Builders Show—60,000 El Cortez • $45 Four Queens • $89 21–24 Shooting, Hunting, & Outdoor Expo—61,000 Fremont • $50 California • $97 26–30 Las Vegas Market 2020—50,000 DATES Downtown Grand • $53 Downtown Grand • $80 Circus Circus • $54 Excalibur • $93 SEPTEMBER Tuscany • $55 Circus Circus • $95 Mean 80° Avg. Max. 95° Avg. Min. 65° Pools: Open Hard Rock • $86 Palms • $138 Warm sunny days, mild evenings. It doesn’t get any better Palms • $98 Hard Rock • $156 than this. Paris • $99 Caesars Palace • $158 Attire: No need for jackets or sweaters. DECEMBER

ROOM WEEKDAY WEEKEND OCTOBER Four Queens • $42 Plaza • $65 Mean 67° Avg. Max. 81° Avg. Min. 53° Pools: Open El Cortez • $47 Fremont • $67 Fremont • $50 Main Street Station • $67 Balmy days, cool evenings toward the end of the month. Attire: Short sleeves during the day, light jacket for evenings. Circus Circus • $51 Downtown Grand • $60 Downtown Grand • $53 Tuscany • $61 Tuscany • $55 Flamingo • $70 NOVEMBER Hard Rock • $86 Paris • $108 Mean 53° Avg. Max. 65° Avg. Min. 40° Pools: Closed Paris • $96 Hard Rock • $126 Palms • $98 Temperatures drop dramatically this month. Crisp days, cold RATES Mirage • $136 nights

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