August 2017

Vol. 34Issue 8

$5

LasVegasAdvisorA N T H O N Y C U R T I S ’

CIRCUS 1903

Elephant puppets rule! … pg. 8

MODERN COUPON RUN

Higher EV, easier drink comps … pg. 1

PAID PARKINGTwo more tumble …

pg. 2

EATING GRASSHOPPERS

Not squishy (not good, either) … pg. 5

ANOTHER MONSTER FREEROLL

Or a meal comp, at least … pg. 10

Local (702)Toll FreeNumbers

CASINOS(800) († 855) (††866) (* 877) (**888)

Local Toll FreeAliante Casino+Hotel+Spa ........692-7777 ............477-7627*Aria ............................................590-7111 ............359-7757††

Arizona Charlie’s Boulder ..........951-5800 ............362-4040Arizona Charlie’s Decatur ..........258-5200 ............342-2695Bally’s ........................................739-4111 ............603-4390*Bellagio ......................................693-7111 ............987-7111**Binion’s ......................................382-1600 ............937-6537Boulder Station ..........................432-7777 ............683-7777Caesars Palace..........................731-7110 ............227-5938††

California ...................................385-1222 ............634-6505Cannery .....................................507-5700 ............999-4899††

Casino Royale ...........................737-3500 ............854-7666Circus Circus .............................734-0410 ............634-3450Cosmopolitan ............................698-7100 ............551-7772*Cromwell, The ...........................777-3777 ............426-2766^the D ..........................................388-2400 ............274-5825Downtown Grand ......................719-5100 ............384-7263†

Eastside Cannery ......................507-5700 ............999-4899††

El Cortez ....................................385-5200 ............634-6703Ellis Island (Super 8) ..................733-8901 ............800-8000Encore .......................................770-7100 ............321-9966*Excalibur ....................................597-7777 ............937-7777Fiesta Henderson ......................558-7000 ............899-7770**Fiesta Rancho............................631-7000 ............731-7333Flamingo ....................................733-3111 ............732-2111Four Queens ..............................385-4011 ............634-6045Fremont .....................................385-3232 ............634-6182Gold Coast ................................367-7111 ............331-5334Golden Gate ..............................385-1906 ............426-1906Golden Nugget ..........................385-7111 ............846-5336Green Valley Ranch ...................617-7777 ............782-9487††

Hard Rock Hotel ........................693-5000 ............473-7625Harrah’s .....................................369-5000 ............392-9002Hooters ......................................739-9000 ............584-6687††

Klondike Sunset ........................826-3866LINQ, The ..............................................................328-1888††

Longhorn ...................................435-9170 ............800-8000Lucky Dragon ............................889-8018Luxor .........................................262-4000 ............288-1000M Resort ....................................797-1000 ............673-7678*Main Street Station ....................387-1896 ............713-8933Mandalay Bay ............................632-7777 ............632-7800*Mandarin Oriental ......................590-8881 ............881-9578**MGM Grand ...............................891-1111 ............929-1111Mirage .......................................791-7111 ............627-6667Monte Carlo ...............................730-7777 ............311-8999New York-New York ..................740-6969 ............693-6763Orleans ......................................365-7111 ............675-3267Palace Station ...........................367-2411 ............634-3101Palazzo ......................................607-7777 ............263-3001††

Palms .........................................942-7777 ............942-7770††

Paris ..........................................946-7000 ............266-5687**Planet Hollywood ......................785-5555 ............919-7472††

Plaza ..........................................386-2110 ............634-6575Rampart ....................................507-5900 ............869-8777*

Red Rock Resort .......................797-7777 ............767-7773††

Rio .............................................252-7777 ............746-7482*Sam’s Town ...............................456-7777 ............634-6371Santa Fe Station ........................658-4900 ............767-7771††

Silver Sevens .............................733-7000 ............640-9777Silverton.....................................263-7777 ............588-7711Slots A Fun ................................734-0410 ............354-1232SLS Las Vegas ..........................737-2111 ............761-7757†

Stratosphere ..............................380-7777 ............998-6937South Point ................................796-7111 ............791-7626††

Suncoast ...................................636-7111 ............677-7111*Sunset Station ...........................547-7777 ............786-7389**Texas Station .............................631-1000 ............654-8888Treasure Island (TI) ....................894-7111 ............944-7444Tropicana...................................739-2222 ............634-4000Tuscany .....................................893-8933 ............887-2261*Vdara .........................................590-2767 ............745-7767††

Venetian .....................................414-1000 ............883-6423*Westin Lake Las Vegas .............567-6000 ............563-9792††

Westin Las Vegas ......................836-5900 ............937-8461Westgate Las Vegas ..................732-5111 ............732-7117Wild Wild West (Days Inn) .........740-0000 ............777-1514Wildfire.......................................648-3801Wynn Las Vegas ........................770-7000 ............770-7077*

• 2017 LVA MEMBER REWARDS •ALL-PURPOSE COMP

50% off up to $50 (Palms)

ACCOMMODATIONS2-For-1 Room (El Cortez); 25% off Room Rate (Mardi Gras)

BUFFETS2-For-1 Buffet (Aliante Casino+Hotel, Arizona Charlie’s Boulder, Arizona Charlie’s Decatur, Cannery, Eastside Cannery, Fremont, Golden Nugget, Main Street Station, Mirage, Rio, Westgate); 2-For-1 Gospel Brunch (House of Blues at Mandalay Bay); 2-For-1 Buffet or 50% off one (Boulder Station, Fiesta Henderson, Fiesta Rancho, Gold Coast, Green Valley Ranch, Or-leans, Palace Station, Rampart, Red Rock Resort, Sam’s Town, Santa Fe Station, Silver Sevens, Silverton, Suncoast, Sunset Station, Texas Station); $10 Off Buffet (Planet Hollywood); $10 Off Brunch Buffet (Caesars Palace); 25% Off Buffet (Harrah’s)

CAR RENTALFixed Rate Starting at $34 (Budget Car Rental)

DINING2-For-1 Menu Item (Big Dog’s), Siegel’s 1941 (El Cortez), Fat Choy (Eureka Casino), Northside Café (SLS Las Vegas); 25% Off Bill in: Top of Binion’s Steakhouse (Binion’s), Mad Onion or Hooters Restaurant (Hooters), Os-car’s Steakhouse (Plaza); 2-For-1 Entrée or 50% off one in: Freedom Beat (Downtown Grand), The Café (Ellis Island), Emerald Grille (Emerald Island); 2-For-1 Entrée in: Market Street Café (California), Fuego or Amigos (Fiesta Henderson), Sarah’s Kitchen (Klondike Sunset), Bon Temps (Mardi Gras), House of Blues Rest. & Bar (House of Blues at Mandalay Bay), Sterling Spoon Café (Silver Sevens), Pub 365 (Tuscany); 2-For-1 Lunch or Dinner Entrée in Magnolia’s (Four Queens); 2-For-1 Burger in Le Burger Brasse-rie (Paris); 2-For-1 Coney Dog (the D); 2-For-1 BBQ Plate (Ellis Island); Free Fajitas with Entrée Purchase (Fiesta Rancho); Free Pancakes for 25 points in Du-Pars (Golden Gate); $30 Off Dining in Charcoal Room (Palace Station); $25 Off Dining in: Sonoma Cellar Steakhouse (Sunset Station), Austins Steakhouse (Texas Station); $10 Off Dining in Wild Grill or Brewer’s Café (Wildfire); $5 Off Dining in the Grand Café (Texas Station); $4 Off Entrée in: Cabo (Boulder Station), Cabo or Pasta Cucina (Sunset Station)

DINING—“LOCAL CORNER”2-For-1 Menu Item: Gambler’s Café (Gambler’s General Store), Sagos; 2-For-1 Burger or Philly (Home Plate); Pizza Upgrade at Naked City Pizza Shop; $25 off Dining (Rosati’s); Comped Lunch or Dinner at Sporting Life Bar

DRINKSFree Drink Brewers, Kixx, or Havana Bar (Boulder Station); 3 Free Rounds (Ellis Island); Free Margarita or Beer (Fiesta Rancho); Free Margarita (Sun-set Station)

SHOWS2-For-1 Hypnosis Unleashed (Binion’s), Purple Reign (Westgate Las Ve-gas), Sexxy The Show (Westgate Las Vegas); 2-For-1 or 50% off Beatles Orchestra (Saxe Theater), Recycled Percussion–Chaos & Confetti (Saxe Theater), Nathan Burton Comedy Magic (Saxe Theater), Vegas! the Show (Saxe Theater), All Shook Up (V Theater), Aussie Heat (V Theater), Hitzville (V Theater), Las Vegas Live Comedy Club (V Theater), The Mentalist (V Theater), Popovich Comedy Pet Theater (V Theater), V the Ultimate Variety Show (V Theater), Zombie Burlesque (V Theater); Drink-minimum Mac King (Harrah’s); 25% Off Carrot Top (Luxor); Free Tickets with Box Office charge Marc Savard (V Theater); $10 Off Stripper 101 (V Theater)

RIDES/ATTRACTIONSUp to 45% off Real Bodies (Bally’s); 25% Off SlotZilla Zip Line (Fremont Street Experience); $5 Off High Roller (LINQ Promenade); 2-For-1 Admis-sion to the Eiffel Tower Experience (Paris); 1 Free Game of Bowling at Strike Zone (Sunset Station)

GAMBLING$5 Matchplay (Atlantis Reno); $10 Matchplay (Downtown Grand), (Palms); $25 Matchplay (the D), (Golden Gate), (Plaza); $10 Slot Free-Play (Bin-ion’s), (Downtown Grand), (Four Queens), (Plaza), (Rampart); $5-$100 Slot Free-Play Bonus (the D); $10-$100 Slot Free-Play (Ellis Island); $10-$1,000 Slot Free-Play (El Cortez); $10 Slot Matchplay (Gold Coast), (Hooters), (Mardi Gras), (Orleans), (Sam’s Town); $10 Bonus for Slot Play (Cannery), (Eureka), (Eastside Cannery); $20 Bonus for Slot Play (Klondike Sunset); $25 Non-Negotiable Chip (Ellis Island); $15 Bonus, 4-of-a-kind, 25¢ machines (Big Dog’s); Push on 22 at Blackjack up to $25 (the D); 2-1 Payoff on first Blackjack up to $25 bet (Golden Gate), (Silver Sevens); 100-Coin Video Poker Bonus (Kilroy’s), (Sagos); Wheel of Cash Spin (Emerald Island); Bingo Bonus (Plaza); 2-For-1 Bingo (Silver Sevens)

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A Different Kind of Coupon Runby Anthony Curtis

August 2017 $5

They show up, they hang around for a while, they’re discontinued, then something similar pops up somewhere else. I’m talking about the loss-rebate and other positive-expectation video poker promotions that are becoming more and more plentiful all over town. It used to be that one or two of these sur-faced at a time, but these days they’re appearing with a lot more regularity. They’re sticking around longer, too.

The big new play this month is the $500 rebate-on-loss at M Resort that’s in the Top Ten, but it’s not the only rebate offer in town. Similar pro-grams are currently running at Cannery ($200), Eastside Cannery ($200), and Westgate ($100). You have to be a new club sign-up for each and there are some sticky redemption rules, but that’s a thousand dollars’ worth of freerolling for those who are eligible and want to hit ’em all.

Just as it’s been possible for years to construct coupon runs for profit with matchplays for casino table games, you can now do the same playing video poker promos, and not just these big casino bonuses. Just as good and far less restrictive are the matchplay and sign-up bonuses in the bars. It’s the same concept as the coupon run and in many ways, it’s better. Not only is the expected return usually much higher on the machines, in most cases everything’s automated, so you’re not dealing with live dealers who don’t like coupon players. Rather, you’re interfacing with bartenders root-ing for you to hit something (a big-tip

opportunity for them) and you’ll get your drink order the second you sit down, because that’s the way it works in Vegas bars.

The juiciest promotions tend to be one-time things, but many are recurring. A few of the better ones are discussed this month in GamblinG and we’re compiling a detailed listing of these deals that will be regularly updated at LasVegasAdvisor.com.

Summer RatesEvery year we run a list of low room

rates in July. This year we didn’t, due to space considerations in last month’s issue. But we did the research and we’re giving you the details this month. Despite these being July rates, there’s still value in seeing them, since many carry over to August. It also gives you an idea about which casinos are cur-rently putting up the lowest numbers. Following is the list of 42 casinos we found with base room rates of $50 and below.

$20 and under—Boulder Station, Circus Circus, El Cortez.

$30 and under—Ellis Island, Fiesta Rancho, Golden Gate, Harrah’s, Hoot-ers, Luxor, Silver Sevens, Tuscany, Wild Wild West.

$40 and under— Arizona Charlie’s Boulder, Artisan, Bally’s, Buffalo Bill’s, the D, Downtown Grand, Eastside Can-nery, Fiesta Henderson, Four Queens, Fremont, Gold Coast, Main Street Station, Palace Station, Plaza, Primm, Rio, Sam’s Town, Stratosphere, Sun-

CasinosGolden Gate—The Golden

Gate will close August 20-25 for what’s being termed a “major expansion.” Casino space will be nearly doubled, the outdoor One Bar will be extended, and a new entryway off the Fremont Street Experience will be built. The plans don’t appear to include the neigh-boring La Bayou Casino, which is also controlled by GG owner Derek Stevens.

Palace Station—As part of its ongoing resort-wide overhaul, the bungalow-style Courtyard rooms at Palace Station were razed last month. Among them was room 1203, which garnered worldwide notoriety in 2007 when OJ Simp-son was sent to prison for breaking in and robbing its occupants.

Downtown Grand—The Downtown Grand has been given approval to build an 8-story hotel tower on the east side of the prop-erty where the valet is currently located. The DG’s third tower will add 495 rooms, nearly doubling the resorts current count for a total of 1,124. There have also been reports that DG plans to build a dining, entertainment, and retail district bordering the resort that will be called The Quad (haven’t we seen this before?). It would be built in areas surrounding the re-sort and might include the bottom floor of the current parking garage. No timetable for either project has been released.

SLS—Could the Sahara be coming back? Following the sale

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A N T H O N Y C U R T I S ’

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COUPONOMY NEWS

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2017

set Station, Texas Station, Westgate, Whiskey Pete’s.

$50 and under—California, Fla-mingo, LINQ, Lucky Club, Monte Carlo, Orleans, Palms, Santa Fe Station.

High End—TI $52, NY-NY $53, Planet Hollywood $53, Red Rock $56, Paris $58, MGM $59, Hard Rock $59, Golden Nugget $69, Palms Place $69, Mandalay Bay $70, Green Valley Ranch $72, SLS $79, Cromwell $89, Delano $99, Mirage $99, M Resort $105, Caesars Palace $109, Vdara $119, Cosmopolitan $120, Trump $127, Aria $129, Palazzo $135, Venetian $135, Bellagio $149, Nobu $159, Wynn $160, Encore $169.

No in-depth analysis is necessary. Rates are low because Vegas remains a low-rate city and summer brings par-ticularly good deals. Of course, resort fees allow this to some degree (see below), but hotels in other big cities charge resort fees too. Comparatively, Las Vegas is still way ahead of the pack.

A Room at the PalmsIf you’re looking for a quick jaunt

to Vegas in August, the Palms is run-ning a one-month low-rate special that comes with $25 in food credits daily. Through Aug. 31, almost all weekday base rates are $49 and weekends are as low as $109. The Palms’ daily resort fee is $36.27, but that’s mostly recouped with the $25 food add-on that’s good in any restaurant. The negative is that the Palms is pretty torn up right now; it’s in the midst of a big makeover. If that’s a problem, this is a no-go. But if staying in higher-end accommodations for a bargain price is appealing, then look into this one at LasVegasAdvisor.com.

Resort FeesBack to resort fees, there’s really

no stopping these bad boys. We did a survey this month to completely update our resort fee listings and the results amazed me. Fifty casinos had fees that were higher than when we last checked, and that doesn’t count

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 changes to Las Vegas Advisor, 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. All information is current at press time. Listed offerings are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press ©2017

3665 Procyon St. • Las Vegas, NV 89103 • (702) 252-0655 • (702) 252-0675 Faxe-mail: editor@LasVegasAdvisor.com • Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com

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LAS VEGAS ADVISOR

Couponomy continued

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of SLS Las Vegas and a renaming of the players club to Club 52 (the Sahara opened in 1952), rumors are swirling that a wholesale return to the Sahara might be coming. The SLS name has been considered a liability, but a play-

News continued

ers club name seems like light evidence in support of such a big move.

Monorail—The Las Vegas Mono-rail Co. has purchased a .9-acre par-cel of land at Reno Ave. across from Mandalay Bay for $2.5 million. Monorail representatives won’t comment, but it’s likely a step toward extending the line to MBay, which is a key link to a further extension to McCarran Airport and creates an access route to the Oakland Raiders stadium.

City National Arena—The prac-tice facility for the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team is now officially the City National Arena. The $24 mil-lion two-rink complex located next to Downtown Summerlin will have a soft opening on August 15.

Soccer—The Las Vegas City Council has voted unanimously to approve a 15-year lease with down-town’s Cashman Field that will bring a professional soccer team to Las Vegas. The as-yet unnamed United Soccer League Division II (minor league) team is expected to begin play in 2018.

Revenues—Nevada’s statewide gambling win was up 3.5% in May compared to the same month last year. The Strip win was up 3.0% and downtown was up 9.5%. The win was also up on the Boulder Strip (+3.1%) and in the Balance of County (+1.7%), while North Las Vegas was down 1.4%. Nearly a third of the $992 mil-lion statewide win was brought in by penny slots ($283 million), more than the $212 million from blackjack and baccarat combined.

Visitor volume ticked up by a slight .3%. The year-to-date count is .5% behind last year’s pace.

Airline traffic set a record for May with 4.2 million passengers, up 1.4%. The five busiest airlines at McCarran are (in order) Southwest, United, Delta,

changes we’ve made on the fly, includ-ing the recent increases at MGM and CET. The highest daily RF in Vegas is $39 at Aria, Bellagio, Encore, Mandarin Oriental, Palazzo, Venetian, Wynn, and Vdara. The lowest is $4.90 at the Cannery. The all-important (and dwin-dling) list of casinos with no resort fees consists of California, Casino Royale, Four Queens, Fremont, Lucky Club, and Main Street Station.

Parking, TooIf rising resort fees weren’t enough,

here’s something to get you a little more riled up. Wynn Resorts kicks off its full paid-parking program for Wynn Las Vegas and Encore on Aug. 7. Self-parking will cost $7 for the first two hours, $12 for 2-4 hours, and $15 for up to 24 hours. The first hour is free. There are no discounts for casino guests or locals. Paid valet parking was already in effect, with fees of $15 for the first four hours and $20 up to 24 hours.

The Forum Shops at Caesars has also begun charging for parking. Valet parking had been free, but a flat $7 charge has been instituted for every-one. This charge isn’t as irksome as those at the casinos. The fee is lower and it’s reported that vouchers waiving the charge are available for frequent customers. It should also be con-sidered that the mall was essentially pushed into it by people valet parking for free, then going elsewhere. n

AUGUST 2017 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3

LAS VEGAS’ TOP TEN VALUES1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

The complete steak dinner at Ellis Island remains at #1 this month. The filet-cut sirloin comes with soup or salad, choice of potato, and green beans and is served 24/7 for $7.99. To get that price you have to print out two coupons from an EI kiosk, the second after playing at least $5 in any slot machine with your club card inserted.

The Golden Nugget show-and-buffet deal (#8) is offered for Clint Holmes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and for Frankie Moreno on Thursdays and Saturdays. It’s strong, but now there’s an ongoing twofer deal that makes it ap-pealing for even more frugal entertainment budgets. Get the details in entertainment.

The prime rib comp at Jackson’s Bar & Grill has been discontinued, but in its place is a play with much bigger potential (though no guaranteed prime rib). It’s a new $500 loss rebate at M Resort (#10). It’s been a while since the M has been in the Top Ten and this is another deal that’s available only to new sign-ups, but it’s a powerhouse that we couldn’t ignore. Also, redemption rules will render this undoable for many visitors, but there’s a second option for a $25 comp that’s accessible for everyone. Be sure to read the details in GamblinG before you go.

Notes: The shrimp cocktail at Skyline (#2) is served at the main bar. Michelob in the bottle is $1 and draft Coors Light is 75¢ at Casino Royale (#3). The $1.49 bacon or sausage & eggs breakfast at Klondike Sunset (#4) is served every day in Sarah’s Kitchen from 7 to 11 am. The 5¢ beers (#5) at the Flamingo are served in the Margaritaville Casino area’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar from 5 to 6 pm. Get a ticket to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show and a drink for $14.98 by asking at the players club booth (#6). The hot dogs at South Point (#7) are sold from a cart in the sports book from 10 am until they close down the cart around 5 pm. Hooters’ $1-minimum blackjack game (#9) runs 24/7 in the pit; naturals pay even money on bets of $1-$5.

Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99

Shrimp Cocktail • Skyline • 24 hours • $1.49

Beer • Casino Royale • 24 hours • $1

Breakfast • Klondike Sunset • Daily • $1.49

Draft Beer • Flamingo • Daily • 5¢

Mac King • Harrah’s • Tues.–Sat. • $14.98

Hot Dog • South Point • Daily • $1.25

Show & Dinner • Golden Nugget • Tues.-Thurs. & Sat. • $46.45

$1 Blackjack • Hooters • 24 hours • Free

$500 Rebate • M Resort • Daily • Free

News continued

Spirit, and Allegiant.

Gambling in the U.S. and Beyond

Reno—A $500 million develop-ment called the Fountain District has been announced for downtown Reno. Earmarked for an area between the Gold Dust West and Sands Regency casinos, the development is described as a “mixed-use project that will include a strong arts and entertainment focus.”

Lake Tahoe—The Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe has completed a $5 million renovation. The work was confined to the casino and public areas, including the complete replacement of two ca-sino bars and upgrades in the poker and high-limit rooms.

Atlantic City—The Atlantic City Tropicana has purchased the neigh-

boring Chelsea Hotel. The Chelsea will be connected to the casino by a skyway bridge and may be upgraded with new restaurants and meeting space, while its 330 rooms will raise the Trop’s room count to 2,730.

Bahamas—The strange saga of the $4.2 billion Baha Mar casino continues with word that the resort may not make its planned October opening, due to more disputes over money. A limited first stage of Baha Mar opened in April, but there’s been no progress since.

Online—The merger of daily fantasy sports giants FanDuel and DraftKings has been called off. Both companies say they will continue to compete for DFS market share. Mean-while, New Hampshire and Delaware have signed bills legalizing DFS. And online-gambling mogul Calvin Ayre has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating U.S. anti-gambling

laws, ending a five-year criminal case in which prosecutors had pursued felony charges. The plea effectively ends Ayre’s self-imposed exile from the U.S. and also frees up the Bodog domain name that was seized by the Feds. Ayre has been running his online enterprise as Bovada, but perhaps the return of Bodog is in the cards.

Gambling in the MediaA gambling article in the New York

Post describes a $1 million bet made by a down-and-out poker player that he could drop from 33% body fat to below 10% in six months. The story illustrates the level of complexity that can be reached (backers, trainers, side bets) in these high-stakes propositions that are common in certain gambling circles.

HBO is airing an episode of “Ballers” that mimics the saga of the Oakland Raiders move to Las Vegas. n

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2017

DININGSuper Sashimi

Last March, Yonaka Modern Japanese restaurant was our Local Corner, largely on the strength of its excellent sashimi options. Ordering Yonaka’s two combination plates, one for $27 and one for $58, works out to an excellent deal on some fine fish for $85. Now we’ve discovered an even better play at a former Local Corner, Other Mama (LVA 4/16). OM offers two high-quality sashimi plates priced even lower at $21.50 and $35. The $21.50 plate is a traditional mix that includes tuna, yellowtail, and octopus. It’s 20 pieces in all for $21.50.

The second is a deluxe combination with more pieces that includes uni for $35.

Get ’em both and it feeds two for just $56.50. Other Mama no longer serves

nigiri sushi, concentrating instead on sashimi (that you can also order by the piece) and other seafood specialties—including one of the best tuna tartares in town—along with non-seafood spe-cialties. Every night starting at 10 pm, oysters on the half-shell are $1 apiece for an hour or till closing.

Buffet NewsLast month we reported that the

closed buffet at the Palms would be converted into a “food-hall concept.” Station Casinos has since clarified that this isn’t the case and that the new buffet will be called “Haute Plates.” The debut date for the buffet hasn’t been announced.

Aria has added a weekday brunch for $28.99, eliminating breakfast and lunch. The price of the Weekend Jazz Brunch at the Wynn has been increased by $3 to $68. The Beach Café at the Tropicana is being converted into a buffet.

ReviewsCarve (ECan)—The steakhouse,

Carve, at Eastside Cannery has recent-ly added a “prime rib-centric menu,” which means the it offers several cuts of prime rib. Boneless options are 10 ounces for $15, 14 ounces for $18, and 18 ounces for $21. The big bone-in cuts are 22 ounces for $30 and 28 ounces for $34. All come with salad, choice of potato, and vegetable, so it’s a complete meal. If you want to splurge on an appetizer, they’re only $7-$8 each (the French onion soup is a good one). We got the two big boys. As sometimes happens with large prime rib portions, they were slightly dry, but who can complain at these prices in the top room in the casino? One of the reasons we tried this meal was to test the Member Rewards of-fer that was converted to a twofer in Snaps, the Deli, or Carve after the ECan buffet closed. The MRB coupon was accepted graciously; however there’s a $15 cap on the discount, which is

fair given that it equals the discount at the buffet. This one’s definitely worth doing. Carve is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Longhorn—The Chuckwagon Restaurant at the Longhorn is one of the great throwbacks to old-Vegas bar-gain dining, packed with good food at low prices. We reviewed its steak and prime rib specials in February, but we had to try two more meal deals there— the “Monster Burger” for $10.99 and the 24-hour ham & eggs for $4.99. The burger is a full one-pounder that comes with all the fixin’s and fries. If you can finish it, you’ll get a “Longhorn Challenge” certificate for doing so, but it’s better to share (it feeds two eas-ily) or take out what’s left for a great warm-up lunch.

continued on next paGe

Combination sashimi

Deluxe combination

22-ouncer at Crave

1-pound Monster Burger

AUGUST 2017 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 5

continued on paGe 8

Dining continued

The ham & eggs is equally impres-sive. The ham isn’t need-an-extra-plate sized, but it’s in the ballpark.

The total for both meals, plus a Heineken, came to $17.48 before tax. But that’s not the end of the story. If you ask at the register when paying, each member of a dining party will be given a first-card-ace coupon for a $5 bet at blackjack. Starting your hand with an ace is worth 52% of the bet, so each ace is worth $2.60 in expected return ($5 x .52). With $5.20 in expected value from two ace coupons, the theoretical cost of our meal was only $11.88. But theoretical and actual are two differ-ent things—we had to play them off. On the first hand, the ace was paired with a 9 for 20, a $5 winner. On the second, a ten was dealt for a snapper and a $7.50 win (they still pay 3-2 on naturals at Longhorn). The $12.50 win reduced the actual price paid for lunch (and leftovers) to $4.98!

Grasshoppers (El Dorado Can-tina)—We finally did it. We ordered—and ate—the sautéed grasshoppers (chapulines) at El Dorado Cantina. (That’s what we’re about here, folks—we do it so you don’t have to.) Did we like ’em? Not really, but not for reasons that you might expect. They weren’t squishy or crunchy or even buggy (whatever that is). If anything, we found them so bland, they were difficult to describe. One in our party likened them to “shrimp skins.” A sec-ond said, “burnt popcorn.” The best

descriptor came from the bartender, who pretty much nailed it with “soggy sunflower seeds.” Bottom line, if you want to eat grasshoppers just to say you ate grasshoppers, you don’t have to worry about being repulsed by the taste or consistency. They’re not exactly cheap either at $12 and there’s also nothing special about the presentation, which elicited the best quote of the night: “If you’re gonna eat grasshoppers, they should at least look good.” OK, so maybe you don’t order the grasshoppers. El Dorado is a good Mexican restaurant that’s interesting enough just for its location as an annex to Sapphire’s gentlemen’s club. And it’s open 24/7.

SG Bar—We like the PTs bars. They’re great for drinking, have a good happy hour, and put out some honking breakfasts (LVA 10/14). The overall menu, however, has never done it for us. We tried again at the new high-end version of a PT’s tavern, SG Bar at 9580 W. Flamingo. Calamari, poke, and shrimp tacos came to $47. Not terrible, but the food is a shrug at best.

Chili (Irene’s)—We write about Irene’s a lot for its breakfasts, steak special (which has gone up $1 to $15.99), and overall excellent kitchen. But don’t overlook the chili. It’s served the way it ought to be with chopped onions and cheese, and is available around the clock for $3.99 a cup and $5.99 a bowl. You won’t be disap-pointed.

Dining NotesThe Palm Restaurant in the Forum

Shops at Caesars Palace has brought back its summer lobster special. Through August 15, a four-pound lobster dinner for two is $99.

The American Coney Island at the D sold its one-millionth Coney dog last month. The customer who purchased it will get free hot dogs for a year.

The price of our favorite pho tai from Pho Vietnam in Chinatown has been raised 60¢ to $8.95.

Robert Irvine’s Public House has opened at the Tropicana. Irvine’s pub-style restaurant has been the subject of a big promotional campaign, including

a giant image of the chef who rose to fame on the Food Network gracing the exterior of the casino for more than a year.

Social Table has opened at the Palms in the space that was formerly Hooters. The sports-bar-themed restaurant is temporary while another restaurant is readied. It’s expected to be in place through the end of the year.

A new 24-hour food outlet called eatwell (no caps) has opened at the Cromwell. It’s just a snack bar, but it fills a major need for a low-cost dining option there. It features a big Starbucks menu and sandwiches, pizzas, and salads are priced under $10.

Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken and Dirt Dog have opened in the Grand Bazaar Shops at Bally’s.

A fourth Las Vegas Shake Shack has opened in the District at Green Valley Ranch.

Blackout “Dining in the Dark,” a restaurant where you eat in total dark-ness, has opened on Valley View near the Gold Coast. There’s a four-course meal for $44.95 and a six-course meal for $64.95.

Chumlee’s Candy on the Blvd. has opened at 725 Las Vegas Boulevard S., near the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop featured on the TV show “Pawn Stars,” in which Austin

24-hour ham & eggs

6 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2017

A D V A N C E P L A N N E R

AUGUST8/1-8/11 • The Who Caesars Palace • $76–$518–2 • Pitbull • PH • $49–$558/2-8/19 • Cher • Monte Carlo • $55–$4758/2-8/30 • Jeff Dunham Caesars Palace • $49.50–$79.508–4 • Billy Currington Sunset Station • $25–$658–4 • Crown the Empire Hard Rock • $20/$358–4 • Ed Sheeran T–Mobile • $39.50–$99.508–4 • FireHouse Golden Nugget • $20.71–$162.418–4 • Turnpike Troubadours Hard Rock • $25 8–4 • Slayer • Hard Rock • $59.508–4 • Turnpike Troubadours Hard Rock • $25 8/4-8/5 • David Spade & Howie Mandel Mirage • $65.39–$98.908/4-8/6 • Four Freshman South Point • $20–$308–5 • Kendrick Lamar T–Mobile • $39.50–$1258–5 • This Wild Life • Red Rock • $30 8–5 • Tracy Lawrence Aliante • $35–$508–6 • Ginuwine Hard Rock • $25.60/$51.208–8 • Steve Miller Band w/Frampton Caesars Palace • $59.50–$1508–9 • Primus w/Clutch Hard Rock • $40–$1508–10 • Gente De Zona • MBay • $45–$558–11 • Frank Caliendo Orleans • $34.95–$129.958–11 • Lady GaGa • T–Mobile • $45–$2758–11 • Rare Earth Golden Nugget • $20.71–$107.918/11-8/12 • George Lopez • Mirage • $70–$908/11-8/12 • Hermans Hermits South Point • $40–$508/11-9/1 • Steel Panther • MBay • $22/$328–12 • Bryson Tiller Hard Rock • $88.89–$258.108–12 • Deep Purple & Alice Cooper Cosmo • $45–$1358–12 • Mike Epps • Palms • $39.50–$89.50

8–12 • Sunny Turner • Suncoast • $20 8–12 • Yuridia • MBay • $37.50–$758–13 • Fleet Foxes • Cosmo • $26 8–13 • War on the Catwalk MBay • $33–$1538/15-9/2 • Richard Marx Flamingo LV • $59/$998–17 • Bryan Ferry • Cosmo • $29 8–18 • 311 w/New Politics MBay • $50.48/$114.688–18 • Gary Puckett Golden Nugget • $20.71–$140.618–18 • Young the Giant’s Palms • $25–$558/18-8/19 • Carlos Mencia Orleans • $34.95–$54.958/18-8/19 • Earl Turner South Point • $30–$408/18-8/19 • Ron White • Mirage • $70.40–$928/18-8/20 • Psycho LV 2017 Festival Hard Rock • $99–$499 8–19 • 70’s Soul Jam • Cannery • $28.95 8–19 • Van Jones • Palms • $25–$758–23 • Die Antwoord • Cosmo • $29/$398–24 • August Alsina MBay • $29.50–$1988–25 • BJ Thomas Golden Nugget • $20.71–$118.818–25 • Jay Leno • Mirage • $70.40–$90.408–25 • Steve Martin & Martin Short Caesars Palace • $49.95–$1758/25-8/26 • James Darren South Point • $25–$358–26 • BIG3 Championship Finals T–Mobile • $35–$1,0008–26 • Mayweather v McGregor T–Mobile • $500–$10,0008–26 • Tim Allen Mirage • $65.39–$87.198–26 • YESTIVAL • Hard Rock • $45–$1758/26-8/27 • Sommore • Suncoast • $46 8–27 • Australian Pink Floyd Hard Rock • $30–$1008–27 • Foreigner w/Cheap Trick Cosmo • $45 SEPTEMBER9–1 • Air Supply Orleans • $39.95–$59.959–1 • Jo Koy • TI • $59.90/$76.259–1 • Mary J. Blige • Palms • $70–$160

9–1 • Tommy James/Shondells Golden Nugget • $31.61–$140.619/1-9/2 • George Lopez • Mirage • $70–$909/1-9/2 • George Strait T–Mobile • $75–$2009/1-9/2 • Jon Lovitz & Dana Carvey SLS LV • $49–$899/1-9/3 • HartBeat Weekend 2017 Cosmo • $49 9/1-9/3 • Tito Puente Jr South Point • $25–$359–2 • Farruko • MBay • $65 9–2 • Idina Menzel • Palms • $64–$1499–2 • TOTO • Red Rock • $40–$809/2-9/3 • Bruno Mars Monte Carlo • $160.55–$1518.499–3 • Michael Bolton Cannery • $49.95–$99.459–3 • Iliza Shlesinger • Mirage • $55.99 9/3-10/10 • REO Speedwagon Orleans • $69.95–$89.959/6 & 9/13 • Jeff Dunham Caesars Palace • $49.50–$79.509–8 • Lifehouse & Switchfoot MBay • $36.24 9–8 • Luis Fonsi • Palms • $45–$859–8 • Mitch Ryder w/Detroit Wheels Golden Nugget • $20.71–$107.919–8 • Pole Show LA • MBay • $35–$1259–8 • SZA w/Ravyn Lenae Hard Rock • $25 9/8-9/9 • Bill Maher • Mirage • $70–$909/8-9/9 • Jerry Seinfeld Caesars Palace • $82.50–$1659/8–9/10 • Jim Breuer South Point • $40–$509–9 • Aaron Lewis • MBay • $35–$559–9 • Jonathan Lee Monte Carlo • $71.56–$181.659–9 • Melissa Etheridge Palms • $40–$909–12 • Reverend Horton Heat MBay • $23 9/12-9/23 • Ricky Martin Monte Carlo • $54.59–$3259/13-9/24 • Carlos Santana MBay • $99.50–$3009–15 • Alejandro Fernández T–Mobile • $69–$2259–15 • Ricardo Arjona • Cosmo • $89/$99

HEADLINERS AND EVENTS

AUGUST 2017 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7

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

RO

OM

RATES

WEEKENDAZ C. Decatur • $66Silver Sevens • $96El Cortez • $104

Circus Circus • $96Hooters • $103Sam’s Town • $122

Palms • $171 Caesars Palace • $190Hard Rock • $190

WEEKENDAZ C. Decatur • $89the D • $94California • $122

Sam’s Town • $124Circus Circus • $126Tuscany • $143

Palms • $201 Hard Rock • $210Mirage • $215

WEEKDAYFour Queens • $49Main Street Station • $50Fremont • $52

Circus Circus • $54Tuscany • $63Excalibur • $69

Hard Rock • $102Palms • $131Paris • $164

WEEKENDFremont • $65Main Street Station • $65California • $70

Downtown Grand • $72Golden Nugget • $80Palace Station • $89

Palms • $121Mirage • $134Hard Rock • $157

WEEKDAYFour Queens • $39Fremont • $39Main Street Station • $42

Circus Circus • $51Downtown Grand • $56Hooters • $57

Hard Rock • $60Palms • $77 Paris • $114

WEEKDAYFour Queens • $39Fremont • $39Main Street Station • $39

Circus Circus • $51Hooters • $53Sam’s Town • $54

Hard Rock • $65Palms • $81 Mirage • $91

SHO

W N

OTE

SW

EATH

ER

Mean 88° Avg. Max. 102° Avg. Min. 73° Pools: OpenA very hot and wet month. Desert electrical storms are spectacular but can cause dangerous floods on and around the Strip.

Attire: Summer cool, bathing suits.

Mean 80° Avg. Max. 95° Avg. Min. 65° Pools: OpenWarm sunny days, mild evenings. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Attire: No need for jackets or sweaters.

A D V A N C E P L A N N E R

DATESK

EY

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

9-10 Brickfest Live—10,000 12-14 ISSA/Interclean—16,000 14-16 Int’l Vision Expo—23,000 15-16 Mr. Olympia—45,000 20-22 Interbike Expo—25,000 25-27 Pack Expo —45,000

3-5 G2E Global Gaming Expo—26,000 10-12 IMEX—12,000 10-12 National Business Aviation—25,000 14-16 Autodesk Inc. University—12,000 15-18 ABC Kids Expo—14,000 31-11/3 Automotive AfterMarket—160,000

1-3 Automotive AfterMarket—160,000 7-16 National Finals Rodeo—175,000 17-19 Live Design Int’l—14,000

Mean 67° Avg. Max. 81° Avg. Min. 53° Pools: OpenBalmy days, cool evenings toward the end of the month.

Attire: Short sleeves during the day, light jacket for evenings.

• Ticket prices for David Copperfield at MGM Grand have been increased from $94.55-$251.05 to $111.05-$272.26.

• Ticket prices for JABBAWOCKEEZ at MGM Grand have been increased from $63.44-$128.85 to $77.49-$146.30.

• Ticket prices for “Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club” at MGM Grand have been increased from $46.50-$68.50 to $59.68-$83.60. When Garrett is performing, tickets are $68.50-$107.41.

• Ticket prices for Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas at the LINQ have been adjusted from $40.17/$99.44/$112.94/$123.94 to $41.26/$68.74/$79.74/$90.74/$100.74/$113.24.

• Ticket prices for Magic Mike at Hard Rock have been increased from $62.85-$158.85 to $86.90-$160.45.

• Ticket prices for Miss Behave Gameshow at Bally’s have been increased form $58.85 to $71.60.

• Ticket prices for World’s Greatest Rock Show at the Stratosphere have been increased from $54.99-$87.69 to $79.36-$114.24.

• Ticket prices for Black Magic Live at the Tommy Wind Theater have been increased from $79.71/$90.61 to $90.61/$101.51.

• Comedy & Dolls has closed at Planet Holly-wood.

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2017

continued on next paGe

ReviewCircus 1903—

The Golden Age of CircusParis

Wed., Sat., Sun. 3 & 7 pm; Tues., Thurs., Fri. 7 pm$65.16-$160.86

Who likes a circus? Judging by the extinction of the real thing, very few. Animals under stress, performers fall-

ing to injury and death, and of course, clowns. Really, what’s to like? Circus 1903 has none of these things.

Circus 1903 is the latest big-bud-get spectacle to hit the Strip. As the name describes, it mimics an old-time circus, but the only things old-time in this show are the sets. There are 10 acts, each accompanied by rousing music from a booming sound system

ENTERTAINMENT

Local Corner—7 Sinful Subs4632 S. Maryland Pkwy., 702-998-2555

Las Vegas is lousy with sub shops: Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s, Fire-house, Port of Subs, and of course, Subway, just to name a few. They’re fairly interchangeable. Then there’s the gold standard, Capriotti’s (LVA 4/11), which is anything but. So when a new place shows up and takes aim at the big guy, we’re interested. The new 7 Sinful Subs is doing just that, with an all-star cast of owners and a mission statement to make a better submarine sandwich that puts them in the Capriotti’s space. The focal owner is Vic Vegas, well-known in town for several high-profile culinary endeavors and appearances on Food Network and “Bar Rescue.” Also in the group is Brian Slipock, the low-key owner of Jackson’s Bar & Grill that we’ve written about many times for its steak and prime rib specials.

While the name suggests seven subs, there are nine, all hot except for one traditional cold-cuts sub called “Not-So Boring.” Everything is home-made, right down to the bread crumbs used for the chicken parm and the tangy marinara that tops it is Chef Vic’s grandmother’s recipe. “Skinny Dip” is a version of a Philly steak, “Crazy Caprese” is veggie, and “Jive Turkey” is 7 Subs’ version of Capriotti’s “Bobby,” essentially a Thanksgiving dinner on a bun. They come with a choice of chips and run $7.99 to $9.99 apiece. Sides and salads are $2.99-$9.99 and save room for the made-from-scratch cannoli ($2.99).

The shop is located across Maryland Pkwy. from the UNLV campus and a second location in Summerlin is in the works. Hours are 7 am to 6 pm Monday-Saturday. Go to LasVegasAdvisor.com to download an exclusive offer for a free drink and funnel styx when you order any sandwich or salad.

Note: In last month’s Local Corner, we mistakenly wrote that one of two Settebello locations is in Town Square. It’s located in Village Square at Fort Apache and Sahara.

“Chumlee” Russell is one of the fea-tured personalities.

A second Flock & Fowl restau-rant is in the works, opening soon in downtown’s Ogden condo complex. It will take the space that used to be occupied by Itsy Bitsy Ramen & Whisky and will reportedly be one of the only restaurants in Las Vegas to go cash-less, accepting payment by credit or debit card only.

The Strip location of Tacos El Gordo is planning a move to a vacant tattoo parlor later this year. The new location is within walking distance of the current shop, which has become a go-to place for late-night Strip partiers. An exact date for the move has not been announced.

After a brief run replacing Ser-endipity 3, Stripside Café & Bar has closed at Caesars Palace. The prime space on the corner of the Strip and Flamingo will become the location of Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen, though an opening date hasn’t been announced.

The long-running Samba Brazilian Steakhouse will close at the Mirage on August 31. The press release an-nouncing the closing describes its replacement only as a “new culinary concept.”

Uncle Angelo’s Pizza Joint at Jerry’s Nugget has closed. It was an-nounced in early April that the restau-rant would undergo renovations, but

Dining continued no work has been done and it appears closed for good.

Downtown’s Courthouse Bar & Grill has closed. It may become an annex of the real courthouse across the street.

Olivia’s Mexican restaurant has closed at the Boulevard Mall. It’s the second bar/restaurant to close recently at the mall, following Hatari.

The second and last Las Vegas location of Roy’s has closed. n

Oldest in Nevada

According to msn.com, the oldest restaurant in Nevada is Casale’s Half-way Club in Reno, which opened in 1937 in the location it occupies today at 2501 E. Fourth Street. MSN writes, “Casale’s was originally a small take-out stand known for its homemade ravioli. Over the years, the small shop expanded into a full-service restaurant with a dive-bar feel, and the Italian-themed menu grew with it.” Next time we’re in Reno …

AUGUST 2017 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9

Notes• Cirque du Soleil has acquired

Blue Man Productions for an undisclosed amount. While it’s big news in the entertainment biz, it’s not expected to have any immediate effect on the Cirque or Blue Man shows in Las Vegas.

• There are rumors that the pro-ducers of Absinthe are plan-ning to bring a similar show called Opium to the Strip. A possible target is the show-room at Palazzo that was used briefly for another avant garde show called The Act that closed in 2013.

• The Lounge at the Palms has closed and will reportedly be converted into a high-limit room.

See the advance planner for dates, prices, and additional show updates.

A third Las Vegas Minus5 Ice Ex-perience bar has opened in the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian.

The Lounge at Excalibur has been renovated and foosball and shuffle-board have been added.

Lagasse’s Stadium at Palazzo has added a beer-garden component featuring German food and drinks.

The former Shifty’s at Sahara and Valley View is now called G.O.A.T.

At Nora’s, an old fashioned is $12.99 and a draft Peroni is $6.50. At the Griffin, a draft Brooklyn is $8. At Other Mama, a draft Asahi is $5.41 and a draft PBR is $3.25. At Jackpot Bar and Grill, a draft Bud is $4.33. At Front Row Lounge, a Bud is $3.50. At Aloha Kitchen & Bar Decatur, a Bud is $3.50. At Aloha Kitchen & Bar Maryland Pkwy., a Bud is $3. At Casino Royale, a vodka tonic is $3.

Notes: In the Paris showroom, a 24-ounce domestic or 16-ounce craft or import beer is $9, so if you lean toward fancier beers, you’ll have to decide if that preference trumps an extra eight ounces of brew. Wine is $12. n

Entertainment continued

and all held together by a smooth ringmaster. One after the next, jugglers, bicyclists, acrobats, contortionists, balancers, and wire-walkers upstage the performers before them. The acts are fabulous, but the stars of the show are the huge mother and baby elephant puppets manned by humans (the pup-pets were created by the company that did Broadway’s War Horse). You know they’re not real, but then again you don’t (see newsletter cover), and their presence, backed by a slowed down score, has a cool calming effect. Then it’s right back to the action, with breaks only for crowd interaction, mostly involving kids brought up on stage. These segments, too, are snappier than most—the 90-minute show never drags. Even the pricing is good, as the fairly intimate showroom provides good sightlines from the cheap seats.

It boils down to the fact that Cir-cus 1903 isn’t really a circus. Though many of the acts are traditional big-top fare, it’s a variety show, and the best in town at that. It’s Absinthe without the raunch and Cirque without the snoot. It’s a show you can take your kids to—and we think, even your edgy spouse/date—without fear.

Cheaper SeatsGive it up for the Westgate. We

don’t see this very often, but the prices of all the shows at Westgate Las Vegas have been reduced by about $6. Tickets for Vinnie Favorito start at $74.39, down from $80.99; the starting price for Purple Reign is $64, down from $70.76; and SEXXY now starts at $53.45, down from $60.21. Also, the dinner component for Jarrett & Raja Magician vs. Maestro at Hoot-ers has been discontinued, lowering ticket prices from $64.62-$110.22 to $49.68-$78.93.

Half-Price at the NuggetThe show and buffet deal at the

Golden Nugget is a Top Ten value, but if you don’t want to eat, you can see the shows by themselves for half-price

in August. The offer is promoted as a 2-for-1, but we were able to book a single ticket online at a 50% discount. After tax and fees, the lowest-priced ticket for Frankie Moreno is $22.08 and for Clint Holmes it’s just $16.63. These are fantastic prices for a night of top-level entertainment in one of Las Vegas’ iconic showrooms. Buy tickets online or at the box office.

Freebie for FrancoHere’s an excellent discount deal

with some charity largesse thrown in. Now through September 3, pur-chase $10 worth of pet supplies at any Las Vegas-area Petco location, then donate it back to Petco and get one free ticket to Matt Franco—Magic Reinvented Nightly at the Flamingo. Maximum of two tickets per person, which means two can see this good magic show (LVA 9/15) for $20.

Bars and Happy Hours(Note: These types of deals can

change quickly. Call to verify.)Cleo at SLS has a happy hour daily

from 5 to 7 pm, with beer for $4, wine and cocktails for $8, and appetizers from $7 to $9.

Burger Brasserie at Paris has a daily happy hour from 4 to 6 pm with 50% off all drinks.

At Boyd casino bars, Budweiser camo bottles are $2.50 while sup-plies last.

Jackson’s Bar & Grill has happy hours daily from 4 to 6 pm and mid-night to 2 am, with beer, wine, and well drinks for $3 and appetizers from $2.99 to $5.29.

Nacho Daddy in Summerlin has a happy hour Mon.-Fri. from 3 to 6 pm and all day Sunday, with Corona for $1; all-you-can-drink margaritas, mimosas, or palomas for $20; and appetizers for $4-$5.

Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken in Downtown Summerlin has $1 draft PBR, with a notice that says, “There’s no catch, it really is $1 for PBR drafts.”

On “Top-Shelf Tuesdays” at Casa Del Matador in Downtown Summerlin, all tequila shots priced $12 and above are 50% off.

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2017

continued on next paGe

WSOP ChampionThe new poker world champion is

Scott Blumstein, a 25-year-old profes-sional player from New Jersey who emerged from the starting field of 7,221 to take down the $8,150,000 first prize in the World Series of Poker’s Main Event. Blumstein began final-table play with the chip lead and took a 2-1 advantage into heads-up play against Dan Ott. On the final hand, Blumstein had A-2 to Ott’s A-8 suited. With one card to be dealt, Blumstein needed a 2 and it fell, giving him the cham-pionship. Ott earned $4.7 million for second, followed by Benjamin Pollack ($3.5 million), John Hesp ($2.6 million), Antoine Saout ($2 million), Bryan Pic-cioli ($1.7 million), Damian Salas ($1.4 million), Jack Sinclair ($1.2 million), and Ben Lamb ($1 million).

The money cutoff was 1,084th

position. All players from that point on got a minimum of $15,000. This year’s official bubble boy—the player finishing 1,085th—was Quan Zhou, who was awarded the traditional $10K entry into next year’s Main Event. Not so bad, considering that he busted out at the same time as Roger Campbell and won a one-hand tiebreaker to get the buy-in, making Campbell the real bubble casualty. This year’s Last Woman Standing was Yuan-Yuan Li, who finished 105th for $53,247.

The players’ ages on the ME final table were 25, 25, 26, 28, 32, 33, 34, 42, and 64, putting the average age at 30.9, the third year in a row with an average over 30. Blumstein’s win makes it nine wins in 10 years for play-ers in their 20s.

Outside of the Main Event, Elior Sion from England won the prestigious Poker Players Championship and the $1.4 million first prize. Australian pro Heidi May won the Ladies No-Limit Hold ’Em event for $135,098, outlasting a big field of 718 players. Phil Ivey never made an appearance, reportedly devoting time to the court cases related to his baccarat disputes

in London and Atlantic City.

Freeroll at the MM Resort is running a $500 rebate-

on-loss deal for new club members. Both out-of-state and local players are eligible, but this is another one with redemption rules that make it difficult for visitors. Specifically, the rebates are distributed in two “bounce-back” offers sent via email “within 14 business days from the first visit.” M employees are cryptic (and there’s nothing written) about how much time you have to redeem after getting the offers, but “as of now,” the window for each is one month. The rebate applies only to losses on the day you join. As far as we can tell, there’s no restriction on the machines you can play, either during the initial play or with the free-play.

If you can meet the cashing re-quirements, this is a very strong deal. As we’ve explained many times, the power in this promotion is the freeroll for a chance at a big hit. How big is up to you. If you get ahead by any amount that feels good, cash out. But shooting higher—say, walk with at least $500—is a better way to play. More important is to play till you lose the entire $500 if you don’t hit. If you stop in the middle, be sure it’s on a multiple of $50 ($150, $200, $250, etc.), because they’ll round the rebate down if you’re in between. When you get the rebates, you’ll have to play them through once, so you could lose a little. Overall, though, you have the edge and a chance to come out way ahead on this arrangement.

This is also a heck of a play from an entertainment standpoint. Most casual gamblers can’t or won’t play at levels where they might lose $500 in a session, so this is something of a hall pass for bigger play. If you nor-mally play quarters, go ahead and fire at 50¢ or $1. Remember, this isn’t a play-$500-get-$500 matchplay deal (see below). You have to lose $500

GAMBLINGto get the entire rebate, so you’ll get some play in the process.

Table-game players get a separate deal. Give your new card to a floorman, play for one hour at any limit, and earn a $25 meal comp. The comp can be used immediately, so this is an option that works for both visitors and locals. This bonus is nowhere near as valuable as the machine option, but it’s not bad and we saw nothing that suggests that you can’t do both.

Bar MatchplaysAnother valuable promotion is a

machine matchplay. Run a designated amount through a machine (playing any game) and get all, or a portion, of that amount in free-play. In recent months, we’ve written about a $20-for-$20 deal at Home Plate and a $20-for-$100 deal at No Regrets. The closer the matchplay is to the play requirement, the better. In both examples, the bonus is $20, which tends to be the norm. That’s what makes a new $150 matchplay offer at Ichabod’s Lounge so good.

Ichabod’s at 3300 E. Flamingo is one of Las Vegas’ legendary “gaming bars,” heavy on promotions and said to have one of the highest gambling drops (amount deposited into machines) in the city. The deal is open to everyone one time, even existing Ichabod’s play-ers club members. Tell the bartender you want to do the “radio deal,” then put up to $150 in the machine to get the same amount in matchplay. This isn’t done electronically; the bartender loads cash. You’re required to play the full amount ($300 max) through one time before you cash out. If you’re a new club sign-up, you’ll get an addi-tional $10 (electronically loaded) after playing $20, making it $160 in total free-play. There’s a lot more going on at this bar; we’ll cover it all in a future issue.

A new bar called Jackpot (4330 S. Decatur) ran a $50-for-$50 matchplay on Mondays last month. It was pro-

AUGUST 2017 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11

If you play the M Resort freeroll, you have a choice of several excellent schedules from 25¢ to $1 on the floor, including Triple Bonus Poker Plus paying 9 for a full house (99.80%), NSU Deuces (99.73%), and 9/5 Bo-nus Poker Deluxe (99.64%), along with 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%) up to $2. The schedules aren’t as good at the bars, with 9/6 Double Double Bonus (98.98%) the best.

The three Super Star Poker machines at the Gold Coast sports bar that were constantly switching out schedules have been removed completely.

The Crowbar has switched route operators and no longer has a wheel spin. The 7/5 Bonus Poker (98.01%) schedule is still intact and there’s a $20 sign-up bonus for playing $100 and providing your email.

The best static schedule at Icha-bod’s is 6/5 BP (96.87%), but there are progressives at 25¢ and $1 on both 7/5 Double Double Bonus and 9/6/4 Double Bonus. The DB 25¢ progressive starts at $1,500, mak-ing it the default for highest return at 97.48%. Plus there are wheel

spins on 5-Ks daily 8-10 am, 2-4 pm, 6-9 pm, and all day Saturday and Sunday.

The best game at Jackpot is 6/5 BP.

The best game at Aloha Kitchen & Bar is 6/5 BP, but there’s also a quarter 9/6/4 DB progressive that exceeds the BP return when the meter hits $1,300. It was at $1,582 (97.67%) when we were there.

Bob Dancer’s free video poker classes run on Wednesdays in the Silverado Lounge at South Point—beginner classes at noon and intermediate at 2 pm except where otherwise noted. Must be 21. Topics are 9/6 Jacks or Better (on 8/2); 9/7 Double Bonus at noon and 9/6 Double Double Bonus at 2 pm, both beginner clases (8/9); 8/5 Bonus Poker Quick Quads, one class only at noon (8/16); 9/6 Jacks or Better Multi-Strike, one class only at noon (8/23); 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe (8/30). Be sure to check out Bob’s weekly Tuesday column and the Thursday “Gambling with an Edge” podcast, with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at LasVegasAdvisor.com.

Video Poker Lost and Found

Gambling NotesCaesars App—Caesars Entertain-

ment is close to launching a sports betting app. CET is the last of the major casinos to offer an app for mo-bile betting. All CET books are in the process of swapping out their counter software and the app should be ready by football season.

Baccarat Mini—The Wednesday baccarat mini-tournament at the Or-leans that was previously free to play now has a $25 entry fee.

Blackjack—NY-NY is advertising $5 blackjack minimums 24/7.

DFS—Resorts Casino in Atlantic City has launched a daily fantasy sports variation called FastPick. The game can currently be played only on Resorts’ online-gambling platform, but kiosks offering FastPick are expected

to be in the casino by football season.Slots—The Space Invaders slot

machine has debuted in Atlantic City as part of the roll-out there of skill-based games. The machine has a bonus screen that allows you to play the Space Invaders video game that was the rage in the ’70s. Players have the option to bypass the base game and pay to go directly to the Space Invaders screen. The game is expected to show up in Las Vegas soon.

Firing Line—You have to hand it to Paddy Power—the offshore sports book knows how to keep its name in the news. The latest stunt is a “Your Fired Market,” which puts odds on the next person in the Trump administra-tion to be fired or to resign. The cur-rent favorite is Attorney General Jeff Sessions at -120. n

moted as a July-only offer, but this place has come out promotion-heavy, so it’s worth checking in August to see what they’re doing.

The owner of Jackpot also owns the Aloha Kitchen restaurants around town and the Aloha Kitchen & Bar (8150 S. Maryland Pkwy.), which is running a daily $25-for-$300 deal. This might not sound exciting, but even if playing at a 5% disadvantage, and you can do better (see “VPL&F”), your expected loss is only $15 to get the $25 bonus. It will take you about a half-hour to play $300 at quarters, so counting free drinks, it’s not a shabby return.

CromwellThe Cromwell is making an ef-

fort to distinguish itself as one of the Strip’s more liberal gambling houses. Already the only casino in Las Vegas to deal 100X odds on craps, last month a single-zero roulette table was added in the main pit. Other casinos have single-zeros, but they’re almost exclusively in the high-limit rooms (the Mirage also has single-zero on the floor). As of now, the minimum bet on roulette is $25, so your expected loss is reduced if you can play $10 or less on a standard double-zero. But it’s the best play around for stakes of $25 and up. Finally, a sports book is also being built. Soon to no longer be the only casino on the Strip without one, the Cromwell’s new sports book is expected to open by the start of this year’s NFL season.

Gambling continued

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2017

Add One DolphinSiegfried & Roy’s Secret

Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage has a new resident with the birth of a female dolphin last month. The calf, which has not yet been named, is healthy and can be viewed when visiting the habitat.

New Strat BuffetThe Stratosphere has re-

vamped and renamed its buffet. Now called “Crafted,” all prices have been increased by $1 to $15.29 for brunch and $20.69 for regular dinner with club card. The all-day pass has been dis-continued.

On the TownWith his fight against Connor

McGregor only a month away, Floyd Mayweather has been curiously visible on the nightlife scene. On three different nights in one week he was reported seen at the Omnia nightclub at Caesars Palace (from 2:30 to 4 am), at a performance of Absinthe, and at a hip-hop concert at the D. He’s also said to show up regularly at his gentlemen’s club, Girl Collection. Mayweather reportedly trains late at night and he doesn’t drink, so this might be normal wind-down activity, but it might be something to factor into your handicapping if you’re looking to make a bet.

Model DealersA few months ago we refer-

enced a sign at the Downtown Grand that was advertising for “model dealers,” and didn’t specify what they were wanted for. Now we know. The DG has added poolside blackjack on weekends. Girls in bikinis and sarongs do the dealing.

LAST SECONDFLASH

DealsEarn 500 same-day base points

($1,000 coin-in) at Rampart on any day in August and get a free lunch buffet. Earn 800 points ($1,600 coin-in) for a dinner buffet. Earn 1,200 points ($2,400 coin-in) and get a 25-minute spa service.

Earn 1,941 points ($1,941 coin-in) in a day at El Cortez and receive $10 in free slot play. That’s a cool .515% return. Limit one redemption per day.

Westgate Las Vegas is running a “40th Tribute to the King” in August, with food specials and other events throughout the month. The best of it is a double-points day on Aug. 15, a free slot tourney with $5,000 in prizes on Aug. 16, and a free buffet if you dress like Elvis and post a photo on Westgate’s Facebook and Instagram accounts on Aug. 17.

Through August 27, visitors from California get $5 off the Fri.-Sun. seafood buffet at M Resort, plus free beer and wine.

MGM Resorts International has launched the Military & Veterans Program (MVP) that puts service members and their spouses at the Pearl level of the players club, which includes free parking.

MiscellaneousA new world record for the fastest

recorded speed on a public highway has been set on Route 318 near Ely. A 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by a 60-year-old electrical contractor from Tucson averaged 219.643 mph during the Nevada Open Road Chal-lenge and reached a top speed of 243.3 mph. The previous record for average speed was 217.575 mph.

Following the death of a 34-year-old man at the Electric Daisy Carnival where extreme heat is suspected to have contributed, the promoters of the festival say they’re considering mov-ing to a date with lower temperatures. The move is only being considered at this time and no decisions to do so

FAST TRACKhave been made. There have been seven deaths associated with EDC since 2012.

Three collectibles-laden houses of former Nevada Lieutenant Governor Dr. Lonnie Hammargren are being foreclosed on, forcing the sale of many of their famous contents. An auction is planned for a yet-to-be-announced date at Modern Mantiques downtown, where items that include a paper ma-che dinosaur, a vintage gondola, and two statues of Abraham Lincoln will be sold off if they can be retrieved from the houses.

Flooding from a fire-pipe leak caused the closing of restaurants and the casino floor at Planet Hollywood last month. The Planet Dailies res-taurant was closed for several days for repair.

Tickets for the Aug. 26 May-weather/McGregor fight, priced from $500 to $10,000, have reportedly not sold out, but are still selling at record levels on the secondary market. The average resale price is being quoted as $6,256, which is the highest ever for a combat-sport event according to TicketIQ.com. By comparison, the average resale price for Mayweather/Pacquiao was $4,830. The Pay-Per-View telecast will be $89.95 for the standard feed and $99.95 for high-definition. The offshore over/under for sales is five million.

Famous gambler Billy Walters has been sentenced to five years in prison and given a $10 million fine for his conviction on insider trading. The sentence was surprising to some, as more than 100 requests for leniency from high-powered celebrities and politicians did not sway the judge. Walters is appealing the conviction.

By all accounts, Nevada’s rec-reational marijuana proceeds are running far ahead of expectations. In the first four days, there were $3 million in sales and supply ran low enough to prompt a call for more licenses to be issued. n

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