Here’s a photo of the new VIP lounge at the new Horseshoe Casino in Cleveland. Bullz-Eye.com has a review of the new Cleveland casino that is located in the heart of downtown. There are plenty of perks for high rollers, so if you’re in Cleveland make sure to check it out!

Game developers like San Francisco Zynga have introduced a new era of social gaming. Social games can be played on PC’s, laptops and mobile devices. People can play online with their Facebook friends and Zynga’s games offer several features not found in more traditional online casino games. The advent of social gaming has forced many gaming companies to join the fray or risk being left behind in a rapidly changing industry. Earlier in the year, an article in the Wall Street Journal said that Zynga is making plans to enter the online gaming industry.

Some gaming companies are planning a foray into Zynga’s turf. The gaming companies have been emboldened by December’s ruling by the Justice Department that indicated that many forms of internet gaming could become legal. Gaming companies have been cautious since last April’s ‘black Friday’ seizures of several top online poker sites. The companies had their assets frozen and several people were indicted on a variety of charges. The December ruling has made gaming companies more confident that full online gambling legalization will take place soon.

One of the companies making the move towards social gaming is Las Vegas based International Game Technology, which just shelled out $500 million to purchase Double Down, a company that developed casino style games for Facebook. Although Double Down’s Facebook games don’t involve any actual gambling they are extremely popular with millions of regular players. The games involve the purchase of ‘virtual currency’ that players can spend playing games or for entertainment purposes.

Patti Hart, the CEO of International Game Technology, says that social gaming for real money is “going to come eventually.” Hart added “Think about how big Zynga Poker would be if it were about money, if you could win a jackpot and win a check.” If states allow social and real money gaming to mix the result could be $30 billion global business next year. Estimates say that social gaming revenues in the United States could reach $4.5 billion.

Even without real money bingo and other gambling games, social gaming is already a big business. It has been estimated that people will spend $2.9 billion on virtual goods in 2012. In 2011 people spent about $2.2 billion on virtual goods. The figures so not include revenues from advertising. IGT is planning to bring the company’s extensive collection of real world games to the Double Down casino. Players can access the games using PC’s, iPhones, iPads or through Facebook.

One of the best things in Las Vegas has to be the sportsbooks. During football season you can sit there all say, betting on games and thinking up wild parlay bets. Frankly it never gets old for me, as long as the waitresses keep bring me my drinks! But for every football fan, the best event during the offseason has to be the NFL Draft. This year offered plenty of drama with all the wild trades in the first round of the draft. After last year when we had the long lockout and all that uncertainty, this year a ton of energy was unleashed as teams and fans were all in with the draft, and the rookie salary scale made it easy for teams to want to trade into the top ten.

All of this will have huge repercussions for the 2012 NFL season. Teams like the Cleveland Browns got started on completely changing their offense. The New England Patriots traded up for a change and got two studs to help their lame defense. When the handicappers on the sports betting sites set the lines for week one, all of these personal moves will have a huge impact on perceptions. Some teams like the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers got much-need help when Nick Perry and David DeCastro fell to them respectively. The Packers really needed to improve their defense, and the Steelers had to get help protecting Big Ben.

But, don’t draw too many conclusions just from the draft. Remember the Cincinnati Bengals last season? Many thought they would be the worst team in the NFL and yet they made the playoffs. They drafted Andy Dalton and many handicappers were concerned about them starting a rookie quarterback, but Dalton played well, A.J. Green was a stud as expected and the Cincy defense was as good as many believed it could be. Now, who knows if Dalton can keep this up in 2012, but remember that there are always surprises. The NFL is very unpredictable, so always consider going against the grain in the early weeks of the NFL season.

Here’s one of the newest hot spots for high rollers in Vegas. The Bungalow Suites go for $10,000 per night, though high rollers can obviously get taken care of!

People are starting to get excited in Cleveland as the new Horseshoe Casino operated by Rock Ohio Caesars will be opening its doors soon in May. Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, who spearheaded the effort to bring casino gambling to Ohio, went down to Columbus to make one of the necessary presentations to get final approvals for the Cleveland casino. He had to answer some tough questions about his finances but everything looks like it’s on track for the scheduled opening.

It will be great to play all of the great casino games in the Heartland right on the shores of Lake Erie. We now don’t have to travel to play great games like blackjack, craps or roulette. Of course we could always play online, and that can be very addicting as well. I remember one session of the best roulette I’ve ever played. There have also been epic sessions of online poker. But it’s also great to play these games in a casino that’s within driving distance where you can order free drinks and mingle with all the ladies. The atmosphere may not be quite like Las Vegas, but the new Horseshoe looks like a real winner in Downtown Cleveland.

It’s also in a perfect location. Now fans can go to an Indians game or Cavaliers game and walk next door to play some roulette or craps. It’s also not far from the Browns stadium or the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame. Don’t look now, but Cleveland is becoming a high roller destination spot!

It’s become almost an annual religion for some people. Not so long ago, you might have to explain to friends what is
texas-holdem. Everyone knew about poker, but many fewer people knew about this variation that dominated the poker tournaments.

As poker has exploded into the mainstream over the past 15 years, all of that has changed as tons of Americans and people worldwide descend upon Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker, and million more watch the action on ESPN. It’s a great time to be in Vegas if you’re a poker fan, as many of the big-name players will show up in poker rooms around the city to get as much action as they can.

If you’re one of the millions of people honing your skills by playing online poker, you can realistically have a shot at this prestigious tournament, as many of the recent winners learned by playing online versus the smoke-filled poker rooms in Vegas or Atlantic City.

That said, the poker room hasn’t died. Rather, it’s also growing in popularity as cities like Cleveland look to add gambling in order to compete with the surrounding states that added it years ago. In Vegas, every casino has learned to love poker. It doesn’t generate as much revenue as the other casino games, but it’s a critical part now of the Vegas culture and adds to the vibe of the casino. Wives can shop for hours while their husbands burn hours at the poker tables, and that generates revenues as well.

So if you’ve been practicing, this might have to be the year where you get to Vegas and join the fun!

It’s been a long winter. You’ve been watching a lot of TV, and all of your gambling has been done online as you stay up late playing online poker or visiting OnlineBingo.com. You’ve been itching to get some warm weather and party by a pool to go with your gambling fix, so now is the time to start planning your trip to Las Vegas! It’s springtime, and the weather is warming up.

This is a great time to hit Vegas as all of the dayclubs are starting to open up again. There are tons of options as Vegas has figured out how to bring the crazy nightlife alive during the day.

This mostly started with the crazy Rehab Sundays at the Hard Rock pool. As you can see from the photo above, this was a wild a crazy party that definitely drew in a younger crowd. All of the nightlife elements like reserving a cabana and buying bottle service were brought to the poolside as well, and when you have girls in bikinis the atmosphere can get even wilder. Ditch Fridays at The Palms also became a huge hit.

You also have mellower options like Bare at The Mirage. They have a DJ and it’s definitely a party, but it caters to a more chill crowd. This is great if you want to relax a bit as well and enjoy the beautiful sites of the pool.

The whole dayclub scene has gotten even more popular now with some of the newer and trendier casinos like The Cosmopolitan which features the Marquee Dayclub. Here you definitely get the more upscale crowd along with celebrities and many well-known DJs. Cost to get in is usually around $80 per person (not counting local ladies!) so get ready to empty your wallet as well.

These are just many of the new ways that Vegas caters to the party crowd. If you’re a high roller you can expect some VIP treatment from your casino host, but realize that the dayclubs are now one of the more sought after experiences in Vegas.

You want power, you want grace, you want style, you want speed, and you’re willing to pay for it. You may already have a classic car collection, but now you want sleek, new, and fast. Start dreaming and planning – here are the top five most expensive sports cars in the world, ranked by price – and one extra just for fun.

Photo Source: Axion23 w/CC license

Named as the most powerful and fastest street-legal production car in the world, the Bugatti Veyron can reach speeds of 253 mph. Built by Volkswagen, it was named after Pierre Veyron, the driver who won Le Mans in 1939. You can have this beauty with 16 cylinders that give you 1,001 horsepower and 0-60 in 2.5 seconds for the bargain price of $1.7 million. Of course, that’s just the base model. If you want the Super Sports edition, be ready to shell out $2.4 million.

The exotic and dreamy Italian-made Pagani Zonda Clinque Roadster’s price tag is $1.85 million, which is worth it when you’re going from 0-60 in 3.4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 217 mph. Check out the super-neat spoiler in the back. Plus, the car is made of carbon fiber weaved with titanium threads, and its engine is a hand-built V12.

Photo Source: DavidHT w/CC license

Lower, sleeker, and minus a spoiler is the Lamborghini Reventon. Zooming from 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, you actually gain a second, but you lose a bit of speed, as her top clock is 211 mph. There are only 20 available at a time, and you can get this little number for $1.6 million.

In the same price range is the Koenigsegg Agera R, speeding you up a bit with 0-60 in 2.9 seconds and reaching 260 mph. Unfortunately, the speed is electronically capped at 235 mph…but if you say please and fill out all the paperwork, the company will unlock that cap – for one occasion.

Photo Source: motoyen w/CC license

Even though she’s 15 years old, the McLaren F1 is the fastest car ever built, reaching top speeds of 240 mph. She still looks like a winner and outperforms even the new kids. With 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, she was a wonder of her time and still is. Check out her cool DeLorean-like doors.

Finally, just for fun – are you looking for something under a million? Try the Ferrari Enzo. The base model sells for a screaming $670,000 (what a deal!). With a top speed of 217 mph and 0-60 in 3.65 seconds, the Enzo has become the most popular supercar ever built. Originally, only 399 were produced, so the auction price has exceeded the $1 million mark – but still, she’s worth it! With cars worth this much, you are going to need to buy auto insurance to make sure you investment is covered.

One of the newest games on the market is Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 which features characters from both Marvel and Capcom. The fighting system on the game has been redone and there are eight new modes and eight new stages. Marvel arcade games are always fun to play and this one is no exception. There are a total of 50 characters including Capcom’s Strider and Marvel’s Ghost Rider.

The Spectator Mode in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is probably the best new feature. This addition makes it so that players can watch other live online matches. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is fun to play and if you know the genre there are so many characters you will relate to.

When you think of Marvel arcade games you might just think of the Spiderman game but there is so much more to consider. Marvel games are not available at online casinos as there are countless slots that feature many Marvel Comic superheroes. Marvel has also introduced the Marvel Arcade on Facebook where games can now be played. The ability to play your favorite Marvel games on Facebook is definitely appealing and many of the popular superhero games are available like Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine and The Hulk.

The Incredible Hulk slot machine is one of the most popular ones at the online casino as it offers 25 pay lines and a lot of ways to win. The Marvel slots have become a huge hit with players as they also offer progressive jackpots. The Incredible Hulk slot is not only exciting to play but it is also fun. It has a Smash Bonus feature when the Hulk smashes police cars and helicopters. If you get the Incredible Hulk symbols you win free games. When it comes to the progressive jackpots, the Hulk game also delivers as all Marvel slots are linked to four progressive jackpots and all are won at random.

Whether you are a gamer who plays Marvel arcade games or you are a player who loves the slots, the excitement and fun available is never ending. You can play from the comfort of your own home or you can take your favorite games on the road and play them using your hand-held device like an iPhone or Android. Enjoy Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and also enjoy the many different Marvel slots available today at online casinos.

Social issues have returned for Republicans as they start talking about how they want to run your private lives. Now they’re going after Internet gambling.

National Review’s Jim Geraghty wonders whether there might be a business-related reason behind casino magnate Sheldon Adelson’s reported opposition to Rick Santorum. Take a look at what the former Pennsylvania senator had to say about gambling during a recent interview with Jon Ralston:

I’m someone who takes the opinion that gaming is not something that is beneficial, particularly having that access on the Internet. Just as we’ve seen from a lot of other things that are vices on the Internet, they end to grow exponentially as a result of that. It’s one thing to come to Las Vegas and do gaming and participate in the shows and that kind of thing as entertainment, it’s another thing to sit in your home and have access to that it. I think it would be dangerous to our country to have that type of access to gaming on the Internet.

Freedom’s not absolute. What rights in the Constitution are absolute? There is no right to absolute freedom. There are limitations. You might want to say the same thing about a whole variety of other things that are on the Internet — “let everybody have it, let everybody do it.” No. There are certain things that actually do cost people a lot of money, cost them their lives, cost them their fortunes that we shouldn’t have and make available, to make it that easy to do.

People who like gambling need to recognize that one party wants to tell you how to live your life.