Steve Wynn has an incredible knack for creating the ultimate high roller experience. Sure, some also blame him for the corporate culture that invaded Las Vegas with the introduction of the Mirage. I guess those people liked it better when the mob ran Vegas. Regardless of that, Wynn was the main guy that brought Vegas out of the tacky 1970s into the ultra luxury era. After the Mirage can Bellagio, which elevated the standard even further. After cashing out, then he decided to put his name on the building. The Wynn casino wasn’t that much of a leap beyond Bellagio, but it did plant itself as one of the premiere luxury spots on the Strip. If you’re a group of guys or high rollers ready to have a great time in Vegas, then you can’t go wrong at the Wynn.
But now Steve Wynn the person is back in the news, as his ex-wife is threatening his casino empire. BusinessWeekexplains that “Elaine Wynn has asked a federal court for permission to sell the Wynn Resorts (WYNN) shares she was awarded in the couple’s 2009 divorce.” This is a problem as she’s a swing shareholder of the company. Even if she just sells half of her 9.6 percent stake, such a transaction could possibly trigger a series of events that would threaten Steve’s sway over his company according to the article.
It’s funny how little things like a divorce, even a $750 million divorce, can have such a potential impact on a place like Las Vegas. Not that any of us really care. There are so many places in Vegas to gamble, and of course there are now casinos all over the country, and anyone can find awesome places to play online as well like Betfair Casino.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Wynn decided to start all over again. Now with Aria and Cosmopolitan, his Wynn casino is now longer the newest luxury hot spot on the Strip. The guy seems obsessed with setting new standards, so maybe all of this drama will lead him to create something new again. That said, the odds may be against that course of action. Vegas is so saturated right now with high end hotels, and the days of the whale from Asia seem to be gone with overseas competition. Still, we love new hotels, so who cares if it’s a financial success for Wynn. He can afford it, even after his $750 million divorce!
Las Vegas is still having some issues following the economic crisis of 2008. Things have changed a lot in the city, and as a result we saw a collapse in the local real estate market. While visitor numbers are creeping up, gambling receipts are still a problem as Macau attracts so many of the world’s high rollers.
You wouldn’t be able to guess, however, if you pay attention to the shows and the nightclubs. Celine Dion just signed a $100 million extension with Caesars. and now there is speculation that Britney Spears could easily top that figure if she completes a deal as well.
Meanwhile, the biggest, newest casinos are killing it. Places like Aria and the Cosmopolitan are packed with the beautiful people, while the hottest clubs are packing them in again.
So Las Vegas continues to evolve. It still attracts the big time poker players, so it’s a mecca for that sport. As more people play online, looking to hone their skills and searching for the best bonus codes on sites like partycasino.com to grab more credits, it just creates more and more players who want to test their skills in person against the best in Las Vegas. If the feds ever get their act together and set up a federal regulatory system for online poker, the popularity will probably explode even more, and that’s very good for Vegas.
The key, of course, is dealing with all the distractions when you get there. Of course we all want to live like a high roller, but living that life has its costs. The booze, the women and the all-night parties make it a lot harder to be effective at the poker table for long stretches of time.
So the real key is discipline. Are you serious about being a winning poker player, or are you more concerned with bringing a hot babe to the Britney Spears concert? These are the choices you have to make. Win first, and then enjoy the festivities.
Who is going to win the presidential election? There’s been an endless amount of speculation and tons of arguments between the pundits. The you have new forecasters like Nate Silver who rely on probability analysis by using a complex formula to analyze the polling data and spit out a percentage likelihood of the outcome. Pundits hate this as it gives them competition. They love to present things as a horse race and too close to call.
The other new factor has to do with the betting markets like Intrade. It’s basically the ultimate prop bet, but it’s a market built around big events like these elections. You can see quickly how events like the hurricane can affect perceptions of who is winning, as people can buy and sell contracts on the chance of winning for Mitt Romney and President Obama. Right now, these markets are predicting an Obama victory. Of course these things are not perfect. It measures a perception of how things will play out.
This also fits into our culture, where gambling has always been very popular, but much of it was underground. Now all of that is changing as we start to acknowledge that this is a legitimate recreational activity. Tons of people love to play casino games, and now there are tons of options of where they can play as new casinos spring up around the country and we have more online options. New things like fantasy football and old things like prop bets take on new popularity as well.
So who do you think will win? You can now put up some money to enjoy election night even more.
Have we finally reached a tipping point where legalized gambling starts to become entrenched in the American lifestyle? ambling has always been there of course, it was either underground, in Las Vegas, run by charities or online, and we’ve seen all of these converge with bingo sites and sports gambling on the web. The churches and the neighborhood bookie used to be your only options, but now consumers can enjoy themselves with a variety of outlets.
In Maryland you have an effort to add another casino and then expand the current casinos to allow table games in addition to the slots. The Washington Post recently endorsed the new referendum in an editorial even though they initially opposed Maryland gambling several years ago when it was put in place. That just shows you how much things have changed.
With that you’ll see more competition for online gambling sources, but also more opportunities as well. More competition leads to more creativity and more options for the entertainment dollars of consumers. Poker sites offer freeroll jackpots, and bingo sites offer things like jackpot bingo promotions. We’re also seeing the fantasy sports sites get into the game, with free weekly contests with a significant cash jackpot. With more freedom comes more fun!
One of the best arguments against legalized gambling is that some people develop serious gambling problems, thus making the activity essentially unsafe. Yet the counter to that is the issue of freedom. Why should the state deny us a recreational activity we enjoy just because some people can’t control themselves?
Regardless of your opinions on the matter, it’s still in society’s interest to identify and help those who develop gambling problems. So far in Ohio, the good news is that the numbers are not out of control:
The number of Ohioans who had gambling problems or were at risk of developing problems was relatively small as the state embarked on a dramatic expansion of gaming, but experts believe the proportion will increase.
Nearly 3 percent of Ohioans age 18 and over, or about 250,000 individuals, reported problems in a survey released today by state officials.
Kent State University conducted the survey of 3,600 people February through July. (Read a summary of the report in the document reader below).
Officials plan to repeat the study roughly every three years to measure the effect of increased opportunities to gamble.
Let’s hope this continues, as casinos have only been in Ohio since the spring.
For a games night with a difference, how about turning your garage into your home casino? All you’ll need is a couple of props and some bar stools, and you’ll be well away. Offering a fun and cost-effective method of reproducing the frenetic fun of live gambling domestically, this clever idea redefines the notion of bringing your winnings home.
The garage is the perfect location for your transformation. Often spacious and invariably neglected when it comes to the interiors, garages tend to keep the light out and the sound tucked in, allowing you to party through the night without angering your neighbours. Equally, games are very easy to get your hands on, with second-hand slot machines selling cheaply on websites such as eBay. Roulette tables are similarly inexpensive, and offer a pocket-friendly way of making those chips count. Although it’s associated with high stakes and excess, most gambling apparatus is actually very cheap, which is why this project has the potential to be a genuinely prosperous one.
Inevitably you’ll need a perch on which to play on, and that’s where bar stools enter the equation. Slick and stylish, they’ll contribute a wealth of glamour to proceedings in addition to being comfy and easy to use. Leather bar stools impart instant grandeur, exuding the cool glow of somebody who’s won the jackpot. If the chips are down then faux leather stools can function as an astonishingly convincing substitute in addition to retailing at a fraction of the usual cost.
Colour also plays an important role. Traditional casinos are generally swathed in deep reds and shining golds, but choosing an unconventional shade will infuse your home casino with a sense of your own personality. Vegas resorts are so full of ostentatious decor and it can be difficult to emulate this excess within the comparatively smaller space yielded by a garage, but there are ways to ensure that yours can still make an impression. Purple bar stools, for instance, can be drafted in to create a deeply unorthodox yet funky look, and have risen to prominence in recent times.
If you’re really seeking authenticity then it’s worth looking at some bar tables. The ideal perch for drinks, they can also be used to stylishly showcase the prizes on offer. Versatile glass bar tables can be used in the kitchen or domestic bar area too, ensuring that they make an equally effective presence in the home, too.
Another thing to consider is placing some comfy dining chairs in the corner of your home casino. Offering both a refuge from the excess and a comfy place to retire to, they create an appealing backdrop against which you can thrive. Fancy upholstery will impart a lavish look, in keeping with the prosperous ethos that drives us to continue gambling.
Now obviously, there are legal constraints surrounding gambling and we don’t recommend that you play with real money, or renovate your garage in such a way that could jeopardize your relationship with the law. Similarly, it’s worth seeking planning permission before going ahead with any dramatic changes, so as to ensure that the luxury you’re enjoying is legitimate.
Ultimately, all of this information forms the mere tip of the iceberg, with bar stools offering just one way of turning your garage into a home casino. Take these tips as a jumping-off point and in no time, your garage will be oozing all the intrigue of the Strip itself.
The photo above captures the logo on the floor leading up to the poker room at the new Horseshoe Casino in downtown Cleveland. The new casino opened several weeks ago, and the poker room has been very busy.
Cleveland is a poker town. And this place is proof.
The Horseshoe’s 24-hour-a-day poker room has ranked among the busiest in the country since the casino opened May 14, according to Bravo Poker Live, a software application that tracks tables in use, the kinds of games available and the size of waiting lists at casinos nationwide.
Information for the Horseshoe poker room, found through the app, has received more than 85,000 hits, according to the software’s provider, Genesis Gaming.
A check of Bravo Poker Live at midafternoon Wednesday showed that the Horseshoe had 16 tables going, eighth among 100 that supplied data; early afternoon Thursday, the number was down to 11, but that was still good for a four-way tie for ninth out of 90 venues.
It’s been so busy that they haven’t been hosting tournaments since the cash games are more profitable for the casino.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stands with Stanford University quarterback Andrew Luck and his family after the Indianapolis Colts take Luck as the #1 pick overall in the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26, 2012. UPI /John Angelillo
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.
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