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.
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!
Katy Perry attends the Grand Opening of 1 OAK Las Vegas and the GiveLove Charity Event. Vegas definitely gets its share of high profile celebs, along with plenty of d-list celebs like Paris Hilton, to hit the red carpet at their events. Many high rollers love being around celebs.
Katy Perry at the Grand Opening of 1 OAK Las Vegas and the GiveLove Charity Event. (Las Vegas, Nevada)
High rollers who visit Las Vegas have it pretty good at the casinos. They get huge suites and tons of comps, and casino hosts cater to their every need. For that reason, it would be crazy for most high rollers to consider buying real estate in Las Vegas.
In Las Vegas, which has the highest foreclosure rate among large U.S. cities, the wave of defaults that began with subprime borrowers and the unemployed has spread to upscale homeowners who see no point in staying, even if they can afford to. “You feel like a sucker if you’re paying a $5 million mortgage on a house that’s worth $2 million,” says broker Zar Zanganeh.
In the first quarter, 30 homes in Clark County, which encompasses the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding residential areas, with mortgages exceeding $1 million were repossessed by banks or bought by third parties in foreclosure sales. That’s up from 20 homes a year earlier, according to ForeclosureRadar, a company that tracks defaults. Short sales, in which the bank agrees to accept less than the loan balance, and bank-owned properties accounted for about three-quarters of all home sales in the period, according to the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors.
For some high rollers, having huge home in Vegas can have additional perks. You can stay in the city for a long time and get away from the casinos when you need a break. You can also have a spot for some serious parties with all the sugar babies you meet in the casinos! So if you have the resources, it might be time to take advantage of the incredible deals in Las Vegas and pick up a party house.
You knew this was coming, as many poker pros are tired of dealing with the swell of amateurs showing up at poker tournaments.
When he ran the World Series of Poker, Jeffrey Pollack welcomed entries by the thousands with the mantra, “Anybody can enter, anybody can win.” He is now launching a pro league aimed at showcasing poker’s proven somebodies.
USA TODAY has obtained eligibility criteria and a list of 218 players approved to compete, if they choose, when play begins Aug. 9-12 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Eligibility combines poker earnings and titles with a heavy dose of what-have-you-done-lately?
The list of players eligible is topped by such stars as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth. But they are far outnumbered by pros who’ve built consistent winnings without celebrity.Those absent include a $12-million winner at the 2006 World Series.
Qualifier Annie Duke has decided not to play and instead become the commissioner. Meanwhile, some like Chris Moneymaker are not on the eligibility list. Duke explained that he’s “on the bubble.”
If you ever want to lay big money on sports betting, make sure to watch this video from 60 Minutes on Billy Walters to see how the best sports better does it. He relies on superior information.
