Casino
Take a sneak peek behind the scenes at the making of the world’s largest casino.
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Casinos
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Casino
A few nickels was all it took to turn accountant Truman Thompson’s life around, as he lucked out playing the nickel slots at the Barona Resort & Casino, walking away with over $400,000!
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Casino
From October 1 to 4, over 30,000 bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts from across the US will cruise in to the ninth annual Las Vegas BikeFest, a national motorcycle and biker rally to be held in Las Vegas.
The four-day motorcycle rally allows people to immerse themselves in biker culture as they meet some of the world’s most skilled custom motorcycle builders, tour more than 250 booths in Vendor Village featuring motorcycles, parts, accessories and apparel, and view one-of-a-kind bike exhibitions.
To celebrate Las Vegas BikeWeek 2009, Las Vegas casino-hotel Golden Nugget is giving away three brand-new 2010 Harleys: the 2010 Softail Deluxe; 2010 Road King; and 2010 V-Rod Muscle. Those who play the slots and table games at the casino are in for a chance to win one of these gobsmacking road beasts.
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Casino
Owned by international gaming giant, Las Vegas Sands Corp, the Venetian Macao luxury hotel and casino resort is the largest casino in the world.
The 3,000-suite, US$2.4 billion Venetian Macao - which stands at 40 storeys - provides the world’s largest gaming space, taking up 550,000 square feet and housing 3,400 slot machines and more than 800 gambling tables. The building is also the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the fourth-largest building in the world by area.
The resort’s casino is divided into four themed gaming areas, namely: Golden Fish, Imperial House, Red Dragon and Phoenix. The hotel offers a VIP club, the Paiza Club, to cater for high-rollers and premium guests. The gaming area of the Paiza Club is divided into individual private gaming rooms and named after Asian cities such as Yunnan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The guests of the club have exclusive access to the club dining outlet, the Paiza Club Dining & Lounge.
The Venetian Macao’s décor reflects Venetian and Chinese inspirations. Canals host both Chinese-styled sampans and Italian gondolas. The resort also features a replica of St Mark’s Square in Venice.
Macao, with a population of 520,000, has a 150-year history in the gaming industry. The region is the only part of China where casino gaming is legitimate. Taxes paid directly by the casinos dominate over 70 per cent of the Macao Special Administrative Region government’s yearly revenue.
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Casino
In 2008, 54.6 million people – a quarter of the total U.S. population aged 21 years and older - visited a casino.
Since the early 1960s, casinos have used incentives such as floor shows, free drinks, all-you-can-eat buffets and luxury accommodation to keep customers coming back to their tables. Las Vegas in particular is pitching itself increasingly towards being a family destination as well as a gambling destination.
But for those looking for top-end casinos, such concerns as all-you-can-eat buffets are of little importance. Apart from the hardcore gamblers, well-heeled amateurs - those who have the cash to play, want the best, are likely to have their families tag along and want them to be entertained while he or she is hitting the tables – fall under this category.
Many top casinos offer much the same experience as far as gambling goes: all offer many of the same games, as well as such perks as private rooms. And what makes one top casino distinctive from another is often not so different from what attracts the average punter, except what is on offer is usually considerably better.
St James Club, Antigua
The St James Club is a high-end resort nestled on a secluded 100-acre peninsula, with the sea bordering three sides of the resort. The exclusive hideaway has plenty of options for visitors during the day, and at night there’s the disco and the small but glamorous casino.
The St James Club Casino has 56 slot machines, five blackjack tables, roulette and stud poker.
Atlantis Resort, Bahamas
The Atlantis Resort boasts several outstanding attributes. Firstly, the resort is home to one of the world’s most expensive hotel suites – its Bridge Suite costs a staggering US$25,000 a night – and, secondly, its casino is the largest in the Caribbean.
The casino has 980 slot machines and 78 gaming tables including baccarat, roulette, craps, blackjack and Caribbean stud poker, as well as a high-limit table area called the Baccarat Lounge.
Unlike most casinos, the Atlantis gambling floor has skylights and windows, with panoramic views of the resort.
The Clermont Club, London
Because of its gaming laws, anyone who wants to visit a casino in London must apply for membership to a private members’ club at least 24 hours in advance.
One of the most exclusive clubs in London is The Clermont Club, located in Berkeley Square in London’s West End.
In 1972, the club was bought by Playboy Enterprises, and a few weeks after its opening guests included such big names as Roger Moore and the late Princess Margaret. The club has since been sold off by Playboy, and today features six tables for Baccarat, blackjack, and English roulette.
Casino Baden-Baden, Germany
The Casino Baden-Baden first opened its doors in 1809, and during subsequent years it changed owners and was shut during both World Wars.
Marlene Dietrich – a German-born American actress and singer – once described the casino as being the most beautiful in the world.
At one point, real silver and gold chips were used on the casino’s roulette tables.
The 32,289-square foot casino features 113 slots and 24 table games, for American roulette, Baccarat, French roulette, poker and roulite.
Mandarin Oriental, Macau
Once a Portuguese colony but now governed by China, Macau is largely supported by revenues from its gambling industry.
According to the CIA World Fact Book, in 1998, Macau’s gambling and tourism sector accounted for 57 per cent of the government’s budget receipts, and almost 43 per cent of its GDP.
The luxurious Mandarin Oriental Macau hotel has a 24-hour casino, with 59 slot machines and a total of 11 gaming tables, with Baccarat, blackjack and roulette.
Casino de Monte Carlo, Monaco
Gambling has been an inherent part of life in Monte Carlo since Prince Charles III of Monaco inaugurated its first casino in 1863, which immediately drew nobility, royals and businessmen alike.
The Casino de Monte Carlo was designed by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opera, and its lobby features a marble-paved atrium with 28 Ionic columns, as well as lavish bronze and gold ornaments. The casino features 316 slot machines and 35 tables for Roulette, craps, and blackjack.
Jacket and tie are required in the private gaming rooms.
The Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa, Atlantic City, New Jersey
The Borgata casino’s aim was to bring a piece of Las Vegas to the East Coast of the U.S., and it has succeeded.
The casino has already announced plans to expand, and celebrities such as Howard Stern and David Schwimmer have been spotted there. The casino offers 3,650 slot machines and 145 table games, and high rollers will enjoy the twin US$1,000 slot machines.
Bellagio, Las Vegas
When the Bellagio opened its doors to the public in 1998, it was, at a whopping US$1.6 billion, it was the most expensive hotel casino ever built. Years later, the Bellagio is still the most elegant casino in Las Vegas.
The casino has 200 tables for roulette, craps, and roulette, and a staggering 2,000 slot machines. The Bellagio Poker Room has special high-limit tables, and the resort hosts the Five-Star World Poker Classic.
Casino Metropol, Moscow
The Casino Metropol, part of the historic Hotel Metropol, is located just a few minutes from Moscow’s Red Square and the Kremlin. The 24-hour casino features 11 tables with blackjack, roulette and poker, and the minimum stake is US$25. The dress code is business attire.
Sun City, South Africa
About two hours outside of Johannesburg, Sun City is an over-the-top replica of Las Vegas in the middle of the bush.
The resort has four hotels and a wave pool, and also offers safaris in its own private park as well as golf. The majority of the gambling is centred around The Sun City Hotel.
The casino features 852 slot machines and 38 tables for American roulette, blackjack, stud poker and Punto Banco, and in case luck isn’t on your side, there’s also a gaming school to brush up on your gaming skills.
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