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It wasn’t a record but it was close. Nevada’s sports books took in $115.9 million in bets on the Super Bowl, falling just short of last year’s record $119.4 million but still coming in as the second-largest "handle" ever.
The sports books won $3.2 million, which is a relatively meager 2.8 percent of the total bet. The New England Patriots’ 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks meant the Patriots and over (total points scored) bettors got the money. It was a bad combination for the books, which would have had a banner day had the Seahawks won the game. The house doesn’t always win, but it usually does — this was the 23rd time in 25 years that the casinos have won on the Super Bowl.
More props: It was another big year for proposition bets — wagers on things like which team will win the coin toss and who will be the MVP, with some casinos putting up more than 400 bets. Whereas the casinos had a marginal win on last year’s propositions, many credited the props with putting them on the winning side of the ledger this year.
Griddle gone: The Griddle Cafe at SLS Las Vegas has left town. The place seemed to be busy and word of mouth was good, but for whatever reason it’s being replaced with a more traditional coffee shop called Northside Cafe.
Phone key: The Cromwell is the first resort in Las Vegas to implement mobile-key technology, allowing guests to program their phones to unlock the doors to their hotel rooms. While the eKey only unlocks doors, there are plans to expand the technology to allow guests to communicate with hotel departments like housekeeping and room service.
QUESTION: When is the Rock in Rio concert, and where will it be held?
ANSWER: The four-day, two-weekend music marathon will be staged at MGM Resorts International’s soon-to-open outdoor stadium on the north end of the Strip. The dates are May 8-9 (rock acts) and May 15-16 (pop/R&B). General admission tickets start at $298 for either weekend.
For more information about shows, buffets, coupons and other good deals in Las Vegas, go to www.LasVegasAdvisor.com.