Last week’s Super Bowl set a new record for betting handle, with Nevada’s 194 sports books taking in $132.5 million in bets, an 11 percent increase over the former record, set in 2014. The Denver Broncos’ 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers meant the Broncos and under (total points scored) bettors got the money, but the sports books came out ahead, winning $13.3 million for a healthy 10.1 percent of the total bet. The house doesn’t always win, but it usually does — this was the 24th time in 26 years that the casinos have won on the Super Bowl.
Ham sandwich: While the overall win was good, it varied from casino to casino. In describing a less than stellar result at South Point, veteran sports operator Jimmy Vacaro commented, “We won a ham sandwich with no mustard on it.”
Romantic: Four Las Vegas restaurants are included in Open Table’s list of the “100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America.” They are Alize at the Palms, Eiffel Tower at Paris, Hugo’s Cellar at Four Queens and Michael’s at South Point. More than 5 million reviews were considered to create the rankings.
Downtown shrimp: Add the snack bar at the California to the list of good shrimp cocktail deals downtown. At $2.99 it falls between the Fremont’s 99-center and Golden Gate’s for $3.99. It’s not as fancy as Golden Gate’s, but the shrimp size and portions are similar, making it a competitive choice for a buck less.
Question: We drive to Vegas from Phoenix four to five times a year, and this plan to charge for parking may cause us to look elsewhere. What makes the casinos think this is a good idea?
Answer: Revenue. The reality is, free parking is anything but free for the provider. MGM Resorts International has 37,000 Strip parking spaces and spends $30 million a year just to maintain them. MRI is betting that charging to park won’t keep customers away, but so far it looks like the move will be far from an easy sell.
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