Casino City’s Friday Five: Casino improvements and implosion edition
Let’s begin with a fine:
5. Norsk Tipping to pay NOK 4.5 million penalty fee
In March, a player at Norsk Tipping was mistakenly paid NOK 25 million from the casino game KongKasino. The Norwegian Lottery Authority has now decided that Norsk Tipping must pay a fee of 4.5 million.
According to the Norwegian Lottery Authority, 27% of those who play casino games at Norsk Tipping are in the moderate risk or problem gambler categories.
4. Grand Bar opens at Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino, the Connecticut property, announced the opening of its latest upscale offering—Grand Bar.
To celebrate the opening, Foxwoods is hosting the "Grand Hour," offering guests a first taste of the luxurious new space. Attendees will enjoy a preview of the bar's signature cocktails and premium spirit offerings.
The Grand Bar menu consists of classic cocktails with a modern twist, alongside signature Grand Bar themed cocktails including Lux, My Way, and Grand Finale. Guests can also enjoy an elaborate selection of premium spirits, whiskeys and tequilas.
3. Top 10 casino bets I haven’t made (yet!)
I have done my fair share of gambling over the years, but I typically stick to the same games and same strategies. Below are a few wagers that I haven’t placed in my career, but they are ones on my radar to give a shot.
Any seven
Outside of the opening roll in craps, I never find myself rooting for a seven to turn up because that means my money on numbers and the pass line are going to be taken away.
However, that mentality can be changed if I drop a few chips on the “Any Seven” wager which pays out 4-to-1 and is also a single-roll bet.
It may not be the worst bet if a shooter has already made you a decent amount of money in one round but you feel the table luck may come to an end with a seven out.
War
We all played the card game growing up, but now, War has made its way into casinos. While it is not the most popular casino game and it is relatively new to the land-based casino world, if I passed by a Casino War table, I would have to grab a seat.
Both the player and dealer get one card, and the higher card will get the win. Players have the option of surrendering before the dealer flips their card if their own card is very low to cut their losses in half.
If the player’s card and dealer’s card are the same, they go to War and the initial bet from the player must be doubled. Three cards will then be burned and then the player and dealer will each get an additional card. The higher one of those additional cards wins the round.
Surrounding a roulette number
I have seen streamers use a bold strategy that when it hits, it pays out big.
Let’s say your favorite number is 17, the strategy is basically to sell out around 17. So you place chips on the individual number itself, then also on all the splits connected to 17 and the corners of 17 as well.
If 17 comes up on the wheel, you hit every combination. If it hits one of the splits or corner numbers you still make a profit.
It is obviously a big risk because you only can win from a select few numbers. I would only do this if I was up a solid amount and put my original buy in back in my pocket and was solely playing with profits.
2. The Rio in Las Vegas completes phase one of transformation
Earlier this week, the Rio Hotel & Casino announced the completion of the first phase of its multi-year property-wide transformation. The Rio has undergone extensive renovations, including the addition of eight new food and beverage destinations, the remodeling of 220,000 square feet of meetings and convention space, a revamped pool district with four distinct pools, and a new exterior art installation.
The Rio’s casino floor underwent a refresh featuring new carpeting and over 900 new slot machines with wagers ranging from $.01 to more than $500.
Early 2024 marked the completion of over 1,400 renovated rooms within the Ipanema Tower.
"I loved everything about the new Rio... loved the decor, loved the pool, and enjoyed exploring all the new changes. I've already booked a return... and I'm a local!"
— Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas (@RioVegas) September 26, 2024
- Shaster P (@Tripadvisor review) pic.twitter.com/jYtLvZVG21
1. How to watch the Tropicana Las Vegas implosion
If you want to watch the Tropicana Las Vegas implosion in person or online, this week's video has the information to help you do so.
And with police blocking streets, no public viewing area, and Las Vegas hotel room prices skyrocketing it won't be easy.
One example to take in the event is that Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is hosting the Tropicana Implosion Party: A Spectacular Farewell.
The Tropicana was conceived by Ben Jaffe, part owner of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, and opened on 4 April 1957. At the time, it was the most expensive Vegas resort ever developed. The Tropicana had a 44,000 square foot casino and more than 1,400 hotel rooms. The resort hosted various live entertainment over the years, including the topless showgirl revue known as Folies Bergere, which ended in 2009.