= Vegas Sportsbooks - Breakdown =

[TNAchicago]

After a few searches - surprisingly, I only found one real thread breaking down B&M Sportsbooks in Vegas (below) - not with much detail. If there's a better one, please post it. Otherwise, I offer this thread to give pros/cons on Vegas sportsbooks.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post7081965

Google turns up a few reviews, but they're all basic and lame. 2+2 has a few excellent poker room and restaurant threads, but none for sportsbooks.

What makes a good sportsbook obviously depends on the individual - but here's my criteria below. Any & all sage wisdom from veterans is appreciated:

* Availability of Drinks - High turnover from cocktail service or volume/ease of access to nearby bars is crucial. Waiting inline for a 12 oz Heineken during NFL Sunday is not cool. And I don't even drink.
* Seating * This is pretty self explanatory. Standing to watch a 3-hour game (unless you're at the game) gets old, quick. A lot of sportsbooks limit some seating for only those betting horses, leaving only a handful of prime seats for normal people watching games. Though there's never enough seating, obviously, some have more then others. And some you don't have to get there 3 hours before kickoff/tipoff to actually get a seat.
* Screens * The more, the merrier. And the bigger the better.
* Crowd * Preferences vary here - But some sportsbooks just get more fired up. I'd try to figure out why that is, but I'm not that into analyzing the habits of other dudes...not that there's anything wrong with that. Bringing me to my next point:
* Talent * It's not the reason you're at the sportsbook, but let's be honest - 6 hours of "Beatrice" bringing you Corona's at New York/New York might have its ill effects. Unless you're into that. In which case, go nuts.
* Is It Cool? * After passing whatever previous criteria means most to you - I'd last ask, is this place cool? That could be the nostalgic, old-school sportsbook for one person - Or the total opposite for someone else.

Other factors: Quality of food & beverage, prices, Odds offered, What you can bet on (some offer a ton of prop bets, others don't), many more I'm sure I didn't realize.

I've at least walked through all the sportsbooks and have a vague opinion of most - but I've only spent quality time in a few (thus my need for this thread). So of those I've spent time in, my reviews:

MANDALAY BAY - I've spent a couple of March Madness weekends here (total chaos) and a few others - it's pretty solid. Good crowd, tons of screens, food options were ok, but the line is always long & slow at the grill during peak times. And the drink service was average at best. The bar was usually the best option. I think some seating is horses-only, but can't remember.

MGM GRAND All seating is open for game watching (I think). Cool place (it's new), lot of screens, food at the grill is ok (fat deli sandwiches & burgers), drink service was actually pretty good when I was there. The bar's pretty accessible, too. Not a ton of standing room though - I bet it gets crowded on big weekends. They also have a "luxury box" upstairs with a view of the whole sportsbook if that's how you roll.

WYNN It's WYNN, so it was as expected. Strong talent, high prices, but very comfortable chairs. The shape of the book (it's kind of narrow) bugged me though, and I think it would be tough for them to fit a lot of people in there during big games. The food at the grill was by far the best (great burger) I've had at any sportsbook though, worth every penny. Though I've enjoyed the cardroom a lot, the sportsbook came off as kind of stuffy. Maybe I caught it on a bad day.

That's it - feel free to add any other candid reviews/comments on these or other sportsbooks

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www.lasvegasadvisor.com forums have various threads on sportsbooks and so on there too.

Hilton has the best book in the city now that Stardust is basically done.

[youtalkfunny]

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Hilton has the best book in the city now that Jay, Ed, and Jeff are running it.

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What on earth did you LIKE about the Stardust book? I'd feel dirty every time I walked in there.

[MotTrieuDong]

I'm clueless with your talent category and description.

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What on earth did you LIKE about the Stardust book? I'd feel dirty every time I walked in there.

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I dont bet sports and I've been in the Stardust twice ever to show friends around. Honestly, they always had most of the best lines and had them up the earliest. That's what put them at the top.

[TNAchicago]

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What on earth did you LIKE about the Stardust book? I'd feel dirty every time I walked in there.

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I dont bet sports and I've been in the Stardust twice ever to show friends around. Honestly, they always had most of the best lines and had them up the earliest. That's what put them at the top.

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This is my point for the thread - Some base books solely on the quality of the sportsbetting experience. Personally, I don't. For real bets, I'd rather just go online.

I'm trying to figure out where the most enjoyable place is to watch a game.

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For real bets, I'd rather just go online.


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The lines are much worse online that in Vegas. Sportsbook.com would show the Mirage and Stardust lines I believe it would, and Sportsbook's juice would be higher or the lines would be a lot worse of a payoff.

IE: any baseball game that was -120 for a team, would normally be -140 to -160 for the same team on the website. Same with the + side if it was +220 live, they'd give +190.

Online betting gets business because of the convenience and Nevada is pretty much the only legalized sports betting in B&M in the US. I heard something about Washington or Oregon but dont remember exactly what it was.

[TNAchicago]

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For real bets, I'd rather just go online.


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The lines are much worse online that in Vegas. Sportsbook.com would show the Mirage and Stardust lines I believe it would, and Sportsbook's juice would be higher or the lines would be a lot worse of a payoff.

IE: any baseball game that was -120 for a team, would normally be -140 to -160 for the same team on the website. Same with the + side if it was +220 live, they'd give +190.

Online betting gets business because of the convenience and Nevada is pretty much the only legalized sports betting in B&M in the US. I heard something about Washington or Oregon but dont remember exactly what it was.

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That's surprising - does this vary by sport? I've only very recently gotten back into sports betting - and have been very impressed with sites like Pinnacle (which came highly recommended) that offer very reduced juice. A lot of -102, -103 lines, etc.

[Ethan G]

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The lines are much worse online that in Vegas.

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No, they're not at least in terms of juice. A trip to pinnacle or betcascade will convince you of that.

BELLAGIO: Pure bliss. Unlimited drinks, big screens comfortable chairs. No one harasses you for a drink ticket. The seats right up front suck however, you will be looking straight up in the air at the screens.

HILTON: Also many big screens. The chairs were reasonably comfortable. Drink service was good, they will only ask to see a betting slip, not confirm that a certain amount was bet. Only gripe is that the effin buffet and line run right under the sports (not horse) screens.

VENETIAN: Almost pure bliss. Lots of screens, chairs okay. Drinks plentiful and free, no questions asked. Get a shot of Patron if you want. Don't even have to bet, but what fun is that? Spent March Madness there, got there at 3am, 99% of seats taken. The staff was very cool and put out folding chairs to accomodate as many people as they could.

WYNN: similar to Bellagio but too small.

MONTE CARLO: Crappy small TV's but great drink service. Asked to see a ticket, and I showed one from the Bellagio bought earlier in the day. No sweat. I couldn't drink as fast as these chicks came to take orders. They sell The Gold Sheet.

Can we get a Caesar's review with details on their drink comp system?

Best Wishes,
Ethan

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GRV just opened up a huge new sports book with some really massive TV's to compliment the room at Red Rock. Both are beautiful, big, good lines, good drink service, and located near the entrances with the poker rooms.