Poker Winner Blog

BINION‘S HORSESHOE

Situated in the Horseshoe Hotel on Fremont Street in downtown Vegas, Binion’s gives a taste of how gambling used to be in the Old West. Opened in 1951 by Benny Binion, a former Texas bootlegger and gambler, the casino evokes the atmosphere of a traditional gambling hall — no shows, no music, just gambling. Minimum stakes are $2 on blackjack and $1 on craps. The poker tables are not for beginners though, as many professional players make their living here.

The World Series of Poker has been held at Binion’s since 1970. The first competition had seven players, but now over 650 players from around the world try their luck. Each May, Becky Binion opens the tournament with a call of ’shuffle up ‘n deal’. The action takes place nonstop for 30 days with a variety of tournaments offering stakes from $1 to no limit. The final is the No Limit Texas Hold ‘em Tournament, which lasts four days. Players pay a $10,000 entrance fee and compete for the $1.5 million first prize and the title of world champion. The winner is given celebrity status, gaining a place in the Poker Hall of Fame.

Many players attempt to win their entrance fee by competing in satellite tournaments. Ten players each stake $1000 and play a knock-out tournament, with the winner taking all the stakes. There are also super- satellites where players each stake $100 and attempt to win the entry fee from a field of 200 or 300 gamblers.

The World Series of Poker was inspired by a poker marathon which took place in 1949 at Binion’s Horseshoe between Nicolas ‘Nick the Greek’ Dandolos and Johnny Moss. They played poker non-stop for five months, only taking breaks to sleep. Moss won and in 1970 repeated his success by becoming the winner of the first World Championship.

BELLAGIO

When Steve Wynn’s Mirage Resorts opened Bellagio in 1998, no expense was spared to create one of the most elegant and luxurious hotels in Las Vegas.

Bellagio is a stylish recreation of its namesake, a scenic village overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy. The effect is accomplished with a 3.6ha (9 acre) man-made lake, lavish gardens and terracotta tiled roofs on the buildings.

A boulevard leads past the lake to the hotel entrance, where a botanical garden is housed under a huge dome. Lush green foliage and brightly coloured flowers surround classical-style columns. The garden is continually changed to complement the seasons.

Top class restaurants offer a diners choice of award- winning French and Tuscan cuisine. The hotel’s 3000 rooms are decorated with antiques and art. Facilities include a swimming pool, spa and a shopping arcade featuring names such as Prada, Chanel and Hermes. A monorail links Bellagio to the Monte Carlo next door.

The 10,000m² (110,000 sq ft) casino offers roulette, blackjack, craps, let it ride, pai gow, Caribbean stud poker and baccarat. The table minimum starts at $5, rising to $10 at peak times.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Casinos of the World part 2 (BINION & BELLAGIO)

• Ten Poker Legends Part 2
• Poker and Play: How to Play Texas Hold Them
• Casinos of the World part 1 (LUXOR; MGM GRAND; THE MIRAGE; NEW YORK NEW YORK)
• Casinos of the World part 1 (BALLY; CAESARS PALACE; CIRCUS CIRCUS; EXCALIBUR; LAS VEGAS HILTON)
• Casinos of the World part 1 (LAS VEGAS UNITED STATES )
• How to Play Five-Card Draw
• Ten Poker Legends Part 3
• Let's Get Ready to Rumble: The Latest Battles at the World Series of Poker
• Poker: It's all in the Fall of the Cards
• Paper Cards and Sport Betting, Origins of Gaming