Blackjack is one of the iconic casino games associated with Las Vegas, which is as good a reason as any to create a list of 21 fun facts about the casinos in Sin City.
we are confident that you won’t have heard many of our surprising facts before now, so read on if you want to find out something new today!
Here is our list – in no particular order – of 21 crazy Vegas Casino facts:
1. Misplaced Sign:
The iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, located at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, is not actually within the city limits of Las Vegas, but is in the town of Paradise instead. In fact, the same is true for the Vegas Strip as a whole.
2. More Slots Than Citizens:
There are more slot machines in Las Vegas than there are residents, with a ratio of roughly one slot machine for every eight residents. The casino with the most slot machines in Vegas is the Red Rock Casino Resort, which had 2,645 slot machines as of December 31st, 2023, according to the Nevada Gaming Commission.
3. Too Tall:
The Stratosphere Tower, which stands at 1,149 feet tall, is the tallest observation tower in the United States and the tallest free-standing observation tower in the world, making it the place to be for the best view in town. The Strat is a little taller the Eiffel Tower – the world’s most visited tower – which stands at 1,080 feet. However, both are dwarfed by the world record-holding Burj Khalifa in Dubai which has the world’s highest observation deck at 1,823 ft.
4. The Original:
The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, located on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, was the first hotel to open in Las Vegas in 1906. It is still operating today, making it the oldest continuously operating hotel and casino in the city. The decor may be vintage, but guests today can enjoy a thoroughly modern experience in both the casino and hotel. A stay won’t break the bank either, with rooms available midweek in April 2024 for as little as $24 a night!
5. Atomic Cocktails:
During the 1950s, the Sky Room at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas offered “Atomic Cocktails” to guests who wanted to watch the nuclear bomb tests from a safe distance. The cocktails were served on the rooftop bar, where patrons could witness the mushroom clouds in the distance. If you want to try one of these explosive cocktails for yourself, take some vodka, brandy, cognac, sherry and champagne and shake vigorously, before pouring into a large champagne glass with ice and a wedge of orange.
6. Mesmerizing Fountains:
The Bellagio Hotel and Casino is home to the famous Fountains of Bellagio, a mesmerizing water feature choreographed to music and lights. It consists of over 1,200 nozzles and can shoot water up to 460 feet into the air. The music is a mix of genres, with favorites including ‘Viva Las Vegas’ and ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’. You have probably seen the fountains in a movie as they have appeared in many, including ‘The Hangover Part III’, ‘Jason Bourne’, ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ and of course the classic ‘Sharknado: The 4th Awakens’.
7. Having a Ball
The Sphere at the Venetian Casino is the world’s largest sphere, costing an estimated $2.3 billion to build which made it the most expensive entertainment facility ever constructed in Las Vegas. U2 were the opening act at the venue, reputedly performing their 25-day residency for an upfront fee of $10 million plus 90% of all ticket sales.
8. Not for the Squeamish:
The Luxor Las Vegas is home to the Bodies Exhibition, an educational showcase featuring real human bodies preserved through a process called plastination, allowing visitors to explore the intricacies of human anatomy. A fascinating exhibit, but perhaps not one for everybody!
9. Light Up the Sky:
The Luxor also boasts the world’s strongest beam of light, known as the Sky Beam, which shoots upwards from the apex of the pyramid-shaped hotel tower. Visible from miles away, the beam is so powerful that it can be seen from space. It’s not hard to find, since the light beam has the intensity of 42,000 lighthouses and is visible from 275 miles away.
10. Little Italy:
The Venetian Resort offers guests the chance to take a romantic gondola ride through the Grand Canal, complete with singing gondoliers and stunning views of the resort’s Venetian-inspired architecture. Whether it is better than the real thing is up for debate, but it is certainly an entertaining experience.
11. Light Show:
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas features the Chandelier, a multi-story bar and lounge encased in a dazzling crystal chandelier, offering handcrafted cocktails and immersive experiences across three levels. Constructed from more than 7 million crystals, this forms a visual display that even Liberace would be impressed by!
12. Bring the Kaos:
The Palms Casino Resort is home to the Kaos Dayclub and Nightclub, a cutting-edge entertainment venue featuring world-renowned DJs, live performances, and state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems. Two giant pools allow revelers to party while the sun shines before relocating to the adjoining nightclub.
13. What’s In A Name?:
The Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino was originally owned by infamous mobster Bugsy Siegel and there are a couple of competing theories as to how the casino got its name. One source claimed it was named after Siegel’s girlfriend, Virginia Hill, whose nickname was “Flamingo” due to her long legs and red hair. Another version has it that it was because the gangster once owned a racetrack which had an on-site flamingo park and that he considered the birds to be lucky.
14. The World’s Largest Chocolate Fountain:
The Bellagio Hotel & Casino is home to the world’s largest chocolate fountain, standing at 27 feet tall. The fountain circulates over 2,100 pounds of melted chocolate through 500 feet of pipes every hour, creating a mesmerizing display for guests. This looks like something straight out of Willy Wonka’s factory – the only shame is that no dipping or sipping is allowed!
15. Trip Back in Time:
The Excalibur Hotel and Casino is designed to resemble a medieval castle, complete with turrets, drawbridges, and a moat. It offers medieval-themed entertainment and dining experiences. Kids of all ages are sure to enjoy the Fun Dungeon with its huge range of carnival-style games.
16. On Guard:
The Luxor Las Vegas has a replica of the Sphinx of Giza guarding its entrance, which is the largest Sphinx in the world, standing at 110 feet tall. The original Sphinx of Giza is a mere 66 feet from its base to the top of its head, although it is around 4,500 years older than its Vegas cousin.
17. Big Wheel:
The LINQ Promenade, located between The LINQ Hotel and Flamingo Las Vegas, features the High Roller, the world’s tallest working ferris wheel, standing at 550 feet tall. Vertigo-sufferers may want to pass on this experience, but for everyone else the views of the city are hard to beat.
18. Gotta Have Faith:
The Golden Nugget Las Vegas is home to the Hand of Faith, the world’s largest gold nugget found by a metal detector, weighing in at 61 pounds and 11 ounces. The (vaguely) hand-shaped nugget was found by a metal detectorist in Australia, and was sold to the casino for over a million dollars.
19. The Secret Pizza Place:
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is home to a hidden pizza joint known as the “Secret Pizza.” Tucked away on the hotel’s third floor, this unmarked eatery offers delicious Italian food and has become a favorite late-night spot for locals and tourists alike. Finding the location is half the fun, as you won’t have signs to point you in the right direction, but once you get there you can enjoy some fine New-York style pizza.
20. The Ultimate Basketball Fan’s Dream:
The Palms Casino Resort features a suite called the “Hardwood Suite,” which includes a basketball court, locker room, and scoreboard, making it the dream destination for basketball fans. The 10,000 feet suite also includes a pool table, 11 TVs and 24-hour butler service – all yours for $25,000 a night! If that seems expensive then best stay clear of the $100K a night Empathy Suite, which was designed by artist Damien Hirst.
21. Elvis Lives (in Vegas):
Elvis Presley married his sweetheart Priscilla in the Aladdin Hotel (now Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino) in 1967, and since then Elvis-themed weddings have become synonymous with Las Vegas. The first of these took place back in 1977 and since then many hundreds of thousands have taken place – of around 80,000 Vegas weddings in 2021 nearly half were officiated by Elvis Presley impersonators.
Hopefully this list provides some inspiration for your next trip to Las Vegas, but in the meantime there are plenty of free slots and casino games to try at McLuck right now!
