Several neighborhood casinos are in the process of enlarging and improving their race and sportsbooks -- namely, Green Valley Ranch and the Fiesta in Henderson. The impressive book at newly opened Red Rock Casino was recently chronicled at this site.
namely, Green Valley Ranch and the Fiesta in Henderson. The impressive book at newly opened Red Rock Casino was recently chronicled at this site.
(PRWEB) May 28, 2006 -- If you build it, they will come ... but only if they're locals.
What was once the exclusive Field of Dreams in Las Vegas -- licensed sportsbooks accepting wagers on activity that is illegal throughout the rest of the U.S. -- has dwindled. The combination of neglect of this singular franchise by major casinos and the proliferation of offshore/online sportsbooks has resulted in a dramatic drop off in sports-betting activity by visitors to Sin City.
According to a knowledgeable source, the percentage of tourists who patronize the city's bet shops has fallen to 14 percent from 21 percent. But the casinos have bigger profits to pursue, so this is not a tragedy as far as they are concerned.
One sportsbook manager said flatly that, “the business is dying.” While that might be an overstatement, we get the impression that most of the major-domos in the casino industry do not have high regard for sports betting.
But Vegas is an enthusiastic sports town, and local punters are providing action that is strongly contrary to the aforementioned trend. Casinos that do not rely on out-of-towners for their customers are responding by offering bigger, better facilities and competitive vig.
Several neighborhood casinos are in the process of enlarging and improving their race and sportsbooks -- namely, Green Valley Ranch and the Fiesta in Henderson. The impressive book at newly opened Red Rock Casino was recently chronicled at this site.
Meanwhile, the Cannery in North Las Vegas – three blocks west of the Craig Road exit on I-15 -- which launched a few years ago and has become a notable success story, has just opened its new, expanded race and sportsbook. The original shop was a small, serviceable accommodation that had grossly underestimated the business it would attract.
So, as part of the Cannery's $45 million expansion, management wisely decided to install a grand facility that would acknowledge and service the tremendous interest locals have in betting sports and ponies.
We visited with race and sportsbook manager Kevin Klein, who is understandably proud of what has been created. Here are the Cannery's bragging points regarding the new book:
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129 seats
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All racebook seats have individual 15-inch computer screens with greater clarity than TV monitors
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Ten 50-inch LCD TVs
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Well-lit handicapping stations
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Raised ceilings, three stories tall, for cleaner air and improved climate control
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Wall boards with entries for six tracks
Management is serious about taking care of race and sportsbook customers, said Klein. The store is run in tandem with the Rampart Casino, under the leadership of Eric St. Clair, and offers “generous comps in the race and sportsbook club,” he added.
“Our comps are $1 for every $30 bet by racebook customers and $1 for every $300 bet in the sportsbook,” Klein said. “That's considerably more attractive than what other books around town are offering.”
North Las Vegas is growing very rapidly, and the Cannery has filled the need for a local casino to serve residents, Klein noted.
The sportsbook offers a 10-cent baseball line, which breaks at 150. It takes a dime on sides, and $300 on totals and the run line.
Football limits are two dimes on sides, and a nickel on totals and the money line. Parlay odds are standard, but six-point teasers are 10-11 for both college and pros. There is just one teaser schedule, which gives players a few slightly better teaser odds for the NFL.
This year, the book will offer the complete NFL package, so virtually every game will be available.
Another nice touch, which we hope remains intact, is that the cocktail waitresses do not ask for drink tickets.
The LED scoreboard is legible from seats in the back of the book.
Sports and racing photos ring the perimeter of the room. Someone at the Cannery must be a Steelers fan, because amidst all the graphics hangs a jersey with number 12 and the name Bradshaw.
This is a comfortable book worth hanging out at. As we passed through the casino, we noticed that the craps tables offered 10x odds, which is an incentive for serious dice players.
Glitz and glamour are a big part of the lure of Las Vegas. But sports bettors are less impressed by such distracting effluvia which are indigenous to the Strip. While tourists continue to blow off the sports-betting emporiums found at the big-name pleasure palaces, locals happily take advantage of shops that cater to their needs.
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