Casino Movies – California Split (1974)

Man about town Charlie Waters (played by Elliott Gould) lives with two prostitutes and loves nothing more than gambling. He ropes in his downbeat gambler friend Bill Denny (George Segal) in search of a massive payday. The movie follows their ups and downs along the way.

Vintage Vegas Slots

Vintage Vegas Slots  Slot machines are central to the casino experience. Even non gamblers are often drawn in by the bright lights and sounds of slot machines of say the 80’s – 2000 era. Perhaps even more so than the very modern slots that have more of a resemblance to video games in some instances. For some though the only way to have an authentic slots experience in by playing on a retro slot machine of the type you’d find during the Vegas Heyday.

Old style slots take much of the complication of of your slots enjoyment. Instead of endless reels and mystifying ways of winning, it takes all of 5 seconds to understand how to play an old style retro slot machine, and you can simply sit there with your bucket of coins enjoying an authentic slots experience that harks back to simpler times.

Slots have moved on a great deal since their inception in the 1890s, but much like developments in computer games, modern doesn’t always mean better, and that’s how many no doubt feel about the aesthetic and play-ability of retro slot machines. The demand to play on this precious machines is unlikely to diminish, especially since they have already stood the test of time.

There’s also a quirky component to the old school appeal. Some slots of yesterday used to even pay out in golf balls, gum or cigars. If you find yourself in Vegas you may not even need to go as far as the casino to get your retro slots fix, since many hotel lobbies have a collection of classic slots to play. It’s a comforting and convenient way of both stepping back in time and also killing some time.

 

The Beatles in Vegas

The Beatles in Vegas  Even in 2020 The Beatles hold unwavering and legendary status in the eyes of the general public, which hit movies using their music such as the recent Danny Boyle directed Yesterday starring Dev Patel. With this being the case just think of how they were perceived at the height of their popularity in the 60s during the era which has now become known as Beatle Mania.

in 1964 the The Sahara Hotel & Casino would be the crashpad for the Beatles and predictably as word got out it was surrounded by thousands of adoring fans all issuing chants and hoping to get a glimpse of their idols. They crept in through the back entrance and the following day would play to 11,000 screaming fans in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Let’s not forget that Vegas was already home to the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr but the response to the Beatles eclipsed all of this. Prior to their only two Vegas shows The Sahara Hotel was good / pr aware enough  to bring up a selection of slot machines for the Fab Four to try out and in the process created a photo-op (as seen in the above image) that would be seen all around the world.

It’s thought that a combination of a substandard sound system and screaming fans made the show all but inaudible to those there. That hasn’t stopped being part of the rich history of the Beatles though. Their sole visit will go down as one of the most memorable in the ruch history of Las Vegas performances.

Las Vegas – How It Made Its Name

Las Vegas - How It Made Its Name  There can’t be a gambler on the planet who is unaware of the gambling mecca (or behemoth depending on your perspective) that is Las Vegas. And that’s for good reason, as over a period of decades a Nevada desert expanse has transformed into a centre of offline gambling, live shows and sporting (primarily boxing) excellence. The transformation was far from an overnight occurrence, and multiple ingredients of both planning and entertainment led to Vegas becoming what it is today, where it sits alongside real money online slots usa options.

Las Vegas as a city came into being in 1905 as result of 110 acres of land being auctions off by a railway company. Essentials liked piped water were put in place as well as the hoover dam in 1930. Illegal gambling would eventually take place in Vegas, but it was legalised on a local level in 1931 and soon Freemont Street gradually became what it is today starting with the Las Vegas Club and the Hotel Apache. The more high end casino and hotel aspects of Vegas were in part due to mob money, though over time the legal Sheriff did manage to reign that in a little.

Before long the likes of the now iconic (though not all now still standing) Sahara, the Sands, the Showboat, The Riviera, The Fremont were part of the Vegas landscape. Legal scrutiny led to Vegas cleaning up its act a little and becoming more above board in its gambling practices.

The rat pack would then go on to play an important role in elevating Las Vegas to the gambling and entertainment hub it would eventually become. The rat pack was a loose term used for a group of A-list celebrities (both actors and musicians) who joined forces in several Vegas based entertainment endevours (concerts, movies etc). The head of the pack if you will was Frank Sinatra, and other the years other members included the likes of  Dean Martin , Marilym Monroe and Sammy Davis Jr. Later Elvis would hold a residency, in a template that is copied to this day by musical artists such as Elton John and Lady Gaga. The fact that the leading names of the day were on the Vegas scene, massively increases tourism and hence gambling. Nowdays, the best australia online casino sites may be the place to go in that locality, but back then if you were American, Vegas was the only place to be.

Another component of how Vegas reached its level of worldwide recognition is the fact that its hosted for of the most memorable  boxing bouts in the sports history. Using some of Vegas’  iconic hotels + casinos (such as Caesars Palace and the MGM) to host boxing matches propelled both sport and Vegas to new heights. Of course since that time these and other mega resorts like the Bellagio make Vegas what it is today.