#2 – Caesars Palace – The Roman decadence hall of fame came in second place last year and held onto that spot this year as well.

#3 – MGM Grand – The biggest hotel in Vegas didn’t even place in last year’s voting but they made a grand statement this year.

#4 – Wynn Las Vegas – Another new entry to the Top 5, Steve Wynn’s playground for the rich and richer landed at number four.

#5 – The Mirage – A perennial favorite in this category, The Mirage has been slipping in recent years but still managed to hold onto a Top 5 spot.

Off the charts: Mandalay Bay and The Venetian both got bumped out of the Top 5 this year.

Strip Hotel
This category is limited to major hotel casinos on The Strip only. And by the way, to play the hotel has to actually be on The Strip, not a block away.

#1 – Bellagio – For the fourth year in a row, Bellagio is your favorite Strip hotel.

#2 – Caesars Palace – Although it gained traction on Bellagio, Caesars still couldn’t eke out a win. But settling for number two is nothing to be ashamed of.

#3 – Wynn Las Vegas – Proof that if you spend nearly $3 billion on something, people will be impressed.

#4 – Venetian – The Italian themed hotel has been sinking in the ratings in this category, down from number two in 2004 and number three in 2005.

#5 – MGM Grand – The changes at The Grand seem to be impressing our readers – this is its first appearance in this category since the poll started.

Off the charts: The Mirage disappeared from our Top 5 this year after placing as high as number one in past polls.

Downtown Hotel
This category is restricted to hotels in the Downtown area of Las Vegas.

#1 – Golden Nugget – The Nugget has dominated this category since its inception and does so once again with more than 60% of the votes electing this hotel as your Downtown Favorite.

#2 – Main Street Station – It placed a distant second, but gained ground this year, proving what I’ve been saying all along – this is a really nice hotel.

#3 – Four Queens – The hotel named after the founder’s four daughters moved up two spots this year for a third place finish.

#4 – Fitzgerald’s – They may have gotten rid of Mr. O’Lucky, but they still have something going for them, at least according to our readers.

#5 – Binion’s – The once legendary hotel lost its Horseshoe moniker and the World Series of Poker, but enough of our readers still hold a fond place in their heart for the old gal.

Off the charts: The five hotels on the list above are the same five that appeared last year, only in a slightly different order.

Off-Strip Hotel
This category includes all major hotel-casinos that are not located directly on The Strip.

#1 – Green Valley Ranch – Because of how we define “Off-Strip,” this category includes heavyweights such as The Rio, The Palms, and The Hard Rock. That makes the second year in a row win for Green Valley Ranch, a hotel located miles from the spotlight of The Strip all the more impressive.

#2 – The Rio – The reflected glory of the nearby Strip earned this local and tourist favorite a number two spot in this category again this year.

#3 – Orleans – Moving up a notch over last year’s results, the Orleans combines a good value with lots to do to impress our readers.

#4 – The Palms – They slipped a spot from last year but the celebrity hangout still managed a solid fourth place finish.

#5 – Red Rock Resort – Another impressive placement, especially considering that the hotel just opened this year and is one of the furthest from The Strip in this category.

2. Want a quick summary of blackjack rules in casinos in Las Vegas? You’ll find them at http://wizardofodds.com/blackjack/vegas.html.

3. Get a free 3-month subscription to the Blackjack Insider e-Newsletter which includes full member’s privilege by going to www.bjinsider.com/free.

4. Never play any blackjack game where a blackjack pays 6 to 5, or you can’t double down after pair splitting, or you can’t double down on any two first two cards. Ideally the rules should specify that the dealer stands on all 17’s and does NOT hit soft 17.

5. Never make a bet on the Big 6 and 8 in craps. If you want to bet on the 6 or 8, make a Place Bet on them.

6. Never split a pair of fives or tens in blackjack. Always split a pair of eights and aces.

7. You can get loads of Las Vegas coupons prior to leaving for your trip by going to www.billhere.com. While there, you should also sign up for the free subscription to the Viva Las Vegas e-newsletter.

8. If you play a progressive slot machine, never play less than max coins. Ditto if you play a buy-a-pay machine.

9. Never use the ATM machines in casinos. The fees are often exhorbitant. Take travlels checks and budget your gamb ling bankroll over the number of days you will be playing.

10. Three Card Poker has a fairly high hit frequency, which means you will often hit paying hands during a playing session.

The setting is introduced by a “glowing” fire-red canopy and dark slate platform that creates a theatrical foyer to the restaurant. Accommodating 300 people, the 11,000-square-foot space features an array of distinct areas. The modern tropical haven has cascading palm trees and water elements throughout, and a 110-foot-long glowing glass “fire” wall that provides a bold artistic backdrop for the curving onyx bar.

The vibrant 3,000-square-foot bar and lounge that overlooks the casino floor seats 100 guests and features a specially-designed Robata Grill. Custom chandeliers, a disc jockey booth and circular mahogany trellises with shimmering silver and gold sheer drapery add a dramatic touch. Guests can dine on sushi in the lounge. Adjacent to the lounge is a private dining room for up to 16 guests with its own bar, custom copper chandeliers, trellises, water elements, colorful seating and a custom 15-foot-long “royal mosaic” table constructed of gold glass.

The main dining room, traditionally known as the Red Room, seats 175 guests, has a 17-seat, L-shaped marble and slate sushi bar and an adjoining Golden Niche. The room is situated on a raised wide-plank platform, constructed of dark wood with additional raised seating areas. Other noteworthy design elements include Japonais’ signature walnut “fin” ceiling-stone columns with copper and onyx details and custom blackened-steel railings.

The restaurant’s trademark walls, made of red brick and blue glass designed to resemble water, complement the Madagascar ebony-wood screens and gold accents. Design elements are fused with dramatic theatrical lighting. Japonais’ striking signature tree sculpture takes center stage with up-lit branches and custom-made moss pods.

International recording artist, actor, impressionist and comedian Jeff Trachta, best known to over 450 million viewers worldwide as Thorne Forrester for more than eight years on CBS’s “The Bold & the Beautiful,” has brought his one-man show, “Jeff Trachta Live!” to the Rio for a limited engagement. He’s headlining in the Masquerade Showroom daily at 3 p.m. except Friday. Tickets are $19.95 and $24.95, call 702-777-7776.

Billed as “a one-man show with a cast of thousands,” Trachta’s performance is a jam-packed 60 minutes of singing, dancing, music, impressions, comedy, and multi-media elements. At six-feet-three-inches tall, the blonde-headed Trachta turns heads.

Singing on “The Bold & the Beautiful” led Trachta to an international recording career and his debut album “Bold and Beautiful Duets,” which soared to the top of the European charts and was the first of his three triple platinum albums. He has also performed sold-out concerts in international stadiums and arenas. Trachta made his Broadway debut starring in Tommy Tune’s revival of “Grease.”

“Cover Girls,” a sexy adult variety show combining dancing, singing and comedy with interactive, three-dimensional imagery will debut at the Golden Nugget on Oct. 14 with shows at 9:30 p.m. nightly except Sunday. The show will be hosted by Noel Sullivan and Zoë Birkett from the UK television hits “Popstars” and “Pop Idol” and also features comedy specialty act Wally Eastwood. Tickets are $40.

Fright Dome has returned to The Adventuredome at Circus Circus through Oct. 31 with special guests, scary haunted houses, freak shows, rides and a new maze. Fright Dome runs every Thursday - Sunday, 7 p.m. - midnight. Single-day tickets are $29.95 and the Fast Pass Admission tickets are $41.95, call 702794-3939

Adding to the haunting nightly entertainment is The Enigma, the odd human marvel with horns surgically embedded into his skull and tattoos from head to toe in blue jigsaw puzzle pieces. Performing nightly, The Enigma will utilize props including electric shock devices, a stomach pump and chainsaws to disturbingly thrill the audience. This human freak show has received national recognition through performances on the Nine Inch Nails’ U.S. tour, the television show “X-Files” and photographs in National Geographic Magazine.

Lady Diabla, who often toured with the popular traveling sideshow, Ward’s World of Wonders, also will be performing nightly. This lithe femme fatale will frighten audiences by swallowing swords, driving nails four inches into her head and lying face down on broken glass.

Fright Dome will also offer five enhanced haunted houses including the Zombie Mansion, three ride films, four extreme scare zones plus 20 rides and attractions.

Since the opening of Red Rock resort in April, Zowie Bowie has been packing the dance floor in the Rocks Lounge. Their weekend schedule will remain Friday, 11 p.m. -1:30 a.m. and Saturday, 8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Admission is free.

Zowie Bowie is now performing at the 500-seat Club Madrid inside Sunset Station in Henderson every Thursday night starting at 9:30 p.m. Admission is again free.

Zowie Bowie and Marley Taylor are a vocal duo backed by a five-member band. Zowie Bowie arrived in Las Vegas following a lengthy run in Scottsdale, Ariz., that captured a cult following.
http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/index.htm

You can leave a message that we will read on the air. Grab the number and put it in your cell phone so you can even phone in from Vegas. Also, if you are a casino employee or otherwise have info, you can use this as an anonymous tip line to feed us the goods.

This time around I talk about Harrah’s rejection of the first bid, the second bid and what might happen to their Strip plans if the deal goes through. After that, it’s on to my thoughts on the Downtown Las Vegas casino gaming drop and if it was just a blip. Then lastly I talk about the future of the podcast and a little bit about what’s coming up.

Once again, comments are welcome and phone messages are very much appreciated.
http://www.ratevegas.com/blog/2006/10/worst_las_vegas_3.html

The sexy Latin and ballroom dance show Burn The Floor offers way more. Brought in partially to fill the void left at Luxor by Hairspray, this isn’t the usual fill-in troupe.Choreographer Jason Gilkison turns the traditional ballroom-dance syllabus on its head, deconstructing the formal dances and reformatting them into a high-energy exhibition of the joy of dancing. The cast is led by champion ballroom-dance team Damon and Rebecca Sugden, who demonstrate the dances in their more traditional forms and are especially effective in the dreamlike waltz and sultry tango sequences. The production numbers grow out of these duets and showcase great synchronized pair dancing and some hip gyrations that give Shakira a run for her money. (These couples have such real chemistry that there is no need for the faux-ecstasy facial expressions they often effect.) While the choreography is heavy on Latin dance, the cast is capable of much more, from the traditional quick step and fox-trot to ripping it up in the rocking finale set to “Proud Mary”—the best execution of these moves since the Ikettes hung up their wigs.

Vocalist Rebecca Verrier is a powerhouse. With a full and rich voice, she navigates the score from the sexy Latin rhythms to the torchy “I Just Wanna Make Love to You.” The show’s male vocalist, Kieron Kulik, though engaging, seemed a bit underpowered by comparison.