A History of WMS Gaming

27 February 2011

WMS Gaming started out its life when Harry Williams founded the company in 1943. At that time, the company was known as Williams Manufacturing Company. Harry Williams changed the way that pinball machines were designed by introducing a new mechanism allowing the machines to tilt for a better gaming experience. This changed the future of the game in the USA.

This set a president for the company in future years, and they ventured into the computer gaming market in the 1980s where they developed games for video arcade games. Then in 1991, the company began producing video lottery terminals under the company name Willliams Gaming.

After the success of the video lottery games, Williams Gaming as the company was known at the time, launched their first video poker game, which was a sensation. This led them to start producing casino slot machines in 1994 which were housed in casinos all over America. In 1999, the company changed name again to WMS Gaming, as it is now known.

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A Review of V: The Ultimate Variety Show at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino

16 December 2010

Taking a break to Las Vegas? Then check out this review of V: The Ultimate Variety Show at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino for information on one of the best sources of entertainment that Vegas has to offer.

This nightly show at Planet Hollywood is not for the faint hearted, with outrageous and high energy entertainers taking to the stage to amaze and astound you with their exciting acts from around the world.

There is a huge assortment of shows and acts, including various performances including comedians, stunt men, magicians and illusionists. Each show has a rotating selection of artists who guarantee ultimate entertainment. You just cannot miss this if you’re visiting Vegas.

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A Review of Jubilee! At Bally's Hotel & Casino

11 December 2010

If you’re looking for a grand hotel in Vegas,it doesn’t get much more grand than Bally’s Hotel and Casino on the world famous Las Vegas strip. Vegas, dubbed the adult’s playground is the perfect place to get your glad rags on and have a real good time.

And one of the most fun attractions of Vegas is the plentiful shows for all tastes. Read on for a review of Jubilee! at Bally’s Hotel and Casino.

Bally’s is a gargantuan hotel with 2814 oversized luxurious rooms, each of at least 450 square feet in size. The hotel features a moving sidewalk covered in neon lighting, which transports customers from Las Vegas Boulevard to the entrance.

The hotel has two theatres. One of which, the Zeigfield, is home to the hit show Jubilee! It has been running for just under 30 years and is one of Las Vegas’ most popular shows. Choreographed by Donn Arden, this masterpiece will blow you away.

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The Hippodrome Casino in London's Leicester Square hopes to launch in August 2011

24 November 2010

I was lucky enough today to have an opportunity to take a look around the current construction site of the soon to be Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, London.

Many a time have I walked past this construction site and wondered what on earth was going on inside, with the front boarded up and a make shift theatre ticket booth taking its place, it seemed that no one cared enough or was brave enough to do something with this prime location real estate.

About a year ago I started noticing that activity was taking place. There was the innovative circus show called La Clique which housed a short run show here, with great success. They went on to create the new show called La Soiree currently showing at the Big Top on the Southbank. This is a cool new show, I went there a few weeks ago and it’s a fabulously entertaining spin on traditional circus shows.

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Enjoying offline casinos

09 September 2010

Online Gambling brings all the anticipation, the excitement and the rewards of chance to your own home, but once in a while it is nice to actually step out of the house, get dressed up and go out for a grand night of fun at a real world casino.

Most large towns have a casino, and for a first visit, these local establishments can be fun, though you must bear in mind the expectations of the proprietors as to your behaviour. Unlike Online gambling, where you can play in jeans, dressing gown or even in the raw, most casinos require you to acknowledge the speciality of the occasion by making an effort with your appearance. Frivolity aside part of the fun in going to an offline casino is to see and be seen by other people, engage, interact, and hopefully win against other players.

Something to remember about real world gambling is that other gamblers can see you AND they can see your reactions, so for card games you really should work on your poker face and on spotting the ‘tells’ in other players or you may find your experience very short and embarrassing.

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Living the Diamond Life at Harrah's - Part 2

16 August 2010

Tuesday

I started the day with breakfast at the “Spice Market Buffet” where $20 buys you all you can eat from dozens of choices, including custom omelettes, lox and bagels and enough bacon to employ a dozen cardiac surgeons. I’m sure everyone is asked “Would you like the all day, all properties buffet pass for $40”, but if you saw my gut, you wouldn’t want to see me coming back for lunch and dinner too.

When I finished breakfast it was time to visit Caesars Palace, which was about a 15 minute walk. The tour of Caesars Palace included a couple of high-end suites, but unfortunately for our group, most suites were full, so we didn’t get to see “The Hangover Suite.” but you can see that they have some nice rooms for their top players.From the suite tour we went on a SWEET tour of the Qua Spa and fitness center.

Sweet, because it’s very nice place and we get a free pass. Unfortunately the hotels in vegas are so huge, that you often make decisions based on how much your feet hurt. My particular problem is that i wanted to work out on the stepper, but didn’t want to walk back to Planet Hollywood for my work out clothes.

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Living the Diamond Life at Harrah's - Part 1

15 August 2010

First things first, Harrah’s wants us to disclose that CasinoMan.net and several other important gaming and travel websites had writers invited to a “Live the Diamond Life” event. The writers were provided with flights, rooms, special events and “Total Rewards” credits by Harrah’s PR department. Harrah’s has not dictated how we report on the event or in any way placed any restrictions on what we publish (though we had to abide by rules about shooting inside the casino.

As for my own personal disclosure, I am a small time casino player, who prefers $5 table games and keeping my losses to just $100-200 per night at the casino. So, i’ve never been a considered a high roller or regular at the casino. I have been to Las Vegas about 25 times since 1985, when i stayed at the Riviera while working a booth at COMDEX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COMDEX).

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Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular

02 September 2009

The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most loved opera dramas of all time. Andrew Lloyd Webber produced an absolute masterpiece that will continue to generate positive ratings and revenue for the next 200 years. It started as a novel and then hit the big screen before showing up on actual stage.

Bringing this show to Vegas was not an easy task at all. The Venetian picked up The Phantom of the Opera and changed the name to Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular. Their first order of business was renovating the theater to make it resemble the Palais Garnier, the famous 2,200-seat Paris opera house.

Phantom finally reunites Webber with Hal Prince, the show’s director, and Gillian Lynne, choreographer. The trio transformed Phantom into a 95-minute thrill ride that will feature every song from the original production. As far as over-the-top "Vegas" goes, this show is pretty tame.

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Find the online casino payment methods you can trust

27 August 2009

We have listed all of the most popular payment methods accepted by online casino’s and reviewed them for you to view. The casino payment types you’ll find on our website are all accepted by the top 3 online casino’s and are the most secure payment methods for you to use.

We have reviewed each of these payment methods and listed all of their most important details so that you are able to read through and find the payment type that most suits your needs. Each of payment type reviews gives you information on the company who have built the software and the services they provide. There are several different casino payment types giving you different options, for example rather than paying by credit card you are able to have the charges you accumulate added to your phone bill with 900 Pay.

Online gambling can be quite risky but CasinoMan ensures that you are taken care of and offers you all of the information you need for secure gambling. All of the payment types listed in our payment type guide are completely secure and legitimate with top security measures to ensure that your data is safe.

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Sin City Bad Girls Show in Las Vegas

24 August 2009

Las Vegas is changing, almost everyone can see that - but try as they might to break free from the Sinatra era and the burlesque styles, show producers always find that classic appeal is where the money’s at. Recently, Peepshow, a new take on a classic burlesque feature, opened and became an instant hit. Hoping to recreate the magic, the Las Vegas Hilton has just very recently opened their newest nude production, Sin City Bad Girls.

Sin City Bad Girls was created by Glenn Medas, a reputable entertainment exec, and Michael Chambers, an Emmy Award-winning choreographer. Both men know that there’s a simple formula to getting a Vegas show off the ground: The women must be gorgeous.

For this, they went after a celebrity of the Vegas ilk - former Christina Aguilera impersonator of "American Superstars" fame, Lorena Peril. Behind Peril’s good looks and incredible voice, the duo cast 7 other beautiful showgirls to complete the ensemble. Sin City Bad Girls is a visual and auditory treat from the start thanks to Peril and the ensuing eye candy.

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Review of Hit Las Vegas show, Peepshow starring Mel B

09 August 2009

Everyone knows that Las Vegas offers a whole lot more than gambling. If you’re in the mood for some adult entertainment, Sin City is definitely the place to be. One of the city’s newest forms of guilty leisure is the Peepshow at Planet Hollywood. From the moment the lights dim down and the music starts, you know you’re in for the show of a lifetime.

Before getting into the details of the show, it’s undeniably worthy to note who stars in this scantily clad production. For starters, former Spice Girl singer and British actress, Mel B, co-headlines the main event. She’s an incredibly talented and absolutely gorgeous woman who’s definitely not shy when it comes to showing a little skin. Her presence in a thong and see-thru top is worth the price of admission alone.

Then you have the perfect ten, the former Playboy model and Dancing With The Stars contestant Kelly Monaco. Miss Monaco is known around the country-even the world-for being a complete and total knockout. Together, the duo brings great singing, great dancing, and a feast for the eyes that can’t go on long enough.

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A review of Zumanity, Cirque du Soliel's other side

05 January 2009

Who knew that Cirque du Soleil had a sensual side? If you’ve ever watched a Cirque production like "O" then you’re well aware of the high-flying, insanely precise, entertaining brand of acrobatics that only Cirque can bring you. For audiences of Cirque’s newest show playing at the New York, New York hotel and casino, Zumanity may be too much for your senses.

It’s a racy and sometimes raunchy adults-only show that explores human sexuality for over 2 hours. The performers are gorgeous and just as talented as you’d expect any Cirque du Soleil performer to be. And just like you’d imagine a dirty Vegas show - yeah, it’s that provocative.

As soon as the curtain lifts, you get a full idea of why this show is labeled "adults only". This tribute to human sexual expression pays homage to Las Vegas’ nickname of "Sin City," and does so extremely well. But while some acts in the show are worthy of the Cirque name, others have a tendency to appear amateurish and seem like they’d be seen in strip clubs or cheesy bars.

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Do you Believe? A Criss Angel Show

04 December 2008

We’re all a little excited about seeing magic. When that guy at a party does a card trick, you immediately ask, "How’d you do that?" Of course, he never tells you. And the truth is you don’t really want to know.

Every magic fan in the world knows who Criss Angel is. As the star of his own hit television show Mindfreak, Criss has done everything from walk on water to making pedestrians disappear.

His entire career is based on an extremely rare ability to make us question what is possible in the world. You watch Criss and know that it’s just a trick, but you’re not sure how it’s not real. Team Angel’s immense talents up with Cirque de Soleil and you have the makings of one of Vegas’ greatest shows: Believe.

According to Criss, he’s been planning this show for around 15 years. When you see it, you’ll see that his time was extremely well spent. Believe is playing at the Luxor Hotel and Casino, and the beautiful theater does the show justice.

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Penn & Teller in Las Vegas Headliner Magicians

21 November 2008

Conspiracy theorists debunked, holistic remedies found to be fraudulent, and the words "Holy cow" were proven to be offensive. Who are the detectives on the case? It’s none other than Vegas’ own Penn & Teller.

Their hit Showtime late night series "Bullshit" is a number-one rated comedy for the magically talented duo. Penn, who’s the tall and talking member of the duo, is sure to tell outlandishly loud tales with Teller, the short and silent "other" half of the duo sets up and carries out most of the tricks.

The two are currently playing at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Their show doesn’t have some catchy name - they’re Penn & Teller, they don’t need one.

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A Review of the Las Vegas Show Danny Gans at the Danny Gans Theatre

17 November 2008

For people not overly familiar with Las Vegas, you may not know who Danny Gans is. If not, he’s a singer-slash-comedian who was once a professional baseball player. Danny’s been called "the man of a thousand voices," "the ultimate impersonator," and even "the most famous actor who never appeared in Bull Durham," (an ironic pun to the fact Danny appeared in the hit Kevin Costner film but ultimately had his scenes cut) but is also a very accomplished and funny comedian. Any man who has a theater in Las Vegas named after him must be doing something right. And if you’re feeling the need for a good laugh, Danny Gans is currently at the Danny Gans Theater.

The reigning Entertainer of the Year in Las Vegas welcomes the audience in with some warming commentary before going straight into his act. Although, many have seen his show multiple times and claim Danny has a propensity to switch it around some.

However, a lot of his material, such as the singers he impersonates, remains the same. If you’re looking to be blown away by any showgirl-type kicks or high-flying acrobatics, then you’ve better cancel in advance.

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Le Reve at the Wynn Las Vegas

12 November 2008

Meaning "The Dream" in French, Le Reve was the first-ever production show to open in the Wynn Las Vegas casino resort. This ultra-lavish show is held in a one-million-gallon capacity theater and hosts an array of diving and other spectacular displays of acrobatics and special effects.

The show was created by internationally acclaimed director Franco Dragone. The aquatic in-the-round dome theater makes sure that no audience member is more than 40-feet from the stage during the show, enabling every participant to witness the close-up action. There are probably better shows playing in Vegas, but Le Reve is definitely worth seeing.

First off, the domed theater just looks spectacular. Le Reve strikes you immediately as one-of-a-kind, but it’s also blended with a little Cirque de Soleil. So it only makes sense that any Cirque lovers would absolutely adore this show. You will also be taken aback at just how intimate the setting is.

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What on Earth are the Blue Man Group

01 November 2008

If you’ve never witnessed a Blue Man Group show live, then now’s the perfect chance. The group, which consists of three "blue" men played by Phil Stanton, Chris Wink and Matt Goldman, has now found a permanent home at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The trio has been likened to new-age mimes, as they’re mute performers who entertain by incorporating a mix of idiosyncratic instruments and gut-busting playground comedy into their routine. They present themselves covered in blue grease paint over latex bald caps and wear black clothing.

The group initially shocked audiences by the element of surprise. No one was aware of the group’s intentions, and to find unexpected humor and actual talent was a much welcomed and impressive gift.

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Folies Bergere at the Tropicana Review

13 October 2008

Fans of Las Vegas, Nevada can agree - there’s a little something for everyone. No matter what you’re into, you can find something to do in Vegas. It’s truly the land of a million options, although most only arrive for one or two. One Vegas attraction that some are unaware of is the Folies Bergere show at the Tropicana.

Critics of the show agree that Folies Bergere is the glamorous spark that takes Las Vegas back to a long-removed golden era. This timeless musical show personifies "sexy" Vegas, and provides classic entertainment that proves to be a much appreciated break from magic and mayhem. The show takes its name from The Folies Bergere, a Parisian music hall which was extremely popular throughout the late 1800s to around 1920. It’s still in business today.

For lovers of all things music, dance and entertainment, Folies Bergere has a seat reserved just for you. It contains all the elements that a great Las Vegas show needs to succeed: singing and dancing, gorgeous scenery, gut-busting comedy, and the cr�me de la cr�me of Las Vegas - the showgirls.

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The Number One Illusionist of all time is David Copperfield

04 October 2008

Before Chris Angel and David Blaine came along with their edited for TV magic, David Copperfield reigned supreme as the top illusionist in the world. This master magician has made the Statue of Liberty disappear - enough said.

He plays 500 shows a year and constantly tries to top himself. David has been playing Las Vegas for years, and his magic show always prevails as one of the top entertainment destinations, not only in Las Vegas, but in all of America.

He is hailed by both fans and critics alike as the greatest illusionist of all time. If you’ve never seen David Copperfield perform, there’s no better time than right now. The man has walked through the Great Wall of China, flown through the air, and even made audience members disappear. He’s truly one of a kind.

Of course, he can’t recreate every televised trick for the Vegas audience, but he does demonstrate similar and equally impressive illusions by using objects a bit more suitable for a stage setting. For example, Copperfield pays homage to his Great Wall walk-through by using a large sheet of metal and effortlessly walking through it.

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A little background on the MGM Grand Las Vegas

22 September 2008

The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel/casino located on the Las Vegas Strip. The MGM Grand is truly that, grand. It’s the second largest hotel in the world and the second largest in the U.S. behind The Venetian. MGM Grand is owned and operated by MGM Mirage, a publicly traded company.

The main building is 30 floors and 239 feet high and features five large outdoor pools, waterfalls and rivers, all covering 6.6 acres. It also has a 380,000 square foot convention center; the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Grand Spa, and CBS Television City are all housed on location. And if that’s not enough for you to take in, MGM also has 16 restaurants, two food courts, and one of the largest casinos in Vegas.

Kirk Kerkorian purchased the Marina Hotel in 1990 to obtain the site that would eventually become the home of MGM Grand. During that time, the Marina was commonly known as the MGM-Marina, and the site was closed on November 30, 1991, and the ground was broken on October 7 the same year.

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Star Trek The Experience is Closing it's Doors

06 August 2008

A sad day sits on the horizon for many Trekkies. Space has never felt this empty. As the Hilton Hotel makes preparations to close down their Star Trek: The Experience site this coming autumn, loyal fans set their phasers to stun and prepare to wage war against the Borg-like fat-cats who decided that this exhibit isn’t popular enough to keep alive. As the stars slowly dim and fade away, Hilton execs are busy working on something to replace the exhibit.

The Experience is a blend of ship simulator, environment, museum, and gift ship/restaurant. It opened up 10 years ago, during the heyday of the Star Trek: The Next Generation movie series.

This exhibit gives fans a change to boldly explore a Trek time-line with a collection of various sci-fi vestiges. After purchasing a ticket that allows for unlimited rides for the day, customers are free to walk through a museum of Star Trek History. You can then explore displays for each of the major alien races from the show/movies, including the Borg, Klingons, and Ferengi.

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The Bellagio 'O' by Cirque du Soleil

30 July 2008

Translating to Circus of the Sun, Cirque du Soleil is an entertainment empire based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberte, and Daniel Gauthier. The original name was Les Echassiers, and they toured Quebec in 1980 as a performing troupe.

Le Grand Tour Du Cirque du Soleil was a success in 84, and after securing a second year of funding, Laliberte hired Buy Caron from the National Circus School to recreate Cirque du Soleil as a proper circus. Their popular rapidly grew, and Cirque du Soleil went from a handful of employees in 1984, to over 3,500 today. Among their Big Top Touring shows are Alegria, Quidam, Dralion, Varekai, Corteo, and KOOZA. The list of resident shows includes LOVE, KA, Mystere, La Nouba, Zumanity, and the show currently featured at the Bellagio, simply titled "O"

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The World's Largest Casino: The Venetian in Macao

08 June 2008

Out of the thousands of casinos in the world, many often wonder which is the largest. Though America boasts some big casinos in places like Las Vegas and Connecticut, it’s China that tops the list with their monstrous casino, The Venetian.

The Venetian Macao is a casino resort in Macau, China, and is owned by the Las Vegas Sands hotel-casino chain. This 40-story building is set to be the anchor for the 7 resort hotels which are currently under construction on the Cotai Strip in Macau. Modeled after its sister casino in Las Vegas, the Venetian Macao is an astonishing 10,500,000-square-feet, and is the largest single structure building in all of Asia, and third largest in the entire world.

The main hotel tower was finished in the summer of 2007 and the resort officially opened for business in August of the same year. With over 3,000 suites, the Venetian also has 3400 slot machines, 800 gambling tables, and a 15,000 seat arena for sports and entertainment events.

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A Short Travelers Guide to Atlantic City

05 June 2008

If you’re ready for the experience of a lifetime, then pack your bags and get ready to set out to one of the world’s most famous cities. Atlantic City has been known for decades as one of the most exciting places in the USA. It’s most famously known for being the "other" city.

But as any ocean lover will tell you, Las Vegas can be a little too hot and a little too far away from the water. Atlantic City sits just yards off of the Boardwalk, and has some of the best casinos around. AC is the total package.

You get all the great entertainment that Vegas can offer, and you’re guaranteed to save money on room accommodations, food, and much more. Atlantic City is the best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, casinos and bars.

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The Rise of the Cirque Du Soleil Circus in Las Vegas

10 March 2008

Eight time winner of the Las Vegas Best Production Show for Myst�re, Circque Du Soleil is also winner of several other awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Bambi Award and three Gemini Awards. The Cirque Du Soleil Circus currently is operating five permanent shows in the city of Las Vegas with plans for three additional Las Vegas productions. Considering that the first of the permanent Las Vegas productions did not open until the year 1993, the phenomenal success of the company is laudable.

Prior to Las Vegas, the company had several years of struggle and financial setbacks. Several times, Cirque Du Soleil (literally Circus of the Sun) narrowly escaped financial ruin. To go from those beginnings to a estimated annual revenue of $600 million. In Las Vegas alone, the existing Cirque Du Soleil performers play to over 9000 people daily. That’s about one in every twenty people who visit the city daily.

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