The ultimate spot for Casinos & Sportsbooks

The Sahara is all set to make a change on November 16 as it closes its poker room for the last time and will put slot machines in its place. The closing of its poker room makes the Sahara the 7th casino on the Vegas Strip to do so, following the likes of the Excalibur, Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, and the Flamingo. The Sahara Hotel and Casino will close the doors to its poker room for the last time on the 16th of November, replacing it with an expanded slot machine area, marking the latest chapter in Las Vegas's evolving gaming landscape. By mid-December, the casino will debut 'enhanced offerings,' including new slot banks featuring "the latest test games from top gaming content providers," according to a statement from Sahara's General Manager, Paul Hobson. This shift showcases the trend among casinos on the Vegas Strip prioritizing high-revenue-generating gaming options over poker, which has seen a gradual decline in casino support over the past decade. The closure of the Sahara poker room: a growing trend This closure will make the Sahara the seventh casino on the Strip to permanently shut down its poker tables in the last five years, joining a list of properties that have redirected space once dedicated to the game. The trend began in March of 2020 when Excalibur closed its poker room as the pandemic hit. While initially described as a temporary closure, Excalibur later repurposed the area for slot tournaments. Following suit, the Mirage and the Tropicana also closed their poker rooms around the same time without reopening them. In June of 2020, Harrah's converted its poker room into a nonsmoking slot area, eventually transforming it again into space for electronic table games. By mid-2021, Planet Hollywood and the Flamingo had also closed their poker rooms, allocating the spaces to slot machines, sports fan zones, and other gaming offerings. The trend away from poker is not unique to the Strip. Other Las Vegas casinos, including the Cannery, Binion's, Club Fortune, and Silver Sevens, have also closed their poker rooms in recent years. Even Green Valley Ranch transitioned its poker space into a sports viewing area, demonstrating a shift toward options that generate more revenue per square foot than poker. The financial perspective: slots over poker While poker continues to draw a dedicated following, it no longer enjoys the mainstream popularity it did twenty years ago. Still, the game remains active, with many rooms on the Strip reported to be half-full each night. In fact, the Sahara itself has continued to host four poker tournaments every day, suggesting steady interest. However, from a revenue standpoint, poker does not yield the same financial benefits for casinos as slot machines or table games. Poker, unlike most casino games, does not provide an inherent edge to the house. Casinos earn income through rake from tournament fees or a tiny percentage from each pot in cash games. However, this revenue model is less lucrative than the profits generated by slots or table games, which provide a higher revenue per square foot, a critical factor for Las Vegas casinos. Additionally, poker rooms tie up space and staff resources for extended periods, as players often engage in hours-long games, reducing opportunities for other patrons to gamble on the main floor. This drive to maximize profits is also reflected in many casinos' recent push to replace buffets with higher-margin food halls. Once a staple of the Las Vegas experience, the traditional buffet has been phased out across many properties. The logic is similar: buffets generate lower returns compared to upscale food halls, which offer curated dining experiences at a higher price point. Like poker rooms, buffets are seen as using prime casino real estate that could otherwise be allocated to more profitable ventures. As more casinos close their poker rooms, even venues that retain them have started moving these spaces away from the main gaming floor. Earlier this year, the Venetian transferred its poker room to a secluded spot on the Grand Canal Shoppes' second floor. What's next? Rumors of Caesars' poker room closing With Sahara's upcoming poker room closure, some industry insiders speculate that Caesars Palace could be next. Caesars Palace, which has maintained a poker room since it first opened in August of 1966, closed its room in August 2024 to expand its high-limit slot area but has yet to announce a reopening date. If Caesars ultimately decides to remove poker from its property, it would be the fourth property of Caesars Entertainment to do so in just five years, following the closures at Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, and the Flamingo.

The NBA’s opening week has been quite a blast, and there have been a lot of massive games and intense showdowns that have been fun to watch so far, making a lot of headways and showing room for some of the most promising showdowns so far. And that’s a big difference when you’ve got the Boston Celtics playing in front of their crowd as they seek to improve to 4-0 and come up with some impressive strides to continue their rapid run in the season. So far, a showdown with the Bucks is something to look out for, and it cannot be denied that this is quite a game to bet on for many fans. As of the time of writing, the Celtics are expected to win with odds of -1.5, with the over/under for the matchup set at 121.5 points. At this point, one can expect that the clash will be a blazing one to watch with stars like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Damian Lillard coming in on the mix to headline the game. A Preview of Two Teams The Bucks haven’t really seen much success to begin the season after starting out 1-2. They recently suffered a heavy and disappointing loss to the Brooklyn Nets – yes, a rebuilding team. They allowed Cam Thomas to score 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Dennis Schroder had 29 points and 6 assists. Sure, Giannis Antetokounmpo had an amazing statline of 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Damian Lillard had 21 points – but it was not enough to win. The Bucks shot 10 of 33 from deep, and they had a total of 18 turnovers in the whole game. That was a depressing look for a team that is expected to be a championship contender considering how stacked the team is to begin with. On the other hand, the Celtics have been riding on an impressive 3-0 start to the season, one of the only four teams to do so, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Boston recently survived an early upset in their games when they managed to pull off a comeback win against the Detroit Pistons, arguably the worst team in the league with a 124-118 win. By the Numbers In the last 10 games, the Celtics have managed to win a total of six, including three of the last five. The Bucks won the most recent matchup back on April 9th, but it is worth noting that it was already a game in the closing days of the 2023-24 season – with the Celtics and the Bucks being secured for the Playoffs at that time. So far, the Celtics have managed to drop an average of 126 points in three games. That includes 24.3 assists, 42.0 rebounds, 7.7 steals, and 4.0 blocks per game – being only better than the Oklahoma City Thunder’s statlines for the first three games by just a few numbers. On the other hand, the Bucks have an average of 116.0 points per game, but it is worth noting that the team has dropped its defensive rating to 23rd overall, and their 35.5% shooting from three isn’t actually the good insight that is expected from a team that has been deemed to be one of the most impressive contenders in the game, Make sure to look out for the fiery games of the NBA season and don’t miss out on the blazing action. Use the GambleSpot Parlay and Odds Calculator to find out your potential winnings in the games today!