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Everyone is fully aware that spending a day - more so, a weekend - in Las Vegas is now pricier than most, what with the soaring room rates and the celebrity restos that make everything uber-expensive. But this one might very well take the cake: tickets to Adele's Vegas gig are now the costliest, coming in at an average of almost $1,500 each.

Why are we not surprised? In the first half of this year, tickets for Adele's shows at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace topped the charts as the priciest on the resale market across the United States. And according to a recent Forbes report, fans paid an average of $1,461 per person just to experience the British songstress live.

This trend isn't entirely new. In the summer of 2022, when tickets for the rescheduled "Weekends With Adele" were released for November, our friends at Casino.org reported two seats at the front row listed on StubHub for an astonishing $41,280 each. Along with StubHub's service fee of almost $6,200 per ticket, attending this concert would have set someone back a staggering $94,949.82 - very costly for a first date!

A costly affair to remember

The top three highest resale ticket prices were all for concerts in Las Vegas, as noted by SeatGeek in data provided to Forbes. For instance, Adele's tickets outpriced those for Phish when he performed at the Sphere by over $230 and surpassed U2 (at the same Sphere) by $630.

Chris Leyden from SeatGeek highlighted the unique pricing dynamics of Las Vegas, telling Forbes, "Vegas prices are definitely significantly higher than what we’d normally see if artists were coming to, say, the Prudential Center in New Jersey or Ball Arena in Colorado."

The allure of Las Vegas can't be denied

Residencies in Las Vegas increasingly hold fresh appeal to popular and high-ranking artists not only because they can potentially earn more money, but also because of the reduced overhead costs. By performing in one unique location, artists can save on the expenses of traveling worldwide with their stages and equipment, which require substantial union labor to set up and dismantle every night.

Additionally, Las Vegas has shed its old reputation as a "graveyard" for music careers, a transformation that is credited to Celine Dion. Despite still being one of the most successful pop stars that tour globally, Dion took a risk on her first residency in 2003 in Vegas, which paid off and helped redefine the city's entertainment landscape. Dion was quickly followed by younger (and equally popular) performers like Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, who had stints of their own with tickets priced at over $500 a pop - but obviously, none are pricier than Adele's jaw-dropping $1500 tickets each.

Future prospects

SeatGeek anticipates Adele's Las Vegas residency will continue to be in high demand for the latter half of 2024. However, they predict that the Eras Tour of Taylor Swift, which will return to the US this fall, might well challenge Adele's top spot. In November 2022, our friends at Casino.org noted that a block of 42 Taylor Swift tickets for a show at Allegiant Stadium scheduled in March of 2023 were priced at nearly $95,000 each.

As top-tier artists increasingly choose Las Vegas for a series of residencies, the city's entertainment scene continues to thrive, offering fans unique opportunities to see their favorite stars in an unparalleled setting. With Adele setting the bar high, the competition among artists to draw in audiences and command top-dollar ticket prices is fiercer than ever.

In a city known for its scorching heat in the summer, Las Vegas has broken all previous records: it has reached an unprecedented milestone on Sunday. At precisely 3:38 pm, the National Weather Service reported that the temperature in Las Vegas hit a record-breaking 120 F at the official weather station located at the airport.

It's unbelievably hot, residents and tourists stated. Earlier that same day, Las Vegas had already surpassed its previous record when temperatures soared to 118 F (this happened at exactly 2:33 pm). This broke the longstanding record of 117 F, which was previously achieved on the 19th of July, 2005, and subsequently matched on the 30th of June, 2013; the 20th of June, 2017; and the 10th of July, 2021.

The NWS had previously forecasted a high of 117 F for the day, with a roughly 25% chance of exceeding the record. Although it's challenging to directly attribute a single weather event to climate change, studies have long highlighted Las Vegas as one of the cities that is known for warming up the fastest in the western United States. Since 1970, for instance, the average temperature in the summer in Las Vegas has increased by almost 6 degrees F, and the city has not recorded a low temperature record in the last 25 years.

Historical temperature records: a degree of discrepancy

Historically, many news outlets have cited Las Vegas' previous record high not as 117 F, but as 118 F, which was set as far back as the 26th of July, 1931. But to clarify this discrepancy, National Weather Service meteorologist Daniel Berc explained that the weather service does not recognize the 1931 record as official because it was measured by Charles Pember Squires (Pop, for short), the publisher of the newspaper The Las Vegas Age, in his backyard on Fremont Street.

Berc further wrote in an email that it isn't because Squires was not a meteorologist - it's just that there wasn't an "official climate site." He added that observations taken before January 1, 1937, are considered unofficial for the climate record. It was actually on this date that the US Weather Bureau, now known as the NWS, established its official weather station at Nellis Air Force Base, formerly the Western Air Express Airfield.

The station was later relocated to Alamo Field, the civilian airport in Las Vegas, on the 18th of December, 1948 - two days prior to being renamed in honor of Senator Pat McCarran. Today, Las Vegas, like most metropolitan areas, measures its official temperature through NWS monitoring stations maintained at the airport.

What residents and visitors should know about the early warning signs of heat exhaustion

As Las Vegas continues to grapple with extreme heat, residents and visitors are advised to take precautions. Various cooling stations are available along the Strip during the daytime up to Wednesday, and people are advised to stay hydrated and be vigilant about heat-related illnesses.

Heat exhaustion can manifest as cramps, nausea, clammy and pale skin, and an increased heart rate due to fluid loss from sweating. Symptoms may also include dizziness, weakness, and fainting. If you suspect heat exhaustion, it's important to move indoors and lie down, and try to elevate your feet and take hydrating fluids - you should also avoid alcohol at all costs. In addition, try to apply cool, damp cloths to your body (especially heat-prone areas such as the underarms and neck).

Heat stroke occurs when the body's temperature exceeds 106 F, a condition it can easily reach in temperatures of 119 F. This can lead to the denaturation of bodily proteins and worse, a dysfunction of the nerve impulses and internal organ swelling, significantly increasing the risk of a heart attack. Symptoms of heat stroke include struggling to breathe, fever, seizures, and ultimately, loss of consciousness. If heat stroke is suspected, dial 911 immediately, as this condition can be fatal.

Heat-related mortality: a growing concern

As most people may be aware, heat is the foremost cause of fatalities related to weather in the United States, surpassing deaths from hurricanes by eight to one. In 2022, for example, heat- and temperature-related causes accounted for almost 1,800 deaths, a staggering 740% increase since 2004, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As Las Vegas continues to experience rising temperatures, the importance of heat safety measures cannot be overstated. The city's record-breaking heat serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing impact of climate change and the need for proactive measures to protect public health. If you can, stay indoors - and if you have to go out, stay protected and hydrated.

July 8, 2024 – Matt Snook, who joined the NBC show “The Voice” reportedly entered the main event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Snook, 41 happens to be battling cancer and decides to cross competing in a poker competition off his bucket list.

Before Day 1 began, PokerNews had a conversation with the ardent poker fan. The native of the Kansas City, Missouri, region has never participated in a tournament with such a high buy-in, but he does have a considerable deal of tournament experience, having cashed in 12 Rungood Poker Series (RGPS) events since 2019.

"I had some friends get together, and they basically helped me out," Snook said of entering the world championship event. "It's the coolest tournament in the world, and I love it,” the Voice contestant adds.

Cancer Diagnosis

Snook admits that he prefers playing cash games over tournaments, but he does occasionally like switching things up. While each participant in the Main Event has a tale to share, the musician's is particularly distinctive.

"I got diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer January 3rd, and this is probably going to be one of my last hoorahs to play a tournament," Snook says.

Before the game began, he seemed upbeat despite his illness, stating that he was only given six to twelve months to live. Idealistic in his attitude, Snook remains optimistic.

"I've lived such a blessed life, I feel good today, had a tough night last night, and I'm planning on trying to work through what I've got to work through," he said. "Poker players know that poker is a grind and life is a grind. But I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me. I don't want any empathy. I've just lived a blessed life and I'm glad to be here." the 41-year-old shares.

Joining The Voice in 2015

Snook auditioned for "The Voice" Season 8 in 2015, joining Team Blake after singing "Red Dirt Road" but was eliminated in the battle rounds. At the time of publishing, Snook was slightly above 50,000 chips on Day 1d, improving from earlier.

Poker isn't a profession for Snook, but it's a passion. Formerly in a corporate job, his true talent is singing. He's performed in deserts and hospitals, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

July 8, 2024 – Friday night’s winning numbers were 6, 15, 32, 54, and 67, Mega Ball 4 with a Multiplier at 4x. Drawn after 11 pm ET, the estimated total jackpot is now $162 million. The lottery states that a winning player may get a lump sum payment after taxes that is estimated to be worth $74.5 million cash out.

If anyone actually won the lottery, the estimated jackpot would be $162 million which would have been theirs for the taking. The Mega Millions jackpot has been won by two players so far this year: one from New Jersey won an incredible $1.13 billion earlier in March, while another from Illinois won $ million earlier in the same month.

Playing Mega Millions

Buying a lottery ticket for Mega Millions is simple and can be purchased at any grocery, convenience store, or gas station. Keep in mind though, in certain places, tickets are also offered online.

To be eligible to play, you need to choose six numbers. Five numbers will be represented by white balls with numbers ranging from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball is represented by a single number between 1 and 25. All you have to do to win in Mega Millions is match one number. However, the number has to be that Mega Ball.

The next draw is on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Draws are held every Tuesday and Friday at 10 pm CT. Learn more at Mega Millions winning numbers.

Alec Martinez has agreed to sign a one-year, $4 million deal with the Blackhawks on July 1st, bringing in his veteran experience and impressive mindset on a rebuild that has been going on for quite some time. Martinez admitted that he is keen to take on a new role, but at the same time, he seeks to enjoy some bigger strides with the squad that has been gunning for bigger wins.

At the age of 36, Martinez brings in a new dynamic for the Blackhawks, something that has been present in his games over the years, with his impressive performances bringing his game to the next level and leading to a championship one way or another. So far, the defenseman has been quite the great mind in the game, and this says a lot about his future with the squad.

This is a different situation for Martinez, who should be playing for winner at this point in his career. But then the frenzy of the free agency market cannot be underplayed, and there is definitely a massive reason why Alec Martinez himself has agreed to bring his talents to the Blackhawks at this point.

A Veteran in a Rebuild

The Blackhawks have signed multiple veterans in the opening day of the free agency market, bringing in talents such as defenseman TJ Brodie and forwards Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Craig Smith and Pat Maroon. Martinez, who is a decorated player in his career, brings in a promising set of experience into the table to guide the Blackhawks – who finished with a 23-53-6 record (eighth in the Central Division).

Martinez played a promising game last season, going for 17 points on four goals and 13 assists in 55 games with Vegas. He averaged 19:03 of ice time, fifth on the Golden Knights behind defensemen Alex Pietrangelo (23:34), Noah Hanifin (23:07), Shea Theodore (22:05) and Brayden McNabb (19:21).

“First and foremost, with the things that Kyle (Davidson, Blackhawks general manager) did just a few days ago and the roster, what he’s added, I’m pretty excited,” Martinez said. “You see some of the names and guys and pedigree, the hockey world’s fairly small, so the quality of human being, caliber, in that way, I’m pretty excited. I think we’re going to be pretty good, too.”

Bringing in Championship Experience

Martinez is a decorated player in the history of the game in his own right. The defenseman won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014 and with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Now with the Blackhawks, he is definitely not winning anytime soon with the team still in the middle of a tough rebuild. But there have been signs where the squad has made some fantastic strides so far.

“There’s a learning curve,” Martinez said. “There are certain ways to handle certain situations and whenever you have someone showing you how to act and how to confront and overcome certain challenges and problems, if you have someone to watch that can do that, it’ll only play dividends. I was fortunate that a lot of people did that for me.”

This is an entirely different landscape for Martinez, who has enjoyed different winning years in the game. Still, he embraces the opportunity to make an impact in the game and prove that he can indeed, be a promising player for the Blackhawks.