Article Presented by:
Tom Howze
Las Vegas casinos are among the most popular places to visit in the world. Even with competition from casinos on Indian reservations, riverboat casinos and state run lotteries Las Vegas casinos attract more people and earn record amounts of revenue from gamblers. In 2005, there were 38,566,717 visitors that came to Las Vegas casinos that generated $9.7 billion in gaming revenue. Slots remain the top game people play while in casinos followed by blackjack, wagering an average of $626.50 each trip. Most visitors gambled on the Strip with downtown Vegas being their second choice. People love to gamble in Las Vegas and businesses love to open up casinos for them to wager in.
The question is sometimes asked, why do people gamble? When you look at the fun and excitement of winning, a lot of people enjoy the challenges of beating the house. After all, if you play smart and come out with a profit, it shows everyone that a person can "beat the odds" and win against the big institutions. And gambling itself is a safe form of risk-taking that some players looking for the "rush of excitement" can find. Social interaction is another reason as the fun atmosphere encourages people to be friendly and conversational. For some segments of society, like the elderly, this sometimes has an aura of attractiveness. Incentives like casino comps, free rooms and drinks or slot tournaments bring in those who like to be rewarded for their wagering. Plus there are the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars being offered in huge jackpots and progressives as far as the eye can see.
From an investment standpoint, the money made can be staggering. Owners and investors realize that from the long-term point of view, games of chance mathematically speaking are always in favor of the house. For example, slot machines owned by the most profitable Indian Reservation casinos in California earn over $500 a day each for which the casino may have invested $10,000 per device. And with slot machines lasting about 5 years, a machine could earn $912,500 during its lifetime. Multiply this figure by 2,000 slot devices, which a number of the largest Indian casinos have on their floors, and you can see the potential for why investors love gaming establishments. Earnings per machine are less in Las Vegas, where there is more competition but the concept of how money can be made is easily understood. Add to this shopping malls with high-end stores, convention facilities along with catering to business travelers, and things become even more attractive.
Players who frequent casinos can look forward to new, fun and innovative ways to enjoy their action. For one, keep your eyes open for wireless gaming at casinos. In July 2006 the Nevada Gaming Control Board came out with policy standards for wireless gaming to be used at casinos in Las Vegas. This has paved the way for hand-held mobile gaming devices to make it possible for gamblers to play slots and random-number-generator table games at public areas such as restaurants, lounges, pools and convention spaces. At the time of writing the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, its sister property the Palazzo, which is currently under construction on the Strip and the Palms have announced plans to feature wireless gaming. Another hot concept shown at the 2006 Global Gaming Expo currently in development by WMS Gaming is called "Sensory Immersion Gaming". The sensory immersion gaming will be a new gaming experience that combines a BOSE 3Space audio system with new, real-time, 3D graphics display. The casino game showcased was "Top Gun" which was based on the 80's hit movie with the same name. This game allows a player to be Maverick, Ice Man or Goose while playing the Top Gun video slot machine and makes you feel like you are in the cockpit flying.
With gamblers looking for fun and excitement coupled with casinos ready and willing to give it to them, anyone taking notice can always count on this relationship to be entertaining and profitable!
About the Author:
Tom Howze is a webmaster for sites that relate to the World Series of Poker with resources for Free Slot Machine Games and Online Casino Gaming.
