Going “Old School” in Vegas

Chad Millman’s book, The Odds: One Season, Three Gamblers and the Death of Their Las Vegas, chronicles the 1999-2000 NCAA basketball season as seen through three sports betting perspectives; the Stardust line settors, the ”pro,” and the “newbie.”  In one poignant scene, the pro (and poker player) Alan Boston meets with his older sports betting buddies at his favorite restaurant; Hugo’s Cellar.  

In many ways it was a farewell dinner.  For the sports bettors, the Vegas action was changing and some of the old school sports bettors were hanging it up.  Online sports books were starting to infringe on the big action and the Stardust was beginning to lose its dominance in setting the line.  New money laundering restrictions were limiting the bet sizes in the casinos.  And new laws had forbid the use of runners to place bets.  It was just getting harder to do what these guys did best; getting down big money on the edge.

Saturday night, my brother, Jen, Leigh, and the Poker Shrink headed to Hugo’s.  For us it was not a farewell dinner - but an opportunity to pay homage to “old Vegas.”  While Vegas continually reinvents itself, Hugo’s is much as it was when it first opened in 1976.  Women still receive a long stemmed red rose and the service is impeccable.  While there are a plethora of new gourmet eating experiences in Vegas these days, I’m not usually a “see and be seen” restaurant kinda gal.  I don’t care what the hot restaurant de jour is - sometimes I just want a nice quiet meal with friends.  Saturday I had great company and a great meal. 

We capped off our dinner with a little $10 pai gow.  Once we logged in a drink and modest gains, we strolled out among the masses of Fremont Street.  Although I’m not usually a huge fan of “The Experience,” my brother had never seen it and we only were a few minutes away from the next show.  Some of the programming can be on the cheesy or flag waving side - but Saturday’s show was perfect for our “old Vegas” evening.  Gambling was the theme, and big red dice rolled up and down the avenue to music that included Blue Oyster Cult.  You might think that Sinatra would have been more appropriate - but there was something about old Vegas “fearing the reaper” of Vegas style development that seemed to work for me.

Even though I’ve been logging in the work hours, it was really nice to spend a little time with my brother in Vegas.  He leaves today - while I start up at the WSOP Circuit event at Caesars. 

This entry was posted on Monday, April 30th, 2007 at 8:32 am and is filed under Uncategorized.