Las Vegas is the home of casinos! In the middle of the Mojave Desert in Nevada, Vegas is the oasis of casinos! From MGM Grand to Caesar’s Palace and Mirage, Vegas is the gambling capital of the world!
However, some of you may not know when Vegas was built, who was the brainchild behind the city and why it is so successful still today. We will give you a real rundown on all the important facts as we take you on a virtual tour of this wonderful place.
How did Las Vegas come about?
The city, being in the desert, was initially home to ranchers and railroad workers. Incredibly, the state of Nevada had a gambling ban imposed in 1910 but this only encouraged mobsters to establish themselves in the city.
In 1931, gambling became legal again in Nevada. The neighbouring Hoover Dam was due to be built and this saw an influx of construction workers moving to Vegas.
New casinos started to open in Fremont Street and the first hotel, El Rancho Vegas, was built in 1941.
Following that, more and more hotels, on the instruction of mobsters, were built in the late 1940s and 1950s, being backed by some highly honourable groups such as the Mormon Church.
How Las Vegas became a mega resort?
In 1966, businessman Howard Hughes was staying at the Desert Inn. He decided he did not want to leave and purchased it instead! He bought over a dozen more hotels, slowly pushing out mobster-owned hotels that dominated the city.
In 1989, Steve Wynn instigated a new trend in hotel design and construction: the mega hotel. He opened the Mirage, the first glamorous resort hotel in Las Vegas. Transformed over the next two decades, the Strip saw many developments inspired by iconic cities and by 1994, Las Vegas had more than 86,000 hotel and motel rooms, with 13 of the 20 largest resort hotels on the planet.
How many casinos are in Las Vegas?
According to the latest count, there are 136 casinos in Las Vegas! That is 135 more than NetBet, and you can visit our one right here! Like we have stated above, some of these include Caesar’s Palace, MGM, Bellagio and Mirage. These are frequented by millions of people each year, who can play roulette, blackjack and slots. If you feel like you won’t ever make it to Vegas, never fear! Our live casino is as close to the real thing as you can get!
What else can you do in Las Vegas?
One of the other famous things to do in Vegas is to get married! Thinking about tying the knot with Elvis as your witness? Vegas is the place for weddings, both traditional and extremely unique!
Estimates go as high as 500 couples per day on the average. Most years the total is over 100,000.
In Vegas all you need is a driver’s license or passport and about $55 for the marriage license, which you can get in as little as 20 minutes!
What is Las Vegas like today?
Entertainment and casinos remain the biggest source of income in Las Vegas. After billions of dollars of renovations, remodelled golf courses, new restaurants, and the addition of high-profile event venues, Las Vegas continues to thrive. The city gets about 50 million visitors a year!