No. 1 for fun
Much has been said about WalletHub’s recent finding that Las Vegas is the most fun city in the United States. While those who “get” Vegas agree wholeheartedly, people in some places like Orlando, Florida or Atlanta, Georgia don’t.
Which is understandable. It’s their city and they will make a fuss and cry if they want to. What this top five collection seeks to prove is that Las Vegas has gone from being not just the gambling mecca of the world, but also the entertainment capital.
Sure it doesn’t have Big Sur or Disney World, but not everyone likes sand or mice. And what’s not to like and love about Vegas in 2023?
From pure Formula 1 fantasy, and a poker tournament that David Lapine described as heaven, to major casino resort renovations, a revitalized gaming expo, and stars like U2 (and reportedly Beyoncé) lighting up The Sphere, Vegas slots news online It presents five 2023 events that back up WalletHub’s claim that Sin City is #1 in terms of fun.
1. Formula 1 returns after 40 years
Despite its controversy, the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas in November showed the world what it had been missing for the past 40 years. The betting has been running since November 2022, when US Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson shared a video of a Red Bull F1 race car driving through Wynn Las Vegas:
Formula 1 won an award for that stunt, but it was nothing compared to the real thing. Everything about the Las Vegas Grand Prix was impressive, with the circuit held at the end of the championship.
Although Formula One had already crowned world champion Max Verstappen after the Qatar race, the clash between the Dutchman and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was very interesting.
While Verstappen took the spoils, the organizers received a standing ovation on the 6.3km track, despite a valve cover incident that halted the practice session, over which some Formula 1 fans sued.
Vegas proved them wrong […] “It was huge.”
Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton has outshone many Formula 1 drivers and team principals in his applause for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, saying it “was one of the best races”. Hamilton added that there were those who argued that Sin City was too specialized in the entertainment industry to host a major sporting event. “Vegas proved them wrong […] “It was huge.”
It’s also huge for sportsbooks, who saw record betting numbers during the Las Vegas Grand Prix. But those were perhaps the ones who had the most fun as spectators, whose tickets cost about $500, found ingenious ways to watch the race.
2. Fontainebleau stands tall
When the Fontainebleau Las Vegas Casino Resort opened its doors this month, it was as if the entire state of Nevada gave a shout of relief. the reason? The project began in 2007 when it was hampered by the recession, and the pandemic did the same more than a decade later.
But while Justin Timberlake and Keith Urban wowed crowds at the casino resort’s opening, Fontainebleau president Mark Triccano said he was excited to “see the look on people’s faces” when seeing the place for the first time.
According to WalletHub, Vegas may be “a flashy destination for a fun weekend getaway, but it’s also the most fun city overall.” WalletHub ranked Las Vegas Tops due to the sheer number of attractions and restaurants rated 4.5 stars or higher.
As the first casino resort to open since 2021 in Las Vegas, Fontainebleau stands as a symbol of the city’s resilience and belief that people won’t let the good times stop for long.
Now those looking for a fun weekend getaway can add the tallest habitable building in Nevada to their wish list, with the Fontainebleau reaching 735 feet tall and 67 stories. As this video on
As another sign of Las Vegas’ recovery, Penn Entertainment hosted a groundbreaking party earlier this month that will see the M Resort Spa Casino double in size with a $206 million upgrade.
3. 2023 WPT World Championship
After avoiding Las Vegas for 12 years, when David Lapine of VegasSlotsOnline finally bitten the bullet in 2017, it was as if scales had fallen from his eyes. “Once you realize that ‘self’ is the goal, you enjoy what the city has to offer in both ironic and non-ironic ways.”
However, for David, the 2023 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas was an event the city could be proud of, noting that the WPT had made it a “poker paradise.”
The WPT was coming into the 2023 event, catching fire in a shootout against EPT Prague and the inaugural WSOP Paradise, which was happening at the same time.
The second largest overlay in poker history
For the WPT, it was all about winning hearts and minds, as she must have reassured herself after four days of day one ended with 3,835 entries, leaving the prize pool $2,417,000 short of the staggering $40 million guarantee. It was the second largest overlay in poker history.
David Lappin predicted earlier this month that the WPT would emerge from the Mexican showdown between the EPT and WSOP as the clear winner. As he reported on Wednesday: “If Vegas is a scorched desert hell, WPT has managed to create an oasis in the Wynn, an end-of-year refuge for degenerates, a great wellspring of poker games. They’ve made hell a poker paradise.”
David added that the WPT has created a “huge amount of goodwill” for the 2023 tournament, and hopes to ensure the growth of the Vegas event in the coming years.
4. 2023 World Toy Fair
For gamers, iGaming operators, exhibitors and stakeholders, the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas was a Mecca until 2019, when it attracted a record crowd of 27,000 people. Thanks to COVID-19, the 2020 event was canceled and only 13,000 delegates participated in the 2021 G2E.
However, in 2023, that old bravado is back, as more than 25,000 delegates walked through the doors of the Venice Exhibition and Convention Center over five days in October.
Oliver Lovatt, chief executive of Denstone Group, said the 2023 event was “…back to full speed again. We have moved on from Covid. They were there to do business and get things done.” Victor Rocha, president of the Indian Gaming Association conference, agreed ( IGA, saying: “It felt like the pandemic never happened.”
“You can tell there is a new energy in Las Vegas that has carried over to G2E,” Rocha added.
In its survey, WalletHub compared more than 180 US cities based on 65 key metrics from movie costs to average brewery hours (Las Vegas, incidentally, is one of the only US cities that allows public drinking).
This was supported by American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller, who said that the blueprint for the global gaming industry was invented on the Las Vegas Strip. Citing the shows, restaurants and gambling options all under one roof, Miller said Vegas’s mindset “has transformed 110 acres of desert into one of the best tourist destinations in the world.”
5. U2, Wu-Tang Crew, and maybe Beyoncé
Besides Formula 1, the other most exciting event in the entire United States in 2023 was the launch of Sphere. Sin City’s hottest music venue opened in October when a crowd of 21,500 witnessed Irish rock band U2 christen the venue accompanied by incredible visual effects:
According to a WalletHub survey, Las Vegas is known for its musicians and has “a very large number of music festivals and music venues” compared to other US cities.
What’s happening in 2023 is that stars of the caliber of U2 will be staying in town to join the likes of Adele, one of the highest-paid female artists in Las Vegas history. Forget WalletHub’s Vegas endorsement, if Beyoncé lands a residency at The Sphere, her fans say they’ll sell their trucks and give up Christmas presents to watch the former Destiny’s Child singer perform in the desert.
Fueling the trend of a new wave of musicians coming to Las Vegas was the news that the Wu-Tang Clan would begin residencies at Virgin Hotels in February.
RZA, the frontman of the popular hip-hop group, praised Las Vegas’ entertainment factor, saying he loves “where the art is at the center.”
If these five reasons don’t convince you to claim WalletHub for 2023, how about this for next year: The Wu-Tang Clan’s Las Vegas debut comes the same weekend that Allegiant Stadium hosts the 2024 Super Bowl.
Imagine it for a fun day out.
