LAS VEGAS
We have a Statue of Liberty representing New York City, an Eiffel Tower repping Paris, and canals with gondolas just like Venice. What we don't have is something that captures the electricity of New Orleans.
Ever since they closed the 'Masquerade Show in the Sky' at the Rio Hotel 10 years ago, NO parade, NO beads and NO jazz bands in Vegas. Well, now we have the Bourbon Parade at the Grand Bazaar Shops in front of the Horseshoe Las Vegas (the old Bally's Hotel).
Scheduled to work its magic every 90 minutes on the Strip, the Bourbon Parade is gonna be a delicious mix of snacks, like authentic red beans and rice, along with drinks, like frozen Irish coffee, as well as cocktails that are made in 18th-century hand-cranked shakers. They'll also pour signature cocktails such as Mardi Gras Punch, Hurricane, Louisiana Margarita and New Orleans Frozen Irish Coffee.
My suggestion when you meet me at the parade is the Dreamsicle Fizz. A little mix of rum, vanilla vodka, Cointreau, orange juice and egg white shaken vigorously in a Crawley’s Imperial Shaker.
But the best part is, you can book your OWN PARADE! Yup. Maybe a wedding celebration, a birthday, an anniversary or even a bachelorette/bachelor party. Checking with the folks for pricing and availability. Will let you know as soon as I have numbers!
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A JOB!!!
Everyone knows that the F1 race is coming to Vegas in a few weeks, and everyone knows that the employees are gonna be working a bunch of OT. So, a local sportsbook has announced they'll be giving away over $100,000 in prizes to hourly employees who work the Formula 1 weekend.
One employee will win a new BMW.
Every hour a team member works, they'll receive an entry for multiple prizes according to exec Sean McBurney. Already put in my application, but not sure if I'll be able to qualify.
BET ON IT!!!
Remember when the NFL thought that betting was one of the seven deadly sins. Alongside greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth, we had SPORTS BETTING!
Well, we can report that Aristocrat Gaming has installed NFL Kickoff slot machines to casino floors across the state of Oklahoma. Good news and bad news. First the good. These NFL-themed slot machines look sweet and will provide hours of fun. The bad...you gotta go to OKLAHOMA!
LOX & BAGELS!!!
Getting kinda redundant, but we put another LOX into the winner's column last week, pushing the record to 6-2 (75%).
Continuing to build the bank and buy that island for Mrs. Ecks-Rated, and we're gonna go down South and grab Troy over South Alabama Thursday night. This is a tasty intrastate rivalry, the 'Battle of the Belt,' and the Trojans from Troy KNOW how to defend their turf.
Since Jon Sumrall took over at the start of last season, Troy has been a MONSTER at home inside Veterans Memorial Stadium, winning nine of 10. And just in case you don't follow the Sun Belt, the Trojans have won 17 of the last 19 overall.
The visiting Jaguars limp in at 4-4 and might be missing their starting QB Carter Bradley. Check on the status of Bradley before you open the wallet. If Carter in a no go, then we bring the BIG DADDY of chips. If he is gonna start, we still like Troy, but just make the wager a little thinner.
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Benjamin Eckstein is a nationally syndicated sportswriter/oddsmaker. His column, America's Line, with the Ecks & Bacon appetizer, has run in the New York Daily News and over 100 other papers since 1988. You can follow him online at www.americasline.com. He is beloved by most, when he picks winners, and detested by others, when he picks the occasional loser. If you wanna piece of Eck, hit his Email...ben@americasline.com.
