LAS VEGAS — CASINOS LOVE THESE GAMES!!!
Happy New Year to my millions! And of course, happy gambling. We’ve been bringing you a wide array of online gambling games over the past few months, and are primed for many more. But to start the new year, you might be wondering which online game to hit.
We went to the source, the Nevada Gaming Commission, to find out which games return the MOST money for the casinos. We’ll count down from No. 5, which is Pai Gow Poker, No. 4 is Ultimate Texas Hold’em, No. 3 is one of my favorites, but also a YUGE money maker for the casino, Let It Ride.
In the No. 2 slot is Keno. The chances of winning Keno are as good as my chance of dating the spectacular actress Eva Green. If you’re not familiar with Eva, check out the James Bond movie Casino Royale, where she played Vesper Lynd.
In the movie, Vesper was a double agent working for the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. And I’m not holding that against her. Now for the No. 1 cash cow for the casinos, drum roll plz, it’s 3-Card Poker. Not saying you should stay away from the top five, but watch your bankroll VERY carefully!
PING PANG PONG!!!
Maybe the GREATEST restaurant name EVER!
You can’t leave Vegas without sampling some of the city’s PHENOMENAL Chinese food. And Ping Pang Pong is near the top of the list. PPP is located inside the Gold Coast Casino, which is just a few steps off the famous Vegas Strip. It was named a top-10 Chinese restaurant by a few magazines, and voted the Best Asian Restaurant in Vegas by readers of the Review Journal SIX times.
And MAN, is it a taste treat. And the prices AIN’T gonna kill you. The most expensive dish on the menu is the Double Braised Sea Bass Hotpot at $32.95. They also do a Dim Sum for lunch, where you can find mango lobster scallop rolls and duck buns.
In the evening, the Dim Sum menu switches over to a handful of classics, including Seared Golden Chive Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce, with a Fresh Mango Pudding for dessert. And all priced at $5.99. Eat, drink and DON’T go broke!
WINNERS ONLY!!!
So, Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game is done, over, no contest, don’t bother watching. That’s what the -12.5 point spread in favor of Georgia suggests. NOT so fast, my friends. Obviously, the Bulldogs have more talent and more depth, but so did Michigan. Not saying that TCU is gonna throw down a GINORMOUS upset, but PLUS the bundle looks kinda tasty.
Especially with Max Duggan throwing at a Georgia secondary that has given up 850 passing yards the last two games against LSU and Ohio State. OK, we rate CJ Stroud slightly ahead of Duggan, but LSU’s QB duo of Garrett Nussmeier (294 yards) and Jayden Daniels (208 yards) sliced up the Dawgs pretty good in the SEC title game. And both together don’t equal one Max D.
You know that this spread is a slap in the face to the Horned Frogs, and you know how they respond. Just like they did against the Wolverines who doubted their talent. Not thrilled that TCU will probably be without RB Kendre Miller, who gobbled up 1,399 yards this season. But his backup, Emari Demercado, who was born in Inglewood, California, the site of the game, went OFF for 150 yards against a STOUT Michigan D. Gimme the Frogs for the money. RIBBIT!!!
Gotta tickle a delicious prop bet as well. And it’s Stetson Bennett OVER 9.5 total rushing yards. You know how teams love to watch tape and copy what works, right? Well, you KNOW that Georgia watched the tape of the Michigan/TCU game and saw Wolverines QB J.J. McCarthy rush for 52 yards.
Not saying that Stetson has Lamar Jackson wheels, but check out these numbers. First, look at J.J., who rumbled for 124 yards in 2021 and 306 yards in 2022. Then you have the FOURTH, or the IV, gobbling up 259 yards in 2021 and 166 this season. Just one scramble and we COLLECT!
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.
