Shaking Dice with the Stars

A member writes, 'Geno, you seemed to have played everywhere and met so many people. My friends and I are planning a long weekend in Las Vegas. Can you tell us where the celebrities hang out? We would like to meet someone famous. Kim M., San Diego, CA.'

Ah, San Diego. Shelter Island. Beautiful available women in dark lounges where the music never stops. I envy Kim. San Diego is a great city and one of my favorites.

Where do the stars hang out when they go to Las Vegas? While some of them have favorite casinos, the plain truth is they hang out everywhere.

A celebrity generally gambles where he or she is performing. This happens for a very simple reason. Most headliners are given a certain amount of credit in order to persuade them to gamble and to be seen by their fans. The amount of their credit can range from $50,000 to $1 million or more, depending on the star's popularity.

One of the most popular casinos for celebrities is the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip. The resort is definitely upscale and I have had reports that people like Matt Damon, Demi Moore, and Alex Rodriguez can be seen there on a regular basis.

Stars like casinos that offer more than just gambling. That is why Caesar's Palace and the MGM Grand are popular to them. There are many fashionable restaurants or clubs in these casinos that are popular to the Hollywood set.

Celebrities like to shop in exclusive places like Louis Vitton or Hemes. They like to dine in name restaurants that have exclusive chefs like Emeril Lagasse or Tom Collichio. And they enjoy relaxing in spas like Q at Caesar's Palace or a club like Pure.

Casino management offers privacy to stars who seek to be out of the public eye. They often gamble in high roller places where they get privacy and are protected by security guards. That is where you will find a Bruce Willis or Pamela Anderson shooting high stakes dice or playing high stakes blackjack.

If you are visiting Atlantic City, the celebrity favorite is the Borgata. That is where Drew Barrymore and Jon Bon Jovi have been seen playing.

Internationally, a favorite casino is the Crown in Melbourne, Australia, where the main floor is one third of a mile long.

Another favorite for the stars is Encore at the Wynn. And you can often find a familiar face at the Chateau night club or Paris Las Vegas.

I have run into celebrity players at the Hard Rock Casino and the House of Blues at the Mandalay Resort or Wolfgang Puck's Spago.

Tiger Woods likes the Mansion at the MGM Grand Casino. The MGM gives Tiger a $1 million gambling limit any time he is in town. He often plays blackjack for $25,000 a hand, surrounded by beautiful women supplied by management.

I have rubbed elbows with Buck Owens and the late Redd Fox at Binion's Horseshoe and The Orleans.

Just one word of caution. If you do come across a celebrity in a casino, respect that person's privacy. They deserve to be treated with respect. You'll get a lot farther with them and your trip will be enhanced by your high style.