Let me get straight to the point.
The Venetian is one of the best sportsbooks in Las Vegas!
Depending on your priorities, The Venetian might very well be THE BEST
sportsbook in Las Vegas.
My exalted opinion of The Venetian might come as a shock to readers,
considering my strong allegiances to the more traditional Vegas casinos and sportsbooks.
Clearly, The Venetian does not cater to sports gamblers in the way the good folks do at
the Stardust, for example. In other words, The Venetian is not a nest for die-hard sports
gamblers nor does the sportsbook seek to attract a serious sports crowd. In fact, it's a
very "touristy" herd that hangs out in here. But if you are looking to watch and
bet games, The Venetian is the perfect place to spend an afternoon or an evening.
OVERALL PERSPECTIVE: Presently, The Venetian Resort is undergoing an
enormous expansion. The hotel is adding another 25-story tower -- 2,000 more rooms --
which will reportedly make this massive complex into the largest hotel in the world (it is
destined to overtake the MGM Grand). "Bigger" is not necessarily
"better," of course -- especially when it comes to these evil corporate monsters
overtaking Las Vegas like a bad virus. But I has to put my biases aside, because The
Venetian is so loaded up with attractions and interesting things to see and do, that a
visit here is obligatory.
The Grand Canal, which is a waterway lined with shops and restaurants is a
must see. One of the best free shows in Las Vegas takes place here -- which is the
"Opera." It is performed on the arched bridge across the canal in what is called
"The Town Square." Keep walking along the canal, and you'll find it. The
performers come out dressed in costumes and sing marvelous compositions, with a small
accompanying band of musicians. If this sounds like "PR" for the hotel, it is
not. The show only lasts about 20 minutes or so, but is well worth the time to find it.
The performance takes place every few hours every day of the week. Terrific show -- and
best of all, it's free!
One thing you won't see in The Venetian is riff-raff (present company
excluded, of course). The Venetian is a favorite of the so-called elite and celebrities.
One two of my recent visits here, I saw child-molester/pop musician Michael Jackson
walking through the lobby surrounded by gawking tourists and rocker Ozzy Osbourne playing
$5 slots. This is not a place for shorts and blue jeans. So, dress accordingly.
One minor complaint is that the valet parking situation at this hotel is
ATROCIOUS. You must drive up to the second floor of the main parking garage, then dart
through what seems like a rat's maze, and then you end up walking the same distance
to the casino as the regular self-parkers. So, what's the point? My suggestion if you
visit here is to forget the valet and keep the $2 (tip), because you will not save any
time. The valet service is also slow. Of course, the present problems might be due to the
construction, which will eventually pass, but it's unfathomable that valet parking should
be so "inconvenient."
Normally, I avoid touristy resorts like The Venetian. But at least this
establishment gives something extra back to the customer (the Grand Canal, the free Opera,
artwork, etc.). The Venetian is clearly a destination resort -- well-deserving its
five-star rating.
Which now brings us to the sportsbook.
THE SPORTSBOOK: The race and sportsbook at The Venetian is not easy to
find. It's a good ten-minute walk from the main parking garage and is located clear on the
other side of the main casino floor. The entrance is camouflaged by a large bar out front.
On one side of the sportsbook is an Asian "noodle bar." The other side has an
area for snacks.
The sportsbook is not very big, considering the grand size and scale of
this casino. It has only about 100 seats. It has soft, lounge-style chairs which are
extremely comfortable (try sitting in one of those awful "padded" desk-style
chairs at the other sportsbooks for ten straight hours -- you need a chiropractor
afterward). Indeed, when it comes to watching sports for any length of time -- COMFORT is
very important. The Venetian sportsbook is cozy, which means you have a great view of all
the television screens and the big odds board at all times. The lighting is soft on the
eyes, which makes everything in the room easy to see. Tellers are only a few short steps
away and long lines are never a problem here.
The room has three big walls, with banks of televisions. The three main
screens in the center of the room always feature the most popular games of the day. the
TVs on the sides show the games which are less popular. Horseracing is also featured here
in this room, but seems secondary to sports gambling (it's rare that any sportsbook
prioritizes sports over horseracing). Best thing is that you can be sitting in any chair
in this room and easily see EVERY TV ON THE WALL. These are just regular TV sets (not
giant screens), but I have never had a problem reading the score of a game or seeing how
much time is left of the clock (in many places you have to strain your eyes to see the
numbers). I can’t tell you how important this is when you are watching multiple games
and trying to concentrate on several things at once.
On the subject of service -- the cocktail service in this room is extraordinary.
It's so good that it almost borders on being annoying. I can't even begin to recall how
many times I had a drink (there are holders next to the chairs) and the cocktail waitress
was making another round already, asking (almost begging) the customers to order more
cocktails. In almost every other sportsbook in Las Vegas -- it is damn near impossible to
get a drink. Some nooks even require that you provide a comp ticket (to show you have made
a wager). At The Venetian you are practically overwhelmed with beverage options. For
eating, a nice option is the noodle bar right next door. There is also a small snack area.
Food can be brought into the room.
The Venetian always has plenty of tellers working, so I've never had to
wait in line more than a minute or so.
The bottom line is -- for an NFL Sunday or a full day of action, there's
not a better place in Las Vegas to watch a game.
ATMOSPHERE: A
COMFORT: A
TV SCREENS: B
STAFF: A
COMMITTED TO SPORTS GAMBLING: C
OVERALL: A-
