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City Cast Las Vegas

Last night’s Powerball drawing had the 

. Did you win? If you live in Nevada, the answer is a solid “probably not.”

💸 Where Can You Play the Lottery in Las Vegas?

Nowhere. Ticket sales for games like Powerball and Mega Millions are prohibited within state lines. You can get around the law with a short road trip to the 

, barely a few inches across the California state line from Primm, which is otherwise 

, believing it would draw dollars away from casino revenue, although some other markets have shown that both can coexist. It’s worth noting that most states introduced lotteries due to an absence of casinos in markets outside Nevada and New Jersey, although the landscape is very different today.

, suggesting funds raised from sales could go to mental health services, although language was never included in drafted legislation. Regardless, there’s an argument that lotteries could generate tax revenue of some sort in a low-tax state like Nevada and there’s always the libertarian viewpoint that people should be 

 as long as they’re not harming anyone else.

, argue that lotteries are even more impulsive than slot machines and would introduce more people to gambling — a pastime that’s here to stay in Nevada, but has a 

. Even if there’s a tax benefit, studies show lotteries 

transfer wealth out of low-income communities

 (who are most likely to participate) and redistribute it elsewhere, harming neighborhoods the revenue is supposed to help.

⏳ Any Chance of Nevada Getting a Lottery Soon?

Probably not. Ballot questions to approve a lottery were defeated by Nevada voters in 

 as fundraisers for nonprofits and charities in 1990.

84% of Nevadans favor the creation of a state lottery

. A bill to do just that (AJR5) cleared both chambers of the Nevada Legislature in 2023, but was 

 altogether in the 2025 session. If it had succeeded a second time, Nevada voters would’ve had their say on a ballot question in 2026. The earliest state lawmakers will even face the issue again is 2027.

Does Nevada have a lottery? The answer’s no, but the reason is complicated.

Does Nevada have a lottery?

Why Is There No Lottery in Nevada?

What Las Vegans have been wondering. We break down why things in Las Vegas are the way they are and how they work.

Las Vegas, Explained

We all like a good deal, especially in this era of rising prices 📈 That’s why happy hour is more important than ever. Unfortunately, those deals usually run during late afternoon and day drinking has its limits. So in honor of 

, we present something called the “reverse happy hour,” when discounts happen late at night — after the rush instead of before it.

 just celebrated two years at UnCommons. The Italian restaurant has a daily 

 (3-5:30 p.m.), plus a reverse happy hour from 8 p.m. to close Sunday-Thursday and 9 p.m. to close Friday-Saturday. Grab a seat at the bar, lounge, or patio and snack on bites like $8 shrimp scampi, $10 meatballs, and a $17 pepperoni pizza, made with an ancient grain sourdough also used in the $5 focaccia bread. Ask about the $12 spritz of the day or $13 cocktail of the day.

 in the Arts District has a regular happy hour at the bar, 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, plus a one-night-only reverse happy hour 8-10 p.m. on Wednesdays.

 is a great spot for authentic Italian cuisine in Henderson. In addition to the daily 4-6 p.m. happy hour, the restaurant has a daily 

 8-9 p.m. with 50 percent off select dishes. A filet mignon, for example, is just $27.50 with sides.

 whips out a weekend reverse happy hour, 9-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Pulled pork sliders (on cornbread … yum!), brisket sliders, and Disco Fries (smothered in cheese and gravy) are all under $10. Wash that food down with a $6 Shiner Bock and ask about the cocktail specials. 

has live jazz and the rights to the iconic Vegas Vic trademark. The Symphony Park restaurant also has a late-night 

 (midnight to 1 a.m.) with $5 sliders, $9 baked rigatoni, $9 fried ravioli, and other bites, plus beer discounts.

 is a favorite with the industry crowd, serving an excellent 

 for night owls in the Southwest Valley from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. daily. Choose between Asian bites like $5 tuna or salmon tacos, a pair of black cod lettuce wraps for $7, an eight-piece Hokkaido scallop sashimi plate for $14, and more.

 at the Horseshoe is proof that it’s still possible to get a good drink deal on the Strip. Come for 

 in the afternoon (1-4 p.m.) or later at night (10 p.m. to close) for $12 select cocktails (including a New Orleans-style gin fizz), $6 domestic beer bottles, and $9 house wines.

 has three locals-focused sports bars throughout the valley to cheer on the home team. Show up 3-6 a.m. (or 3-6 p.m. for that matter) and get sliders and other select bar bites for $10, $6 Dos Equis and Heineken, $5 well cocktails, and $3 house wines.

 at its Hughes Center location off Flamingo, 9-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 9pm - close. Tapas are $7-$9, so pair those bites with $10.50 signature cocktails, $9 sangria (or $27 per pitcher), or $7 bottles of beer.

 has more suggestions for you, diving deep into the 

 in Las Vegas to celebrate Night Week. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

Say hello to the "reverse happy hour," when discounts are offered later at night as the rush dies down at bars and restaurants. 

The Best Late Night Happy Hours in Las Vegas

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Las Vegas. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Las Vegas Food & Drink

Food & Drink

It’s Las Vegas. You’re here to gamble, but are you here to win? You may want to take a hard look in the mirror if you answered yes to that question. You’re more likely than ever to come out on the losing end of your favorite game, especially if you’re playing on the Strip.

“The reason casinos win is they have a mathematical advantage over players no matter what the game is,” Scott Roeben of Vital Vegas said during a 

 of City Cast Las Vegas. “You almost never find a game that pays more than it takes in.”

The problem is — the odds are only getting worse for gamblers as subtle but significant shifts emerge on casino floors.

The odds in a game of single-zero roulette are bad enough. But add one or two more zeros, and it favors the house even more. “For an uninitiated player, it seems like there are more spaces on the board, more ways to win,” Roeben says. “But actually, every zero gives the house another two-percent advantage over an infinite number of spins.”

3:2 blackjack pays $3 for every $2 you bet and 6:5 blackjack pays $6 for every $5 you bet. It may not seem like much of a difference, but the latter further 

, especially if more than one deck is used.

Don’t call it a comeback. Strip casinos have been removing video poker machines and replacing them with penny slots — which, unlike the old-school version, are more likely to cost 75 cents than a penny these days. They also have a 

 than higher denominations. “They’re the worst for players,” says Roeben.

Some gamblers believe side bets add an extra dose of entertainment to blackjack, but they only 

. Side bets — like predicting “perfect pairs” (or two of a kind) — greatly favor the house.

 some of the other ways the Strip is putting the squeeze on customers, which part of Las Vegas is more advantageous for gamblers, and what will it take for things to turn around? Scott Roeben 

 and more during his interview with City Cast Las Vegas co-host Dayvid Figler.

Where are the best casino odds in Vegas? Not the Strip.

Where to Find the Best Casino Odds in Las Vegas

Why Casino Odds Are Getting Worse for Las Vegas Gamblers

People grumble about everything online and self-service checkout is a popular target. It's not uncommon to see a post that says some variation of “They should 

 if I'm supposed to do the cashier's job for them.”

, for that matter), you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone. Big box retailers like Walmart and Target are 

 of self-serve checkouts for the same reason they installed ‘em in the first place: to save money.

Turns out, the relative chaos of the format has led to enough theft (and items people have “forgotten” to scan) to overcome whatever’s saved in the reduction of employee hours.

Based on recent visits, self-checkout is sometimes open at the Walmart on Trop and Ft. Apache. Sometimes it’s not, forcing me to wait in line to face a real-life human being while holding little more than a bag of dog food and a box of trash bags.

I returned a few days later for something I forgot: a small bottle of allergy medication (‘cause … well, 

). Despite a meager $6.98 price tag, the generic bottle of Loratadine was locked behind plexiglass with more expensive items. It took a few minutes for an employee to return with a key, remove the medicine, and put it in a 

 plexiglass case for me to carry around before getting in the dreaded “full-service” line, where the cashier seemed confused and had to fetch a manager to track down a tool to unlock the item.

I understand the concern over theft, but these megamarts have lost what made them most appealing in the first place: quick and easy convenience. It’s enough to make you shop elsewhere.

But it's too late. Try Googling “convenience store Las Vegas” and see if anything remotely resembling an independent mom-and-pop store shows up. We sacrificed them for the promise of discounts, speed, and ample parking. And just like mankind blowing up the Earth in “Planet of the Apes,” we did this to ourselves. “We finally did it!”

For now, I’ll enjoy self-checkout when and where I can. The joy of a kiosk quickly becoming available. The satisfaction of bagging things the way I like. Paying without a middle-man. Marching out while others linger in line.

It’s not so bad. You don’t even have to pay me 🤑

Megamarts are scaling back on self-checkout lanes. Are the longer waits worth getting rid of 'em?

Reasons to Love Self-Checkout

You’ll Miss Self-Checkout When It’s Gone

Celebrating the offbeat side of Las Vegas. Profiling the people, places, and things that make Vegas unique.

The Las Vegas Appreciation Index

The Appreciation Index

 comes to Lake Las Vegas this weekend, inviting women from all walks of life to embrace the unique challenges of the workplace and everyday living. Conference organizer Hazel Atkinson-Brown weighs in on how women can find comfort and solutions in each other.

What are some of the unique challenges women face in the workforce?

“Balancing everything. Being a mom, fostering a relationship with your partner. At that same moment, you’re going to work everyday. You’re trying to be the best employee, make the most impact. But you still long for connections. You still want to go to brunch. You still want to visit your sisters. There are so many things to do and all of it matters. Women typically have a hard time asking for help. There's this superwoman thing to do it all.”

Any general advice for making the workday go by easier?

“It’s okay to ask for help. Use Instacart, Amazon Prime, a laundry service, or a house cleaner every once in a while. Hire somebody for meal prep if you can afford it, but don't feel like you're doing anything wrong because at the end of the day, your mental health and physical health are priorities.”

What trends are you noticing in the workplace?

“The biggest trends involve inflation — having to work harder and do more in order to live the same lifestyle you were able to live years ago. We live in a day and age where a pension is no longer a topic of discussion in the workplace. So how do you invest? How do you build wealth? How do you make sure that you're not 70 years old trying to find a part time job because your social security or retirement plan actually didn't work out for you?”

The Challenges Women Face in the Workplace

What Las Vegas celebrities, public figures and key citizens have to say about living here.

3 Questions With Las Vegas Public Figures

3 Questions With

Circus Circus’s revamp of the old Slots-A-Fun casino led to a 

, celebrating dozens of retro, mechanical reel, coin-dropping slot machines for their old-school 

 ways. Meanwhile, the future-forward approach of “cashless” gambling is more quietly making transformative waves.

“Cashless” gambling is touted as the 

 in gambling. There’s a few different things to know.

First, there’s the ubiquitous TITO (ticket in/ticket out) system. Those are the coded pieces of paper that slot machines spit out in lieu of coins and dollars. Of course, TITOs typically start with actual bills going from your pocket into the machines, and end with insertion into kiosks on the casino floor where the tickets get re-configured into legal tender. So, at least semi-cashless to start!

Second, there’s the model employed at places like Resorts World and Boyd Gaming properties. This centers around a digital wallet that people pre-load with money that can digitally transfer funds to load up a machine, and then, if the gambler beats the odds and wins, can be transferred back into the wallet using a proprietary phone app.

Finally, we have a more hard-core approach that Ellis Island and some Station Casinos properties are trying, which adds an option for a vetted, evaluated credit application. If approved, this allows gamblers (again, through an app) to essentially get a digital “marker” or a credit advance (for a fee, of course). Gamblers can then access their funds directly from a slot machine with a players card and code until the authorized amount is either exhausted or winnings can be collected. Of course, if the gambler loses it all, they still have to pay back the marker!

In other words, gambling is getting easier and easier. Cashless gaming creates lower barriers and fewer trips to the ATM (not to mention physically cleaner hands).

It’s very important to note that March is

 and the Nevada Gaming Commission periodically evaluates its

 to ensure the ease of the cashless revolution doesn’t give way to the trap of compulsion.

The days of playing a slot machine with a real coin aren't over, but they could be coming to an end. 

Cashless Casinos in Las Vegas

Cashless Casinos Could Become the New Normal in Las Vegas

Vegas is an obvious choice if you want to experience the best in entertainment, but what if you’re ballin’ on a budget? We invited our friend Andrew Kiraly from 

 to the City Cast Las Vegas podcast to share his tips for summer fun on a budget. Here are some highlights.

Get up close and personal with performers and enjoy the gastro creations from chef Leo Herbias.

Pay five bucks at the door and play to your heart’s desire. They also have fantastic beverages to keep you in the zone.

Taking place every third Sunday of each month at the Downtown Container Park.

Andrew Kiraly says, “one of my favorite spots in town. They're kind of a thing right now for their slabby, flavorlicious, Detroit style pizza, but they actually have a really robust live music roster.”

Pop up comedy shows at secret locations around Vegas, what’s not to like? From Andrew Kiraly:

“The one I saw was actually at a circuit training gym. We saw like six comedians. It’s like 17 cents a laugh.”

This, to me, exemplifies summer fun on a budget. They have local vendors, food trucks, and entertainment.

Listen to the full interview for even more summer entertainment recommendations.

More Recommendations

How to Do Vegas on a Budget (Like a Local)

Summer’s finally here. Here's how to make the most of it in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Summer Guide

Summer Guide

This is a town of comps, freebies, and perks — free drinkies for gamblers, free suites for high rollers. Your eyes can drink for free here, too: the lights of the Strip, stunning desert geology, the Bellagio Conservatory, Hoover Dam. Let’s stipulate all of those and — while grimly accepting the reality of paid parking — see what 

 Instead of a museum, James Turrell’s astonishing, colored-light installation is tucked away in the Louis Vuitton store in the Crystals mall on the Strip. Admission is free, but you must reserve a spot at 702-730-3150.

 This food court in Park MGM “often has free wine and food samples so you can sip and savor as you’re browsing,” says City Cast Las Vegas lead producer Sonja Cho Swanson. Like an upscale Costco!

 “Some of the best local city talent” ply their rousing trade at this dueling piano bar and open mic joint in Neonopolis, according to reader "skmcasey." No cover.

 People-watching on Fremont Street — it's the thickest part of the human stew, and utterly fascinating.

 The university is a veritable hive of no-cost amenities available to student and public alike, says reader Soni Brown: “Free movies, performances, gallery-level art, museum, talks, receptions … free walking track, and more.”


 We could’ve put a lot of outdoor facilities on this list — Sloan Canyon! free walking trails at Springs Preserve! — but went with this because it has a counterintuitive quality: a wetlands park in the arid desert. Maybe that’s what makes it, in the words of City Cast Las Vegas co-host Vogue Robinson, “eerily magical.”

The Best Free Things From Food to Movies

Find the best of everything that Las Vegas has to offer.

Las Vegas’s Best

Las Vegas' Best

 the chicken or egg prices going through the coop roof? Seems obvious: the rising cost of eggs has led, or 

, to a modest surge of interest in growing your own. It 

like a good deal: In exchange for a few handfuls of chicken feed, you get nonstop free omelets.

I asked Kim Foster about this; she’s an award-winning food writer, 

 on the City Cast Las Vegas podcast — and owner of 22 backyard chickens. Her advice: Don’t bother.

“I spend so much keeping chickens I could go to Whole Foods and buy their most expensive eggs and still come out ahead financially.”

There are obstacles galore. In order to keep chickens, at least in the City of Las Vegas, you have to get the approval of your neighbors. (Foster lives downtown, not in a rural area. “My neighbors are awesome,” she says.) Also, the costs are formidable — you’d need a coop, feed (which isn’t cheap), antibiotics and supplements ... and don’t forget those Vegas summers. “My chickens have a swamp cooler,” Foster says. The birds require constant attention, not all of it enjoyable. As another local farmer notes, 

 get through all that, you can’t defray your costs by selling your backyard eggs; that’s against the law.

So why have *22* of them? “They bring me so much joy," Foster says. "I could have a whole YouTube channel devoted to chickens eating spaghetti, they’re so hilarious.” That is, for the same emotional satisfactions for which you’d own any pet. Plus eggs! Which 

 fresh and “amazing,” Foster says. On the average, she gets eight or nine a day, and gives plenty away. Very cool. “But," she reminds us, "it’s just not a solution” to the shortage.

Should I Raise Chickens for the Free Eggs?

You already know a lot of the top-line destinations for local gift-buying: 

 (not just for books, but for quirk-infused items of all sorts). Buying in such places helps 

. Here are a few more worth checking out as the shopping doomsday clock ticks down toward Dec. 25.


 Custom charcuterie boards and food boxes. One glance at their Insta page and you’ll know why they’re on this list.


 Your family grillmeister might appreciate these locally grown pork products. The pigs are raised sustainably on a farm near Apex, and fed with leftover food from the Strip.


 This local place had us at “10-pack of custom ice cream tacos.” Pretty much 100 percent of our gift list would be happy to find that in the freezer on Christmas morning.


If you’d rather gift an experience than foodstuff to someone who likes to eat, here’s a fine place to start. Cozymeal offers cooking classes and food tours — perfect for the gregarious foodie in your life.


This place is good for an experience or an object. Gifting a pottery class just might introduce someone to their next passion. Or buy a one-of-a-kind artisanal mug, cup, bowl, vessel, or squiggly ceramic doodad in the gallery store. But hurry: They close up shop Dec. 20 for the rest of the year.


A body-positive vintage clothing store in Fergusons Downtown — for the person in your life with their own funky style.


: “Offbeat charm” is the phrase that comes to mind when looking at the artsy knickknacks and curios on the website of this hard-to-define Commercial Center store.


A Charleston Boulevard mainstay for quirky gifts, many created by local artists. The store that stuff a thousand stockings.


money

Why Is There No Lottery in Nevada?

The Best Late Night Happy Hours in Las Vegas

Why Casino Odds Are Getting Worse for Las Vegas Gamblers

Latest articles

Why Is There No Lottery in Nevada?

The Best Late Night Happy Hours in Las Vegas

Why Casino Odds Are Getting Worse for Las Vegas Gamblers

You’ll Miss Self-Checkout When It’s Gone

The Challenges Women Face in the Workplace

Cashless Casinos Could Become the New Normal in Las Vegas

How to Do Vegas on a Budget (Like a Local)

Latest articles

You’ll Miss Self-Checkout When It’s Gone

The Challenges Women Face in the Workplace

Cashless Casinos Could Become the New Normal in Las Vegas

How to Do Vegas on a Budget (Like a Local)

The Best Free Things From Food to Movies

Should I Raise Chickens for the Free Eggs?

How to Shop Locally