Las Vegas has been home to many world-class sporting events, from the Super Bowl to F1, NASCAR to the PGA Tour, and the Stanley Cup to title fights. But even when marquee spectator sports events are elsewhere, especially biggies like March Hoops, Triple Crown races, and the finals of any pro league, visitors flock to Vegas for the excitement and gaming of the top sports books. Whatever your favorite sport, there’s a sports or racebook for you.
March Hoops
No matter where regional brackets and the Final Four are held each year, no sporting event brings more visitors to Las Vegas sportsbooks than the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament. Since March is also the unofficial kick off of Vegas “pool season,” there are few better options for the biggest event than Circa, which has what it claims is the world’s biggest sportsbook inside and the city’s biggest poolside sportsbook on the roof, Stadium Swim. The 3-story indoor version holds over a thousand guests and has VIP clubs for reserve, chairs and tables, while the rooftop has six pools, a 40 by 143 foot 14-million-pixel screen worthy of a drive-in theater, plus poolside betting windows, with capacity for 4,000 guests.
Horse Racing
Known as both the “Run For The Roses,” and the “Most Exciting 2 Minutes in Sports,” the Kentucky Derby draws the most celebratory visitors of any race, while the other two Triple Crown races, Belmont Stakes and Preakness, along with the ultra-prestigious Breeders Cup, attract the most serious horse bettors. Either way, the place to be is South Point, the city’s premier equestrian resort, with stables and arena. In this vein, instead of the normal Sports & Race book, South Point has separate facilities for both. The Race Book is exclusively for equestrian (and camel and greyhound) events and has 126 seats with individual TVs to catch any track, plus 53 big overhead screens, and dedicated betting windows. The locally beloved Vienna Beef hot dog cart with bargain priced dogs at the adjacent Sportsbook will make you feel like you are at the racetrack.
Formula One
In terms of spectators, no sporting event in Vegas is bigger than the annual fall F1 race, and since it turns onto Las Vegas Boulevard at the Wynn and Encore complex, this resort overlooks the track on two sides. For this reason—and because many of the race drivers stay here—it is one of the hottest Grand Prix accommodations in town. It also has just refreshed its luxury sports book with giant curved wraparound screens, and you can actually see the race from inside. Plus, Charlie’s Sports Bar is among the city’s best sportsbook dining, with elevated takes on stadium-style comfort food favorites and 16 beers on draft.
Football
When it comes to American fans, football simply rules: the NFL remains the country’s favorite spectator sport, and college football is second, eclipsing the NBA and MLB. Every Vegas sportsbook comes alive on football season Saturdays and Sundays, but none like the massive SuperBook in the Westgate Las Vegas, which like Circa, claims to be the world’s largest. It spans 30,000 square feet with a 220-foot-wide video wall, reservable high tops, pods, booths, recliners and even tables with draft beer built in. There’s a liberal comp system and every Sunday the Westgate’s 1,500 seat International Theater—once home to Elvis Presley’s historic Vegas residency—becomes Football Central, a free viewing party with great food and beverage specials and satellite betting stations.
Everything Else
Caesars Palace has a rich, long sporting tradition and has hosted everything from top prize fights (Ali, Larry Holmes, Sugar Ray Leonard) to Evil Knievel’s famed fountain jump, along with the NHL, pro tennis, and Vegas’ original Grand Prix race. Fittingly, Caesars’ sportsbook is a classic and has been an icon in the field for more than 30 years. Because it is so big and one giant room, cheering and fan energy are amplified, and many fast casual celebrity chef spots are conveniently close to the entrance, including Bobby’s (Flay) Burgers, Chicken Guy! (Fieri), Tortazo by Mexican cuisine guru Rick Bayless, Buddy V’s Pizzeria and Gordon Ramsay’s Pub.