The House Always Wins

By Ziyuan Zhang on July 13, 2012

Remember when you were a wee young lad and after school, you would scurry on home to finish your homework? And day after day, it’s the same old stories and show and tells, and you just couldn’t wait to be an adult. Then your parents take you to Disneyland for the first time, and all of a sudden this being a kid thing isn’t so bad. Fast forward twenty years, and that place is Las Vegas.

Sprouting out of the middle of nowhere, this once barren town has evolved into the gambling capital of the world. Towering over the Strip, each casino seems more extravagant than the last and why not? Why come to Vegas if you’re not ready and willing to throw caution to the winds. How this all came to be, well nothing like a quick glance at Wikipedia to answer all of life’s questions, but whoever did create this casino haven was one smart fella.

Simply strolling around the Strip is quite an experience to say the least. Everything is just bigger: the lights, the noises, the buildings, the egos, the boobs, all of it. Walking into a hotel substitutes the odors of sweat, smoke and spirit with the soft scent you can really only get in a first rate bathroom. The ragged heat soothed away by cool, air conditioned air and the choice of dining experiences are beyond count. At every open door the slots and poker chips are calling your name, and ever flashing lights and even more flashy women are begging for your attention. Bless you if you have ADD.

Man, I wish I were Danny Ocean. Nice picture from http2007 on flickr

But what really makes Sin City special though is the feeling that you’re the boss. There are no looks of consternation, no nagging voice to tell you don’t do this don’t do that. Make one decision to take a gamble and your life could really change. Now whether that’s walking home a couple thousand dollars richer or having to explain to your girlfriend you came home with herpes, that’s really up to you. Everywhere is a reminder of the debauchery you could indulge in, and everywhere, you are surrounded by people who could have a fatter wallet by the end of tonight. So why not you? The thought of gambling, knowing full well the odds are most certainly are not and never will be in your favor, suddenly seems like a great idea. And even if unfair odds are as assured as Starks detesting Lannisters, there are always exceptions. Plus, what’s the fun if the odds aren’t against you anyways? The Paris’s and New York’s of the world can offer their five star hotels and exquisite cuisine, but only in Vegas can you feel in control yet so not in control of all the possibilities that await you.

Las Vegas is really the ultimate mirage in a barren desert. But as magical as it is, it still is a city, and like all cities, it will always be plagued by certain ills. I’m no city slicker, but I expected better of Vegas. The traffic is unbearable, and the summer heat even more so. For all its lavishness, there always seems to be more construction to be done and for all its affluence, there are just as homeless as there are penthouse suites. And I wasn’t aware so many drunken assholes could exist in one place. So, turn 21, go to Vegas and have your fun, and I’m almost certain you won’t be disappointed. But do keep in mind this quip writer Brian Sack had about Las Vegas: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but the 400-pound woman perched in front of a slot machine, oozing bum-flesh off her stool as she balanced a cocktail and cigarette in one hand and robotically tugged the slot arm with the other…that’s still with me.” Welcome to Las Vegas, and we hope you enjoy your stay.

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