Living in Las Vegas

Shortly after 2:30 a.m. this morning, Peter Eastgate, age 22, won $9.15 million and the title, 2008 World Series of Poker Champion in the final game last night at the Rio Hotel Casino. Eastgate is the youngest winner ever, breaking the 19-year record held by Phil Hellmuth, who was 24 when he won the World Series of Poker in 1989.

Eastgate’s winning hand was the 102nd hand of the game, an ace to 5 straight. The final game began Monday night against Ivan Demidov at the Penn & Teller Theater before 1,000 fans. They were the final players from the World Series of Poker which started back in July with 6,844 entrants.

The World Series of Poker began in 1970 at Binion’s Horseshoe and is the largest set of poker tournaments in the world. In 2004, Harrah’s Entertainment purchased Binion’s, and now the tournament consists of 55 events held at Harrah’s different properties in Las Vegas. The winner of the tournament wins the World Series of Poker bracelet, a cash prize based on the number of contestants and their picture is placed into the Gallery of Champions at Binion’s.

ESPN will be showing the game live tonight at 5:00 p.m.

Although I am not the biggest fan of Lifetime movies, I can’t wait to see their new movie based on the book “Murder in Sin City” by Las Vegas Sun’s writer, Jeff German.  Due to the fact that Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were actually found not guilty of murdering Ted Binion, the movie is more generically titled “Sex & Lies in Sin City: The Ted Binion Scandal.”

Mena Suvari plays Sandy Murphy, a stripper who is put on trial for the murder of her billionaire boyfriend, Ted Binion.

Matthew Modine plays Ted Binion who is the owner of Las Vegas casino, Binion’s Horseshoe (now named Binion’s Hotel and Gambling Hall).

Rick Tabish, played by Johnathon Schaech, is Sandy Murphy’s lover and Ted Binion’s close friend, who is also put on trial for his murder.

And Becky Binion, his sister, is played by Marcia Gay Harden. She is convinced that Ted Binion was murdered.

The true story began on September 17, 1998 when Ted Binion was found dead in his home by his girlfriend Sandy Murphy. Police initially suspected an accidental drug overdose. 

Two days later, on September 19, 1998, Rick Tabish and friends were arrested while digging up $4 million of Binion’s silver in Pahrump, NV, that Tabish had actually helped Ted Binion bury there about 6 months earlier.  He claimed Binion said he could have it. From what I recall, this was a pretty big part of the whole thing.

Fast forward to May 20, 2000, Sandy Murphy and  Rick Tabish are found guilty of murder. Then, on July 15, 2003 their murder convictions are overturned and a new trial was ordered.  On November 23, 2004 the jury finally decides it was Ted Binion’s own addictions that killed him.

The movie premiers on the Lifetime channel on Saturday, October 25 at 9:00 p.m. with repeats on Sunday and Monday.  I hope it’s good!

Two cool things about Vegas were in the Review Journal today.

Gaming Commission lifts ban on cell phones in sports books

The long standing law banning the use of cell phones in Nevada sports books has been temporarily lifted.  For the next year, you will be able use your cell phone, but usage will be monitored closely for illegal betting.

I have not spent a lot of time inside sports books except to maybe watch a game while waiting around, but I can imagine how annoying it would be to not be able to use your phone.  Usually what happens to me is that I need to call someone who is in the sports book. So I would say this is good news all around for me.

$1 million cash display returns to Las Vegas

To be honest, I didn’t even know it was gone from Binion’s Hotel and Gambling Hall.  But seeing this headline reminds me of pictures of family members in front of the stack of cash.  I think this display has been around for a little over 50 years.  So even though I didn’t know it had left, I am glad its back.  And thinking of those old family photos definitely makes me want to take my husband downtown for our own photo!