Posts Tagged ‘Gaming’

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Celebrate the Year of the Dragon

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

CNYDragonDance

Most of us have already celebrated the beginning of 2012, but the end of this month marks the beginning of Chinese New Year. The Chinese culture celebrates each New Year according to the lunar calendar which is why the date fluctuates from year to year. January 23 marks the beginning of the celebration for the auspicious Year of the Dragon.

The Dragon is the most powerful of all 12 signs in the Chinese Zodiac, which associates an animal to each calendar year. Everyone born in 2012 will be considered a Dragon. Dragons are said to be dominant, ambitious, driven, willing to take risks and unafraid of challenges. These strong character traits are said to cause an increase in births for every Dragon Year. Dragons are also said to be charismatic leaders. In the year 2000 the birth rate in China spiked and is expected to do the same this year.

Each Dragon Year is also associated with one of the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire and earth). 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon. Water Dragons are able to see things from other points of view. They don’t have the need to always be right. Their decisions, if well-researched, are usually better since they allow others to become involved.

To kick-off the two week celebration a traditional Dragon Dance will be held on Monday, January 23 at 6pm to bring good luck and fortune for our guests. A 63 foot-long dragon will feature adult and baby lion dancers, buddhas, musicians and festive flags and will make its way through our entire casino.

Studio B Buffet will feature eight hard-to-resist New Year specialties. Until February 6 you can feast on Meatballs with Bok Choy, Poached Chicken with Ginger and Scallions, Spinach and Bamboo Shoots, Beef Lo Mein, Tofu and Eggplant with Black Bean Sauce, Lettuce Wraps, Mandarin Oranges with Leaves and Spring Rolls. Our bars will also be serving up specialty cocktails, a Lychee Martini and a Mulan cocktail.DragonChip

Starting this Friday our limited edition Year of the Dragon gaming chip will be available. Keep the good luck coming and purchase the chip at our casino cage for $8. The chips will be available until supplies last.

You can use your commemorative Dragon Chip in our Poker Room for their Live Poker Lucky 8’s promotion. From January 23 – 30 enjoy 8 days of great poker action. Flop four 8’s and win $888. Make four 8’s and receive $88. Plus, the first 88 players that make 8’s full receive a collectible Year of the Dragon Gaming Chip. Play live poker every day at 8:08am and 8:08pm and a random lucky player will receive $88!

If you’ve celebrated Chinese New Year before or if this is your first time for the occasion we hope you take part in the festivities at our resort!

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Ring in the New Year Your Way

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

MGirlNYEWhat better place to ring in 2012, than Las Vegas! With only a few days left in the New Year, we’re planning something special for those who are spending their last hours of 2011 at M. Our resort is the perfect spot to party on New Year’s Eve, so be sure to make this year one to remember and celebrate whichever way you please. We’ve got entertainment, dining and parties for every taste and budget complete with a champagne toast at midnight for our guests.

Party

We think cover charges are overrated so we invite our guests to celebrate without waiting in line or paying an entry fee. We’ll be offering complimentary party favors, and cake and champagne stations throughout our casino. Toast the New Year with us and enjoy live entertainment beginning at 9pm in Lobby Bar, Ravello Lounge, M Bar and Hostile Grape. See which venue is the right fit for your celebration style.

Ravello Lounge – The New Year’s evening will kick off in our lounge with go-go dancers and a DJ spinning hits to get the party started, beginning at 9pm. At 10pm, 80’s tribute band Loveshack will take the stage and sing the best of the 80’s and 90’s and some NYE-style party music. The entertainment in Ravello will be going all night long and is ideal for our high-energy party goers.

Lobby Bar – Relax at Lobby Bar and take in a performance by Lowkey Junction. The band is a unique blend of masterful music mixes, live percussion and saxophone. With the best people-watching views, Lobby Bar is the perfect fit for a relaxed New Year’s celebration.

M Bar – For those who like to be at the center of all the action, M Bar is for you. Located in the middle of our casino floor, DJ Simon and go-go dancers will be kicking off this party at 9pm. Get there early for a seat on M Bar’s cushy couches or get your groove on to the tunes DJ Simon will be spinning.

Hostile Grape – Take a sip of more than 160 wines by the glass in our underground wine hideaway. Veteran DJ Art will be mixing up the music for the night for the oenophiles.

Play

End the year with good luck here at M! We’ll be giving away $24,000 in free pay randomly beginning at 8pm on New Year’s Eve. Every 15 minutes we’ll be drawing 10 winners. Two players will win $300, four players will win $150 and another four will win $100. All you have to do is play with your iMagine Rewards Card to be eligible.

Not to be outdone, our poker room will be giving away a grand share of money as well. Play with us and you could win the following: Heart Royal = $2,012; Club Royal = $2,012; Diamond Royal = $2,012 and Spade Royal = $2,012. All Four of a Kinds = $212 and the poker room will have $2,012 in cash giveaways. Complete details can be found in the M Poker Room.

Dine

Our restaurants will be ready for you to kick-off the New Year’s festivities. Marinelli’s, our authentic Italian restaurant will be offering a la carte specialty items in addition to its regular menu beginning at 4pm and our steakhouse, Anthony’s will be serving up a limited menu for the holiday starting at 5 pm. And of course, Studio B Buffet will be serving specialty dishes all day.

No matter which way you decide to spend your holiday night, we hope to have you at M to celebrate 2012! We wish all of our guests a happy and safe New Year.

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Our Hosts are at Your Service

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

CathleenEvery casino player’s best friend is their Host. Casino hosts hold the key (or paper slip) to getting you comps and other perks from M in return for casino play. They’re here to make your experience at M as enjoyable as possible and most importantly, they’re here to serve you. “There has always been a certain mystery about what we do in the casino,” said Cathleen Regalado, a Casino Host at M Resort. “As a host I build relationships with our guests, I have a rapport with them, keep in touch and make sure they want to continue to play at our resort.”

Cathleen has been a Casino Host at the M since the resort opened in 2009. “I’m proud to work at the M and I think that pride translates to my guests and through my work. We’re a very accommodating resort and there’s nothing more rewarding than having guests that not only look forward to coming back to M but also look forward to seeing me.” According to Cathleen, it’s all about the personality when it comes to hosting. “A great host always has a smile on their face! Personality is key and being able to talk with guests and maintain that connection with them is vital.”

Many Casino Hosts start off working in different jobs in the hospitality industry. “I knew once I starting working at a casino that I wanted to stay in the business.” Cathleen began her career cocktailing and loved the contact she had with guests. “Hosting has continued to allow me the guest interaction and given me an opportunity to grow in the hospitality industry.”

Hosting isn’t always just about giving out comps. “One of the most common misconceptions about my job is that I can just extend certain comps to guests anytime I want. Ultimately, the comps are up to the guests themselves and how much they spend in turn qualifies them for certain rewards.”

Cathleen and the other M Casino Hosts go the extra mile for their guests. . “I knew one of my guests loved the pillows we have in the rooms at M, I was able to find out where we purchase them and I sent pillows to her as a special gift for her birthday.” While pillows are a bit unusual for a host to give out, common things include buffet and food and beverage credits, room stays, VIP line access, car service and more. Getting in touch with a casino host is as simple as stopping in to our VIP Lounge (located next to our casino cage) or picking up any of the house phones around M and requesting to speak to the host on duty.

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How We Roll

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

M Craps TableWe like love to satisfy all of your gambling vices here at M. From slots, table games and even sports betting, we take the art of gaming to the next level. But today, we’re taking a special interest in dice games. The image of two numbered cubes are a celebrated symbol here in Las Vegas, and aside from a good old fashioned game of Monopoly we can’t think of a better use for dice than at one of our craps tables.

Dice themselves tend to represent luck, after all, hitting it big at the table can be just one roll away (lucky seven anyone?) So what goes in to making sure our dice are up to par? It starts with ordering top of the line dice for our tables. Gamblers can be a superstitious bunch so the actual die itself is serious business. The dice in our casino come from a few different manufacturers; Bee, Paul-Son and Bud Jones which are all leaders in the dice industry.

Our dice come in a medium red hue with clear polish and a true sand finish, the polish is what makes them glimmer on our felt tables and the finish is what makes them smooth and ready to roll. And of course, no pair of dice is complete without our signature M logo on the side. If you really love our dice (we know we do) you can take your very own pair home with you from our Vice Shop.

Aside from looking pretty, our dice are pretty high tech for cubes made out of cellulose acetate (yup, that’s the actual stuff dice is made from). The cellulose acetate material is specially formulated to provide each die with hardness, clarity and dimensional stability; all things that are essential for dice being used in a casino. You know that M logo we mentioned earlier, dice makers have to make sure the logo’s surface is perfectly smooth to ensure proper balance and weight distribution for an ideal roll. Dice are also equipped with their own security features including glow spots, laserlocks, hidden keys and serial numbers. Who knew those little cubes could have so much on them?

Strict gaming regulations require dice used in casinos to be within 3/10,000th of an inch of a perfect cube. That leaves almost no room for variation in a die’s size, so that pair you have in your hand is virtually indistinguishable to the one at the next table over. Chances are, that set of dice you’re about to roll are pretty new, on average dice only remain in circulation on a casino floor for about eight hours on a busy day.

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The One-Armed Bandit

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Vintage Slot MachineDo you prefer a roll of the dice or maybe a pull of a lever when it comes to your gambling vices? Chances are it’s the latter. According to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, 71% of tourists who gamble play some type of slot, while the remaining 29% prefer the tables. Slot machines account for 65% of the gambling winnings at Nevada casinos so it’s no secret to why they dominate the casino floor of any resort, including ours.

Feeling nostalgic for the days when slot machines spit out actual coins? Our Director of Slots, Mark Seligman has seen it all and then some. We sat down with him to talk about how the slot world is changing and what’s up and coming on our very own casino floor.

Where do you see the future of slots?

With a different generation comes a different player. Today’s new gamer never learned video poker, so they tend to play more video slots. The average video poker player is about 40-60 years old. The penny slots trend has continued to grow in the slot world for the last ten years now. At the end of the year 2009 there were 37,943 penny slots alone in Nevada casinos, attracting $17.8 billion in wagers. In our own casino here at M, we have 1,180 penny slots.

Do you think players miss the one-armed bandits?

There’s a very small segment of our older customers that prefer traditional reel slots versus video slots, which is why we keep a section of them on our floor. Even with today’s technology, some of the most advanced slot machines still have an arm on their side. Some people still prefer the pull of a handle to the push of a button.

How do you stay on top of and ahead of the curve with it comes to slot trends?

At times it’s as basic as a guessing game. You have to look at new themes and know what will work in your casino. You take into account the type of players you get and what they currently like playing. Slot companies will do studies on test bank slots, but at the end of the day it’s what the guests like. It’s always best to buy a few of a certain theme and buy more if it gains popularity.

What makes a good slot machine?

All that matters is how many of our guests like the machine. What might be a good slot at another casino might not be the right fit for ours. We want to have what our players are interested in playing.

How do you pick slots for us at M?

Trends come and go, which is why slot floors are constantly changing at every casino. When it comes to picking brand new slots in the industry, most of the time it comes down to gut instincts. It’s not always scientific; it’s about what’s popular.

What’s new with the slots at M?

In 2011 we added 300 new video slots most of which were new penny slot themes. By doing this it helps us keep our casino floor fresh with new and cutting-edge games. It’s all about staying ahead of the curve.

Why do you think people are divided – either slot player or table games players?

A player’s gambling preference in this aspect is based on comfort. Table games players tend to feel more in control of their money and slots/video poker players come for the entertainment and value not necessarily for the thrill. But, in the end they’re both gamblers.

If you’re wondering how Mark got such a cool job (picking slots for a casino and all) he actually started off studying airplanes and aviation. What slot does Mark fancy most? He says he’s more of a video poker player.

With over 1,900 slot machines on our floor you’ll find a wide variety of video poker, video reels, video keno and reel spinners all for your playing enjoyment. What’s your favorite slot machine?

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Join the Club

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

iMagine Rewards Cards

We love all of our guests at M, but those who are card-carrying members of the iMagine Rewards Club hold a special place in our heart (and casino). Whether you’re a table games player or you prefer slots, we have the games to keep you occupied and the rewards to keep you coming back!  We like to reward you when you play with us, which is why joining our club is the key to getting special offers, comps, gifts and other great things at M! Best part of all, entry to this club is entirely free! In fact, we give you free slot play or a custom designed t-shirt just for joining our club!

Gone are the days where casinos track a gambler’s play by hand so, the best way to get credit for playing in our house would be getting an iMagine card. By doing so, our Casino Hosts are able to see how much you play with us (down to the penny!) and give you things on the house for your continued loyalty. iMagine Rewards Club Points can be redeemed for cash back, free slot play, meals, drinks, retail purchases, spa and salon services, hotel stays, car washes and even gas purchases!

Our Rewards Club is made up of three different tiers, determined upon your level of play.

Gold

Gold Card – This is our introductory card, when you first sign-up you become a gold member! Benefits for the Gold Card include:

  • 15% off Retail Buffet price with Points
  • $1 Off M Resort Car Wash

Platinum

Platinum Card – To move up to a Platinum Card you must earn 100,000 base points in a 90 day period or place an average $100 bet X 20 hours per month for 3 months. Benefits for the Platinum Card include:

  • VIP Parking Access
  • Players Lounge Access
  • VIP Resort Check In
  • 25% Off Retail Buffet Price with Points
  • VIP Line Passes for Studio B Show Kitchen Buffet
  • Priority Fine Dining Restaurant Reservations
  • Exclusive Invitations to Special Events
  • $2 Off M Resort Car Wash

m

The M Card – Getting to the highest level of our Rewards Club requires earning 300,000 base points in a 90 day period or placing an average $350 bet X 20 hours per month for 3 months. If you’re lucky enough to have one of these in your wallets, you’re a true high roller! Benefits for The M Card include:

  • VIP Parking Access
  • Valet Anytime and Priority Vehicle Return
  • Players Lounge Access
  • VIP Resort Check In
  • 50% Off Retail Buffet Price with Points
  • VIP Line Passes for Studio B Show Kitchen Buffet
  • Priority Fine Dining Restaurant Reservations
  • Exclusive Invitations to Special Events
  • Access to Host Services
  • $3 Off M Resort Car Wash

As we mentioned recently joining our club is an insiders’ tip for any traveler. For simply signing up, you can get perks like free slot play! We have one of the most competitive clubs in town; 999 points are equal to $3! When playing at M, members earn one point for every $1 of play on all slot and most video poker machines.

So what are you waiting for? If you don’t already have an iMagine Rewards Card, sign-up for yours on your next visit to M!

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Bring on the madness

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

RSB3So imagine it’s April 4 and since you’re not at the final game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, you’re instead sitting in the M Resort race & sports book, or perhaps at 32 Degrees. The action is intense – fast breaks, big points and unexpected runs. What did you take? The over? Maybe a first-half money line? Nope, you took the next free-throw would be made. What? That’s madness! 

MarchMadnessblogIt sure is – March Madness. If you haven’t tried In-Running Wagering technology from Cantor Gaming here at M, the tournament is the perfect time. The folks over at Cantor asked themselves “Why should the betting action stop when the game starts?” The simple answer was that it shouldn’t. From one of the betting stations in the book or from a mobile tablet you can use in areas beyond the book here at the property, the betting action at M matches the action on the court. 

If sports betting isn’t your thing though, have no fear. The property is filled with great venues which are in turn filled with lots of TVs for all your basketball viewing pleasure. On select dates between March 17 – April 4, you’ll also be able to join in some viewing parties in Ravello Lounge hosted by Mike O’Brian from KKLZ 96.3. With drink deals, contests, prize giveaways and of course the lovely Bud Girls, it’s going to be party after party. Check out the graphic for specific dates and time and join us here at M – bring on the Madness!

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Show us you’re happy

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

HHbannerblog

If you’ve been reading the M Point of View lately, checking out our other social networks or visited the property lately, you’ll know that on March 1 we decided to take the traditional concept of happy hour and turn it on its head with our Happy Hour Guarantee.* What’s the guarantee? It’s pretty simple really – happy hour in all our bars, every day, all the time. And we didn’t jack up the happy hour price to cover ourselves, no these are REAL happy hour prices – $5 for premium drinks, $3 for bottled beer and 1/3 off bottles of wine. 

To start our new happy hour off with a bang and to give a little something back to you our loyal M Point of View readers and followers/fans on our other social networks, we thought we’d have a little contest. Again, simple.

All you have to do is:

  •  Submit a photo of you or you and your friends enjoying the new Happy Hour Guarantee here at M.
  • We’ll pick our favorite among the submissions and post it here on this blog post.
  • We’ll start things, well right now and we’ll continue until Monday, March 21.
  • We’ll announce two  winners by posting their photos in a new post on Tuesday, March 22.
  • Each winner will receive a $50 gift card which can be used here at the M Resort. 

Just submit your photo to us at socialmedia@themresort.com with the subject line “Happy Hour Guarantee Blog.” You must be age 21+ to enter. There’s no limit to the number of times you can enter, but not all submissions will be added to the M Point of View. Please do not submit anything rude or offensive.

 By submitting your photo, you agree to allow M Resort Spa Casino, its subsidiaries and affiliates, their advertising agencies, agents, nominees, and licensees, their successors and assigns, those acting with their authority and those for whom they are acting, to use your name, voice, signature, photograph, and/or likeness, with or without your name and/or information about you, in any way we may desire for any commercial use including but not limited to, advertising, publicity, or promotion of any kind and in connection with any entity, product, or service. 

*Must be 21 years of age or older. Some restrictions apply. Management reserves all rights.

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M Turns 2

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

MsignblogSometimes it feels like just last night that we were opening our doors to let thousands upon thousands of guests experience M Resort for the first time. Other times, when we see each other in the back-of-house corridors or our guests at their favorite machine or dining in one of our restaurants, it feels as if we’ve been open for 10 years – we know the names and faces well and the feeling of being part of a larger “M Family” comes easily. 

The reality is that M Resort Spa Casino is celebrating its second anniversary. We opened our doors on March 1, 2009 and have been open for business 24/7/365 since. It’s been a remarkable two years for us – like the rest of Vegas, we’ve experienced our ups and downs, but fortunately most have been ups. 

2nd-Anniversary-LOGO-BLK-F2As another year has passed, we want to take the opportunity to say thank you. First and foremost, we’d like to express our gratitude to our wonderful guests – we know that without you there is no M Resort. You have continued to visit our property time and again and we cannot thank you enough for your continued patronage of the resort. We also have to say thank you to our amazing Team Members who once again have exceeded expectations a second year in a row and continue to challenge themselves and each other to even greater levels of guest service and exemplary performance in the many roles they fulfill every day.

If you’d like to join us in a little celebrating, we’ll be doing some here at M this Saturday, March 5. You’ll find free cake and champagne on the casino floor from 4-8 pm, a great promotion going on in our poker room, and you may be able to get your hands on a commemorative second anniversary shirt and casino chip. Don’t forget to take advantage of our most popular hotel room package deal too. We’d love to hear your “M” moments and memories from the last two year – share away!

Happy Birthday M.

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Join the Club

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

When it comes to casino properties (and especially “locals” properties), there’s no shortage of competition here in Vegas. Here at M Resort, we do our best to be a standout among all those choices you have. With that in mind, we decided to put together a program that offers our guests age 50 plus with a variety of discounts and offers throughout the property, available every Wednesday beginning tomorrow, February 16. We simply call it our “50 Plus Club,” and here are the benefits: 

50plus-Club-FlierGaming: 50 cash and dining prize winners selected each Wednesday at 4 pm with a $1,000 top prize available.* 

Dining: Buy-one, get-one free buffet at the award-winning Studio B Buffet every Wednesday with a 50% discount for single diners. 

Free pastry with purchase of a Medium coffee at Baby Cakes every Wednesday. 

Buy-one, get-one free lunch entrée at Hash House A Go Go every Wednesday from 1-5 pm.** 

Salon: 30% discount on salon services at Spa Mio every Wednesday. 

Entertainment: Special performance by classic crooner Mark O’Toole from 2:30-5:30 pm in Ravello Lounge every Wednesday. 

So what’s the catch? Well, there isn’t any other than you have to be an iMagine Rewards member (which of course is free) and you have to be age 50 or more. No need to sign-up for a new card either – if you already have an iMagine Rewards card, you’re good to go. 

*Earn entries through new iMagine Rewards Member sign-up and on every 100 same day base points earned. Visit iMagine Rewards Club for complete rules and details.
**Free item must be of equal or lesser value of item purchased. Must purchase two beverages.

Management reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time. Visit M Resort for complete details.

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