Poker Players Preparing To Celebrate July 4th, Las Vegas Style

Las Vegas is unlike any other city when it comes to Fourth of July celebrations. While other cities plan firework shows, Las Vegas has the distinction of having many casinos that put on their own lights display each year.

This year will be no different in Sin City. Thousands of poker players have flocked to Las Vegas with the hopes of becoming millionaires playing at the World Series of Poker. In addition to the joy that comes with playing in the WSOP events, these players will get to experience the best of what Vegas has to offer on this special holiday weekend.

"I have come to the WSOP for four straight years," said poker player Mark Johns, who is staying at the Las Vegas Hilton. "But this is the first time I will be here for the Fourth of July. I usually come earlier, but this year I decided I wanted to see what the casinos do for the holiday."

The Hilton, where Johns is staying, is holding a fireworks show and a private viewing party at its pool. Vacationers who are not invited to the pool viewing, can see the fireworks from other areas of the hotel.

According to Las Vegas weekly, Caesars Palace will be shooting off fireworks from the top of its Roman Tower at 9:15PM. Mandalay Bay Beach will hold their fireworks display fifteen minutes earlier than Caesars. Primm Valley Casino Resorts will fire off their light display a little later, at 9:30PM.

Several casino resorts are planning discounted tickets for their shows and attractions on the holiday weekend. MGM Grand is giving away a family four pack to CSI: The Experience, while the Tropicana is offering customers a two-for-one deal on The Mob Experience attraction.

While many travelers will be taking in the fireworks, there are those who have been coming to Vegas for years, and will skip the shows in order to stay at the poker tables.

"I've seen the shows the first five or ten times I came to Vegas for Fourth of July," said seventy-seven year-old Fred Balcorn. "The past few years, I head in to the casino and play cards. You know only the die-hards stay in the casinos during the fireworks show, so you can usually find a pretty good game."

The WSOP will continue through the holiday weekend, and the main event will follow soon after. The main event, which is expected to attract over 5,000 players, will begin the first of four day ones on Thursday.

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