 Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter! Dan Ippolito Archives
More Strategy Experts
|
Dan Ippolito Gaming Guru  Casino City’s Friday Five: NFL survivor, openings and jackpots edition12 December 2025
By Dan Ippolito Heading into last night’s Falcons–Bucs game, Circa Survivor was down to just 11 entries in its record $18.7 million winner-take-all NFL contest. Beyond that drama, the week brought two big jackpots at Mohegan Sun, a new tower debut at a Las Vegas-area resort, the return of a Nevada poker room, and jail time for a WhatsApp bookie in the U.K. Let’s take a look at some jackpots from Connecticut: 5. Two lucky guests win big at Mohegan Sun Mohegan saw several massive payouts within the last month and it started online. In late November, a Pennsylvania resident won a record-breaking $506,300 playing Huff N' Even More Puff on Mohegan PA Online Casino. Just a few days later, a guest just turned $5 into nearly $1 million at Mohegan Sun. On 4 December, a Connecticut resident was playing on a Spanish 21 table in Casino of the Sky when they hit the Triple Diamond progressive jackpot for $940,658. The win came after the guest was dealt a “21,” which earned them a spin on the wheel thanks to the $5 side bet. Also on 4 December, a Massachusetts resident walked away with a massive jackpot while playing in Casino of the Sky. “Johnny Jackpot” was playing on a Triple Double Bonus Poker machine when he spun quad aces and won $100,000.
4. Green Valley Ranch to open new poker room next week Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino will usher in the return of poker to the Henderson community with the debut of its new Poker Room on 18 December. Located in its original position on the casino floor, the redesigned room will feature 15 new tables, upgraded audio/visual elements, and 24/7 operation. The new Poker Room will launch with a 24/7 Mystery High Hand Promotion running 18 December through 1 January, awarding $50–$500 every thirty minutes. All high-hand winners will also be entered into a $5,000 drawing on 1 January. 3. Ilegal WhatsApp bookie sentenced A U.K. man who ran an illegal WhatsApp gambling business and failed to pay a customer’s £269,000 account balance received a 30-week suspended jail sentence and a 200-hour community service order. Haydon Simcock, 40, of Stoke on Trent, was also ordered to carry out 20 hours rehabilitation activity in addition to paying £230,000 compensation to the victim and £60,000 U.K. Gambling Commission costs. Simcock admitted to providing gambling to consumers without an operating license between 18 October 2023 and 11 September 2024, and advertising unlawful gambling without an operating license between 26 May 2023 and 1 March 2024.
2. Circa Survivor down to 11 entries Heading into Thursday Night Football, only 11 entries remained in Circa Survivor after 889 of the 900 entries that started Week 13 were eliminated over an 11-day span, tightening the competition for the $18.7 million prize. Circa Survivor had 45 entries enter into Week 14, with 28 – more than 60% of the remaining field – backing Tampa Bay at home against divisional rival New Orleans, and the Bucs fell late to the Saints. The second-most selected team was Cleveland, chosen five times at home against Tennessee. With 11 entries left, each carries an implied value of just over $1.7 million. 1. M Resort Spa Casino celebrates grand opening of new hotel tower Last week, M Resort Spa Casino celebrated the grand opening of the resort’s expansion and officially welcomed the new East Tower to the Las Vegas skyline. The project nearly doubled its room inventory with 375 new guest rooms, expanded convention space, and enhancements to the casino floor. Attendees of the ceremonial opening gathered outdoors as fireworks lit up the evening sky to mark the debut of the East Tower. The celebration continued with a live performance by Jefferson Starship.
Casino City’s Friday Five: NFL survivor, openings and jackpots edition
is republished from Online.CasinoCity.com.
Casino City’s Friday Five: Fanatics, jackpots and openings edition5 December 2025
Fanatics made several headlines this week as it announced a new sportsbook opening at a Kansas City property and then became the first traditional online gambling operator in the U.S. to launch a prediction market product. In addition, we have a Thanksgiving weekend jackpot winner, a second hotel tower opening at a Nevada casino resort, and Green Valley Ranch transforms nearly 200 rooms. ... (read more)
Top 10 US sports betting events for 202624 November 2025
With 2025 winding down, it’s time to turn the page to a historic year in sports. While there are countless matchups to handicap, 10 specific events stand out as essential for any sports bettor. That includes one marquee event making its return to the U.S. for the first time in over three decades. But let’s start on the ice. ... (read more)
Casino City’s Friday Five: Prediction markets, cyber deals and expansions edition21 November 2025
After news broke earlier this month that DraftKings and FanDuel are moving into prediction markets, Fanatics said its launch with Crypto.com isn’t far off. In addition this week, we have Las Vegas Cyber Week deals ready for visitors, a Nevada resort unveiling a major expansion, a first look at a casino coming to Pennsylvania, and yet another millionaire made from a jackpot in Sin City. ... (read more)
Top 10 casino openings and expansionsAs the calendar turns from summer to fall, resort casinos all over are also changing for the better. About two months ago, we talked about recent casino openings and expansions, and now we already have 10 more to discuss. 10. Resorts World Catskills debuts Crystal Life Spa New York’s newest and closest-to-Manhattan commercial casino resort celebrated the opening of its Crystal Life Spa. ... (read more)Top 10 casino openings and expansionsIn the last couple months, there has been a lot of focus on the 49th World Series of Poker, the legalization of sports betting and the FIFA World Cup. But there are other areas where important stories have been coming up in, with several casino openings and expansions taking place in recent weeks. 10. ... (read more)Casino City’s Friday Five: Las Vegas experience editionAfter covering the final table for the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event, our own Gary Trask gave us his insights on new things you should be on the lookout for while in Las Vegas. This week, we also have news on a California casino beginning a major expansion, an online casino coming out with eight new games and several jackpot winners.Let’s start with the jackpots, shall we?5. ... (read more)Casino City’s Friday Five: Sports editionWith sports betting coming to America, the FIFA World Cup beginning next week and the World Series of Poker humming along, the world of sports dominates this week's Friday Five. But let's start with the most timely (and for Vegas hockey fans, the most depressing) story of the week: 5. Top 10 tidbits about ... (read more)Casino City’s Friday Five: Big money editionThe 2018 World Series of Poker is underway, but that isn’t the only highlight of the week. Some large amounts have been won on jackpots or spent to expand or acquire a casino. Everyone wants to make money, and, not to be cliché, but sometimes you have to spend money to make money. So, let’s jump right into the stories.5. ... (read more)Dan Ippolito |
Dan Ippolito |