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Top Casinos
2011-02-02 18:50
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More people than ever before are gambling online, thanks to the proliferation of internet casinos. But there’s one thing missing from their lives: the sheer opulence and exuberance of the real thing. The casino – originally the ‘little summerhouse’ of an Italian villa – has become synonymous with the world of wealth and glamour... and the beating heart of that world is Monte Carlo. Here we review the five most famous casinos, and take a dive into some of the less well-known, but no less fascinating, ‘little houses’. But before you visit them, please take a moment to check the dress code: a place is only as smart as the people who make it – and here in Monte Carlo it pays to look like a winner, even when the chips are down...
... and the odds of winning? The official website of the Monaco Casino consortium SBM reveals all: “On Sunday, February 3rd, the unbelievable sum of €1,033,019 was won at the Casino du Café de Paris!... Many winners have pocketed outstanding prizes - not forgetting a jackpot of € 57,478 won on a brand new machine installed that very same day! On average, a jackpot of over €800 is won every ten minutes… Isn’t that enough to convince you that in the Casinos de Monte-Carlo, Lady Luck passes along more often than elsewhere?”
The Casino de Monte-Carlo: 316 gaming machines, 35 table games, 3 restaurants.
Photo copyright Jilly Bennett/Monte Carlo Daily Photo
‘Either God built it, or an architect’ exclaimed Charles Garnier on first seeing the Parthenon. He went on to design some of the French capital’s most imposing buildings, including the Opéra. And here in Monte Carlo, he built the Casino: palatial, flamboyant, outrageous. Like its Parisian counterpart, the Casino has witnessed some of the world’s great operatic performances. But it is chiefly known for its games - after all, it is after this building that all other modern casinos are named.
Casino Café de Paris: 400 gaming machines; 10 restaurants
With a turn of the roulette wheel, we move from the grandeur of the Casino to the vibrant, spinning world of the Casino Café de Paris. Situated just opposite, this galaxy of hi-tech slot-machines is literally light-years from the traditional gaming tables of the Monte-Carlo. Look out for the Star Wars game - one of the highest earning slot machines in the world - with jackpots beginning at €500,000.
STOP PRESS New Alien versus Predator Machines! If you liked the movie, you'll just adore the slot-machines! Wagers from 0.02 € at the Casino Café de Paris, open daily from 10 am.
Sun Casino in the Grand Hotel Monte-Carlo: 450 gaming machines; 27 table games, 4 restaurants
Looking for somewhere a bit more relaxed? The Sun, situated in the Grand Hotel, is the essence of fun and festivity: decked out like a traditional circus big top, there is a genuine scent of the Wild West in this American-themed playground.
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