With UFC 196 just a few weeks away, thousands of people are gearing up to head to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This incredible venue has been home to some truly amazing fights over the years – Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield have famously clashed here several times and no less than 35 UFC events have been held at the MGM since it opened. This being said, and as incredible as the UFC 196 fight card is considering the expected rematch between the current champion Fabrício Werdum and former champion Cain Velasquez, the venue itself shouldn’t be your sole focus during your trip to Vegas. You need something to do when you’re not watching your favourite fighters clash, and we have a couple of suggestions to keep you occupied.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is obviously part of the MGM Grand Las Vegas, part of The Strip that this city in the state of Nevada is so famous for. You have The Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace and the Planet Hollywood casino all within a mile of the MGM’s front door, meaning that you have no shortage of incredible food, fun and entertainment during your stay. If you’re a casino veteran then Sin City is your oyster – you have almost countless games, machines and tables to choose from with daily poker tournaments being held across The Strip.
For those of you new to the world of Las Vegas entertainment, there is a whole world of things for you to try. It can be tempting seeing the glamour and glitz of the roulette wheel, the craps table and the games of baccarat, but if you don’t know how these games work it’s probably best to leave them for the time being. The betting systems behind these games are fairly complicated and you’re better off learning the rules when you don’t have money on the line.
Blackjack is the way to go if you’re looking for a relatively low-stakes game to play, whittling away the hours between fights. The low house edge, the fact that you’re playing 1-on-1 vs the dealer and the simple set of rules have helped blackjack rocket to the number one position as the world’s favourite casino game. Of course it doesn’t help that unlike the slots or roulette, it’s possible to get very good at blackjack very quickly – a little practice and an understanding of the basic blackjack strategy go a long way towards helping you enjoy your time in Las Vegas.
Of course, when all else fails, there’s always sports betting. Head to almost any casino on The Strip and you’ll be able to put money on the next UFC fight, betting on everything from you think will win to how quickly you think the match will be over. If you want to make the matches even more enjoyable as you sit down to in the MGM Grand Garden Arena, having a small amount of money on the line can make a thrilling match that much more exciting.
