Richard Marcus was a casino cheat in Las Vegas for 25 years. He says he used a mixture of chip scams and social engineering to con casinos such as Caesars Palace, the MGM Grand, and the Riviera out of millions of dollars. Though he was tailed by private investigators, he was never caught.
Marcus discusses the influence of the Italian Mafia in Las Vegas and his early years of being recruited while working as a dealer at the Four Queens Casino. He covers casino cheating teams and how they used the false shuffle in baccarat and the Savannah move. He also discusses casino surveillance, security, and the role of the police and the FBI, and he suggests ways to catch cheaters.
Marcus now works as a security advisor at several casinos and chairs the Global Table Games & Game Protection Conference. He is the author of "American Roulette," "The World's Greatest Gambling Scams," and "The Great Casino Heist."
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Maroon 5 will be visiting major cities across Asia before returning to Vegas to resume their residency in 2025.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation
Maroon 5's Las Vegas residency is on a break, but the band's performances continue on an international scale. Tickets are going fast as concert dates fill up. In addition to securing passes for their festival appearances this year, we've broken down how to buy Maroon 5 tickets for their concert tour below.
Originally formed in 1994, Maroon 5 is celebrating 30 years together as they kicked off their Las Vegas residency in summer at the Dolby Live at Park MGM. The new tour, referred to in shorthand as "M5LV: The Las Vegas Residency," is an extension of their 16-show residency last year.
Maroon 5's residency began on May 17 with the final show taking place in October. Now, the band will do a couple final year-end shows in Florida before beginning the international leg of their tour, visiting major cities across Asia. After eight shows across countries like Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan, Maroon 5 will return to the Dolby Live at Park MGM to resume their residency through the spring.
We've got you covered if you're looking for how to get tickets to Maroon 5's concert tour. Here's our breakdown of Maroon 5's residency and tour schedule, purchasing details, and original and resale ticket price comparisons. You can also browse ticket specifics at your leisure on StubHub and Vivid Seats.
Maroon 5 is briefly stepping away from their Las Vegas residency to visit Florida and countries across Asia for the winter and early spring of 2025. They'll return to the Dolby Live in March, currently scheduled to perform eight dates while there.
Below are all of the remaining concert dates for Maroon 5's tour. All concert times are listed in local time zones.
If you're planning to travel for Maroon 5's residency, be sure to check out our roundup of the best Airbnbs in Las Vegas for securing your stay.
How to buy tickets for the Maroon 5 2025 concert tour
You can buy standard original tickets for Maroon 5's 2024 and 2025 concert tour on Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Both their Las Vegas residency and outside tour dates still have options available. However, the quantity of remaining original tickets continues to decrease as each concert date approaches.
Passes to see Maroon 5 in their 2025 concert series are also available for purchase through verified ticket resale sites such as StubHub and Vivid Seats. You may find better luck with more variety in seating availability through these resale vendors.
How much are Maroon 5 tickets?
Maroon 5 tickets for their 2024 concerts are generally less expensive than similar big-name acts on tour this year. Of course, original ticket prices for Maroon 5's 2024 tour vary depending on date, location, and demand for each show.
Maroon 5 is also offering VIP packages for their 2024 concert tour. Their Las Vegas residency dates offer a Premium VIP Banquet package beginning at $495, but these tickets must be sold in multiples of two. The band also offers three VIP packages for their tour dates elsewhere: Diamond Premium Seat (starting at $685), Gold Premium Seat (starting at $435), and Silver Hot Seat (starting at $410).
Who is opening for Maroon 5's tour?
Maroon 5 doesn't have any opening acts for their Las Vegas residency concert dates. The band has not announced any opening acts for their international tour dates.
Will there be international tour dates?
Maroon 5 will be visiting a handful of cities across Asia in 2025. Here are the locations they're set to perform at internationally:
I'm always excited to see how Las Vegas finds new ways to dazzle and delight me in December.
Jill Schildhouse
I go to Las Vegas often, and love visiting in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The city goes all-out with holiday decorations, especially MGM's Bellagio, which has epic displays.
It also has unique seasonal activities, like ice skating on a rooftop rink below fake-snow showers.
The desert seems like an unlikely place to visit for some of the best holiday displays in the country, but the Las Vegas Strip is full of surprises.
I've been on dozens of trips to Vegas, but one of my favorite times to visit is still the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
There's something extra special about exploring a city fully decked out in holiday cheer while daytime temperatures are still pleasantly high.
Here's why visiting Vegas during the holidays is a tradition that brings me joy each year.
Las Vegas has some of the most incredible holiday decor and displays that I've seen
MGM's Bellagio usually has some of my favorite holiday displays.
Jill Schildhouse
Sin City glitters year-round, but it puts its best foot forward during the holiday season with lights, trees, garlands, and more.
My favorite property this time of year is MGM's Bellagio, which typically hosts the most spectacular holiday displays.
This year, the resort's botanical gardens are running a themed exhibit called "'Twas" through January 4. Visiting felt like exploring a poem that's been brought to life.
I was mesmerized by the towering 45-foot tree dressed with over 35,000 mini LED lights and 8,700 ornaments and crowned with a glistening Swarovski star.
MGM's Bellagio has themed displays during the holiday season.
Jill Schildhouse
My other favorite vignettes here included a miniature train, a gilded sleigh pulled by reindeer made of botanical elements, Drum Major Dolly (the Bellagio Bear) covered in 7,500 preserved red and black roses, and a carousel of giant horses.
This year, I found another beautiful spot while having brunch at Veranda at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas (housed within Mandalay Bay).
The decorated spiral staircase I found while crunching at Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas blew me away.
Jill Schildhouse
I was obsessed with the space's wintery colors and dreamy grand staircase, and I hope to visit it again next year.
The city has unique festive activities
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has been creating an epic rooftop ice rink for years.
Jill Schildhouse
I never miss the ice rink at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
The rooftop Boulevard Pool undergoes a magical transformation into the ultimate winter wonderland featuring a 4,200-square-foot ice rink with amazing views of the Strip.
I enjoy watching classic holiday films on the 65-foot marquee, toasting s'mores over a fire pit, sipping festive cocktails at The Chalet (a reimagined mountaintop village), and watching the enchanting faux-snow showers held every half hour most evenings.
I love grabbing a cocktail at The Chalet.
Jill Schildhouse
If you're traveling with little ones, stop by Mandalay Bay for the Santa in the Shipwreck at Shark Reef Aquarium.
With each paid admission, children 12 and under receive a complimentary photograph with Santa Claus. He's known to put on scuba gear and plunge into the exhibit, too.
I also love getting spa treatments in Vegas, and ones with added holiday flare really get me in the spirit of the season.
Some highlights include the peppermint body polish at Voie Spa & Salon at Paris Las Vegas, and the wintery massage at The Spa at Flamingo Las Vegas that uses notes of cinnamon, pine, and clove.
Vegas also has tons of places for holiday shopping
The Forum Shops at Caesars gets festively decorated for the holidays.
I found no shortage of holiday cheer at The Forum Shops at Caesars, where over 150 retail stores featured Black Friday sales against a backdrop of seasonally decorated statues and columns.
The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood also have over 150 shops offering sales all month long.
When I visit Vegas around the holidays, I even pack an extra tote bag, so I have room to fly my new purchases home.
Two-time MLB All-Star pitcher Luis Severino and the Athletics have reached an agreement on a three-year contract, according to multiple reports.
The deal is reportedly worth $67 million, which would represent the most lucrative contract in the history of the typically budget-minded franchise.
The deal exceeds the $66 million contract third baseman Eric Chavez signed for 2005-10.
Severino had a strong 2024 campaign with the New York Mets, starting 31 games and posting a 3.91 ERA. He also struck out 161 batters in what became his first full MLB season since 2018. Severino has battled a number of injuries over the past five years.
It didn't take long for the veteran right-hander to find success at the MLB level. He recorded 230 strikeouts and was named to the All-Star team in 2017, his first full season in a big league rotation.
Severino, who turns 31 Feb. 20, was a free agent for the second straight offseason after going 11-7 in his only season with the Mets. He left the Yankees last offseason to sign a one-year deal with the Mets guaranteeing $13 million, and he earned an additional $2 million in performance bonuses.
Severino is 65-44 with a 3.81 ERA in 156 starts and 16 relief appearances for the Yankees and Mets.
Severino turned down a $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Mets, who will receive an extra pick after the fourth round of next July’s amateur draft. The A's will forfeit their third-highest selection.
So, if you're looking for a fun city to explore — or an exciting new place to ring in 2025 — WalletHub's latest report offers a look at 182 US cities ranked based on how fun they are.
The personal finance outlet first identified the 150 most-populated cities in the US, as well as at least two of each state's most-populated cities. Then, to measure "fun," it compared those cities across three categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and costs. For those categories, 65 different metrics were considered, such as the number of attractions, the acres of parkland per capita, bar accessibility, cost of living, and average prices for beer and wine.
WalletHub said the data used in its report was compiled from the US Census Bureau, the Council for Community and Economic Research, Numbeo, Yelp, and previous WalletHub studies, among other sources, and was accurate as of November 4.
The most fun cities in the US "provide a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities for all types of interests, from sports to theaters to arcades, and they have plenty of diverse restaurants to try," analyst Chip Lupo said.
From Las Vegas to New Orleans, here are the 10 most fun cities in the US, according to WalletHub.
10. New York City
New York City ranked fifth for entertainment and recreation.
It received two top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation, and nightlife and parties, placing fifth and eighth, respectively, out of the 182 cities.
According to WalletHub, the city is tied for the most park playgrounds per capita and has the fourth most dance clubs per capita. A previous WalletHub study also ranked New York as the fourth-best sports city in the country.
However, New York ranked last among the 182 cities for costs, as the cost of living database Numbeo reported that New York is the most expensive city in the country.
In addition to cost of living, WalletHub compared costs of items like wine, movie tickets, and average fitness-club fees. In New York, a mid-range bottle of wine and a movie ticket each cost about $20, while a one-month fitness-club fee costs nearly $150.
9. Houston
Houston was the No. 15 ranked city for nightlife and parties.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Houston's highest ranking was as the No. 15 city for nightlife and parties, with WalletHub reporting that the city was tied for the most dance clubs per capita.
The "Space City" also received two top-25 rankings for entertainment and recreation and costs, finishing 23rd and 25th.
Numbeo reported that people in Houston's monthly fitness-club fee costs about $39, while a mid-range bottle of wine costs about $13, and a movie ticket costs $15.
8. Chicago
Chicago was ranked the No. 10 city for entertainment and recreation.
Moses P/Shutterstock
The "Windy City" ranked the eighth most fun city in the US, with 10th and 11th place finishes in entertainment and recreation and nightlife and parties, respectively.
According to WalletHub, Chicago was tied for the most park playgrounds and most restaurants per capita. It was also ranked the 15th best sports city in the country.
However, the city also struggled in the costs category, ranking 151st overall.
7. San Francisco
San Francisco was ranked the seventh most fun city in the US.
Vlad Siaber/Shutterstock
The seventh most fun city is San Francisco, with top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation, and nightlife and parties.
WalletHub reported the city was tied for the most festivals, restaurants, and dance clubs per capita.
However, San Francisco was one of the worst-ranked cities for costs, with WalletHub ranking the city 178 out of 182.
Similar to New York, people in San Francisco can expect to pay $17 for a movie ticket, $18 for a mid-range bottle of wine, and about $96 for a one month fitness-club membership, Numbeo reported.
6. Austin
Austin ranked seventh in nightlife and parties.
Little Vignettes Photo/Shutterstock
Austin's ranking as the sixth most fun city in the US could largely be credited to its position as the seventh-best city for nightlife and parties.
With the city's robust reputation for live music — it's known as the "Live Music Capital of the World" — residents and tourists can enjoy music venues, festivals like Austin City Limits and South by Southwest, and dance clubs (it's tied for the most per capita).
The city also ranked 18th in entertainment and recreation, and earned a mid-tier 50th place ranking for costs.
5. New Orleans
New Orleans ranked fourth in nightlife and parties.
f11photo/Shutterstock
As the home of the most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the country, it comes as little surprise that New Orleans would receive a top-five ranking for nightlife and parties.
"Crescent City" tied with San Francisco, Honolulu, Tampa, and Miami for the most festivals per capita, annually hosting the Essence Music Festival and the Voodoo Music and Arts Experience, among other events.
The city also placed 20th in entertainment and recreation as well as 76th in costs. In New Orleans, people can expect to pay around $15 for a movie ticket, $64 for one month at a fitness club, and $17 for a mid-range bottle of wine, according to Numbeo.
4. Atlanta
Atlanta placed in the top 10 cities for entertainment and recreation and nightlife and parties.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
The fourth most fun city in the US is Atlanta, which placed sixth in nightlife and parties and eighth in entertainment and recreation.
The city is home to a variety of music festivals, like SweetWater 420 Fest, Atlanta Jazz Festival, and Shaky Knees Music Festival, all of which contribute to the city's nightlife score.
Atlanta was also ranked as a top 15 city for sports fans.
Meanwhile, the city's lowest ranking was for costs, where it ranked 124th.
3. Miami
Miami was ranked the third most fun city in the US.
Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB/Shutterstock
The city synonymous with spring break — Miami — ranked third overall for fun, with top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation and nightlife and parties.
According to WalletHub, the "Magic City" is tied for the most festivals and restaurants per capita, and it has the fourth most fitness centers and fifth most dance clubs per capita. The outlet added that more than 88% of Miami residents live within half a mile of the park, and that it is the country's leader for water sports opportunities.
And you can't forget about sports; with the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, and Inter Miami FC, the city ranked sixth overall for best sports cities in the country.
However, similar to other major cities on the list, Miami was hurt by the cost category, where it ranked 157th.
But if rides aren't your thing, the city has plenty more to offer, as it tied for the most restaurants per capita and ranked second overall for nightlife and parties.
The city also has the second most fitness centers per capita and is the fifth best city for soccer fans, as both the MLS and NWSL have teams in Orlando (Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride).
And contrary to the rising prices of Disney tickets, the city itself isn't as expensive as some other major cities. It ranked 58th in the cost category, with Numbeo reporting the average movie ticket costs $15, a monthly fitness club membership costs about $40, and a mid-range bottle of wine costs $15.
1. Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the most fun city in the US.
Lucky-photographer/Shutterstock
Last but not least, is Las Vegas. The most fun city in the US is ranked No. 1 in nightlife and parties and No. 2 in entertainment and recreation. (Honolulu took the top spot for entertainment and recreation, but ultimately did not make the list of top 10 fun cities.)
From casinos and dance clubs to sports stadiums, spas, and arcades, "Sin City" has it all. WalletHub reported that Las Vegas is tied with other cities for the most dance clubs, restaurants, and park playgrounds per capita.
All that fun doesn't have to break the bank, either. The city ranked 36th in costs, with $13 movie tickets, $25 monthly fitness memberships, and $15 bottles of wine.
Las Vegas is set to host one of the most controversial women's college volleyball tournaments in the sport's history this week.
This year's Mountain West Tournament will feature San Jose State trans athlete Blaire Fleming, and multiple teams that have already forfeited to the Spartans this season amid a national controversy over Fleming's presence.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo condemned the notion of trans athletes competing against women just days before Fleming will likely compete in his state under a national spotlight.
Lombardo released a statement on Wednesday saying he believes that student athletes should "only compete with and against members of the same biological sex."
"Every student, regardless of gender, is entitled to fair and safe competition in high school and collegiate sports. For the well-being of students and the integrity of competition, I believe students should only compete with and against members of the same biological sex," Lombardo said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
"As a father of two daughters, I firmly believe in protecting the sanctity of women's sports. Despite attempts to politicize this issue, my philosophy is simple: women should participate in women's sports and men should participate in men's sports. No matter what sports team a student plays on or what extracurricular activities a student participates in, every student deserves to be treated with the utmost kindness and respect – on and off the field, in and out of the classroom."
Lombardo previously weighed in on the San Jose State controversy when it involved women athletes at the University of Nevada, Reno in October. The university's volleyball team was scheduled to play San Jose State's on Oct. 26, but Nevada players told their athletic department that they didn't want to compete against Fleming.
However, the university initially did not respect the players' wishes, and publicly stated its intention to proceed with the match against San Jose State. A Nevada spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that the university was doing this to avoid violating Democratiic-passed state law that prevents trans discrimination.
Lombardo praised the players for taking a stand in a statement on Oct. 15.
"As I’ve said previously, I believe there are competition and safety concerns with this issue, and it’s irresponsible for the NCAA to put student athletes in a position of balancing their personal safety against the schools, competition and sports they love," Lombardo’s statement read.
"The student athletes at the University of Nevada, Reno have determined that they do not want to play against San Jose State, and I wholeheartedly respect the decision of the players. No student athlete should ever be pressured to play a game where they don’t feel safe – period. The NCAA has a responsibility to address this issue in a consistent way that protects the integrity of women’s sports and the student athletes who participate."
The players then spoke out publicly and alleged the university was pressuring them to compete against the Spartans. Nevada then officially forfeited the match the day before it was set to be played, claiming it didn't have enough players to compete.
Four other teams, including three conference rivals, forfeited games against San Jose State this season. Those forfeits yielded the Spartans six additional conference wins, as it ended up earning the No. 2 seed in the upcoming tournament and a first-round bye.
Now, San Jose State is guaranteed to face a team that previously forfeited to them in the semifinal round of the tournament. Utah State and Boise State, which each refused to face the Spartans, will face off in the quarterfinals on Wednesday night for the right to advance to the semifinals.
A San Jose State spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that the conference is currently preparing for all teams and players that qualified for the tournament to compete, but it has a plan in the event of forfeits. That plan includes a willingness to recognize San Jose State as the conference champion if its opponents forfeit en route to a victory in the final.
A heated national controversy over a transgender athlete on the San Jose State women's volleyball team could be the catalyst for a conference title in the upcoming Mountain West Conference tournament.
The tournament is scheduled to begin Nov. 27, and San Jose State is the No. 4 seed. A conference spokesperson told Fox News Digital the conference is preparing a plan in the event teams in the tournament refuse to face San Jose State amid the controversy.
That plan includes the conference's willingness to recognize San Jose State as the Mountain West champion if it reaches the final and the other team in the final forfeits and refuses to play, as conference rules state, the spokesperson confirmed. If that situation does play out, it would also grant San Jose State an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament.
The decision to forfeit would be left up to the team that would face San Jose State. If the Spartans' opponents make the decision to forfeit, then San Jose State would have to be declared champion.
"If we get to a championship game, and it's San Jose State vs. whoever, if that institution forfeits the game, then San Jose State wins that match, and then they are tournament champions. And they would be the automatic qualifier out of the Mountain West," the spokesperson said.
However, that current system could change very quickly, pending a hearing Thursday.
An emergency hearing has been scheduled for Thursday in Denver. A judge will determine whether to grant an injunction that seeks to disqualify San Jose State from competing in the conference tournament, disqualify Blaire Fleming from competing in the conference tournament and/or remove losses from the records of teams who protested by not competing against SJSU.
The conference spokesperson confirmed the conference could have to discard its plan pending the outcome of the hearing.
San Jose State finished the regular season with a 14-5 record and a 12-5 conference record. Seven of its wins and six of its conference wins came via forfeit by opposing teams amid the controversy.
San Jose State player Brooke Slusser has joined one lawsuit against the NCAA and filed another alongside other Mountain West players against the conference over the alleged presence of her transgender teammate, Blaire Fleming. Slusser has alleged the school deliberately hid Fleming's natural birth sex from her and other players on the team and around the conference.
Slusser previously told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview she and her teammates are unsure about what a potential postseason run might look like as they navigate a demoralized locker room.
"We're just mostly wondering are teams even gonna play us, period, if we go there? Because of just everything that's happened this season," Slusser said. "It seems like every few days it looks like It'll be a fine day and everything's normal and then something else happens. So, I truly do think everyone's just kind of taking things day by day and taking the punches as they come."
San Jose State head volleyball coach Todd Kress has suggested the tension in the locker room may be not be "a bad thing" as the team looks to compete for a championship.
"Sometimes tension is not necessarily a bad thing, and I'm not saying that there is. But, you know, when you do have tension or you do have confrontations, I mean, I'm a person that believes that, from confrontation, good things usually happen. We settle our differences, and we work through it," Kress told reporters Oct. 3.
After news of the lawsuit and allegations against Fleming began to circulate, San Jose State was dealt several forfeits, including from conference opponents Boise State, Utah State, Wyoming and Nevada. Wyoming and Boise State have each forfeited two matches against the Spartans.
Utah State and Boise State are in the tournament picture and could be potential opponents for San Jose State in Las Vegas. They have already taken losses. Boise State accepted two losses after refusing to face Fleming earlier in the season.
Fleming has been one of the top players in the conference and an offensive anchor for San Jose State this season, even amid the controversy. Fleming is third in the conference in average kills per serve with 3.86 and amassed 297 total kills on the year despite playing seven fewer games than expected due to the forfeits. It's helped give San Jose State the third best hitting percentage in the Mountain West.
Slusser alleged in her lawsuit that Fleming's spikes travel more than 80 mph.
"Brooke estimates that Fleming’s spikes were traveling upward of 80 mph, which was faster than she had ever seen a woman hit a volleyball," Slusser’s complaint states. "The girls were doing everything they could to dodge Fleming’s spikes but still could not fully protect themselves."
Fleming previously set a single-match record at John Champe High School with 30 kills in a match and a single-season record of 266 kills for the school's girls volleyball team. Footage from the athlete's Hudl page of the school-record 30-kill match in September 2019 shows how hard and fast Fleming's spikes came down at the high school level against female opponents.
President-elect Trump went out of his way to comment about footage of one of Fleming's plays in which the player spiked a ball at San Diego State player Keira Herron in a match earlier this season.
"I saw the slam. It was a slam. I never saw a ball hit so hard," Trump said during a Fox News town hall. "But other people, even in volleyball, they’ve been permanently — I mean, they've been really hurt badly. Women playing men."
San Jose State's team has had no reservations about making Fleming the centerpiece of the offense amid the ongoing controversy. The team mobbed Fleming in celebration after a game-winning service ace against rival Colorado State in their senior day match Nov. 16.
San Jose State has repeatedly defended the presence of Fleming on the team.
"Our athletes all comply with NCAA and Mountain West Conference policies and are eligible to play under the rules of those organizations. Our volleyball team members have earned the right to compete, and we are deeply disappointed for them and with them that they are being denied those opportunities through cancellations and forfeits. We are also proud of how they have persevered through these challenges on the court," a statement provided to Fox News Digital by a university spokesperson said.
