We have lots of bargains, specials and poker room updates from Las Vegas this week.

The Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino is rewarding guests who visit this summer with its "Now and Later" room special. Guests booking the "Now and Later" special through Sept. 8, 2005, will receive a certificate for a free one-night, midweek stay between Nov. 20 - Dec. 22, 2005. Guests can earn the certificate by staying just one midweek night. Current midweek rates are $49 for a standard room and $59 for a deluxe. Certificates for the free room night are limited to one per stay and are non-transferable and will be provided to the guest when they pay for their stay. The free room night is good with the purchase of a room night. Guests must be 21 years or older. To reserve a room, call 800-634-6441 and ask for the "Now and Later" special.

Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel in Downtown Las Vegas, the birthplace of the World Series of Poker, will return to international poker competition in the fall of 2006 with a new tournament, Binion's Poker Classic. At a news conference, Binion's General Manager Brian Eby and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman announced that the Binion's Poker Classic will be a major tournament for the world's top players.

"No single name has ever been more associated with the game of poker than Binion's. We will again host the world's best players in the exact place where it all started 35 years ago," Eby said. The ever-confident downtown enthusiast, Mayor Goodman added, "Binion's Poker Classic will re-establish Downtown Las Vegas as the poker center of the world and an event of this magnitude will continue to revitalize the growth of Downtown." Eby said that specific details of the tournament such as the number of events and entries, buy-ins and cash prizes will be announced by August 1. "But, Binion's is definitely back in the game and poker players as well as our thousands of loyal customers and poker fans will feel that as soon as they walk in the room," he said.

In 1970, the late Benny Binion, founder of Binion's, turned the Texas Gamblers Reunion into a bona fide poker tournament when he moved it from the Holiday Casino in Reno, Nev., to Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas. He named it the World Series of Poker although there were no events or official prize money. The first champion was Johnny Moss, who was elected by the other players. In 1971 at the second annual World Series of Poker, Moss defeated five other players, won $30,000 in prize money and was declared the "world poker champion."

During the next three decades, Binion's became synonymous with the World Series of Poker. Every major player in the world came to Las Vegas, and Binion's, to try and claim the title. In 2004, Harrah's Entertainment bought the Horseshoe and took over the WSOP. Under the purchase agreement, the 2005 WSOP finals were held for the final time at the Downtown Binion's. For more information about Binion's and the tournament, players may contact Binion's at (702) 382-1600 or (800) 937-6537 or visit www.binionspokerclassic.com.

It was only a few years back that the Riviera on the Las Vegas Strip closed its poker room. Today they are back offering 6 Texas Hold'em tables spreading $2-4 and $4-8 Limit and $1-3 No Limit. The room is non-smoking and $5 food vouchers good for the buffet or Kady's Coffee Shop are given to players who spend at least 2-3 hours at the tables. Higher comp awards are given to those who play longer. The room is open 24/7 and daily tournaments are scheduled to get underway soon.

That's it for this week!