Top 10 Wildest Nights in Las Vegas History

1.            During the 1960s, Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack members made the Sands Hotel and Casino their personal domain.

The Sands Hotel and Casino experienced its wildest times during the 1960s, when Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. ruled the establishment as their personal domain.

The Sands Hotel and Casino hosted late-night performances of Ocean's 11 (1960), leading to the Rat Pack joining the casino floor with celebrity friends, political figures, and organised crime members. The Rat Pack members used their after-parties to create a fusion between their stage performances and wild partying.

·     Sinatra once ordered the entire Sands bar staff to “just keep the champagne flowing” for everyone.

·     Dean Martin spent his time playing at the tables whilst crooning to the cocktail waitresses

·     Rumours persist that Marilyn Monroe and other starlets were swept into the mix.

The Sands Hotel and Casino experienced a period of wild entertainment during which Hollywood stars used the venue as their personal playground.

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2.            Evel Knievel’s Caesars Palace Crash (1967)

Evel Knievel launched his most dangerous stunt by attempting to leap over Caesars Palace fountains on his motorcycle during New Year's Eve 1967.

The audience watched while champagne flowed freely as people placed wagers about his chances of success. Evel Knievel launched himself into the air before suffering a disastrous crash that resulted in multiple bone fractures.

·     The stunned audience at Caesars Palace went into a complete breakdown as people rushed outside to view the accident scene.

·     The casino dealers at Caesars stopped their games to let players rush toward the windows to get a glimpse of what was happening.

·     The stunt ended in disaster, but Knievel survived to become a Vegas legend.

The night showcased a perfect blend of Vegas entertainment through spectacular failure and thrilling performance.

3.            Frank Rosenthal & the Stardust Mob Nights (1970s)

The Stardust Casino was the main location for the most outrageous events in Vegas during its time under mob control.

·     The Stardust Casino operated under Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, who managed the establishment that became the basis for the Casino's Robert De Niro character.

·     The Stardust Casino became a place where Frank Sinatra rubbed shoulders with mob bosses.

·     The casino count room experienced millions of dollars in theft through the activities of mob "skim crews."

·     Nights often ended with champagne in the bars and clubs, with shady deals in the back rooms.

The Stardust Hotel operated during its peak as a place where Hollywood stars met organised crime figures to create some of the most notorious wild times in Vegas history.

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4.            The $34.9 Million Megabucks Jackpot (2003)

On March 23, 2003, a 25-year-old cocktail waitress decided to play her $100 budget on a Megabucks slot at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino.

·     The $100 bet she placed on that Megabucks slot machine resulted in a $34.9 million jackpot, which remains one of the largest slot machine wins in Las Vegas history.

·     A crowd formed a circle as the machine started ringing bells and sirens.

·     The winner lost consciousness before casino staff revived her with champagne.

·     The massive win brought worldwide media attention, which instantly changed her life.

The jackpot win of $34.9 million became the ultimate dream of every slot machine gambler who has played in Las Vegas since.