Sports betting is growing by leaps and bounds, now legalized in Canada (first with Ontario), with more and more states in the U.S. now coming aboard. The latest is Arizona. According to this news release this morning, the global online betting market is expected to reach $93 billion by 2023 – growing at 11.5 per cent per year. Going forward, we’ll be covering sports betting news, gambling, all that’s great about luxury casino life worldwide, with recommendations on where to go.
Related: Is there a safer, more exotic luxury lifestyle Caribbean hub than the Bahamas?
With more vaxxed people now focusing on much-needed holidays, and getting the experience of the best online sportsbooks in real life, the question is deciding where to go first. A sports betting and gambling junket to Las Vegas makes sense because of everything else you can do outside of the sports betting part. Still, you go to Las Vegas to gamble. PROLINE+, the new legal sportsbook in Ontario, has nice educational video breakdowns here on how to bet. And if you’re going to go, go in style – dressed in your best bespoke fashion, flashing your best luxury watch (like the new Breitling – read on), and your best girl on your arm.
Three of the world’s most luxurious casinos
The Bellagio, Las Vegas
The Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas always tops people’s lists. There are countless reasons for that. Pictured up top is the Bet MGM Sportsbook at the Bellagio. There’s the history of the place, celebrated in part by this beautiful moment in Ocean’s Eleven:
World-class casino, and one of the most luxurious and extravagant hotels you’ll ever explore, that’s the Bellagio. This year they upgraded the interior designs in all 2,568 guest rooms in the main tower, inspired by the movement of water, beauty of nature, and the reflections of light at sunrise and sunset. A blue palette in Premium King Rooms to reflect the sky just before sunrise. Yellow tones in the Premier Two Queen Rooms to reflect the sky at sunset.
It’s the height of luxury there and a great place to go for some pampering and gambling, especially during NFL season, which by far sees the most betting action.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery
Wynn, Macau
Located in Macau, a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Wynn Macau is known for its luxurious environment, a popular destination for the affluent set. The hotel features spacious suites featuring Wynn signature beds, Egyptian linens, touch control technology and spectacular views.
The property has two towers, 1008 rooms and suites, and 273,000 square feet of casino space. They’ve got some nice offers and packages here.
Marina Bay Sands Casino, Singapore
The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is one of the most iconic, recognizable structures, with the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool, and has the world’s largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines. Lavish and luxurious, three towers are connected by a connecting 340-metre-long Skypark, the resort includes 2,561 rooms. There’s also a good selection of private gaming rooms – luxury away from the public.
The new limited edition Navitimer American Airlines from Breitling
Breitling is out with a new limited edition watch – the Breitling Navitimer American Airlines watch, the first in a new series inspired by the airline. It’s a throwback to the 1960s and 1970s, and the new watch riffs on the airline’s bold colours and clean design lines of that era. The watch features a 43 mm stainless steel case, blue dial red hour and minutes hands, with a transparent sapphire case back with the AA logo.
There’s just 100 available – 25 with stainless steel mesh strap, and 75 with a calfskin leather strap. Price for the Breitling is $9,350 on the bracelet and $8,650 on the strap.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery
Genesis premieres its first electric vehicle
This week in Seoul, Korea, Genesis jumped into the electric vehicle market with both feet, launching the GV60. We obviously haven’t had a chance to drive one yet, but we have driven several Genesis SUVs in the past. One thing we have always noticed with them is value for your money, so it will be interesting to see how well the GV60 delivers on that front when it reaches these shores. Certainly the athletic coupe design of this one looks great.
Each model features a 77.4kWh battery, and the standard RWD model features a maximum driving range of 451 km per charge. The standard AWD model has a maximum driving range of 400 km per charge. The GV60 comes with a Boost Mode to give it a more dynamic and luxurious element. The mode immediately increases the performance of the vehicle’s maximum output, making the driving experience more dynamic.
Then there’s something called electric-Active Sound Design, which pumps driving sounds through the speakers based on driving mode and the vehicle’s speed, but count me out on that. Now that the world is heading into an electrified future when it comes to cars, there’s no one reason to make some of us pine for the full exhaust roar of an internal combustion engine past.
Quick hits
- $19,000 per night for Richard Branson’s new luxury getaway in the British Virgin Islands.
- Rolls-Royce is switching to all electric vehicles by 2030.
- People seem to be buying luxury yachts faster than they can be made.
- The transformation of Valentino is detailed here.
- Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world – due to elevated income levels of individuals and soundness of their banking and financial system. This report sheds light on where their luxury market is heading, including size, trends, opportunity and forecast.
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
