Bill Hughes/ErikKabikPhotography.com
“Crazy Girls” 25th anniversary celebrations at the Riviera from Oct. 1-3, 2012.
Friday, Sept. 13, 2013 | 2 a.m.
From rabbits’ feet to red underwear, there’s no shortage of good-luck charms and superstitions to favor a gambler’s fortune in Las Vegas. However, if you’re looking to double down on your good luck today — Friday the 13th — there are a few distinctly Las Vegas places and rituals said to help you get on Lady Luck’s good side:
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Blarney Stone at the D
The spirit of Fitzgeralds lives on at the D, which still has its predecessor’s Blarney Stone on display for visitors to kiss and rub for good luck. Of course, the rock isn’t the actual Blarney Stone, which remains ensconced in the wall of Blarney Castle in County Cork, Ireland, but it is taken from the same castle wall. A dedication plaque at the old Fitzgeralds read, “The only other stones ever permitted to leave this legendary Irish landmark were used in the Lucky Forest exhibits inside Fitzgeralds Casino/Hotel.” Those looking for the luck o’ the Irish can find the D’s Blarney Stone next to Vue Bar on the casino’s second floor.
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Crazy Girls statue at the Riviera
As the plaque above it reads, there are “no ‘ifs’ ‘ands’ or …” — well, you know — about the luck behind the famous bronze behinds of the Crazy Girls statue at the Riviera. The formerly deep-brown derrieres now glimmer in the sunlight, polished down to a smooth gold from the myriad tourists over the years who give the tushes a rub of good luck before entering the casino.
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Erawan Shrine at Caesars Palace
It’s difficult to miss the Erawan Shrine between Serendipity 3 and Caesars Palace, its shimmering blue-and-gold mosaic contrasting against the white columns of Roman Plaza. The piece is modeled after a shrine at the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, and houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu god Brahma; the original shrine was reportedly constructed in 1956 to ward off bad luck after several accidents during the hotel’s construction. The replica, which is cast in bronze and weighs more than 8,000 pounds, was given as a gift to Caesars in 1984 from Thai newspaper moguls and has since come to be associated with prosperity and good luck, with visitors offering flowers and figurines to favor good fortune.
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Statues at Caesars Palace
As far as good-luck spots go, Caesars Palace might be the mecca. The property boasts a number of statues noted for their supposed fortune-enhancing qualities when given a rub. The Caesar Augustus statue at the hotel’s entrance has had its hand polished smooth by rubs from arriving guests; touching the boxing glove of Joe Louis’ statue outside chef Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill is said to bestow visitors with the champ’s luck. And the bosom of the iconic Cleopatra statue at Cleopatra’s Barge is purportedly endowed with good fortune, as is the big toe of the replica of Michelangelo’s David.
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Hey Reb statue at UNLV
Las Vegas luck isn’t just for Strip tourists. Students and sports fans alike, who are known to give Reb’s ample mustache a rub before a test or a big game, favor the bronze statue of UNLV’s Hey Reb mascot located in front of the alumni statue.
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Bellagio Fountains
Countless tourists toss coins into the Bellagio Fountains each year in hopes that the magnificent attraction will help magnify their luck. The ritual is so popular that the fountain collects thousands of dollars in coins each month, which the Bellagio vacuums from the lake and donates to Habitat for Humanity.
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The “Good Luck Ritual” at Wynn Spa
The aptly named signature treatment at Wynn Spa is based upon the five elements of Feng Shui: Health, wealth, prosperity, happiness and harmony. The treatment includes a 50-minute Fusion Massage, Thai herbal massage pillows, a lemon verbena and peppermint foot treatment, moisturizing hand therapy and a wild lime botanical scalp treatment. But good luck can cost you — in this case, it’s a cool $250.
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Friday the 13th weddings
Friday the 13th doesn’t mean bad luck to everyone. In fact, some folks are even willing to stake their luck in love on it by getting married on the date. The Viva Las Vegas Chapel offers Friday the 13th wedding packages for such daring couples, with options such as a “Gothic style” candlelight wedding ceremony and a dark, moonlit ceremony in their outdoor garden or gazebo chapels.
Transport yourself to the opulent and excessive Roman Empire at Caesars Palace. But the ever-changing Caesars Palace is far from ancient. The hotel and casino is constantly raising the bar for what visitors can expect in a Vegas resort experience.
Caesars Palace features 3,348 rooms and suites in five towers, including the new luxury boutique Nobu Hotel and Restaurant, which opened Feb. 4, 2013, in the totally remodeled Centurian Tower. Caesars features 129,000 square feet of gaming space, including the Strip’s largest poker room and a 250-seat sports book. Other amenities include about two dozen restaurants, a four-level shopping mall, four pools, a spa, Pure and Poetry nightclubs and Pussycat Dolls.
Dining options include restaurants from world-renown chefs Guy Savoy, Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay and, on Feb. 4, 2013, Nobu Matsuhisa.
You never know what characters you’ll run into at Caesars with regular performers like Jerry Seinfeld, Bette Midler, Elton John and maybe even the emperor himself.
Follow Andrea Domanick on Twitter at @AndreaDomanick and fan her on Facebook at Facebook.com/AndreaDomanick.
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