Today’s random Vegas celebrity encounter features giants of the bass and the bun. Rock royalty Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick dropped in to hang with celebrity chef Kerry Simon at his new restaurant, KGB at Harrah’s Vegas.

Cheap Trick's Tom Petersson and Kerry Simon at KGB.

Tom Petersson and Cheap Trick are currently at Paris Las Vegas in Sgt. Pepper Live.

Chef Kerry Simon was dubbed the “Rock-n-Roll Chef” by Rolling Stone magazine, and his new restaurant at Harrah’s, KGB: Kerry’s Gourmet Burgers, features inventive burgers, signature snacks and “Iron Chef” sliders (inspired by his appearance on the show where he prevailed by creating the “ultimate” burger).

KGB officially opens Jul. 5. More news on the way soon about this shiny new dining offering at Harrah’s.

We won’t lie. This blog falls neatly into the category of “craps fanatic,” and we make no apologies. So, when we first heard about something called “Rapid Craps,” we were titillated, intrigued and leery. Especially titillated, because that tends to bring more visitors to this blog from search engines, but let’s stay focused.

Rapid Craps is new to the Strip (and the world), and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon on the Las Vegas Strip is the only casino in the universe that has it.

You had us at "craps," Bill's.

We just had to play! (First, a CYA moment. All opinions expressed here are those of this blog, and not Harrah’s Entertainment, the owners of Bill’s.)

Our first thought about a game that combines craps and computers? Blasphemy! But once at the table, we settled right in.

Pro: At a Rapid Craps table, you get to sit down. We love that.

Sit a spell! Which, we think is a phrase last used in 1956.

Rapid Craps is played at a traditional-looking craps table, but with the twist of having a touch-screen computer terminal for each player. Players drop their cash on the table, as with any craps game, the “boxman-slash-stickman” pushes a few buttons and one’s balance shows up magically on one’s terminal.

Pro and Con: There are no chips! All transactions at Rapid Craps happen in the computers. If you like the grit of fondling chips, tossing chips and “coloring up” with chips, it’s a con. If you dislike all that, it’s a pro. So long, grimy fingers!

Con: When you first sit at a Rapid Craps table, there’s a learning curve. We learned this quickly when we accidentally bet our entire balance on the Pass Line. Oops. It takes a few minutes to get used to the Rapid Craps computer interface, but once you get it, there are quite a few pros.

The dealers at Bill’s are exceedingly helpful in answering questions, by the way, so don’t be shy.

Relax. Technology can be our friend.

The pace of Rapid Craps can also take some getting used to. It’s, well, it’s rapid. The stickman watches players for his or her cue to start a countdown to “no more bets.” None of those last-second “call” bets like the typical game. Again, a pro for some, because those late bets can cause chaos for dealers and players.

Off you go! A real person at the table throws the dice.

That is a real human arm throwing real dice.

Pro: No chips means no chips in your dice “landing zone.” Lots of players think hitting chips is bad luck, so having no chips is a good thing. Along the same lines, gone is the chance of hitting someone’s hands. (No hands go onto the table to place bets.)

One of the biggest pros of Rapid Craps is once the dice are rolled, and entered in to the computer system by the stickman, payouts are done instantly and accurately. This removes the possibility of dealer error, but also gives the player fractions of a dollar on certain bets (fractions casinos typically round down because it’s a pain to deal with half dollars or quarters).

For example, if you have a $3 “place” bet on a typical craps table, it pays $3. In Rapid Craps, you could receive $3.50 or $4.20. This can really add up over time!

Pro: Table minimums are pretty meaningless, since you could theoretically not bet at all on a given roll (nobody really sees your computer terminal), or you could bet, say, $1 on a “hard six,” even if the stated minimum is $3. By the way, the stated minimums at Bill’s are $3 most “off-peak” hours, with a $5 minimum for busier times (weekends).

Once you get used to it, the touch-screen gives player a lot of control. (Translation: You are the boss of you.)

OK, time for a slew of pros!

Pro: You don’t have to bet on every shooter as players tend to do at other traditional craps tables. This can get expensive when the table is cold.

Pro: You can bet the “Don’t” side without guilt or peer pressure!

Pro: You can pull your bets down at any time with the push of a button! This is huge. Many players just let their bets ride until someone sevens out. But that means all your bets are then wiped out. There’s a certain pressure from one’s fellow players to not pull down bets in the middle of a roll (bad mojo again), but with Rapid Craps, your game is your business.

Pro: If you tend to make the same bets over and over, Rapid Craps is a dream. The computer makes it simple to repeat bets.

Pro: You don’t have to figure out betting increments. This is great for newer players, because it’s often hard to keep track of which place bets need even amounts or odd. (The 6 and 8 need a $6 bet, while the 4, 5, 9 and 10 need just $5.) Rapid Craps also makes it easy to “press” (increase bets using one’s winnings).

OK, to keep it real, a couple of cons!

Con: Rapid Craps at Bill’s isn’t a 24-hour game. It opens about 10:00 a.m.

Con: Tipping your dealers or cocktail waitress isn’t easy with Rapid Craps! The wheels of Vegas are greased with gratuities, and they usually fly fast and furious at a craps table. The Rapid Craps terminals do allow for bets for dealers, but it might not be top-of-mind in the throes of a fast-paced session. And having no dollar chips makes cocktail waitress tipping a bear.

We almost never see waitresses stiffed at a typical table, but at a Rapid Craps table, it seems to happen regularly. Come prepared!

Use the touch-screen button thingy to tip the dealers!

Oh, and that reminds us of another pro, kind of. Our first thought when we heard about computerized craps was that it would translate as fewer opportunities for dealers and stickpersons. Nope. Rapid Craps is available in addition to existing games, it’s not meant to replace them.

So, what’s the deal with Rapid Craps?

If you love craps, you have to give Rapid Craps a try. If you don’t know a thing about Rapid Craps, it’s a great way to learn the game.

The only thing missing is a connection to the Interwebs!

Neither in the pro or con column, exactly, is that there’s a different kind of energy at a Rapid Craps table, as compared to the tables players are used to. It’s hard to describe, but the contagious, boisterous energy that often happens during a hot roll feels a little different at Rapid Craps. You’ll have to test that one for yourself. Let us know how it goes!

Will this Las Vegas blog be playing Rapid Craps at Bill’s Vegas again soon? That, friends, is as close to a sure thing as you can get in Vegas.

Not every Vegas adventure is found on the Strip, and this one’s a doozy.

Cruising down Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas the other night, we were invited to take part in a unique culinary experience at a place called Mermaids.

Mermaids, home of all things deep fried downtown.

This busy establishments features slot machines, video poker (no table games) and an air conditioning system that apparently has no “on” switch. But that is neither here nor there. On to the culinary experience!

The Vegas find we sort of wish we hadn’t found? Deep friend Oreo cookies!

Nice knowing you, arteries!

Start with Oreo cookies. Dip in batter. Fry, deeply in oil. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Top off with those chocolate sprinkle thingys.

We’d love to rave about the taste of the things, but honestly, the jury’s still out. Beyond sweet. Beyond rich. Beyond filling. And judging from the long lines, there’s no denying they’re wildly popular. (Warning: Deep fried Twinkies are also on the menu, but stay focused.)

On the plus side, these fried Oreos are an undeniable value at just 99-cents for three.

Please ignore the gratuitous apostrophe. The sign guy was probably in the middle of a sugar rush!

Like we always say, there’s something for everyone in Vegas. Let us know what you think! And if the folks at Mermaids ever figure out a way to deep fry a Captain and diet, we’re so there.

Today’s useless trivia: The term “doozy” comes from the Duesenberg car, nicknamed the “Duesy.” Read more if you have way, way too much time on your hands.

Well, now we’ve done it. Last night (Jun. 28), we breached security and caught some of poker’s heaviest hitters at the World Series of Poker at Rio Las Vegas. Credentials, schmedentials!

First up, poker superstar Phil Ivey.

Phil Ivey exhibits what is possibly the worst poker face EVER.

Phil Ivey and friends were in the throes of day one of a three-day Pot-Limit Omaha contest, event #50 of the world’s biggest poker spectacular, the World Series of Poker.

Yet another poker legend, Scotty Nguyen.

Note: These photos are: 1) exclusives, 2) in violation of any number of privacy policies. We do not, however, live by society’s rules.

It was a who’s-who of poker greats. All in one place. Vying for poker immortality. No pressure!

The charming and charity-minded Annie Duke was keeping things lively at her table.

Fact: Annie Duke smiles approximately one bajillion times more than the typical poker player.

On a related note, Annie Duke co-hosts the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament with Don Cheadle on Jul. 3.

Back to the exclusive photos!

Poker icon Chris Ferguson and his famous chapeau. Though you probably don't want to call it that to his face.

And now, a pause in the WSOP action to watch the above-photographed Chris Ferguson cut fruit with playing cards.

Perhaps our most flagrant violation of society’s rules was the photo we got on our way out of the Rio. Cruising through the casino, we spotted none other than last year’s World Series of Poker Main Event winner Joe Cada.

First, we’re not entirely sure one can take a photo in the Rio casino. Second, especially when the subject of the photo says, “I’d prefer that you not take my photo.”

We’re kidding. He only said that six or eight times before caving into our enthusiastic badgering!

Joe Cada, youngest player to ever win the WSOP Main Event. That's a cool $8.5 million, folks.

Thanks for the photo, Joe. Read more about last year’s champ (just 21 years old at the time).

Visit the official site of the World Series of Poker for all the latest news, as well as photos that were taken with the actual permission of the parties involved. If you’re into that kind of thing.

Know what makes this blog mad? Reading this: “You’ve just been ousted as the mayor of Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon!” Sigh.

If you have no idea what that last sentence means, click here to learn about Foursquare, the most enjoyable time-waster since the advent of Pong.

If you have no idea what that last sentence means, click here to learn more about Pong.

After hearing a player hit an $80,000 jackpot at Rio the other day, we just had to check out the lucky machine. After some sleuthing, we found it! Hey, that’s what we do. We sleuth.

We are looking into adopting this video poker machine.

The machine resides in the High Limit area at Rio Las Vegas, and we only had a minor coronary when we saw that the machine in question was a $100 machine. Meaning, one “coin” equals $100, and the “max bet” is five coins. That’s a mere $500 a hand!

Gulp.

Hey, in Vegas, it’s go big or go home!

All right, so maybe this Las Vegas blog is the only one who thinks the new Rio Las Vegas homepage is kind of cool. It appears the neon-riffic (not a real word) resort is testing a revamped page that features all the resort’s social networking content, including Facebook posts, Tweets, and yes, even the snarky gloriousness (probably not a real word) that is the Pulse of Vegas blog. Take a look!

This blog has a little crush on the Rio's new homepage.

This prominent use of social content is a first in Vegas, and ensures site visitors will always get fresh news, deals and insider scoop. (Today’s example: “A Five Play Bonus Poker player hit two royal flushes on the same hand for $40,150. We also had a Double Double player hit threes with an ace kicker for $80,000.” Sweet!)

Hey, any Web site that has the gumption to put the Pulse of Vegas blog front and center has our undying devotion. Which, sadly, has no cash value, but devotion is still a pretty good thing.

“Like” Rio on Facebook here. Or follow its Tweetage (not a real word) here.

Rapper, songwriter, producer and party-maker Big Boi (not to mention OutKast member, with Andre 3000) will ensure the Venus Pool Club at Caesars Palace grooves on Jul. 4. Find out more.

Big Boi and mics go together like Polaroid pictures and shaking it.

Bonus factoid: You can catch Big Boi on the current cover of Ozone Magazine. Get the full, you know, shizzle.

Just about everyone on the planet recognizes Las Vegas’ famed cowboy, Vegas Vic. (Yes, he has a name!)

Vegas Vic prefers you call him a cowboy, not a cowpoke. We have no idea why.

The 40-foot, neon-adorned statue has greeted Vegas visitors since 1951. He can still be seen under the canopy at the Fremont Street Experience downtown, although Vic’s currently welcoming visitors to a souvenir shop. (The location was formerly a casino, the Pioneer Club.)

But here’s today’s “Did You Know?” Did you know Vic’s iconic sign was inspired by a popular ad campaign comissioned by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce? In the campaign, Vic wore a blue-checkered shirt, and he welcomed guests with the phrase, “Howdy, Podner!”

Vegas Vic debuts on a postcard, circa 1948, whatever "circa" might mean.

Vic was so popular, a sign was commissioned, and the rest is history.

Here’s a bonus “Did You Know?” Did you know that the original sign featured the recording of a voice that announced “Howdy, Podner!” every 15 minutes? Now you know.

Congratulations to Bradley Ogden restaurant at Caesars Palace! The acclaimed restaurant has been voted “Best American Restaurant in Las Vegas” by The Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association.

Bonus factoid: Bradley Ogden regularly contributes his cooking skills to charitable events such as those benefiting Meals on Wheels and the March of Dimes.

Also of note: Bradley Ogden was one of just a handful of Vegas restaurants to be given a Forbes Four Star rating in 2010. See the full list.

Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace continues to offer paths to relaxation with the addition of both yoga and water Qi Gong classes. (We ran the spellcheck. There’s no “u” in “Qi.” It means “breathing,” or can also represent the relationship between matter, energy and spirit. “Gong” means results or achievement. Thank you, Interwebs.)

Led by yoga master Swami Ramananda, Qua’s yoga practices are held in the newly-opened “Tranquility” yoga center. He also leads Qua’s water Qi Gong classes, held in the open-air Bacchus pool.

Thanks, stock photo, for reminding us about which yoga pose this blog will never be able to do in, oh, a bajillion years.

Qua Baths & Spas hosts yoga each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Water Qi Gong is hosted each Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The classes are just $15 per person for each class. For information, go here or call 866-782–0655.

In Vegas, it’s all about lucky numbers, and 10/10/10 (Oct. 10, 2010) is considered pretty darned lucky.

How lucky?

On that date, 10 lucky couples will propose marriage as part of a giveaway from The Forum Shops and Funjet Vacations.

Insider tip: The Forum Shops has 160 stores. You might not get to them all.

Enter online to be one of 10 couples who will win an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas (including air), a two-night stay at Caesars Palace, a post-proposal dinner at The Palm Las Vegas restaurant, an exclusive event at Pure Nightclub, wedding gifts from retailers in The Forum Shops and more.

To enter, couples submit a 110 word essay about why they should win. Deadline is Jul. 23. Enter now (if you’re into the “all-expense-paid Vegas experience” kinda thing).

Bonus factoid: When the “third phase” of The Forum Shops debuted in 2004, its three-level, freestanding spiral escalator became the first of its kind in the U.S. It was designed exclusively for The Forum shops by Mitsubishi.

Venus was the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility. At the Venus Pool Club at Caesars Palace you will LOVE the signature Summer Kiss cocktail, it’s a thing of BEAUTY, and if you have two, you’re sure to feel, well, you know. (Actual results may vary.)

Check out this video of Venus Pool Club bartender Michael mixing one of these heavenly libations.

We are a Las Vegas blog, so you know we don’t exaggerate.

Here’s some inside scoop that could save you big bucks at the Miracle Mile Shops inside Planet Hollywood. If you visit the Customer Service desk and show your AAA (American Automobile Association) or CAA (the Canadian version, we’re pretty sure), you’ll receive the Holy Grail of discount coupon books.

Seriously, this is just about the best coupon book we’ve seen. It’s not one of those “spend $200 and jump through several other hoops and get $1 off your next purchase” kinds of coupon books. We hate those. This would not be them.

As if we needed more evidence we could SO make a fortune as hand model.

This one could save you up to two grand on stuff that matters! Get 20% off your purchase at Ann Taylor Loft, buy one get one free regular waffle cone ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s (oh, now we have your attention), get free Cadillac nachos with the purchase of two entrees (or two-for-one 12 oz. frozen margaritas) at Cabo Wabo Cantina, buy one drink, get one free at Halo Bar, or get 20% off your purchase at shops like DC Shoes, Quiksilver, Bikini Bay and Steve Madden.

Also, get $15 off the Gregory Popovich: Comedy Pet Theater and The Mentalist shows, or get two VIP Club Line Passes at Krave nightclub.

Wouldn’t take too long to get to that $2,000 in savings. Do we deliver the goods or what? The Customer Service desk at The Miracle Mile Shops is located next to parking structure and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

P.S. If you haven’t bookmarked this blog yet, or started following us on Facebook (or “Liking” or whatever), you may have some serious, serious commitment issues.

She wows audiences nightly at Planet Hollywood in Peepshow. She charms viewers in her reality show, “Holly’s World.”

Now, Holly Madison is trying her hand at being a Las Vegas tour guide. Watch her disarming “Guide to Vegas” video segment (presumably the first in a series) where the future mayor of Las Vegas (ahem) shows off one of the Strip’s most distinctive attractions, Shark Reef. View it here.

We'd follow Holly Madison anywhere. Which, we're thinking, could be a little creepy. So, nevermind.