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Bars Gear Up for Increased World Cup Interest
Local establishments gear up for month of soccer's top event
Some bars will show all 64 games on TV
By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Owning a bar in Las Vegas and remaining open at 4:30 a.m. is no big deal.
But at some local establishments, the late-night partiers and off-duty casino workers might find themselves with some unexpected company in the next few weeks.
The World Cup soccer tournament kicked off this morning in South Korea with defending champion France meeting Senegal. By the time the final whistle blows in the championship game June 30 in Japan, 64 matches will have been contested with one nation standing alone.
At the Crown and Anchor Pub on Tropicana Avenue near UNLV, the hope is England is that team. Over at J.C. Wooloughan's at the J.W. Marriott Resort in Summerlin, they're pulling for a miracle with Ireland, a 100-to-1 long shot.
Both establishments have been soccer headquarters for years, showing Premier League matches from England and other major international competitions.
But the World Cup is different. For the sport's faithful followers, it's a month-full of Super Bowls. Which is why Declan McGettigan, the owner of J.C. Wooloughan's, will need extra television sets for tonight's Ireland-Cameroon first-round match from Japan, which kicks off at 11:30 p.m. Every game will be shown at both bars.
"There's been a lot of anticipation for this," McGettigan said. "I'm expecting some good, hard-knuckled fans to show up."
The same is true at the Crown and Anchor, where the most anticipated match is the June 7 first-round game between England and Argentina. That game begins at 4:30 a.m. It will be standing-room-only given the rivalry between the two countries when it comes to soccer. Sunday's game between England and Sweden, which begins at 2:30 a.m., also figures to draw a big crowd.
The Americans' first game isn't until Wednesday. Coach Bruce Arena's team faces Portugal at 1:30 a.m.
"We'll get a lot of tourists along with the locals," Crown and Anchor manager June LeMay said. "There's additional anticipation because we have a good team this time."
Both establishments will offer food and drink specials, and there will be a free World Cup pool at J.C. Wooloughan's, located just a corner kick from the Rampart Casino's race and sports book.
Betting on the World Cup has been steady around town leading to the first game. Along with future-book betting (Argentina is a 3-to-1 favorite at most establishments, with the United States at 50-1), many books will handle individual games with three-way betting. A bettor can wager on either side or can bet the game will end in a tie. The odds vary from game to game, depending on the matchup.
"We're seeing a lot of international interest," MGM Mirage spokesman Scott Ghertner said Thursday. "We've had a steady stream of action, and we anticipate things picking up once the World Cup begins."
But at a few local watering holes, the month-long party is on. Normally, bands perform on Friday nights at Wooloughan's and the Crown and Anchor. Tonight, the only singing will be from the supporters of the Irish national team. The music will have to wait until after the game.
Some bars will show all 64 games on TV
By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Owning a bar in Las Vegas and remaining open at 4:30 a.m. is no big deal.
But at some local establishments, the late-night partiers and off-duty casino workers might find themselves with some unexpected company in the next few weeks.
The World Cup soccer tournament kicked off this morning in South Korea with defending champion France meeting Senegal. By the time the final whistle blows in the championship game June 30 in Japan, 64 matches will have been contested with one nation standing alone.
At the Crown and Anchor Pub on Tropicana Avenue near UNLV, the hope is England is that team. Over at J.C. Wooloughan's at the J.W. Marriott Resort in Summerlin, they're pulling for a miracle with Ireland, a 100-to-1 long shot.
Both establishments have been soccer headquarters for years, showing Premier League matches from England and other major international competitions.
But the World Cup is different. For the sport's faithful followers, it's a month-full of Super Bowls. Which is why Declan McGettigan, the owner of J.C. Wooloughan's, will need extra television sets for tonight's Ireland-Cameroon first-round match from Japan, which kicks off at 11:30 p.m. Every game will be shown at both bars.
"There's been a lot of anticipation for this," McGettigan said. "I'm expecting some good, hard-knuckled fans to show up."
The same is true at the Crown and Anchor, where the most anticipated match is the June 7 first-round game between England and Argentina. That game begins at 4:30 a.m. It will be standing-room-only given the rivalry between the two countries when it comes to soccer. Sunday's game between England and Sweden, which begins at 2:30 a.m., also figures to draw a big crowd.
The Americans' first game isn't until Wednesday. Coach Bruce Arena's team faces Portugal at 1:30 a.m.
"We'll get a lot of tourists along with the locals," Crown and Anchor manager June LeMay said. "There's additional anticipation because we have a good team this time."
Both establishments will offer food and drink specials, and there will be a free World Cup pool at J.C. Wooloughan's, located just a corner kick from the Rampart Casino's race and sports book.
Betting on the World Cup has been steady around town leading to the first game. Along with future-book betting (Argentina is a 3-to-1 favorite at most establishments, with the United States at 50-1), many books will handle individual games with three-way betting. A bettor can wager on either side or can bet the game will end in a tie. The odds vary from game to game, depending on the matchup.
"We're seeing a lot of international interest," MGM Mirage spokesman Scott Ghertner said Thursday. "We've had a steady stream of action, and we anticipate things picking up once the World Cup begins."
But at a few local watering holes, the month-long party is on. Normally, bands perform on Friday nights at Wooloughan's and the Crown and Anchor. Tonight, the only singing will be from the supporters of the Irish national team. The music will have to wait until after the game.