Page 9 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Oct 26, 2022

OCTOBER 26, 2022 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 9
A Winning Family Tradition
Many Vegas visi- tors try their luck on slot machines and table games, and, as we’ ve seen, several Hawai‘i residents return home with jackpots in hand. Some folks even come to Las Vegas for competitive gambling events at casinos like the Golden Nugget, which has a fes- tive Halloween-themed slot tournament slated for Oct. 27-29 that includes a cos- tume contest. There’s cer- tainly nothing spooky about a $50,000 grand prize jackpot! For more information, visit goldennugget.com.
During one recent Golden Nugget blackjack tournament,
I caught up with a few locals who frequently visit Vegas for the food, entertainment and, of course, the gambling. Hawai‘i resident Mel Luke Jr. made his first trip to the Ninth Island on the eve of his 21st birthday (he turned 21 on the flight over). Mel made this trip with his father, Mel Sr., and the two have been traveling to Vegas ever since. On this recent trip, both Mels entered the Golden Nugget blackjack tournament.
Those left standing enter the final round for a shot at the grand prize; however, those who place in the top 31 are guaranteed cash winnings.
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There’s a lot happening in Vegas, including new shows “Awakenings” at The Wynn and “Bat Out of Hell” at Paris Hotel and Casino. In addition, a new immersive Disney ex- perience is making its way to the Strip in March. Final- ly, tickets are on sale for the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium Dec. 17, showcasing SEC and Pac-12 teams.
Catch Sebastian and Ninth Island Connection at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on K5 and 2 p.m. Sundays on KGMB.
info@ninthislandconnection.com
The three-day event in- cludes two days of tourna- ments. Competitors who make it through the first two rounds proceed to the quarter- finals and then the semifinals.
Posing for a photo are Hawai‘i residents Mel Luke Sr., Ashlyn Luke and Mel Luke Jr. Both father and son participated in the blackjack tourney at the Golden Nugget. PHOTO COURTESY KRISTINE RODRIGUEZ
Also cheering on Mel Sr. was his wife, Ashlyn — the two celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. While they weren’t the grand prize winners this time, these lucky locals certainly had a memo- rable Vegas vacation!
1-year
Mel shared that both he and his 94-year-old father had a great first day, and that his father had advanced to round two. Mel Sr. then made it to the quarterfinals, along with another Hawai‘i resident, George.
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