What Really Happens in Vegas

True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas

By: James Patterson, Mark Seal

Narrated by: Phil Morris

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—until now. James Patterson shows the real Vegas in a dazzling journey through “lively tales of those who labor and dream in Sin City" (Kirkus).

“Wild and wonderful…The magic of Sin City doesn’t just happen. Patterson and Seal tell its secrets in beautifully presented snippets that often overlap not just surprisingly, but charmingly too.” —Telegraph (UK)

• Las Vegas is on Luxury Standard Time: every clock in the airport is a Rolex.
• No dream is too big, no wish is too small—the VIP hosts in Vegas fulfill guests’ every (legal) desire.
• Jackpots hit when least expected. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has days to find a man who unknowingly won over $200,000 at the slots.
• “I love love”: the inventor of the Elvis impersonator wedding and the drive-thru wedding has performed hundreds of marriages—and believes in them all.
• Glamorous yogis take a helicopter across the desert to the Valley of Fire, where they perform sun salutations to the glory of Las Vegas.
• A gambling VIP “whale” loses $1 million at the casinos, yet still leaves saying, "Had a great time. I'll be back."

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​In What Really Happens in Vegas, full of surprises for both newcomers and Las Vegas regulars, James Patterson and Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Seal transport readers from the thrill of adrenaline-fueled vice to the glitter of A-list celebrity and entertainment.

Critic reviews

“Lively tales of those who labor and dream in Sin City…the entertainment value is high.”—Kirkus

“Uptempo, vivid, and fun … an entertaining ride.”—Publishers Weekly

"Unusual facts and tales about Las Vegas... the inner workings of those who live and work in Las Vegas and those who make the city come alive... reads like a novel."—Library Journal

“Wild and wonderful…The magic of Sin City, it turns out, doesn’t just happen. It’s carefully created within the walls of all manner of buildings, from advertisement firms to topless bars, by dedicated professionals – people whose lives are at once more mundane and more strange than anyone, until they read this book, could guess.”—Telegraph (UK)

“A breezy, nonstop narrative capturing the essence of a crazy, wide-open town … a dazzling and fun account of America’s entertainment capital.”—New York Journal of Books

“Especially entertaining…What Really Happens in Vegas is a must-read for anyone wondering what really happens in the city Hunter S. Thompson once dubbed ‘the savage heart of the American Dream.’”—Air Mail

Vegas Native

I really loved learning more about Vegas. I’ve been here forever so a lot of this I knew but not all of it and I love that you were hearing different perspectives and experiences.

I love all the secrets that have never been shared.

the personal stories and how it changed their lives. Exposed some of the secrets. Now I want to go visit the Wynn! I have been to a few of the others

FUN read!

I loved the “real people stories”, the historical insights and ‘’visions” of all the pieces of Vegas that were NOT part of my recent vacation.😂

What happens in Vegas…

I really enjoyed that each chapter was a glimpse into the history of Vegas or was a personal story of one of the city’s influencers. I chose this book because I will be visiting in the summer and wanted something fun to get me excited. The tidbits of history are short and make for excellent listening while commuting to/from work everyday! I loved learning about how the motto “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” came to be; the story of Elaine Wynn; the story of Cirque du Soleil; the drive through wedding chapel; and more! I can’t wait to go now! You will love all of the great stories!

Best Vegas book ever!

Every story in this book is fascinating and well read. I loved this book! It has everything. Great stories. I have read every Vegas book I can find and this one is by far the best I have ever heard. If you love Vegas this is a must read!