• What Really Happens in Vegas

  • True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas
  • By: James Patterson, Mark Seal
  • Narrated by: Phil Morris
  • Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (34 ratings)

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What Really Happens in Vegas  By  cover art

What Really Happens in Vegas

By: James Patterson, Mark Seal
Narrated by: Phil Morris
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Publisher's summary

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."

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 listeners from the thrill of adrenaline-fueled vice to the glitter of A-list celebrity and entertainment.

©2023 James Patterson and Mark Seal (P)2023 Little, Brown & Company

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

“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

What listeners say about What Really Happens in Vegas

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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.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Love little stories

It was good, nice travel book b/c it's many short stories.Don't have to remember story or plot. New story every time!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story of the real Las Vegas!

I thought the authors did a great job on selecting both famous and not so famous people that have helped shape Los Vegas’ history and turned it into one the best convention centers and adult get-a-ways in the world. Bravo!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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I loved the chapters that talked about Elaine Wynn!

As someone who has lived in Las Vegas most of my life, I found this book fascinating! The majority of the book has occurred during my life time and I enjoyed reliving and learning more about the history of my home town. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Las Vegas to read it. I have been telling anyone in my life who would listen to read this book it is a real treat!

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Great littlel listen

I really enjoyed this book particularly the narration. It was great to hear a bunch of short little stories that all have the Vegas theme. Very much enjoyable. Nice listen 

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

feels like a promotional brochure made by the tourisim board

Very surface, no real behind the scenes stories, just hype and obvious clichés. I would have liked more detail about the actual mechanics and procudures behind some of the stories.

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