I watched Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) earlier this month when my local cable company had a free preview of movie channels. I’d seen the film before, but it’s the kind of viewing that gets you thinking and you notice things you didn’t the previous time. If you aren’t familiar, I’m referring to the film adaptation of the late Hunter S. Thompson’s classic 1971 novel by the same name starring Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke, and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo. It’s billed as a "Savage journey to the heart of the American Dream." Fast forward 40+ years. If we were to do a 2012 version, there’s no better place to begin that journey than the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard South and Flamingo Road. There you will find this month’s subjects, two high-end properties that represent all that is "good" and "evil" in the blackjack world and America at large: Caesars Palace and Bellagio.

Every time I walk into Caesars Palace, I’m reminded of the fall of 1990. I was a freshly minted Second Lieutenant, right out of Officer Training School, making my way across country to begin flight training at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, CA. I checked into Nellis Air Force Base, billeting in North Las Vegas late one afternoon during my journey. I’d never been to Las Vegas and wanted to see the Strip. As the sun was going down that evening, I made my initial foray to the Fabulous Las Vegas Strip. Many of the properties I drove past are long gone, but the neon lights and billboards advertising real celebrity headliners and cheap buffets still remind me of a better time.

I don’t remember where I parked my car back then, but I soon found myself on the people mover heading towards the main entrance to Caesars Palace. "Why not start at the top?" I thought to myself. In 1990, Caesars, with its Roman Empire theme, represented the "top" of the casino world. As I reached the entrance, a beautiful woman, dressed as Cleopatra, greeted me. I gazed down at the "empire" with awe and set foot in a casino for the first time in my young life. I didn’t know anything about casino gambling and didn’t wager a nickel that night, but I knew I’d be back (after I did some studying). Unfortunately, a lot has changed in the gaming industry over the years. The current version of the Empire represents it all.

Caesars Palace is owned by Caesars Entertainment Corporation (ticker symbol CZR on the NASDAQ), formerly Harrah’s Entertainment. The name change was made official on November 23, 2010. I got my first players card at Harrah’s Reno and at one time, it represented a good place to gamble.

As time passed and the company grew larger and larger via acquisition and the construction of new properties, the odds turned dramatically to the downside for the player. I dubbed Harrah’s the "Evil Empire" over a decade ago (I’ve seen and heard them referred to by that name many times over the years so I guess I can’t lay claim to it). Most of their properties offer lousy blackjack games and a plethora of short-pay video poker schedules. They tend to reward their loyal slot-playing customers rather handsomely, but, in my opinion, look at blackjack and video pokers with suspicion and disdain.

I maintained a relationship for many years after the "new philosophy" of currying slot players and discouraging serious gamblers was enacted through a property they acquired in Tunica, Mississippi as part of a larger deal involving multiple properties. Their Tunica casino offered 9/6 Jacks or Better (JOB) and 9/7 Double Bonus (DB) video poker in quarters, and was my second choice for video poker in that market. My play there earned me a few free nights periodically at some of their Las Vegas properties on the Strip. However, I found the games in their Strip properties all unplayable and made a conscious decision to not overplay my bankroll or play their poor pay schedules or table games. Eventually, they exiled me and the free room offers and comps dried up.

Needless to say, it pains me to walk into the current version of Caesars Palace Las Vegas. The Roman Empire theme, with the statues, paintings, and references to ancient Rome, is still fantastic and the target audience remains high rollers and those with expense accounts. However, much of the class and elegance has been replaced by nothing short of corporate greed. Apparently, that vice is no longer reserved only for the gamblers. Caesars offers high table limits and a dizzying array of blackjack rules that vary from pit to pit. There are some very good games offered, however, if you know where to look and can afford them. With that as a backdrop, I’ll guide you through the ups and downs of the many versions of blackjack at this historic and once great property.

Caesars is split into two primary casino areas: the Forum Casino and the Palace Casino. The high limit room is known as Palace Court and is located across from the Palace Casino. We’ll start with the bad – the Forum Casino. The only reason you should ever set foot in the Forum Casino is if you parked in the garage at the rear of the property, are standing in line to see Celine Dion perform at the Colosseum, or going shopping in the Forum Shops. There are two table games pits filled with single-deck blackjack tables, paying 6:5 for blackjacks, various "carnival games," and a pair of roulette wheels. Needless to say, several of these 6:5 blackjack tables were full! (Did I mention earlier that it pains me to walk through this property?)

Past the Forum Casino is the Race and Sports Book. It’s a shadow of its former self as well. The "Immortal Joe Louis" statue is all that’s left from the days when it was a great sports book. I spent a lot of hours in my formidable days watching games and listening to the old guys from back East tell stories and talk sports betting during my visits. Now, it’s a terrible place to watch games and they deal a 15-cent baseball line (a 10-cent line is preferred; however, most Strip casinos deal a 20-cent line which is even worse for the bettor). However, they will book large wagers: the kind with commas and zeros.

Caesars features a very large poker room, with an entrance just past the restrooms at the Race and Sports Book and next to Pure Nightclub. A series of Leroy Neiman paintings entitled "The Girls of Caesars Palace’ line the hallway entrance and are worth a look.

The Pussy Cat Dolls Pit is outside the entrance to Pure. This nightspot epitomizes the evolution of Las Vegas away from gambling. It’s one of the most famous nightclubs in the country and is reportedly frequented by many A-listers and plenty of eye candy. I bluffed my way in, sans the cover charge, a few years back, passing as a local on a weeknight. I didn’t see Paris Hilton or any other celebrities, but a beer cost $8. Speaking of famous eye candy, Playboy Playmate and former Girl Next Door, Kendra Wilkinson celebrated her birthday at Pure on June 22.