Complete list of Casinos Americans should visit

The Lo Down

Americans have come to expect an abundance in all things, and so it should rightly be. We are truly blessed to live in the land of plenty, where even the mildest form of failure is looked upon as something to be shunned and reviled. Some genius once said that America loves a winner, and he was dead right on the money.

I would be the last person to suggest that maybe there's something just a tiny bit wrong with this aspect of our national character, because I hate a loser just as much as any guy on the block. However, it is only reasonable to admit that sometimes the world does not bend to our every desire and circumstances arise which do not meet the extraordinarily high standards an individual like Floyd Manning holds for himself, his fellow countrymen and America as a nation.

In particular, American gamblers are determined to experience the very best that can be found in the many casinos which dot our country from coast to coast. While this is an admirable mission, the sheer number of options available makes it daunting - to put it mildly - to think that the best of everything can be easily grasped or listed in a simple fashion. Thus the concept of identifying a complete list of the best casinos in America becomes, ultimately, a fool's errand. And, as you well know by now, Floyd ain't no full.

Having said all that, it is not difficult to point out a number of casinos which anyone even remotely interested in betting absolutely must visit at least one time in his or her life. So, with a clear disclaimer that this list is not in fact complete, allow me to rattle off some names that should appear on your to-do list if you have not been already.

Within Las Vegas, the gambling capital the world, a list of the essentials might run as follows: Bellagio, Mirage, Hard Rock, Venetian, Caesars Palace, Tropicana, Luxor, Flamingo, Wynn, Palms, Paris, New York-New York, MGM Grand...and all of those are located on the Strip. Be sure to hop on over to Fremont Street after the Strip has thoroughly exhausted you and check out the roster of historic, irreplaceable yet slightly less spectacular casinos to be found there.

Remaining on the western side of our nation, I would strongly urge you to check out Commerce Casino in Los Angeles and Bay 101 Casino in San Jose. In fact, this makes an outstanding road trip in which you can experience Southern Cal and Northern Cal in all of their beautiful similarities and differences.

On these Coast, your first destination would probably be Foxwoods in Connecticut. Every gambler worth his or her salt has to check this place out, because its sheer size and grandeur is almost impossible to believe until you see it with your own eyes.

After that, you're probably ready to make a little jaunt down to Atlantic City. Any list of places that should be on your itinerary would include Ballys, Harrah's, Caesars, Trump Plaza and the Taj Mahal. Obviously, there are more, but you'll have to discover them on your own.