The 50th World Series of Poker’s Main Event is in play and set to conclude on Tuesday. A massive 8,569 players, a 9% increase over last year’s 7,874, entered this year, creating the second-largest Main Event field in history behind the 8,773 entrants in 2006. A minimum of $15,000 will be awarded to the top 1,286 players, with the winner taking down $10 million. All nine final-table participants will earn at least $1 million. Last year’s champion, John Cynn, was eliminated on Day Three of the tournament.

Caesars jackpot: A $1.5 million jackpot was hit at Caesars Palace when an unidentified player bet $5 on a progressive side bet and made a royal flush at Three Card Poker. The side bet is offered at 13 Caesars Entertainment properties in Nevada and is the largest linked table network in the nation.

Bagels and fries: An Einstein Bros. Bagels has opened in the food court at Excalibur; it’s the only dedicated bagel restaurant on the Strip. Frites, an all French fries restaurant, has also opened in the food court.

Spaghetti story: There are lots of ways to highlight price differences between the opulent Strip casinos and the value-dependent locals joints, but this is one is particularly jarring. Jardin, one of the high-end restaurants at Encore, offers Endless Spaghetti for $31. Meanwhile, on Sundays at Club Fortune on Boulder Highway, all-you-can-eat spaghetti and meatballs is $2.99 (and comes with French onion soup). You could feed 10 at Club Fortune for the price of one at Encore.

Question: Was there any damage from the earthquake that hit Las Vegas?

Answer: The earthquakes (there were two last week) didn’t hit Las Vegas. They hit about 150 miles away in California, but the effects were felt. Buildings swayed slightly and dangling objects, like traffic lights, swung noticeably. However, there was no damage and no reported injuries. The quakes, which recorded magnitudes of 6.4 and 6.9, respectively, at the epicenter, reportedly dissipated to the 3.5 range by the time they got to Vegas.

For more information about current Las Vegas shows, buffets, coupons, and good deals, go to LasVegasAdvisor.com.