Most people who enjoy playing online casino games are equally drawn to the glitz, glamor and bright lights of Las Vegas where they can join in on the fun on an iconic casino floor. But what many don’t realize is that there’s a dark side to Vegas, too. It is, in fact, considered to be one of the most haunted cities in the US. Since its gambling history involves plenty of mobsters, troubled celebrities and obsessive gamblers, it’s easy to understand why.
Sucker for a creepy story? Here are a few of the scariest Las Vegas ghost stories, guaranteed to give you the chills, along with yet another reason to visit Sin City sometime soon!
Ghosts from the old MGM Grand
On November 21, 1980, the original MGM Grand Hotel & Casino caught fire, resulting in 85 fatalities. The fire started in a restaurant on the first floor and spread quickly, engulfing the entire building and causing smoke to waft into the hotel tower. Many people died as a result of smoke inhalation, making the fire the deadliest disaster in the city’s history.
Today, Bally’s Hotel Las Vegas stands in the spot of the old MGM Grand and is arguably the most haunted place in Vegas. Guests have reported hearing screaming coming from the stairwells and smelling smoke from their rooms despite being unable to pinpoint the origins of the persistent odor.
The hotel is also famous for two specific ghosts, both of whom have been spotted by different guests and gamblers on many occasions over the years. The first ghost is that of a young boy who is said to call out to his mother from the 17th floor while coughing – before everything goes silent again. Could he be a child who was separated from his parents during the fire back in the 80s? Then there’s the ghost of an eccentrically-dressed old woman who loves spending time in the casino, smoking a cigarette and sitting in front of what was probably her favorite slot machine. She reportedly disappears into thin air whenever she’s approached by another gambler.
Ghosts in the theater at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts
The Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, which used to be a high school, is another hotspot in Vegas known for various hauntings. There are said to be two ghosts who linger here. The first is an adult male who’s believed to be a former teacher at the high school. He has been dubbed “Mr Petri” and haunts the theater, in particular when rehearsals for plays carry on late into the night. Perhaps he’s a deceased drama teacher who still carries with him a passion for the arts? His true identity remains a mystery.
The second ghost is that of a young student, assumed to have died tragically while still attending high school. He was a talented virtuoso and reportedly plays the theater’s piano from time to time.
The ghost of Elvis Presley at Westgate Las Vegas
The Westgate stands in the same spot as the old Hilton Las Vegas and the International. For the greater part of the 1970s, the king of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley spent a lot of time there serenading fans and breaking and setting musical records. He also always stayed inside this hotel’s penthouse suite whenever he was in town.
Following his death, several guests claim to have spotted him walking around the hotel and disappearing when approached. Other guests have claimed to hear him crooning from their hotel room. Upon inspecting to see if another guest was playing music, they couldn’t identify any clear source of the sound. Then there are guests who believe Elvis hangs out in the showroom, singing softly to himself throughout the night. Perhaps it’s really his ghost? Of course, it’s difficult to say considering how many Elvis impersonators frequent Vegas at any given time!
Ghosts at the Luxor Hotel
Our Luxor Hotel is yet another Vegas hotel full of its own creepy ghost stories. There are plenty of rumors that a few construction workers died when erecting the Luxor in the early 1990s and still haunt the building to this day. There are also rumors of a number of suicides taking place inside the hotel, along with people jumping to their deaths from the top floor. People have claimed to have looked up from the foot of the building to see a young woman floating on the backs of guests walking around on the 26th floor. The woman in question is believed to be the ghost of a prostitute who committed suicide after being diagnosed as HIV-positive.
The Luxor is also home to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, which is full of real artifacts (over 250) recovered from the infamous sunken ship. Some of the hotel’s employees say they’ve witnessed hauntings since the exhibition’s opening, with doors slamming shut and spooky apparitions wearing old-school attire appearing and disappearing before their eyes.
BetMGM: Play live casino online
Las Vegas ghost stories left you trembling? Take your mind off of the scary tales by having some fun playing your favorite online casino games. Here at BetMGM, we offer a diverse menu of casino classics, including real online slots, casino table games and live dealer casino games.
Ready to explore? Then feel free to register via our user-friendly mobile portal.
