It’s predicted to be a rainy week in Atlantic City.
March definitely went out like a lion. And this month is wasting no time bringing on the April showers.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t events for you to pass the time with over the weekend.
Don’t worry, you’ll be hitting the beach and working on your tan before you know it.
Hoops fans can watch the last weekend of March Madness and catch Final Four action at any casino inside their state-of-the-art sportsbooks.
Get there early to secure a spot, order some wings and head to the betting window for prop bets and parlays.
Two standout sportsbooks in our area are the Wild Wild West and the Borgata. If you are new to town and want to watch the games, start here.
Wild Wild West boasts big, comfy chairs for even the most discerning armchair point guard, dedicated servers and easy access to the Boardwalk for fresh air and or smoking. Plus you are between Caesars and Bally’s for choices when it comes to checking odds between FanDuel and Caesars, gambling, grabbing snacks or where you may have free parking privileges.
There is a mammoth wall of varying sized televisions that fit together for a seamless, immersive, sports-watching experience.
The BetMGM Sportsbook and Bar at Borgata is conveniently located across from the poker room and food court.
Save the hassle of walking through the casino and park on the surface lot at the back of the property. Enjoy fast service, huge LED screens, craft beer and a full bar menu.
If not in use for a private event, Level One, right on the other side of the book has couches and a VIP viewing experience that may be available.
If you go to any sportsbook in town, be sure to inquire prior to arrival about any particular minimums or cover charges for special events like March Madness.
Wednesday morning, you can head to the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University for a free event brought to you by The Tuckerton Seaport.
If you missed Wednesday, look for programming from this group monthly.
The mission is to bring folk art and artists of the Jersey Shore region to senior citizens and create strong community connections.
Programming over the year will include basketry, fiber arts, blacksmithing, quilting, decoy carving, paper lighthouses, food, Lenape doll-making and African-American music.
April 3 is Felting with Niki Giberson.The program for April 3 is felting with Niki Giberson. You can read about it and register here.
I attended the inaugural program March 6, and found several seniors enjoying a lecture/concert by Valerie Vaughn. Attendees also had the opportunity for a sing along and a songwriting exercise!
Don’t sleep on visiting the Noyes Arts Garage all year long. There are always vibrant happenings like this one there.
Usually,supplies are provided and admission or registration is free.
Mays Landing is bringing in the “star power” on Monday with Atlantic Cape Community College hosting an event to mark the solar eclipse.
The Eclipse Extravaganza viewing party is where attendees will be able to create their own eclipse viewer and enjoy presentations by Atlantic Cape Professors and Instructors Mark Wegner, James Sacchinelli, Richard Perello and Dr. Francis Toriello.
This event is free and open to the public from 1:45 to 3:30 p.m. at the Walter E. Edge Theater located in the “C” building at 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing.
If you miss this one, not to worry. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States is right around the corner on Aug. 23, 2044!
I think one of our most underutilized assets in town is the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ.
Known as the name of the company that built it, Midmer-Losh or simply by the nickname Poseidon, this is the largest organ in the world as measured by number of pipes.
The instrument contains more than 33,000, in case you were curious.
But, yep, we have one of the biggest things in the world right in the center of town.
If only we touted that fact the way other states advertise their largest roadside attractions like corn mazes, teapots or cheese wheels. But until that happens, you can always attend the free, half-hour concert on Wednesdays at noon in season from May to August.
And please, tell a friend. It is amazing to hear.
However this Friday, April 5 — with bargain seats going for as little as $25 — concertgoers can take in this majestic music maker with Anna Lapwood at the keys and pedals.
Lapwood’s pedigree includes director of music at Pembroke College, associate artist of the Royal Albert Hall in London and artists in association with the BBC Singers.
Don’t miss this one-night-only event. Especially if you are staying in midtown.
Boardwalk Hall is a few steps down the Boardwalk from Tropicana, Caesars or Bally’s.
You can also attend a seminar with Anna from 10 a.m. to noon entitled Introduction to the Pipe Organ.
It’s pretty hard to come to Atlantic City and not throw down at least one green chip on the pass line at the craps table or feed a 20 to a one-armed bandit.
Gambling is for entertainment after all.
But there are ways to make your budget last a little longer and keep you away from bad bets.
BreakingAC will try to keep you in the know.
If you want to maximize your time on the casino floor, you should learn the basic strategy of one game: blackjack. Because, unlike slots or roulette, it is a mixture of skill and luck.
You can mitigate the house advantage by playing perfect blackjack.
Don’t worry if you can’t seem to remember when to split and double down. It’s not cheating to have a laminated strategy card at the table.
Playing perfect strategy means not playing hunches or feelings and just playing the odds.
Your odds of winning at blackjack hover around 42 percent. Mostly the house edge comes from you having to act first before the dealer plays the hand. Even if you both end up busting, you lose.
If you stay disciplined and play within your means, you will last the longest at this table game. And perhaps, you can even walk away with a profit.
As with any wagering prospect, don’t do it unless you fully understand the risk and the rules.
