Las Vegas isn’t just a playground for poker tables, Elvis impersonators and world-class residencies. In recent years, it has cemented itself as one of the country’s premier sports destinations.
That status will be on full display at WrestleMania 41 this weekend when WWE’s biggest event of the year takes over Allegiant Stadium, bringing a spectacle of pyrotechnics, pageantry and powerhouse matchups.
Saturday’s headliner features Roman Reigns clashing with CM Punk and Seth Rollins in a high-stakes triple-threat match. Then on Sunday, Cody Rhodes faces John Cena in a title match that doubles as a send-off for Cena, who confirmed this will be his last time competing on WWE’s grandest stage.
With blockbuster events like the Super Bowl, Formula 1 and now WrestleMania flocking to the desert, Sin City is proving it’s more than just a stop on the entertainment circuit — it’s the main event.
Here’s how Las Vegas leveled up as a sports capital.
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How Las Vegas is preparing for ‘spectacular’ F1 Grand Prix
Laurence Edmondson provides an update from Las Vegas ahead of the inaugural Grand Prix.
The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix took place on a newly constructed street circuit that showcased the Strip and featured the sport’s top stars, including reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. It marked the 21st and penultimate race of the Formula One World Championship — and the first time F1 raced in Las Vegas since the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix. The nighttime race also was the city’s first street event since the 2007 Vegas Grand Prix Champ Car.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured pole position, with teammate Carlos Sainz qualifying second — though Sainz started 12th due to a grid penalty. That moved Red Bull’s Verstappen up to the front row, and he capitalized, winning a hard-fought race that saw multiple lead changes. Leclerc finished second, followed by Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez in third.
1:44
A’s owner: We did everything we could to stay in Oakland
A’s owner John Fisher speaks about his team’s move to Las Vegas, calling it a sad day for fans in Oakland.
Major League Baseball is slated to be the city’s next athletic acquisition.
In November 2023, Major League Baseball owners voted unanimously to allow the Athletics to move from Oakland, California, to Las Vegas, laying the foundation for MLB’s first team relocation since the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals in 2005.
The Athletics, who left Oakland after the 2024 season, will play the 2025, 2026 and 2027 seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, while a new ballpark, which is intended to open for the 2028 season, is built on the Las Vegas Strip.
After back-and-forth stints in their founding city of Oakland, California, and Los Angeles, the Raiders settled in the desert.
Although they haven’t seen the recent success of their counterparts in Las Vegas, the Raiders’ best season since moving was in 2021, when they finished 10-7 and made the playoffs as a wild card.
The Aces, a WNBA franchise previously affiliated with the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs, relocated to the city in 2018.
After finishing ninth in their first season, the Aces have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons with four first-place conference finishes. In 2022, the Aces won the franchise’s first championship and the first professional sports championship for Las Vegas. Led by two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, the Aces became the WNBA’s first back-to-back champions in more than two decades with a victory in the 2023 WNBA Finals.
1:02
No party like a Vegas party, Golden Knights parade takes Vegas by storm
The Golden Knights celebrate their Stanley Cup win with an epic parade on the Las Vegas Strip.
Las Vegas welcomed its first professional sports team when the NHL expanded to 31 teams with the creation of the Golden Knights. Before their first year, owner Bill Foley set lofty expectations for the team to reach the playoffs within three years and win the Stanley Cup within six.
The Knights saw immediate success in their inaugural season and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, where they were defeated by the Washington Capitals in five games.
Since its creation, Vegas has won three divisional championships, two conference championships and the 2023 Stanley Cup.
