Sleepless in Sin City: Tales from the Graveyard Shift

by Randy Rutecki

What really happens behind the velvet ropes of Las Vegas’ high-limit rooms?

For 35 years, Randy Rutecki lived the life most people only imagine — dealing high-stakes roulette in the city that never sleeps. From the Golden Nugget to the Mirage, Bellagio, and Wynn, Randy had a front-row seat to the rise of the mega-resorts and the gamblers who risked fortunes overnight.

In Sleepless in Sin Tales from the Graveyard Shift, he pulls back the curtain on a world
- Whales and high rollers dropping millions in a single session.
- Scams, cheats, and hustlers who thought they could outsmart the casinos.
- An ever-changing Las Vegas, from downtown grit to billion-dollar palaces.
- Moments of absurd humor from the graveyard shift that no movie could script.

This is more than a memoir of casino life — it’s a living history of Las Vegas told from the inside, by someone who watched it transform one spin at a time.

If you love memoirs with grit, Vegas history, or the thrill of the gaming floor, you won’t put this down.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2025

Reviews

[Gary L Boire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable slice of Vegas!if

A great read! Having gone to Vegas regularly over the last
50 years , Randy gave very accurate and vivid descriptions of
The evolution of Vegas. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I highly
Recommend this book to any one remotely interested in Las
Vegas!!

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read. I had no idea of what went on in the “real” Vegas. The author wrote from the heart. The stories eye opening, interesting, at times poignant, and very funny. I had a hard time putting it down. Thanks for sharing your life story Randy.

[CarolAnne Bills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dealing the Dish in Vegas

Randy Rutecki is a brilliant storyteller. I don't gamble, know nothing about craps, baccarat or the roulette wheel, but I couldn't put this book down. Randy writes with grace, wit, irony and a dash of charm, conveying a love affair with the gaming industry and his up close and personal front row seat to Vegas through the decades. Having just finished Sleepless in Sin City, I'm sad to lose my new friend. If you love to read, with a side of gambling, you're going to love this book.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read from one who has worked in the casino pit since the days before Vegas became corporate. Great stories of the gamblers and the casino openings and closings. Deducting one star because I listened to the audio version and the narration was very obviously AI.

[Stephen Fisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read

A revealing look at the Las Vegas we can’t see. An interesting history of the way the city, casinos, and patrons have changed.