Raiders Hosting Vegas Draft Parties to Celebrate Top Pick

^{The Palms Resort and Casino will host an NFL Draft Party for the Las Vegas Raiders again this year. (Photo: @Vegas_Matty on X)}

LAS VEGAS – For the first time since 2007, the Raiders own the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. However, late next week the Las Vegas Raiders will be celebrating that selection for the first time since they moved to Sin City with a pair of events, starting with their 2026 NFL Draft Party at the Palms Casino Resort on Thursday, April 23. 

This is the second year in a row that The Palms is hosting season-ticket holders and fans of the Raiders to celebrate Day 1 of the draft. But this year, they are adding a second event at their team headquarters the following day to welcome their top pick in person and watch the second and third rounds of the draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh this year.

Last year, KAOS Nightclub at The Palms hosted the 2025 NFL Draft Party for the Raiders, with their All-Pro punter AJ Cole serving as the MC of the event. Former quarterback Geno Smith and several other Raiders alumni were also in attendance at the draft party, as the team ended up choosing Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick. 

Previous Las Vegas casino venues that hosted draft parties for the Raiders include OMNIA Nightclub at Caesars Palace in 2024 and Marquee Nightclub at the The Cosmopolitan in 2023.

Odds Highly Favor Mendoza Going to Raiders

Barring a major surprise over the next week or so, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the overwhelming favorite to be selected by the Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza won the 2025 Heisman Trophy as the country’s top player and then went on to lead the Hoosiers to their first-ever national championship in college football on Jan. 19.

Vegas oddsmakers peg Mendoza as a near-lock to go to the Raiders, assuming they do not trade out of the top spot. BetMGM is listing him at -10000 (bet $10,000 to win $100) to be picked first. Caesars/William Hill had him at double that price (-20000) as of Monday, indicating even greater certainty.

Veteran broadcaster and former Raiders play-by-play announcer Brett Musburger plainly said Mendoza is an almost guaranteed first pick.

“99.9 percent to go first,” said Musburger about Mendoza’s draft odds. “Drafting Mendoza No. 1 will make for a good party!”

Other sportsbooks around town, including the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and Circa Sports, are not expected to put up numbers with regards to Mendoza’s draft position because the odds are too astronomical.  Jeff Sherman, VP of Risk at the SuperBook, confirmed to Casinos.com that there will be “no Mendoza stuff” as part of their prop bet offerings involving the draft. The SuperBook’s draft props will be available briefly on April 21 and 22 as well. 

Meanwhile, Circa Sports Director of Operations Jeff Benson echoed Sherman's sentiments, saying "Mendoza to the Raiders is a lock" and that his book will not be offering draft props on him either because the "odds are too big." Benson said Circa will post its props with 40-cent splits and $300 limits starting this Thursday and take them down 24 hours before the draft kicks off.

Festival of Football Aimed at Welcoming New Pick

The Raiders have introduced a new draft event this year at the Intermountain Health Performance Center, which houses their team headquarters in nearby Henderson. The Festival of Football will take place there between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on April 24 and feature the arrival of the No. 1 overall pick in person at the practice facility. That pick is widely expected to be Mendoza, giving fans an opportunity to welcome him to Raider Nation in person and support the Raiders Foundation.

Tickets went on sale to season-ticket members last week for $5 each with a maximum of four per member.

The Raiders officially hosted Mendoza for a Top 30 visit at the facility on April 7 to kick off the start of their offseason workout program. He has also reportedly been working with coach Brian Griese to learn the playbook of new head coach Klint Kubiak, who served as offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks last season.

Musburger – an enshrinee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last August – said he believes the team’s recent signing of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will greatly benefit Mendoza. Musburger said the presence of Cousins, along with minority owner Tom Brady, will be vital to Mendoza’s early development as two mentors most young QBs could only dream of.

“A high five to the Raiders who created a perfect opportunity for (Mendoza) by first signing Cousins,” Musburger said. “With Brady and Cousins both with the Raiders’ organization, Mendoza is in good hands as he prepares to be their QB of the future.”