SAINTS’ promotion-winning heroes are being treated to a major end-of-season celebration – in Las Vegas.

The players will mark the club’s return to the Championship with a visit to the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’ over the weekend.

And they will already feel like they have hit the jackpot, after Saints chairman Nicola Cortese agreed to pay for the trip.

The first-team squad is due to fly out tomorrow and will spend a few days enjoying the bright lights of the famous American city and its legendary Strip of hotels and casinos.

They are set to return overnight on Monday.

The jaunt, which is for the players only, promises to be a memorable way to cap an incredible week of celebrations.

The squad and coaches revelled with supporters at St Mary’s after Saturday’s 3-1 win over Walsall, which confirmed their ticket out of League One.

They then spent the night partying with the club’s staff at a special do in the city’s Grand Café bar and restaurant.

And that was followed by yesterday evening’s end-of-season awards dinner at the stadium.

Cortese is understood to have agreed to foot the bill for Vegas during the jubilant celebrations on the coach journey back from Plymouth earlier this month – much to the players’ delight.

The 3-1 win at Home Park just under two weeks ago effectively ensured Saints would finish second in League One.

It is not clear whether Cortese will pay the travel and accommodation costs personally, or with club funds.

But it is some reward for the players who have earned Saints their status as a Championship outfit once again, two years after being relegated to the third tier.