Best Blackjack On The Strip In Vegas
Blackjack on the Vegas Strip ain’t what it used to be. Sure, it’s the most played game in casinos. There are more blackjack tables on the Vegas Strip than any other game. According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, there were 1,196 blackjack tables on the Vegas Strip as of December 2019. That’s slightly more than 40% of the 2,850 table games in the tourist corridor.
Unfortunately, the actual blackjack games on the Vegas Strip don’t offer the same experience they used to. Casinos have increased their house edge by changing the rules of the game. Many blackjack purists won’t even play the blackjack games available on the Vegas Strip today.
Gaming researcher, John Mehaffy’s recent survey of blackjack on the Vegas Strip shows that there are 568 blackjack tables that pay 6:5 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack. In 2011, Mehaffey’s research shows there were only 199 of these tables. This information shows that almost half the blackjack games on the Vegas Strip pay 6:5 for a natural blackjack.
Treasure Island. While not as popular as many of The Strip’s more well-known casinos, Treasure. 25 Minimum at Treasure Island (House Edge = 0.26 Percent) Compared to the next two entries on. Best blackjack game in Vegas is the single deck game at El Cortez. It offers a 3:2 pay for blackjack and a house edge of only 0.19%. Minimum bets of $5. Double deck games with bet.
The number of 6:5 blackjack games on the Vegas Strip is even worse for tourists and recreational gamblers. The majority of these games on the Vegas Strip have a minimum bet under $25. Recreational blackjack players tend to play lower limits games and are the players affected most by the proliferation of 6:5 blackjack in Las Vegas over the past decade.
Why 6:5 Blackjack Is Bad
Understanding why 6:5 blackjack is bad should help any bettor understand why this game hurts their gambling experience. A 6:5 blackjack game has a 1.39% higher house advantage than a 3:2 game. The house edge is even larger if more traditional blackjack rules are changed.
Let’s look to math to help explain the difference between the two payouts. On average a player will receive about 3.5 blackjacks every hour. On average, a player will receive $52.50 from a 3:2 blackjack game each hour. Someone playing a 6:5 blackjack game will only receive $42 in that same hour of play.
The $10.50 difference is more than just money in the pocket. Over time, this means that the bankroll of a blackjack player won’t last as long if they play the game with the higher house edge. This means that a blackjack player will likely spend less time playing the casino game they prefer.
In essence, playing 6:5 blackjack will lead to fewer casino fun times. Nobody visits Las Vegas for less fun.
The Best Blackjack Games Under $25 On The Vegas Strip
Not everyone cares about playing casino games in Las Vegas with the best odds. That’s understandable since the average trip to Las Vegas is about two days. Traveling to a casino for the best odds may not make sense with so little time.
Having said that, maybe gambling in casinos with good blackjack games can become part of your Vegas vacation planning. Playing the game with a lower house edge should mean playing more blackjack and more fun. We all like more fun!
Here are the best blackjack games on the Vegas Strip according to the 2020 blackjack survey from Mehaffey. Visit the website for much more information on all the blackjack games in Las Vegas.
House Edge 0.46%
Treasure Island – 16 tables
House Edge 0.57%
Bally’s – 7 tables
Caesars Palace – 12 tables
Cromwell – 7 tables
Flamingo – 2 tables
Harrah’s – 5 tables
The Linq – 2 tables
Paris Las Vegas – 15 tables
Planet Hollywood – 17 tables
House Edge 0.64%
Circus Circus – 4 tables
Sahara – 3 tables
The Strat – 5 tables
Las Vegas Blackjack Table Minimums
Contents
- Las Vegas Blackjack Table Minimums
BlackjackClassroom.com gets a lot of questions about where on the Las Vegas Strip you can find blackjack games with good odds and low table minimums.
While low minimums might not be a concern for a serious player looking for the best card counting opportunities, I can understand a casual player (non-counter) on a budget valuing this kind of info.
So I’ve compiled a short list of Las Vegas blackjack table minimums on the Strip that have decent odds. Vegas casinos tend to offer low table minimums only with terrible player odds, so my goal is to expose where a casual blackjack player can get a decent game with a low house edge.
Warning: Often what seems like a cheap game is actually going to cost you quite a bit. A great example is the 6-deck blackjack at Flamingo. Don’t be fooled by the “cheap” $5 minimums. All 6-deck blackjack on the main floor of Flamingo holds a 2% house edge due to the horrible rules, and that’s assuming you play perfect basic strategy on every hand. So would you rather play $5 per hand at a 2% disadvantage or $25 per hand at a .2% disadvantage? Over time you would lose twice as much money at the $5 game!
Low Blackjack Table Minimums on the Las Vegas Strip
Keep in mind I’m only considering casinos on the Strip for this article. Downtown and off the Strip will hopefully be covered another day.
Best Blackjack Rules In Vegas
Single Deck – All single deck games on the Strip pay 6:5 on blackjack (a $50 bet gets paid $60 on blackjack instead of the usual $75). Avoid these games due to the large house edge. The closest legitimate single deck blackjack would be at Hooters located just behind Tropicana. Although Hooters single deck blackjack will have just a $10 minimum, the house edge is nearly .5% since you can only double on 10 and 11. For all the card counters out there, this game is not a good opportunity because of the weak dealer penetration.
Double Deck (Dealer hits on Soft 17 / Player may double after splitting)
•Circus Circus – $10 table minimum
•Excalibur – $10 table minimum
•All other $5 and $10 double deck on the Strip will have worse rules such as no doubling after splitting.
Double Deck (Dealer stands on Soft 17 / Player may double after splitting)
•Aria – $25 table minimum
•Bellagio – sometimes on a weekday one table will drop to a $25 minimum
•MGM Grand – sometimes on a weekday one table will drop to a $25 minimum
•Mirage – $50 table minimum
•New York, New York (high limit) – $50 table minimum
•Treasure Island (high limit) – $50 table minimum
•Tropicana (high limit) – $50 table minimum
6-Deck (Dealer stands on Soft 17, Double after split, Resplit Aces, Surrender)
•MGM Grand – $10 table minimum
•Aria – $25 table minimum
•Bellagio – $25 table minimum
•Tropicana (high limit) – $25 table minimum
•Wynn – $25 table minimum
•All $5 multi-deck games on the Strip will hit on Soft 17.
So what’s the best value blackjack on the Las Vegas Strip? If you play good basic strategy and bet the table minimum, then out of the places I’ve mentioned you’ll lose the least amount of money over the long haul by playing the $10 minimum 6-deck at MGM Grand. In fact, you would have an expected loss of under $3 per 100 hands played. This low expected loss is due to the combination of low $10 bets and good rules.
Best Blackjack Tables In Vegas
Looking for more options? If you’re willing to bump your expected loss per 100 hands up to the $3-$5 range, then you can play at the other places listed that are $25 and under. Playing $25 per hand can actually start to build some decent comp value over time. The $50 minimums would put you closer to a $10 expected loss per 100 hands played, but would also further increase your comp value. To be able to hang out at great places like Aria, Bellagioand Wynn, have free drinks, build some comp credit and have a good time, would you be willing to pay under $5 per 100 hands played? Sounds like a good deal for those that don’t want to take their game to a higher level with card counting. Just make sure you know your basic strategy!