Best Blackjack On The Strip In Vegas
- Best Blackjack Rules In Vegas
- Where Is The Best Place To Play Blackjack In Vegas
- Best Blackjack Games In Vegas
- Blackjack and Las Vegas are a legendary combination that has been immortalized in film and pop culture for many decades. In fact, when one thinks of gambling of any kind the first image which often comes to mind is the Las Vegas Strip.Blackjack wasn’t born in Las Vegas, but it is where blackjack grew up.
- Since 2011, Aria Resort & Casino has been rated as the #1 place to play blackjack on the Las Vegas Strip for having the best odds. Ever since MGM Resorts opened up their ARIA Campus in 2009 with Aria placed in the middle, the urban metropolis has paved the way for luxury gaming on the Las Vegas Strip.
Best Las Vegas Strip Blackjack The Strat is the best Las Vegas Strip casino for blackjack. It offers $5 3:2 blackjack during the day that goes to $10 during busier hours. These shoe games offer double down before and after splitting with surrender and re-split aces. To be honest, we’d say the best blackjack on the strip is at Treasure Island. You’ll find tables featuring surrender, re-split ace cards, and double down following a split. Plus, there are options for $10 games, and low limit tables hit on soft 17. You should also look at Aria, Mirage, MGM Grand, and Bellagio.
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.
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 attracted an astounding 42 million visitors in 2018, and when these gamblers got into town, they overwhelmingly hit The Strip.
This iconic stretch of 30 casino properties lining Las Vegas Boulevard – starting with Mandalay Bay on the southern end and stretching 4.6 miles northbound to the Stratosphere tower – has become synonymous with Sin City. In fact, for millions of gamblers worldwide, the idea of playing blackjack games or slots anywhere else in Las Vegas is a nonstarter to say the least.
It wasn’t always this way of course. Up until the 1990s, the beating heart of Las Vegas could be found a few miles north of The Strip in the Downtown district. The historic old gambling halls clustered along Fremont Street were famously frequented by Frank Sinatra and the “Rat Pack” pals, while Elvis Presley’s legendary film “Viva Las Vegas” (1964) featured plenty of scenes filmed on the old Fremont drag.
Eventually though, Las Vegas Boulevard’s seemingly endless space for new construction prompted casino operators to build their modern mega-resorts there. Over the last 30 years or so, glittering monuments to all things gambling like the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and Wynn emerged from the Mojave Desert sands like flowers after a summer shower.
Las Vegas’ History with Blackjack
The Strip’s appeal for tourists is its ability to combine slots, table games, poker, and all the other casino staples with an endless supply of non-gambling entertainment. From the glory days of “Mr. Las Vegas” himself Wayne Newton – to more recent permanent residencies by luminaries like Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and Aerosmith – visitors to The Strip can have fun for weeks on end without ever stepping foot on the gaming floor.
That’s all well and good of course, but if you found your way here, you’re looking to learn more about the Las Vegas Strip’s blackjack selection.
Unfortunately for blackjack players who enjoy The Strip, corporate casino ownership has muddied the waters, so to speak. Companies like MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have come to dominate the market – these two industry titans collectively control 17 casinos on The Strip – and consolidation is never good for consumers.
To wit, today’s blackjack scene on The Strip is largely defined by diluted 6 to 5 payouts on blackjack rather than the old standard of 3 to 2. Knowing most casual gamblers and tourists looking for a good time won’t know the difference, the casino operators who lord over The Strip have mostly replaced their 3 to 2 tables with the inferior 6 to 5 setup.
In reality, this subtle adjustment balloons the house edge incurred by basic strategy players, swelling the house’s advantage from 0.40 percent to over 2 percent (depending on various house rules).
As a result, many advanced blackjack players who have been around the proverbial block have sworn The Strip off altogether. These thinking players have studied the numbers, and they know that many of the best places to play blackjack in Las Vegas can be found in Off-Strip casinos.
That’s a shame though, because The Strip didn’t become an oasis of glitz, glamour, and gambling for no reason. Even if you’ve already experienced the sights and sounds of The Strip for yourself, and your sole focus is finding the best blackjack odds and house advantage, Las Vegas Boulevard still has a few diamonds in the rough waiting to be discovered.
With that in mind, check out the list below for a full rundown of the best places to play blackjack when you’re on The Strip.
1 – Treasure Island
While not as popular as many of The Strip’s more well-known casinos, Treasure Island is home to the very best blackjack game in the area – both in terms of house edge and price point.
You’ll learn about a few other venues where blackjack’s house edge can be reduced to 0.19 percent – one of the lowest rates in all of casino gambling – but only Treasure Island lets you enjoy those odds for just $25 per hand.
That’s the minimum bet limit found on three of the 28 tables at Treasure Island which award 3 to 2 payouts on blackjack. This trio of 3 to 2 tables uses the double-deck system too, so players concerned with the count only have 104 cards to sort through instead of 312 (six-deck shoe) or 416 (eight-deck shoe).
To finish things off, the three best blackjack tables on The Strip require the dealer to stand on soft 17, rather than take a mandatory hit. This rule tweak shaves a full 0.20 percent off any game’s house edge rate, creating the razor-thin 0.19 percent advantage held by Treasure Island on its 3 to 2 double-deck games.
Other venues might be able to match that house edge, but they require minimum wagers of $100 or more, while Treasure Island lets low-rollers live a little thanks to that $25 limit.
And if you want to bet smaller at the standard $5 minimum stakes, Treasure Island has 16 six-deck tables which use the 3 to 2 payout for a house edge of only 0.46 percent.
2 – ARIA Resort & Casino
Sticking with the lowest house edge on The Strip of 0.19 percent, blackjack players with good blackjack bankroll management will enjoy the swanky ARIA Resort & Casino.
And of the 18 blackjack tables at the ARIA which offer 3 to 2 payouts, you’ll find three using the same double-deck, dealer stands dynamic described above. Those rules combine to create the elusive 0.19 percent house edge rate, but the minimum bet of $100 represents a 4x premium on the price paid by Treasure Island players.
3 – Bellagio Hotel & Casino (Honorable Mention to Mirage and MGM Grand)
If the ARIA is the epitome of modern luxury, the Bellagio is an homage to the utterly unique beauty of antiquity.
Centered around its Old World Italy theme, the Bellagio is famously home to dancing water fountains outside, and art galleries, designer shopping, and even a one-of-a-kind Dale Chiluly handblown glass exhibit.
Those amenities provide the Bellagio’s backdrop, but 14 blackjack tables – four of which offer 3 to 2 payouts and the same 0.19 percent house edge setup for $100 minimum bets – are this casino’s centerpiece.
And if you’re looking to save a few bucks on the room rate, check out MGM Resorts sister properties Mirage (2) and MGM Grand (3) to find a few of the exact same tables.
4 – Tropicana
You’ll find dozens of tables on The Strip which use a six-deck shoe, have dealers stand on soft 17, and pay 3 to 2 on blackjacks.
This structure produces a house edge of 0.26 percent, but while everywhere else asks for minimum wagers of $100, the Tropicana halves that limit to $50 on four tables.
The “Trop” also has four double-deck 3 to 2 tables with a 0.35 percent house edge at $25 minimum bets.
5 – Circus Circus Hotel & Resort
This joint has seen better days, but if you can abide the abundance of children running around the periphery, Circus Circus spreads one of the most affordable 3 to 2 blackjack games on The Strip.
Two tables here come in double-deck format with dealer hits on soft 17 to bring the house edge to 0.40 percent, all for the low price of $15 per hand.
6 – Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino
If variety is the name of your game, Caesars Palace has 21 different 3 to 2 blackjack tables on hand.
On the other end of the spectrum, seven tables with a 0.26 percent house can be found at $100 stakes.
7 – Wynn Las Vegas
Best Blackjack Rules In Vegas
Closing out the list is the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, which houses 19 tables using the 3 to 2 payout system. The lowest house edge here is 0.26 percent on seven $100 tables, while 12 other $50 tables offer 0.40 percent hill to climb.
Conclusion
Where Is The Best Place To Play Blackjack In Vegas
In exchange for betting a bit higher, blackjack sharps can still enjoy all the amenities and attractions found on The Strip – without sacrificing any equity in terms of the house edge along the way. It’d be great if all blackjack tables on Las Vegas Boulevard offered 3 to 2 payouts and liberal house rules, but alas, that ship has sailed.
Best Blackjack Games In Vegas
The Strip will always be a money pit designed to separate suckers from their dollars and cents, but you don’t have to be one of them. Armed with this list of top-rated places to play blackjack on The Strip, you can have your cake and eat it too.