We set out to find the best place to find cheap blackjack in Las Vegas for $5.00. After arriving in Vegas one Saturday evening in January and filling our bellies with the Rio Buffet, we set out on our mission. We searched high and low and some places we cannot mention.
Let me mention that I am luckier gambler during the daytime hours. At night I am good on quick in and out games.
I played $5 blackjack at both Excalibur and NY-NY at the end of February. I also played in O'sheas. All had terrible rules, but I was there with a newbie so I wanted to show her the ropes on this trip. Had a good time at all but Osheas (awful dealer.). Excalibur was one of the best casinos in Las Vegas for $5 and $10 blackjack going into 2015. There were no 6-5 games in the entire house. That changed since our last visit. Excalibur spreads 6-5 games at the $10 limit, accounting for more than half the open tables on a recent night. 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.
After the buffet we meandered about the Rio Hotel, dropping in some loose change into our favorite slot machines and could not find a $5.00 Blackjack table or even get near a $10.00 table. It was a peak time, so we do not fault the Rio for making money it is called supply and demand. We never found an open $5 Blackjack table, but we did however find $10 – $25 and up tables, waiting for us after all the short-timers lost their bankroll for the evening. We did find in the evening on Sunday and weekdays the Rio, had one table of $5 Blackjack open. Even during the day we were hard pressed to find any $5 tables at the Rio. Alas, we never did play the $5 tables at the Rio Hotel, for many reasons. Most of the higher end casinos or Mega Resorts are about the same as the Rio, some casinos are bigger than others and have the crowd to fill in any open slots at the table. These include: The Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Wynn, Venetian, Paris, Bellagio, Monte Carlo, Mirage and the MGM Grand. The other Casinos that had their fair amount of $5 and sometimes $2 and $3 Blackjack tables include: Excalibur (we had a long session here this trip), Stratosphere, Sahara, Riviera, Circus Circus, Casino Royale, Imperial Palace and Slots-A-Fun. Harrahs, Ballys and the Flamingo had a decent showing.
During the day all the low-rolling you want, but just around dinner time the prices go up. If you are planning on playing $5 Blackjack find a table early and sit there, because when day rolls into night those tables are quickly saturated. We found this to be true at the Flamingo and Harrahs. Mark and I went to the Pink Pit at the Flamingo and were hard pressed to find a seat together, so we opted to play at a $10 table. We found a dealer that would fit our bill and began to play, rather well I might add then it hit 'Dealer change. What a blow to the bankroll, this lady was like a stone. I finally made her laugh, with the phrase 'Are you sure you shuffled these cards, after four 2s were dealt in the same set. We should have gotten up a lot sooner!
We did find the Excalibur enjoyable and at $5 a hand with a 6 deck shoe, who is complaining. One of our rules is the dealer has to be fun or entertaining. If we cannot make them laugh or have a good time we will not play, no matter what denomination. We have been known to follow dealers around or sulk when they leave. One of the only reasons we play at the Circus Circus is because of George a 7 foot tall dry humored fellow and Grandpa Harvey a oriental man who had us crying we were laughing so hard. I believe we all came out ahead except DV8R who Harvey after stopping all play at the table made him go buy a basic Blackjack strategy card before he would let him play again at his table. It is times like these you will remember a lifetime.
Excalibur $5 Blackjack Game
Ellis Island, before you say anything, we know it is not on the strip but only one street behind Bally's. They had single deck $5 Blackjack and pretty entertaining dealers. I put a $100 on the table and almost immediately I was comped with free full size drinks from the bar, not bad and I was not going to play the full $100, we were passing time before dinner. The pit boss was courteous and not intimidating the dealer we had was an good guy and was easy to get along with. I cannot remember his name, but he is around 6′ and skinny with black hair. (Sorry for forgetting your name). Ellis Island has very lenient Blackjack rules, letting you split until you hearts content and doubling down after your third card, I was amazed to say the least. The single deck was shuffled a little too quickly sometimes, but over-all not a bad time. The main reason we went to Ellis Island was the BBQ. Some of the best tasting Baby Backs we have had in a while and yes we know our Ribs. For $9.95 you got a full slab, two small ears of corn, baked beans and coleslaw. The sides were adequate tasting but you are there for the ribs. While you are there get the Homemade Root Beer it is great! They brew their own beer their, which we did not sample, so making Root Beer would come naturally and it was inexpensive too. Ellis Island is a locals place and it is a locals hangout. The dealers and workers know everyone's names. Be prepared the bathrooms are not spectacular. I will have a separate article about Ellis Island later.
Most often during the latter part of Sunday and through Thursday afternoon you are more likely to find the ever elusive $5 Blackjack table. Something to remember about Blackjack in Vegas, stay away from any table that has an auto shuffler. It is a big black box that sits next to the dealer and it counts cards! It knows when the table is leaning towards being favorable for the player and then reshuffles. Never sit at one of these tables unless you have money to burn.
A word to the wise always set your daily limits of spending that way you can have enough money to get back to the hotel room to lick your wounds. I would suggest putting the bulk of your money into the hotel safe in you room and only take a little bit above your limit with you, in case you get a little crazy or you accidentally lose your money.
Many veterans of Las Vegas will be scoffing at this article, saying you should know better and that there are no great places to play Blackjack for $5 on the Vegas Strip, which in turn they are mostly right. But, if you know where to go and do not mind the crowds or sometimes smoke, you can find that needle in the haystack.
Excalibur $5 Blackjack Games
Let me just remind everyone a cold weekday in January, there are not a lot of people in Vegas, so if you are looking for some action, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are not your nights. The casinos are somewhat busy but the strip could be closed off for a drag race, but this could be a whole other article.
Visitors to Las Vegas who enjoy playing Blackjack have plenty of opportunities to indulge their pleasure. More than two dozen casinos offer games of '21' along the Las Vegas Strip, each providing their own twists on the game that has fascinated gamblers for centuries.
In the following list of Las Vegas Strip Blackjack venues, the following abbreviations are used for varying House Rules: dealer stands on soft 17 (S17), dealer hits on soft 17 (H17), double after splitting (DAS) and re-splitting of Aces allowed (RSA).
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Note:This collection of highly authoritative reviews was created by a Las Vegas native and a professional blackjack player. The author physically went to each casino, partook in the games and took notes. As such, they contain up-to-date and specialized information that is hard to find elsewhere (in particular, see the 'Inside View Section' for each). We hope you will enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed composing them for our reader base.
Aria– Located within CityCenter between Flamingo and Tropicana, this classy casino has both double-deck and six-deck games with stakes ranging from $15 minimum to $10,000 maximum. Tables are available with almost all variations of House Rules, including S17 and H17 as well as surrender, DAS and RSA.
Bally's – This centrally located casino has tables with limits of $10~$3,000. The double-deck games feature H17, but no surrender, DAS or RSA; rules for the eight-deck games include H17, surrender and DAS, but no RSA.
Bellagio – This upscale mid-Strip casino has both double-deck and six-deck games with stakes ranging from $10 to $10,000. DAS is allowed in all games, but the rules for soft 17, surrender and re-splitting Aces vary by table.
Bill's Gamblin' Hall – Right on the corner of Flamingo, this laid-back casino has table limits of $15 to $1,000 for its eight-deck games. Rules that apply are H17, DAS and surrender, but no RSA.
Caesars Palace – This famed venue near Flamingo offers great variety. Table minimums are $15, $100 and $200, while maximums run from $2,000 to $10,000. Winstar casino shows performance. Both double-deck and six-deck games can be found along with almost all combinations of H17, S17, DAS, RSA and surrender.
Circus Circus – Located toward the north end of the Strip near Sahara, the double-deck and six-deck tables of this traditional favorite have minimums of just $3 and $5, with a maximum of $500. All tables feature H17 and DAS without surrender. The ability to re-split Aces varies by game.
Cosmopolitan– One of the Strip's newest additions has tables featuring 2, 6 and 8 decks, with minimums of $15, $25, $100 and $200. Maximums range from $5,000 to $10,000. All Blackjack versions here allow DAS, while the other rules vary from game to game.
Encore – Steve Wynn's latest creation has six-deck Blackjack tables, all with maximums of $5,000, DAS, RSA and surrender. At the $15 minimum tables, the dealer hits soft 17; at the $25 tables, the S17 rule applies.
Excalibur– At the corner of Tropicana, double-deck and six-deck Blackjack is played within the halls of this fairytale castle. Table minimums are $10 and $25, with betting capped at $1,000. All games feature H17, no surrender and no RSA. Only the $25 tables allow doubling down after a split.
Flamingo – Minimum bets start at just $5 at this iconic mid-Strip casino. There are also $25 and $100 tables, and the top limits run from $2,000 to $5,000. Almost all combinations of H17, S17, DAS, RSA and surrender rules can be found at games featuring 2, 6 and 8.
Harrah's – This centrally located casino has double-deck and six-deck tables with limits ranging from $15 to $10,000. The rules allow DAS at all tables, but no RSA. The ability to surrender and the H17/S17 rules vary by game.
Imperial Palace – This venerable mid-Strip casino offers eight-deck Blackjack with table limits of $10~$1,000. Rules include H17, DAS and surrender, but not RSA.
Luxor – The pyramid-shaped casino toward the south end of the Strip offers double-deck and six-deck tables with minimums of $10 or $100 and maximums of $1,000 or $5,000. All games feature DAS and no RSA, while the rules applying to H17 and surrender vary.
Mandalay Bay – This south Strip casino offers double-deck and six-deck games, with table minimums starting at $10, $25 and $100. The upper limit is $5,000. All games feature DAS, while the rules applying to H17, RSA and surrender vary.
MGM Grand – Many believe this is the best location for playing Blackjack on the Strip. Tables offer double-deck and six-deck games with stakes ranging from $15 to $5,000. Both H17 and S17 games are available, all with DAS and RSA. Only the double-deck version does not offer the surrender option.
Mirage – With $10 and $25 minimums and $5,000~$10,000 maximums, this mid-Strip casino is very popular. All games feature DAS, while the rules applying to H17, RSA and surrender vary.
Monte Carlo – Located between Flamingo and Tropicana, this casino has $10, $25 and $1000 minimums and $1,000~$5,000 maximums at its Blackjack tables. Both H17 and S17 games are available, all with DAS. Surrender and RSA are featured at all tables except the double-deck ones.
New York New York – At the corner of Tropicana, this casino has a wide range of table limits: $10~$1,000, $25~$2,000, $50~$5,000 and $100~$5,000. Both H17 and S17 games are available at double-deck and six-deck tables. All tables offer DAS and the six-deck ones have surrender and RSA.
Palazzo – Minimums at the Blackjack tables here include $10, $25, $100 and $200 with maximums from $2,500 to $10,000. There are double-deck and six-deck games, all allowing DAS and a choice of H17 or S17. The six deck tables allow surrender and RSA.
Paris – The tables at this centrally located casino have 2, 6 or 8 decks and stakes that run from $10 to $10,000. None of tables permit RSA, and the rules applying to H17, DAS and surrender vary.
Planet Hollywood – The games at this mid-Strip casino feature 2, 6 or 8 decks with stakes ranging from $15 to $10,000. Although none of tables allow RSA, all but the double-deck ones offer surrender and DAS and the six0deck ones feature S17.
Riviera – This is one of the last places on the Strip offering single-deck Blackjack. Table stakes are $10~$500, and rules include H17 with no DAS, RSA or surrender. Additionally, player may double down only on counts of 10 or 11. Other tables feature double-deck and six-deck games $5 and $25 minimums with caps of $2,000. At those tables, DAS is permitted.
Stratosphere – The northernmost casino on the Las Vegas Strip has $5 minimum tables with double-deck and six-deck games. House rules include H17 and DAS plus no surrender at all tables, with RSA only for the six-deck games.
In the following list of Las Vegas Strip Blackjack venues, the following abbreviations are used for varying House Rules: dealer stands on soft 17 (S17), dealer hits on soft 17 (H17), double after splitting (DAS) and re-splitting of Aces allowed (RSA).
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LegitimateCasino.com Official Vegas Blackjack List
Note:This collection of highly authoritative reviews was created by a Las Vegas native and a professional blackjack player. The author physically went to each casino, partook in the games and took notes. As such, they contain up-to-date and specialized information that is hard to find elsewhere (in particular, see the 'Inside View Section' for each). We hope you will enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed composing them for our reader base.
Aria– Located within CityCenter between Flamingo and Tropicana, this classy casino has both double-deck and six-deck games with stakes ranging from $15 minimum to $10,000 maximum. Tables are available with almost all variations of House Rules, including S17 and H17 as well as surrender, DAS and RSA.
Bally's – This centrally located casino has tables with limits of $10~$3,000. The double-deck games feature H17, but no surrender, DAS or RSA; rules for the eight-deck games include H17, surrender and DAS, but no RSA.
Bellagio – This upscale mid-Strip casino has both double-deck and six-deck games with stakes ranging from $10 to $10,000. DAS is allowed in all games, but the rules for soft 17, surrender and re-splitting Aces vary by table.
Bill's Gamblin' Hall – Right on the corner of Flamingo, this laid-back casino has table limits of $15 to $1,000 for its eight-deck games. Rules that apply are H17, DAS and surrender, but no RSA.
Caesars Palace – This famed venue near Flamingo offers great variety. Table minimums are $15, $100 and $200, while maximums run from $2,000 to $10,000. Winstar casino shows performance. Both double-deck and six-deck games can be found along with almost all combinations of H17, S17, DAS, RSA and surrender.
Circus Circus – Located toward the north end of the Strip near Sahara, the double-deck and six-deck tables of this traditional favorite have minimums of just $3 and $5, with a maximum of $500. All tables feature H17 and DAS without surrender. The ability to re-split Aces varies by game.
Cosmopolitan– One of the Strip's newest additions has tables featuring 2, 6 and 8 decks, with minimums of $15, $25, $100 and $200. Maximums range from $5,000 to $10,000. All Blackjack versions here allow DAS, while the other rules vary from game to game.
Encore – Steve Wynn's latest creation has six-deck Blackjack tables, all with maximums of $5,000, DAS, RSA and surrender. At the $15 minimum tables, the dealer hits soft 17; at the $25 tables, the S17 rule applies.
Excalibur– At the corner of Tropicana, double-deck and six-deck Blackjack is played within the halls of this fairytale castle. Table minimums are $10 and $25, with betting capped at $1,000. All games feature H17, no surrender and no RSA. Only the $25 tables allow doubling down after a split.
Flamingo – Minimum bets start at just $5 at this iconic mid-Strip casino. There are also $25 and $100 tables, and the top limits run from $2,000 to $5,000. Almost all combinations of H17, S17, DAS, RSA and surrender rules can be found at games featuring 2, 6 and 8.
Harrah's – This centrally located casino has double-deck and six-deck tables with limits ranging from $15 to $10,000. The rules allow DAS at all tables, but no RSA. The ability to surrender and the H17/S17 rules vary by game.
Imperial Palace – This venerable mid-Strip casino offers eight-deck Blackjack with table limits of $10~$1,000. Rules include H17, DAS and surrender, but not RSA.
Luxor – The pyramid-shaped casino toward the south end of the Strip offers double-deck and six-deck tables with minimums of $10 or $100 and maximums of $1,000 or $5,000. All games feature DAS and no RSA, while the rules applying to H17 and surrender vary.
Mandalay Bay – This south Strip casino offers double-deck and six-deck games, with table minimums starting at $10, $25 and $100. The upper limit is $5,000. All games feature DAS, while the rules applying to H17, RSA and surrender vary.
MGM Grand – Many believe this is the best location for playing Blackjack on the Strip. Tables offer double-deck and six-deck games with stakes ranging from $15 to $5,000. Both H17 and S17 games are available, all with DAS and RSA. Only the double-deck version does not offer the surrender option.
Mirage – With $10 and $25 minimums and $5,000~$10,000 maximums, this mid-Strip casino is very popular. All games feature DAS, while the rules applying to H17, RSA and surrender vary.
Monte Carlo – Located between Flamingo and Tropicana, this casino has $10, $25 and $1000 minimums and $1,000~$5,000 maximums at its Blackjack tables. Both H17 and S17 games are available, all with DAS. Surrender and RSA are featured at all tables except the double-deck ones.
New York New York – At the corner of Tropicana, this casino has a wide range of table limits: $10~$1,000, $25~$2,000, $50~$5,000 and $100~$5,000. Both H17 and S17 games are available at double-deck and six-deck tables. All tables offer DAS and the six-deck ones have surrender and RSA.
Palazzo – Minimums at the Blackjack tables here include $10, $25, $100 and $200 with maximums from $2,500 to $10,000. There are double-deck and six-deck games, all allowing DAS and a choice of H17 or S17. The six deck tables allow surrender and RSA.
Paris – The tables at this centrally located casino have 2, 6 or 8 decks and stakes that run from $10 to $10,000. None of tables permit RSA, and the rules applying to H17, DAS and surrender vary.
Planet Hollywood – The games at this mid-Strip casino feature 2, 6 or 8 decks with stakes ranging from $15 to $10,000. Although none of tables allow RSA, all but the double-deck ones offer surrender and DAS and the six0deck ones feature S17.
Riviera – This is one of the last places on the Strip offering single-deck Blackjack. Table stakes are $10~$500, and rules include H17 with no DAS, RSA or surrender. Additionally, player may double down only on counts of 10 or 11. Other tables feature double-deck and six-deck games $5 and $25 minimums with caps of $2,000. At those tables, DAS is permitted.
Stratosphere – The northernmost casino on the Las Vegas Strip has $5 minimum tables with double-deck and six-deck games. House rules include H17 and DAS plus no surrender at all tables, with RSA only for the six-deck games.
Treasure Island – The double-deck games have stakes of $50~10,000, while the six-deck games offer $10~$5,000 and $25~$10,000 at this mid-Strip casino. DAS is standard, while the rules applying to H17, RSA and surrender vary.
Tropicana – Minimum bets start at just $5 at this famous Strip casino. There are also $10, $25 and $50 tables, and the top limits run from $2,500 to $10,000. With plenty of double-deck and six-deck tables, almost all combinations of H17, S17, RSA and surrender rules can be found. DAS is allowed in all of the Trop's games.
Venetian – This centrally located casino has tables featuring 2, 6 or 8 decks, with limits ranging from $15 to $10,000. The rules allow DAS at all tables, but no RSA. The ability to surrender and the H17/S17 rules vary by game.
Wynn Las Vegas – This mid-Strip casino offers double-deck and six-deck games, with table minimums starting at $15 and $100. The upper limits are $5,000 and $10,000. All games feature DAS, while the rules applying to H17, RSA and surrender vary.
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