Best Blackjack
The quality of blackjack games in Las Vegas has declined over the past 15-20 years. The availability of strategy information over the internet has forced casinos to drop some of the more liberal rules. Casinos first started hitting on soft 17. Some stopped offering surrender or re-splitting aces in shoe games.
The biggest rule change that goes against players was rolled out first at single deck games. This terrible rule started paying players 6:5 on a blackjack, as opposed to 3:2. This means that a $10 blackjack would pay $12 instead of $15. Once the casinos got away with this at single deck games, the 6:5 rule started infecting double deck and shoe games. Most single deck blackjack tables have disappeared from the Las Vegas Strip because of this. A 6:5 payout on a blackjack adds 1.39% to the house edge.
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While some Las Vegas casinos offer terrible rules on blackjack these days, there are still several places where a good game may be found. Some are even on the Las Vegas Strip, although some of the better ones are located downtown and in the locals market. All of the games mentioned below pay 3:2 on a blackjack.
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. A double deck with double down before and after splitting starts at $15. These games hit soft 17.
A $100 six-deck table in high limit has the same rules as the $5 game but stands on soft 17. This game may require reservations with a host to ensure it is open.
Treasure Island is another great Las Vegas Strip casino for blackjack. Players will find $10 games with great rules at Treasure Island. The shoe games offer surrender, re-split aces, and double down after splitting. These tables start at $10. Double deck starts at $15. Those tables allow double down after splitting. These low limit games hit soft 17.
Players willing to bet $50 can move to the high limit salon. They will get a shoe game with double down after splitting, re-split aces, and surrender. The high limit double deck starts at $50 and allows double down after splitting. The dealer stands on all 17’s at both games. The high limit salon is only open on weekend nights.
Sahara spreads good $15 3:2 blackjack. Players can double down on any two cards and after splitting in the blackjack pit at Sahara. The dealer hits soft 17. This game is offered in the high limit salon for $50 where the dealer stands on all 17’s. This game adds surrender and re-split aces to the rules.
Caesars properties that spread 3:2 blackjack under $25. Bally’s, The Cromwell, Paris and Rio deal $10 or $15 3:2 eight-deck blackjack during slower hours. This game allows double down after splitting and surrender. The Cromwell and Rio also have $15 3:2 double deck game. Double down before but not after splitting is allowed. Otherwise, all other Caesars Entertainment 3:2 blackjack tables start at $25. It takes $100 to get a stand on all 17 game.
Best Downtown Las Vegas Blackjack
El Cortez offers the best blackjack game in downtown Las Vegas. It is a single deck that pays 3:2 on a blackjack. Players can double down on any two cards and the dealer hits soft 17. The minimum bet is usually $10. Be careful in this game as the pit bosses will sweat large action or bet spreads. El Cortez also has $10 double deck and six-deck games for $10. These tables allow double down before and after splitting.
Downtown Grand offers the best shoe games downtown. For a $5 minimum, players can double down after splitting, re-split aces and surrender. The double deck game with double down before and after splitting starts at $10. Low rollers will find an even money $1 blackjack table at Downtown Grand. The pit is open Thursday through Sunday.
Circa, The D and Golden Gate only offer 3:2 blackjack. The minimum bet is typically $10 or $15 at The D and Golden Gate and $15 or $25 at Circa. There is also a $100 stand on all 17 six-deck game in the high limit salon at Circa. Double down before and after splitting is available at these casinos.
All regular blackjacks pay 3:2 at Plaza. Plaza deals a $5 or $10 six-deck game with double down before and after splitting. The double deck game gas the same rules. It has a $25 minimum bet.
Best Las Vegas Locals Blackjack
The competition in the off-strip blackjack market is fierce. Players will be able to find shoe games that start at $5 where double down after splitting, surrender and re-split aces are allowed at Cannery andEllis Island.
Aliante and Station Casinos have $5 or $10 3:2 blackjack games with surrender but not re-split aces. Club Fortune, Silverton and Tuscany have re-split aces instead of surrender for $10. South Point has $5 3:2 six-deck tables with double down before and after splitting. A $3 table with a continuous shuffle machine at Jerry’s Nugget has the same rules.
Station Casinos properties offer double deck blackjack where players can double down after splitting. It is $5 at Boulder Station and Santa Fe Station and $10 at the others. M Resort offers the same game with a $15 minimum. The dealer hits soft 17. Suncoast, The Orleans, Gold Coast, South Point and Silverton also spread this game. The minimum bet is usually $10 at these tables. A $5 version of this game is dealt at Jerry’s Nugget.
Some locals casinos have a high limit salon with stand on all 17 blackjack tables. M Resort has a $50 minimum with double down before and after splitting, surrender and re-split aces. Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station, Red Rock and Rio have the game for $100 with surrender but no re-split aces.
The most important decision you can make in Blackjack is choosing where to play. Sit down at the “right” table, and you might walk away with a small fortune. Take a seat at the “wrong” one, and you may wish you had never learned to play the game at all. But it isn’t just guesswork. To pick the best Blackjack table for you, there are six aspects of play you need to consider.
1. Game Rules
What version of Blackjack you play can have a huge impact on your odds of winning. A game where the dealer has to stand on soft 17 is preferable to one where a draw is required. Single-deck tables have better odds than multi-deck ones if the rules are comparable, but beware of modifications such as 6-to-5 payouts for natural blackjacks or allowing a double down only on ten or eleven instead of any first two cards. Pick a table where you completely understand how the game is played and what your options are.
2. Table Rules
Beyond the actual rules of the game are the conditions the casino sets on play. Foremost among these are the table limits, both minimum and maximum. If your average bet is $25, you may be better off sitting at a $5 or $10 table so that you can back off on your wagers when the deck is lean. If you play a “doubling up” strategy, you may need to find a table with a wide spread between the lowest bet and the table limit.
Also, you will not want your game interrupted by “hit and run” players who bet on just one hand and then leave, win or lose. Some tables do not allow new players between shuffles. Others require players to be seated during play, which discourages “hit and run” tactics. Tables that require chips for wagering may be preferable to those that allow cash play, too.
3. The Dealing
Are the cards all dealt face up or turned over by players so that you can see what’s in play? If not, you may wish to choose another table. And how experienced is the dealer? Does he/she maintain a steady pace of play or pause frequently to socialize? Does the dealer give novices advice on “playing by the book” or leave them to their own devices? Are players rushed to make decisions? You want to pick a table where you feel comfortable with the way the game is dealt. Don’t hesitate to walk away if you feel the dealer isn’t right for you.
4. Other Players
Before you sit down, take a good look at who else is seated at the table. Watch how they play, as their decisions will influence what cards you see. Be wary of sitting down with drunks, poor decision makers, distracted players, and dead beginners who don’t know the rules. Seek out a table occupied by people who play the same way you do. Also, a table where all the players have lots of chips in front of them or the dealer’s chip rack seems depleted is often a good one.
5. Seating Position
Many Blackjack players like to sit at ends of the table. At “first base,” you get your cards out of the shoe ahead of the other players. At “third base,” you get dealt last and can see more cards in play. Some do not like the responsibility of being first or last and prefer to be seated in the middle. This is really a matter of personal preference. But if at all possible, try to get a position with an empty seat next to you. That way, if the deck gets hot, you can play a second hand. And when you are truly confident in your skills, pick a table where you are alone against the dealer. Going head to head may seem scary at first, but it eliminates all of the uncontrollable variables that other players bring to the table.
6. Timing
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As in most things in life, timing is everything in Blackjack. If you join a table mid-way through a deck, you have no idea what cards have already been played. It is usually best to wait and join immediately after a shuffle. But if you have been watching a table and know the deck is favorable, that’s the best time to jump in.