The Vegas Strip is the top tourist destination in Las Vegas. Every year more people are making the pilgrimage to explore downtown Las Vegas. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 57% of people who visited Las Vegas in 2017 made at least one trip downtown Las Vegas. The percentage of visitors is an increase from 53% in 2016 and only 32% in 2015.
Surprisingly, only 6% of visitors that visited downtown Las Vegas went specifically to gamble. The downtown casinos have better affordable games than the Vegas Strip. It easier to find better affordable blackjack game, more casinos with 10x odds (or more) for craps, and looser slot machines. Not only are there plenty of great blackjack games but the minimum wager can be as low as $5.
Most blackjack games in downtown typically come with lower limits. The low limits for blackjack are great for recreational blackjack players. These games are a great entry point for new players or budget conscious gamblers. The Vegas Strip might have some low limits blackjack games but they come at a price.
Instead of paying 3:2 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack, the casinos offering low limits blackjack only pay 6:5 for blackjack. Over time the lower payout for blackjack should cost a player money (you can see the math here). Earlier this year we put together a handy guide of the best low limits blackjack games on the Vegas Strip if you prefer staying there.
Experienced blackjack players that visit downtown Las Vegas might want to look at some of the high limits rooms. Inexperienced blackjack players usually play the low limits tables and often don’t know basic strategy. Playing with these gamblers can be frustrating for players that know basic strategy and/or can count cards. High limits rooms in downtown Las Vegas can have a minimum wager as low as $25. Good luck finding sized minimum on the Vegas Strip outside of Treasure Island on a Wednesday.
Best Downtown Las Vegas Blackjack Games
You’ll find playable blackjack games with fair rules at most casinos in downtown Las Vegas. Having said that, some games are better than others. We’ll highlight the best games at each property using the most recent blackjack survey of downtown Las Vegas casinos. Once again, we’ll focus on traditional blackjack games and not blackjack variations like Super Fun 21 or Zombie Blackjack.
- California – They have 14 tables with double deck blackjack. The house edge for these games is 0.60%.
- The D – This is one of the best casinos for blackjack in downtown Las Vegas. There are double deck games with a house edge of 0.46% and six deck shoes with a house edge of 0.57% or 0.64%
- Downtown Grand – The number of blackjack tables open varies as half the pit is often closed. There’s a variety of games with a house edge between 0.46% and 0.48%.
- El Cortez – There are as many as 14 single deck tables with a $5 minimum wager and a house edge of 0.30%. This is a great game to learn how to play blackjack with the best rules. Experienced players should know they’ll be watched like a hawk by the pit bosses and removed for anything that remotely appears like they have an advantage.
- Fremont – They have a variety of blackjack games that include a few 6:5 tables. Look for the double deck games. This game has a house edge of 0.60%.
- Golden Gate – All blackjack games in this casino pay 3:2 on a natural blackjack so there shouldn’t be an awful game. The best blackjack games in here are double deck and have a house edge of 0.46%.
- Golden Nugget – The largest casino in downtown Las Vegas also has the widest variety of blackjack games. The best game for most players are the six 3:2 games dealt from a shoe. These games have a house edge of 0.55%.
- Main Street Station – The majority of games in this small casino are the double deck games with a house edge of 0.60%. They also have the craps game with the best odds in downtown Las Vegas – 20x.
- Plaza – Most of the traditional blackjack games here are playable. The game that is accessible to most players is the $5 minimum game with a house edge of 0.64%.
Additional notes on downtown Las Vegas blackjack: 4 Queens only has one playable blackjack table. The $10 double deck game has a house edge of 0.60%. Binion’s only playable game is Zombie blackjack. Every other gameat Binion’s pays 6:5 when the player is dealt a natural blackjack.
