Unlike most casino markets, Las Vegas has blackjack games with different rules and payouts everywhere. Many of the casinos actually offer blackjack games with different rules.
Finding a fair blackjack game that fits your overall budget in Las Vegas can take some time and research. Finding the best blackjack games can be time-consuming and exhausting. Getting to that blackjack game could take even more time and also money.
In March, there were more than 2,000 blackjack games in Nevada. Just over 1,600 of those blackjack tables were in casinos located in Clark County.
Some casinos offer fair games while others are always looking for a way to increase the house edge by changing the rules and payouts. The search for good blackjack games doesn’t only take time but it takes effort. It can be exhausting for someone just looking to take a vacation.
Most of the Vegas Strip casinos only offer games under $25 or $100 with bad rules and 6:5 payouts when a player receives a natural blackjack.
Casinos away from the main tourist corridor offer better rules and payouts for all gamblers. There are plenty of fair games in casinos off-strip and downtown with fair rules that pay 3:2 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack.
This isn’t breaking news. Vegas Strip casinos started to offer 6:5 blackjack games more than a decade ago.
Experienced blackjack players often consider leaving the Vegas Strip to play better games with a lower house edge. That sounds logical but may not make sense for all gamblers.
Lots Of Casinos In Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a vacation destination and priorities aren’t the same as visiting the local casino at home. Part of the allure of visiting Las Vegas is the multitude of casinos.
There are more than 20 casinos to enjoy on the Vegas Strip alone. Visitors can head to downtown Vegas for another 10 casinos.
There are numerous other casinos around Las Vegas outside of the touristy areas. In March, there were nearly 150 casinos in Clark County.
The vast number of casinos in Las Vegas allows many different options for visitors. The casinos on the Vegas Strip offer fine dining and entertainment with a side of gambling.
Casinos in downtown Las Vegas tend to be smaller and focus less on amenities and offer better gambling options.
Meanwhile, the off-strip casinos cater mostly to locals. In addition to gambling, these casinos can feel like malls with gambling, movie theaters, large food courts, and nearby shopping.
Las Vegas isn’t one thing to everyone. What entertains one person may not do for someone else.
Having options on casinos may be great but it can also make planning a trip to Las Vegas a burden. There’s no one best casino that offers everything for everyone. This can make Las Vegas a bit of a challenge.
Cost Of Playing The Best Blackjack In Las Vegas
First things first, there’s no arguing playing a 3:2 blackjack game with fair rules is the best. Not only does this reduce the house edge but it should also allow more time to play the game so many of us love.
The vast majority of visitors in Las Vegas stay at hotels on the Vegas Strip. According to the latest Las Vegas Visitors Profile, 62% of tourists stayed at a hotel on the Vegas Strip last year.
Unfortunately, many of the casinos in this area don’t offer fair and inexpensive great blackjack games. Blackjack players looking for affordable and fair blackjack games may decide to travel to find an option that works for them.
Downtown Las Vegas and near-strip casinos often come to mind for those looking for better blackjack games. According to the Visitor Profile, 13% of tourists stayed just off the Vegas Strip. Only 5% stayed at a hotel in downtown Las Vegas.
Finding better blackjack games isn’t that difficult with various resources online but it takes time and effort. Just because the blackjack game is better, doesn’t mean it has more value.
The value found in a better blackjack game may not be worth the time and money it takes to get to that particular casino.
The expected loss difference from a $15 3:2 and 6:5 blackjack game is $12 per hour. This is significant if there are no other costs involved. Playing the 3:2 blackjack game is a no-brainer if there are no extenuating circumstances.
However, nothing is free in Las Vegas. Traveling to a 3:2 blackjack game might discard the value earned by playing the better blackjack game.
A ride to downtown Las Vegas is approximately 6 to 7 miles. The Uber price estimate tool shows the cost of a ride from the center of the Vegas Strip to downtown Las Vegas is about $30 plus a tip each way. This works out to a $60+ expense.
There are plenty of great reasons to visit downtown Las Vegas. After looking at the price of travel and savings from playing 3:2 blackjack, a trip to that part of Las Vegas may not be the value it appears to be.
The expected loss saved by playing a better game may vanish with travel expenses and time lost getting around.
There could be reasons to make a trip downtown to play blackjack for some visitors to Las Vegas. After thinking about the value proposition, some may reconsider that trip to find better blackjack games closer to their home base.
Finding value in blackjack games is possible. It helps when that value can be seen in your entire Las Vegas budget – not just in a gambling budget which wouldn’t include travel and other expenses.
Good Blackjack Games On Or Near The Vegas Strip
There aren’t many under $25 blackjack games on the Vegas Strip that pay 3:2 for a natural blackjack. However, there are a few and even more when you walk or drive a few minutes away from the tourist corridor of Las Vegas.
Heading out to casinos just off the Vegas Strip could be the cure for those looking to have relatively quick access to good blackjack games. The recent reopening of Palms gives blackjack players another venue close to the Vegas Strip with a fair blackjack game.
The Strat, Tropicana, and Treasure Island almost always offer 3:2 blackjack games with a minimum bet under $25. This is a rarity for casinos on the Vegas Strip.
Head just off the Vegas Strip to Ellis Island, Gold Coast, and Palms for 3:2 blackjack games under $25. You’ll also find bargain dining at both Ellis Island and Gold Coast.
Ellis Island is actually walking distance from Bally’s for anyone looking for cheap craft beer and food along with good gambling.
