One of the benefits of visiting Las Vegas to play blackjack is the sheer number of casinos with the game. According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, there were 2,002 live dealer blackjack games in 113 casinos around the Silver State in October.
The report shows that 1,087 of those blackjack games were in 34 casinos on the Vegas Strip. There were another 205 located inside 13 casinos located in downtown Las Vegas.
These totals don’t include blackjack games in multi-game video poker machines, electronic table games (ETGs), or stadium installations. Some of these games can be found all over Las Vegas where gaming machines are legal.
There’s no shortage of locations to play blackjack in Las Vegas. You don’t even have to visit a proper casino hotel to play a little 21.
In the real world, casinos have different rules and payouts. Let’s set the real world aside for a little while to explore different places to play blackjack in Las Vegas.
What kind of environment do you want when playing blackjack?
I’m a recreational gambler that has many moods. However, none of those moods ever lead me to want to play blackjack on a machine. These machines are usually for video poker. I may play keno if I’m bored and run out of video poker games available.
One of the best reasons to play blackjack is because there’s an environment for every mood.
My moods take me to different casinos to find different atmospheres for playing blackjack. Let’s take a look at some of the different environments you can play blackjack in Las Vegas.
Live Dealer Blackjack In Las Vegas
Live dealer blackjack games in Las Vegas take place inside a traditional full-service casino. There are a few casinos that also offer outdoor and swim-up blackjack by the pool areas during the summer months.
Given all the rules and payouts are the same, which casino would be your choice to play blackjack in Las Vegas?
- A small quiet casino?
- A large, busy, and probably loud casino?
- At a party pit area inside of a casino?
- Outside in or near a pool?
Each environment has its own positives and negatives. I’ve happily played blackjack at each of these locations.
When I’m alone and want to play blackjack I’ll usually go to a quiet casino off the Vegas Strip. The small talk with dealers and another player or two can be quite relaxing.
If a group of friends is visiting we’re usually looking for a more festive atmosphere and will play anywhere that looks fun. That could be a party pit or just a casino with fun music.
While playing blackjack outside can be fun, the summer in Las Vegas can be way too hot for me to sit outside for more than a drink or two.
Blackjack Machines In Las Vegas
There are machine games with blackjack located both inside and outside of traditional casinos. The large-profile ETGs and stadium installations are inside traditional casinos. The multi-game machines can be found in small casino-only properties, taverns, and other venues with gaming machines around Las Vegas.
Assuming the payouts are the same which kind of blackjack game would you prefer?
- A blackjack ETG?
- A stadium gaming installation with blackjack?
- Bartop or standalone multi-game inside a traditional casino?
- Bartop or standalone multi-game inside a casino-only property, tavern, etc.?
I rarely play any of the machines that offer blackjack. In a pinch, I’ll play an ETG with friends if they choose to go that route.
The suggestion won’t come from me but I’ll hang out. These games are so low-key, that it’s more like just sitting and chatting with friends than playing live dealer games.
If live blackjack in a casino isn’t going my way I’ll usually walk away and play video poker and have a drink. I’ll play a few hands of blackjack on a machine if I’m looking for something different at the bar. That’s extremely rare.
I’ve probably only gambled outside of a traditional casino a handful of times since moving to Las Vegas 10 years ago. Playing blackjack on a machine at a tavern, small casino-only property or any other location doesn’t appeal to me.
Playing blackjack or other table games is a casino activity for me. I love the casino environment and feel like that’s where gambling should take place.
This may sound obvious but blackjack and other games are a major reason to actually visit a casino. The machine versions just don’t do it for me and neither does the atmosphere of the small casinos, taverns, or other locations.
