Blackjack conditions have deteriorated over the last 20 years. Games with 6/5 payouts are dealt at all Las Vegas Strip casinos and many downtown and locals ones. However, there are still many good blackjack games around town.
Rules That Make a Blackjack Game Great
All good blackjack games have the same rule. That is a 3/2 payout. A 6/5 one increases the house edge by about 1.4%. That often leaves the house winning three times faster than at a 3/2 game. An even-money blackjack game increases the house edge by approximately 2.25%.
Most good blackjack games permit doubling down on any two cards before and after splitting. The dealer standing on soft 17 benefits the players. Hitting soft 17 adds 0.2% to 0.25% to the house edge. A blackjack game that permits surrender, which is only available on games with six or eight decks in Las Vegas, decreases the house edge by 0.07%. Re-splitting aces up to four hands helps players against the house advantage by about the same amount.
Las Vegas Strip
The best Las Vegas Strip blackjack game is also the most expensive. It deals two decks. Players may double down before and after splitting. The dealer stands on soft 17.
The minimum bets for this game are all over the place. It starts at $50 at Treasure Island. It is $100 to $500 at high-end MGM Resorts casinos like Aria, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Park MGM. Fontainebleau deals this double-deck blackjack game for $500. All these tables are in high-limit salons.
The second-best blackjack game is dealt at the same Las Vegas Strip casinos and many more. This game deals six decks. It has normal double down rules, surrender, and re-splitting aces up to four hands. The dealer stands on soft 17.
In addition to the casinos with the double-deck game listed above, Caesars Palace, Encore, Fontainebleau, Palazzo, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Resorts World,.Strat, Venetian, and Wynn deal this six-deck blackjack game. It is normally found in high-limit salons. Fontainebleau and Strat deal it in pits. However, it usually requires a reservation at Strat as the game is not regularly dealt there.
Downtown Las Vegas
The best downtown Las Vegas blackjack games are not as good as the ones found on the Strip, especially since El Cortez removed its 3/2 single-deck tables. The main reason for this is a lack of high-limit games. Only four of downtown’s twelve casinos have a salon with tables. Only one has a game that stands on soft 17. It is also the only one with regular minimums of $100 and higher.
The two best downtown blackjack options are a six-deck that stands on soft 17 and a double-deck that hits it. Circa has the six-deck game in its salon. That is in the back of the second level. This game is the only one in Las Vegas that stands on soft 17 and does not allow surrender or re-spliIt aces. Circa is the only downtown casino with a stand on soft 17 blackjack game.
The other quality downtown Las Vegas blackjack game uses two decks. Doubling down is allowed before and after splitting at this best double-deck blackjack game. It is $15 at California, Fremont, and Main Street Station. The pit at Main Street Station is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
El Cortez and Plaza deal this game for $25. El Cortez has a $15 double-deck game that does not permit doubling down after splitting. Golden Gate and Golden Nugget have this game for $50 in the high-limit room. It is $100 in The D’s salon and $200 in the one at Circa.
Las Vegas Locals Casinos
Palms has the best blackjack in the Las Vegas locals market. It deals the double-deck game that stands on soft 17 that is mentioned in the Strip section. Palms is the only Las Vegas casino away from the Strip with it.
All other Las Vegas locals casinos with double-deck hit soft 17. Aces may be re-split at the $50 table at M Resort and $100 ones at Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station, and Red Rock. These games are all in the high-limit rooms.
Several Las Vegas locals casinos deal a six-deck blackjack game that stands on soft 17. Surrender and re-split aces are allowed. These are all found in the table game salons. The minimum bet is $50 at M Resort. It is $100 at Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station, Red Rock, and Virgin.
Double-deck blackjack with a 3/2 payout is dealt at nearly all locals casinos. Minimums start at $5 at Jerry’s Nugget up to $100 at Westgate. Most are $10 or $15.
Poker Palace has an unusual $3 blackjack game. It pays 3/2. Players may double down before and after splitting on two or three cards. It is the cheapest 3/2 blackjack game in the entire Las Vegas market. Poker Palace is on Las Vegas Blvd in North Las Vegas.
In the second paragraph did you mean “3/2” instead of “6/5” in this sentence?
“That often leaves the house winning three times faster than at a 6/5 game.”
Thanks for the catch Mike – we did indeed mean 3/2, and have edited the article to reflect that correction!