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Blackjack might very well be the most popular casino table game in the world, and for good reason. Not only does basic blackjack strategy make the game one of the best bets in the casino for the player, but the allure of card counting and other strategies that can allow you to play at an advantage attract casual gamblers and professionals alike.
These days, most casinos have taken away the possibility of card counting by using continuous shuffling machines and other techniques, but blackjack is still a great deal for those who want to have a fair chance of coming out ahead on a trip to Las Vegas.
However, in order to truly get a good deal when playing blackjack, it’s important to look for a game with favorable rules. More than any other casino game, the rules for blackjack will vary considerably from casino to casino, with some games being much better for the player than others.
The biggest rule to look out for – and one that is, unfortunately, becoming increasingly popular – is the 6-5 blackjack payout. If you want to play in good blackjack games, it is essential that you avoid these tables; insist on playing at tables that offer 3-2 payouts on all blackjacks!
While baccarat is most popular in the east, blackjack is still the number one table game in Vegas casinos
Luckily, there are still plenty of locations in Las Vegas that offer good blackjack games with tiny house edges. The following list contains some of the very best games around. Here are our picks for the best Vegas casinos for blackjack:
Hard Rock Casino Blackjack
This Off-Strip property (which is actually quite close to the Strip) offers some amazing blackjack games for players, with both six-deck and double deck games available. Most of the time, the games with fewer decks are better for the player, and that’s the case here as well. High-limit players can find especially good games, with the house edge on the double-deck game as low as .2%, but even the standard double deck game for typical players carries just a .4% casino advantage. The six-deck games are also quite good, making this a great all-around blackjack casino!
Luxor Casino Blackjack
The Luxor may very well have the best blackjack games on the strip, especially for high- limit players. However, even the low-limit game – which usually has a minimum bet of $10 – is a double deck affair with a house edge of less than .5%. If you’re willing to play with black chips instead, you’ll be able to knock that down to .2%, which is as good as it gets anywhere in Vegas.
MGM Grand Blackjack
The MGM Grand features the same high-limit game we’ve mentioned at the Hard Rock and the Luxor – a two deck shoe with a .2% house edge. It may get repetitive to hear about it again and again, but it really is the best game you’ll find around! Here, you’ll only find six-deck games at the tables with lower minimums. However, if you play at the tables where the dealer stands on a soft 17, even these tables have a house edge under .3%, which is great for a game that doesn’t take a fortune to play in.
Bellagio Blackjack
Two decks or six? The correct answer is once again two, though only the players looking to play for very high limits will find that game here. That game is a good one, with a house edge only slightly higher than the one we highlighted earlier on this list – this time, it’s 0.27%. For lower limit players, blackjack comes in six deck form; stick to the game where the dealer hits on soft 17, and you’ll keep the house edge under .3%.
El Cortez Blackjack
The El Cortez might be the best place to play blackjack in the Downtown area. One of the best things we want to highlight here is the fact that they spread a single-deck blackjack game that still offers the ideal 3-2 odds on a blackjack – an increasingly rare sight these days, and something worth giving praise for. That game has a house edge of about .3%, while a double-deck game here comes with a .45% edge. However, both games can be played for $5 or less; you won’t find games that good at that low a cost anywhere else.
Honorable Mentions
While the blackjack situation in Las Vegas isn’t as wonderful as it may have been some years ago, there are still plenty of great blackjack games offered all around town. Here are a few more casinos that offer blackjack games that are fun, fair, and worth playing if you’re in the neighborhood!
The Strip
- New York, New York
- Mirage
- Treasure Island
- Aria
- Caesars Palace
Downtown Casinos
- Golden Nugget
- The Plaza
Off-Strip
- The Palms
- Red Rock Casino
- Tuscany
- The Rio
