Gaming Loyalty Programs - 3:2 $10 blackjack in Vegas?

Can these tables be found on the Strip? Every place that I saw with $5 or $10 tables (I didn't look at higher stakes) had 6:5 blackjack with the dealer hitting on 17.

I just got back yesterday from Vegas and I only found 3:2 blackjack tables downtown at the Golden Nugget. Had a great meal there also at the Grotto and a terrible meal at Lupo in Mandalay Bay. It's a Wolfgang Yuck restaurant and 3 of 4 entrees were inedible.

Last time I was there was in May 2010 (going this weekend though) and there were some at the Tropicana.

That is when I broke my blackjack cherry, so I looked for a low minimum table to sit down with the BS card and learn. Previously I was strictly craps and roulette.

Can these tables be found on the Strip? Every place that I saw with $5 or $10 tables (I didn't look at higher stakes) had 6:5 blackjack with the dealer hitting on 17.
Not hard to find if you want to play 1) against a Continuous Shuffle Machine or 2) off the Strip. Not at all hard to find $5 3:2 tables off-Strip.

There should be a fair few places on the strip...

I think that MGM has a lot of these - shoe games with $10 (or was it 15 ?) minimums for 3:2 H17 games. 3:2 AND S17 games are hard to come by on the strip unless you are playing $25 minimums.

D.

Can these tables be found on the Strip? Every place that I saw with $5 or $10 tables (I didn't look at higher stakes) had 6:5 blackjack with the dealer hitting on 17.

As mentioned previously, MGM Props have these tables. In that area, I've played at Tropicana where I got on a $5 min table.

I have also played $10 min at the Mirage and it was a late afternoon. Around Mirage though, I've never seen anything that low for 3:2.

Mirage doesn't have that many tables - compared to MGM - I've only every seen S17 3:2 on min 25 (the long pit leading up to the buffet ?)

D.

As mentioned previously, MGM Props have these tables. In that area, I've played at Tropicana where I got on a $5 min table.

I have also played $10 min at the Mirage and it was a late afternoon. Around Mirage though, I've never seen anything that low for 3:2.

Possibly slightly outdated by now...nonetheless, a great (if long) article:


http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-vegas25feb25

Interesting article...

Vegas seems to be overflowing with party pits, passion pits, fetish pits, fun pits, pirate coves etc etc.

Overall - great marketing idea. Take your worst games (highest house edge) and have them dealt by dealers clad in bikinis with go-go dancers behind them. Taking the idea that "gambling is entertainment' one step further. And if you don't know any better ("what does 6:5 mean, anyway ? I love single deck blackjack...") these are great places to have fun playing...

Mirage doesn't have that many tables - compared to MGM - I've only every seen S17 3:2 on min 25 (the long pit leading up to the buffet ?)

D.

+1 (played it last year)

I actually found a couple of $10 min, 3:2 blackjack, dealer hits soft 17, Double after split tables at Encore. They only had them Friday and Saturday night though, and then went up to $25 min and then $100 min when they were closing down the pit at about 4 am.

There are several places. The following link is a survey of all 3:2 blackjack tables in Las Vegas along with the various rules and house edges. It is updated fairly frequently:

http://wizardofvegas.com/guides/blackjack-survey//

Bear in mind, though, that these are extremely fluid (see the last post).... table mins, number of tables etc all keep changing throughout the day...

D.


There are several places. The following link is a survey of all 3:2 blackjack tables in Las Vegas along with the various rules and house edges. It is updated fairly frequently:

http://wizardofvegas.com/guides/blackjack-survey//

The best game in Las Vegas oddswise has been the single deck game at El Cortez for a long time. Single deck $5 blackjack with full 3-2 payoffs on blackjacks, no doubling after splitting and no surrender, and double down on any first two initial cards. No resplitting of aces (there's only 4, remember!), and dealer hits soft 17. House edge is miniscule .18!

El Cortez is Downtown, and not on the Strip, however. If good odds and cheap minimums are your prime concerns, you just can not do better that this. Strip blackjack is not for serious players, at least not at the lower limits.

Just an FYI: though the Strip is thought of where the "fun pits" are located, Downtown has them, too! The minimums will be cheaper, though the games are still terrible ruleswise.

For any blackjack novices reading this, do yourself a favor and repeat after me... "I will NOT play blackjack at Osheas (on the Strip) or at any table where the placard states that blackjacks only pay 6-5"

There, I just saved you some money!;)

I used to be a radical "no 6/5" myself, but let's face it, most people looking for lower limit blackjack are just looking to have fun, most of them don't even know basic strategy. If I don't feel like going off strip, or searching out the near extinct low limit 3/2, I play 6/5 and I don't beat myself up over it anymore.

What is a "table minimum"? Is it the amount of money to get a seat at a table and play as many games as you want, or is it the amount of money per game?

Never been to a casino but planning a short Vegas vacation in April :)

The 6:5 has a big impact on the casino edge. However, as you pointed out - if you're there for fun - then 6:5 BJ is still much better (lower house edge) than just about any other game - roulette, craps, 3 card poker, slots, etc etc.

If you do play 6:5, at least I hope you're at one of the those tables which has a go-go girl gyrating behind the dealer (get your money's worth :-)

The gaming industry has done a good job of convincing tourists that they are actually paying for entertainment when gaming. Watch out for 11:10 blackjack coming your way soon...

D.

I used to be a radical "no 6/5" myself, but let's face it, most people looking for lower limit blackjack are just looking to have fun, most of them don't even know basic strategy. If I don't feel like going off strip, or searching out the near extinct low limit 3/2, I play 6/5 and I don't beat myself up over it anymore.

Amount bet per game.

If you've never been to a casino, then depending on how much money you come with (and how attached you are to it :rolleyes:) you might want to get some basic knowledge of what to expect and how to play first.

Wizard of Odds is a good place to start.
http://wizardofodds.com/games/
If you really are a complete newbie, start here: http://wizardofodds.com/gambling/etiquette.html

D.

What is a "table minimum"? Is it the amount of money to get a seat at a table and play as many games as you want, or is it the amount of money per game?

Never been to a casino but planning a short Vegas vacation in April :)

The 6:5 has a big impact on the casino edge. However, as you pointed out - if you're there for fun - then 6:5 BJ is still much better (lower house edge) than just about any other game - roulette, craps, 3 card poker, slots, etc etc.

Craps should NOT be listed in this group. It has one of the lowest house edges in the casino; though there are prop bets which are bad. (often when discussing good versus bad games, craps is considered very good based on the advantageous pass/don't pass line + odds wager)

Amount bet per game.

If you've never been to a casino, then depending on how much money you come with (and how attached you are to it :rolleyes:) you might want to get some basic knowledge of what to expect and how to play first.

Wizard of Odds is a good place to start.
http://wizardofodds.com/games/
If you really are a complete newbie, start here: http://wizardofodds.com/gambling/etiquette.html

D.

I did check Wizard of Odds. I am familiar with the odds.
I have seen $25 minimums mentioned online. That seems like an outrageous amount of money per game considering a game lasts about 1 minute.

Maybe I just linger around slot machines pretending to play and at least get my free drinks :D

I am less familiar with craps than with other games.

Is playing pass/don't pass plus odds a common wager ? Or do most people play the proposition bets ?

Craps should NOT be listed in this group. It has one of the lowest house edges in the casino; though there are prop bets which are bad. (often when discussing good versus bad games, craps is considered very good based on the advantageous pass/don't pass line + odds wager)

Well, outrageous or not depends on how much money you have to burn... I've been through the Belaggio a few times and all their S17 games were $50 up to $500 minimums (yes, for a game that lasts a minute...).

If you're looking for lower mins, try http://wizardofvegas.com/guides/blackjack-survey/. I think some places even have $1 mins (O'Sheas?)


I did check Wizard of Odds. I am familiar with the odds.
I have seen $25 minimums mentioned online. That seems like an outrageous amount of money per game considering a game lasts about 1 minute.

Maybe I just linger around slot machines pretending to play and at least get my free drinks :D

I am less familiar with craps than with other games.

Is playing pass/don't pass plus odds a common wager ? Or do most people play the proposition bets ?

pass/don't pass is considered the 'most' common wager; whether people take odds is another story ;)

Combined house edge on the
pass line and taking odds
1X odds 0.848%
2X odds 0.606%
3-4-5X odds 0.374%

Almost everyone plays the 'line' when they play dice.

If you do play 6:5, at least I hope you're at one of the those tables which has a go-go girl gyrating behind the dealer (get your money's worth :-)

The gaming industry has done a good job of convincing tourists that they are actually paying for entertainment when gaming. Watch out for 11:10 blackjack coming your way soon...

D.

If Harrah's had their way, you'd lose and have to toss in an extra chip when you got a blackjack.:rolleyes:

Finding a table without go-go girls, pussycats, bikinis......becoming the exception.

Never been to a casino but planning a short Vegas vacation in April :)

Do yourself a favor, read up on basic strategy for blackjack before you ever sit down at a table.

Also, read the basics on how to play craps, buy in for $100 at a rambunctious $5 table (not that hard to find), keep your bets basic, and enjoy one of the best times Vegas has to offer.

Do yourself a favor, read up on basic strategy for blackjack before you ever sit down at a table.

Also, read the basics on how to play craps, buy in for $100 at a rambunctious $5 table (not that hard to find), keep your bets basic, and enjoy one of the best times Vegas has to offer.

I am familiar with the basic blackjack strategy. The table is in my head. I also read-up on craps. Never heard of that game before, but if I decide to play I will "bet" the pass line.
I have been playing the online games at Wizard of Vegas. Seems like a good source to practice.

Note the small differences in BS for S17 and H17, for DD and 6D.

Although if you're looking for low stakes you will be playing H17, 8 deck or continuous shuffle machine, perhaps with BJ pays 6:5.... Unless you go off the strip

D.

I am familiar with the basic blackjack strategy. The table is in my head. I also read-up on craps. Never heard of that game before, but if I decide to play I will "bet" the pass line.
I have been playing the online games at Wizard of Vegas. Seems like a good source to practice.

6-5 BJ will cost you one average bet per hour at a full table as compared to 3-2 BJ. All other rules changes are quite insignificant compared with this. H17 instead of S17 is only 0.2%, so that would cost only one average bet per 8 hours.