Looking for a place to gamble on The Strip? Or maybe you’re in Vegas for a convention but want to try your hand at the slots or table games. Before you get started, consider a few simple rules:
- Don’t risk more than you can afford to lose.
- If you do lose, don’t chase your losses.
- Never gamble with borrowed money.
- Stick to games you know, understand, or at the least, study or take a class on.
- Practice as a “Low Roller” before you move up to “High Roller” limits.
Remember: You’re not an expert (yet)
If you are new to gambling, don’t assume you know how to gamble because you’ve seen the game on TV or in the movies. Baccarat, for example is not a simple game to master. Nor is Blackjack as simple as adding two cards to 21. It’s best to learn and practice at a table where each hand is $5 as opposed to $25 or more. Table limits (minimum and maximum bets) vary widely by casino, so here are a few suggestions for the beginner:
If Craps is your game of choice, look for $5 craps on The Strip at:
- Bally’s, Flamingo and Harrah’s – These Caesars properties generally have lower limits early.
- Casino Royale – Starting at $3 with up to 5x odds.
- Circus Circus – $5 with 2x odds.
- Excalibur – $5 with 5x odds.
- Hooters – $5 to start with 5x odds.
- The LINQ – Starting at $5 with 5x odds.
- Paris – Starting at $5 with 5x odds.
- SLS Las Vegas – $5 to $10 with 10x odds.
- Stratosphere – $5 to $10 with 10x odds.
Stick to a low limit
Table limits change frequently based on demand and time of day. Weekdays and mornings often have the lowest limits but will double or triple as it grows later or the number of players increase. Look for a small sign or digital placard which states the current minimum and maximum bet allowed at your table.
Tip: If you start playing any table game at $5 and the limit is raised to $10, you may ask to be “grandfathered” at the lower limit and continue to play.
If you would like to try your hand at Blackjack, look for $5 tables at:
- Bally’s
- The Cromwell
- Flamingo
- Harrah’s
- The LINQ
- New York – New York
- Paris Las Vegas
- Planet Hollywood
- SLS Las Vegas
- Treasure Island
- Tropicana
- Hooters – Hooters Casino Hotel (one block off the Strip) is an excellent place to practice your Blackjack skills with $1 tables advertised to be available 24/7. However, 3:2 blackjack is only available at tables $5 and over.
As with Craps tables listed earlier, table limits change frequently based on demand and time of day. Weekdays and mornings often have the lowest limits but will double or triple as it grows later or the number of players increase. Look for a small sign or digital placard which states the current minimum and maximum bet allowed at your table.
Remember if you start playing any table game at $5 and the limit is raised to $10, you may ask to be “grandfathered” at the lower limit and continue to play.
In your journey to find the perfect Blackjack table to practice your skills, if you find a $5 table with 3:2 payout versus the popular 6:5 payout, play there as your odds (advantage) are slightly higher.
