Roulette wheel Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Roulette is perhaps the most popular game played around the world. You’ll find this popular table game in every major casino, especially in Europe, where it is the best-loved of all Las Vegas casino games. The game consists of a wheel marked with numbers 1 through 36; in Las Vegas casino gambling, Roulette also has a 0 and 00. Best Table Games in Las Vegas 2019 Best of Las Vegas. Home 2020 Winners.

Spending a weekend gambling in Vegas may be fun, though you’ll probably have an even better time if you win big at the tables. If you’re hoping to beat the odds at the casino, the game you choose to play matters. You’re more likely to come home a little bit richer if you sit down at the blackjack table rather than settling in with the gray-haired set at the slots.

Table games are where many of the real casino game players go to test their strategy and luck. Across the world’s casinos you will find a wide selection of table games like blackjack, three card poker, roulette, and baccarat. Blackjack is the most popular table game due to its low house edge and simple gameplay. In many Asian countries. The Best Las Vegas Table Games. High rollers aren’t the only players you’ll find at Palace Station, where we feature an excellent array of affordable tables. Best Downtown Las Vegas Blackjack. El Cortez offers the best blackjack game in downtown Las Vegas. It is a single deck that pays 3:2 on a blackjack. Players can double down on any two cards and the dealer hits soft 17. The minimum bet is usually $10. Be careful in this game as the pit bosses will sweat large action or bet spreads.

It all comes down to math. Amateur gamblers may hope luck is on their side when they walk through the doors of the Bellagio or Caesars Palace, but what they really need to think about are the odds of winning at different games. While the house always has an edge, it’s much bigger in some situations than in others. That’s why you never see smart gamblers wasting their time playing keno or wheel of fortune – games where you’re almost guaranteed to lose money.

Casino games with the best odds

Savvy gamblers are going to cluster around the blackjack tables, where the casino’s edge is usually between 0.5% to 1%, though the number varies depending on the number of decks and other rule variations. You can calculate the house edge on a particular game of blackjack using the Wizard of Odds online calculator. Those numbers also assume you’re playing with what’s known as basic strategy, or making the best possible decision based on the cards you’ve been dealt. For the average player who’s going to make some mistakes, the house’s edge increases to 2%, according to the University of Nevada’s Center for Gaming Research.

Blackjack table Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

“Blackjack is one of our easiest games to play,” Jay Bean, a floor manager at Caesar’s, told Cleveland’s Newsnet5. “You’re just looking for a number that beats the dealer’s number without going over 21.”

“You are somewhere between 44% to 48% in every single hand of winning,” Michael Magazine, a professor of analytics at the University of Cincinnati, said of blackjack.

After blackjack, the games with the best odds are baccarat and craps. In baccarat, which is a game of chance rather than skill, the odds are close to 50/50, though your chances are slightly better if you bet on the banker rather than the player. At the craps table, the house edge on a pass line bet is 1.4%.

Roulette is one of the easiest casino games to play, and the odds are also fairly good. If you only bet on red or black or evens or odds (as opposed to a specific number) the house edge is 5.26%, assuming you’re playing in an American casino with double zeros on the wheel. Your odds of winning are better in a European casino with a single-zero wheel.

Video poker is another game with fairly good odds for players. “For video poker the statistical advantage varies depending on the particular machine, but generally this game can be very player friendly — house edge less than 3% is not uncommon and some are less than 1% — if played with expert strategy,” per the Center for Gaming Research.

Casino games with the worst odds

Slots may be less intimidating to novice gamblers than table games like blackjack, but the house is more likely to take you for a ride. Each slot machine is different, but the Wizard of Odds estimates the house edge for penny slots at between 6% and 15%. If you can’t resist the slots, chose a higher-denomination machine, since these tend to have a higher payout percentage than lower-denomination slots.

“The average slot machine is probably two, three times more costly to players than the table games,” Bill Zender, a former professional gambler, told Mental Floss.

Even worse than slots are “sucker games” like wheel of fortune and keno. The house advantage on keno averages 27%, according to the Center for Gaming. For wheel of fortune games (which also go by names like “big six” and “lucky wheel”), the house edge ranges from 11% to 24%, depending on your bet.

Whether you choose to take a chance on the wheel of fortune or are a high-roller playing baccarat, understanding how the game is played will put you ahead of most other players.

“Ninety percent of the people who walk into a casino have no idea of the odds stacked against them,” Zender said.

Also keep this in mind: The more you gamble, the likelier you are to lose. An analysis of online gamblers found that those who bet the least also had the highest winning percentage. But even then, the numbers weren’t great. Seventeen percent of the lightest gamblers ended up in the black over a two-year period. Only 5.4% of the heaviest gamblers came out ahead.

“[T]he average person doesn’t understand the math” of the multiplier effect, Jim Kilby, who has written books on casino management, told the Wall Street Journal. “Casino games are nibbling machines, and the more nibbles you have, the bigger your losses.”

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For a low roller on a budget, finding a $5 minimum table is cold glass of water in an arid desert. As Vegas continues to evolve, there are only a few bastions of low rollerdom offering true $5 minimums consistently. $10 is the new $5 for Vegas table games. But if you’re willing to expand your bankroll, Vegas, even on the Strip, has plenty of options to accommodate your play.

Below you’ll find a list of Strip, DTLV and nearby off-Strip casinos spreading games with true $5 minimums. I don’t include the likes of three card poker or Ultimate Texas Hold’em because those may require multiple bets to complete each hand.

I used to curate this list thanks to frequent visits every year. Alas, my trips are now few and far between. To keep this page going, the information below has been pulled, with permission, from Vegas Advantage table games surveys. The Vegas Advantage, operated by John and Kristina Mehaffey, is an invaluable resource for Vegas visitors and offers the most comprehensive breakdown of game limits across Las Vegas.

Updated: 2/21/2021

For this update, we decided to also include $10 tables should your bankroll allow.

The Strip:

Most Las Vegas Strip casinos deal a $10 6:5 blackjack game. The list below includes other games, including ones with a lower blackjack limit. The limits noted are most likely to be found during mornings and afternoons.

Bellagio: $10 roulette (000)

Circus Circus: $5 roulette (000), $10 roulette (00)

Cromwell: $10 roulette (00), $10 craps

Encore: $10 craps

Excalibur: $10 roulette (000), $10 craps and crapless craps

Luxor: $10 craps

Mandalay Bay: $10 roulette (000)

MGM Grand: $10 craps

Mirage: $10 roulette (000), $10 craps

Palazzo: $10 craps

Park MGM: $10 roulette (000), $10 craps

Sahara: $5 craps, $5 roulette (00)

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The Strat: $5 roulette (00 and 000), $5 3:2 and 6:5 blackjack, $10 craps and crapless craps

Treasure Island: $10 3:2 blackjack

Tropicana: $10 roulette (000), $10 craps

Wynn: $10 roulette (000), $10 craps

Sahara is my choice for quality $5 craps. A nice casino with solid dining options to celebrate after a good session. Plus, it’s accessible via the Monorail.

Downtown:

Binions: $5 6:5 blackjack and variants, $5 craps, $5 roulette (00 and 000)

California: $5 roulette (00), $10 craps, $10 3:2 double deck blackjack

Downtown Grand: $1 blackjack (even money), $5 3:2 blackjack, $10 craps, $10 roulette (00)

El Cortez: $5 roulette (00), $10 craps, $10 3:2 blackjack

Fremont: $10 craps, $10 roulette (00) and $10 3:2 double deck blackjack

Four Queens: $5 6:5 blackjack and variants, $5 craps, $5 roulette (00 and 000)

Golden Gate: $10 3:2 blackjack, $10 craps and $10 roulette (00)

Plaza: $10 3:2 blackjack, $10roulette (0 and 00), $10 craps

The D: $10 roulette (00), $10 3:2 blackjack

Downtown Grand remains my home downtown for lowkey gambling at accessible limits.

Off-Strip:

Ellis Island: $5 3:2 blackjack, $5 craps, $5 roulette (00)

Gold Coast: $3 roulette (00), $10 craps, $10 3:2 double and six-deck blackjack

Orleans: $5 roulette (00), $10 craps, $10 3:2 double and six-deck blackjack

Oyo: $1 blackjack (even money), $5 6:5 blackjack, $5 craps, $5 roulette (00), $10 3:2 blackjack

Palace Station: $10 3:2 double deck blackjack, $10 craps, $10 roulette (00)

Rio: $10 craps, $10 roulette (00), $10 3:2 blackjack

Silverton: $10 3:2 blackjack, $10 craps, $10 roulette (00)

South Point: $5 3:2 blackjack, $5 roulette (00), $5 craps

Ellis Island continues to have a strong hold on low rollers near the Strip. It’s easy to get to, the games are cheap, and the owners are active in the Vegas online community.

Alternatives:

Electronic: While certainly not the same as sitting down at a live table and holding real chips in your hand, these can be a great alternative in the evening when limits go up. Electronic blackjack and my favorite, Shoot-to-Win craps, can be found in numerous casinos and be played at low stakes.

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Stadium gaming: Additionally, stadium gambling is a worthwhile option for a social and laid back gambling experience. No need to worry about buying in the middle of a roll, missing a hand or two or leaving in the middle of a shoe.

The best choice for stadium gaming on the Las Vegas Strip is at Treasure Island. It offers $1 3:2 blackjack during the week. It is $3 on weekends. It also has $3 double zero roulette.

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To see more games, expanded limits and locations, head to Vegas Advantage. I’m extremely appreciative of their willingness to partner with me to keep this list updated. Best of luck out there!

Best Odds Table Games In Vegas

Feature photo courtesy of Sahara Las Vegas.