Blackjack: Tips to Lower the House Edge, Prime Games in Town

MattyIce shares blackjack tips, his favorite places to play and why they’re his favorites…

Blackjack is arguably the most popular casino game out there; it’s also one of the best in terms of low house edge. While most of us have probably donated played during our trips to Vegas, did we really pay attention and make sure we were getting the best possible blackjack conditions for our gambling dollar? If not, that’s okay; it’s your vacation, so feel free to split those 10’s on the 6:5 blackjack table with an 8-deck shoe. I’m not here to tell anyone how to spend their money, but if you’re looking for a couple of easy tips to lower the house edge and where the best games in town are, I’m your man!

Other than knowing how to play perfect basic strategy (or as close to it as your level of inebriation allows) there are things to look for before you sit down. It’s no secret that blackjack quality has quietly declined in Vegas in recent years with the introduction of casinos paying 6:5 on blackjacks at most tables. Why did they do this? Well, it raises the house edge, and there wasn’t enough public outcry to stop casinos from rolling this out on a large scale. This is the first thing I would avoid when looking for a decent game at any budget level. Taking the time to find a 3:2 game is going to benefit you in the long run!

Other than the blackjack payouts some other things you want to keep an eye on are:

The number of decks: The smaller, the better. At most low limit tables a 6-8 deck shoe is used which carry the highest house edge, while 1 and 2 deck shoes have the lowest.

Dealer Hits Soft 17: A dealer with a 17 is your friend, & you don’t want them to have the chance to hit and improve that hand. Unfortunately most games that have dealers standing on soft 17s will be found in the high limit rooms.

Double down rules: Some casinos have strict rules on doubling after splitting, as well as which hands you’re allowed to double with. As a rule, you want to stick to games that allow doubling after splitting and the ability to double on any two cards.

Re-splitting Aces: Usually I love seeing two aces dealt to me on a blackjack table. That feeling is quickly lost when you split them, get another ace on top and are told that you can’t re-split. The casino apparently prefers you have a 12 rather than another shot at 21 (go figure). Surprisingly common, this is the case for a whopping 1107 different tables all over Vegas while 364 tables offer re-splitting.

CSM (continuous shuffle machines) vs. Cut Card shoe: This is totally up to you. I personally have never really liked CSMs; I like the transparency of seeing how many cards are left and trying (then miserably failing) to count cards. CSMs make counting impossible, but most of us aren’t skilled enough to worry about that anyway (myself included). CSMs actually slightly lower the house edge, but this balances out with the increased number of hands you see per hour.

If you find tables that check a few of those boxes above take a seat! Obviously, you want to find a table that feels fun. Whether it’s a friendly dealer, a party pit you like, or an empty table where you and your buddies can all sit down, I’ve found that a good atmosphere at the table is almost as important as finding the lowest house edge. It’s Vegas, if you’re not having fun why do it?!

Here are a few places that I love playing at, plus a few of the tables around Vegas that have the lowest house edge.

My favorites include:

Harrah’s: Mainly because the party pit right out front always has a lot of energy, and you can get some good views of the Mirage volcano erupting! Harrah’s mid-strip location is also really convenient. While the party pit doesn’t have the best set of rules, if you go a little deeper into the property you can find some decent 6 deck $10 games that pay 3:2.

SLS: A few of their tables have great player rules with low mins, but the reason SLS makes my list is for their amazing dealers & pit bosses. Everyone is super friendly, comps are loose, drink service is quick, and I think the monkey vests are pretty cool.

El Cortez: I love the “Old Vegas” feel you get from El Cortez, they also happen to have the best blackjack in the city for $10, as well as some great dealers. I’ve never had a bad time playing here! Look for the table with the single deck $10 minimum 3:2 game. Great for low rollers looking for some bang for their buck. I have heard that pit bosses sweat the larger action, but I haven’t run into any issues like at the ol’ ElCo.

Other options are a little pricier, but if you’re a green chipper or above you can find great 2 deck games at Aria, Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, MGM Grand, & Mandalay Bay but you’re looking at $100 min bets ($50 for Bellagio). If that’s in the budget, more power to you. Those 2 deck games have the lowest mathematical house edge in Vegas, and you get to feel like a complete baller playing $100 hands at some of the nicest mega-resorts on earth!

If $25 per hand is more your speed, then head over to Treasure Island. TI has the best reasonable blackjack on the strip offering 2 deck shoes where you can split any two cards, double after splitting, and the dealer is standing on all 17s. This game has the same low house edge as the $100 min games above!

Now that you know what to look for and where to find it, go out and conquer! I’d love to hear in the comments where your favorite spot to play blackjack is, as well as any stories that stand out! See you all at the tables, and please double all those 11’s.

*Data for House edge, as well as # of tables that have favorable rules courtesy of wizardofvegas.com

[Images: Paperposter, Martin Buitron]

Matty Ice

Craft beer lover, poker player, Vegas junkie, and occasional writer. Matt lives in Arizona & has been to Vegas 13 times (and counting) since 2012 and loves exploring all the history and one of a kind spots Vegas has to offer. When in Vegas you can find him at the tables, bars, or checking out the ever-expanding restaurant scene.