The best blackjack in Las Vegas is a game that pays 3 to 2 on a blackjack, ideally double-deck or six-deck with the dealer standing on soft 17. On the Strip, stand-on-17 rules are found mainly at high-limit tables with $100 minimums and up, while downtown has 3:2 games from as low as $10. The famous El Cortez single-deck game that paid 3 to 2 closed in April 2024, and every single-deck game left in Las Vegas pays 6 to 5.
Las Vegas has some of the best blackjack in the world, along with plenty of terrible blackjack games to avoid. If you know where to look, you can find games with a house edge well under 1%.
What makes a good blackjack game
Before you sit down, read the placard on the table. These rules matter most:
- Blackjack pays 3 to 2. This is the big one. A 6 to 5 payout adds about 1.4% to the house edge, more than any other common rule.
- Dealer stands on soft 17. Better for you than a dealer who hits soft 17, which adds about 0.2% to the house edge. In Las Vegas, many tables with $100-plus minimums stand on all 17s.
- Double after splitting, and double on any two cards.
- Surrender and re-splitting aces. Both help when offered.
- Fewer decks. With the same rules, a double-deck game beats a six-deck shoe.
Best downtown Las Vegas blackjack
Downtown is where to find 3:2 games at low limits, starting as low as $10.
- Circa: the only downtown game where the dealer stands on soft 17. Circa stands on the site of the old Las Vegas Club.
- El Cortez: 3:2 blackjack, mostly double-deck, plus a six-deck game. The dealer hits soft 17 at every table, and doubling after a split is allowed only at tables with a $50 minimum or higher.
Rules and minimums change, often by the day and the hour, so confirm on the placard before you buy in.
The El Cortez single-deck game
For years El Cortez, just east of the Fremont Street Experience, dealt the last single-deck game in Las Vegas that paid 3 to 2 on a natural. It removed the game in April 2024. Every single-deck game left in Las Vegas pays 6 to 5, so skip them. El Cortez still deals 3:2 double-deck, as listed above.
Best blackjack on the Las Vegas Strip
On the Strip, the best rules are usually in the high-limit rooms, where many tables with $100 and higher minimums stand on all 17s. Lower-limit tables usually hit soft 17, so read the placard and look for a 3:2 payout first.
If you play at MGM’s Strip resorts, have your play rated through MGM Rewards so your table time counts toward comps.
Locals casinos and games to avoid
Locals casinos off the Strip tend to offer better odds and payouts than the tourist areas.
Avoid these when you want a fair game:
- 6 to 5 single deck. Single-deck games at Circa, Durango, Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock, Santa Fe Station, Silverton, Sunset Station, Treasure Island and Westgate pay 6 to 5, for a house edge of around 1.5%.
- Casinos with no traditional 3:2 game. Binion’s, Circus Circus, Four Queens, O’Sheas and Slots A Fun do not deal one.
- Video blackjack that pays 6 to 5, which is most of it.
If you want to improve your edge further, read up on card counting, but know that casinos watch for it.
Playing blackjack online
Nevada licenses online poker but not real-money online casino games, so you cannot play online blackjack legally while you are in Las Vegas. In states that do license online casinos, check that an online real money blackjack game pays 3 to 2 before you play, and compare it with live dealer blackjack and other table games. Stick to sites licensed in your state.
Las Vegas blackjack FAQ
Is there still 3:2 single-deck blackjack in Las Vegas?
No. The last one, at El Cortez, closed in April 2024. All remaining single-deck games pay 6 to 5.
Where is the cheapest 3:2 blackjack in Las Vegas?
Downtown, where 3:2 games start as low as $10, depending on the casino and the day.
Do Las Vegas dealers stand on soft 17?
Mostly at high-limit tables with $100 or higher minimums. Lower-limit tables usually hit soft 17. Downtown, Circa has the only stand-on-17 game.
Can card counters get kicked out in Vegas?
Yes. Nevada casinos can ask a player they suspect of counting cards to leave and can ban them from the property.
Please gamble responsibly. If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.