View of Fremont Street from The D on March 29, 2024 (John Mehaffey/Vegas Advantage)
On March 29, 2024, Vegas Advantage walked to all 12 downtown casinos. We started with lunch at the Binion’s Cafe, which is not the value it once was, but it is still good and less expensive than most other downtown dining options.
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Binion’s
Since we had lunch at Binion’s, that’s where we started. All the usual games were open for $10, including 5x craps, Double Up Blackjack, Blackjack Switch, 6/5 blackjack, and the 3/2 tables that require a side bet. Dealer Open and Face Up Pai Gow Poker were the only $15 tables. The best video poker game is 8/5 Bonus Poker.
Electronic table game machines have a $3 minimum. This includes 6/5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette. However, lower limits can be found on four bartop machines. These Interblock machines offer video poker titles and a selection of table games. Minimums range from $0.25 for craps and 00 roulette to $1 for baccarat and 6:5 blackjack. Craps pays triple on a field 12 on these machines, unlike the live games where it pays double.
Circa
Circa was very busy. It was the second weekend of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Table games started at $15, including eight-deck 3/2 blackjack, 00 roulette, 3-4-5 times craps, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em. Baccarat and Face Up Pai Gow Poker were $25. The salon tables started at $200.
The best video poker game is 8/5 Bonus Poker. It can be played on the casino floor and the machines overlooking the sportsbook.
Most electronic table games are located upstairs at Circa. However, a stadium and a couple of multiplayer machines are on the main floor. Most ETG options have a $3 minimum. However, roulette can be found for $1 upstairs. Shoot to Win craps has a $5 minimum. Available electronic table games include 6:5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette.
Main Street Station
We headed out the back entrance of Circa to Main Street Station. The pit was open since it was a Friday. Main Street Station table games are still only open from 9am to 1am Friday through Sunday. The pit is closed Monday through Thursday.
Let It Ride, Three Card Poker, and 6/5 blackjack were $10. The $15 games were 20 times craps and 3/2 double-deck blackjack. Pai Gow Poker was $25. The pai gow jackpot was $487,000.
There were no changes to the video poker. The best game is still quarter 9/6 Jacks or Better.
Electronic table games have a $3 minimum. Available options include 6/5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette.
California
We walked across the bridge to California. The first thing we noticed is about half of the old video poker machines on the second level were replaced by penny slots. Downstairs, the 24 coin games are still available. However, the last Treasure Chest machine was out of service.
In the pit, the pai gow poker jackpot was $660,000. The minimum bet was $50, double its usual limit. Let It Ride, Three Card Poker, 6/5 blackjack, and 00 roulette were $10. Craps with double odds and 3/2 double-deck blackjack were $15.
The minimum bet is still $3 for electronic table games. This includes 6/5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette.
Downtown Grand
We walked down Ogden to Downtown Grand. It was busy, especially for early on a Friday afternoon. As usual, Downtown Grand was the only downtown casino with more table game players than slot ones. Nearly every table was open and had action.
There were some changes to the pit. There was only one $1 blackjack table. The rest were $5, $10, or $25 3/2 tables. Some used shoes as opposed to continuous shuffling machines. Craps and roulette were $10. I asked if craps is still $5 when it is slow and was told yes. The poker pit games were still $5.
The video poker situation was the same as before. The best game is 8/5 Bonus Poker.
Heads-up crapless craps is now available at Downtown Grand for a $1 minimum. It pays double on a field 12 and offers a Lucky Roller side bet. Other ETGs include $1 6/5 blackjack and craps and $0.50 00 roulette.
El Cortez
We could not enter El Cortez from the Ogden and 6th Street corner because that doorway was closed. Starbucks is replacing Subway. The usual coin game selection was available. These are the best video poker games at El Cortez.
The new addition to the pit was Roll to Win Craps. The minimum bet is $5. It allows up to five times odds. The other minimum bets were normal. The $10 3/2 six-deck blackjack game is now dealt out of a continuous shuffling machine. Double-deck blackjack, poker pit games, and baccarat were also $10. Single-deck blackjack, 10x craps, and double zero roulette were $15. Since this visit, El Cortez has stopped dealing single-deck blackjack.
The stadium at El Cortez still offers five games: baccarat, big six, 6/5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette. Minimums range from $1 to $3. Heads-up craps and multiplayer 00 roulette are also available nearby.
The D
Everything about The D was the same as before. The best video poker game is at Vue Bar. It is 8/5 Bonus Poker with three progressive meters. All games in the pit started at $10 except 3/2 Free Bet Blackjack, which was $25. The high-limit games were $50 and $100.
Heads-up 6/5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette ETGs are still upstairs. Games have a $3 minimum. At the bottom of the escalator, there are two multiplayer games. Shoot to Win craps has a $5 minimum. 00 roulette is $3. While advertised on the center display, the Touchdown Roulette side bet remains unavailable.
Fremont
Fremont had all the usual games and limits. The best video poker games are $1, $2, and $5 8/5 Bonus Poker with a progressive royal flush jackpot.
All pit games were $10 except craps, which was $15, and $25 pai gow poker. The pai gow progressive was $500,000.
Electronic table games at Fremont have a $3 minimum. This includes 6/5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette.
Four Queens
The minimum bets were mostly lower at Four Queens. All tables were $10 except 5x craps, 00 roulette, Blackjack Switch, and pai gow poker, which were $15. The 3/2 Lucky Cat Blackjack game is no longer available.
The best video poker game is quarter and dollar 10/7 Double Bonus Poker. There is also 9/6 Jacks or Better. Four Queens does not have any electronic table games.
Golden Nugget
There is a new $25 3/2 blackjack game in the Golden Nugget pit. It is double-deck with no double down after splitting. It joins a $25 3/2 shoe game.
Golden Nugget has the largest $5 Poker pit game selection in Las Vegas, which includes Criss Cross Poker. Fortune Pai Gow Poker was $15 and is still dealt face down. Craps was also $15. Roulette was $5 for 000 and $10 for 00. High-limit games were $50. Golden Nugget has the worst downtown Las Vegas video poker.
There is a section dedicated to electronic table games. Most options are heads-up games. This includes Casino Wizard stations that offer seven different game choices. Options are baccarat, big six, 6/5 blackjack, craps, pai gow poker, 00 roulette, and Swap’em Poker. Casino Wizard games have a $5 minimum. Other heads-up and multiplayer ETGs have a $3 minimum bet.
The Shoot to Win craps machine, offline during our December visit, was gone. In its place are additional heads-up craps stations.
Golden Gate
Golden Gate is down to one craps table. It was $10, just like all other pit games like 00 roulette, 3/2 eight-deck blackjack and poker ones, except 3/2 Free Bet Blackjack was $25. The high-limit tables were $25 and $50.
The best video poker game is 8/5 Bonus Poker. These machines no longer network with Vue Bar at The D.
There are two new electronic table game options. New installations include $1 heads-up 6/5 blackjack and $3 multiplayer 00 roulette. Heads-up 00 roulette is still available for $0.50. Heads-up craps is $3.
Plaza
Our last stop was Plaza. The 235 Stud game is gone. Most tables started at $10, including Most Liberal 21, 00 roulette, 10 times craps, and poker ones, except pai gow was $15. Single zero roulette was also $15. The 3/2 Free Bet Blackjack table was closed but the sign showed $25 from when it was last open. Double-deck blackjack that pays 3/2 is also $25.
Plaza has the best video poker game in Las Vegas. That is full-pay Joker Poker. Omaha Bar and Sand Dollar have several full-pay games like 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe and Jacks or Better. A few machines on the floor behind the sportsbook bar also have these games.
Heads-up 00 roulette is now available. It has a $1 minimum and a Mystery Golden Ball side bet. Which also has a $1 minimum. The stadium near Omaha Bar still offers big six, 6/5 blackjack, craps, and 00 roulette. Big Six has a $1 minimum. Other stadium options are $3. Multiplayer 00 roulette also has a $3 minimum. Shoot to Win craps is available for $2.
John Mehaffey
John, a founding member of Advantage Media LLC, got his start in gaming as a prop player at online poker sites. He played online poker from 2001 to 2005. In 2004, he created a site that served as a directory for an online poker promotional method known as rakeback. He sold that site in 2006 and moved his family from Atlanta to Rapid City, SD to work for a similar company. They later moved to Las Vegas in 2010. John’s favorite game is full-pay video poker. His favorite table game is Ultimate Texas Hold’em, though he would rather play it in video form. Currently, John is best known for compiling blackjack and table game data including all Las Vegas and Clark County casinos.
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