Poker Games In Vegas
The casino has plenty of video poker games most paying in excess of 99%. There are even some games at denominations under a quarter that pay at 98% and above–a rarity. There are plenty of other reasons to go to the Four Queens including arguably the best ‘old school Vegas’ dining experience in.
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If you're like a lot of poker players who will be at the World Series of Poker this summer, you'll be seeking out the cash games not only at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, but elsewhere in Las Vegas, too.
I thought it would be worthwhile to give players an idea of what to expect with regard to both the rake and comps offered at other Las Vegas cash rooms. I've put all of this information together in one chart below for your easy review when you go to Las Vegas. This way, you'll know the rooms that give you the best value while you play, showing you where you'll pay the least and earn the most.
Most casual players pay little or no attention to the cost of playing poker. But there is a cost, as we serious players know. It's called the 'rake' — the amount that the house takes out of every pot. Sometimes the rake is the difference between a player winning or losing money in a public poker room.
The lowest rake in Las Vegas at this time is $3 maximum per pot, while the highest is $5 maximum.
Not all rooms rake the same amount. The lowest rake in Las Vegas at this time is $3 maximum per pot, while the highest is $5 maximum.
Similarly, many rooms offer players compensation for playing poker in their casino. It's generally not nearly as much as they offer to players who want to play 'house advantage' games like blackjack, slots or craps. But it can add up, with some rooms paying considerably more in 'comps' than others.
Some poker rooms offer nothing at all to players, while others offer as much as $2 per hour. Most pay around $1 an hour or thereabouts.
At face value, it might seem like the rake and comps are too insignificant to make much of a difference. But think about this. A room that charges a $5 maximum rake is charging 25 percent more than a room that charges a $4 maximum rake. Similarly, a room that gives players $2 an hour in comps is paying 100 percent more than a room that pays only $1 an hour to its players.
Some practices regarding the rake are fairly standard from room to room. All rooms take out the rake at roughly 10 percent increments. Nearly all follow the rule that there is no rake if the betting ends before the flop (a.k.a., the 'no flop, no drop' rule).
In the chart below, I refer to the maximum or cap on the rake. Meanwhile the comps refer to the amount per hour that a player earns that can usually be used on hotel rooms, beverages and food. Some places also allow comps to be spent on other casino merchandise.
Keep in mind that just as rooms change the games they spread, they also change their rake and comps from time to time. If you want to be certain about the most current information about each room, I suggest you check with them directly beforehand.
One other note about the rake. Most rooms offer bad beat jackpots and/or other promotions. These promotions are nearly always paid for by the players with additional 'jackpot drops.' Though this money is returned to the players, it still comes out of the pot, and it may reasonably be considered additional rake by some.
I am not considering these jackpot drops when listing the maximum rake below, since promotions and drops change too frequently for me to be sure what will be in place when you play. That's something else to keep in mind, though, as you choose where you want to go play when venturing outside the Rio this summer.
| Poker Room | Max Rake | Comps/hour |
|---|---|---|
| Aria | $4 | $2 |
| Bally's | $5 | $1 |
| Bellagio | $4 | $2 |
| Binion's | $4 | $2 |
| Boulder Station | $4 | $1 |
| Caesars | $4 | $2 |
| Cannery | $4 | $1 |
| Club Fortune | $3 | $1 |
| Excalibur | $4 | $2 |
| Flamingo | $5 | $1 |
| Golden Nugget | $4 | $2 |
| Green Valley Ranch | $4 | $1 |
| Harrah's | $4 | $1 |
| Luxor | $4 | $2 |
| Mandalay Bay | $4 | $1 |
| MGM | $5 | $1 |
| Mirage | $4 | $2* |
| Orleans | $3 | $1.25 |
| Palace Station | $4 | $1 |
| Planet Hollywood | $5 | $1 |
| Red Rock Canyon | $4 | $1 |
| Sam's Town | $3 | $1.25 |
| Santa Fe Station | $4 | $1 |
| Silver Sevens | $4 | $1 |
| South Point | $4 | $1 |
| Sun Coast | $3 | $1.25 |
| Stratosphere | $4 | $1 |
| Venetian | $5 | $1 |
| Wynn | $5 | $1.50 |
*changing systems soon and will go to two tier comps, $1 or $2 depending on rating card.
Lead image c/o Kyle Peyton/Flickr, Las Vegas photo copyrights Moyan Brenn
Ashley Adams has been playing poker for 50 years and writing about it since 2000. He is the author of hundreds of articles and two books, Winning 7-Card Stud (Kensington 2003) and Winning No-Limit Hold'em (Lighthouse 2012). He is also the host of poker radio show House of Cards. See www.houseofcardsradio.com for broadcast times, stations, and podcasts.
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Tips for Playing Poker in Vegas
Poker will always be synonymous with Las Vegas. Sin City is the top poker destination in the United States. Many of the world’s best poker rooms are located right on the Las Vegas Strip. The greatest poker series in the world – the World Series of Poker – takes place in Las Vegas. And there are other major poker events throughout the year in Vegas such as the World Poker Tour. When you come to Las Vegas to play poker, you’re going to be in for a treat.
You won’t have to drive far to find a game. In fact, your hotel will likely have a poker room. If there isn’t one at your hotel, there will be one nearby. Poker is everywhere in Las Vegas. There are more poker rooms in Vegas than anywhere else in the world. With that said, not every poker room is going to be right for you. In order to have an enjoyable experience, it’s important for you to find the perfect poker room based on your skill level, the games you play, and your bankroll.
The Poker room at the MGM Grand is always a good place to play.
Where you’ll find the most pros
Without question, the best poker rooms in Las Vegas are at Bellagio and Aria. Venetian is a close third. These poker rooms are fantastic places to play. You may even get to see a celebrity or one of the famous poker pros you’ve seen on TV. However, even though Aria and Bellagio are top rated poker rooms doesn’t mean they are the right places for you to play. These poker rooms attract some pretty tough sharks. Sure, there are plenty of fish also that play at Aria and Bellagio, but if you are more of a recreational or inexperienced player, perhaps it’s best to play elsewhere.
Free Las Vegas Poker Game
These are tough poker rooms for novice players. If you are a serious poker player, you absolutely should play in these rooms. The $125 daily tournaments are profitable at Aria. Bellagio has the best cash game action in town, so long as you’re a skilled player. And Venetian also has some profitable daily tournaments and will spread just about any cash game.
Where you’ll find the loosest action and most fish
There are a ton of poker rooms with loose cash game action that are filled with players that are negative-EV players. Poker rooms such as:
- Mirage
- Caesars Palace
- M Resort
- Golden Nugget
- Green Valley Ranch
- Wynn
- Binons
- MGM Grand
- Planet Hollywood
Biggest Poker Games In Vegas
These casinos have loose games and oh so many donkeys at the table. Very few pros play in these poker rooms. Most of the players are tourists just looking to spend a few hours drinking beers and playing a casual game of poker.
Although the pros don’t spend much time in these poker rooms, they are surprisingly well run poker rooms. They don’t have the aesthetic appeal of Aria, Venetian, or Bellagio, but they are clean, comfortable, and fun poker rooms.
Take advantage of poker room comps
Every poker room gives out comps. The top poker rooms such as Aria and Bellagio give out the best comps ($2 per hour on cash games). Most poker rooms give players $1 per hour in comps on cash games. If you play 20 hours of cash game poker at Bellagio, for example, you’ll have $40 to use towards a nice dinner. Make sure you sign up for a players card before playing and give your card to the dealer when you sit down at the table so that you earn comps right away. Vegas poker rooms give out better comps than most casinos around the country because there is so much local competition. Comps add up fast, so take advantage.
Don’t blow your poker winnings on other forms of gambling
If you’re coming to Las Vegas to play poker, stick with that plan. Las Vegas presents many temptations you don’t have elsewhere. You’ll find slot machines and table games on darn near every block. Beer is available 24/7. Many poker players come to Vegas with the intention of spending their money on nothing more than poker, a hotel, and airfare. But they end up dumping their poker money into other casino games.
Poker Games Las Vegas
That’s not to say you shouldn’t go out and have some fun. By all means, go out for a few drinks and live it up in Sin City. But you need to show some restraint or you’ll dump your entire poker bankroll on one trip. If you win a few hundred bucks at the poker table, take that money back to your room. Don’t dump it into the shiny Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Have fun, but be responsible.