Downtown Vegas Deals $5 Blackjack and Half-Price Room Rates

^{Players hitting the tables at Circa Resort and Casino in downtown Las Vegas (Photo: Marc Meltzer / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS – There’s cheap gambling spread out around Las Vegas; you just have to know where to look. Unfortunately, the casinos with the best games for low rollers aren’t where most visitors stay.

For low-limit table games and plenty of options within walking distance, head to downtown Las Vegas. Several casinos offer $10 minimums, while two offer $5 minimums. One of them offers $5 table games around the clock.

Gamblers on a budget might want to consider staying at a hotel downtown as well. While Vegas Strip room rates are booming with increased convention attendance, downtown occupancy was down 6.7% in June and is down 3.6% for the year.

When occupancy falls, room rates usually follow. Downtown Las Vegas room rates in June were just $84.90 compared to $165.45 on the Strip, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).

In other words, a room downtown will cost just over half of what you’d pay on the Vegas Strip.

$5 Games at Golden Nugget and Downtown Grand

Golden Nugget is now featuring $5 live dealer table games available 24/7 for the rest of the summer. This applies to blackjack, craps, and roulette.

These might be cheaper games, but the rules may not be the most player-friendly. Blackjack games under $25 typically pay 6:5 instead of the preferred 3:2 available at other downtown Las Vegas casinos for under $25.

However, the casino is also offering Gaming Happy Hour, where players can enjoy the 3:2 blackjack games for $15, Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Craps games have 3x-4x-5x odds. Again, dice games with better odds are available downtown for a slightly higher minimum bet.

The Golden Nugget is one of the most iconic casino brands in the country, with some of the nicest hotel rooms and a spa, an amenity not available in any other downtown casinos. It could become part of the Caesars Rewards program next year if the deal by its owner, Tilman Fertitta, to buy the company is approved. The points earned from Golden Nugget’s 24K Select Club should become Caesars points if the property remains part of Fertitta’s portfolio.

Downtown Grand, which could see a new owner any day now, also offers $5 table games. Unlike the Golden Nugget, it pays 3:2 when a player is dealt blackjack. The casino also promotes $5 craps and $5 roulette. Table games open at 10 a.m. on weekends and at 11 a.m. on weekdays.

$10 Table Games, Better Odds

Gambling in downtown Las Vegas is almost always cheaper than on the Strip, where table game minimums often start at $15 for the budget casinos and $25 at the luxury properties. Some, but not all, of the low-roller casinos may have a single $5 6:5 blackjack game.

Live dealer table game minimums typically start at $10 at downtown Las Vegas casinos except for the Golden Nugget and Downtown Grand, which start at $5. Circa might be the exception, with some games having lower minimum bets, but blackjack starts at $15.

Golden Gate is the only casino downtown without live dealer table games. The electronic table game minimums are $5 or less.

Other than Golden Nugget, downtown casinos often pay 3:2 for the low-limit blackjack games, while the cheapest blackjack games on the Strip pay 6:5.

Strip Convenience vs. Downtown Value

Las Vegas has something for everyone and all budgets; you just have to know where to find what’s best.

The Strip has massive casinos with plenty of amenities and activities, so you never have to go outside. On the other hand, downtown offers the old Vegas experience, where all casinos are within a 10-minute walk. It can sometimes take that long to walk from a hotel room to get a cup of coffee on the Strip.

Gambling still generates the majority of revenue in downtown Las Vegas, unlike the Strip. Casino operators work hard to keep players happy by maintaining fair rules and low minimums, since the house ultimately has the advantage over players.

These casinos also offer consistently affordable hotel rooms, drinks, and dining, not just limited-time happy hours or special temporary deals.

Both parts of Las Vegas have their positives and negatives, but budget-conscious gamblers may prefer downtown. There are many advantages to having casinos within easy walking distance, along with having more affordable hotel rooms, dining, drinks, and gaming.

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