Three Las Vegas Casinos Improve Gaming Odds for Players

^{Blackjack at the Palms is back to paying 3:2 even at table minimums of $5. (Image: Palms on X)}

Visitors are complaining, and some Las Vegas casinos are listening. Over the past year, a segment of visitors has taken to social media to share their displeasure with high prices. Others are upset by current casino rules and table minimums, saying that their gambling fun is being ruined by poor odds and rules that reduce their time gambling.

At least three Las Vegas casinos are listening to the complaints. Palms, Rio, and The Strat recently improved some of their gaming rules for the better (sic bettor). They also offer games with traditional gambling rules and odds at limits all visitors can afford.

Many casinos — particularly on the Las Vegas Strip — have offered the best odds only to players in high-limit salons. Lower-limit games, meanwhile, often come with rules that are less favorable to players.

Now Dealing 3:2 Blackjack 

The Strat recently joined Palms in shifting back to paying 3:2 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack on the main casino floor. Rio has been offering both payouts for blackjack since reopening under new ownership in 2023. 

The original blackjack payout returns more money to players than the 6:5 version that most Vegas Strip casinos deal to players outside of the high-limit rooms.

During slow periods, Palms is offering 3:2 blackjack for a $5 minimum bet, though limits may be higher when the casino is busier. The casino also offers a $5 Roll To Win craps game for those who prefer fewer dealers when they roll dice.

Will more casinos follow suit? 

6:5 Blackjack Has Been Around for More Than 15 Years

Las Vegas blackjack conditions have been on a steady decline for more than 20 years. Las Vegas Advisor notes the first 6:5 blackjack game appeared at Flamingo in 1999. In 2010, the Las Vegas Sun published an article  — now scrubbed from its archives (we know the tricks) — documenting the 6:5 payout spreading. 

The piece was written as the reduced payout debuted at more than 20 casinos. At the time, 6-to-5 blackjack was found in just 25% of Las Vegas properties. Today, it’s often the only option on many main casino floors.

A subhead in the article quoted a consultant: “Sometimes it’s OK to have sucker bets if the suckers are enjoying themselves.”

Let’s be honest: Nobody ever wanted this, and nobody enjoys being paid less in any part of life. Visitors have tolerated the lower payout for nearly two decades.

Now, a handful of casino executives finally appear to be listening to blackjack players.

3:2 Blackjack Is the Higher Payout

The 3:2 payout when a player is dealt a natural blackjack is a better payout than the less popular 6:5 game. With the traditional 3:2 payout, a $10 bet returns $15 for a blackjack — compared with just $12 in a 6:5 game.

At first glance, a $3 difference may not seem like much. But that small change increases the house edge by about 400%.

The 6:5 payout alone adds roughly 1.39% to the casino’s advantage. They can also tweak other rules — such as when a dealer hits or stands on soft 17, or the number of allowed splits — to increase the house edge even more.

With the most player-friendly rules and perfect basic strategy, blackjack’s house edge can be less than 0.5%. This is what originally made the game so appealing: it offered a fair gamble, even with the odds slightly in the casino’s favor.

More Player-Friendly Payout Changes

The Strat has been improving odds at various games over the past year. Blackjack is just the latest gaming upgrade for players. Last year, the casino installed single-zero roulette games. 

The house edge for single-zero roulette is 2.7%, compared with 5.26% for the more common double-zero version. Some casinos have even introduced triple-zero, or “000,” roulette — where an added logo slot bumps the house edge to a whopping 7.89%.

Rio has also made upgrades, improving pay tables on some video poker machines. At least a few banks now feature 9/6 Jacks or Better and 8/5 Bonus Poker, both of which offer a house edge under 1% when played with optimal strategy.

Similar games on the Las Vegas Strip often have a house edge closer to 4%. While that difference might seem small on a single wager, it can have a big impact on both bankrolls and overall fun over time.

Why Bad Odds Matter

Most visitors to Las Vegas aren’t professionals trying to make a living. They’re simply looking to have a good time. But bad odds can take the entertainment out of gambling.

Sure, everyone wants to win. But for many, it’s more about playing the game, having a few drinks, and socializing with new and old friends. When games have worse odds, players not only have less chance to win — they also spend less time playing.

When the house edge is too high, fewer players walk away winners. And consistently losing is one of the quickest ways to turn people off from gambling altogether.

Even those just playing for fun get less value out of the experience. Shorter sessions and faster losses mean less time at the tables — and fewer good memories to take home.

If players don’t get enough bang for their buck, they look elsewhere. Maybe this is why gaming represented only 26.1% of overall revenue for Vegas Strip casinos last year. These casinos have some of the worst table game odds in the Las Vegas Valley.