There are a few new electronic table games on the Las Vegas Strip. This includes one that has not been available in seven years in the Las Vegas market.
Video Ultimate Texas Hold’em is back
Update: These games did not remain for long. Less than a year later, all three of the following installations have since been removed.
Video Ultimate Texas Hold’em is now live at three Las Vegas Strip casinos. It is found at Bally’s, Paris and Venetian.
The game at Bally’s and Paris includes craps with single odds, 6:5 blackjack and Three Card Poker. It is the only game on the machine at Venetian. The minimum bet is $3 at Bally’s and Paris. It is $4 at Venetian.
At Paris, it is by the craps tables. The one at Bally’s is near the bottom of the stairs going up to high limit. At Venetian, it is between the poker room and sportsbook.
How stadium Ultimate Texas Hold’em is played
These video Ultimate Texas Hold’em games play differently than the older versions that are found at Harrah’s Cherokee, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River, and formerly at a few Las Vegas casinos like Cosmopolitan and Jerry’s Nugget. It appears that the game recently returned to Cosmopolitan.
In the older version, players bet on one hand. They can play more than one. However, they must use multiple screens and seats to do it. A unique hand is dealt to each position.
In the new stadium version, players can choose to bet on hand one, two, three, or any two or three of them. In other words, you may play one to three hands. Other players at the machine have the same opportunity and could share a hand with you.
You can choose to play your hand however you would like, even if it is shared with other players. If you get an ace and want to raise four times, you may, even if a player sharing your hand does not realize that is the proper play and raises three times or checks. The dealer has the same hand against all players, so it changes nothing if other players make mistakes.
The game otherwise plays normal. It provides some useless stats, like how often the dealer has qualified over the last 150 hands, how often players raise, and the types of winning hands that would have qualified for the Trips Plus side bet.
This game is a great alternative for the live version of it, especially when it is busy and limits are high for tables. If you visit during the week, you may be able to play the live version at a few Caesars properties for $5.
Video Three Card Poker
Update: The stadium with the Three Card Poker games has been removed from Paris and Horseshoe (Bally’s).
The other new electronic table game is Three Card Poker. It is only new in this version. There has been live stadium Three Card Poker at Silverton and Treasure Island over the last few years. It is still live at Treasure Island. Bally’s and Paris have it in a true video form, but it works the same.
The machine deals nine cards face down and three for the house. A player chooses three of the nine cards to complete their hand. The player may bet a pair plus or six-card bonus on their hand or any vertical or horizontal direction within the nine cards, which are placed like a tic tac toe board. The game then plays out normally.
This is different than the previous video Three Card Poker machines. These played like a normal game where three cards were dealt to each player. The last one of these left the Las Vegas market about 10 years ago. It was at LVH, which is called Westgate today.
I found a traditional Three Card Poker machine at Harrah’s Cherokee during an April visit. I believe there is still an old version of it at Hickok’s in Deadwood.
New hybrid craps game at Planet Hollywood
Update: Roll to Win craps has expanded further in the Las Vegas Valley. Find more up-to-date casinos with Roll to Win craps with a newsletter membership.
The Roll to Win Craps tables ran into problems with dice sliders, according to local rumors. There is a new version of it at Planet Hollywood that keeps most aspects of the game but turns it into more of a game show feel.
The minimum bet is $5. The odds are double. Field bets pay triple on 12, even though the live craps tables at Planet Hollywood pay double. The shooter rotates around the terminals that all face it.
On your turn, you go up to the table that reminded me of a dice game on The Price is Right. Your seat’s terminal turns off when you shoot. It moves to the monitor by the table. At the end of your roll, the betting screen returns to your seat.
Baccarat with dice
We found an odd electronic baccarat game at Venetian. It is called Gameball Baccarat. The machine is near the escalators that go up to the food court. It uses 12-sided dice to determine the cards used in the player and banker hand. The minimum bet is $5.
I like seeing innovation in electronic table games
Live table minimum bets are going up due to inflation and a lack of dealers. Electronic table games give lower limit players access to these games. It also allows players to learn a new game without risking a lot of money or embarrassing themselves at a live table. I think this is a positive for the market.
Nearly all of the electronic table games in Las Vegas are roulette, craps, blackjack, or baccarat. We found two sic bo games during our March survey, as well as the Three Card Poker option at Treasure Island mentioned earlier. This expands that library of available ETGs in Las Vegas.
It is understandable that some players do not like these games. They prefer live tables where they can be social with dealers while handling cards and chips. Those players feel like these games play too much like an online casino.
It would be nice to see some other previous video table games return. Riviera once had $2 video pai gow poker and $1 video Mississippi Stud and Let it Ride. It seems like Riviera was a bit before its time. I suspect that as live tables become more expensive and difficult to operate, we will see more innovation in this space.
Last Updated on August 27, 2023 by John Mehaffey
