We visited four Las Vegas Strip casinos on the far north end of the Las Vegas Strip. While we were in the area, we also surveyed Palace Station and Westgate. Here is what we found at these casinos in terms of table games, electronic table games, and video poker.
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Resorts World
Resorts World was slow but had more activity than previous visits. The pit was reconfigured. The tables are all in the center of the casino. The limits have dropped a little. The poker pit games like Face Up Pai Gow Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and Three Card Poker were $15. Crapless craps and roulette were also $15.
It still takes $100 to get a 3/2 blackjack game at Resorts World. That was also the minimum for baccarat during our visit. The baccarat pit on the floor was closed. Resorts World has high-limit Ultimate Texas Hold’em. It is the only Las Vegas casino with a poker pit game in its salon. There is a poker room just off the casino floor at Resorts World.
There is no longer an electronic table game stadium at Resorts World. However, a selection of heads-up and multiplayer options remain. Big Six, Shoot to Win craps, and three different 00 roulette electronic games are available with a $1 minimum bet requirement. Heads-up craps has a $3 minimum. Heads-up blackjack pays 6:5, hits a soft 17, and offers Lucky Aces, Lucky Lucky, and 21+3 side bets. It has a $5 minimum.
The video poker is all 96 to 97 percent until the $5 denomination. That is where games 99% games like 8/5 Bonus Poker, 9/7 Double Bonus, 9/6 Double Double Bonus, and 15/9 Deuces Wild are offered. Most of these games are in the Crockfords high-limit room. A players card is required for free parking.
Circus Circus
Our next stop was Circus Circus. Parking is free, except for some premium spaces near the door nobody used. There are some construction projects on the property. Most notably, the walkway to Slots A Fun was torn up.
It was somewhat busy for the time of day. The table game pit had some $10 6/5 blackjack and poker pit tables open. A second Roll to Win Craps hybrid craps game was getting installed. It is the first time I’ve seen two in the same casino. It has a $5 minimum bet and 3-4-5 times odds.
Circus Circus has heads-up and multiplayer electronic table games. Stadium gaming is no longer available. Most ETGs have two installations: one on the main casino floor and one in the west casino. Heads-up Big Six, craps, and 00 roulette have a $1 minimum. Two Golden Ball 00 roulette machines are available for $0.50. Multiplayer video blackjack pays 6:5 and the dealer hits a soft 17. It has a $3 minimum.
This was the first time in years I checked out the video poker at Circus Circus. It is limited to the bars and old sportsbook area. The bar games are unplayable. I found a few $1 99% games where the sportsbook once was. Circus Circus no longer has a sportsbook, only William Hill betting kiosks.
Slots A Fun was deserted. It is down to about 100 slot machines, video poker at a boarded-up bar, and a couple of electronic table games. 00 roulette has a $0.50 minimum bet and 6:5 blackjack is $3. There is no drink service there. It has some 99% video poker games in the $1 denomination at the old bar.
Sahara
Our next stop was Sahara. It was totally dead. There were only five tables open. The limits were $10 and $15 for craps, pai gow poker, and 6/5 blackjack. Dealer Open is the only pai gow poker option at Sahara. The $50 blackjack game in high-limit stands on soft 17 and offers surrender and re-split aces.
There are three electronic table games. Shoot to Win and heads-up craps have a $3 minimum bet. Golden Ball 00 roulette has a $5 minimum.
There is some decent $1 video poker that returns around 99%. All the quarter and half-dollar games I found are 97% or worse. Parking is still free at Sahara.
The Strat
The Strat started charging for parking since our last visit. Management later decided to give locals free parking, but not in any sensible way.
Nevada residents must still scan the parking gate QR code for a link. The next step is to go to the players center and scan another QR code. The guest must then enter the validation code into the link. The gate matches the license plate at exit.
The Strat has a new hybrid craps game. It is like the ones we’ve seen at Horseshoe, Planet Hollywood, and Treasure Island. It has a $5 minimum and double odds. Players can make bets from the dice-throwing area or on the nearby stadium.
Crapless craps was the only live dice game open. It had a $10 minimum bet. Roulette, 6/5 blackjack, and poker pit games were also $10. Six-deck blackjack with a 3/2 payout was $15. Baccarat and double-deck blackjack were $25.
There is a large selection of electronic table games at The Strat, including the Interblock stadium. Stadium options include auto-play craps with a $1 minimum, 00 roulette, and 6:5 blackjack for $3, and baccarat at $5. The Big Six wheel is networked with the stadium. It has a $1 minimum bet.
Other options include heads-up craps for a $1 minimum bet. However, the field pays triple on 12. Multiplayer 00 roulette has a $3 minimum. With the same rules as the stadium, heads-up blackjack has a $2 minimum while the multiplayer game is $3. A Big Wheel machine is located at the bottom of the escalator near the box office. It has a $1 minimum.
The Strat is home to LA Comedy Club. It is one of our favorite shows in town. A new comedian performs every week at 8pm. Other shows feature local comics and headliners. If you enjoy live comedy, we recommend checking it out. The theater upstairs hosts shows and concerts.
Palace Station
Palace Station offers the best low-limit gambling in this area. We found $15 live and $5 live-dealer stadium baccarat. There are still a few 100% video poker machines at Palace Station. The bars offer 99% games. There are many 99% games on the casino floor.
Electronic table games include a video Ministar 00 roulette machine with a $0.50 minimum bet and a Touchdown Roulette side bet. For $1, players can find heads-up non-commission baccarat and craps that pays triple for a field 12.
Double-deck blackjack pays 3/2 and starts at $15. Pai gow poker was $10. Palace Station is the only casino away from the Las Vegas Strip with pai gow tiles. It has a $25 minimum bet. Craps offers 10 times max odds. If you are frustrated with the poor gambling at your Las Vegas Strip casino, it is worth the short drive across the highway to Palace Station.
Westgate
In many ways, Westgate acts more like a Las Vegas Strip casino than one away from it. The Superbook sportsbook is even better than the ones at most Strip casinos.
The pit is full of 6/5 blackjack games. It has triple zero roulette. It is the only off-Strip casino with crapless craps. Its 3/2 blackjack and baccarat start at $25.
Video poker resembles the Strip at lower denominations. It gets better at $1, and most games are at or above 99% at the $2 and $5 denominations.
There is a small poker room at Westgate near the sportsbook. Entertainment includes showrooms with concerts, comedy shows, and magic shows.
Casino Wizard machines offer four heads-up games: baccarat, craps, and 00 roulette with a $1 minimum and 6:5 blackjack for $3. Multiplayer 00 roulette has a $1 minimum bet. It has progressive jackpots. Shoot to Win craps and video 6:5 blackjack are offered for a $2 minimum. Blackjack side bets include KK, QQ, JJ, 7s, A-2, Match, Pair, Poker 3, and 19+.
