Table minimums are a way for casinos to cover operational costs and ensure game integrity. They also help players minimize their long-term losses by playing with a low bet size.
Despite the high table minimums on the Strip, you can still find affordable blackjack tables. Downtown Vegas and off-Strip casinos often offer $5 blackjack tables, even during peak hours.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a casino game that requires a great deal of math and logic to play. As such, it is a good fit for low rollers looking to spend less than $10 per hand. Fortunately, several Strip casinos offer cheap blackjack tables. These tables have a maximum table bet of $10 and have better rules than their higher-priced counterparts.
On the Strip, Circus Circus and Excalibur offer $5 blackjack games during off-peak hours. However, these tables have worse rules than other Strip casinos and do not allow players to double down after splitting.
Downtown Vegas has a handful of $5 blackjack tables. These casinos have good comp programs and offer a wide variety of blackjack options, including single-deck games, shoe games, and re-splitting aces. They also have high-limit salons for bigger bettors. Many of these casinos have $5 tables during peak hours. Players should be aware that the table minimums can go up to $25 during busy periods.
Craps
Craps table minimums on the Las Vegas Strip typically hover around $15. However, this can change when there is a special event in town. Regardless, you’ll always find plenty of opportunities to roll the dice. Just be sure to follow shooter etiquette and make your bets quickly.
Players are able to win up to three times their flat bet on a 4 and 10, four times on a five and nine, and five times on a six and eight. In addition to this, most craps games offer odds on both pass line and don’t pass bets.
Like the pass line bet, the odds bet behind a come bet cannot be turned “Off,” removed or reduced until it wins or loses. This is different from Atlantic City and Pennsylvania, where combined odds bets can be turned off or reduced. You’ll also find some casinos that allow a maximum bet of $5000 at the craps table. This allows high rollers to enjoy the game without worrying about breaking the bank.
Roulette
Roulette is one of the most popular casino table games, and for good reason. It has a low learning curve, offers players a variety of betting options and doesn’t require much math. It also has its own slang terms, such as “trio bet.”
Whether you’re looking for a cheap roulette table or a high-limit game, you’ll find it in Sin City. In fact, some casinos offer separate areas for tables with lower minimum bets, while others include them in a standard or VIP area.
To play roulette, you’ll need to purchase chips from the croupier. These are different in color than the ones used by other players and do not carry a value elsewhere on the casino floor. When you’re done, remember to redeem them for regular casino chips with the croupier. This is to ensure that you don’t mix your chips with those of other players. This is against casino rules.
Poker
Poker is a popular table game at many Vegas casinos. Some feature a low minimum bet of $5, while others have higher limits. You can also play other table games such as blackjack, roulette and craps with low minimum bets at some casinos. Many casinos also offer free “learn to play” sessions that teach players the rules of different games.
In the past 3 Card Poker was the most popular table game at casinos, but it has since been eclipsed by pai gow and blackjack. However, you can still find $5 tables at some casinos on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown, as well as in locals markets.
Some Vegas casinos offer a variation of poker called Crazy 4 Poker that has $2 or $3 minimum bets. This game has a similar structure to Ultimate Texas Hold’em and can be played at nine Las Vegas casinos. See our full list of casinos that deal this game for detailed information (paid members only). Alternatively, you can check out the table games at Ellis Island or Downtown Grand.