Best Poker Rooms In Vegas To Make Money
$2 in comps is at most $1 cost to casino. And yes, casinos will take no income for an area if they believe they can make it up by those customers being there & spending elsewhere. Poker rooms have been a mainstay in Vegas for years-and tournaments are a fairly new beast, comparatively speaking. The Orleans is widely known by local poker players as one of the best poker rooms in Las Vegas. They offer all kinds of cash games, even Fixed Limit, as well as poker tournaments. The daily tournaments here are known to be soft.
Tips for Playing Poker in Vegas
Poker will always be synonymous with Las Vegas. Sin City is the top poker destination in the United States. Many of the world’s best poker rooms are located right on the Las Vegas Strip. The greatest poker series in the world – the World Series of Poker – takes place in Las Vegas. And there are other major poker events throughout the year in Vegas such as the World Poker Tour. When you come to Las Vegas to play poker, you’re going to be in for a treat.
You won’t have to drive far to find a game. In fact, your hotel will likely have a poker room. If there isn’t one at your hotel, there will be one nearby. Poker is everywhere in Las Vegas. There are more poker rooms in Vegas than anywhere else in the world. With that said, not every poker room is going to be right for you. In order to have an enjoyable experience, it’s important for you to find the perfect poker room based on your skill level, the games you play, and your bankroll.
The Poker room at the MGM Grand is always a good place to play.
Where you’ll find the most pros
Without question, the best poker rooms in Las Vegas are at Bellagio and Aria. Venetian is a close third. These poker rooms are fantastic places to play. You may even get to see a celebrity or one of the famous poker pros you’ve seen on TV. However, even though Aria and Bellagio are top rated poker rooms doesn’t mean they are the right places for you to play. These poker rooms attract some pretty tough sharks. Sure, there are plenty of fish also that play at Aria and Bellagio, but if you are more of a recreational or inexperienced player, perhaps it’s best to play elsewhere.
These are tough poker rooms for novice players. If you are a serious poker player, you absolutely should play in these rooms. The $125 daily tournaments are profitable at Aria. Bellagio has the best cash game action in town, so long as you’re a skilled player. And Venetian also has some profitable daily tournaments and will spread just about any cash game.
Las Vegas Poker Room Reviews
Where you’ll find the loosest action and most fish
There are a ton of poker rooms with loose cash game action that are filled with players that are negative-EV players. Poker rooms such as:
- Mirage
- Caesars Palace
- M Resort
- Golden Nugget
- Green Valley Ranch
- Wynn
- Binons
- MGM Grand
- Planet Hollywood
These casinos have loose games and oh so many donkeys at the table. Very few pros play in these poker rooms. Most of the players are tourists just looking to spend a few hours drinking beers and playing a casual game of poker.
Although the pros don’t spend much time in these poker rooms, they are surprisingly well run poker rooms. They don’t have the aesthetic appeal of Aria, Venetian, or Bellagio, but they are clean, comfortable, and fun poker rooms.
Take advantage of poker room comps
Every poker room gives out comps. The top poker rooms such as Aria and Bellagio give out the best comps ($2 per hour on cash games). Most poker rooms give players $1 per hour in comps on cash games. If you play 20 hours of cash game poker at Bellagio, for example, you’ll have $40 to use towards a nice dinner. Make sure you sign up for a players card before playing and give your card to the dealer when you sit down at the table so that you earn comps right away. Vegas poker rooms give out better comps than most casinos around the country because there is so much local competition. Comps add up fast, so take advantage.
Don’t blow your poker winnings on other forms of gambling
If you’re coming to Las Vegas to play poker, stick with that plan. Las Vegas presents many temptations you don’t have elsewhere. You’ll find slot machines and table games on darn near every block. Beer is available 24/7. Many poker players come to Vegas with the intention of spending their money on nothing more than poker, a hotel, and airfare. But they end up dumping their poker money into other casino games.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t go out and have some fun. By all means, go out for a few drinks and live it up in Sin City. But you need to show some restraint or you’ll dump your entire poker bankroll on one trip. If you win a few hundred bucks at the poker table, take that money back to your room. Don’t dump it into the shiny Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Have fun, but be responsible.
There were 31 Las Vegas poker rooms before the closure. So far, 19 have reopened.
The four casinos that opened poker rooms the first weekend were Golden Nugget, Orleans, South Point and Venetian. Five more followed later in June and in July. August brought six more rooms online.
Gaming regulations originally only permitted four players per table. South Point led the way in getting that increased to five. All Las Vegas poker rooms are now spreading at least seven-handed games. Most offer eight-handed games. Bally’s poker room opened with nine seats, the highest in Las Vegas, but later dropped to eight seats.
On June 17, Nevada gaming regulators added a requirement for masks at table games that later included all casino patrons. Las Vegas poker players must wear a mask. Most Las Vegas poker tables have partitions to separate player seats.
Aria
The Aria poker room opened with the casino on July 1. It will use 15 of its tables. These are partitioned so eight players may be seated per game. The standard Aria cash games are spread. There is one daily tournament.
Bally’s
The Bally’s poker room reopened on September 25. It deals 1/3 no limit Hold’em and 3/6 fixed limit Hold’em. There are regular tournament series dealt at Bally’s. There are nine seats per table.
Bellagio
Bellagio opened its poker room at 10am on June 18. Tables have eight seats and partitions. Cash games include Texas Hold’em, Omaha, stud and mixed games. The Bellagio poker room is open 24 hours a day.
Boulder Station
Boulder Station reopened its poker room on August 3. It is home to Omaha Hi in Las Vegas. It also spreads no limit and fixed limit Texas Hold’em.
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace’s poker room is open 24 hours a day. Cash games are 1/2 and 2/5 no limit Texas Hold’em. It also deals four daily tournaments. It seats eight players per table.
Flamingo
The Flamingo poker room reopened on July 2. It deals no limit and fixed limit Texas Hold’em. It is open 10am to 4am Thursday through Monday. Promotions include high hands and an hourly freeroll. It has four tournaments Thursday through Sunday. There are eight seats per table.
Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget was the fourth poker room to open in Las Vegas after the COVID-19 closure. Cash games of no limit and fixed limit Texas Hold’em are spread. The max rake is $4. There is a $1 jackpot drop. The room is open 24 hours. There are eight seats at tables.
MGM Grand
MGM Grand’s poker room reopened on July 3. It is open from 4pm to 4am Thursday through Sunday. It is closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The tables are eight-handed with plexiglass dividers.
Orleans
The poker room at Orleans opened with the casino on June 4. It is open 24 hours daily. The rake is capped at $4. The Orleans poker room has the widest variety of cash games. These include no limit Texas Hold’em, fixed limit Texas Hold’em, pot limit Omaha, fixed limit Omaha hi/lo and fixed limit Omaha Hi. There are two daily tournaments.
Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood reopened its poker room on October 16. It hosts ten tables. There are eight seats at each. The main games are 1/2 and 2/5 no limit Texas Hold’em. It is open noon to 4am Thursday through Sunday.
Poker Palace
Poker Palace is a small North Las Vegas poker room. It is open on Friday and Saturday nights for a 6:30pm no limit Texas Hold’em tournament. A cash game sometimes appears when the tournament concludes.
Red Rock Resort
Red Rock Resort is the only poker room in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas. It reopened on August 3. It spreads mostly fixed limit and no limit Texas Hold’em. Tournaments have not returned to its poker room. There are eight seats per table.
Sahara
The Sahara poker room reopened on June 18. It is home to mostly no limit Texas Hold’em and mixed games. The rake is capped at $4. There is a $1 jackpot drop. The hours are 4pm to 2am during the week and noon to 4am on Saturday and Sunday. The Sahara poker room will remain open if there is a game running. There are seven seats per table.
Santa Fe Station
Santa Fe Station is one of three Station Casinos poker rooms that reopened on August 3. It deals no limit and fixed limit Texas Hold’em, as well as Omaha Hi/Lo. It is in the far northwest part of the Las Vegas Valley. There are eight seats per table.
Silver Sevens
Silver Sevens offers one live poker table in its table game pit. It is usually a 2/4 fixed limit Hold’em game.
South Point
South Point’s poker room, the last to close before the shutdown, opened with the casino on June 4. It operates 24 hours a day. Games are eight-handed. The cash games offered are no limit Hold’em, fixed limit Hold’em and pot limit Omaha. There is a large variety of promotions available. It deals four daily tournaments.
Venetian
Venetian was the first poker room to announce its return. However, it opened the day after the rest of the casino did. Tables are eight-handed.
Venetian offers cash games and single table tournaments. The hours are 9am to 3am daily.
Venetian offers a wide variety of tournaments. This includes some daily ones and tournament series. According to Bravo Poker, the main cash games are no limit Texas Hold’em and pot limit Omaha.
Westgate
The Westgate poker room reopened on September 10. It opens at 4pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and 10am on weekend days. It is dark Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Westgate poker room is located in the sportsbook area. Tables are eight-handed.
Wynn
The Wynn poker room reopened on September 30. It was moved from Encore to Wynn. It is home to no limit Hold’em, pot limit Omaha and mixed games. There is a daily no limit Hold’em tournament. Plexiglass partitions are at all 24 tables, allowing for eight seats at each.
Vegas Poker Room Rankings
Las Vegas reopening poker room FAQ
How many poker rooms are open in Las Vegas?
There are 19 open poker rooms as of March 6, 2021.
Are Station Casinos poker rooms reopening?
Station Casinos reopened poker rooms at Boulder Station, Red Rock Resort and Santa Fe Station on August 3, 2020.
Are there poker tournaments in Las Vegas right now?
Yes. About half of Las Vegas poker rooms have brought back tournaments.
Is smoking permitted in Las Vegas poker rooms?
No Las Vegas poker rooms permit smoking.
Are masks required at Las Vegas poker tables?
Yes. Masks inside casinos are mandated by a governor’s order.
Are there partitions at Las Vegas poker tables?
In most cases, yes. Any poker room with more than six seats at the table has partitions.
Which Las Vegas poker rooms are still closed?
Binion’s, Cannery, Club Fortune, Excalibur, Green Valley Ranch, Harrah’s, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Palace Station, Rio, Sam’s Town and Skyline have not reopened poker rooms that closed due to the pandemic.
Last updated: March 7, 2021