Famous for quickie weddings and hot streaks, is there anywhere things happen faster than Vegas? The city is changing so rapidly! Even full-time TikTok and YouTube influencers cover the ever-growing restaurants, shows, and hotels.
Poker is no exception—the best places to play poker in Vegas are constantly evolving.
Here is what you need to know for where to play poker in Las Vegas in 2024.
The List: Vegas Strip Poker Rooms (2024)
In the book A GIRL’S GUIDE TO POKER published in early 2020, there’s a chapter reviewing the Vegas Strip cardrooms… much of it is already outdated. Even if you knew where to play poker in Vegas not too long ago, chances are the scene has changed since then.
So, here is a *master list* of major places to play poker in Vegas for 2024.
(Note: these are loosely in order of location. Also, all these places have tournaments as well.)
1) Mandalay Bay
Let’s start at the top of The Strip. If you’re new to poker or find Vegas intimidating, this sleepy cardroom is an excellent place to start. Located in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, this poker room is a hidden gem for newbies.
The games play smaller than most other cardrooms in Vegas. Generally, you’ll only find 1-2 blinds - not even 1-3! It’s the kind of table you’ll fit right in buying in for a relatively small amount.
Plus, it’s beautifully stunning with a small, open-plan area, perfumed air and cerulean blue felt.
So, Mandalay Bay is an easy win if you’re looking for something quiet, tame, and lowkey.
It’s an excellent choice for beginners.
2) MGM Grand
MGM Grand has experimented with new promotions, incorporating creative, innovative ideas. At one point, they offered $20,000 to whoever played the most hours of poker during a set period. And they’ve added a bunch of quirky tournament offerings, from mystery bounties to small-stakes midnight tournaments, offered daily.
Uniquely, MGM uncaps the games. So, even at 1-2 blinds, you can buy in for as much as you want without restriction.
Does this actually happen? Yes and no.
Sometimes, the games do play larger—especially if they can get a 2-5 going. But many nights, most of their tables are indistinguishable from a typical 1-2 or 1-3 game.
You never know exactly what you’re going to get. The games run in the MGM at the same time as lots of events. So, there can be spillover depending on the night, making the games play swingier.
Like Mandalay Bay, it’s another sleepy poker venue where casual amateurs and tourists play small stakes.
The room is bluesy and dark, with a sports bar feel to it. It’s not fancy. But the MGM is an excellent example of where to play poker in Vegas if you want to have drinks with friends or hop into a wild late-night poker tournament.
3) Aria
Ah, the Aria conjures up such mixed feelings! On the one hand, you are at a luxury hotel. For example, when you order a water bottle at the table, they automatically bring you Fiji. It’s reputed to have the best house red wine you can order at a poker table. Even the chips have a nice, lovely feel.
The only problem with the Aria is that it’s too small - way too small. Almost any day of the week, the list to get seated at a table is a mile long. Thirty minutes if you’re lucky… but expect closer to an hour. During busy seasons like the World Series of Poker, it can take up to three—yes, three—hours to get a seat.
It’s easy to see why this room remains popular –
- It has a pleasant and welcoming poker atmosphere.
- The Aria has a variety of stakes plus mixed games.
- You can always play PLO here.
But the wait lists are too long—and this room attracts many pros. The average skill level can be significantly tougher than others -especially if you play 2-5 or bigger.
Unless you’re playing very late at night when it’s not busy, begrudgingly give this room a miss.
4) Bellagio
The Bellagio is similar to the Aria (again, high-quality chips!). The poker room is plush but small, although you won’t have the crazy wait times. It’s rare to wait longer than 20 minutes.
Like the Aria, this room attracts lots of pros. The vibe is especially serious. It’s not recreational the way MGM is. People are focused.
For this reason, beginners may want to give Bellagio a miss. But, they have recently made some changes to their stakes, which might make the poker room worth revisiting.
The Bellagio’s 1-3 still have the Vegas typical $100-$300 buy-in. But if you like deep-stacked poker, they recently upped the caps:
- 5-5 is now $400-$1000.
- 5-10 is now $800-$2500.
If a bigger game in a calmer room sounds appealing to you, Bellagio could be your best bet.
5) Horseshoe
The Horseshoe (formerly known as Bally’s) is the new home of the World Series of Poker, and they recently remodelled the poker room. The front desk pays homage to WSOP greats and nods to famed Texas Hold’em cowboys. It’s also got ample tables for a midsize poker room that feels just right.
That being said, the games are incredibly small and tepid. There are quite a few retired regulars here. And, while it doesn’t attract pros, it doesn’t attract big gamblers either.
If you're looking for action, this room isn’t the one to go to.
The action is slow. As always with Vegas, you never know when you’ll run into a handful of tourists taking advantage of the free drinks. But it can get a little rowdy at the Horseshoe. It’s not the same posh vibes as many of the high-end hotels.
As the front desk indicates, you’re in cowboy territory.
6) Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace may be way too small for the demand. It feels like a squished-away afterthought. But it’s enjoyable, low-stakes fun.
At their 1-3, you’ll find every kind of player—from conservative to crazy. There’s a healthy mix of both grinders and gamblers. You’ll feel right at home whether it’s your first time or hundredth time.
Just be aware the games also play small—especially their 2-5. Now that Bellagio raised the limits on their 2-5, Caesars is the only 2-5 on The Strip with a $500 cap.
Sometimes, it’s nice to have a step up from all the chaos of 1-3 without the same regulars battling in a deep-stacked 2-5.
Caesars also gets random foot traffic. The fact that the poker area is sandwiched between the food court and the nightclub isn’t as bad as it seems. The room is old and outdated—the chips have seen better days. So, keep your aesthetic expectations low. It’s not soothing like the Wynn or Mandalay Bay.
But it’s a nice mix of players from all skill levels and worth a try if you’re playing Vegas poker for the first time. They always have lots of 1-3 tables going. So, feel free to hop around until you find a comfortable crowd.
The 2-5 game runs, but usually, it's only one or two tables, and the lists can be slow-moving. Getting seated can take impossibly long. So, unless you're specifically looking for a petite 2-5, come here for the 1-3.
7) Venetian
The Venetian poker room is appealing and very spacious. It is the best card room for bringing along a friend or family member. There’s room to sit beside them if they need support. It's the only place in Vegas where you won’t feel squished.
It also boasts the best food of any poker room in Vegas—and it’s not even close. Their tableside menu is enormous, with tonnes of options, and the quality is pretty good.
But, as you may have noticed by now, all the fancier hotels attract lots of professional poker players. The games here can be pretty tight. There’s a nice staggering of stakes—1-3, 2-4, 3-5, and 5-10. So, there are lots of different blind level options. Most of the tables will naturally be 1-3, though.
The only downside can be the mix of the players. Especially if you advance past 1-3, you'll notice a steep hike in skill level. It will be much more challenging to win in these games than MGM, for example.
This poker room is rarely loose. And even when it is, you’ll be competing heavily with a plethora of grinders for the same players’ chips.
8) Wynn/ Encore
Finally, the famous Wynn! Home of the World Poker Tour’s December series, the Wynn is as classy as it gets. Playing here, from the carpets to the décor, is a pleasure.
Unfortunately, even though they invested in a large poker room, the wait lists can still get depressingly long. The food is also extremely pricey and surprisingly limited. Eat beforehand.
There are two main positives about the Wynn:
- It’s gorgeous.
- It has bigger buy-ins.
Currently, the Wynn is the only poker room with a 1-3 game with a $500 cap. This higher buy-in level creates more action. The 1-3 game plays bigger (but you don’t have to buy in for the max).
The unintended consequence is that the 2-5 is an absolute shark-fest. Since the 1-3 limits are higher, the 2-5 limits are also ($1500 cap). Their 2-5 plays more like a 5-10… at least skill-wise. Every aspiring poker pro who moves to Vegas spends their days grinding at the Wynn.
Who wouldn’t want to make the plushest venue in Vegas their office? The games play far beyond 2-5, too. Just stick to the 1-3, and don’t come hungry!
9) Resorts World
Last but certainly not least, we have the newest card room on The Strip, Resorts World. They’ve invested in the space—great chairs! And it’s a convenient location to play a daily tournament. Many Vegas locals play their nightly tourney there.
Since it’s at the tail end of The Strip, you will find more locals. Its relaxed vibe results in a calm, elegant hotel for a comfortable experience. It’s easy to get seated at a table—although mostly only 1-3. Since their 1-3 is a $400 cap, 2-5 doesn’t always run - which is not necessarily a bad thing.
It keeps away many of the top pros and sharks.
Resorts World is another sleeper hit. It’s friendly, clean, and well-run. (Look up which games are running on the PokerAtlas app and even get on the waitlist. The other hotels use an app called Bravo.)
What’s also noteworthy about Resorts World is their private area where you can rent a table with a dealer for a reasonable price. (At time of writing, it is $180/hour). So, if you have a group of coworkers or pals, getting your own table here is also an attractive option.
It’s a slower-paced room than the Wynn, Bellagio, or Aria. It shouldn’t be your first choice if you’re looking for insane action. Choose here if you want your experience to be relaxed and pleasant.
You can also get food delivered from the Asian cuisine food court or walk to the Starbucks next door. In more ways than one, this room satisfies on all fronts.
In Conclusion
Where to play poker in Vegas will depend on what you’re looking for in a game. That being said, here are the best- of the best in a few select categories:
- Best overall low-stakes place to poker in Vegas: Resorts World
- Best overall high-stakes place to poker in Vegas: Wynn/Encore
- Most fun place to play poker in Vegas: Caesars Palace
- Best place for beginners to play poker in Vegas: Mandalay Bay
Those are the frontrunners. If you can get a seat at Aria -fantastic! MGM is the place if you want to splash around. Although their games can be hit or miss, and it’s not as posh as the other rooms.
Always check the free poker apps Bravo and PokerAtlas to see how many tables are running - especially for PLO or a 2-5+.
Wherever you play poker in Vegas, best of luck at the tables!
Make 2024 your most successful poker trip yet.
