AdamThe Strip continues to downgrade it’s gambling options and we are observing a gaming migration downtown. This is very much reflected in the feedback I get whenever I ask about people’s favorite places to play. Video poker is certainly no exception. I received so much feedback that I can’t possibly name everyone, but thank you if you did participate. The more voices I get the better, as I, of course, have not tried every VP bank in town. I rely on you. And as always, you all came through.
Overwhelming favorite:
Boar’s Head Bar – Main Street Station
Great odds and craft beer. Do we need anything else? Should we just stop? To add to this, MSS is still running their “Score With 4” promotion, in which you receive a scratch off card for every natural 4 OAK you hit, with the opportunity to win cash. If Boar’s Head wasn’t on your list before, it should be now.
Downtown
Vue Bar – The D
Upstairs you’ll find a fun vibe and great service. Great odds for bonus poker players.
Longbar – The D
It’s hard to find a better party downtown. The best odds are on the bonus deluxe game. But the service and atmosphere more than make up for odds adjustments.
Furnace – Downtown Grand
This is my personal choice depending on the time. While not the best odds, I enjoy the double double bonus progressive game. Quick, but limited drink service and easy to see tvs. My favorite part? The casino is rarely busy, so it’s not very smoky.
El Cortez
Low limits, good odds, and goofy promotions make this East Fremont haunt a good option.
The Strip
Decimated odds have riddled the Strip recently, but you can still find some fun places to drop some coin. These spots may come at a premium price, but it doesn’t mean they are a bad value:
Cosmo
Chandelier Bar
The lower tier of this multiple level bar doesn’t have great odds, but is routinely rated as one of the best bars in Vegas. The gambling is just an added perk to an already elevated experience.
Bond
Dave shared this favorite on the FB page. Much like Chandelier, premium cocktails and service make up for limited odds.
Interlude – Cromwell
This center strip casino bar sits in what is becoming my favorite property on LV Blvd. Good drinks, fast service, and a stone’s throw from my current favorite lounge, Bound.
TAG – Linq
Caesars properties are some of the worst offenders when it comes to poor VP odds, but if you want to watch a game and get some VP action, TAG is a good choice. Their beer selection, although dwindling slightly, is still one of the best as casino bars are concerned.
Luxor
This wouldn’t be a proper list if I didn’t include my guilty pleasure casino. Both listener Brian and I dig this place and it’s actually not a horrible choice, at least by Strip standards, for VP. You can still find a decent machine here or there, especially if you find a high progressive.
NYNY
Although you won’t earn points on their best $0.25 machines, they have some of the best JoB odds on the Strip. Plus, you’re close to Nine Fine Irishmen and can get one of the best pints of the black stuff.
Off the beaten path:
Palms
One of the more underappreciated properties, especially when it comes to gambling. It’s a comfortable space and has great VP offerings. It has three options at the $0.25 level, deuces wild, double bonus, and double double bonus, which payback over 100%! They even have a few 1 and 2 cent machines with good payouts as well.
Gold Coast
Just a great low roller casino and is close to the Palms. Go there. Yuk it up with some of the elder locals, smoke a pack of Marlboro Reds, and have a ball.
Red Rock
A lot of fanfare on Twitter for this resort. A beautiful property and a favorite of gambling megastars, Marc Meltzer and John Mehaffey. Head to the Rocks Lounge or the Lucky Lounge, lot of lounges, for the generous progressive games. Good drinks, good service, and tvs. When you’re done, go have some shots with grandma playing bingo.
Southpoint
A locals favorite about 5 miles south of the airport, this casino offers an abundant choice of cheap VP with over 99% payback. If you have a favorite variation, Southpoint has it at a good price.
LVA suggestions:
Shifty’s
Off of W Sahara Has 9/6 JoB (full pay) for $1 plays and you get a bottle of wine for any quad hit. They also have karaoke. Karaoke people. A short cab ride from SLS will land you at this fun dive bar.
Less than a mile from SLS on E Sahara you’ll find this casino which houses the very popular Fat Choy restaurant. They have a bonus poker deluxe progressive at the bar and is a positive return if it is at or over $1,180.
About 4 miles west of the Strip off of Charleston will land you at a local VP treasure. The Italian American sports bar is known to be quite generous with its Free Play offerings. They also feature shared winnings. For instance, if another player hits a royal, all players logged in win $25. Add cheap drinks and discounted food like ½ price pizza for the win.
Have a favorite that wasn’t listed? Let me know! I’m always looking to add to the list.
Feature photo:”Palms Casino Resort” by Ken Lund via CC by SA 2.0
CET Properties has bad VP? Try MGM properties they are far worse. I can still find 9/5 DDB at CET and its 7/5 at MGM joints.
To be fair, resorts from both have decimated pay tables. On most recent surveys I’ve read, it seems that overall, CET properties lag MGM overall. Though, you can still find a couple good spots at certain casinos under both owners.