Lowest HE for Desired Min./Max on Strip

I always like to play at the best game possible w/ the lowest HE, does a few % points here and there really matter ?

In my humble opinion, YES !!! As players we do everything we can to boost our EV and lower the HE .



I analyzed the LVBJS and made a few conlcusions about the games offered along the strip.

Below all S17

For a .20 HE you can play 2D . w/ 100/200 min

For a .27 HE you can play 2D. w/ 50 min.

For a .27/.28 HE you can play 2D/6D w/ 25 min.

For a .28 HE you can play 6/D w/ 15 min.

Below all H17

For a .45 HE you can play 2D w/ 5/10 min.

For a .57 HE you can play 6D w/ 3 min.

As you can see the biggest difference in HE is between the S17 and H17. With the above info. strategy can be fine tuned and play optimized. You may go back and forth between: S/NS, RSA/NRSA, 2D/6D, or even S17/H17 depending on your desired min. bet.

I thought it was important to find the best game for your desired min. whether it's 3- 200. I also thought it was important to know all the min./max,rules/#D's before you entered the property. So I made a chart, that I laminated and put in my wallet. If I have a great session, I like to book a winner and play for lower stakes, if I have a bad session, I do the same and hope to at least NOT lose my session BR, and try and recoup some of the losses.


Using CBJN, you can make a similar chart for wherever you plan to visit. Of course the validity of your chart depends on how accurate the info. is.

Please see below:



Casino HE #D’s Rules Min/Max
MGM Grand.20 2 S17,RSA 200/10G
Hard Rock .20 2 S17,RSA 100/5G
Luxor .20 2 S17,RSA 100/5G
M .20 2 S17,RSA 100/10G
Treas. Island.27 2 S17 50/10G
Mirage .27 2 S17 25/10G
Bellagio .28 6 S17,S,RSA 25/10G
Encore .28 6 S17,S,RSA 25/5G
Mirage .28 6 S17,S,RSA 25/10G
Treas. Island.28 6 S17,S,RSA 25/10G
MGM Grand.28 6 S17,S,RSA 15/2G
Luxor .45 2 H17 10/1G
Circ. Circus.45 2 H17 5/500
Gold Coast .45 2 H17 5/1G
Circ.Circus .57 6 H17,RSA 3/500


Please let me know if there are mistakes or something should be added( penetration/heat ?). I just wanted a quick reference of the games on the strip, so i could find the best game at min. bet, I wanted.

If you're interested in the actual cost of gambling, I'd add in expected win/loss rate per hour. $5/hand at -0.45% costs a lot less than $100/hand at -0.20%.

Thanks for the info. Must have taken you a long time.

I like to visit each of the big casinos on the strip at least once during each trip and usually make a mental note of the ones with reasonable HE and low minimums.

Eventually I end up playing $25-50 min tables with S17, DAS, RSA and surrender.

The best 3 casinos for these rules are MGM, bellagio and aria as they have the most tables and are close to each other.

I think the aria may have some continuous shuffling machines although they also have 2 deck as well.

Noted, I will add bellagio/aria to the list next time I am in LV. S17,DAS, RSA, and S is probably the best game you will find around the country.

Bellagio sure, but Aria?
Why chase some obscure "house edge" advantage in a mid level casino that is charging upscale prices and providing closed restaurants, poor housekeeping and Legionella in the air conditioning chillers? Give your business to Bellagio.

Quote: DonPedro

so i could find the best game at min. bet, I wanted.

I think the major point is to make it the minimum bet that you want. Having a really good house edge in the high limit room is real nice of the casino but it is utterly irrelevant to me. Dressing up a bit for big table baccarat and putting up with the shenanigans is just not worth it to me even if the house edge is more attractive due to comps and rate of play. I'd prefer to stick with miniBacc down in the casino with the peons.

A low house edge at Blackjack is really fine to know about and I will bear it in mind, but its never the sole decision point. A nice casino, an attractive waitress, a relaxed atmosphere all contribute to the enjoyment and I'm not going to be swayed by the best bargain at blackjack anymore than I would be swayed by those signs saying "loosest slots".

Good points, well said !! Noted !!

This is great. Have you gone to Vegas yet to double check how much of this is accurate? I'll be heading there soon and would really like to know where I can find $5 or $10 dollar tables with decent rules (6D+, H17 ok at that level. I want to have fun without feeling totally gouged). I'll be traveling with some folks who don't want to go up to $25/hnd. I have the CBJN for this month, the real trouble is trying to figure out where a decent game might be had on a Fri or Sat night. I don't want to hunt all over the strip or have to play 6:5.

Quote: Vimes

This is great. Have you gone to Vegas yet to double check how much of this is accurate? I'll be heading there soon and would really like to know where I can find $5 or $10 dollar tables with decent rules (6D+, H17 ok at that level. I want to have fun without feeling totally gouged). I'll be traveling with some folks who don't want to go up to $25/hnd. I have the CBJN for this month, the real trouble is trying to figure out where a decent game might be had on a Fri or Sat night. I don't want to hunt all over the strip or have to play 6:5.

MGM Grand has 6 deck S17 games at a .28 HE. In the two weeks before July 4th, I personally observed them at $10 minimums on weekdays from mid-morning until 8 or 9pm. When they raised the limits, players were grandfathered at $10. On weekends and even on July 4th, there were some at $15 minimums. They also had the same rules except for H17 at $5 minimums some mornings.

Most MGM properties have the same .28 HE game but their minimums are usually much higher.

bebbakdoff, Thanks that was very helpful! Looks like we'll be checking out MGM for sure.

Was in LV last weekend, the hilton had 6D, H17 w/ 10 min. and 2D w/ a 25 min.

Quote: Vimes

$5 or $10 dollar tables ... decent rules ... Fri or Sat night ... the strip

I think 3 out of 4 of those criteria is the best you'll be able to do.

I second the MGM recommendation. Best combination of low limits and good rules in the city, and a nice atmosphere to boot. The tables are in the "second" pit. That is, walking from the Strip, keep walking past the first pit and then you will come to a second pit that is laid out parallel to Las Vegas Boulevard. Sorry, I don't know any landmarks; I usually orient myself vis a vis the Strip.

Of course, you could always drive out to Hacienda for an even better game, but with less atmosphere. (Mike, did you get my Hacienda review?)

Quote: benbakdoff

...Most MGM properties have the same .28 HE game but their minimums are usually much higher.

No big deal but what is the complete set of rules that give a 0.28 HE for a 6D S17 game?

It's OK if you want to keep the complete set of rules to yourself. I'm just having trouble imagining such a set of rules. Which means less than very little.

check the basic strategy engine on this site

Quote: Curiousguy11

No big deal but what is the complete set of rules that give a 0.28 HE for a 6D S17 game?

It's OK if you want to keep the complete set of rules to yourself. I'm just having trouble imagining such a set of rules. Which means less than very little.

Double after split, late surrender and re-split aces. Most of the penetration is around 75%.