I’ve spent the last few days going up and down the Las Vegas Strip during CES 2026. Not only have I come to this show for several years now but have also been visiting Vegas for far longer. In that time, I’ve seen a ton of changes — some good, but mostly bad. Most recently, though, I’ve watched this city (or at least The Strip) get far more expensive overall. I’m obviously not the first to notice as much, seeing as there are plenty of articles on the topic that have been published in the past year or so. But, what I want to rant about is the current state of table games.
This is also far from the first time I‘ve mentioned this topic as well, but the situation continues to evolve. The biggest thing I’ve noticed on this trip is that “Blackjack” is now 6:5 by default at major Strip casinos (at least the MGM ones I’ve mostly been frequenting), whereas the traditional 3:2 game is now the exception. In other words, when looking at the little screens that show the table minimum, maximums, and rules, if it doesn’t explicitly specify 3:2, it’s probably a 6:5 game. That stands in contrast to my previous experiences, where the Blackjack payouts would be printed on the game layout itself.
As a reminder of what this difference means, if you’re betting $50 a hand and hit a Blackjack, a 3:2 payout means you’d get $75, whereas a 6:5 table would only pay you $60. On top of that, though, I’ve noticed more and more tables utilizing continuous shuffle machines instead of dealing from a shoe. And, if they are using a shoe, it may be eight decks instead of six! While these distinctions don’t make as much of a difference if you aren’t counting cards, it’s still an increase in house edge.
There is a small silver lining I’ve found, though. On this trip, both Excalibur and Luxor have boasted $5 Blackjack games “all day, every day.” Yes, these are dealt from continuous shufflers and are 6:5 — but a $5 minimum is a good price.
This brings me to my quick tip: If you’re going to play Blackjack on the Strip, avoid the “nasty middle.” What do I mean by that? Well, in my opinion, playing a $5 game even with less advantageous rules and payouts is acceptable given the low barrier to entry. However, as I looked at other games, I saw tables that had a $25 minimum that were still 6:5 and using shuffler machines. Meanwhile, in the high limit room, there was a $100 table that was double-deck and paid 3:2! Yes, the jump from $25 to $100 is pretty big, but going from green chips to black means a much, much better game (odds-wise, that is).
Now is also a good time to remind you about triple zero roulette. At the MGM where I’m staying, there’s a triple zero game right next to a double zero game — and they occasionally have the same minimums! Paying just a little extra attention to these details could well improve your odds, even if it is slightly.
As always, if you are going to gamble, make sure you play with a bankroll you’re comfortable with using. Likewise, you should play at a level that fits your bankroll and allows you to play as much as you want to. That said, in my opinion and given the current state of Vegas, I think it’s better to play $5/$10 stakes or jump up to $100 rather than get stuck in the middle with bad rules at a still-high rate. Rant: over.