As currently constituted, the El Cortez single deck blackjack game has a house starting advantage (edge) of a tiny 0.18%, as shown by the chart, below: Casino Table.
While many blackjack tables in Las Vegas spread terrible rules, there are still some quality games available. Most of the games listed are in high limit rooms, though some have a $5 minimum bet.
M Resort – High Limit Double Deck Blackjack
The best blackjack game in Las Vegas is in the high limit room at M Resort. It is a double deck table. The dealer stands on all 17s. A player may double down before and after splitting. Aces may be re-split. The posted minimum bet is usually $50. The house edge is 0.19%.
Other High Limit Double Deck Blackjack
The second-best blackjack game in Las Vegas is spread by several higher end casinos operated by MGM Resorts. Treasure Island and Cosmopolitan also have the game. It is a double deck that stands on all 17s. Players may double down before and after splitting but may not re-split aces. The house edge is 0.26%.
The minimum bet is $25 at Treasure Island. MGM Grand offers this as a $25 game during slow periods but it may be $50 or $100. Aria, Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, Mandalay Bay and Mirage have a $100 minimum bet.
Double Down on Three Cards at Bighorn and Longhorn Casinos
El Cortez Blackjack Rules
There is a player-friendly rule in the six-deck $5 blackjack games at Bighorn and Longhorn. Players may double down on three cards at these casinos. Double down after splitting, re-split aces and surrender are also allowed. The dealer hits soft 17.
Bighorn Casino is in North Las Vegas on East Lake Mead Blvd. Longhorn Casino is on Boulder Highway at Harmon.
High Limit Six-Deck Blackjack Games
Six-deck shoe games at many high limit salons in Las Vegas casinos are the fourth-best blackjack games. The dealer stands on all 17s at these tables. Players may double down before and after splitting, as well as surrender and re-split aces. The house edge of this game is 0.29%.
The lowest minimum bet for this game is $25 at Treasure Island. MGM Grand has it for either $25 or $50, depending on the time of day. Bally’s and M Resort spread it for $50. It is $100 at Aria, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan, Encore, Hard Rock, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Palazzo, SLS Las Vegas, Tropicana, and Venetian have it for $100. Wynn requires $200 for this game.
House Edge In Blackjack
El Cortez Single Deck
El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas offers the last single deck blackjack game in town that pays 3-2 and permits double down on any two cards before splitting. The minimum bet is usually $5. The house edge is 0.3%.
Best Blackjack House Edge
For players that wish to avoid picking losing blackjack tables, we recommend reading our worst blackjack games of Las Vegas 2018 page. The blackjack house edge calculator at Wizard of Odds was used to compute some of the house edges shown in this article.