Best casino for slots: ARIA ARIA doesn't only boast one of the largest slot-machine floors on the Las Vegas Strip; it also offers one of the most exclusive high-limit slot rooms anywhere in Nevada.
Tourists often have a hard time finding good returns on video poker when visiting Las Vegas. This is mainly because most of the games on the Las Vegas Strip have a house edge of at least 2%. On top of that, the games at McCarran Airport are far worse than any of the games you’ll find at many Vegas casinos. Serious video poker players will want to stay away from the Strip all together when visiting Las Vegas, or at least take a short taxi ride to find the better games with a higher RTP.
While that is the case, there are still many options available to casino advantage players; you just have to know where to look. Below we’ll go into further detail on how you can find the best casinos to play video poker when visiting Las Vegas.
#1 The D: Best Video Poker Game in Las Vegas
The single best video poker machine in Las Vegas is located at one of my personal favorites; The D. The casino at The D is located downtown on the Fremont Street Experience, which you’ll recognize by the infamous red “D” logo. The game we are talking about is called Loose Deuces Wild and it returns 101.6% on five coins (with perfect play).
Best Slot Machine In Vegas
There is just one single machine with this game on it at The D, and it’s located on the second floor. All machines found on this level operate on coins. The denomination for this Loose Deuces Wild machine is a measly $.05. If that machine is taken, there is also a 10/7/5 Double Bonus game available in quarters just a few steps away.
Honorable Mention: Video Poker at The M Resort & Casino
We recently decided to add in The M Resort & Casino as an honorable mention. As of 2018, The M has one of the best overall video poker offerings for players among casinos in the Las Vegas area. When considering the 99% payback games available at machines around the resort, including at the bars, The M casino in Henderson is a great choice for video poker players.
There are many 99% machines available in the high limit room as well, with denominations as low as $1. This casino is about 20 minutes off the strip, but is one of the newest properties in Henderson and has one of the most modern layouts among Las Vegas Casinos.
Other Great Video Poker Games in Downtown Las Vegas
The D is not the only place on Fremont Street to find good video poker games that return over 100%. While the Vegas Strip’s positive payback video poker machines are few and far between, Fremont Street has a lot to offer in this regard. Below we have outlined the casinos with positive payback on video poker.
#2 El Cortez Video Poker
The El Cortez offers several $0.25 full pay Deuces Wild machines which have a 100.76% payback. Aside from this, they also spread 10/7/5 Double Bonus Poker in several locations on the casino floor. With this abundance of great options, it is one of the best casinos to visit for playing video poker.
#3 Las Vegas Club Video Poker (Now Closed)
The casino at Las Vegas Club in downtown Las Vegas spreads full pay Joker Poker which has a 100.64% return. All of these games operate on coins and return over 100%, which is much better than those located on the strip. This casino has since been sold, closed and a new property will take its place. For posterity and reference, we have left this in our guide.
#4 Boyd Gaming Video Poker
Two of the three Boyd Gaming properties in downtown Las Vegas offer video poker machines that return over 100%. In downtown Las Vegas, California and Main Street Station have 10/7/5 Double Bonus. These casinos also have a variety of full pay games that return 99.5% or better. Main Street Station has full pay Jacks or Better at the bar as well.
#5 Plaza Las Vegas Video Poker
It is also worth noting that Plaza Las Vegas recently upgraded all of its video poker machines, many of which now return over 100%. Its best game is 10/7/5 Double Bonus, which returns 100.17%. It also has 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe and 9/6 Jacks or Better. Both of these games are located at the bar, which is an added plus.
Vegas Locals’ Casinos with the Best Video Poker
If you are looking to get away from Fremont Street and the Las Vegas Strip, there are many locals casinos that offer 100%+ return video poker machines. All major Station Casinos properties offer video poker games that return over 100%. Red Rock, Santa Fe Station, Green Valley Ranch, Boulder Station and Texas Station are among the casinos that offer these games. Not all machines at these properties have the great returns. The ones that do will be clearly advertised, so they are fairly easy to spot.
The best game on these video poker machines is full pay Deuces Wild. Other great options include 10/7/5 Double Bonus and 10/6 Double Double Bonus. Some of the machines also offer full pay Joker Poker. All games are available in quarters. The Double and Double Double Bonus games are also available in $.50 and $1 denominations.
Palms spreads full pay Deuces Wild, Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus. Sam’s Town also offers these games. All are available in quarters.
Never Use Players Card in Full Pay Machines
When many Video poker players start out, they learn that they should always use a players card when giving video poker action. The games listed above are one of the only exceptions. The reason for this is that casinos will often assume players that play on these devices are experts who are giving up no edge on the game. This can stop all mailers from casinos which means no more free play or hotel offers. For this reason it will do you well to avoid using a players card on these types of machines; even if you have a players card at the casino.
How Can Casinos Make Money Off 100% Video Poker?
Casinos still make money from video poker games that return more than 100%. That is because many players will not play all five coins required for the extra royal flush bonus. Most of the games available require a complicated basic strategy that differs from Jacks or Better. Many players do not put in the time to learn these strategies, and the casinos know this. The Deuces Wild games found on these machines should not be played like a normal game with a lower pay table, since it has a completely different strategy.
For these reasons, casinos still manage to make money from the games we mentioned in this article. Always make sure to play five coins every hand and learn the proper strategy so that you can play at an advantage on full pay machines. This will result in a theoretical 100%+ return on your play.
Related Posts:
Best Slots Las Vegas
Las Vegas Slot Payouts
Here is a list of different slot payouts from all the different Las Vegas casinos:
Best Slot Machines In Las Vegas 2019
Pay Out Comparisons, Brick Casinos Vs Online Casinos
There are some obvious key differences between playing slots in a brick and mortar casino and playing slots in an online casino. A brick and mortar casino offers perks such as the flashing lights of the machines, free drinks for players, and an exciting atmosphere. An online casino competes with this by offering large signup bonuses and loyalty rewards for players who stick to one company. However, not many people know that the percentage pay out also varies between a brick and mortar casino and an online casino. Not only does the percentage pay out differ between online and physical casinos but it also varies from slot game to slot game! You can try playing latest online slots for free at casinogames.ca/slots.
What is a Pay Out Percentage?
To understand the differences between pay out rates of a brick and mortar casino and online casinos, one must first understand exactly what a pay out percentage is. The pay out percentage is essentially an estimate of what a player can expect from a slot machine in terms of pay out. Slot machines are programmed to pay out winnings as a percentage of all the wagers that are paid into the machine by players. However, it is important to remember that the machines are still random and the pay out percentage covers the lifespan of the machine. This means that putting $100 into a slot machine with a 90% pay out percentage doesn’t guarantee a $90 return! These percentages can vary quite significantly between a brick and mortar Las Vegas casino and an online casino. For example in a Las Vegas casino, the average pay out percentage range is 86-93% whereas an online casino offers an average pay out percentage range of 95-98%. Thats quite a significant difference! Payout ratio is scientific metric, also common language in the investment and financial world.
Why Does the Pay Out Percentage Vary?
As you can see above, there is quite a significant difference between the brick and mortar casinos in Las Vegas and online casinos in terms of pay out percentage. The main reason for this is that physical casinos in Las Vegas have much higher operational costs and overhead expenses. They operate in a physical building which requires rent and maintenance as well as employing staff and other general expenses. Online casinos on the other hand have very low operational costs and most of the profits are re-invested into the company in the form of marketing and bonuses. You can see this in the online casinos reviewed at BestCasinosCanada comparison site with many sites there offering new players welcome bonuses from $1000 up, sums which Las Vegas casinos can't match.
The remaining money from the pay out percentage is known as the slot hold percentage and is the equivalent of the casinos house edge or hand rake in poker and other games. If a slot machine has a pay out percentage of 90%, the amount of money taken by the casino is 10%. So, for every $100 wagered, the casino retains $10 and the machine pays out $90. So, brick and mortar casinos in Las Vegas take an average of $7-$14 per $100 wagered, whereas online casinos only take an average of $3-$5 per $100 wagered. Although this may not seem like an awful lot, it can add up quite quickly.
Best Slot Machines In Las Vegas 2018 Schedule
Which Slot Games Offer the Best Pay Out Percentage?
Another aspect of pay out percentages in slot machines is the type of slot that you are playing. Each slot machine features a pay table which shows the probability of winning and the maximum winnings each machine will pay out. Brick and mortar casinos in Las Vegas generally have 3 reel classic slot machines which have a much lower pay out table and heavily favour the house. However, online casinos favour video slot machines with higher pay lines and a much better pay out probability. Slot games which are exclusively available in online casinos such as Thunderstruck II and Jurassic Park allow players to win on 243 lines with a host of features, wild symbols, and special mini games. Other exclusive online slot games such as Piggy Fortunes allow players to play 25 lines at one time, providing an excellent chance of winning on each spin. These online video slots combine a high pay out percentage of 95-98% with a high probability of winning on each spin, making them much more profitable than classic reels in brick and mortar online casinos.
Conclusion
When considering all the information, there is really no comparison between brick and mortar Las Vegas casinos and online casinos. In terms of pay out percentage, online casinos offer players a much higher chance of winning as the house takes a much smaller percentage of the money. Although brick and mortar casinos offer a different gaming experience with flashing lights, exciting sounds, and a general buzz, it is worth remembering that you are paying for that experience by sacrificing the probability of winning. For those players more interested in skill-games, you can find information on playing in Vegas here.