I agree with the author John Mehappey(Vegas Advantage). He usually does a thorough job with his opinion stories. I like that he will actually travel to the destinations/ do his own observations and collection of intel.

?Any opinions/thoughts?

2024 Vegas Best Advantage Awards – Gambling in Las Vegas

Thanks for the link KFB!

It's an interesting list of course, especially for black jack and video poker players.
I agree about the South Point, probably the most crowded Vegas casino at any hour of any day for a reason.

As baccarat player, I would mention which casinos offer commission and no commission games, but more importantly what's the average action at the tables.
Normally the baccarat action in US outside Vegas is good or very good. For obvious reasons it's not the case for Vegas casinos.

It's really sad to play alone or with just another player or asking too many times for "free hands", especially for low frequency bettors.

This is my list based upon the baccarat average action (number of players) in Vegas casinos (no downtown casinos are considered here).

Good action

- Gold Coast
- Palms

Medium action

- Aria
- Palace Station
- Bellagio
- Venetian
- Durango
- Paris
- Stratosphere
- Red Rock
- South Point
- Rio
- Orleans
- Caesars Palace
- Rampart


Low action

- Wynn
- Encore
- The Palazzo
- Fontaineblue
- Resorts World
- Cosmopolitan
- MGM Grand
- MGM Park
- Treasure Island
- PH
- Boulder Station
- Mandalay Bay
- others

Not coincidentally the two most crowded casinos are close to Vegas Chinatown: you'll be surprised to see several tables open (and full of players, especially at Gold Coast) in a unsuspected Monday morning. A thing happening only at Macau.

A more technical thing (considered worthless by "experts" but not by us) is how the shoes are shuffled. In Vegas shoes are not manually shuffled so either a machine do the job or preordered shuffled decks are utilized.
Since most players like to peek at the cards, more and more preordered shuffled shoes are dealt in Vegas.

Then there are several additional factors to award a "best baccarat tables in Vegas" prize.
Mostly are related to min/max betting limits, HE, general atmosphere, propensity to deal many free hands or dealing a new shoe before the end of it, then average skills and 'composure' of the other players (generally speaking there are more good local players than good tourist players). Etc.

From a strict HE point of view, the best Vegas baccarat casino ever was (or still is, we don't know) the "D" in downtown where Banker winning bets were burdened by a mere 4% vig.
Besides of a short lived experiment made at Sahara casino in the 80s, where there wasn't no commission at all at B winning bets (lol), by far "D" casino offered the best baccarat tables in the history of this game.

as.

Hi Asym.

Thx for review of this article and your personal rankings. I like an updated review as I mostly play in the Midwest,USA.My fav LV casino for Bac is probably  Bellagio. Even when I stay at other cas I still play at Bellagio some.

Asym:
"This is my list based upon the baccarat average action (number of players) in Vegas casinos (no downtown casinos are considered here).

Good action

- Gold Coast
- Palms
..."


I like Gold Coast. It has been many years since I played at Palms/ have never stayed at their property.


"...Then there are several additional factors to award a "best baccarat tables in Vegas" prize.
Mostly are related to min/max betting limits, HE, general atmosphere, propensity to deal many free hands or dealing a new shoe before the end of it, then average skills and 'composure' of the other players (generally speaking there are more good local players than good tourist players). Etc.

    Yes on free hands. Unfortunately in the Midwest very few casinos will allow free hands. A few allow <=3 per shoe. I try to wait until at least 2-3 players at table. If Im forced to play alone I utilize a 7-series of wagers(aka Gr8 type tiers up/down) that start a few increments above the table minimum(e.g If $25min then start first tier at $35, If $50min I start first tier at $60). Then when I see something I like I then wager my main Base Unit. The 7-series usually takes care of itself(approaches 0 Net), until other players arrive. Then I stop the gr8 series/just make  my main wager.


"...From a strict HE point of view, the best Vegas baccarat casino ever was (or still is, we don't know) the "D" in downtown where Banker winning bets were burdened by a mere 4% vig.
Besides of a short lived experiment made at Sahara casino in the 80s, where there wasn't no commission at all at B winning bets (lol), by far "D" casino offered the best baccarat tables in the history of this game...."

I would love that 4.0% game at D. I think one could get that down to below 3.1 Net. 

"...Besides of a short lived experiment made at Sahara casino in the 80s, where there wasn't no commission at all at B winning bets (lol),...

    They probably still made money near their typical Hold from the majority. Though Im sure a few well-heeled players exploited that situation.



Thanks again for your review/ rankings for the current Bac environment in vegas.


Continued Success,