There are more than 20 Las Vegas poker rooms. Some are among the best card rooms in the world — Bellagio, Aria, Venetian, Wynn, etc. But there are some unheralded spots you may have ignored, that are also worth a visit. We refer to these casinos' offerings as underrated poker rooms.
1. The Orleans
When most tourists think of great Las Vegas poker rooms, they often mention Bellagio, Aria, or Venetian, and a couple other spots on the Strip. But there are some great places to play poker away from the Strip too, starting with The Orleans, which is about a mile west of Las Vegas Boulevard. The Orleans poker room is popular among locals, but tourists will love the juicy low-stakes daily tournaments, regular mixed games spread, and plethora of cash game tables running daily.
2. Red Rock Resort
We’re always looking for an excuse to visit the gorgeous Summerlin area of Las Vegas. And there isn’t anywhere else to play poker besides Red Rock Resort, a Station Casinos-brand property. Red Rock, like Orleans, attracts mostly a local crowd, but the games on the weekends, especially after midnight, are extra juicy. The players, to put things bluntly, are mostly fish. The daily tournaments aren’t worth your time because they aren’t profitable, but the low-stakes cash games are as soft as you’ll find away from the Strip. Plus, Red Rock gets an extra bonus because the casino has so many fun entertainment options available outside the poker room.
3. Planet Hollywood
All of the world-class Las Vegas poker rooms are on the Strip. But aside from the well-known sites, there's at least one other card room there that's better than you may expect. The little-known card room inside Planet Hollywood is a fantastic find. You’ll find almost exclusively low-stakes games there, which means the high rollers won’t find a game. But any low-stakes grinder will make a killing in this poker room. Most of the players here are recreational tourists, exactly what you want to see at the table. In the summer, the casino hosts a popular Phamous Poker Series, with dozens of exciting low and mid-stakes tournaments.
4. Golden Nugget
Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas is one of the most exciting places to visit in the world. Next time you’re in town, make sure you head downtown for some dancing, drinks, music, and of course a little poker. There are a few places to play cards on Fremont Street, but Golden Nugget is the only spot worth a visit. The poker room at Golden Nugget has fewer than 10 tables, but the games are always juicy because the Fremont Street drunks often stumble in to play some cards. During the summer, Golden Nugget hosts one of the best poker series in town, The Grand, with dozens of huge events and tournaments for players at all levels.
5.Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is one of the fanciest casinos in Las Vegas, and the entire world for that matter. The poker room at Caesars is well-known and almost always packed. So, we aren’t exactly talking about some unknown spot here. But the room simply doesn’t receive near as much attention from the poker community as its neighboring property, Bellagio. The Caesars Palace poker room is situated in a great spot for serious poker players due to its proximity to so many bars and table games within the casino. Those card rooms often attract a heavy dose of recreational players and wealthy fish with money to burn.
Featured image source: Flickr
