Top Poker Rooms in Vegas for Casual Players
Las Vegas is still one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. According to Statista.com, about 32 million people visited the City of Entertainment in 2021. There are many reasons why people flock to this destination – gambling, shopping, dining and entertainment are a few of the common ones.
For gaming enthusiasts in particular, poker remains one of the main attractions that draw in the crowds. For a beginner poker player, however, Vegas can be intimidating — especially with high-roller sections, stacks of chips on each table, and hundreds of players with professional poker faces staring you down.
If you’re used to playing at smaller venues, or friendly games at a friend’s house, hitting the big-time poker rooms may not be ideal. Instead, you could try your luck at one of the more casual poker rooms that offer lower risks and are still fun and challenging to play at. Here are a few below.
1. Bally’s Poker Room
Located on the casino level, the Bally’s Poker Room has fourteen tables that give casual players an enjoyable gaming experience. The tables are usually occupied by recreational players, which makes the poker experience less competitive and more fun for casual gaming. The poker room also hosts numerous tournaments that have the same relaxed atmosphere. Plus, if you get hungry you can grab a classic American hamburger at Johnny Rockets, or an American hotdog at Nathan’s Famous.
2. The Venetian Poker Room
The Venetian Poker Room is great place to sit down and play poker in elegance and comfort. The room offers nine-handed cash game play and action packed DeepStack Extravaganza tournament events. If you want to take a break from the tables, you could also take a stroll through the Grand Canal Shoppes, and even ride the gondola through the manmade canals. It’ll make you feel like you’re walking through the beautiful streets of Italy even while you’re in the heart of Vegas.
3. South Point Poker RoomLocated south of the Strip, there are some poker rooms that most casual poker playing tourists may not be familiar with. Poker.org’s feature on the best Las Vegas poker rooms recommends South Point for low-stakes games for recreational players that want to practice and gain table experience. The poker room does offer tournaments, but since they’re lower priced there isn’t much money to be made. On the bright side, if you get hungry, there are a lot of delicious restaurants to choose from, like the Silverado Steakhouse, Don Vito’s Italian cuisine, or Baja Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant.
4. Excalibur Poker Room
Located in the middle of the casino floor, the Excalibur Poker Room is a small poker area that consists of seven tables. It offers lower limit games for novice and beginner level players with daily tournaments that run at 9am, 1pm, 5pm, and 8pm featuring No-Limit Hold’em Poker. Since the area isn’t that big and the player skill levels aren’t very competitive, this is an ideal poker room for casual players. If you’re looking for a dinner and a show afterwards, be sure to check out the Tournament of Kings as it features jousting, invading armies, and dancing maidens, complete with a sumptuous three course meal.
5. Red Rock Resort’s Poker Room
Located 25 minutes west of the Strip, the Red Rock Resort’s poker room is a popular place where locals flock to for casual poker. The room offers easy low stakes Texas Hold’em games for beginners and novice players. After playing the tables, you can indulge in the Feast Buffet, or go for a hike in the nearby Red Rock Canyon.
Playing poker in Las Vegas doesn’t have to be intimidating at all, and you don’t need to be a big time professional to sit down at the poker tables in Vegas. Try out any of the poker rooms listed above and enjoy the feeling of playing poker at a real table in Las Vegas – without the pressure, and with all of the fun!