Aria Blackjack
Aria is the newest Las Vegas casino in the MGM Resorts family. It is the centerpiece of the CityCenter development. It opened on December 16, 2009. It was the last Las Vegas casino to open with a poker room. Aria is widely considered to be one of, if not the most modern property on the Strip.
Aria offers 4,004 rooms, all suites when compared to other hotels, as well as a 150,000 square foot casino floor. While its casino floor is massive, its pool is even larger, coming in at over 200,000 square feet when including the cabana area. It also hosts 300,000 square feet of convention space.
Aria is located on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, with generally easy access to destinations across the street, like Planet Hollywood and Bally’s, accessible via bridge. Other hotel casinos located near Aria include Monte Carlo, New York-New York and Cosmopolitan.
Valet and garage parking are available at Aria, though both are charged, with rates depending on tier level and length of stay. For the most part, parking can be found relatively easily at Aria, so long as you are OK with a short walk from the garage to the property. In addition, a free tram runs to and from Aria to other nearby properties including Bellagio, Crystals and Monte Carlo.
Casino at Aria
- Aria Resort Blackjack When MGM Resorts International opened its $8.5 billion urban metropolis known as CityCenter in December 2009, it placed the new Aria Resort & Casino at its center to mark the beginning of a new era of luxury gaming on the Las Vegas Strip.
- With few rules and the lowest house edge in any casino game, blackjack Aria Resort & Casino Tripadvisor is one of the easiest games to learn and win. In most casinos, the house edge in blackjack Aria Resort & Casino Tripadvisor is only 1%, and this casino card game has one of the highest odds of winning for players.
- Aria Blackjack Rules Aria is currently dealing 4 types of blackjack and they’re all quite different. Knowing the difference between these games can really help reduce the house edge over an average blackjack player. For a card counter, it’s critical to understand these differences in order to maximize your advantage over the casino.
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[table “” not found /]Aria used to offer some of the best casino games in Las Vegas. While this is still true for high rollers, even $10 players will find decent value at Aria, provided careful attention to rules.
While Aria was one of the last holdouts in not offering any 6-5 blackjack games, the casino floor is now filled with 6-5 games. There are no especially positive or negative elements of the casino as a whole, beyond the very corporate vibe of the casino floor. Imagine a Downtown Las Vegas casino with Aria being around the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of energy.
Baccarat
Baccarat has a sizeable presence at Aria. There are a total of 12 baccarat tables at Aria. Tables can be found starting at $25 and with maximums of $10,000 or even more.
If you would like to squeeze the cards while playing baccarat at Aria, you may be subject to a $50 or $100 minimum per hand. We have found this minimum to vary based on the floor person, time of day, and other similar factors. There are better options for lower limit strip, baccarat players, if you would like to also squeeze the cards while playing.
Blackjack
There are 33 blackjack tables at Aria that deal from a six-deck shoe and hit soft 17. Unfortunately, unless you are playing $25 minimum or higher (often times $50 mins), you will only have 6-5 payout games to choose from. Players may double on any two cards as well as after the split. Re-split aces and surrender are also allowed. The minimum bet is $15, while the max is $5,000. These same rules are offered on four $100-$10,000 tables with the dealer staying on all 17s.
Aria also offers a great Double Deck Blackjack game. It allows double downs on any two cards and after a split. Re-split aces is even allowed. The dealer stays on all 17s and bets from $100 up to $10,000 are accepted. This game, even on the main floor, will often times have a $100 minimum.
Other popular Blackjack variations include Blackjack Switch and Free Bet Blackjack. Bets between $25 and $5,000 are accepted.
Craps
There are a total of 12 craps tables at Aria. The bet range is $10-$5,000. Odds are 3-4-5. The craps offering at Aria is totally average for Strip casinos, but better odds can be found elsewhere at several properties.
Roulette
There are 12 roulette tables at Aria. Eleven have a $15 minimum bet and have two zeros on the wheel. A $50 table has just one zero and offers European rules. This means that players receive half of the original wager back on even money bets if zero is called. Aria is one of only a few Strip casinos that offers European roulette.
Other Aria Table Games
Three Card Poker: $15-$1,000
Big Wheel: $2-$500
Ultimate Texas Hold’em: $5-$500
Casino War: $15-$1,000
Let it Ride: $10-$500
Crazy4Poker: $10-$500
Pai Gow Poker: $25-$10,000
Baccarat: $25-$10,000
The mixed table game selection is above average when compared to its competition on the Strip. In addition to this, the other table games at Aria have very reasonable table minimums, making them a viable option for recreational players.
Generally speaking, you will be able to get a seat at just about any table that you are looking for, regardless of how obscure the game may be. For example, Aria offers both Pai Gow in traditional card format as well as Pai Gow tiles. Most of the non-blackjack tables are located on the opposite side of the main entrance, near the walkway that sits across from the high limit table games room.
In addition to live table games, Aria also offers virtual table games to players that prefer lower limits. Shoot to Win Craps and video roulette offer $5-$2,000 limits.
High Limit Room at Aria
Aria has two different high limit rooms. One, which primarily offers blackjack, is located in the furthest area from the valet entrance, across from the selection of mixed games like Pai Gow. You may not even see the room itself, as it is tiled and almost camouflaged in with the walls. The limits in the high limit room vary greatly based on day of the week and time of day, but you will usually be able to find a 3/2 blackjack game with a $100 minimum regardless of when you are playing. You may encounter several reserved tables or tables with much larger minimum bets.
The other high limit room is located near Lemongrass restaurant and is almost exclusively a baccarat room. In fact, there are usually desserts and noodles available to players, at no cost. This room tends to have very large minimums and is usually occupied mostly by Asian players, but you will often times be able to find a baccarat table with $100 minimums. While the floor supervisors cater to their big players, the waitresses do visit at a high frequency in this room, and the service is top notch.
Slots at Aria
The slots at Aria are very modern, and you will be hard pressed to find an outdated or otherwise out of place machine. Almost all of the most current titles can be found in one area or another of the slots floor. All of the classics, like Top Dollar and Pinball, can also be found in abundance at Aria. Slot machines are scattered throughout the property, with mid limit sections just outside of the high limit area, and lower limit machines comprising the majority of the casino floor. Drink service can be hit or miss in the slots area, and we suggest ordering a beer or shot and mixer separately to make your ordering more efficient at Aria.
Though an exact number isn’t listed, there are thousands of different slot machines at Aria. These range from penny machines up to the highest levels imaginable, with some over $1,000 or even $2,000 per spin. The biggest drawback to Aria is found in their lower payback percentages. Actual payback percentages for Aria itself are not listed, but the Strip as a whole returns rest than the rest of Las Vegas, and being that Aria is primarily a tourist casino, it is safe to assume payback in the 90% range.
Beyond lower payback and ROI for slots, the reward program at Aria is average at best. Slot players tend to benefit the most from player rewards programs, and unfortunately, M life is one of the least competitive programs in Las Vegas.
High Limit Slots at Aria
Aria’s high limit slots can be found in the Spin High Limit Room. The slots in this high limit room offer some of the highest limits in all of Las Vegas, on the Strip or otherwise. In fact, a 777 slot machine in the room is particularly well known, as it features the ability to wager $5,000 per spin.
While some machines in the Spin room can be found in the $20 per spin range, the majority are closer to $50 or $100 per spin, making it one of the higher end slot offerings on the strip.
Video Poker at Aria
Video Poker is definitely available at Aria, but it would be unrealistic to say that it is a selling point. You will find VP available everywhere from the bars to the high limit slots room to the main casino floor, but even their best games are going to be 99% payback. This is common for the strip, and it is hard to find full pay video poker tables at any of the nearby casinos.
The biggest drawback is for low to mid-limit players. The best games under $1 denomination pay only 98.49%, making Aria one of the worst options for low limit VP players. If you want to be in the 99% range, you will need to play dollar or higher denom, meaning a minimum of $5 per hand wagered.
The majority of the 99%+ machines are in the Spin High Limit Room and you will find very poor paytables at the bars or the other VP banks, like those by the craps tables. Couple these subpar paytables with MGM’s mediocre player program and this makes Aria a clear “no” for serious video poker players.
Poker Room at Aria
Aria is home to a 24-table poker room. The poker room is located near the main valet and cab drop off area. Some of the highest limits in Las Vegas may be found at the Aria poker room. The main games are 1/3, 2/5 and 5/10 No Limit Texas Hold’em. Pot Limit Omaha is spread on a regular basis with blinds of 1/3 and 2/5. Mixed games are also common at Aria’s poker room.
There are two $125 No Limit Texas Hold’em tournaments spread daily. While the daily MTTs are popular, Aria does not hold a large amount of poker tournaments throughout the year, beyond their high roller events and televised games, which are part of the Super High Roller Bowl.
As a whole, Aria’s poker room remains one of the more busy locations on the strip. While the majority of strip casinos will struggle to even have a 2/5 NLHE game running, Aria almost always has multiple 2/5 games, along with PLO and higher limit NLHE options, usually featuring 5/10 with a $3,000 max buy in. The sports book is located just steps away from the poker room.
Sportsbook at Aria
The sportsbook at Aria leaves a fair bit to be desired, especially when considering the books that are located at other large casinos on the strip. The sports betting options at Aria include betting at the window and placing wagers through your phone using the PlayMGM app. You will receive the same odds through your phone bets as you would when placing a bet at the counter. In addition to the usual sports, horse racing is also offered at Aria.
In terms of size, Aria’s sportsbook is a lot smaller than you would likely anticipate from a property this large. You should be able to find seating, if only because it is one of the less trafficked books of the major strip resorts. Drink tickets for sports bettors at Aria are available, but they can be a bit on the stingy side, but this is now par for the course at most mega Las Vegas resorts.
Hotel at Aria
Aria offers over 4,000 guest rooms. The five-star resort comes at a price that most will find reasonable considering the quality of the rooms.
There are a total of five different room types at Aria’s hotel, including King Deluxe, Corner Suite, Crystals Suite, Center Suite, and Standard Suites. The smallest rooms are 520 square feet, but there are rooms that range all the way up to 1,500 sq. ft. The caveat to many of the more luxurious rooms in the Aria hotel is that they are often times reserved for larger players. While there is technically a price for these rooms, you may be hard pressed to obtain one, even if you are willing to spend money. For Aria, these rooms are best served as accommodations to their absolute biggest players.
In terms of price, you will want to consider the resort fee, which sits at a staggering $44.22 per night. This number has increased dramatically over the past few years. You will be granted access to the pool, use of WiFi and other standard amenities in exchange for this fee, and you do not have the option to decline the resort fee. This is one of the highest resort fees in all of Las Vegas.
If you are able to stomach the resort fee, you will find that rooms are fairly reasonable (though always prone to major price hikes during busy periods). For the most part, basic rooms can be found in the $100-$200 range per night, with weekends skewing closer to the $200 range. The most basic suite, the Corner Suite, is affordable at $200-$500 per night. For the size, this room will offer the most bang for your buck. More high end options include the Crystals Suite, but you will pay for it, as they are around 50% more than Corner Suite rooms.
Aria is undoubtedly one of the more (though not the most) luxurious options in Las Vegas. Comped hotel rooms are not quite as easy here as they may be elsewhere, but they can be obtained with a decent level of play. Connect with a host if you plan on playing mid limit games or higher with any reasonable level of volume, as you may very well be able to land a comped room at Aria.
Spa and Fitness Center
The spa at Aria is very expansive. Most of the standard spa offerings are included with the payment of your daily resort fee, though non hotel guests can also opt into a spa visit for a fee, which varies based on which facilities or services you are using. Your hotel key and name on reservation will be sufficient for entry to the spa and fitness center.
Beyond a salon, massages, a therapy pool, and a salt room, Aria also features an ultra modern fitness center, which is ideal for those staying at the property. Access to the fitness center at Aria is also included with your resort fee. The spa and fitness center are open from 5am to 8pm daily, including weekends
Restaurants & Bars at Aria
Aria offers 16 restaurants. All are fine dining when compared to standards outside the five-star resort. It is hard to find a meal under $20 under Aria’s roof.
Aria’s Café is open 24 hours a day and is the most affordable meal in the resort. The buffet and 5-50 Pizza are also affordable options. Lemongrass, which offers Asian cuisine, is another great option for guests looking to find a decent meal without breaking the bank.
Fine Dining
Looking for fine dining at Aria? You’re in the right place. Blossom offers upscale Asian cuisine. This includes seafood, chicken, beef, and noodles. Javier’s is a Mexican infused dining options. Julian Serrano is, too.
Sage is a seafood and chophouse. Sirio offers seafood, meats, cheeses and pasta.
Bar Masa is a sushi joint on the high end, with meals over $60 per person. Jean Georges offers prime steak and seafood options. Tetsu is the best choice for seafood. The high end restaurant also offers steaks and other meat options.
Bars at Aria
Casino bars and lounges are available all across Aria. The Gold Lounge, Ace Lounge, and sportsbook lounge all offer service that is expected from a five-star resort. Most of the bars at Aria offer table top video poker machines, which can be played for comped drinks.
Many of the bars will be crowded, often times to capacity, during busier times. Many of the bars feature loud music and are designed as “party” atmospheres, so this is not the ideal location for low limit video poker drinking.
JEWEL Nightclub at Aria
Aria was once home to Haze nightclub, but this club has since closed. Today, the star of the nightclub show is JEWEL. The nightclub at Aria is open Friday through Monday nights, with the occasional Thursday opening for special events. The club usually opens at 10 and closes at 4am.
As this is one of the more popular nightclubs in Las Vegas, and is at a high end resort, you should expect long lines and a large bill. Table service can run in the thousands of dollars at JEWEL, and even drinks and entry will likely cost $100 per person, at a minimum. JEWEL is a club for the modern Vegas experience, but it is not an ideal fit for those on a budget.
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The south end of the Las Vegas Strip consists of all casinos from Mandalay Bay up to Aria, MGM Grand and Tropicana. The blackjack on this section of the Strip is among the worst on the Las Vegas Strip for low limit players. Higher limit blackjack players will find some of the best games here. All games listed below hit soft 17 unless otherwise noted.
There are eight casinos in this section. MGM Resorts owns seven. Tropicana is the other. It is operated by Penn Gaming.
The minimum bet noted is our predicted lowest offered at the casino. This pertains to slower hours. Minimum bets may go up, sometimes drastically, during busier hours.
The biggest change on this part of the Las Vegas Strip from last year is that Blackjack Switch is no longer available. MGM Resorts removed it from all its Las Vegas casinos in 2020.
Related: 2021 Las Vegas Blackjack Survey
Best blackjack on South Las Vegas Strip
The best blackjack is found in four high limit salons in this section. The game is double deck that stands on all 17’s. Players may double down before and after splitting. The same casinos have a six-deck blackjack game that stands on all 17’s. These add surrender and re-split aces. The casinos with both games are Aria, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and Park MGM. Tropicana deals the six-deck version. The minimum bet is usually $100 for these games but can be $200 or more during busier times.
The pandemic affected table game hours at many casinos, especially high limit salons. If you go to a casino to play a specific game, we recommend making sure that the pits or salon will be open at that time.
Aria
Aria hosts five different blackjack games. Eight-deck blackjack and Free Bet Blackjack pay 6:5 and start at $25. It takes $50 to get a 3:2 game. It has double down before and after splitting with surrender and re-split aces. There is a $100 game in high limit with these rules that stands on all 17’s. The other high limit game is stand on all 17 double deck. It typically has a $100 or $200 minimum. Double down before and after splitting is allowed.
Excalibur
There are three blackjack games at Excalibur. This does not include Down Under Blackjack, which left the casino in 2020. Players may choose between two 6:5 games for $10. One is a standard eight-deck. The other is Free Bet Blackjack. The other game is a 3:2 eight-deck for $25. It has double down before and after splitting.
Luxor
Blackjack starts at $15 at Luxor. There is a traditional 6:5 eight-deck game and 6:5 Free Bet Blackjack. Luxor offers two high limit games that pay 3:2. This starts at $100. One is a double deck with double down before and after splitting. A six-deck game adds surrender and re-split aces. Luxor hits soft 17 at all blackjack tables.
Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay has five blackjack games. It takes $15 to play 6:5 games. The options are standard eight-deck and Free Bet Blackjack. A $25 3:2 eight-deck has standard double down rules with surrender and re-split aces. There is a stand on all 17 game with these same rules. There is also a $100 double deck game that stands on all 17’s with double before and after splitting.
MGM Grand
The blackjack news out of MGM Grand this year is that all its games in the pits now hit soft 17. Players must head to high limit to get a game that stands on all 17’s. One is a double deck with a $200 minimum bet. It allows double down before and after splitting. A $100 six-deck game adds surrender and re-split aces. A $25 3:2 game on the floor has these rules but hits soft 17. There is also $15 6:5 blackjack and 6:5 Free Bet.
New York-New York
Blackjack starts at $10 at New York-New York. It pays 6:5. The choices are Free Bet Blackjack or a standard eight-deck. A $25 minimum gets a 3:2 eight-deck with double down before and after splitting. This game is $100 for a six-deck in high limit and adds surrender and re-split aces. There is also a $100 3:2 double deck in high limit with double down before and after splitting. All New York-New York blackjack games, including in high limit, hit soft 17.
Aria Craps Table
Park MGM
Park MGM has either $10 6:5 games in the pits or $100 3:2 stand on all 17 games in high limit. There is nothing in between. The $10 6:5 games are eight-deck or Free Bet Blackjack. The $100 3:2 games are double deck with double down before and after splitting. The six-deck adds surrender and re-split aces.
Aria Blackjack Table Minimums
Tropicana
Aria Blackjack Rules
Tropicana requires $15 or $25 for a 3:2 game, depending on the time of day. The options are double deck or six-deck. Both allow double down before and after splitting. The high limit game is a six-deck that stands on all 17’s. This game adds surrender and re-split aces. The other blackjack game pays 6:5. It is either $10 or $15.