Macau is the Vegas of the east, a playground for the rich and for those who want something a little different to the City of Sin. Gambling has been legal here since 1850 and it provides the biggest source of income for the region. In fact, as is the case with Vegas, the city is built on money earned through gambling and without it this would be a desolate place. Those looking for horse racing and even sports books tend to prefer Hong Kong, where the Sport of Kings is at its most lucrative, but Macau struggles to be beaten when it comes to casinos. There is a wealth of slot machines and table games here, including blackjack.
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There are thirty-three casinos in Macau, and although this number isn’t quite as high as Las Vegas, Macau is known to have some of the biggest and most impressive casinos of anywhere in the world. In fact that’s why it is often referred to as the “Monte Carlo of the Orient”, as its pomp and splendor rivals that of the glorious city of Monte Carlo. The biggest casino here, and one that is often cited as one of the most impressive in the world, is the Venetian Macau. Along with nearly 3500 slot machines and hundreds of blackjack tables, this resort also has 3000 lavishly decorated suites, stocks of restaurants and plenty of entertainment.
The MGM Macau is also impressive, although it only has around 350 tables, a large chunk of which are blackjack tables. The Wynn Macau, the Greek Mythology Casino, Mocha Clubs, Altira Macau and the Jai Alai Casino are also well worth a visit, and if you tire of blackjack then there are plenty of other gems available as gambling is legal in most forms here.
Players that are familiar with American casinos, such as those in Atlantic City, Florida and in Las Vegas, may be a little taken aback by the limits on the Macau blackjack tables, as they are often considerably higher than they are in the United States. The average minimum bet here used to be around $45, but that has since increased to around $65. This pretty much excludes the micro and small stakers, and goes some way to make the medium stackers worry. It is great news for the high rollers though as you’ll struggle to find higher limits than the ones offered in Macau.
There are plenty of variants of the game on offer, with each also having different rules on bonus bets. At the Wynn Macau and the MGM Macau you are able to re-split aces, and can so for for up to four hands, but this option is not available anywhere else in the city as far as we know. These two casinos also ply their players with plenty of free drinks, as do the Venetian, Starworld and Grand Lisboa, so be sure to head to one of these if you want the VIP treatment. At the City of Dreams Casino you are given the VVIP treatment, with a drinks list that includes high quality wine from Australia, but despite this extra touch, and the fact that they did at one point offer re-split aces, their rules seem to be changing and this is no longer one of the best places to play. The Wynn Macau and the MGM Macau, however, also have double-down and early surrender, making these two the best places to play blackjack in Macau.