There was a rumour spread a couple of years ago that there were $5 blackjack at the MGM Grand. This rumour was knocked back by many players and even now if you search for this, and even for “Blackjack at the MGM Grand” you will find players asking this question, with many others telling them that there are no such tables available. This is a strange one, because there are $5 tables available, and they are not that hard to find. This opens the game up to many players who can’t quite make the $10 minimum, but as discussed below, the $5 minimum is available on only one variant of blackjack, and it is far from the best.
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Overall, the MGM Grand is a great place to play blackjack. I feel that it doesn’t always get the respect that it deserves in this regard, which is a shame. At the MGM Grand you will find Single Deck Blackjack, where there is a $10 minimum and $2,000 maximum (the dealer hits on soft 17); Double Deck Blackjack, where there is a $50 minimum and a $5,000 maximum (dealer stands on soft 17); 6 Deck Blackjack, where the limits range from $25, $50 and $100, all the way up to a maximum of $10,000 (there are versions where the dealer stands on soft 17 and ones where the dealer hits on soft 17): and 8 Deck Blackjack, where the limits are just $5, as discussed above, and the maximum is $5,000.
As good as the Single Deck and Double Deck games seem, the fact that they pay 6 to 5 makes them less impressive. The house edges on these games are still relatively low though, and they are actually some of the lowest you will find on the Las Vegas Strip.
Although we can’t really recommend such an activity, card counting is also much easier at the MGM Grand. This, in part, is down to the sheer size and popularity of the casino and the table area, which makes it hard for the eyes in the sky and the pit bosses to spot any suspicious activity. This also applies in the high roller area, where there are many tables, all of which are often packed. Still, if this is what you have planned then be sure to play quick and short sessions, do not linger, do not get carried away with yourself, because whilst you can’t be arrested or sued in anyway, they can ban you from the casino and you don’t want to be blacklisted from one of the biggest casinos in the city.
All in all, this is a great casino in which to play some blackjack. There is a lot of choice, the casino is big, clean and plush, and the service is also great. There is enough going on elsewhere in the casino to keep you entertained if you tire of the tables and the higher limits are also huge if you want to bet big. I have found a lot of fault with many other casinos in the City of Sin, but this one gets the thumbs up from me.