New York New York is located on the northwest corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana Ave. It is between Excalibur and Monte Carlo. New York New York is owned by MGM Resorts. It opened on January 3, 1997. It hosts 2,024 hotel rooms and 84,000 square feet of casino space.
New York New York has become a central point for patriotic Las Vegans. It was the scene of an impromptu gathering for mourners on 9/11, as well as when Osama Bin Laden was captured. The outside of the hotel is the New York skyline as seen on the day the casino opened. It even has a miniature Statue of Liberty, one so real the U.S. Postal Service accidentally used it on a stamp instead of the real one. New York New York is also home to the last outdoor roller coaster on the Las Vegas Strip.
New York New York Tables and Games
There are 34 blackjack tables on the main casino floor at New York New York. There are 20 8-deck party pit tables that pay 6-5 on a blackjack. These allow double down before and after splitting. The dealer hits soft 17. The house edge is 2.01% at these tables and the nine others with the same rules in the front pit. The bet limits are $5 to $1,000.
There are two eight-deck $10 to $1,000 games with the same rules, except that they pay 3-2 on a blackjack. These are located in the back pit by the Pai Gow Poker tables. The house edge is 0.65%.
There are two double deck blackjack tables on the main casino floor. These have $25 to $2,500 bet limits. Players may double down on any two cards and after splitting. The dealer hits soft 17. The house edge is 0.4% at these double deck blackjack tables.
There is also a $10 to $1,000 Free Bet Blackjack table that pays 3-2 on a natural. In Free Bet Blackjack, the house pays for all double downs on 9, 10 and 11, as well as all splits that are not tens. In exchange for this, the dealer pushes on a 22 against any player still in the hand. The dealer hits soft 17. Blackjack pays 3-2.
The high limit salon used to spread some great games. That is no longer the case. All games in the high limit area now hit soft 17.
There are two six-deck tables that allow double down before and after splitting, as well as surrender and re-split aces. The house edge is 0.47% at this game. There is also a double deck game that offers the same rules as the one on the main casino floor. The bet limits in the salon are $100 to $10,000.
What’s Different?
There is little that differentiates New York New York from other casinos. It doesn’t spread any stand on 17 games. New York New York does offer the only two regular 3-2 games under $25 among the entire company’s holding in Las Vegas. Those are two tables located in the pit closest to the front desk. There are two $25 double deck games and a Free Bet Blackjack; otherwise the entire floor pays 6-5. At least it has $5 tables.
MLife for Frequent Blackjack Players
MLife is the players card used by all MGM properties in Las Vegas except Circus Circus. It is a waste for most blackjack players. MLife will not rate players under $25. The green chip players will get little beyond a free slice of pizza. It will take black chip action to get noticed at the blackjack tables. If you are going to play black chip, you should go somewhere that stands on all 17’s in high limit.
The Inside View
New York New York used to be the best place for low rollers to play blackjack, including $5 3-2 blackjack tables. That all changed in 2014. Dozens of tables became 6-5 and the high limit games started hitting soft 17. The bet limits went from $50 to $100 in the salon. There are two $10 tables that pay 3-2. You will find them by walking all the way past craps to the back pit where the Asian table games are.
The two $25 double deck games are also there. These have an advantage over the same game at Caesars properties. At New York New York, you can double down after splitting on the double deck. No Caesars property will let you do that in Las Vegas.