Wynn Las Vegas exhibits a level of class that cannot be found anywhere else in Las Vegas. It opened on April 28, 2005, at the top of the boom. There are 2,716 hotel rooms at Wynn Las Vegas.
Steve Wynn, its visionary, is the king of Las Vegas. Without his ideas, Las Vegas may be a different town. Wynn built Mirage and Treasure Island before founding his second company that include Wynn Las Vegas and its sister property, Encore. Wynn and Encore are connected by a corridor that includes high end shops and XS, a top Las Vegas nightclub.
Blackjack conditions deteriorated at Wynn Las Vegas in 2015. Steve Wynn proudly boasted during an earnings call that he needed to cut prices at his games. He dropped craps odds in half. At the same time, he increased the house edge at his blackjack tables below $25.
Wynn Las Vegas Tables and Games
Wynn was once a place that spread great blackjack games to all. That is no longer the policy there. Players looking for action below $25 will be forced to sit at 6-5 blackjack tables. We counted 17 6-5 blackjack tables during our July 2015 visit. This was right after Wynn changed his blackjack pricing strategy. These tables offer double down before and after splitting, but not surrender or re-split aces. The dealer hits soft 17. The house edge is 2.01% at these tables.
Most of these 6-5 tables have a $15 minimum bet, but some had a $25 one during our recent visit. We also found 17 3-2 games. There was one table with a $15 minimum bet. The other 16 had a $25 or $50 minimum. It seems unlikely that a $15 table will be available during most hours of the day. If it is, there probably will not be a seat open. The house edge at these tables is 0.47%.
The price jump to double deck was the largest we recorded during any Las Vegas survey. It took $500 to play the double deck pitch games. Double down before and after splitting is permitted at these tables. Re-split aces was also allowed. The dealer hits soft 17. The house edge is 0.31% at these tables.
The six-deck shoe games in the higher limits allow double down before and after splitting, as well as surrender and re-split aces. The dealer stands on all 17’s at these tables. The house edge is 0.27%. The six-deck stand on 17 games start at $200. The max bet for all Wynn Las Vegas high limit games is $20,000. VIP players may request higher limits.
Red Card for Frequent Blackjack Players
Forget trying to get comps for any low limit action. You will have to give black chip action to get any serious consideration for a buffet, much less any free rooms or high end meals. You may get a decent offer by mail if you mix it up with some slots or video poker action.
What’s Different?
The high minimum bets are very different than anywhere else. The double decks with a $500 minimum still hit soft 17. The stand on 17 shoe games have a $200 minimum bet. We love how elegant the Wynn is, but we cannot recommend it with these bet limits. There are far too many better options out there, even for high rollers. Some players find the high limits worth it to enjoy the Wynn Las Vegas experience. We cannot justify it.
The Inside View
Some players are attached to the experience only Wynn Las Vegas can give. We don’t understand that. For $25, you can get a double deck that stands on all 17’s across the street at Treasure Island. A five-star experience can be found at Venetian for $200 per hand with the same or better rules. We miss the days that a $15 bet got a 3-2 game with good rules.
Wynn Las Vegas has its reasons for changing the rules, but we cannot support how bad the games are now. If players blindly give action at these games with the absurd limits, other casinos are sure to follow.