Flamingo is the oldest casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Well, that’s only partially true. The original casino opened on December 26, 1947. It was developed by mobster Bugsy Siegel. He was eventually murdered over an apparent dispute over the property with his business partners.
The resort changed hands multiple times over the years. The last of the original Flamingo was demolished on December 14, 1993. The property ended up under ownership of Park Place, which later became Caesars Entertainment. Harrah’s Entertainment acquired Caesars Entertainment in 2005. The name of the company was changed back to Caesars Entertainment in 2010.
Flamingo Tables and Games
There are 48 blackjack tables inside Flamingo. Most of these tables are unplayable. This includes the first tables players will find around the most popular entryways. Flamingo is a prime example of why you do not sit down at the first blackjack table that you see in a casino.
Players that come in from the south Las Vegas Strip entrance will walk by 12 6-5 eight-deck blackjack tables. Double down before and after splitting is permitted, as well as surrender. The dealer hits soft 17. The house edge is 1.91%. If it is any consolation, these tables are in a party pit. Players may bet anywhere from $10 to $1,000.
There are 28 blackjack tables in the rear of the property by the sportsbook. These are the first tables you will see when entering from the hotel, Linq Promenade and Las Vegas Monorail. These have the same rules as the party pit, including a 6-5 payout on a natural. The bet range for all of these games is $10 to $1,000.
There are four eight-deck blackjack tables in the middle of the casino by the craps tables and other pit games that are playable. These offer double down on any two cards and after splitting. Surrender is also permitted. The dealer hits soft 17. Like the 6-5 tables, the bet range is $10-$1,000. The house edge at this game is 0.56%.
The double deck blackjack game is spread at two tables. Double down on any two cards is permitted. Double down after splitting is not. The dealer hits soft 17. The house edge for this game is 0.6%. The bet limits are $25 to $3,000.
There are two high limit blackjack tables. Double down before and after splitting is permitted. Surrender is, too. The dealer stands on all 17’s at these two tables. Six decks are used and are hand shuffled. The bet limits are $100 to $10,000. The house edge is 0.35%.
What’s Different?
Flamingo is like other Caesars Entertainment properties in that it spreads a disproportionate number of terrible blackjack games. It also spreads decent low limit games for players that are willing to look for them. The tables in the rear of the casino by the sportsbook do not have the 6-5 blackjack disclosure in the table. It is displayed on a placard. That gives hope that some of these tables can easily be converted back to 3-2 at some point if competition warrants it.
Total Rewards for Frequent Blackjack Players
Total Rewards is a great players club for slots and video poker players. Table game players do not get much in the way of comps, at least not on the spot. Blackjack players will not get free meals after giving action at the tables. The best hope is to get a good offer on the Total Rewards website. Some offers on the website are not clearly disclosed. Sometimes it takes booking a trip to see the discount or free room.
Players at 6-5 tables earn comps faster than those at 3-2 ones betting the same amount. While comps are always great, that is hardly a reason to choose 6-5 over 3-2 tables.
The Inside View
There are only eight playable tables at Flamingo out of the 48 ones spread. The best bet is to move up to the $100 minimum game in high limit where there are only six decks and the dealer stands on all 17’s.
If your bankroll is small, make sure to find the $10 tables that pay 3-2 on a natural in the middle of the casino. These may move up to $15 or even $25 during peak hours. At that point, you may just want to play the double deck game that pitches about 70 cards before a shuffle.