The Linq is the new version of Imperial Palace. It was called The Quad in between Linq and Imperial Palace. The Quad turned out to be a bad name since some cultures believe that four is an unlucky number.
Caesars Entertainment owns The Linq. It is located between Flamingo and Harrah’s on the Las Vegas Strip. It occupies part of the former site of O’Sheas, an Irish-themed casino that once sat on the south portion of the property.
O’Sheas reopened in a smaller venue towards the rear of the casino. There is an entrance to O’Sheas from the Linq Promenade and its casino floor. O’Sheas also hosts some blackjack tables, as well as other games.
Linq Tables and Games
There are 21 6-5 blackjack tables at The Linq. Some are in a lounge area. There was once a party pit staffed with what were called “dealertainers”, which dressed up as celebrities. Those tables are gone. That area is now a poker room.
These 6-5 blackjack tables use eight decks and allow double down on any two cards, double down after splitting and surrender. The dealer hits soft 17. The bet range is $10 to $1,000. The house edge at these tables is 1.91%.
There are five blackjack tables in O’Sheas. These pay 6-5 on a natural and have the same rules as the above tables. The advantage to playing these tables is that the drink service is superior to The Linq.
There are 10 other tables that do not have “Blackjack pays 6-5” on the felt. These tables are sometimes converted to 6-5 tables with a placard on weekends. During the week, the 3-2 games start at $10 or $15. On weekends, the minimum can be as high as $25. These tables have the same rules as the 6-5 tables except for the blackjack payout. The house edge is 0.56%.
The Linq does not have a high limit area. There are no single or double deck tables. The Linq is the only Caesars Entertainment casino that does not spread any high limit games with better rules than the main casino floor.
What’s Different?
The Linq has been completely remodeled since its days as Imperial Palace. The casino had a total facelift before becoming The Quad. The hotel rooms were remodeled in 2015 before it relaunched as The Linq.
Even with all of the upgrades to the property, the casino limits are still reasonable. Players can usually find a decent $10 or $15 blackjack game that pays 3-2. These are located in the rear table games pit near O’Sheas and the new front desk area. The lack of a high limit area is another big difference between The Linq and other Las Vegas Strip resorts.
Total Rewards for Frequent Blackjack Players
Total Rewards is the players club used at The Linq. Total Rewards is used at all Caesars Entertainment casinos. Blackjack players do not receive the same type of rewards as slots and video poker players.
Blackjack players should expect little in the way of tier points or instant comps from action. The rewards typically come in the form of free or heavily discounted hotel rooms. These may not be seen in the list of available offers. Players may need to reserve a room and check out the discount or comp there. Keep in mind that Caesars properties will still charge a resort fee on comped rooms unless the player is Diamond or Seven Stars, tiers impossible to obtain from the type of action welcome at The Linq.
Players from markets outside of Las Vegas that use Total Rewards at regional casinos will likely find Las Vegas offers when logging into the website. Some offers may include free play or food. High volume players may even find an upgrade to the top floor of The Linq.
If you give any significant action to The Linq at blackjack tables, one comp you are likely to receive is a free pass to the High Roller. This is the observation wheel behind the casino. Pit bosses carry a full supply of these tickets.
The Inside View
The Linq is much nicer than it was during its days as Imperial Palace. Its rooms are newly renovated but are still very affordable. Players will find $10 blackjack games and $5 limits for other tables throughout the casino on most days.
Serious blackjack players will need to avoid all of the games in the front of the casino. Those all pay 6-5. The 3-2 tables are located in the back of the casino. If you enter from O’Sheas, walk past those tables, no matter how fun they appear, and go through the backdoor. The 3-2 blackjack tables are in that room.
The Linq is the only Caesars Entertainment casino in Las Vegas that does not have a high limit area. This means that all games hit soft 17. Walk next door to Flamingo or Harrah’s to find the stand on 17 games. These start at $100 and have a maximum bet of $10,000.