10 Best Casinos on the Las Vegas Strip (May 2024)

Atlantic City, Monte Carlo and Macau are all gaming capitals in which you can find the most brilliant casinos, oozing with the opulence and splendour of a palace. But when you ask anyone where they the best or biggest casinos in the world are, 9 out of 10 times your answer will be Las Vegas. The city has become synonymous with gambling, whether it is glamorised in films, popularised by boxing fights or a celebrity hotspot of olden times.

History of Gambling in Las Vegas

Before diving straight into our top 10 list of the best casinos in Vegas, a little background is in order. The gigantic resorts you see and hear about nowadays that form part of a multibillion-dollar infrastructure only started taking shape in the 90s.

When the city was founded, in 1905, gambling was legal. Establishments were set up, including the Golden Gate on Fremont Street, and by 1909 a statewide ban was put on gambling. This ban lasted throughout the 1910s and 1920s and was only repealed in 1931. At the time, the Great Depression had taken a swing for the worse, and businesses were suffering tremendously. The state made some money after legalising gambling, with Assembly Bill 98. After the Second World War, Las Vegas became a target for criminals, who wanted to invest in gambling venues. The state flushed out most of the criminal activity during the 1960s.

In 1977, Atlantic City in New Jersey legalised gambling and this threatened business in Las Vegas. The city responded by creating more casinos, creating an explosive growth that lasted from 1970 up til 1988. 1989 saw the start of the megaresort constructions, and a huge shift by entertainment companies to build casino hotels on The Las Vegas Strip. The Strip has grown tremendously since then and is now one of the most iconic destinations for gamers all over the world.

Now let’s push onto why you are here: our top 10 casinos in Las Vegas.

1. The Venetian

The Venetian is on the Las Vegas Strip, next to Harrah's and Palazzo. This luxury hotel and casino opened in 1999 and its theme is everything Venice. Features include a massive entry plaza, canals where you can get gondola rides, Renaissance-styled ceiling paintings, and St. Mark's Square, inside the complex. There are museums, theatres, convention spaces, restaurants, and practically everything you can imagine. The property is owned by Vici Properties and the casino is run by Apollo Global Management.

The Venetian is one of the biggest casinos on The Strip, with 120,000 square feet of gaming action. There are 1,900 slots and gaming machines, spread out in the most palatial of spaces. You can also check out the High Limit Slot Saloon, where players can spend up to $5,000 for a single spin. Table games are a bit hit at The Venetian, where there are both live tables and electronic table games. With over 250 table games to pick from, you will never get bored at The Venetian. Poker players are also taken care of in the dedicated poker rooms, where the action starts from $4/$8. Last but not least, the Yahoo Sportsbook, powered by William Hill, spans 1,700 square feet and has intimate “Fan Caves” where bettors can immerse themselves in the games.

Favourite Highlight: Top High Limit Slots Action

2. Caesars Palace

Caesars Palace was built in 1966 and its glorious presence on the Vegas Strip makes for an iconic holiday snap. Though the Palace was built before the megaresort era, the resort was renovated and extended multiple times, to swell into a truly massive resort. It is famous for the Forum Shops, a Colosseum in which many legendary musicians have played, and a plethora of fine restaurants. The resort is owned by Vici Properties and the casino is run by Caesars Entertainment. It is arguably the magnum opus of Caesars Entertainment, which operates over 50 properties in the US.

Caesars Palace has over 124,000 square feet of casino floor space, with more than 1,300 gaming machines and 185 table games. Visitors in the casino can play all sorts of games on the machines, including video slots, keno, video blackjack and video poker. The bets start from 1 cent and can go up to $500 per play. The tables at Caesars are legendary, providing all the casino staples you would expect them to. Poker is also a big thing at Caesars Palace, and in the dedicated 4,500 square foot room, daily poker tournaments and cash games are held. The sportsbook at Caesars Palace is open 24/7 and has a massive 143′ LED display, as well as 65 private booths for race bettors.

Favourite Highlight: Best For Table Game Players

3. Wynn Las Vegas

Wynn Resorts owns Wynn Las Vegas on the Vegas Strip. The casino was opened in 2005 and includes a sister property, The Encore. Within the complex, there is a huge hotel, shops and a variety of pools. Aside from the casino, the key attractions at this establishment are the Wynn Theatre and the Wynn Golf Club. Golfers can spend endless time on the epic course, which was designed in 1952 and predates Wynn by over 50 years. The Wynn Theatre has some splendid shows, including La Reve and Lake of Dreams.

Wynn casino measures 111,000 square feet and has more than 1,800 state-of-the-art slots. The games include some classics such as Megabucks, Monopoly and Blazing 7's. The Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room is the stuff of legends, with classic tournaments and it holds the WPT World Championships. This is the largest event in poker, with prizes of $40,000,000. You can catch all the action at the complex and watch it on massive TV displays. Table game players have two floors of gaming action to check out. Wynn also provides a fantastic Wynn Race & Sportsbook, complete with Encore Players Lounge in the shared facility with Encore at Wynn, and Charlie's Sports Bar.

Favourite Highlight: Hosts WPT World Poker Tournament Championships

4. Bellagio Las Vegas

Blackstone Inc. owns the Bellagio and MGM Resorts International runs it. It is located in the heart of The Strip, next to The Cosmopolitan, and in front of it lies the Bellagio Fountains. You will have to pass by the Fountains of Bellagio to enter the resort, and it has some amazing water shows to music. The fountain lights up at night and can shoot water jets as high as 460 feet up into the air. The resort also has a conservatory and botanical gardens, as well as a fine arts museum. Bellagio is full of surprises, with Cirque du Soleil shows, live entertainment in its special lounges, pools, and a wondrous selection of shops.

The Bellagio Casino measures 156,000 square feet and has 2,300 reel slots, video slots and video poker games. There are slots tournaments too, which can bring huge prizes ranging from $100,000 to over $2 million. The high limit lounge, called Club Prive, provides a classy gaming experience. In addition to its high stakes table games, there is a splendid collection of whiskeys and cigars. Poker players have 40 tables to catch all the action, and there is a sportsbook, powered by BetMGM. This sportsbook features a thrilling selection of bets and 99 individual racing monitors for race bettors.

Favourite Highlight: Top High Roller Experience at Club Prive

5. MGM Grand

MGM Grand is located a bit further down The Strip, at the intersection with Tropicana Avenue. The resort is owned by Vici Properties, but its day-to-day operations are headed by MGM Resorts International. MGM Grand opened in 1993, and at that time, it was the largest hotel complex in the world. The complex has two themes: Hollywood and Art Deco. It has loads of attractions, including a massive garden area, the legendary Hakkasan nightclub, and tonnes of top restaurants. Those who want to take in a show can check out some of the perfomances in the concert hall, or check out the David Copperfield resident act.

You can walk around MGM Grand's Casino for hours on end and still discover many surprises. The casino spans 171,500 square feet, with over 2,500 gaming machines and 139 tables. The slots have denominations from 1 cent up to $1,000 and there are loads of jackpot titles. You can play at standalone progressives or head to the link progressives, where the top prize grows constantly. A tonne of table games await eager players, as they can tuck into classics or go for some alternative games such as Crazy “4” Poker, High Card Flush and Pai Gow Tiles. Poker players can jump into games where the blinds start as low as $1/$2 and there is also a thrilling BetMGM Sportsbook.

Favourite Highlight: Best Variety of Table Games

6. Mandalay Bay

Mandalay Bay is further down The Strip, closer to the Las Vegas Welcome Sign. The resort is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International, just like MGM Grand. It opened in 1999 and is part of a complex that includes the Delano Las Vegas and Four Seasons Hotel. There are plenty of shows, a fantastic beach and water park, and other leisure facilities in Mandalay Bay. The House of Blues is a particular favourite amongst tourists, as is the Michael Jackson: One Cirque du Soleil, the Shark Reef, and the Michelob Ultra Arena, home to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA.

With over 160,000 square feet of casino floor space, Mandalay Bay is quite an impressive destination for gamers. It has over 1,200 gaming machines, with denominations from 1 cent up to $100. There are high limit slots, video poker and progressive slots. There are 130 tables for casino games and a further 10 poker tables, on which you can play some epic cash games. Buy-ins for poker tournaments range from $60 up to $1,000, but if you are going as a group, you can also set up your own private tournament. BetMGM runs the sportsbook at Mandalay Bay, which has VIP Luxury Boxes and a fantastic Sportsbook Grill.

Favourite Highlight: Organises Private Poker Tournaments

7. Aria Resort and Casino

Aria Resort and Casino is owned by The Blackstone Group and run by MGM Resorts International. This resort is close to the centre of The Strip, next to Park MGM and Waldorf Astoria, just half a mile South of the Bellagio. It consists of two curvilinear towers, with glass facades, rising up to 50 storeys. This complex was erected in 2009 and has one of the most technologically advanced hotels. Aria Resort and Casino has touchscreens located throughout the complex, advanced shading systems, and automatic lighting and heating. In addition to the hotel, guests come here for the shows, notable restaurants, fine art collections, shops and pools.

Aria Casino is 150,000 square feet in size and features 2,000 gaming machines as well as 150 gaming tables. There are many popular slot series in the collection, including Buffalo Link, Wheel Of Fortune High Roller, Quick Hit Explosion and Mystery Of The Lamp. The resort pays out jackpots regularly and hosts MGM Rewards Slot Tournaments, where players can win up to $200,000. Poker players have 24 tables to try out, which host cash games of No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha and various mixed games. Aria Resorts Sportsbook, powered by BetMGM, offers bettors a luxurious game-watching experience, showing up to 200 live events on the 220″ TVs.

Favourite Highlight: Biggest Slots Tournaments

8. Luxor Casino

Luxor Casino is near Mandalay Bay, on The Vegas Strip. This casino was opened in 1993 and is immediately recognisable as it is a massive 30-storey pyramid. The casino hotel is owned by Vici Properties and run by MGM Resorts International and has an ancient Egyptian theme. At the top of the pyramid, on the inside, there is a beam of light called the Luxor Sky Beam. Inside, there is the Discovering King Tut's Tomb exhibition, as well as Bodies: The Exhibition and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. Luxor also puts on some great shows, including knee-slapping comedy acts. Other amenities include restaurants, clubs and a massive video gaming arcade.

When entering the Luxor's Casino, you will be welcomed by a replica of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel. The casino spans 120,000 square feet, with 1,100 gaming machines and 62 gaming tables. Guests can enjoy free cocktail service, “Luxor-ious” surroundings and some thrilling jackpot games. The high limit area has Blackjack, Baccarat, video poker and video slots. The Blackjack and Baccarat range from $100 up to $5,000 per round, and include Mini Baccarat, Double Deck Blackjack and Six Deck Shoe Blackjack.

Favourite Highlight: Awesome High Stakes Blackjack and Baccarat

9. The Mirage

The Mirage is opposite LINQ and next to Caesars Palace on The Strip. This establishment was opened in 1989 and kicked off the megaresorts era of Las Vegas. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. The Mirage paved the way for the other megaresorts on The Strip, such as the Rio and Excalibur (1990), MGM Grand, Treasure Island and Luxor (1993), and so on. The Mirage has natural features, pools, loads of dining options, nightclubs, and a range of shows. The most famous of these shows is The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil.

The Mirage Casino is 90,000 square feet in size and has 2,300 gaming machines. These are spread out across the casino floor space, and some of the video poker machines can be found in the High Limit Lounge, where you can play with big stakes. There are 115 tables that have Craps, Poker, Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat. The Mirage also features a sportsbook, which has bets provided by BetMGM.

Favourite Highlight: Amazing Range of Video Poker Machines

10. Circus Circus Casino

Way up North on the Las Vegas Strip, you can find Circus Circus. This hotel casino has a circus and carnival theme, with the largest permanent circus in the world. Phil Ruffin, who owns Treasure Island on The Strip, and has shares in Trump Tower, owns and operates Circus Circus. The resort did not have a hotel when it opened in 1968. A hotel was added in 1972, and in 1993 Circus Circus was extended with an amusement park, called the Adventuredome. In addition to those, the complex features carnivals, the Splash Zone pools and a small Slots-A-Fun Casino, with thrilling old-school reel machines and other arcade games.

The main casino at Circus Circus is far larger, spanning 123,000 square feet with 1,400 slots and 30 table games. The circus theme continues inside the casino. Visitors can find all sorts of slots and tables propped up like carousels, tents, and amazing carnival lights. There are all sorts of slots, keno, and even progressive video jackpot machines. There are electronic and live table games, including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette and Three Card Poker. Bettors can enjoy the Circus Circus Race and Sportsbook, powered by William Hill. This sportsbook is not far from the free circus acts at the hotel, so football dads can take a peek inside to see the score while taking their kids to the circus shows.

Favourite Highlight: Thrilling Circus Theme and Slots-A-Fun Arcade Games

Conclusion

Now you have learnt the history of the Las Vegas Strip and know what to expect, it is time to go out and find your favourite casino. If you have never been inside a gigantic megaresort casino, then prepare to have your mind blown. You may want to spend half an hour just walking around the casinos and then, when you are ready to start playing, you can pick a table and try your luck.