Table Games Want to play a new table game next trip, which one?

For my next trip in March I want to expand my table gaming options a little more. Normally my play is 90% BJ at $10-25 a hand, and 10% slots at $1 a spin. I'm looking for a fun "carni game" as everyone calls them that requires little to no thought on play at all. I get extremely wasted and it'd be nice to play something where you don't have to make a decision based on your hand like in BJ.

So basically I'm looking for something on strip, $5-10 min bet, preferably a CET casino, and most importantly one where everyone has a good time/social game. (Please don't recommend roulette or craps) I've been looking at 3 card poker and it looks pretty fun, what else would you recommend?

 

I've had a little luck with Three Card Poker as well, and it shouldn't be too hard to find a $5.00 table especially in the morning. Another good one to try in that category is Let It Ride. This can be a very streaky game though. Its not hard to sit down with $50 dollars and lose 10 hands in a row. If you happen to hit a few good hands early, it can be a lot of fun and more relaxing than BJ or Craps.

 

Carnie games? Try Casino War.

 

I wouldn't call Pai Gow Poker a carni game but it is a very sociable game, and since you tie a lot, your money can last a long time. Play at the Flamingo in the Margaritaville area, good times. You play against the dealer like blackjack and dealer and other players can help you set your hands till you get hang of it. Last time I was there table min was $10 in evening.

 

If you want a drunken no-thoughts social game, casino war is a game you could play. I would never play it, but I've seen/heard plenty of tables having fun with it. Let it ride has too much variance and doesn't seem to be that much fun or social. You could try play pass line on craps + odds if you want to roll that way.

Another thought is BJ switch, especially since you're familiar with BJ

 

Let it ride and 3 card poker are my go to carnie games. I would say both are moderately social and You can always ask the dealer for help if you are getting too drunk.
I enjoy pai gow but there is a little more thinking with that game. But you can play for hours and break even.
Mississippi stud can crush your bankroll quick and you could potentially be giving up alot of winning hands if you arent sober enough to play correctly.

If you wanna go really carnie you can always do the big wheel. Odds are horribly against you but its a $2 minimum and you might get lucky and hit a 40:1 bet. We played the wheel when we were there for a bachelor party in august. It was the only place that 10 of us could sit together and play a low stakes game at MGM and drink service was phenomenal. It helped that we hit the 40:1 bet 2 times within 5 spins.

 

Looks like I'm gonna try 3 card poker. I only gamble at night so is it gonna be $10 min at nights for most places on strip? That kinda sucks cause if so it'll cost $20 to play a hand.

 

When I first started reading your post I was thinking pai gow poker but given this condition you may not want to do that. When you get a bit used to it the thinking comes naturally just like with blackjack but that still takes a little time. The good thing about it as a diversion is its real slow and you push a lot so a lot of people who want to stretch a small bankroll tend to gravitate to pai gow poker.

3CP can be fun, the strategy is simple: play anything Q,6,4 or higher and fold anything else. So no real thinking involved. But you are going to have to put more into play than $5 or $10 given that $10 is probably the minimum Ante bet you'll find anywhere.

Casino War is like the crack-cocaine of carny games. It seems so stupid, and it is. The odds are bad, but not ridiculous. The rub is its the fastest table game by a big margin. Its like a slot machine in terms of speed. I've played it hit-and-run style just for kicks while walking past a table and have actually had great luck in it racking up hundreds just betting single greens in a matter of minutes. If you're looking for a leisurely game, this might be too fast and even at the lowest limits you're churning money at an incredible speed. Plus its just dumb.

They're other games like Caribbean Stud etc. but these are probably worse options than 3CP.

Honestly, since it sounds like you want to just have fun and stretch a small buy-in without risking too much you should go with Pai Gow Poker. Granted there is some thinking involved but its slow paced and the dealer can help you set your hand whenever you ask. They can just do it the "house way" for you which is close to (but not exactly) the optimal player strategy. Plus the game is pretty social.

 

I have great fun at LIR and have been very lucky at it too. I could sit for hours with a full table. Play goes very fast with just one or two players. Other players are always chatty and fun.

 

Play 3-card... if you're at a CET property, try the 'six-card' bonus... yeah, it's another sucker-bet, but is sure is nice turning a crap-hand into a winner.

For what it's worth, here's my non-scientific method for playing 3-card:
If I have to look at all 3 cards, my stay-in rule is Q-6 or better.
But I only look at one card at a time. If I see a Q or better with the 1st or 2nd card, I don't look any any other cards. I just stay in. Also, if I have a suited-stringer with the first 2 cards, (like 3-4 of hearts or 7-9 of diamonds), I stay in blind on the 3rd card.
It adds a fun level of extra excitement and it also keeps me in sometimes on hands I would otherwise fold...this is nice when the dealer doesn't qualify - which is about a third of the time.

As for betting - I only play $5 tables. I prefer to bet $10 on the ante and $5 on the pair-plus (+$5 on the 6-card bonus at CET places).
If cash-flow becomes a problem, I end up going to 'flat-betting' $5 on all spots.

When I grow too tired or too intoxicated to focus on blackjack, 3-card is my go-to game.
Good luck.

ps - if you're playing a 3-card table with the 'progresive' bonus, play it...it's only $1 per hand, but it pays on any straight or better...
Straight - 6 for 1
Three of a Kind - 60 for 1
Straight Flush - 70 for 1
Mini-Royal(A-K-Q Diamonds, Clubs or Hearts) - $500

The mini-royal in spades pays the 'progressive' which is always at least $1000.

Yes, it's another sucker-bet, but you sure don't want to be 'out' if you draw trips or better.

 

You could just play the pair plus bet and that will only cost you $10. Plus if you don't want to have to think, you don't really need to do anything, the dealer will let you know if you've won or not.

 

You should have no trouble finding $5 minimum 3-card poker at Flamingo or Bally's at ANYTIME of the day. I was just there (stayed at Bally's) and the 3-card was never more than $5. And they have about 8 tables of it going! I hit a straight flush with the added 4-of-a-kind bonus (dealer turned over 3 of a kind). It was quite fortuitous for me! Good Luck!

 

Flamingo party pit $5 at night

 

I know the odds are bad, but Roulette is very social.

Also, BJ switch is always fun, actually like it better than regular BJ. It may require some additional thought, which I know you are trying to avoid.

 

I vote for three card poker. It is a fun game and is easy to play in even the deepest levels of intoxication. It has a high level of variance but if you have some luck, you can win some good money if you are hitting those 30-1 and 40-1 payouts.

 

I played let it ride last time i was in LV during Thanksgiving, I donated plenty of money to the casino. May give it another try. I always see a crowded table at the Texas Hold'em poker games (not in the poker room) but have yet to try that one.

 

Awesome! Looks like I'm gonna have to give this game a try

 

You can find $5 3CP some weeknights at PH in the Pleasure Pit, which has a great party atmosphere. That's the only place I like to play it.

 

I find the Texas HoldEm pretty fun. This is where everyone is against the dealer.

Pai Gow poker interests me but never played.

Caribbean Stud was fun but seems to be hard to find now for some reason.