Las Vegas casinos are always fun, offering a variety of amenities to match every mood, whether you’re hitting the tables or not. There are activities and experiences for everyone and every mood.
If you’re not in the mood to party and go all-out in the casino, there are relaxing Las Vegas table games to play.
Sometimes, easing into the day with a slow-paced, relaxing table game with a cup of coffee is the best way to start the day. Other times, playing a relaxing table game with minimal strategy involved makes sense so you and your friends can catch up.
Here are the best relaxing table games in Las Vegas.
♠️ Baccarat
Baccarat is the ultimate relaxing table game in Las Vegas. There’s almost no strategy involved, and the pace of the game moves slowly. Best of all, baccarat has a low house edge for the casino so players will get the most out of their gambling budget.
This table game is relaxing for everyone. Whether you’re a high roller or someone who prefers cheap baccarat in Las Vegas, there’s plenty of chill time during this gamble.
Baccarat is a simple game where a player only has a few betting options. They’ll choose to bet that either the player's hand or the banker's will end with a hand closest to the total of nine. The house edge for these bets is 1.24 percent and 1.06 percent, respectively.
Betting on a tie comes with a massive house edge of 14 percent. The kind of volatility with this bet is the opposite of relaxing.
Stick with the player or banker bet, sip your morning coffee or evening cocktail, and enjoy a chill gambling session.
💵 Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker doesn’t have the long history of blackjack or roulette, but it has plenty of fans in Las Vegas. It’s one of the most popular poker-style table games, and it’s simple to learn.
This isn’t traditional poker by any stretch, but hands are mostly ranked the same as in poker. There are just a couple of key differences.
In Three Card Poker, a straight beats a flush, and three of a kind beats them both. This isn’t how traditional poker works, but the payouts are listed on the table felt, so it’s easy to follow.
Players are dealt three cards to form their hand. The player wins if the dealer qualifies with a Queen or higher and the player’s hand is better.
Three Card Poker usually has a lower table minimum than blackjack since it requires multiple bets per hand. To play, a player must first make an Ante bet. If they like their cards, they follow up with a Play bet.
The Ante and Play bets typically pay even money (though three of a kind and straight flushes pay a little more). Most players also make the Pair Plus bet, which has larger payouts.
Depending on the casino, a straight flush will pay up to 40-1 for a straight flush. Many Las Vegas Three Card Poker tables also offer side bets and progressives, though these usually come with a higher house edge and aren’t necessary to play.
The game moves pretty slowly, and since it doesn’t involve much thinking for a poker player, it’s a very relaxing table game. It’s a nice, calm way to wind down the night, especially if you’ve had a few drinks.
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💰 Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker can be both relaxing and stressful for players. Experienced players appreciate the game’s slow pace, but new players might stress about how to split their seven cards into two poker hands at first. It’s just unusual.
After a few games, setting the hands becomes pretty simple. You make a five-card hand with the highest card and a two-card hand with the next best card. Best of all, if you’re unsure how to set your hands, the dealer is required to help set your hand the way they would.
That assistance and a relatively low house edge of under 2 percent helps make Pai Gow Poker easygoing and relaxing. Additionally, about 41 percent of hands end in a push.
Since nearly four out of every 10 hands tie, your money tends to last longer than at other Las Vegas table games. This made Pai Gow Poker especially popular with drinkers who are looking to enjoy more complimentary adult beverages.
Unfortunately, casinos are well aware of this, and minimum bets for Pai Gow Poker are among the highest on the main casino floor.
Once you know how to play, Pai Gow Poker becomes a relaxing game where you can hang out, chat with old friends, and make some new ones.
💸 The Classics
Some of the games above might be new to visitors in Las Vegas. While these games are becoming more popular, it’s understandable that some people just want to play their favorites to relax.
Blackjack and roulette are two of the most popular table games in Las Vegas. Since these casino staples are familiar to so many players, they can be relaxing.
Blackjack is a slow-paced game but requires some thinking, which doesn’t always make it the most relaxing option in the casino. While blackjack might not be relaxing for new players, it can be a go-to game for those who play often enough that they no longer have to think about the correct basic strategy plays.
Roulette is one of the most enjoyable casino games, especially at a full table of players. Few games can match its energy.
Still, roulette is easy to play and can be relaxing in the right setting. The intensity around Las Vegas roulette tables often increases as the day goes on and visitors are getting ready to party.
Playing roulette alone or with a friend during the daytime can be a relaxing way to start the gambling day in Las Vegas. A slower-paced game of roulette might even soothe the soul before a night on the town.
Marc Meltzer eats, drinks, breathes and sleeps (barely) Las Vegas. If there’s a hot new nightclub opening, he’s in the VIP getting bottle service. If you’re searching for the best spots to eat in town, Marc’s memorized the menu. And if you want to gamble - be it at the sportsbook, table games, video poker or even Sigma Derby – Marc knows all the tricks to stretch your dollar, from betting strategy, to finding the best odds, to how to score some juicy comps. “What happens in Vegas” is what Marc is all about.