Resorts World
I visited Resorts World on Friday, June 25, the day after it opened. It was crowded with gawkers like me, checking it out. This newsletter is not meant to be a full review, but to pass on information on the game rules and some pictures.
First things first, the parking garage. I conveniently entered from Industrial Blvd. The locals may hate me for telling you this, but most casinos on the west side of the Strip can be accessed on the back side, off Industrial. Industrial is a much faster way to get up and down the Strip. If you don’t believe me, ask any cab driver. Meanwhile, I’ll leave driving on the Strip to the tourists.
The parking garage is several stories high. It requires making a loop I think the 4th floor to get to the higher floors. Here you will have to suffer selfish people blocking traffic, waiting for somebody to back out of a space, but that story is the same in every big parking garage. So far there is no fee to park, but I did notice machines to pay for parking by the elevators on the ground floor. Speaking of which, I believe there were six large clean parking garage elevators, so it was quick getting to the casino.
Once you reach the ground floor you will walk down a long pathway to get to the casino. At the time of my visit, there were several Rolls Royces on display in the middle of it. On the Strip side of the property is a shopping/restaurant area with a big sphere. Much of the property is still unfinished, as evidenced by a half-filled shopping area and passages leading to nothing, replete with ladders and construction equipment still scattered about.
After making a round, I gathered notes on the gambling rules. I wanted to eat a meal there, but every restaurant was booked solid. I will give kudos to the food court, which had what looked like a nice variety of international options from brands I’ve never heard of. A nice break from the usual food courts with such boring staples as Noble Romans, McDonalds, Panda Express, and Nathan’s Hot Dogs.
Let’s start with video poker. There are very few video poker machines on the main casino floor, not counting bar top machines. One Game Maker machine had the following games at the $0.25, $0.50 and $1 denominations.
| Deuces Wild Bonus Poker | 12-4-3-2 | 96.22% |
| Deuces Wild | 16-13 | 96.77% |
| Double Bonus | 9-6-4 | 96.38% |
| Double Double Bonus | 8-5 | 96.79% |
| Jacks or Better | 7-5 | 96.15% |
| Triple Double Bonus | 8-5 | 95.97% |
| Triple Triple Bonus | 7-5 | 96.49% |
The pay tables are bumped up for the $2, $5, and $10 denominations, as follows.
| Game | Pay Table | Return |
| Bonus Poker | 35,6,5 | 97.36% |
| Bonus Poker Deluxe | 8-5 | 97.40% |
| Deuces Wild Bonus Poker | 10-4-4-3 | 97.36% |
| Deuces Wild | 20-12-9-4 | 97.06% |
| Double Bonus | 9-6-5 | 97.81% |
| Double Double Bonus | 9-5 | 97.87% |
| Jacks or Better | 8-5 | 97.30% |
| Triple Double Bonus | 9-5 | 97.02% |
| Triple Triple Bonus | 8-5 | 97.55% |
Next is video keno. I have always maintained you can tell how a casino sets their reeled slot machines by how they set their video keno. In this case, I would say it is the usually stingy odds you see at the high-end Strip properties.
The following games and returns were available at the $0.25, $0.50 and $1 denominations.
| Game | Return |
| Spot | 88.20% |
| Caveman 10X | 89.63% |
| Caveman Plus | 90.18% |
| Cleopatra | 90.15% |
| Power | 89.65% |
| Triple Power | 90.31% |
| Average | 89.69% |
As in video poker, they bumped up the pay tables starting at the $2 denomination. In this case, for $2 and $5.
| Game | Return |
| Spot | 92.31% |
| Caveman 10X | 91.28% |
| Cleopatra | 92.08% |
| Power | 91.90% |
| Triple Power | 92.44% |
| Average | 92.00% |
Next, let’s move onto table games.
Blackjack:
In the main casino the rules are BJ 6-5, six decks, dealer hits soft 17, double after split allowed, surrender allowed, re-split aces allowed. House edge = 1.84%. Lowest minimum was $15 and most tables have a $25 minimum. That is right -- no 3-2 blackjack on main casino floor.
In the high limit room, the rules are BJ 3-2, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed, surrender allowed, re-split aces allowed. House edge = 0.29%. I checked only one table, which had a $300 minimum.
Craps:
3-4-5x odds. Liberal field. 15/30 to one on hops. There is also a mini-table in the high limit room.
Roulette:
Main casino floor has double-zero and triple-zero roulette.
The high limit room had double-zero and French (single zero, half back on even money bets if ball lands in 0) roulette.
Other
Otherwise, the table game variety was not strong. Sadly, no tiles. I forgot to write down the specifics, but I recall Free Bet Blackjack, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em.
High minimums are the order of the day at Resorts World.
Finally, here are some pictures. Overall, it was a nice-looking place and not as over-the-top as most Strip casinos. It seemed bright and welcoming. I would be happy to play there and hope to find a reason to sometime. However, the high table minimums will probably keep me away.
