#5 – Aria High Limit Room Last but not least is the high limit room located within Aria which features a full bar and popular games like Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette and Slots. Limits in the Aria HL room usually start from $200 and private tables can be arranged in advance with the casino depending on your level of play.
The first pit stop in Las Vegas for most visitors is usually a casino. Whether you are an experienced player on the casino floor or just starting, slot machines are the most profitable and entertaining games available.
Slot machines have proven to be popular among players time and time again. Casinos and other entertainment facilities are profiting tremendously from the revenues collected from slots.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board reports that the Las Vegas Strip contained over 160,000 slot machines in 40 different locations in 2019, generating revenues reaching almost $270 million per month.
While these numbers are beneficial to the establishments and their operators, slot machines are also known to be the most profitable game in a casino for the user.
Slot machines, on average, have an RTP, or return to player, between 75% and 98%; in other words, for every dollar a player spends, the slot machine will yield about 75 to 98 cents right into their pocket.
Even with the high RTP and revenue, Las Vegas and other cities famous for their casinos fill their halls with slot machines because anyone can press a button.
Commitment is never a priority; the player can put down a small individual bet. A poker face is never required, neither is real skill, to win big.
However, research is still encouraged to profit off of slot machines at the highest level, such as reading on user experience on specific games and reading the RTP at each Las Vegas casino.
Return to player is perhaps the most critical factor in picking the best slot to play in Vegas. The higher the RTP percentage, the more likely the slot will payout.
An amateur way to discover a slot’s RTP percentage is to test it with a bet. If a slot claims to have a 94% payout, then after a $100 bet, the payback would equate to about $94. While this may seem straightforward, this method does not fit every player.
Best High Stakes Slot Machines At Aria Casino
Checking message boards and online threads, as well as comparison sites containing slots reviews, are a great way to find the best slots in Vegas. Notable websites encourage players to share their experiences with slot machines; most of their reviews focus on the amount of cash they get to keep after playing.
Another tip to finding one of the better slots offered in Las Vegas is to look for promotions. By signing up to the casino’s player’s club, customers can access unique games, receive free slot plays, and gain eligibility to have freebies on their next visit.
Benefits are significant, especially when the rounds on the slot machines are free, increasing the already high payout.
The most profitable slots are coined as “loose slots” because they pay out the most amount of money to the player and are thus very desirable among customers.
A feature of profitable slot machines called “progressive jackpots” has become a popular way to transform a couple of hundred bucks to millions.
Progressive jackpots offer prize money compared to the national lottery games, which can easily make a millionaire in a single evening.
According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the dollar slots pay back an average of 95% of receipts, 25 cent slots payout 93% on average, and 5 cent slots give back 90% to the players.
The payout from slots at the downtown or other off-Strip locations is one or two percent higher than those on the Strip. Hotel-casinos frequented by locals, such as Sam’s Town, pay better than the tourist hotels in the city. Nevada residents well know that fact when they consider which facilities contain the best slots in Vegas.
Moreover, the newer and more luxurious hotels are known for having the overall poorest RTP percentages.
Some of those hotels include the Bellagio, Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and the new Wynn Las Vegas. Since the amenities of these hotels are off the charts, slot machines do not have to be the most profitable asset (at least to the player).
However, some of these lavish hotels offer great prizes and entertainment that makes a higher payout from the slot machine. The Bellagio, for example, provides a slot tournament with 2,300 games as options. From jackpots and progressive features, the Bellagio slot machines can grow small bets into millions.
Generally, the best slots in Vegas are located in the older properties of the North Strip.
Slot machines may look flashy and modern, especially themed slots, but that does not mean they have the highest payout. The more traditional and old-looking games may be a better money’s worth.
Much like the endorphin rush of a “win,” a good-looking slot machine can trick the brain chemistry into wagering more money than intended. With that in mind, a simple-looking slot should be considered to help players gamble responsibly and win big.
Rather than always playing Star Wars or Avengers slot machines, players should have an eye out for the more dated and less appealing slot machines available on the casino floor. Many of them have substantial RTP rates and have stood the test of time.
One of these seemingly unappreciated slots is housed in Slots-a-Fun at Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas. The selection includes classics, such as “Double Diamond” and “Red, White, and Blue.” Although they are not the flashiest, they are the best slots in Vegas.
Slots-a-Fun is a classic and exclusive casino that incorporates slot machines paired with an arcade, pool tables, bowling, and other forms of entertainment. Their slots have been proven time and time again as the machines to make the next big Vegas winner.
As mentioned before, these slots are not located conveniently for the tourists on the Strip. A general rule of thumb to follow: the more touristy the casino, the lower the payback on the slot machines.
While the Las Vegas Strip has a win percentage of about 8%, the slots in Reno and Boulder have a more generous casino wins of around 5%.
Some of the casinos located in Reno, Boulder, and North Vegas include Eastside Cannery, Sunset Station, M Resort, Jerry’s Nugget, Texas Station, and Boulder Station.
Geographical location should not be the only consideration when looking for great slots. Some veteran gamblers and websites claim that corners within a specific casino itself have some of the better slot machines.
High traffic areas, such as near elevators, a front desk, aisles, showrooms, registration areas, etc., contain the loosest slots in the casino.
Some people do not even have to go to a casino to access a slot machine. An entertainment facility is perhaps the unrivaled source to use for the best slots in Vegas.
Airports, convenience stores, and grocery stores are the first locations to avoid playing slot machines. Even though the majority are in clean and well-run establishments, they do not offer significant returns with their slot machines.
What these three different places have in common is that under Nevada law the slot machines in airports, convenience stores, and grocery stores are entirely controlled by large corporations.
With that in mind, it should not be surprising that the slot machines in these facilities provide a much lower payout percentage than the typical slot found in a Las Vegas casino.
Even though convenience store owners can obtain a lease or purchase of slot machines, the Nevada law changed in favor of larger corporations having control over the slots and their payouts.
Nevada grocery stores are the only place that can legally provide slot machines because they have leased the space through a larger company. Although they can offer marginally better odds than the former two, grocery stores should still be avoided when it comes to slot machines.
The loosest slot machines in the past 12 months have been Megabucks and penny slots. Megabucks had the tightest slots at over 11% casino win percentage. Penny slots are the most popular denomination, even though their win percentage is not the most generous.
Megabucks offers some of the best slots in Vegas with the highest winnings. In 2014, a man playing a Megabucks slot machine in Rampart Casino hit a $14 million jackpot after playing for five minutes on a $20 bill when the slot paid off.
This payout is not the only one from a Megabucks machine. Megabucks has produced life-changing jackpots for multiple players for over two decades.
Their slogan markets the casino’s accomplishments perfectly: “Dream big. Win big”. Even with players only spending a $1 for a spin, there is always a chance of the jackpot prize of $10 million.
In addition to Megabucks and Slots-a-Fun, there are plenty of casinos offering some of the best slots available in Las Vegas.
Many websites report O’Shea’s, Stardust, and older casinos located on the north side of the Strip as the places to visit for great and profitable slot machine winnings.
The casino nearest to offering the loosest slots in Las Vegas is Palms resort, which has an average game payout percentage of about 94%.
Lower payout slot machines also have distinct locations on the casino floor. Some of those include the leading slot machine on the floor, those near the table games, and close to the poker room. Since all of these areas have too much action, either from different games or other slots, the RTP does not have to be too high.
Furthermore, it is better to be aware of which specific slot machines should be avoided. The reason behind it is the exact opposite as to why the already mentioned slots are the best: the worst slots have a low percentage of payback.
Several slots have unfortunately been added to the universal list of worst slots found in Las Vegas, such as Wish Upon a Jackpot by Blueprint Gaming, Adventures in Wonderland by Ash Gaming, and King Kong by Cryptologic due to their low RTP.
Different software companies specializing in slot machines have reputations that reflect off of the RTP’s. While some developments have been mentioned before for their low percentage payback, others are renowned for their slots having high RTP rates.
Playtech is one of the more famous software companies that develop successful and popular slot machines located in Las Vegas casinos. Games created by this company include: Goblin’s Cave, Ugga Bugga, and Ocean Princess. All offer reputable and above-average percentage payouts.
Other software companies known for distributing slots with high paybacks are Barcrest, WMS, and NetEnt.
In addition to Palms Casino and Resort, there are other casinos in Las Vegas that have multiple slots maintaining an above-average payout.
Fitzgerald’s Casino and Hotel has established a favorable reputation for offering the loosest slots in downtown Las Vegas. Ranked regularly, the machines in Fitzgerald’s that are given the best paybacks include reel, penny, and progressive slots.
Slot machines are incredibly entertaining, easy, and a great reason to visit a Las Vegas casino.
Although research is essential, in-depth research is not necessary unless you are wagering a significant amount of money. Specific slot machines should be sought out to cash in millions, which has been proven to be possible within five minutes of playing.
The different themes, bonuses, promotions, and prizes, prevent slot machines from ever becoming boring. For some lucky few, a slot will transform a single $5 bill to $5 million or more than that colossal amount.
With the press of a button, a slot machine can make an average player into a millionaire, or give the customer an affordable and responsible amount of fun on the Las Vegas casino floor.
With some of these tips that differentiate the better slots in Las Vegas, slot machines can become more of a calculated game than intended.
Overall, Vegas is the numero uno destination to play slots in the United States. The key is to be wise and risk only as much as you can afford to lose.
It is essential to ask around and try some old slots that have a proven track record of wins. Don’t just be impressed with design and wager money in the excitement!
Nearly a decade later after its last episode, a brand new eighth season of High Stakes Poker is scheduled to begin airing over Poker Central‘s subscription-based streaming service, PokerGO.
The popular show featuring cards-up coverage of high buy-in cash games originally appeared on the Game Show Network from 2006 to 2011. In late October, Poker Central announced that Season 8 would begin streaming December 16.
New players to join original participants
The show’s original producer Mori Eskandani will be back at the helm. Players from the show’s original run will appear as well, including:
- Brandon Adams
- Tom Dwan
- Phil Hellmuth
- Phil Ivey
Tweets from players and other sources have revealed other players who have participated in show recordings. These include:
- John Andress
- Jean-Robert Bellande
- Bryn Kenney
- Jason Koon
- Ben Lamb
- Rick Solomon
Episodes have already been created at the PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino. That’s the same location where other poker programming has been created for PokerGO. Such shows include a similar revival of Poker After Dark and heads-up contests such as the ongoing High Stakes Feud involving Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk.
The stakes for the no-limit hold’em games will be $200/$400 and $400/$800.
Precautions related to COVID-19 include players taking a rapid test each day before participating. From tweeted videos such as one shared by Dwan, it appears players will not be wearing masks or have physical dividers between them.
As Eskandani explained to Poker Central, some players from the old HSP chose not to participate in part because of the threat posed by the virus. In any case, enough have taken part to create a season’s worth of new shows.
HSP reboot hopefully to satisfy nostalgia for old show, desire for something new
Fans of televised poker fondly recall the original High Stakes Poker. Many rank it as one of the best examples of poker programming ever made.
The show was certainly the most successful featuring a cash game format, producing many memorable moments while highlighting dozens of poker personalities.
More than 70 different players appeared on the shows, including Poker Hall of Famers Doyle and Todd Brunson, Johnny Chan, Jennifer Harman, and Barry Greenstein. Some favorite hands over the years include:
- Brad Booth holding four-deuce suited and flopping an insight straight draw, then successfully bluffing Phil Ivey off of pocket kings
- Sammy Farha with A-A and Jamie Gold with K-K taking 15 minutes to complete negotiations surrounding their preflop all-in
- David Benyamine and Guy Laliberté creating the largest pot in the show’s history of $1.23 million before agreeing to reduce it (to just under $240K) and end the hand on the flop
- Tom Dwan winning the biggest pot ever on the show of almost $920K versus Barry Greenstein
- On a 2-10-2 flop, Dwan holding the third-best hand (Q-10) yet managing to get both Greenstein (A-A) and Peter Eastgate (4-2) to fold
Gabe Kaplan and A.J.Benza co-hosted the shows’ first five seasons, with the pair ably mixing analysis and entertainment to supplement the often engaging table talk. Kara Scott replaced Benza for Season 6, with Norm MacDonald then replacing Kaplan and joining Scott for the final Season 7.
There has been chatter online about who will provide commentary on the new HSP, with some hopeful speculation that Kaplan could even return. The hosts for the new show have yet to be announced.
Poker Central’s strategy of acquiring older content
Fan-posted episodes of the show intermittently appeared on YouTube over the years. Then in late 2018 an official High Stakes Poker channel posted high quality versions of all 98 episodes, prompting renewed interest in the series.
Earlier this year Poker Central acquired the rights to all seven seasons of the show. Indeed, it was shortly after news of that acquisition that stories began circulating regarding the possibility of a Season 8 of HSP.
Much as Poker Central had done when earlier acquiring rights to ESPN’s World Series of Poker broadcasts, episodes of HSP were taken down from YouTube and made exclusively available to PokerGO subscribers.
PokerGO does allow a few glimpses of the show to everyone else, however, including the first episode from the first season.
While there is no schedule of shows as yet, Poker Central reports new episodes will appear weekly.
5 factors affecting the return of High Stakes Poker
Coming at the end of a year largely bereft of live poker, many players will be glad to see High Stakes Poker return.
The HSP brand and familiar format along with a few familiar faces will satisfy nostalgia seekers. The paucity of original live poker content also should help the show attract attention, at least within the poker world.
Of course, over the nearly 10 years since High Stakes Poker last ran, the impact and status of televised poker has changed significantly. Here are five factors that will undoubtedly affect how Season 8 of HSP is presented and received.
1. ‘High stakes’ isn’t what it used to be
It has been a long time since watching a poker player win six- and seven-figure cash prizes lost its novelty. The preponderance of tournaments, including high rollers and super high rollers, has made witnessing players winning and losing big sums seem much less of a spectacle than it was even a decade ago.
The money, then, can’t necessarily be the big draw this time around.
2. A narrower audience for televised poker
The original HSP aired on a network featuring dozens of other game shows, thereby drawing the eyes of non-poker players. So, too, did ESPN’s WSOP shows during the “boom” years of the mid-2000s and programs like Celebrity Poker Showdown on the Bravo Network appeal to a wide audience that extended considerably beyond hardcore enthusiasts.
Unlike in its earlier iteration, the new HSP will surely cater directly to those already enamored with poker who have purchased subscriptions to watch a poker-only network.
3. A more knowledgeable audience for televised poker
For many viewers the original HSP provided a kind of poker education. Indeed, the show taught many about live poker etiquette while introducing them to various cash game features such as:
- running it twice (or three times or more)
- straddling
- taking insurance
- prop betting
- the “7-2 game”
The original show appealed to experienced players and novices alike, with the strategy discussion often tailored to suit a wide and varied audience. Today’s HSP viewers will undoubtedly be more knowledgeable about the game and strategy (on average) than was earlier the case.
Analysis of players’ strategies will no doubt be part of the new shows. It will be curious to see how much that discussion is foregrounded and whether it makes the show seem more like present-day livestreamed poker than the old HSP.
4. A less pronounced online poker connection
During its run the original HSP was conspicuously sponsored by online poker sites Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars. References to the sites were ubiquitous, with most players patched as site ambassadors. (In fact, near the end FTP players wouldn’t appear the show, as Stars was the sponsor.)
Then came Black Friday in April 2011 which forced those sites out of the U.S. That also spelled doom for sponsored shows like HSP which went off the air a month later.
The new HSP will have an online poker connection, though perhaps not such a meaningful one. Shortly after sharing the news it had acquired High Stakes Poker in February 2020, Poker Central announced it had struck a new partnership with the sweepstakes-based online poker site Global Poker.
Back in the day, HSP viewers enjoyed a kind of connection with the players they were watching. Many played on the same online poker sites, sometimes even in the same games. That won’t necessarily be as much the case this time.
5. HSP: High Standards for Programming
For many viewers, the old HSP will affect how they watch the new version. In his comments, Eskandani specifically cited a desire to match the quality and look of the original program.
“We wanted it to stay close,” said Eskandani. “Fidelity is important to us with what was in the past…. The main idea is the same, but the look is a little different.”
Eskandani is enthusiastic about the new episodes, noting how a recently shot one compared favorably with some of the best from the show’s earlier run. “Absolutely never a dull moment, and the conversation was exactly what you wanted,” he said.
Poker Central no doubt hopes conversation about the new High Stakes Poker will go as they want as well.