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Pool season in Las Vegas started way back during the first weekend of March Madness, but it really kicks into high gear during the unofficial beginning of summer, Memorial Day Weekend.
Spring break temperatures might have limited who will enjoy spending time by the pool. But now that temperatures during the day are around 100 degrees, it’s pool season for everyone!
The Las Vegas pool scene is quite opulent and there’s a pool environment for every kind of Las Vegas visitor.
Mandalay Bay has an 11-acre pool complex with a beach, lazy river, and more. The Cosmopolitan has three different rooftop pools. One of the pools is home to one of the most popular dayclubs in Las Vegas, Marquee. Caesars Palace has six different pool experiences with different offerings since it’s one of the busiest casinos-hotels in Las Vegas.
One of the best features that some Las Vegas pools offer during the summer is outdoor gambling.
There’s swim-up or poolside blackjack available at each of the casinos that offer outdoor gaming. Some take it to another level by offering craps or other table games. Unfortunately, there are no more floating dice tables inside the pools.
Las Vegas gambling by the pool
It should first be noted that not all Las Vegas casinos offer gambling at pools. There are only a handful of casinos that offer this outdoor amenity. The good news is that the casinos offering outdoor gambling by the pool are located all around Las Vegas, not just the Strip. The casinos with outdoor gambling are located on the Vegas Strip, in downtown Las Vegas as well as in the suburbs.
While all the outdoor gambling spaces include real money blackjack, not every casino offers a variety of games.
Here’s a breakdown of five casinos that offer gambling inside and around the pool.
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is one of the most popular casino brands in the world. This might also be the most famous Las Vegas casino with outdoor gambling.
Because the Caesars Palace property is so massive, it has six different pools in its complex. The Fortuna Pool is where players will find swim-up blackjack. The blackjack games are available inside the pool in a shaded area.
This may sound obvious, but the difference between swim-up blackjack and poolside blackjack is that players are actually inside of a pool while playing this game. Poolside blackjack is the more plentiful option for outdoor gambling in Las Vegas.
Since the blackjack tables are covered, players should be protected from direct sunlight. Las Vegas is still hot during the summer, and players should to drink water and stay hydrated if they choose to enjoy an adult beverage while gambling inside the Caesars Palace pool.
Stadium Swim at Circa
Location downtown, Circa Resort & Casino Las Vegas has a small covered gaming space at the bottom of the Stadium Swim rooftop pool complex. The poolside gaming area is located to the side and under the massive video screen at Stadium Swim.
The outdoor gambling area at Stadium Swim feels like a room without doors that opens to the pool. There are a handful of blackjack tables in the space, and it’s a different vibe than sitting in the pool or a cabana at Stadium Swim.
The actual blackjack game is different as well. Circa’s Stadium Swim games are the only ones at the property that pays 6:5 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack. All of the games inside the casino pay a player 3:2 for the same hand.
This is an important distinction as many people visit Circa because of the blackjack game. Some of the other casinos on this list only deal with the 6:5 blackjack games on the main casino floor.
Red Rock Casino
Red Rock Casino has a fantastic Vegas Strip-style pool complex despite being about 20 minutes away. Gamblers will want to head over to the covered Sandbar at the Red Rock pool area to play blackjack.
The covered gaming area is entirely open-air and next to a bar. This is the place to be for those who enjoy drinking as much as they do gambling. Beverage service for these Red Rock Casino blackjack tables is faster than fast.
Sandbar also serves food so players can take a break from gambling to dip their toes in one of the pools and grab a bite for lunch. Speaking from experience, this makes for a fantastic afternoon in Las Vegas.
Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas has multiple outdoor gambling areas. Additionally, the casino offers more games than most outdoor gambling spaces.
Players can enjoy both blackjack and craps at multiple locations outside of the Wynn and Encore Towers.
While all gambling in Las Vegas is only for those 21 and older, Wynn takes the outdoor gambling experience to another level. The casino boasts that players can,
“(E)njoy the excitement of blackjack and craps poolside at the adults-only European pool at Wynn.”
Similarly, guests can play outside at XS or Encore Beach Club.
Between the uniquely Las Vegas gambling environments and the ability to play craps, Wynn is a great option for anyone looking to gamble outdoors. Since this is a luxury casino resort, limits may be higher than other outdoor gambling spaces.
Golden Nugget
The Golden Nugget has the most popular pools for families in downtown Las Vegas. Everyone loves the shark tank inside the pool, and kids love the water slide.
Adults can get away from the kids and go to The Hideout, which is a 21+ pool area. This can be a much-needed space as children having too much fun in the main pool area can be a little too loud.
Gamblers can also enjoy 21+ fun at the pool by playing blackjack or craps. This is the only casino in downtown Las Vegas that offers games other than blackjack by the pool.
But keep in mind…there are worse blackjack odds outside the casino floor
Playing blackjack inside or outside of a pool in Las Vegas isn’t for everyone. The blackjack games are intended for recreational gamblers looking to enjoy their favorite type of wagers in a different environment.
The blackjack games are not intended to attract sharp or advantage players. The rules of the games might be a little different than inside the casino.
All outdoor blackjack games pay 6:5 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack instead of the traditional 3:2 that used to be widely available. A 6:5 blackjack game pays $12 for a $10 blackjack. A 3:2 game pays $15 for the same bet.
Most Vegas Strip casinos only offer this lower payout for blackjack games under $25, so this won’t be very noticeable for many guests. Blackjack players at Circa’s Stadium Swim and Red Rock are the players who will most likely notice the difference in payouts.
The blackjack games inside Circa all pay 3:2. Most, but not all, of the blackjack games at Red Rock Casino pay 3:2 when a player is dealt blackjack.
The casino adds 1.39% to its house edge when it switches to the lower 6:5 payout. This is a bigger deal to some players than others.
The house edge in blackjack matters because a player’s money won’t go as far since the casino has a greater advantage. The greater the house edge means that the casino wins more often. Winning less means that a player will have less time at the blackjack table.
The house edge for blackjack is based on millions of hands. A player might have some good sessions, but they won’t have as many when the rules are tilted towards the casino.
Casinos often have a similar policy at blackjack games in desirable locations like a party pit with scantily clad dealers. That’s the price blackjack players will pay for being able to play their favorite game in a location.
