Best online casino for most U.S. players: Bovada

If you're in CT, DE, NJ, PA, or WV, online casinos are legal in your state, and you should play at a casino licensed there.

If you're in any other U.S. state, your best bet is Bovada, not because they're good, but because everything else is even worse.  I'm reminded of the Simpsons episode where the RV salesman is telling Homer, "Simpson, you're never gonna own a finer RV.  And I don't mean that in a good way, I mean this is IT for you!"

THE GOOD ABOUT BOVADA

  1. Play the practice games without having to register an account.  Other casinos force you to register so they can market to you.  Bovada is the only U.S.-wide casino I know of that lets you play right away with no registration.  (They throw up a registration box, but you can cancel it and continue to the game.)  For example, here's the free-play blackjack.  And the games play right in your browser, so you don't have to download any special software.
  2. Better reputation.  Online gambling is mostly unregulated so if a casino refuses to pay your winnings you have little recourse.  But Bovada has a better reputation on payouts than its unlicensed competitors. (Not perfect, but better.)

THE BAD ABOUT BOVADA

  1. Not licensed.  Because online gambling in most states isn't explicitly legal, no legitimate authority will license a U.S.-wide casino.  That means if you have a dispute, you have no recourse.  This is the biggest problem with Bovada, but if gambling isn't licensed in your state, you're not gonna find better.
  2. Various other issues. Detailed here.

Visit Bovada
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Gambling problem?

  1. Call the 800-522-4700 hotline or get online help
  2. See these horror stories.
  3. Know that aripiprazole and Parkinson's drugs encourage gambling.

Las Vegas Strip Map

Last update: December 15, 2023

This is an old map, the Dec. 15, 2023 version.  Go to the current version.

STRAT
2020- • Strat
1996-2020 • Stratosphere
1979-95 • Vegas World

EL RANCHO
1941-60

SAHARA
2019- • Sahara
2014-2019 • SLS
1952-2011 • Sahara

PALACE STATION
1984- • Palace Station
1977-84 • Bingo Palace
1976-77 • The Casino

WET 'N WILD
1985-2004

CIRCUS CIRCUS
1968- • Circus Circus

SLOTS-A-FUN
1971- • Slots-A-Fun

Fontainebleau
2023- • Fontainebleau

circa 2009- • McDonald's
2006 • Westward Ho imploded
2005 • Westward Ho closed
1971 • Westward Ho (casino added)
1963 • Westward Ho (hotel only)

2016 • Riviera imploded
2015 • Riviera closed
1955-2015 • Riviera

WESTGATE
2014- • Westgate
2012-14 • LVH
1971-12 • Las Vegas Hilton
1969-71 • International

RESORTS WORLD
2021- • Resorts World
2007-08 • Echelon construction
  (unfinished)
2007 • Stardust imploded
1958-06 • Stardust Casino

TESLA TUNNEL
Official name = "Las Vegas Convention Center Loop".
Free b/n cv. ctr. stations,
$5 day pass to/from Resorts World.
website
Resorts World Station
(Tesla tunnel).
$5/day pass to Convention Center

Riveria Station
(Tesla tunnel / LVCC loop)
Free within Convention Center;
$5/day pass to/from Resorts World

West Station
(Tesla tunnel / LVCC loop)
Free within Convention Center;
$5/day pass to/from Resorts World

Central Station
(Tesla tunnel / LVCC loop)
Free within Convention Center;
$5/day pass to/from Resorts World

East Station
(Tesla tunnel / LVCC loop)
Free within Convention Center;
$5/day pass to/from Resorts World

SILVER CITY
circa 2005-: Silver City Plaza, including Denny's
2004: (demolished)
1974-2004: Silver City Casino

The first non-smoking casino in Vegas, starting in 1991.

The Silver City Casino marquee sign still adorns the plaza entrance on Convention Center Drive.

AREA 15
2020-present
Popular entertainment complex
website

LANDMARK, 1969-90
1995:  imploded

NEW FRONTIER
Hotel/Casino:
1999-07: New Frontier
1966-99: Frontier
1955-66: New Frontier
1942-55: Last Frontier

Nightclub:
1939-42:  91 Club
1936-39:  Ambassador
1930-36:  Pair-O-Dice

ENCORE: 2008-

WYNN
2005- • Wynn
1950-00 • Desert Inn

FASHION SHOW MALL
1981-present
Shops, food court, and real, free fashion shows.
website

TREASURE ISLAND
1993- • Treasure Island (ti)

PALAZZO
2007- • Palazzo
2004 • Tam O'Shanter+Vagabond close, demolished
1998 • Sand Dunes demolished
1996 • Days Inn > Vagabond Inn
1990 • Imperial 400 > Days Inn
1973 • Carousel > Sand Dunes Motel
  (not the famous "Sands" or "Dunes" hotels)
1962 • Spanish Trail > Imperial 400 motel
1960 • Spanish Trail out of business
1959 • Tam O'Shanter Motel added
1957 • Ottilia Via > Spanish Trail Motel
1954 • Park Lane now part of Carousel
1953 • Carousel Motel in addition to below
1949 • Motels: Ottilia Villa, Park Lane

VENETIAN
1999- • Venetian
1996 • Sands imploded
1952-96 • Sands hotel/casino

MIRAGE
1989 • Mirage
(occupying the area of both properties below)

1987 • Castaways closes
1965 • casino reopens
1964 • casino closes
1963 • Castaways (not the Castaways on the Boulder Strip)
1961 • property closes
1960 • casino reopens
1958 • casino closes
1957 • San Souci Hotel/Casino
1955 • San Souci Hotel
~1940 • San Souci (auto court)
1930s • Mountain View Auto Court motel

1959 • Grace Hayes demolished
1947 • Grace Hayes Lodge
1931 • Red Rooster (casino opens)
1930 • Red Rooster (no casino)

MSG Sphere
2023-present
Mind-blowing concert arena, the whole dome is a giant video screen. Visible from outside for free. website
CASINO ROYALE
1992- • Casino Royale (casino on the Nob Hill site, hotel on the Caravan site)
1990 • Nob Hill closed
1978 • Nob Hill Casino (next to Travelodge)
1968 • Caravan Travelodge
1964 • Caravan Motor Hotel

HARRAH'S
1992- • Harrah's
1973-92 • Holiday Casino

LINQ
Both lots:
2014- • The Linq
2012 • The Quad

North lot:
1979 • Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino
1977 • Imperial Palace tower added
1972 • casino added
1959 • Flamingo Capri motel

South lot:
2013 • O'Sheas Casino (12/27)
       Vortex (event space inside Linq)
2012 • O'Sheas Casino closes, imploded,
unknown • Reverted to O'Sheas
1990 • Bugsy's
1989 • O'Sheas casino (no hotel)

High Roller Ferris Wheel
3/31/14-
Tickets start at $24. From the Strip, walk towards it between Linq and The Flamingo.

O’SHEAS
2013-
The original O’Sheas was farther to the left than (West of) this one. This new O’Sheas opened on 12/27/13.

GOLD COAST: 1986

CAESARS PALACE: 1966

FLAMINGO
2000- • Flamingo
1974-00 • Flamingo Hilton
1947-74 • Fabulous Flamingo

RIO: 1990-

THE CROMWELL
2014: The Cromwell
2007: Bill's Gamblin' Hall
1979: Barbary Coast
1952: Empey's Desert Villa

CX Bus Stop
Leaves from the airport, stops right on the Strip, and continues to Downtown as an express.

SILVER SEVENS
2013- :   Silver Sevens
2000-12: Terrible's
1981-99: Continental Hotel & Casino

PALMS: 2001-

BELLAGIO
1998-: Bellagio
1993: Dunes closed, demolished
1983: 2nd casino opened, "Oasis"
1955: Dunes Hotel/Casino

HORSESHOE
2022-: Horseshoe
1986-2022: Bally's
1973: MGM Grand
1973: New Bonanza
1967: Bonanza Hotel/Casino
1963: Three Coins Motel

TUSCANY
2003: Casino opens
2001: Hotel opens-

COSMOPOLITAN: 2009-

PARIS: 1999-

ELLIS ISLAND
1985: Ellis Island
1967: Village Pub

PLANET HOLLYWOOD
2007: Planet Hollywood
2000: Aladdin (newly-built)
1998: Aladdin hotel imploded
1997: Aladdin closes
1966: Aladdin
1962: King's Crown Tallyho
1962: Tallyho Hotel

ARIA: 2009-

2018- Waldorf Astoria (no casino)
2009-18: Mandarin Oriental (no casino)
2006: Boardwalk closed & imploded
1989-2006: Boardwalk (w/casino)
1985: Viscount
1970s-80s: Holiday Inn South
1965-70s: Holiday Inn (hotel only)

VIRGIN CASINO
2021: Virgin Casino
1995-2020: Hard Rock Casino

PARK MGM
2020: 1st non-smoking casino in Vegas
2018: Park MGM
1996: Monte Carlo

THE ORLEANS: 1996-

WILD WILD WEST
1998-2022: Wild Wild West
1974-1998: King 8 Hotel and Casino

NEW YORK NEW YORK: 1997-

MGM GRAND
1993-: MGM Grand
1975-90: Marina Hotel & Casino
1960s: Gold Club Motel

EXCALIBUR: 1990-

TROPICANA: 1957-

OYO
2019: OYO
2006: Hooters
1989: Hotel San Remo
1985-89: Polynesian
1985: Pacifica
1978: Treasury
1977: 20th Century
1975: Paradise Hotel
1973: Howard Johnson's, w/slots-only casino

LUXOR: 1990-

MANDALAY BAY
1999-: Mandalay Bay
1996: Closed & imploded
1956: Hacienda

Buses from the Airport
CX leaves from the airport, stops right on the Strip near Bellagio, and continues to Downtown as an express. schedule

#108 northbound goes to Sahara, Strat, and Downtown. schedule

$4 single ride • $6 for 2hr pass • $8 for 24hr pass • $20 for 3d pass (fares as of 12/14/23; fare website)


See the list of updates to the map.

Changes for this version

  • CASINOS:
    • Added Fontainebleau
    • Squeezed in O’Sheas, overlooked since it was rebuilt in 2013.  (Sorry for the full-decade delay, O’Sheas!)
    • Added label for (defunct) Landmark
    • Rio no longer a Caesars property
  • STREETS:
    • Added Elvis Presley Blvd. (but no room for its name)
    • Made Sands Ave. shape more accurate.
    • Moved labels for Koval Ln. and Harmon Ave.
  • OTHER ADDITIONS
    • High Roller ferris wheel, which opened in 2014.  (Sorry for the nine-year delay, High Roller!)
  • NEW POPUP INFO FOR:
    • Tesla Tunnel label (already popups for the stops)
    • MSG Sphere
    • Area 15
    • Fashion Show Mall
    • High Roller ferris wheel
    • Airport bus stops
  • NUDGES:
    • MSG Sphere location now more accurate.
    • Tesla Tunnels stops now more accurate.
  • BUG FIXES:
    • Able to move mouse to a link in a tooltip without the tooltip disappearing
    • No longer possible to accidentially activate a tooltip under an already-popped tooltip
    • Hover hilites no longer get progressively too low as you go towards the bottom of the map.


 

Older versions of my strip map




My to-do list

  • Remove Tropicana
  • Alphabetical index of live casinos
  • Alphabetical index of defunct casinos
  • Add mile markers
  • Revive the picture-based map
  • Add pics, prices, booking links
  • Option to hide dead casinos

Credit for ferris wheel clip art:  Adobe Stock Images


Practice gambling with play money

Before you throw down your hard-earned cash in a casino, PRACTICE FIRST!  Learn the games with play money where it doesn't cost you anything if you lose.  Seriously.

You can play Bovada's games (below) right away without registering for an account.  Most every other online casino makes you give up your email address just to play the fake-money games — ugh.  That's the main reason Bovada is the only online casino that gets advertising space on my site.  (When you see the registration box, you can cancel it and proceed to the game without registering.)

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Site Contents ©2001-2024 Michael Bluejay Incorporated.
I believe everything herein to be accurate, but I'm not responsible for errors or omissions.  I'm pretty irresponsible, actually.

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