Las Vegas is the top poker destination in the United States, and it’s also world famous for its casinos, resorts, and buzzing nightlife. Players from all walks of life flock to Las Vegas poker tournaments, and many players eventually settle in Sin City in pursuit of becoming one of the poker greats. It isn’t easy, as you’ll find if you read Darren Elias’ tips on surviving the summer poker tournaments in Las Vegas, but it’s achievable for those who do the work.

Summer is the most popular time for poker tournaments in Las Vegas, but December is now the second-busiest time for poker rooms around Sin City. Poker rooms are bustling throughout the rest of the year as well, so it helps to know what the best rooms offer and why they attract poker players on a consistent basis.

Finding the Right Las Vegas Poker Room for You

While you won’t have to search far and wide for poker in Vegas, you may want to weigh up your options to figure out which one suits you best. Naturally, this is heavily dependent on your skills and your preferred games, as well as your bankroll. 

The best thing about live poker is the ability to develop and use a unique set of skills. Whether playing in cash games, daily tournaments, or special series, live poker requires you to pay attention, size up your opponents, and master the art of patience.

Which Las Vegas Poker Rooms Are Best for You?

To get the most bang for your buck, check out these great poker rooms in properties owned by MGM Resorts. As a corporate entity, MGM Resorts has put a lot of focus on its Las Vegas poker rooms, making them highly sought-after, player-friendly destinations with a variety of games and stakes for cash game players. From daily poker tournaments to high roller poker tournaments, Las Vegas has the best in live tournament poker in the United States.

Poker at MGM Grand

The MGM Grand poker room is great for anyone who enjoys Texas Hold’em poker, with its daily poker tournaments for Las Vegas players. The standard tournaments include $1/$2 No Limit Hold’em, $2/$5 No Limit Hold’em and $5/$10 No Limit Hold’em. The poker room is open 24/7 and offers tableside massages as well as food and beverage services for your convenience.

For serious players, the MGM Grand Summer Poker Festival is a must. Featuring no fewer than 60 live poker tournaments in Las Vegas, this premium poker series guarantees over hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize pools. The $ 1,700 No Limit Hold’em Moneymaker Main Event in 2024 had a $1,000,000 guarantee but drew 1,433 entries and boasted an actual prize pool of $2,163,830. 

Poker at Bellagio

The poker room at the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip has been home to some of the largest poker tournaments in the world and hosted some of the biggest high roller poker tournaments in Las Vegas. The room boasts 40 tables and television screens everywhere you look. It is open 24 hours a day, and some of its games include Hold’em, Stud, Omaha, and mixed games. Bobby’s Room is a private room, separated by glass, that hosts the highest stakes cash games in Vegas nearly every day of the week. Bellagio is a place where poker fans and players must have the experience of playing at least once, in a place where so much poker history has happened at its tables. 

Poker at Mandalay Bay

After some time without a poker room, the Mandalay Bay casino returned a poker room to its floor. While it only boasts about a dozen tables, it does offer a selection of Texas Hold’em Limit and No-Limit games. As more players return, there are promotions like high hand bonuses and hourly leaderboards. You can sometimes even arrange a private poker tournament as a group if you call in advance and dealers are available.

Poker at ARIA

After Bellagio, the ARIA poker room is the most frequented in Las Vegas. The tables and chairs are comfortable, and players rate the dealers and tournament staff among the highest in the business. There are dozens of tables with a range of stakes and Hold’em and Omaha – sometimes mixed games – offerings, and it is open 24 hours a day. The daily tournaments are very popular, as are the regular ARIA High Roller tournaments throughout the year.

Speaking of tournaments, every year ARIA hosts the Summer Poker Open featuring the BetMGM Championship, along with dozens of other tournaments that draw players to the tables each day throughout June and most of July. As of 2024, the ARIA Poker Open in December also offers more tournaments in conjunction with BetMGM Poker online. Meanwhile, PokerGO hosts some of its high stakes tournaments at ARIA and its nearby PokerGO Studio, much of which is livestreamed on the internet for poker fans to see.

Not in Las Vegas? Play Online Poker with BetMGM

Can’t physically get to Las Vegas? The good news is that with an ever-growing interest legal online poker, more and more possibilities have opened up for U.S. players. 

BetMGM Poker is legal and active in New Jersey and Michigan – which have shared poker player pools together – as well as Pennsylvania. Whether you’re a Texas Hold’em poker enthusiast or enjoy any of the other poker variations that BetMGM offers, you can enjoy the full experience of online poker tournaments from the comfort of your home.

If you’re ready to play online poker, join BetMGM for an elite poker experience. By registering and depositing a minimum of $10, new players can enjoy a generous poker welcome offer. Don’t wait – start your journey at BetMGM now!