Poker in Las Vegas…I love it. The rooms are busy, the action is great (not quite as good as California, but close) and the money is flowing! I have been in and around the Las Vegas poker rooms intermittently for 10 years or so. I have seen the rooms close up during the down time and re-open with grandeur in the new “Moneymaker era”. Thanks to television, the Las Vegas card rooms are booming again. It is great to see.

The Bellagio Poker Room

I especially love playing poker at the Bellagio. In my opinion, there is no better place to play in Las Vegas. The action is palpable as you approach the room and hear the din of chips clicking. And it is a virtual who’s who of poker, every day. I spent my usual time over there this past summer trip seeing the faces of Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese and Gus Hansen on a regular basis. They are usually playing in “Bobby’s Room” in the “big game”. But you could see others hanging around playing the “normal” games, too. I saw Freddy Deeb at $400-$800 holdem and Phil Laak playing $100-$200 PL Holdem. Both of these games they spread right on the main floor. Also, Jennifer Tilly was a regular in the $10-$20 NL game – apparently she is pretty good.

The games at the Bellagio range from $1-$2 NL and $4-$8 Limit Holdem and run the entire gamut. I like playing the “middle” limits of $15-$30 and $30-$60 Limit Holdem games. The action is non-stop in these games and there are always several tables running at each of the limits. The $30-$60 game is so action-oriented. I had one of the dealers whisper to me that it is known as the “big $3-$6 game” there. But you should bring a big enough bank roll because after a couple of capped flops for people drawing against you, it can get expensive. There is usually a good mix of loose-aggressive, loose-passive and weak-tight players to make the games enjoyable. You will occasionally run into a totally dead game (a lot of tight players), but not often. I feel comfortable enough with my post-flop play to loosen up in some of these games. But again, you must be careful with the aggression of some tables.

It is an amazing room, albeit usually a little crowded because of the traffic. They recently completed an expansion at the Bellagio poker room within the last few years. But I would say, if possible, they are going to have to do it again very soon.

My Recommendations

The only challenge with the Bellagio is that it can get very busy. My most recent trip was during the WSOP and it was packed everyday. They also have a daily $1000+$80 NL Holdem tournament at 2 p.m. local time. Usually this tournament, which averages about 100 players, contributes to the high traffic in the room. Getting seated at a table at almost any of the limits is usually a pretty long wait.

I have a couple of recommendations for you so that you don’t get frustrated with the waiting game:

First, either arrive in the morning, or plan to wait. I tend to play the “second shift” which means arriving in the early afternoon and playing until the midnight hour. That tends to be the busiest time with a lot of casual, loose players. However, getting seated at a table during that time also tends to be the longest wait period. If you show up just before lunch, then you will probably be on a table relatively quickly (15-20 minute wait max). However, if you show up after lunch through the “dinner” period, the wait can be hours – yes hours. So, my recommendation is to show up before lunch or come around 4 p.m. If you choose the latter, then put your name on the list right away and then go enjoy a relaxing meal with dessert. The buffet, which I highly recommend, is just up the hall from the poker room. By the time you get back, your name should have risen close to the top of the list. If not, then you can go sit in the plush sports book room right next to the poker room and watch some sports on television to waste away the last few minutes – this too is one of my favorite past times.

Secondly, the Bellagio poker room podiums are usually pretty crazy. Charlene and Nate are the individuals I usually deal with at the “middle” podium. There are three podiums in the room, depending on your game – low limit, middle limit and high limit. Yes, $15-$30 and $30-$60 are considered “middle” limits in live poker. Charlene and Nate seem to be good people, but they have to be very efficient. So, my advice here is to stay on the correct side of the podium and be polite. They will be much more helpful to you if you do so.

Overall, you will not be disappointed in your experience at the Bellagio. While I am guessing most would be happier with a winning session, I believe their room to be the best in Vegas. If you follow the above advice, you will have a great time.

Good Luck!

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