One of the older properties on the Strip, El Cortez is a hotel for serious gamblers. People don’t come for the thrills or the shows; they aren’t interested in who’s headlining or where the hot night sport it. People come to El Cortez to gamble and these Vegas regulars don’t play around. Why not gamble at one of the newer resorts on the Strip? Well, two reasons. One, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and two, real Las Vegas connoisseurs know that the good old El Cortez has some of the best odds in town. They also offer some of the lowest minimum bets ($3-$5 on most days). $5 Pai Gow, mini-baccarat, and single deck blackjack are some of the more popular games and shockingly the payouts on single deck blackjack are still 3:2. Slots machines start at a nickel and work their way up. Another reason people love the El Cortez are the comps. Sit at a table for a few minutes and you will easily receive free drinks and food coupons. Preferred players are offered free rooms, or at least a discounted rate, and those on the mailing list will most likely be asked to come back and will be offered incentives in order to get them there.

The El Cortez also offers a sportsbook with 12 TVs for watching the races and 10 for watching sports. You will also receive a free drink coupon for every $10 bet. With 60 seats and low bet minimums, this sportsbook is one of the downtown favorites. There are six betting windows and electric board with the scores and slate for race results. Because of the older atmosphere of the room, many locals come here to bet and then head to some of the fancier places to actually watch the game. However, if you do decide to stay for a game be prepared to sit with plenty of Vegas locals and old-timers who often times will give you an earful about the way Vegas “used to be." There is also a poker room with a few tables for Hold-em and one for Stud. The Hold-em tables will more than likely have a wait on the weekends but the room is usually pretty deserted during the week. The poker room is also open to the rest of the casino, so you won’t feel like you’re missing any of the action on the casino floor. Unlike other much fancier casinos, if someone wins the megabucks you will still know about it in the poker room. Because this isn’t one of the most popular poker rooms in town, it’s much easier to come across some amateurs and walk away with some dough. Most of the players at this poker room are just learning the concept, so a professional player can really clean up in here.