In the late afternoon and early evening hours of Saturday, April 23, I completed my tenth
survey of the poker rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. Previous surveys were done on 6/28/08,
10/25/08, 7/25/09, 10/17/09, 1/23/10, 4/24/10, 7/24/10, 10/23/10, and 01/22/11.

Again, I was helped by 2+2 poster any2cards who surveyed eight of the busiest off-Strip
poker rooms.

This survey and its timing are particularly noteworthy. It came just eight days after ‘Black
Friday’ when Pokerstars, Full Tilt, Ultimate Bet, and Absolute Poker closed their business
to U.S. players. So, the data collected may shed some insight on how Las Vegas poker rooms
are impacted.

Here’s the new data for poker rooms on the Strip.

Strip Analysis

I noted in the last two surveys that poker activity on the Strip had been dropping compared
to the previous year. The autumn survey showed a 9.2% drop in games and the winter survey
showed a 5.5% drop.

The new survey’s data is in sharp contrast to previous data. The spring survey is showing
an 11.6% increase in traffic compared to a year ago. This may be some solid evidence that
online players have already gravitated to live play.

Here are the numbers for the past eight surveys

April 23, 2011: 163 tables (+11.6% from previous year)
April 24, 2010: 146* (removing five games from Northern Strip which were collected for just
one survey)

January 22, 2011: 156 tables (-5.5%)
January 23, 2010: 165

October 23, 2010: 129 tables (-9.2%)
October 17, 2009: 142

July 24, 2010: 144 tables (-1.4%)
July 25, 2009: 146

Fixed limit hold ‘em games and non hold ‘em games show no impact from Black Friday. The
numbers there show just a one table decline in the fixed limit hold ‘em games and the same
number of non hold ‘em games.

No-limit hold ‘em games 5-10 and higher also show no significant impact. There was one fewer
game running (and a 10-20 game actually broke as I was doing the survey and wasn’t counted).

The entire increase in poker activity on the Strip is focused in the lower stakes no-limit
hold ‘em games (1-2, 1-3, and 2-5).

1-2 and 1-3 no-limit hold ‘em show a 16.9% increase in games from the spring of 2010 (83
games vs. 71). Most of the increase is in the 1-3 games, though I think this is mostly a
function of the growing popularity of Aria and the re-opening of the Tropicana poker room.
Both those rooms offer 1-3 instead of the more common 1-2.

2-5 no-limit hold ‘em had a 30% increase in activity compared to a year ago (26 games vs.
20). Since my first survey in the summer of 2008, 26 2-5 no-limit hold ‘em games is the highest
number ever surveyed. Likewise, the combined 1-2 & 1-3 numbers are the highest total
ever. Though, both new records just barely beat the previous standard bearers.

Venetian

The Venetian regained its #1 ranking based on their usual strength of no-limit hold ‘em
and an excellent Omaha turnout.

Six Omaha games were running: one 4-8 O/8, two 8/16 O/8, one 15-30 O/8, one 1-2 PLO, and
one 2-5 PLO.

However, their 8-16 hold ‘em game appears to have been hurt. Only one game was running compared
to three a year ago (and one 15-30 then, too). The 8-16 game has run less often lately and
I think two factors are playing into this: (1) the Bellagio’s new successful 10-20 game and
(2) the Venetian’s attempt to spread a 15-30 hold ‘em game with mini-blinds of $5 and $10.
A lot of posters in the 2+2 Brick and Mortar forum expressed concerned very early on that
the oddly structured 15-30 could cannibalize the 8-16 game while not being sustainable itself
in the long run.

Bellagio

The Bellagio’s already firm grip on the medium stakes limit hold ‘em games got stronger
when they started spreading 10-20, 20-40, and 40-80. All three games consistently run so
seeing each game with two tables was quite typical.

The Bellagio’s 10-20 no-limit hold ‘em game has struggled a bit lately. I think this is
because of the success of their new 10-20-40 no-limit game. This three blind game (two blinds
and a forced straddle?) has been running regularly since January, often with two tables.

Aria

The action at Aria is getting stronger with each survey. Their nine 1-3 no-limit hold ‘em
games were as many as the Venetian’s 1-2 games. They also had the second most 2-5 no limit
hold ‘em games with six.

The biggest game in Las Vegas lately has been played in Aria’s ‘Ivey’s Room’. Usually, it’s
a 200-400 or 300-600 mix game.

Aria also had a 5-10 no-limit hold ‘em game running (something which the survey hasn’t seen
in over a year). A 10-20 no-limit game was running early in the day but broke shortly before
I arrived to do an official count.

Aria is the new hot property in the Vegas poker world.

MGM Grand

After many close battles, the MGM Grand finally beat the Venetian for the most 1-2 no-limit
hold ‘em games (10 vs. 9). I’m not sure why it happened in this survey, but perhaps the MGM
Grand had simply been running bad until now.

Wynn

The Wynn’s higher stakes games were weak in this survey. Perhaps some of their action has
gone to Aria?

Caesars Palace

Despite a WSOP Circuit Event running, Caesars Palace showed no significant action. They
were actually down from the winter survey.

Mirage

The Mirage did better than its atrocious showing three months ago. But, they still can’t
get anything other than 3-6 fixed limit and 1-2 no-limit running.

Small Rooms

The Tropicana re-opened its room and surprised me with the amount of action it had (four
games). The poker room and casino have had major renovations and the upgrade is easy to notice
as soon as you walk in the door.

The center-Strip rooms (Bally’s, Planet Hollywood, and Flamingo) continue to do good business.
Planet Hollywood, in particular, always seems to have a lot of no-limit action.

Here’s the data for selected off-Strip rooms.

Off-Strip Analysis

Because we’ve been changing the room mix of our off-Strip surveys (as well as who conducts
the survey), it’s hard to get a read on whether ‘Black Friday’ has impacted them as well.
Though, the numbers is this survey show less activity than a year ago.

The Orleans seems to be firmly on top among the Vegas locals.

Red Rock’s 5-10 no limit hold ‘em game was the first at those stakes we’ve counted off the
Strip.

Otherwise, the numbers were consistent with recent surveys.

The Non Hold ‘em Games

Venetian (6): one 4-8 Omaha 8 or better, two 8-16 O/8, one 15-30 O/8, one 1-2 pot-limit
Omaha, one 2-5 PLO
Bellagio (2): one 20-40 stud, one 30-60 Omaha/8
Aria (2): one 9-18 mix, one 200-400 mix
Orleans (3): three 4-8 O/8