What Is a Party Pit? | Las Vegas Advisor

You answered a question (10/29/19) about hearing aids. But in the last paragraph, the writer mentioned "the party pits." What the heck is a party pit? I'm guessing for high rollers? If so, that certainly leaves me out.

A party pit is a sort of casino-within-a-casino in which dealers are super-friendly and might wear sexy uniforms, rock and party music is blasted through the PA system, and scantily clad go-go dancers might be strutting their stuff on tables or platforms. Party pits have included themes, such as the Margarittaville party pit at the Flamingo playing Jimmy Buffett music and featuring tropical decor, or the celebrity-impersonator dealers, called “dealertainers,” at the old Imperial Palace, or the Pussycat Dolls casino area at Caesars Palace or Playboy party pit at the Palms. Downtown, the D, Binion's, and Golden Gate have played around with party pits.

An early proponent of party pits was our old friend Dennis Conrad. For those of you who go back that far, Dennis was director of marketing at Harrah's when we held LVA parties there in the early 1990s. His idea was to establish a venue within the casino that was more about fun than gambling, drawing a crowd of casual gamblers looking for a good time rather than a pile of dough. He experimented with a rock 'n' roll party and the idea caught on.

Limits are generally low in party pits, but so are the blackjack payouts; you generally pay a gambling premium, such as 6-5 and tough double-down rules, for the entertainment.

We like how Anthony Curtis sums up party pits. “You’re going to lose your money anyway. You might as well lose it to a good-looking girl with Zeppelin playing in the background.”

What the heck is a party pit? I'm guessing for high rollers? If so, that certainly leaves me out.

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Teresa Harrison Jan-05-2020

Millennials

Party pits in my opinion is fun for millennials.  I’m 61 and all that loud music messes with my ears.  Not my cup of tea but if it is urs u will have a blast.

Ray Jan-05-2020

Not just millennials

My wife loves the hippie pit at the Gold Coast. It reminds her of when she was much younger. And (at least at GC) they have plenty of VP within the Hippie area, so she also can play what she loves. (She's over 65)

Dave in Seattle. Jan-05-2020

More fun.

Not a better gamble. The Plaza party pit is OK.The tunes were not THAT loud.Not like the D.
That area is enclosed by single pane glass and the lady dealers get cold.They wear short vests in winter months.

Kevin Lewis Jan-05-2020

The primary purpose of the party pit

I forget where it was--some big Strip megatoilet--but I once saw a BJ party pit where all blackjacks paid even money!!! The boobs were jiggling, the music was blaring, and the players were losing. I watched for two minutes, and in that span of time, I saw one person double down on a hard 8 against a 10, another hit a hard 16 against a 6, and a third hit an A8 (just hit, not double) against an 8. Party pits are like lobotomies.

Jon Anderson Jan-05-2020

hippie pit at gold coast

hit the hippie pit on a sat night in june at the gold coast casino and had a groovy far out blast. everybody (dealers, pit bosses, etc) was in a 60's love thing kinda mood. bonuses for blackjacks and little hippie trinkets and stuff passed out. we had a sexy hostess quasi-dominatrix cracking the whip in our pit and she kept things fun with a little edge to it. very groovy baby. can't even remember if won or lost but sure had a ton of fun either way. thx for a great evening gold coast

Adam Cohen Jan-05-2020

Imperial Palace

My first stays in Vegas were at the IP. I remember the party there well. I also remember the terrible Buffett. But of course, I had to try it and the party pit. The party pit was much better

SoCalDude Jan-05-2020

6-5 BJ?

That is all I needed to see as to why Party Pits are not for me. Unless it is the 21st Century verison of "Brewster's Millions" I have no desire to play 6'5 BJ unless I am getting an actual BJ from the "dancers" there.

Question of the Day - 05 January 2020

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