Excalibur Resort Casino details section: This casino can be found in Las Vegas, Nevada. Excalibur Resort Casino has a total of 1750 slot machines and 85 table games for your pleasure. WCD also books hotel rooms in the major casino resorts in Las Vegas. You will also find photos of Excalibur Resort Casino or read recent headlines about Excalibur Resort Casino on our site. Book direct with Excalibur Las Hotel & Casino and get our best rate guarantee, offering guestrooms, suites, spa, slot machines, table games and a mix of restaurants. Jul 18, 2009 Some of the quarter machines have a progressive jackpot for a Royal Flush. There are also some 1-2-3-4-4-9-15-25-200-800 Deuces Wild machines (sometimes called Illinois Deuces or Airport Deuces, returning 98.91%) scattered around the snack bar. Slot tickets at Excalibur expire after 1 month (approximately 30 days).
A long time veteran of Las Vegas, Excalibur is in its 28th year of operation. Located right off Tropicana Avenue on the south side of Las Vegas Blvd., Excalibur belongs to MGM Resorts International. It is conveniently connected to Luxor which also connects to Mandalay Bay, and you can travel to all three via the tram.
The theme at Excalibur is modeled after Medieval Europe, and the property is as visual a casino there is from the outside with its many castles. When you walk in, however, it’s a bit of a letdown because suddenly, nothing stands out. There’s nothing particularly off-putting on the inside but it’s just like, what?…. What happened to all the creativity? Nevertheless, it’s a serviceable venue that tailors well to tourists who are trying to get a little more mileage from their dollar, and we do not expect locals to frequent this establishment.
The wonderful era of free parking and valet at all strip casinos have passed. Parking fees depend on how long you’re staying and your level of tier status in their player rewards program. Alternatively, if you don’t wish to accumulate status by gambling, you can apply for the M Life credit card. If you get approved for a card, you are automatically upgraded to Pearl status which exempts you from self-parking (but not valet).
Casino at Excalibur
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Despite having renovated as recently as 2015, the 100,000 square foot casino gaming floor is still just adequate. Its selection of mixed table games was slightly above average, but we were not impressed by the fact there is no section for high limit table games and absolutely no Baccarat. One thing we did like about Excalibur was the energy. The casino floor is a bit smoky, but there were plenty of games going and it was easy to sense enjoyment. Maybe because $5 was the minimum bet allowed for almost every game.
Blackjack
At every casino, the most popular table game is almost always blackjack. At Excalibur, all the many blackjack tables pay 6-5 when dealt blackjack except for some of the table’s where minimums are upwards of $15. These tables almost always pay 3-2 and the dealer must hit on soft 17 for all the games.
If you like other variations of blackjack, Excalibur delivers three additional games: Free Bet, Blackjack Switch, and Zappit. Lastly, out by the slots area is a virtual blackjack game that has a live dealer with a $1 minimum.
Craps
During our last visit, $10 was the minimum for all the current craps games. The odds were not posted, but we can safely assume they were 3-4-5 as that is the norm for casinos on the strip. Like blackjack, there was another type of virtual craps located out by the slots that shoots foam dice by pushing a button, and that minimum was also $1.
Roulette
Tables of $5 and $10 minimums were available, but the rules were no different as they each had two zeros. $3 roulette was also available, and it had an actual wheel, but given how different the setup is it makes for a totally different experience, and that game was also located within the slots.
Other Excalibur Table Games
– Three Card Poker ($5 min.)
– Casino War ($5 min.)
– Let It Ride ($5 min.)
– High Card Flush ($5 min.)
– Texas Hold’em ($5 min.)
– Crazy 4 Poker ($5 min.)
Despite how busy the floor was, there is no reason to think it would ever be difficult to get a seat. Considering all the other games available, we were surprised to see no variations of Pai Gow and especially Baccarat, as these are normally typical secondary games.
Slots at Excalibur
An exact slot count was unavailable during our visit, but as it goes with most casinos, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of machines scattered all around the gaming floor. The games offered were a mix between new and old. Some of the unique selections included Casablanca, Anchorman, Jurassic Park, and the Hangover II. Other popular selections were Wheel of Fortune, Willy Wonka, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and numerous variations of Buffalo. Limits began at a penny and went up to $0.02, $0.05, $0.25, and $1. Excalibur hosts a variety of slots tournaments each month.
High Limit Slots at Excalibur
This was by far the weakest part of Excalibur and we were left thinking that it’s rare for anyone to go here. Located across from the sportsbook, there were no signs directing you towards high limit slots. Even though the casino was busy, the high limit section was empty. Many of the machines were old, and there were no walls to seclude it from any outside noise. Clearly the least amount of effort was put into this section and it only seems to be there because the casino feels it should have a high limit area. Not because it cares about making it worthwhile to play.
This idea was further demonstrated when we saw slots that accept bets as low as $0.05 – not exactly in the spirit of high limit. Otherwise you could wager for up to $100 a pull, with normal high limits starting at $5, $10, and $25. There were also a few video poker machines accepting bets of $0.25, $1, and $5.
Video Poker at Excalibur
Video Poker wasn’t any more impressive than the high limit slots. There weren’t that many machines, although most of them were near high limit slots. The only variation was Jacks or Better with a modest payback of 98.45%. Limits were $0.25, $0.50, and $1, and you could also find them at several of the bars.
Poker Room at Excalibur
The poker room is small and adjacent to the sportsbook. They’ll 2-6 Spread Limit Texas Hold’em, 1-2 No Limit Hold’em, and Omaha Hi/Lo. The spread and no limit games come together consistently, but the Omaha game is rare. Lessons are given every day at 12 PM, and daily tournaments are also available four times a day. The 9 AM buy-in is $40, while $45 is the cost for the 1, 5, and 8 PM events. Chip stacks begin at 5,000 with one reentry, and blinds increase every 15 minutes.
Small poker rooms like these often have bonuses like a Bad Beat Jackpot, but Excalibur does not. There is however an Royal Flush bonus of $500 where both cards must play. Additionally, an “aces cracked” bonus is given Monday-Friday from 10 AM – 3PM, and you also get to spin the big wheel for an extra bonus of $20-$100 whenever aces get cracked or you are dealt quads or better whether you’re playing one hole card or two.
Sportsbook, Racebook and Keno Lounge
There are definitely better sportsbooks than Excalibur, but you can also do a lot worse. The best thing it has going for it is the fact it is built more vertically, as opposed to horizontally like most sportsbooks. This design allows viewers to have a solid view of everything, including the betting board which is a decent size, so it constantly has every line on display.
Some of its drawbacks are the fact Excalibur is altogether a smoky casino and given the book’s sound quality is not mind blowing, it’s not hard to overhear the chirping sound of slots. Since Excalibur is one of MGM’s second tier properties, we were happy enough with the size of the sportsbook. There are several dozen leather chairs, additional high tables and chairs behind those, plenty of TVs with acceptable picture quality, and smoking is only allowed at the very back of the sportsbook.
A keno book is also included, and all the racebook seating has a desk and its own TV, but this book is aimed more at the sports bettors as all the horse racing TVs were small.
Despite just being a slightly above mediocre sportsbook, Excalibur doesn’t give you a break on drinks. You must bet $100 on sports and $10 on horses to attain a single drink ticket. Excalibur has a huge food court, but it is upstairs in its mall and the only nearby food option is a Starbucks.
Hotel at Excalibur
The average nightly rate for the hotel is lower than any of its competitors, and you get what you pay for. The rooms are finely updated, but the standard rooms are only 352 square feet. Clearly this hotel is for people interested in finding a place to sleep economically more so than experiencing luxury. But if you do want luxury, you can get it with the Resort Luxury Suite which is 682 square feet, or the Royal 2 Bedroom Luxury Suite which is 1,034.
Prices for these suites are about what you would pay for a normal room at luxury hotel, and there is a military discount of 10%. Considering the standard room here can be booked for as little as $29 if reserved at the right time, it’s almost comical the mandatory resort fee is $40. The fee includes the Internet and access to the pool and fitness center, but more than anything it feels like you’re getting ripped off.
Spa and Fitness Center
Though the spa is not included in the resort fee, its admission fee is modestly priced for its guests at $10 during the week and $15 for Friday to Sunday. If you are not staying at Excalibur, the cost will be $25 for the use of spa and fitness center.
The spa is 13,000 square feet. Services included massages, facials, body treatments and body wraps, nail treatment, waxing, and other enhancements. Various packages are available, and discounts are offered to Nevada locals and military members for any service 50 minutes or more.
Like the spa, the fitness center overlooks the pool. The spa is open 6 AM – 8 PM, and the fitness center is open 24 hours to hotel guests.
Restaurants at Excalibur
Before getting into the other restaurants, first we must tell you about Dick’s Last Resort. This thematic restaurant takes on a very unique form of entertainment. It’s essentially a show within the restaurant. The waitstaff is extremely rude. They constantly make fun of you and give you a hard time about anything and everything. Basically, this is the restaurant where the server and customer can finally say all the nasty things they were thinking and wishing they could say to each other.
On top of that, the American style food is good. Considering the entertainment provided, the price markups are totally reasonable. There is no other eating experience like this in Las Vegas, so if you are looking for a place that will gladly let you run your mouth as it mercilessly yet tastefully runs it back at you, don’t skip Dick’s Last Resort. It’s a hilarious time.
Excalibur also offers several more styles of food at inexpensive prices. The 24 hour food court and buffet are all standard options for a middle of the pack casino. In addition to those are a 24 hour Johnny Rockets, Buca Di Peppo for Italian lovers, Baja Fresh for Mexican, and the Drenched Bar and Grille sits next to the pool. If you want coffee or dessert, there’s Castle Coffee along with an Orange Julius/Dairy Queen.
Fine Dining
Since Excalibur is not a high end casino, its lone fine dining offering is the Camelot Steakhouse. In addition to their fine cuts of beef is a selection of seafood, and Camelot is about $60 per person.
Bars at Excalibur
Those looking to make sure they get some drinking done have a number of selections. For starters, the Lobby Bar is open 24 hours. After that is the Sportsbook Bar and the Sherwood Bar, all of which accommodate very well for video poker players.
If you want to dance as well, there is no nightclub at Excalibur, but Octane has a DJ every Friday and Saturday night, and The Lounge also features live music along with drink specials in an upbeat yet laid back environment.
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Thirty Years Gone: The MGM Grand Fire
MGM Grand Hotel (now Bally's)
When the original MGM Grand Hotel opened in 1973, it was the most lavish hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Every facet of the hotel oozed with class from its casino that was the size of three football fields, to its MGM themed high-end gourmet restaurants such as Gigi's, Barrymores and Tracey's. Chandeliers were everywhere. The shopping area, located downstairs from the main casino floor, was filled with high-end stores and at the end, a movie theater that played classic studio era MGM films. It was a hotel to remember.
But in 1980, an early morning fire changed forever the way we remember that beautiful hotel. There were, by estimates, 5,000 guests staying the luxury hotel on the morning of the fire.
It was the deadlist hotel fire in Nevada history and the second deadlist in American history. On November 21, 1980, early in the morning, a fire, that had started hours earlier, broke through a wall soffit in The Deli and roared into the casino.
The fire had been sparked by wiring inside the soffit. That wiring powered the refrigeration unit for a nearby food cabinet display. The vibration of the rotating cabinet had caused the wiring to fray and the wires rubbed together. The fire began there and burned for a while, undetected. Had the Deli still been open around the clock like it had been when the hotel originally opened, the fire would likely have been spotted and contained easily.
Unfortunately, the Deli no longer was open 24/7 and the fire began while the Deli was closed for the night. One of the workers on a marble and tile replacement crew entered the Deli to check for broken tiles and noticed a flickering light. On closer inspection, he discovered the fire. He immediately called security and went looking for a fire extinquisher. He tried to contain the fire but as it grew bigger he realized that not only was his life in danger but casino patrons and other workers were as well.
The Excalibur Las Vegas
He opted to warn as many of them as he could.
Firefighters from nearby stations had arrived and were making their way to the Deli which was now enveloped in black smoke. They were barely 40 feet inside the hotel when a fireball roared out of the Deli and through the casino gaining speed as it raced across the three football fields burning everything in its path.
Later estimates by the Clark County Fire Department clocked the speed at 15 to 19 feet per second! Many of the elegant touches like the wall paper, the paintings of famous MGM characters, the carpet and more fueled the fire as it raced.
It finally roared out the front doors of the hotel destroying everything from the slot machines inside to the cars parked waiting for the valet.
Seven people were killed inside the casino area.
The fire fueled with toxic smoke had only one place to go and that was up. Due to faulty smoke dampers, the fire was able to get into the hotel ventilation system.
Don Feldman was a baker on duty that morning. Along with John Scott and Clarence White, he had stayed behind when word began to spread of a fire. As he explained at a panel discussion on the subject that I moderated two years ago as part of 'Untold Stories', he felt that staying behind to continue working wasn't putting himself in danger because, after all, it was the MGM and surely they would take care of the problem before it got too big.
As the smoke intensified and the lights began to flicker, Feldman realized that staying behind perhaps wasn't the best choice.
The three men sought refuge in the walk-in freezer. As time passed, Feldman would go out and try to raise someone on the phone to let them know where they were. The phone line was dead. Clarence White finally decided to go for help.
While White was gone, Feldman wrote a message on the back of pie liner. He began to think they might not make it out alive. When they could take the cold no longer, Feldman and Scott decided to try and find a way out.
As they inched down the dark and smoky hallway, they found White's body. He had died of a heart attack.
They made their way to the stairs and up to the casino area. The casino was covered in water and windows were blown out. Bodies were strewn about. But, luckily, firefighters saw them and helped them to safety.
Excalibur Slot Wins
Elsewhere, the toxic smoke was making its way through the ventilation system. Hotel guests were roused by other guests in the hallway or by knocks on the door. The fire alarms were strangely quiet.
Many guests opted to take the elevators down to the casino. Of those that did, many died in those elevators.
Others ran towards the stairs and began the descent down. Many encountered thick black smoke and had to turn back. While some returned to their rooms (those who had their room keys could, those who left them behind on nightstands and in purses found themselves locked out), others raced up the stairwell for the roof.
As the fire raged on, guests could be seen on balconies and at windows begging for help. Helicopters from around the valley, including Nellis Air Force Base, helped rescue rooftop guests. Some 2,000 guests made their way to the rooftop hoping to be rescued.
Fire ladders only went as high as the 9th floor but the hotel was 26 stories tall. Guests on higher floors screamed for help. Some jumped. Hotel workers used scaffolding to try and reach and rescue guests on higher floors.
Less than two hours after the alarm was sounded, the firemen had the fire in the casino under control and were busy evacuating people floor by floor. It became a race against time.
The thick, black smoke, filled with toxins, moved swiftly and quietly throughout the air conditioning and ventilation systems. Guests who were sleeping through the fire died in their sleep of smoke inhalation.
84 people died on that tragic day with another three dying later of injuries sustained during the fire.
The MGM Grand fire led to lawsuits and trials. As the pictures above show, the casino area was destroyed. Smoke and water damage on the lower level destroyed many of the fabled shops. The hotel closed and was rebuilt. But the damage couldn't be repaired to the psyche of the American conscience. Kirk Kerkorian, the owner of the hotel, sold the hotel to Bally's.
The fire changed the way hotels were built in America. Now every room is equipped with fire sprinklers, each room comes with a binder that explains evacuation routes in case of fire, elevators are now disabled when the fire alarm sounds.
Much of the original MGM Grand still stands, its lovely bones still there amid all the remodeling that Bally's did. For more on that, click here.
The Las Vegas Strip is very different today than it was 30 years ago. But because of the tragedy of the MGM Fire, hotels in Las Vegas and around the country are now safer to stay in.