The Best Casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey
It’s the place where Miss America and saltwater taffy was born and was the inspiration for the American Monopoly board game. We are of course speaking of Atlantic City, a city that’s home to a world famous boardwalk, pumping nightclubs, delicious restaurants, great shopping, and even a famous 65-foot-tall elephant.
Then there are Atlantic City’s famous casinos. One of the top gambling destinations in America, Atlantic City offers up nine casinos to choose from. And while you may no longer be able to place bets on Mike Tyson who regularly danced his way around Atlantic City’s boxing arenas in his prime, you can still test your luck at roulette, poker, slots, and more.
The Best Casinos in NJ
The first casino to pop up in Atlantic City was Resorts Casino Hotel back in 1978 and while it has managed to survive for over 40 years now, a number of casinos haven’t been so lucky. Thankfully, Atlantic City is still home to nine wonderful casinos making it the best place to gamble in the U.S. outside of Vegas.
The coronavirus pandemic was not kind to many top gambling travel destinations including Atlantic City. Popular casinos from Vegas to Australia and everywhere in-between were forced to close their doors during lockdowns.
Even though physical casinos are now back open, people realized just how easy gambling online was and Aussies continue to play online pokies Australia with real money while American’s living it up in America’s Playground (Atlantic City) or Sin City (Vegas) are still seeking out online gambling in their respective states more than ever before.
All nine casinos in Atlantic City were forced to close in order to stop the spread of the virus but they have begun to spring back to life. There may even be room for a new top oceanfront casino in Atlantic City’s future now that Trump Plaza is currently being demolished and is scheduled for eventual implosion.
There are now nearly two dozen licensed New Jersey online casinos, online gaming having become increasingly more popular ever since it was made legal in New Jersey in 2013. You can enjoy all sorts of gambling from the comfort of your couch simply by going online to search for the best NJ casinos on Gamblingtimes.com.
As far as Atlantic City’s physical casinos, we thought we’d showcase what each of the nine Atlantic City casinos has to offer in terms of gambling, food, and entertainment. Consider it your guide to helping you choose a sure winner for your holiday.
Bally’s Atlantic City
Get two casinos for the price of one at Bally’s Atlantic City since it contains two gaming floors including Bally’s and Wild Wild West which many people mistakenly believe to be a fully separate casino.
There’s baccarat, craps, Spanish 21, and plenty of slots on offer. The WSOP Poker Room holds daily poker tournaments and Wild Wild West’s William Hill Sportsbook is the largest in Atlantic City.
When you’re not placing wagers, you can sink your teeth into a juicy steak from Guy Fieri’s Chophouse or wander over to the city’s first self-serve beer wall. You can even enjoy a bit of beer pong at Wild Wild West’s Mountain Bar. And don’t forget to take advantage of Bally’s great pool and fitness center which provides seven whirlpools.
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
One of the city’s newer hotels, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa opened in 2003 and quickly became Atlantic City’s top-grossing casino. Run by MGM Resorts International, Borgata’s hotel is New Jersey’s largest and its rooms feature a number of amenities such as Egyptian cotton sheets and 46″ flat-screen TVs.
The casino offers up Atlantic City’s largest poker room, along with over 4,000 slot machines and 200 table games. Their Race & Sports Book is also quite popular and the casino is known for producing record-breaking lucky streaks when it comes to the craps tables.
The 54,000-square-foot Spa Toccare contains both a salon and barbershop, and there are plenty of fine dining restaurants run by celebrity chefs. Catch big name music acts at the Borgata Event Center or maybe some comedy at The Music Box.
Caesars at Atlantic City
One of the largest casinos in the city, Caesars at Atlantic City presents an ancient Greek and Roman theme much like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Caesars was the second hotel to go up in Atlantic City and continues to offer plenty of top table games and over 2,000 slots including progressives and video poker.
The Circus Maximus Theater is your go-to place for entertainment and if you’re looking for an authentic British pub experience then head over to the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill to try his famous beef Wellington. Caesars also offers great beachside fine dining as well as a livelier beach bar for casual bites. The casino also connects with the Playground Pier luxury shopping center.
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
The AAA Four Diamond award winning Golden Nugget Atlantic City shed its original name which was Trump’s Castle and has since gone on to become one of the city’s most popular casinos. Overlooking the Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina, the 80,000-square-foot casino hosts multi-level progressive jackpots on games like Mississippi Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and Pai Gow Poker. The casino’s poker room offers tableside food service and there is even the opportunity to gamble outside at the casino’s H20 pool deck.
The H2O Pool deck also provides cabanas, hot tubs, fire pits, and the H2O Bar. Sing along to iconic hits sung by tribute and cover bands at The Wave or catch the latest music stars at The Grand. The casino also hosts regular boxing and mixed martial arts matches.
Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City
Another marina district casino, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City is probably more famous for its pool than its gambling. The 21 and older tropical oasis pool sits under a glass dome which keeps the air temp around 80 degrees and the water plenty warm all year long.
Harrah’s caters to a younger crowd, offering up pop culture themed slot machines and one of the city’s best nightclub experiences. Get wet and wild at The Pool After Dark which pumps out live DJ music three nights a week. You’ll find New Jersey’s only restaurant serving A5 Wagyu beef at the resort’s Gordon Ramsay Steak restaurant and you can learn some chef skills yourself at the Viking Cooking School. The casino also hosts regular boxing matches.
Resort’s Casino Hotel
Resort’s Casino Hotel was not only Atlantic City’s first casino hotel, it was also the first legal casino outside of Nevada. Enjoying a prime beachfront location, Resort’s Casino Hotel sits at the north end of the Boardwalk overlooking the Ocean. The hotel’s guest rooms are spread out over two towers and the hotel features one of the city’s best conference centers. The 64,000-square-foot conference center contains two dozen meeting rooms, many with ocean views, along with a 6,500-square-foot function room called the Atlantic Ballroom.
The casino has a great Asian table gaming section featuring the likes of pai gow tiles, sic bo, and mini-baccarat. There is also the very popular DraftKings Sportsbook on offer. Fill up at Atlantic City’s only full-service beachside restaurant by reserving a seat at the LandShark Bar & Grill.
Tropicana Casino Resort
Considered to be the largest overall resort and casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Tropicana Casino Resort is a one stop shop for all your entertainment, dining, and shopping needs. All up, the casino contains roughly 200,000 square feet of shopping and entertainment. Tropicana provides easy access to the beach where you can enjoy fishing, kayaking, or windsurfing by day and take in one of their 20 bars and nightclubs by night.
Enjoy your favorite table games such as craps, blackjack, and roulette, as well as new innovative games like Tropicana’s basketball-themed Nothin’ But Net. Enjoy authentic Cuban cuisine at Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar or simply enjoy breathtaking ocean views from Chelsea Five Gastropub. Don’t miss the IMAX Theatre at Tropicana or the relaxing Cabana Five Bar & rooftop pool deck which offers cabana rentals and live entertainment.
Hard Rock Atlantic City
Another Atlantic City casino that was formerly under the Trump brand (Trump Taj Mahal) has since been reinvented and reinvigorated as the Hard Rock Atlantic City. The casino is home to 2,200 slots and over 120 table games, but the real star of the Hard Rock is music. Not only can you enjoy concerts in their 20,000-square-foot Sound Waves theatre, they also offer the energetic DAER Nightclub.
Music memorabilia is on display throughout the hotel and an in-room Crosley turntable allows you to spin your favorite record tracks. You can also arrange to have one of their Fender guitars delivered to your room which comes complete with headphones and Mustang amplifier.
Hard Rock Casino: Photo By Wcam via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Ocean Casino Resort
Ocean Casino Resort is the tallest and northernmost casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. It features nearly 140,000 square feet of gaming floor with a lavish Ocean Rewards player’s lounge overlooking the ocean. It is also the only Atlantic City casino to offer Blackjack Surrender to all table game players which allows players to fold their hand and lose half their bet rather than their entire bet. This helps players minimize their losses early on.
Catch a symphony orchestra performance at the resort’s Ovation Hall or enjoy a virtual simulation experience at America’s largest Topgolf Swing Suite. Not only does the Swing Suite offer virtual golf, it also offers virtual baseball, football, and other popular sports and games. Meanwhile, the resort’s 3-acre Sky Garden overlooks the ocean and offers a bar, fire pits, and picnic tables. The half indoor, half outdoor Eclipse pool boasts what has to be the best ocean views from a pool on the Boardwalk and the Exhale Spa with its Himalayan Salt Grotto and heated pools is the perfect place to de-stress.
