If you look at the average odds for popular casino games like blackjack, crap or roulette at New Jersey online casinos and compare them to the online average at any other web casino venue, you’ll see that NJ offers better odds. If you are interested in playing the best online casino games or getting your hands on the biggest casino bonuses in New Jersey, then you’ve come to the right place. Our experts have reviewed the NJ online casinos to help point you in the right direction to finding the safest, most trustworthy gambling sites on the market.
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Best online table games in New Jersey
Table game payouts vary widely from game to game, and even from game variant to game variant. But generally speaking, the expected returns walk the middle line between lower returning slots and high value games like blackjack and craps.
In addition to tried-and-true felt games like blackjack, roulette, and craps, most NJ online casinos now support a flock of alternative table games.
From those commonly spread on Atlantic City casino floors such as Baccarat and Three Card Poker, to lesser known variants like Hi-Lo Solitare, these highly entertaining games generally boast more side bets, and higher maximum payouts than traditional table games, typically at the expense of a slightly higher house edge.
Best bet: Baccarat
There is one favorable exception to this rule, and that’s Baccarat. The version of the game where the player pays 5 percent commission on winning Banker bets returns nearly 99 percent on Banker plays, and just over 98.75 percent on Player bets. That’s even better odds than players get on Pass/Don’t Pass craps bets.
Non-commission Baccarat, where players only win 1:2 on Banker bets where the Banker wins with an 8, returns slightly less on Banker wins (98.54 percent), but otherwise features the same payouts as traditional Baccarat games. Other bets, such as the Tie bet, and the EZ Baccarat Dragon 7 and Panda 8 bets are best avoided, as the return to player for these wagers ranges from a paltry 85.64 to an unimpressive 92.38 percent.
The very best Baccarat games can be found at Tropicana Casino, Virgin Casino, PokerStars Casino and Betfair Casino.
Second best bet: Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
Coming in second place is a game that’s bound to resonate with NJ online poker players, and that’s Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. This game tasks players with making a better five card hand than the dealer.
The house edge on the primary game is a mere 2.04 percent — low by carnival game standards. However, players are advised to dodge the sucker side bet. While the high end bonus payouts are undeniably attractive, the bonus bet returns just 89 percent, placing it as one of the worst bets a casino patron can make.
Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker can be found at Borgata Casino and Party Casino.
Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker is a relatively low volatility game designed to appeal to fans of traditional poker variants.
The premise of the game is simple – make a better five card hand than the dealer.
There are a total of four betting rounds. The first bet is a forced ante. Once placed, the player receives two hole cards. Players can then either fold their hand (and forfeit their ante) or wager twice their ante bet on the Flop. A Flop bet locks the player in until the conclusion of the hand.
Next, three community cards are dealt. Players then reevaluate the strength of their hand before deciding to either place a Turn bet equal to the size of the ante bet, or checking. A fourth community card is dealt, and the process of betting or checking is repeated for the River.
The dealer then reveals the final community card before flipping over her own hole cards, and the strength of the dealer’s best five card holding is compared to the player’s. Should the player have the better hand, he’ll be paid on all Flop, Turn and River bets, and also on the ante, if the winning hand meets certain criteria.
That criteria is paramount to determining the RTP of the game. On Borgata Casino, currently the only NJ online casino to support the game, the ante is paid on a winning hand of a straight or better.
Under this rule, the house edge is just 2.04 percent. To illustrate just how influential the winning ante requirement is to the RTP, consider that if the player were required to make a flush to win the ante bet, then the house edge would shoot up nearly threefold, to 5.59 percent.
The Borgata also offers a side bet, where players who possess strong starting hands such as pairs and big suited Aces win a multiple of their original bet, up to 30x. While attractive, this wager should never be played, as the RTP on the bonus bet is a mere 88.99 percent. In the long-run, players are better off burning money.
Best bonus: Pai Gow Power bonus bet
Brick and mortar players will kid that playing Pai Gow Poker is the best way to rack up the free drinks. And to an extent, they’re right, as in most live settings, the game crawls along at a snail’s pace.
In Pai Gow, players are dealt seven cards, and are tasked with making their best five and two card poker hands. The five card hand must be stronger than the two card holding, otherwise it’s a foul and all bets are forfeited.
Once all players set their hands, the dealer turns over her seven cards, and the holdings are compared. If both player hands beat both dealer hands, the player wins. Likewise, if both dealer hands beat out the player hands, then the player loses.
In the most common scenario, the player beats one of the dealer’s hands and loses to the other, resulting in a push. That occurs with an alarming 40.4 percent frequency, lending further credence to the belief that Pai Gow Poker is little more than a time killer.
The slow pace and low volatility of Pai Gow Poker may have been one of the primary drivers behind the introduction of a more exciting bonus bet.
Pai Gow’s side bet is an optional wager that pays out only if the player can make a straight or better. All seven cards are used to determine whether the bet is a winner or loser, and stronger holdings pay out higher multipliers.
For instance, players who make a straight double their money, while those fortunate enough to make four-of-a-kind win 25x. The crown jewel is a 7-card straight flush, which pays 5,000-to-1.
Even the worst Pai Gow bonus pay schedule offers gamblers a favorable RTP relative to most other casino side bets. On NJ online casinos, the schedule is particularly generous, thanks to a pay schedule that pays out on strong holdings and on exceedingly weak hands (J high Pai Gow or worse).
All told, this results in a house edge of 4.17 percent. That’s still not anything to get excited about, but it’s at least justifiable.
And by the way, players only give up a house edge of 2.72 percent while playing the main game.
At present, this variant of Pai Gow Poker can only be found at TropicanaCasino.com and VirginCasino.com.
Honorable mention: Three Card Poker
Perhaps the most popular of the carnival games, Three Card Poker is a straightforward green felt game that like the other games mentioned, pits the player’s hand directly against the dealer’s – only in this case, both parties are only dealt three cards apiece.
Before each game begins, players must place a forced ante bet before receiving their hand. It’s then up to the player to either place a second (Play) bet, or fold the hand and forfeit the ante wager. The Play bet must be equal to the ante wager.
Perhaps one of the reasons players gravitate to Three Card Poker in droves is because the strategy is simplistic: Play if the hand value is Queen/6/4 or greater and fold otherwise.
Players are paid on the Play bet if their holding is stronger than the dealer’s. If the player wins and the dealer does not qualify with a Queen or better, the ante bet pushes.
Finally, in the case where the dealer does qualify and the player wins, the ante bet pays out 1:1.
Regardless of the dealer’s hand, the player receives an ante bonus for making a straight or better. The pay schedule of this bonus ultimately determines the RTP of the game.
Luckily, NJ online casinos abide by the 5-4-1 pay structure:
- 5-to-1 for a straight flush
- 4-to-1 for three-of-a-kind
- 1-to-1 for a straight
Using this schedule, Three Card Poker returns 96.63 percent to the player.
There are two additional side bets. Like the ante bonus, Pair Plus pays based on the strength of a player’s holding. Once again, New Jersey operators adhere to a favorable pay schedule for this wager, resulting in a house edge of just 4.38 percent.
The other side bet, 6 Card Bonus, is a sucker bet and should be avoided at all costs.
As the name implies, this wager pays out based on the total strength of the player’s hand plus the dealer’s hand. Even the generous pay table utilized by NJ casino sites cannot save players from a more than 10 percent house edge.
Three Card Poker is one of the more readily spread games in the New Jersey market, available at ResortsCasino.com, MoheganSunCasino.com, GoldenNuggetCasino.com and BetfairCasino.com.
Other New Jersey table games
The only other table game that has seen widespread integration is Let it Ride. This game features a somewhat favorable 96.49 return to player, and can be found at Caesars Casino, Mohegan Sun/Resorts Casino, Betfair, Tropicana Casino and Golden Nugget Casino.
As some NJ online gamblers might recall, Let it Ride made headlines back in early 2015, when the game paid out over $1.5 million on a single hand.
Since, the maximum bet size has been reduced, so we won’t be seeing a payout of that magnitude again. But Let it Ride still affords gamblers the chance to parlay a small upfront investment into a monstrous score.
Other table games are spread selectively, and include:
- Hi-Lo: This game is also exclusive to Trop/Virgin. Hi-Lo is gambling in one of its simplest forms. Players are shown a card and must bet on whether the next card will be higher or lower. Payouts fluctuate based on the value of the upcard. House edge: 3.93 percent.
- Heads-Up Hold’em: A spin on Texas Hold’em Bonus, this high return game can only be found at PokerStars Casino. House edge: 2.36 percent on primary game.
- PokerBet: A Betfair exclusive, PokerBet allows players to bet on the outcome of a hand of poker. With optimal play, it returns between 89 – 96 percent.
What table games are available at NJ online casinos?
Betfair table games
Betfair has the most eclectic blend of table games, and certainly the most exclusives. Games include:
- Three Card Poker
- EZ Baccarat (exclusive)
- No Commission Baccarat
- Hi-Lo Solitare (exclusive)
- PokerBet (exclusive)
- Let it Ride
Borgata/Party Poker table games
The only alternative table game features on Borgata/Party Poker is Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. However, it’s worth noting that this game is exclusive to the network.
Caesars Casino table games
Caesars Casino has three table games: Three Card Poker, Let It Ride and No Commission Baccarat. With the exception of No Commission Baccarat, these variants feature favorable pay tables — tied for industry best.
Golden Nugget table games
The Golden Nugget currently holds one unique advantage over other NJ online casinos, in that it’s the only one to feature Live Dealer games. Live Baccarat is part of the package, and features the player-friendly five percent commission rule.
A Dragon Bonus side set, that boasts escalating payouts based on the size and type of the win, is also available in the Live Dealer variant, and has a return of 97.35 percent.
Of course there are also digital table games available. They are Let It Ride, Three Card Poker and No Commission Baccarat.
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Resorts/Mohegan Sun table games
Resorts and Mohegan Sun Casino both support the same three table games — Let It Ride, Three Card Poker and No Commission Baccarat.
Trop/Virgin table games
Pai Gow Poker is exclusive to Tropicana/Virgin, as is Hi-Lo. Standard Baccarat (5 percent commission on Banker wins) and Three Card Poker are also available.
Interestingly, Tropicana Casino supports Let It Ride, yet Virgin does not. Virgin does however, boast a craps game, whereas the popular dice game is not spread at Tropicana.
PokerStars Casino table games
PokerStars has yet to expand its table game selection. The only games available are Heads Up Hold’em (exclusive), and Baccarat (commission).
Worth pointing out, is that the return for the site’s higher stakes Heads Up Hold’em games are better compared to its micro stakes counterpart, although the difference isn’t overly significant.
New Jersey mobile table games
Unfortunately, most table games outside of blackjack and roulette have not made the transition to NJ online casino apps. There are a few exceptions to the rule — for instance, Caesars Casino has ported over No Commission Baccarat — but typically, players will have to get their table game fix from their home computer.
Online table games versus live table games
The main advantage of playing Baccarat, Three Card Poker, or really any online table game, is the swift pace of play.
At live casinos, where physical playing devices, complex payout calculations and myriad distractions all serve to slow down play, gamblers are lucky to see 20 – 30 hands per hour. That’s certainly not the case online, where players generally have their own personal table and all calculations are handled digitally.
Often, players can change their setting to speed up the game even further.
A second benefit of online play is that the minimum wagering requirements are generally much lower when compared to live. Instead of betting a minimum of $5 or $10 a hand, recreational and budget conscious players can often wager as little as $1 per hand online, and often less.
Why play table games at NJ online casinos?
Well, for one, they’re among the most entertaining casino games. They also offer top-end payouts that traditional table games do not.
But perhaps even more important, is that under ideal conditions, select carnival games offer RTPs that are considerably better than slots. In a few cases, the chances of winning are nearly on par with BlackJack and video poker games.
Guides to games at NJ online casinos
Welcome to the heart of NFL betting in New Jersey!
That’s right. NJ sports betting sites have odds on the board for your football bets this fall. And of course, there are NBA games, NHL games and college basketball on the horizon.
And there are plenty of casinos/racetracks and online gambling sites in New Jersey.
As of Oct. 31, there are 10 retail sportsbooks and 17 online sportsbooks available in NJ. How’s that for some options?
In this guide, you’ll have the complete rundown of where you can bet, which types of bets you can place and which types of bets you can’t place.
Where can you bet on sports in New Jersey?
If you can believe it, it’s almost a year and a half since the repeal of PASPA. That decision paved the way for legal sports betting in New Jersey.
New Jersey casinos and racetracks were eager to launch land-based and online sportsbooks. As such, one online sportsbook quickly ballooned into 17.
| Online Sportsbook | Sports Betting Partner(s) | Land-Based Affiliate | Launch Date | Promo Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | Kambi/SBTech | Resorts AC | Aug. 6, 2018 | $25 free + up to $500 match bet |
| William Hill | NA | Monmouth/Ocean Resort | Sept. 1, 2018 | $50 free |
| FanDuel | IGT/Betfair/FanDuel | Meadowlands | Sept. 1, 2018 | Up to $500 match bet |
| Fox Bet | NA | Resorts AC | Sept. 13, 2018 | Up to $500 risk-free bet |
| PointsBet | NA | Meadowlands | Dec. 11, 2018 | Deposit $50, Bet With $150 |
| BetMGM | GVC/Roar | Borgata AC | Aug. 22, 2018 | $500 risk-free bet |
| Caesars | Scientific Games | Caesars | Sept. 6, 2018 | $10 free + up to $300 deposit bonus |
| SugarHouse Sportsbook | Kambi | Monmouth Park | Aug. 23, 2018 | 100% up to $250 |
| Golden Nugget | SBTech | Golden Nugget AC | Feb. 19, 2019 | Up to $50 risk-free bet |
| 888 Sport | Kambi | Caesars | Sept. 10, 2018 | $10 free + up to $500 deposit bonus |
| Resorts | SBTech | Resorts AC | Jan. 31, 2019 | Up to $250 match bet |
| Borgata Sports | GVC | Borgata AC | May 17, 2019 | Up to $250 risk-free bet |
| Bet365 NJ | NA | Hard Rock AC | Aug. 22, 2019 | Up to $100 |
| Unibet Sportsbook | Kambi | Hard Rock AC | Sept. 11, 2019 | $20 free + 100% up to $500 |
| theScore Bet | Bet.Works | Monmouth | Aug. 16, 2019 | NA |
| Hard Rock | GiG | Hard Rock AC | Jan. 26, 2019 | Up to $1,000 |
| BetAmerica | SBTech | Golden Nugget AC | Feb. 2, 2019 | Up to $500 |
The following is a list of casinos and racetracks in the state, their online partners, and the types of sports betting they offer:
Resorts: In-person, online (DraftKings, Fox Bet, Resorts)
Resorts Atlantic City opened the DraftKings Sportsbook at Resortson Nov. 20, 2018. Powered by Kambi, the new, expansive retail location features five betting windows, 12 self-service kiosks, a VIP area, stadium-style seats, and a full-service bar.
Earlier in 2018, Resorts teamed up with DraftKings and the result was the first-to-market NJ online sports betting site, DraftKings Sportsbook. DraftKings was the go-to online sportsbook for most of August.
Resorts AC also provides a skin for BetStars. The sports betting product from poker giant PokerStars began accepting wagers Sept. 13, 2018.
However, after a deal with Fox Sports in May 2019, the BetStars app was rebranded to Fox Bet just before the 2019 NFL kickoff.
For users, nothing much has changed accept the color theme of the app and website. Among its offerings include promotions, in-game betting, and a cash-out option.
The week of the 2019 Super Bowl, Resorts launched its self-branded online sportsbook. Powered by SBTech, it is nested inside the Resorts online casino.
Meadowlands: In-person and online (FanDuel and PointsBet)
Meadowlands Racetrack opened a FanDuel-branded sportsbook on July 14, 2018, quickly becoming a powerhouse in the NJ sports betting market. Sitting next to New York City, the retail sportsbook is reaping the benefits of its location while NY goes without for online sports betting (at least for now).
And not to be outdone by its daily fantasy sports (DFS) competitor (DraftKings), FanDuel Sportsbooklaunched its mobile sports betting app Sept. 1, 2018, alongside William Hill’s app.
In December, PointsBet emerged into the NJ online gambling scene with its unique sports betting option called Points Betting. After a weekslong soft launch, the site opened up and is now taking bets.
Points Betting rewards players on accuracy. The more accurate your bet is to the outcome, the more you win. You can learn more about it here.
Download PointsBet NJ sportsbook app here.
Casino Odds By State
Caesars/Harrah’s/Bally’s: In-person and online (Caesars and 888 Sport)
Caesars Entertainment opened land-based sportsbooks at Harrah’s and Bally’s. The Caesars AC property, however, has no retail book. It shares the sportsbook at Bally’s.
The entertainment group announced a partnership with Scientific Games and launched its online sportsbook hours before the start of the 2018-19 NFL regular season.
Caesars added its sportsbook to its existing Caesars NJ online casino app, which is available on browsers and mobile for iOS and Android.
Additionally, Caesars provides a skin for 888 Sport NJ. You can place sports bets on the 888 Sport website or by using the mobile app on Android and iOS.
Monmouth Park: In-person and online (William Hill, SugarHouse, theScore)
MonmouthPark partnered with William Hill to open the first land-based sportsbook June 14, 2018.
Their partnership also extends to the online space, where William Hill NJ accepts sports wagers online and on its Android and iOS apps.
At one point, SugarHouse Sportsbook was under Golden Nugget’s NJ online gambling license, but not anymore. As of October 2018, SugarHouse switched its online sports betting site to the Monmouth Park license.
Casino Games With Best Odds
The reason was simple: SugarHouse wanted to accept NBA bets and with Golden Nugget, that’s not possible (see below for the why).
The online casino side of the integrated site is still under Golden Nugget’s license.
SugarHouse Sportsbook includes all your favorite betting options, apps, and a shared wallet with SugarHouse NJ online casino.
Pennsylvania’s SugarHouse online casino and sportsbook are also now available, but the two sites do not share accounts.
In August 2019, Monmouth became the first licensee to complete its online skins when theScore Sportsbook began testing in New Jersey. It got official approval a few days later and went live statewide on Sept. 3.
TheScore Bet, as it is called, is the first entry into sports betting by the well-known sports media company. The testing period is exclusive to select users until the site gets final approval from the DGE.
Golden Nugget: In-person and online (BetAmerica, Golden Nugget)
Golden Nugget opened the doors to its temporary sportsbook in summer 2018.
But as promised, The Sportsbook opened in its new and permanent space a few weeks later, complete with nine self-service kiosks and lounge areas.
Meanwhile, via its partnership with Churchill Downs Inc., BetAmerica online gambling opened for business the day before the 2019 Super Bowl.
The site features both an online sportsbook and an online casino. It, too, is powered by SBTech.
Golden Nugget Sportsbook online site opened for business on Feb. 19, just before Oscars betting weekend.
While you won’t find NBA games on the sportsbook app, it is integrated with Golden Nugget’s online casino and therefore shares a wallet.
In fact, BetAmerica, the Golden Nugget retail book, and the online sportsbook do not feature NBA games as per NJ sports betting regulations.
Borgata: In-person and online (BetMGM, Borgata Sports)
Borgata opened its much-anticipated $11 million sportsbook this summer. The Moneyline Bar & Book includes 144 seats, self-betting kiosks and six betting windows. Nearby is the original Race & Sports Book, which still accepts sports wagers.
Borgata is owned by MGM Resorts, which means that a playMGM sports betting app was always a likely scenario. On Aug. 22, 2018, playMGM opened its online app in New Jersey.
Just before the 2019 NFL season began, however, BetMGM became the new name of the app. Along with the name change was a platform upgrade.
Then, on the one-year anniversary of the fall of PASPA, Borgata Sports online launched, becoming the 14th app in the NJ sports betting market.
This brings Borgata’s online skin count to two. With one more slot left, its possible Borgata’s parent company and its partners GVC and Boyd Gaming have something else up their sleeves.
Ocean Casino: In-person
Hard Rock Atlantic City may have earned more revenue in the first couple of months, but Ocean Casino beat its rival to the punch by opening a retail sportsbook the day it opened (June 28, 2018).
The William Hill Sports Book at Ocean Resort claims to be the best in the business, with nearly 7,500 square feet of space. It sits in the center of the casino floor and features seating, a bar, TVs and plenty of betting windows. The grand opening of the new Ocean Sportsbook occurred Sept. 6, 2018.
However, the new Bally’s sportsbook at 15,000+ square feet easily trumps Ocean’s status as sportsbook king.
Ocean Resort is also partnered with William Hill US, a union which most likely will result in a self-branded online app at some point in the future. The timeline for that supposed launch, however, is unclear.
Hard Rock: In-person and online (Hard Rock, Bet365, Unibet)
One of Atlantic City’s newest casinos, Hard Rock AC has a partnership with Gaming Innovation Group for its sportsbook. And on Jan. 26, that sportsbook joined the club.
The online betting site is nested in the Hard Rock online casino.
A few days later, Hard Rock casino opened a temporary on-site sportsbook until its new sportsbook loungeopened April 1 (no foolin’).
In June 2019, Unibet online casino launched, and Unibet online sportsbook went live in Setember 2019.
The property also has a partnership with Bet365, a leading international sportsbook operator. Bet365 NJ began testing its app on Aug. 22, becoming the 16th sportsbook app in New Jersey. It got final approval on Aug. 30.
But it did not come to this crowded market unprepared: Bet365 Casino also is in soft launch mode and the two sites share a wallet.
Tropicana: In-person
Tropicana underwent a sale, the consequences of which have Penn National running the property and ElDorado Gaming running the gaming operations. Now, ElDorado will soon join forces with Caesars to create one of the largest networks of gambling properties.
But, Tropicana AC signed a deal with William Hill to offer sports betting in Atlantic City long before that merger was even rumored. On Oct. 25, 2019, the casino opened its temporary sportsbook.
The full 5,000-square-foot permanent space opened in time for March Madness betting on March 8 and features seating for 180 sports fans, and 1,000+ square feet of video displays.
The only other properties in the state that could offer sports betting are Garden State Park and Freehold Raceway, the oldest racetrack in the state.
Freehold’s plans, while in the works, are pretty much a mystery.
And GSP is in the midst of a court battle between the developers and the former owners.
Types of bets you can place in NJ sports betting
You’ll get the full-fledged betting experience at all the in-person locations throughout the state, with everything from spread to prop bets in play.
Shop around each online and mobile sports betting app to see which kinds of lines you can get, as they may not all be uniform. In-game betting is a popular addition to sportsbooks, and most if not all of the new apps in the state offer it.
Some books also have special events and promotions. BetStars NJ often has a rotating slate of offers for each sporting event. And almost all 16 apps have special odds boosts to entice bettors, especially during NFL betting and football season.
Also, remember that Golden Nugget’s relationship with the Houston Rockets will exclude them from offering bets on NBA games. But this might also soon go the way of the dodo bird.
NJ lawmakers passed a bill that loosens the restrictions that kept Golden Nugget and its online partners out of the NBA betting market in the first year.
Once signed into law, Golden Nugget’s NBA betting ban will be no more. The only bets they won’s be able to offer will be on the Rockets.
Types of bets you can’t place
There are no specific sports excluded from sports betting in New Jersey, although it’s not a guarantee that sportsbooks will offer those sports. Each sportsbook is different.
Also, the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement, which regulates sports betting in the state, has ultimate control over what sports or events can be booked and the types of bets allowed.
The only bets excluded (as per regulations) from in-person and online sportsbooks are bets made on high school sports, as well as bets made on college teams and games in New Jersey, which includes Seton Hall, Rutgers, Monmouth and more.