- The best overall casino for blackjack in San Diego is Seven Mile Casino.
- There aren’t any land-based casinos in downtown San Diego, but all of the casinos on our list are within 30 minutes of the city.
- Barona Resort & Casino in Lakeside has plenty of accolades to back up being a top-three blackjack casino in Southern California.
SAN DIEGO – Southern California is home to a variety of casinos, but which are the best for legal blackjack? This article breaks down the top five best locations for California blackjack near San Diego.
- Seven Mile Casino: Seven Mile’s proximity to downtown (15 minutes), 3:2 payouts, 24/7 availability, and customer satisfaction make them the top overall casino for blackjack in San Diego area. They offer plenty of blackjack tables and great restaurants after you leave the felt.
- Jamul Casino Resort: This SD blackjack casino has single deck, double deck, and free bet blackjack, in addition to many other table games and poker. When busy the table minimums can climb above $15, but many guests raved about the blackjack side bets at this casino.
- Barona Resort & Casino: Barona is the highest-rated blackjack casino on Yelp of this list, but it’s location 30 minutes from downtown San Diego brings it down. Voted the best blackjack in the country by Casino Player magazine and best blackjack in California by the Blackjack Hall of Fame, they also claim to be the only non-smoking casino in Southern California.
- Sycuan Casino: While some negative reviews about a smoky atmosphere and poor staff interaction tanked their rating, their blackjack offerings are undeniable. Sycuan offers the most blackjack variations in San Diego, including standard, free bet blackjack, Spanish 21, double deck blackjack, and double down madness blackjack.
- Viejas Casino & Resort: Viejas would be higher on the list if it weren’t 35 minutes east of downtown, but still many San Diego residents recommend taking the trip. This casino has many exciting casino promotions like a share of $10,000 for playing blackjack, plus they offer six deck and double deck blackjack games.
Which San Diego Casinos Offer Free Drinks When Playing Blackjack?
California liquor laws and state tribal regulations prevent complimentary alcohol service at the casinos listed above. However, guests at the Barona can receive complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, such as soda, coffee, or water while playing legal blackjack on the casino floor. The Barona is a fully dry and non-smoking casino near San Diego, but Jamul and other locations offer alcohol for purchase at bars and lounges.
Which San Diego Casinos Have 3:2 Blackjack Payouts?
Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan explicitly states that they payout 3:2 for blackjack/naturals. The fact that house edge is reduced by 1.4% explains why players should only play 3:2 blackjack in San Diego. Some casinos, like Jamul, don’t explicitly confirm 3:2 blackjack in their website, so it’s a safer bet to play at one of the confirmed 3:2 San Diego blackjack casinos listed above.
What Types Of Blackjack Do San Diego Casinos Have?
San Diego blackjack players are used to playing buster bet blackjack, where there’s a third-party player holding the money (banker) to abide by state regulations. Some SD casinos have implemented their own versions of California blackjack, like 21st Century Blackjack at the Seven Mile Casino. There are some different blackjack dealer rules to consider when playing this variation, most importantly that a “natural” is this game’s version of blackjack, but it’s a 22-value hand since aces are worth 12 on the first two cards of a hand.
As for other blackjack variations, Sycuan has the most offerings with five different blackjack games. Their signature Double Down Madness is a big hit in SoCal since players receive only one card initially, and can choose to hit or double down for their second dealt card. If a player is dealt blackjack, they get paid for the main wager and the double down amount.