Golden Nugget Sportsbook Review

The Golden Nugget is one of the long-standing cornerstones of the old Las Vegas Strip on downtown Fremont Street and the Golden Nugget sportsbook is one of the most famous one in Vegas.

Built in 1964, the gambling hall has always been among the leaders in the Las Vegas betting market, thanks to its location at the main intersection of Casino Center Boulevard and the Fremont Street Experience.

The resort and its bright flashing golden lights has also had starring roles in such major Hollywood productions as the Elvis Presley film Viva Las Vegas (1964) and the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever (1971).

Golden Nugget Sportsbook 101

This is the nicest sportsbook in Old Vegas today.

Located at 129 Fremont Street, the Golden Nugget’s Vegas Sportsbook might not have the room size of the upscale venues on the main Strip, but it’s still one of the best sportsbooks in Vegas  since it was renovated in 2014.

Sports players can place their bets early in the morning or late at night as the Golden Nugget sportsbook hours are as follows: Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to midnight, Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. These are some of the longest hours for any venue in all of Las Vegas.

Players must be 21 years of age or older to wager anywhere in Nevada, including at this iconic resort and others off the Strip like South Point, Red Rock, and Station casinos.

The non-smoking Golden Nugget sportsbook is tucked away in the northeast corner of the casino floor, an ideal distance away from the noise and distractions of the slot machines and table games. 

There is comfortable seating and lounge chairs available to watch sporting events and horse racing, but the main Golden Nugget sports lines are slightly blocked by the betting windows and columns anchored throughout the room.

“Our sportsbook has more TVs per square foot than any book in the state of Nevada,” the Golden Nugget website claims. Golden Nugget sports betting is also home to a handy eatery to the right of the room called The Grille with sandwiches, drinks and snacks.

So, what can you bet on at the Golden Nugget Las Vegas sportsbook? There are Golden Nugget sportsbook odds available on all the major professional and college sports, from the regular season games all the way to the league championships.

If players want to avoid the betting queues, the Golden Nugget sports app can be downloaded to your Android or iOS devices. All Golden Nugget online sports betting is available on this platform, including Golden Nugget entertainment esports.

Like all of the other advertised sportsbook apps in Las Vegas, including those using CG Technology, the Golden Nugget Las Vegas sportsbook odds are only active online while you are in the state of Nevada.

It’s one of the biggest reasons why a membership with top-rated online site Bovada is a much better bet.

Bovada, which has been around for years, offers bonuses, rewards and unlimited betting options, unlike the Golden Nugget app, which was launched in February 2019.

Your Best Bet at the Golden Nugget

Money line? Check. Point spread? Check. Over/under totals? Check.

The Golden Nugget sportsbook offers all the common wagers of sports betting. It also features futures betting and a few prop bets.

However, major championships like the Super Bowl bring out pages of betting opportunities as NFL bettors search for a top pick in the biggest game of the year.

Here are most of the betting types you can expect to find at the Golden Nugget:

• Money line
• Point spread, run line or puck line
• Over/under totals
• Future betting
• Prop bets
• Teasers
• Ultimate Football Challenge

Like most sportsbooks, the Golden Nugget gets most of its action from NFL games. Here are some of the sporting events bettors can wager on, including the league’s playoffs and championship:

• NFL
• NBA
• Major League Baseball
• NHL
• Major professional soccer leagues
• College football and basketball

The Golden Nugget sportsbook online offers more betting options than the land-based venue. New members can sign up using their 24K Select Club rewards card.

But you don’t have to go to the largest sportsbook in the world — the Westgate SuperBook — to get in on the game.

Main Stop on Main Intersection

Located in the heart of Fremont Street’s never-ending party, the Golden Nugget faces Binion’s Gambling Hall and the Four Queens under the Old Vegas canopy.

It’s the resort with the $30-million award-winning pool, which is filled with a 200,000-gallon shark tank aquarium, three-story complex and one-of-a-kind water slide.

• Visitors from all directions to the Golden Nugget will travel on Interstate 15 to the heart of the city and exit at Casino Center Boulevard. The same is true for those catching a ride from McCarran International Airport.
• Taxis, ride share vehicles — like Uber and Lyft — and limousines will all likely take the highway north from the airport, which is the quickest route to the Golden Nugget. The 15-minute ride covers about 13 miles in distance.
• The Golden Nugget is one of six resorts located under the barrel vault canopy of the Fremont Street Experience.

You don’t have to worry about music over the speaker system at this location.

The Golden Nugget and the rest of the Old Vegas resorts sponsor the Downtown Rocks concert series where thousands of guests enjoy outstanding musical talent for free from May to October.

Golden Nugget Parking

Unlike the Strip resorts that are charging up to $20 a day for parking, the Golden Nugget and its Downtown Vegas neighbors offer free parking for registered guests staying at the hotel.

• Golden Nugget self-park garage is located behind the resort. Enter off 1st Street.
• Parking is available for those visiting the Golden Nugget. The first three hours are free with validation inside the casino.
• If you’re just using the Golden Nugget garage for parking, it’s $5 per hour up to a $20 maximum.
• There are two locations for valet parking — one at Gold Tower, the other at Rush Tower.

Public Transportation for Old Vegas

Visitors from out of town have many transportation options to get to their resort after landing at McCarran International Airport. All of them can be found at the airport’s main terminal.

The cost varies on the service and distance to your resort for the following modes of transportation:

• Bus service. It’s available on Level 0 at the airport and right outside the front doors at the Golden Nugget.
• Taxis. The queue for taxes moves quickly outside the doors of the main terminal. Taxi service is also available at the Golden Nugget 24 hours a day.
• Ride share programs Uber and Lyft. Download the apps and check out the lower costs for a ride anywhere in the area.
• Limousines. The going rate is anywhere from $85 to $90 an hour.

A taxi ride will cost around $40 from the airport to the Golden Nugget compared to about $25 for an Uber or Lyft ride. The ride share pickup is located on the second level of the parking garage at the airport.

Golden Nugget Dining Spots

The Golden Nugget provides a smorgasbord of culinary venues to satisfy those looking for a quick meal to others that like to enjoy the food and atmosphere of fine dining. The seafood restaurant Chart House, with its centerpiece 75,000-gallon aquarium, scores the highest rankings of the Golden Nugget’s 11 eateries on Open Table.

Other eating places in this venue owned by Texas-based Landry’s include:

• Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse is consistently voted one of America’s 10 best steakhouses.
• Grotto, inspired by Southern Italian cooking, offers house-made pastas and an impressive list of Italian wines.
• Lillie’s Asian Cuisine boasts a mix of Japanese and Chinese flavors and a variety of traditional Asian noodle dishes.

Stroll into the Vegas nightlife with a drink from one of the Golden Nugget’s eight bars and lounges, like Bar 46, which boasts high-roller drinks at penny slot prices. Other choices include:

• The Rush Bar is known for its hand-crafted cocktails and bartenders with a long pour.
• The Troy Liquor Bar is the only nightclub on the Fremont Street Experience, with front row seats of all the attractions on the second level balcony.

Golden Nugget Rewards

Guests can earn tier credits and capture rewards with the Golden Nugget 24K Select card. Visit the 24K Select office to join for free. You must be 21 years of age with government-issued identification to become a member of the club.

• Advance to the highest level by earning tier credits. There are four levels: 24 Karat, Premier, Chairman and Elite.
• Comps are available for food, retail purchases and hotel rooms.
• Slot points are redeemable for free play only.
• New members who earn 20 slot points have a chance to spin and win up to $1,000 in free slot play.

Members will receive invitations to special events and promotions, as well as gaming, dining and hotel offers. These perks are all based on gaming history. In other words, high rollers earn a lot of comps.

Rewards cards are also available at major resorts on the Strip. Mlife cards are free at such resorts as the Aria, Bellagio and Mirage. All Caesars properties — like Caesars Palace — use the Caesars Reward card.

Golden Nugget Casino

The 30,000-square-foot Golden Nugget gaming venue is often regarded as the nicest casino floor in Downtown Vegas. It may not be as big an area as those on the Strip — like the 171,500-square-foot floor at MGM Grand — but it has all the top games gamblers are looking for with their entertainment dollars.

The casino offers a nice variety of slots and video machines with more than 1,000 units to choose from, many with a one cent minimum.

Some table games post a $5 minimum, which is ideal for beginners, but most tables are $10 or even more in the high limit room. Some of the games available to play include:

• Blackjack, with some paying 3-2 odds on a 21.
• Roulette, with all wheels containing two sets of zeroes.
• Craps, but the odds at the Golden Nugget (5x) are worst than most downtown (10x).
• Baccarat, with commission and no commission tables.

Other table games include: Big Six Wheel, Caribbean Stud Poker, Let it Ride, Pai Gow Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

Guests playing the slots, video poker or table games will likely be offered a complimentary drink. Don’t forget to tip at least $1 per drink. This is a good deal compared to the sportsbook, where bettors have to pay full price for a beverage.

Golden Nugget Hotel Rooms

The Golden Nugget, which has gone through six renovations since it opened in 1964, is the largest resort in the downtown area, with a total of 2,419 deluxe guest rooms and suites.

But before you head to the elevators to check out your room for the next few days, stop by the world’s largest gold nugget which is still on display in the Golden Nugget lobby. The Hand of Faith weighs 875 troy ounces (61 pounds) and is the second biggest ever discovered.

The hotel, which was last renovated in 2014, offers much better room rates than most of the big names on the Strip, like the Wynn and Venetian:

• Multiple room types housed in three different towers — Carson, Gold and Rush.
• Basic rooms start at 365 square feet as compared to suites, which start at 614 square feet.
• Some room specials offer rates as low as $39 a night, including a deal for two-for-one buffets. Suites are about double the price of a regular room.
• Some rooms are dated and smokey, especially those in the Carson Tower.
• It can be tough to sleep in rooms facing Fremont Street with all the late-night noise.

Downtown Las Vegas is more family-friendly in general, and children will love the water slides and pool areas of the Golden Nugget. But, like the resorts on the Strip, this venue charges a $36 per night resort fee, which includes fees and taxes.