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Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Poker Room Details
The Golden Nugget Poker Room is currently the only poker room located in downtown Las Vegas, and the oldest one in the city. “The Nugget” has offered poker for decades and has become one of Sin City’s most iconic rooms having formerly played host to iconic poker television shows such as High Stakes Poker, Face the Ace, and NBC’s Poker After Dark.
Home to the long-running “The Grand Poker Series,” poker at the Golden Nugget Las Vegas was championed by Steve Wynn back in the 1970s. Former Poker Hall of Fame nominee Bob Hooks helped him get the room off the ground, and throughout the years several industry stalwarts have worked at Golden Nugget including Frank Cutrona, who held popular celebrity poker charity events in the 1980s, and current Director of Poker Operations Andy Rich.
Over the years, Golden Nugget has held several historic poker events. In the 1980s it was the home to the Grand Prix of Poker – which has been won by the likes of Dewey Tomko, Jim Doman, Hugo Mieth, and David Baxter – and in subsequent years has included Poker Superstars Invitational, US Ladies Poker Championship, and the Layne Flack Poker Throw Down.
In 2005, it also hosted the 2005 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, which was the year Phil Hellmuth bested Chris Ferguson in the finals to capture a $500,000 top prize.
Golden Nugget Las Vegas Poker Room Contact Information
| Phone | |
| (702) 386-8383 | |
| Social Media | |
| Facebook: | |
| Twitter: | |
| Instagram: |
- Industry Insiders: Andy Rich Brings PokerNews Cup to Golden Nugget Las Vegas
- Industry Insiders: Get to Know Golden Nugget Graveyard Shift Manager Mike Godfrey
- Industry Insiders: Steven Pique Takes Years of Experience Downtown to Golden Nugget
Room Summary:
| Number of tables: | 13 |
| Non-smoking | Yes |
| Meal Comps | Yes |
| Poker Room Rate | Yes |
| Phone-in List | Yes |
| Automatic Shufflers | Yes |
| Massage Service | Yes |
| Cocktail Service | Yes |
| Food Service | Yes |
| Jackpot | Yes |
| Poker room manager | Andy Rich |
| Phone | (702) 386-8383 |
| [email protected] |
Golden Nugget Poker Cash Games
The poker room at Golden Nugget offers various levels of cash games, including a popular $1-$3 no-limit hold’em game with no maximum buy-in. They have high hand bonus promotion where if a player makes either quads or a straight flush using both cards in their hand they win a posted bonus (between $50 and $599). Making it even sweeter is that if the high hand is hit between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. the bonus is doubled (Except the Royal Flush, which is never less than a $200 bonus)!
They also offer a progressive Bad Beat Jackpot, which starts at $10,000 and grows daily, where if quad deuces or better loses, the entire table gets paid! Put on your best poker face and get in on the action.
| Game | Stakes |
|---|---|
| No-Limit Hold'em | $1/$3 and $2/$5 |
| Limit Hold’em | Starting at $3-$6 |
| Mixed Games | Available upon request |
Higher limits are available upon request
High Hands and Bad Beat Jackpot
Golden Nugget has a high-hand bonus promotion for their cash games, where if you make quads or a straight flush using both cards in your hand you win a bonus of the posted amount (between $50 and $599). If you hit the high hand between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. it pays double (Except a Royal Flush, which is never less than a $200 bonus)!
The Grand Poker Series
In 2007, during the height of the so-called “Poker Boom,” Zak Penn wrote and directed a poker film titled The Grand, an improvisational comedy starting Woody Harrelson, David Cross, Dennis Farina, Cheryl Hines, Richard Kind, Chris Parnell, Werner Herzog, and Jason Alexander, among others.
The all-star movie was about a fictional poker tournament called “The Grand,” which the following year became a real tournament when the Golden Nugget hosted the first Grand Poker Series. The inaugural $1,080 Grand Final saw Inhpounh Vongvone emerge victorious for $21,728.
Since then, “The Grand Poker Series” has become an annual event and a staple on the poker calendar.
In 2022, a $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD PokerNews Cup attracted 1,245 entries and created a $1,207,650 prize pool, which was a record for the largest prize pool in Golden Nugget Las Vegas history. Gary Gelman wound up winning the tournament for $202,725.
Click here for more on the PokerNews Cup at Golden Nugget!
Grand Poker Series Championship Winners
| Year | Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $1,080 Grand Finale | N/A | $62,080 | Inhpounh Vongvone | $21,728 |
| 2009 | $1,080 Grand Finale | 108 | $104,760 | Randy Propson | $34,560 |
| 2010 | $1,080 Grand Finale | 143 | $138,710 | Senovio Ramirez | $30,580 |
| 2011 | $1,080 Grand Finale | 235 | $227,950 | Marvin Rettenmaier | $54,713 |
| 2012 | $1,080 Grand Finale | 177 | $171,690 | Charles Culp | $46,356 |
| 2013 | $1,080 Grand Finale | 371 | $359,870 | Robert Kuhn | $69,454 |
| 2014 | $1,100 Grand Finale | 556 | $539,315 | Sean Stevens | $98,696 |
| 2015 | $560 Ante Up Poker Tour Main Event | 1,330 | $665,000 | Christian Francia | $89,298 |
| 2016 | $570 Main Event | 1,520 | $760,000 | Darrell Smith | $109,605 |
| 2017 | $570 Main Event | 2,025 | $1,012,500 | Sacha Mendelsohn | $113,859 |
| 2018 | $570 Main Event | 1,577 | $788,500 | Guilherme Bordão | $132,069 |
| 2019 | $600 Main Event | 1,313 | $677,508 | Michael Policastro | $90,630 |
| 2021 | $600 Main Event | 1,096 | $565,536 | John Gardner | $100,266 |
| 2022 | $600 Main Event | 1,310 | $668,100 | Spencer Champlin | $111,715 |
Golden Nugget All-Time Money List
Given its longevity in the Las Vegas poker landscape, the Golden Nugget all-time money list is comprised of some of the biggest names in poker. Sitting on top as the only seven-figure money winner is Dewey Tomko, who has amassed $1,038,134 in tournament cashes at the Golden Nugget. Of that, $355,000 came from Tomko’s victory in the 1985 Grand Prix of Poker $10,000 Main Event.
| Rank | Player | Country | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dewey Tomko | USA | $1,038,134 |
| 2 | David Baxter | USA | $724,000 |
| 3 | Mike Matusow | USA | $675,000 |
| 4 | Huck Seed | USA | $545,000 |
| 5 | Allen Cunningham | USA | $515,000 |
| 6 | Todd Brunson | USA | $515,000 |
| 7 | Phil Hellmuth | USA | $505,000 |
| 8 | Howard Lederer | USA | $500,000 |
| 9 | Phil Gordon | USA | $500,000 |
| 10 | Chris Ferguson | USA | $495,000 |
Courtesy of The Hendon Mob.
Golden Nugget Las Vegas FAQ
Where is Golden Nugget in Downtown Las Vegas?
The Golden Nugget is a part of the “Fremont Street Experience” and is located at 129 E. Fremont St. It is right across the street from Binion’s, which is where the World Series of Poker (WSOP) was held for decades.
Who owns the Golden Nugget?
The Golden Nugget is owned by Fertitta Entertainment, which also owns Golden Nugget properties in Atlantic City, Biloxi, Laughlin, and Lake Charles.
Does Golden Nugget Las Vegas have a hotel?
Golden Nugget Las Vegas features more than 2,400 rooms and suites across four towers, each designed with a variety of thoughtful amenities.
Does Golden Nugget charge a resort fee?
All reservations will incur a daily $34.00 Resort Fee plus applicable taxes to the room rate at check in. Daily Resort Fee includes Wi-Fi access for two devices daily per reservation, access for two to the Fitness Center daily (does not include the wet areas),four bottles of water in room at arrival, self-parking based on garage space availability, airline boarding pass printing via the front desk upon request and Downtown Destination coupons.
When was the Golden Nugget Las Vegas built?
The Golden Nugget was built in Las Vegas in 1946 and opened its doors on August 30, 1946..
Does the Golden Nugget Las Vegas have poker?
Yes, the Golden Nugget Poker Room is located on the main casino floor. It features 13 tables and is open 24/7.
What sort of poker coms does Golden Nugget offer?
As a 24K Select Member you will earn $2 an hour in comps while you play in cash games. The comps can be used at any Golden Nugget Las Vegas restaurant.