By Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, visiting the Mandalay Bay sportsbook is a rite of passage for anyone taking a trip to Las Vegas. With more seating than you can imagine, huge TVs, top-notch amenities, and a massive casino floor, it truly is a must-have experience.
Naturally, this means we need to drop an incredibly thorough Mandalay Bay sportsbook review. It’s the only way you can fully appreciate all they have to offer. We’ll cover everything from the betting procedures and sportsbook setup to the benefits of the casino and hotel.
In the end, you might decide to stay elsewhere. Vegas has so many great options to choose from, such as slightly more ritzy spots like the Bellagio or Cosmopolitan as well as off-strip gems like the Golden Nugget. But you’ll also leave this page feeling like you have hit up the Mandalay sportsbook at some point the next time you’re in Sin City.
The Mandalay Bay Sportsbook Experience
Before getting into the physical benefits of the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, we need to discuss more technical details. Let's do that now.
Pros of Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino
- Seating for 300 at the sportsbook
- Over 3,000 rooms at the hotel
- 135,000 square foot casino
Cons of Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino
- Costly daily resort fee
- No special events or contests at the sportsbook
- Parking fees will return at some point
Mandalay Bay Sportsbook Hours of Operation
- Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Friday: 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Saturday: 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Sunday: 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Location of Mandalay Bay Sportsbook
The Mandalay Bay sportsbook is located on the strip, at 3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South. It is just a heartbeat away from McCarran International Airport—just 2.5 miles. It will take under 10 minutes by car to get there or back without traffic.
Guests at the Mandalay Bay do not currently have to worry about paying a fee for self-parking. They have waived it as a way of welcoming guests back in 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic. For the time being, they have also closed down their valet services.
Be wary of these fees returning at some point. Mandalay Bay has said they don't know how long the free self-parking option will last, but our guess is you'll be back to footing a bill by 2022. Keep that in mind when you're deciding whether to rent a car or just use taxis and rideshares as your means of transportation.
Place Your Bets at the Mandalay Sportsbook
Right off the bat, you can tell Mandalay Bay is serious about offering the best sports betting experience. You only need to look at how often they are open. Their hours of operation always span at least 14 hours per day, never begin later than 8 a.m., and never end earlier than 10:30 p.m.
Extended weekend openings are truly a blessing during the college football and NFL seasons. Getting your bets in earlier during the day is important for both, and Mandalay Bay sportsbooks odds should be live no later than one hour after they open. In fact, the Mandalay Bay sportsbook NFL odds are usually available as soon as they open. The late closing times will also allow you to place last-minute wagers on the night games if you're so inclined.
At Mandalay Bay, you don't have to worry about finding a spot to watch whatever games, matches, or competitions you're interested in. They have 300 seats and 84 TV screens that will cover every single live event going on. If you're hungry or jonesing for a cocktail while you take in a game, well, you're in luck. The Sportsbook Grill at Mandalay Bay is right there.
Sometimes, the sheer size and popularity of the room can work against you. It tends to fill up closer to capacity during hallmark events like the Super Bowl or Kentucky Derby. But it is typically roomier during all other times. You at once feel like you're at home relaxing and in a post-modern room with all the tech and sportsbook lines you can handle.
Should you wish to invest in futures—such as the NBA Finals winner—and don't live in Nevada, you needn't worry. The Mandalay sportsbook offers a pay-by-mail service.
As one of the many casinos under the MGM umbrella, the Mandalay Bay sportsbook is also grandfathered into the BetMGM app. If you download it, create an account, and make a deposit, you can place wagers without even being in the building.
Of course, like basically all Vegas sportsbook apps, you must be in Nevada for it to work. It uses the tracking data from your mobile device to determine whether you're within the legal range.
For anyone who isn't in Vegas, you don't actually have to punt on the betting experience. We have compiled a list of the best online sportsbooks you can use from almost anywhere without issue:
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Good sportsbooks, like the ones above, also offer Vegas-style casinos. Yes, you can play online your favorite casino games, such as roulette, blackjack, poker, keno, bingo, and many more.
The Mandalay Bay Casino
At first glance, the Mandalay Bay casino is caps-lock HUGE. Upon further review, it might be even bigger.
With 135,000 square feet of space, you won't miss out on any aspect of the usual betting experience. They have everything: slots, virtual games, person-hosted competitions, plenty of cashiers, and, obviously, table games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, Keno et al.
Among the primary benefits of such a big space is that there's room for betting minimums of all types. The usual gambler will be catered to more than anyone, but high rollers will find slot rooms and tables just for their fix.
If you are a high roller, there's a good chance you will be comped by Mandalay Bay in some form. Will that constitute a private table? Discounted or free rooms? Free meals? It ranges. But comps are a thing.
One of the questions everyone's always dying to know: Are casino drinks free? At the moment, they do appear to be complementary so long as you're placing bets at a table or slot machine. That being said, other MGM resorts have implemented a voucher system in which you receive one "free" drink after you wager $20 and then have to keep gambling to receive more.
Either way, placing bets remains the best way to receive discounted or free cocktails. (Unless you want top-shelf liquor.) And that means it's important you tip your servers, as you want to ensure they keep coming back with refills.
Another perk of Mandalay Bay falling under the MGM brand is that all players are eligible to enroll in the M Life rewards program. While this card is not valid at the sportsbook, you can accumulate points that you eventually redeem for experiences, meals, free lodging, etc. by using it at slots, tables, and certain shops or restaurants.
Staying at Mandalay Bay
Select hotels in Vegas don't operate as full-on resorts. You need to get off the property to adequately experience the lifestyle.
The Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino is not among those places. You always do yourself a favor by exploring other casinos or going on excursions, but they have set it up so you don't actually have to leave.
First and foremost, there are the rooms. Mandalay Bay has over 3,000 of them, with rates starting under $90 during certain times of the year. Non-suites are actually pretty big as far as regular rooms go, and though you will be assessed a resort fee of roughly $40 per day (plus applicable taxes), they include a host of amenities like wifi, access to a business center, a pool, a gym and even a spa (though you will incur extra costs there).
On top of that, Mandalay Bay offers plenty of eating options. They have over 20 spots to get some grub, most of which are actual restaurants ranging from up-scale steakhouses and seafood places to more casual joints. They also have quicker options like Starbucks and a deli.
Visitors will also find a mall's worth of shops at their behest on the Mandalay Bay property. Many of them are on the higher-end, but there is a store for just about everyone.
Mandalay separates itself even further with its entertainment options. They don't just give you access to clubs and bars—of note: be sure to speak with the concierge about getting your name on the list for the weekends—but they have actual theaters and shows on-site. This includes the Shark Reef Aquarium. Yes, an aquarium.
Impressed? You should be. Not many of the hotels and casinos offer this well-rounded experience. Whether you're coming to Vegas for the sportsbook and casino, to take in shows, to party or just to relax, chances are you will find that Mandalay Bay is a place at which you can enjoy yourself.
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