If you’re looking for a luxury experience on the Las Vegas Strip, Circus Circus isn’t it. If you’re looking for bargain prices though, you’ve met your match. These days, bargain and the Strip don’t really go together so Circus Circus is one of the few holdovers still left.
But cheap isn’t the only way to describe Circus Circus. In this review, we’ll be giving you the truth about one of Sin City’s oldest casinos left — how it holds up, the sportsbook, the rooms, the history, and everything in between. We’ll start with betting on sports here though.
It’s hard to miss the Circus Circus if you’re on the north end of the Strip. All you have to do is look for the massive “Lucky the Clown” sign outside the building. As the name hints, it’s a billboard-sized sign with a massive clown holding it (the clown is nicknamed “Lucky”). At night, the neon-colored clown shines as bright as anything nearby. In case you’re lost, just trek over to 2880 S Las Vegas Boulevard to visit the circus-themed resort.
The sportsbook is tucked off to the side of the casino. It’s your standard-fare sportsbook property — TV screens, coaches and tables for viewing, and more TV screens. Again, it’s not the fanciest setup, but it gets the job done for viewing and wagering sports on the spot.
The Circus Circus sportsbook is serviced by William Hill. Americans aren’t as familiar with William Hill — certainly not the extent of BetMGM, Caesars, or even online-based books like FanDuel. However, William Hill is a big player in Europe and has a decent presence in the United States. It was bought out by Caesars but has maintained the William Hill branding in some locations like Circus Circus.
William Hill’s betting variety is in line with what you’d find elsewhere. It has a pretty deep betting menu — NFL, NBA, MLB, international soccer, fighting, and so on. For each of these sports and leagues, bet types (moneyline, spreads, props, etc.) are abundant, as well. We never once felt we were missing out when betting at Circus Circus. Everything we needed was readily available there.
The same can be said about the actual betting prices we were getting. We compared betting odds at Circus Circus and other Strip properties, and it was pretty equal. Maybe a few discrepancies here and there, but nothing substantial. Most sportsbooks source lines from the same place so this is to be expected.
Anyways, the sportsbook is open daily from 9 am to 11 pm — a good range. That’s late enough to cash in tickets from West Coast-based AND primetime TV games, thankfully.
You have two options for betting sports at the Circus Circus — in person or online. We’re fans of the in-person experience, but a little less so of online for reasons we’re about to explain.
First of all, betting in-person is your regular sportsbook experience. As we said, Circus Circus has respectable hours of operation. So you’ll find someone at the desk ready to take your bet or cash your ticket at the most important hours of the day.
Take a seat at the couches or tables for a more relaxed experience. Cocktail waitress will stroll around taking drink orders — it’s free if you’ve placed a bet. Circus Circus sportsbook isn’t as crowded as others Las Vegas-based sportsbooks (unless it’s the Super Bowl or a big event like that). Some bettors might like that laid-back experience, others might feel that’s more boring — only you can decide what side you’re on.
As for the William Hill app, we’re less sold on it. Does it get the job done? We suppose so, but it’s such a downgrade compared to other sports betting apps. This is inherent since William Hill isn’t really a tech-based company like, say, DraftKings. William Hill is an old-school bookie, and thus isn’t as invested in their mobile app.
This means lag and bugs are more common. To William Hill’s credit, it’s not as bad as it once was. The app has gone through a number of software updates so it’s improving, however, it’s still not quite there. It’s use-able, don’t get us wrong, but pales in comparison to other popular apps we’ve tried out.
Though Strip resorts have tried hard to lure families, many properties still aren’t suitable for the young ones — not when scantily-clad women and buzzed people are stumbling nearby. This is where Circus Circus being far north of the Strip, away from the chaos, comes in handy. Not only that, but the Circus Circus has actively courted the family crowd.
The biggest allure is, without question, the Adventuredome. It’s a giant indoor amusement park. First built in 1993 but it has been routinely expanded in the decades since. In here, you’ll find full-on roller coasters, mini golf, arcades, rock-climbing walls, and carnival-themed games that stay on-brand with the whole resort. It’s the perfect spot to escape the sins of the Strip.
Ironically enough, Circus Circus was originally as risqué as you’d expect out of a Vegas property that opened in 1968. Topless dancers were the attraction back then. We mean, just look at their show names at the time — “Nudes in the Night,” “Nudes Delight,” “Naked But Nice” and “Hot Pants Sexplosion.” Throw in trained monkeys on the casino floor and a craps-shooting elephant, and you had one of the wildest casinos of the entire era.
Those days are long gone, obviously, but the Circus Circus is still up and running. Only eight hotels on the Strip can say they are at least 50 years old and this one is one of ‘em. You have to be doing something right to stick around as long as the Circus Circus has, right?
There’s not one, not two, not three, but four towers for rooms at the Circus Circus. They are the Casino Tower, Skyrise Tower, and West Tower. The latter is the newest, having opened in 1996. Exactly 3,767 rooms are available throughout the property.
Are these the fanciest rooms? Of course, not, but they are among the most affordable. On a weekday, it’s possible to stay here for under $100 if it’s the right season (not Summer). Simply put, it’s hard to get those prices at a Motel 6 these days at that price, little less the Vegas Strip. Budget-conscious players will find their place at the Circus Circus.
One last tidbit before we finish our Circus Circus review: grab a bite at THE Steak House. This eatery overperforms given its location and Vegas locals know it’s a hidden gem. You won’t get cheap prices here, but still, the quality of meat is “bang for your buck” compared to other steakhouses around the Strip.
