Vegas Solitaire: Rules, Scoring, and Strategy
Vegas Solitaire is Klondike Solitaire scored in virtual dollars. You pay a $52 buy-in each game. You earn $5 for every card you move to the foundation. You finish ahead only if you cross the 11-card break-even line. That scoring change flips standard Klondike strategy on its head. Every foundation move you leave unplayed is lost money. This guide covers every rule, the exact math, and the strategy shifts that keep you in the green.
Vegas Solitaire at a Glance
Here are the key numbers, all from the Vegas scoring table on Solitaire.com.
- Buy-in per game: $52
- Payout per foundation card: $5
- Break-even point: 11 cards moved to a foundation
- Maximum profit per round: $208 (all 52 cards moved)
- Draw 1 stock passes: 1
- Draw 3 stock passes: 3
- Scoring modes: per-game or cumulative
Every other Klondike rule stays the same. Layout, moves, and the win condition are all standard.
What Is Vegas Solitaire?
Vegas Solitaire is a scoring variant of Klondike, not a new game. You may also see it called Las Vegas Solitaire, but both names refer to the same mode. The layout, moves, and goal are identical to classic Klondike. You still build four foundation piles by suit from Ace to King. The only difference is that the game keeps score in virtual dollars instead of points.
The scoring turns each round into a small casino-style bet. You pay $52 to play. You earn dollars back for every foundation card. Your goal is to finish with more money than you started with.
Vegas Solitaire Rules vs Standard Klondike
Every rule of Klondike stays the same in Vegas mode-only the scoring changes.
- Same tableau: seven columns, descending order, alternating colors
- Same foundation goal: Ace to King by suit
- Same empty-column rule: only Kings can fill them
- Same draw options: Draw 1 or Draw 3
Standard Klondike scores your play in points. Vegas scores it in dollars. A loss costs you $52. A win does not always cover it. For the full points-based system, see our guide to the solitaire scoring system.
How Vegas Scoring Works (the $52 Buy-In)
Vegas scoring uses one clean formula. You pay $52 to start each game, one dollar for each card in the deck. You earn $5 for every card moved to a foundation pile. Your final score is dollars earned minus the $52 buy-in.
The break-even ledger looks like this:
- 10 foundation cards: $50 earned, $2 loss
- 11 foundation cards: $55 earned, $3 profit (break-even crossed)
- 26 foundation cards: $130 earned, $78 profit
- 52 foundation cards (full win): $260 earned, $208 profit
Eleven foundation cards is the key number. That is the point where you stop losing money and start earning it.
Cumulative Scoring Explained
Cumulative scoring turns Vegas Solitaire into a running tally. Instead of resetting your money each round, your balance carries over from game to game.
- A winning round adds to your bank.
- A losing round subtracts from it.
- Your balance tracks whether your play is profitable over time.
This turns a casual game into a small, long-term challenge. Per-game mode is friendlier if you want a quick session.
Draw 1 vs Draw 3 in Vegas Mode
Vegas Solitaire uses the same Turn 1 and Turn 3 draw rules as standard Klondike, but with one twist. Draw 1 gives you a single pass through the stock pile. Draw 3 gives you three passes. Both modes cost the same $52 to play.
Draw 1 is friendlier, since every stock card is reachable and you have a better shot at break-even. Draw 3 is harder, since only about a third of the stock is reachable per pass. The wins pay the same, but they come less often. For a deeper look at how the two draw rules compare, see our Klondike Solitaire game page, or try Turn 3 Solitaire directly.
Vegas Solitaire Strategy: When to Play a Card and When to Hold
Vegas Solitaire flips the usual Klondike priorities. In classic Klondike, you are told not to rush cards to the foundation, since low cards help stack the tableau. In Vegas, every unplayed foundation move is lost money. That rule change reshapes your whole strategy.
Here are the five habits that pay off in Vegas mode, ranked from most to least important:
- Send every playable card to the foundation immediately. Every dollar in the bank counts, and every delay can weaken your advantage.
- Aim for the 11-card break-even before anything else. That target is your safety net.
- Do not save low cards in the tableau for stacking. In Vegas mode, each one is worth $5 at the foundation, so holding them back works against you.
- Uncover face-down tableau cards quickly. Face-down cards cannot pay.
- Count your foundation moves as you play. This tells you when you have crossed break-even.
Can You Actually Come Out Ahead? The Math
Yes, but only if you cross the 11-card line. Move 11 or more foundation cards, and you profit. Move fewer, and you lose money.
The Klondike win rate sits around 33 percent for Turn 1, based on our full breakdown of the odds of winning solitaire. Turn 3 drops to about 11 percent. In Vegas mode, though, you do not need a full win to profit. Any round where you clear 11 or more foundation cards puts you in the green. This is why the 11-card target matters more than the full-win goal in Vegas play.