In MetroPlay’s search for New Jersey’s best online casino, our Golden Nugget review is up next. We’re looking for online casinos that offer the best mix of bonuses, easy sign-ups and deposits and interesting and exciting games. The winning casino review will rank well in all the facts and specs, but additionally will need to offer a clean, intuitive, enjoyable experience for players.
So, whether you’re looking for a betting outlet to pass the time while you’re riding the bus to work, or just prefer the couch to Atlantic City, MetroPlay’s online casino reviews will help you find the right fit.
Remember, no single casino will fit everyone’s needs, so explore for yourself. Just as you might bounce along the Atlantic City boardwalk looking for that hot table, join a few and see which one you like best.
Here is MetroPlay’s Golden Nugget review, an in-depth look at one of New Jersey’s busiest, most popular online casinos.
Deposits matched up to $1,500: Play at Golden Nugget
How to sign up at Golden Nugget
Signing up is easy but takes some time. Don’t expect to download the app and be playing in minutes. You have to enter a lot of information — name, date of birth, last four digits of your social security number — before getting into the site.
Assuming you want to play for real money, you have a number of deposit options. During our Golden Nugget review, we tried the Play Plus account, which offers a $10 bonus on enrollment. There are no strings attached to that money. You can bet it on any game at any time. The benefits of the Pay Plus account are that there are no signup or monthly fees, and deposits and withdrawals are easy. You have many other options, though, to deposit money.
Banking: Deposits and withdrawals
• Play Plus Account — Your best option for depositing and withdrawing funds.
• VIP Preferred — Access your funds via an online checking system. Instant deposit; $20 minimum. Available for withdrawal in two to five business days.
• PayPal — Fund your account with PayPal. Instant deposit; $10 minimum; available for withdrawal.
• PayNearMe — This option allows users to fund their accounts by paying with cash at any 7-Eleven, Family Dollar, and CVS. Funds aren’t available for 30 minutes; $10 minimum; not available for withdrawal.
• Visa or MasterCard — Deposit funds directly using your credit or debit card. Instant deposit; $20 minimum; fees may be charged by bank; not available for withdrawal.
• Neteller — Online Wallet. Instant deposit; $10 minimum; available for withdrawal.
• Online bank transfer — Deposit directly from your bank. Instant deposit; $10 minimum; not available for withdrawal.
• Cash at casino cage — Deposit money or pick up your winnings at the Golden Nugget casino cage in Atlantic City. Instant deposit; $10 minimum.
• Wire transfer — Transfer funds from your bank; 5-7 business days; $50 minimum; not available for withdrawal.
• Check by mail — If you choose a method to deposit funds not available for withdrawal, your only option is to receive a check with any winnings. Takes two to three weeks.
Note: There is a $10 minimum for withdrawal for most methods. If you’re looking to cash out that last 50 cents, you’re out of luck.
Bonus: As we found during our Golden Nugget review, the online casino offers new players a free play bonus with registration. But there are restrictions on that bonus money. A player must wager at least 20X the bonus money before they can cash out any winnings. For example, if a player got a $20 bonus, they must place bets of at least $400 before the bonus money can be placed into the account. Each game contributes differently to the wagering requirements. Slots contribute 100 percent (with some exceptions) and all other games including table games contribute 20 percent. For example, a $10 bet on slots would count toward $10 on the bet requirement but $10 on blackjack would count toward $2 on the bet requirement.
The Golden Nugget also boasts a 100 percent match on your first deposit up to $1,500 and those funds become available based on how much you play.
See why Golden Nugget is No. 1: Sign up now
Golden Nugget review: Promotions and Loyalty Program
Players are automatically entered in the Golden Nugget Loyalty Program after creating an account with the site. You earn Golden Points for playing different games and making deposits. For example, for every $100 in wagers in slots, you earn five Golden Points, and every day you deposit at least $100 you earn 40 Golden Points.
These points can be redeemed for cash at a rate of 100 Golden Points per dollar, not a very good return rate.
The Golden Nugget is always running new promotions for players. In October, they offered double Golden Points on one playing one slot. Other promotions include a $10,000 giveaway on the Jumanji slot and the opportunity to earn up to $50 when you refer a friend to the site. The friend will be eligible for a 100 percent match on their deposit up to $50 and once the friend has wagered $50, you receive a $50 bonus within 48 hours.
Golden Nugget review: The experience
During the Golden Nugget review, I found an online site that greets the player with a dizzying array of graphics, bright lights and colors — much like an actual casino. It is sensory overload and a little overwhelming to have promotions scrolling across the top with 10 options of games below and a vertical strip of account and cashier options to the right.
The Golden Nugget offers a mix of virtually every casino game, from more than 500 different types of slots to variations on blackjack and their popular live dealer games. All games have clean, sleek graphics, and are easy to play. It only takes only a few minutes to learn how to bet on a game.
A really nice feature of the site is when you click on a given game, you have the option for “real play” — that’s for money — or “demo play.” Demo play uses fake money, but does help you get a sense of the game. If you’re a beginner, it’s a good way to learn the nuances of a game. (Demo play is not available with the live dealer games, only the automated ones.)
The Golden Nugget could improve its online casino navigation by making it easier to toggle between games instead of needing to close out of your game and go back to the main lobby to pick a new one.
The biggest technical downside to the site for me was I was consistently logged off, forcing me to log back in and put in a new strong authentication code sent to my phone for verification and security. The other negative was that the table minimums weren’t clearly posted on the games on the main screen. If you only want to play a game for 10 cents, you have to enter the game lobby to see the minimum required wager.
Golden Nugget review: Types of games
LIVE DEALER
Blackjack: The Nugget usually has four games running at a time. Table minimum $10-$50; maximum $1,000-$2,000.
Roulette: Table minimum $1; maximum $2,000.
Live Unlimited Blackjack: Table minimum $1; maximum $1,000.
Insider tip: The game wasn’t at the traditional table, rather an unlimited number of players could bet at the same time. It didn’t have the feel of being at a casino and there was a spinning circle in the middle of the screen indicating how much time to bet. It left me confused as to what my hand held. Your mileage may vary.
Casino Hold’Em: Play the popular card game against the dealer, not other players. Table minimum $1; maximum $250.
Baccarat: Table minimum $1; maximum $2,000.
Live dealer games are the closest thing you’re going to get to feeling like you’re actually playing in a casino. While you don’t get to see other players in the hand, you can see the dealer pull cards from the deck and flip over their hand live. However, I did experience delays between the audio and video. This dealer is not actually on the casino floor. They are in a room at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, which is streaming directly to the players.
Most of the live dealer games are available from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., but there is one live option available 24/7, Live Casino Floor Roulette. The stream shows the real roulette table and captures the feel of playing in a casino.
VIRTUAL SPORTS
It’s a virtual racetrack. You can bet on computer-animated horses, greyhounds, motorcycles, or cars. Think of it like slots. It’s random and another bet to mix things up. I didn’t find the experience to be much fun though; it lacked the appeal and excitement of a real race, rooting for your favorite horse or driver to come around the bend and cross the checkered line.
TABLE GAMES
Roulette: Table minimum 1 cent-$1; maximum $5,000.
• American Roulette
• French Roulette
• European Roulette
• Roulette Master
• Double Spin Bonus
• 3-Wheel Roulette
Insider tip: The 3-Wheel Roulette was particularly fun and not one you see in American casinos. Three roulette wheels spin at the same time, so you have three times the chance to hit your number. You do have to bet three times the amount though, so the payout isn’t always as much.
Baccarat: Table minimum $1; maximum $1,000.
Let It Ride: Table minimum $3; maximum $300.
Three Card Poker: Table minimum $1; maximum $800.
Blackjack: There are many different variations of blackjack offered and each game takes a few hands to get adjusted to the online play, where to click to hit or stand, and how to wager. But beware, each blackjack game has the hit and stand buttons in a different position so you can easily get confused and hit on an 18 when you mean to stand! After your first time doing this though, you won’t make that mistake again. The inconsistency in the game icons in style and position on the table are frustrating.
• Blackjack Classic — Standard casino rules. It is automated so there’s no live dealer, but the game runs fast and without a hitch. You can split cards, double down — anything you would do in a casino. Table minimum $1; maximum $1,000.
• Blackjack IGT — Standard casino rules. Table minimum $1; maximum $200.
• Multi-hand Blackjack — Table minimum $25; maximum $1,000.
Insider tip: You can bet on three hands at a time. Mute the sound, though, unless you like cheesy lounge music.
• Multi-hand Blackjack Low — Table minimum $2.50; maximum $1,000.
• Multi-hand Blackjack — Table minimum $1; maximum $1,000.
• Blackjack Atlantic City Single-hand Micro — Table minimum $2.50; maximum $100.
• Blackjack Atlantic City Single-hand — Table minimum $25; maximum $1,000.
• Blackjack Atlantic City Single-hand VIP — Table minimum $250; maximum $1,000.
SLOTS, SLOTS AND MORE SLOTS
They’re not just for your grandma anymore. I was thrilled that during my Golden Nugget review that this online casino offers more than 500 different types of slots, including all the favorites from the casino: Black Diamond, Divine Fortune, Monopoly, Jumanji, Jeopardy. They also offer five slots with progressive jackpots ranging between $40,000 to $500,000.
VIDEO POKER
The Nugget offers 11 different types of the popular casino staple.
Claim your bonus now: Play Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget review summary
The Golden Nugget is the leader in the online casino market for a reason. They offer more games than any other brand: 500 different slots, nearly 20 types of blackjack, live dealer games. If you want to try your luck at a plethora of games, the Golden Nugget is the online casino for you. If you are a beginner and new to online gaming, the experience may be a little overwhelming at first. But Golden Nugget’s world-class slot and blackjack options are the reward once you’re warmed up and feeling at home.
