Ocean's 11 Casino Guide
Ocean’s Eleven is one of the most iconic casino heist movies ever made. It features a star-studded cast of all the biggest and best actors from the 2000s, including George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt.
But these Hollywood A-listers may not be the most famous characters in this legendary film. Set in Las Vegas, the story follows a team of master criminals who plot to knock off three of the city’s most legendary online casino gaming establishments.
These Ocean’s 11 casinos are all real and are recognisable even to people who have never stepped foot in Nevada. Their inclusion in the film is just one of many examples of Las Vegas casinos providing the perfect backdrop for scriptwriters and directors to tell their stories whilst also acting as an advertisement for the city and the resorts.
The Original Ocean’s 11
George Clooney wasn’t the first actor to play Danny Ocean. He stepped into the role in 2001 in a movie remake of a film that was first released in 1960. The original Ocean’s 11 had a similar premise involving a Las Vegas casino heist but there were many key differences in the plot.
What did remain the same, however, was the use of an all-star cast of actors and the use of some of Las Vegas’ most famous casinos. The original Ocean’s 11 crew comprised names like Frank Sinatra, Sean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Angie Dickinson, whilst the casinos they ripped off included the Sahara, Flamingo, and Sands.
The 2000s Reboot of Ocean’s Eleven
The 2000s saw many awesome 20th-century films get a 21st-century reboot, including The Italian Job, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Hills Have Eyes. Even 007 got a reboot with a refreshed Casino Royale featuring a blond Bond in Daniel Craig.
Ocean’s Eleven was among these remakes with director Steven Soderbergh working hard to retain the magic of the original whilst bringing it into the modern day.
This reboot brought with it several changes. Firstly, Ocean’s crew of 11 wasn’t to be made up of former World War II veterans, instead, this elaborate heist was to be performed by former criminal colleagues.
Their tools were also given a boost, using modern technology and even an electromagnetic pulse device as part of the raid.
The casinos that the 11 knocked off were also changed, reflecting the evolution that Las Vegas had undergone in the 41 years between the release of these two films.
Casino’s Used In Ocean’s Eleven
A large part of the plot in both the original and the remake are the casinos that Danny Ocean and his 11-member crew knock off. In the 2001 film, the premise is that three large resorts share the same underground vault and that on the night of a big boxing match, this vault will be brimming with cash.
The three Ocean’s 11 casinos are all legends in their own right, standing tall over the famous Las Vegas strip.
The Bellagio
The Bellagio opened its doors to gamblers in October 1998 and has become synonymous with the city thanks to its Italian-inspired architecture and giant dancing fountain. It has 3,933 hotel rooms and boasts 156,000 sq ft of gaming space, as well as several restaurants run by award-winning chefs.
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The MGM Grand
Two Las Vegas casinos have proudly displayed the MGM Grand name. The current one began construction in 1991 and opened to the public in 1993, offering 5,044 hotel rooms, a range of entertainment options, and a 171,500 sq ft gaming floor.
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The Mirage
The Mirage was a casino on the Las Vegas strip that first opened in 1989 but closed in July 2024 with plans to re-open it in 2027 under a new name following a major renovation. As The Mirage, this resort featured 3,044 hotel rooms and a slightly smaller gaming floor that spanned 90,548 sq ft.
Casinos Used in The Original Ocean’s 11
The Ocean’s 11 casinos used for the remake were opened decades after the release of the original film, so the creators of the first movie had to use different gaming establishments.
The Desert Inn
The Desert Inn stood on the Vegas strip for 50 years after it opened in April 1950. It was only the firth casino of its kind in the city at the time and was impressive at the time but its 715 rooms and 35,000 sq ft of gaming space were not enough for it to compete with modern resorts.
The Flamingo
The Flamingo opened in 1946 with 105 rooms, it’s been expanded numerous times since, expanding it to 3,460 rooms today.
Sands
The Sands Hotel and Casino began taking bets in December 1952 but closed its doors in 1996. Ocean’s 11 star Frank Sinatra performed regularly at the Sands and even owned a stake in the business.
Sahara Hotel
The Sahara Hotel first opened in 1952 and, like The Flamingo, has been extended multiple times, now offering 1,616 rooms and 50,662 sq ft of gaming space.
Riviera
Known by many as “the Riv”, the Riviera first opened in 1955 and entertained guests with more than 2,000 hotel rooms and a gaming floor of 103,800 sq ft until it closed in 2015.
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