Last week I was backed off while playing blackjack at the Silverton. It was the third time I have been backed off but the first time in at least three years, a pretty good record considering how much blackjack I have been playing.
For the unfamiliar, being backed off means being told you can't play. It is the most common way (but not the only way) casinos deal with blackjack players they believe can beat them legally in the long run. (Cheaters are a whole different story; in Nevada, they are considered suspected criminals and treated as such.)
For card counters, the vast majority of advantage blackjack players, being backed off is part of life. Card counters make their money by putting out bigger bets when the count indicates the remaining pack of cards is rich in aces and those with a value of 10. A card counter can be detected by observation by someone competent at card counting. A few pit bosses can count, but the vast majority cannot and are not expected to detect card counters as part of their jobs. For the most part detection is the province of the so-called eye in the sky. Surveillance is allowed to use computer programs to help detect counters; apparently an observer enters the cards played and the bets made and the computer determines whether the player being watched is raising his bets when the count rises. Incidentally, players are not allowed to use any computing or mechanical device to aid their play in any way. Doing so is considered cheating in Nevada and could lead to liability for a crime.
Obviously surveillance doesn't track every blackjack player looking for card counters. So when one gets backed off, the question always is: What could have caused it? In this case, I have a couple of theories. First, the Silverton is a pretty low-roller place. The highest minimum for blackjack I have ever seen there is $25, and I have never seen more than one table with this minimum. By playing at this table I was making it far more likely that I would be watched than if I had been playing at a $10 table and betting mostly red chips.
Another factor was that I was varying my bets with the count, though not to the full extent my system calls for because suspected I was likely to be watched at this casino. In retrospect, the small adjustments I made probably provided no meaninful cover and I should have just gone all out and made as much money as I could.
Another tip-off that a player is counting is that he is winning, which I was on this partiuclar night. After about a half hour of play I had about two and half times as much in front of me as I had bought in for -- a nice win but nowhere near off the charts. This may have been a factor, especially in light of my won-loss history at that casino. I haven't reviewed my records but I remember having a couple of fairly big wins, and I would guess that I am ahead there for this year, the only period in which I have played there with any regularity.
I made it easy for the Silverton to track my wins and losses by always presenting my players' club card when I played there. I almost always play with a card because I want the comps and benefits that come with playing. At the Silverton and some other casinos, these include free bets that add considerably to the value of the game. I would not have played regularly at the Silverton without the incentive of the four free bets a month my play was earning (the amounts varied but this month were $20 each). The reason for that is that the double deck game there had lousy penetration. Until a few weeks ago the dealers did not use a cut card but most dealt out fifty percent of the cards or not much more. Lately they have been using a cut card and it has been placed consistently in the middle of the two decks, which is about as bad as it gets. (Good double deck penetration is about 75 percent of the cards being dealt out.)
Another way players conceal the amounts they are winning is by "rat holing" or secretly pocketing chips. I have never done this, mostly for fear that it would do more harm than good if I were caught. At the places I usually play and the amounts I usually play for, I don't think rat holing has been necessary. Maybe I'll have to re-think that.
Of course, the most important thing we can do to avoid being detected is to keep our sessions short, generally meaning to less than an hour. I'm sure length of session was not a factor in my back-off at the Silverton because I had been playing only about a half hour when the pit "critter" whose native language obviously is not English delivered the news: "You cannot play table games here." (Why the Silverton would not want me to play any table game other than blackjack is a compete mystery.)
In one respect the Silverton's back off was favorable -- casinos sometimes wait until a player has incurred a
big loss to lower the boom. Had I been allowed to play another twenty minutes I might have given back much of the money I had won.
In another resepect, though, the back off came at a bad time. The Silverton is running a series of drawings this month, and my wife and I have been playing video poker there every day -- way more than we normally would -- to make sure we accrue the maximum number of tickets for each week's drawing. Normally what happened to me would be irrelevant to this, but the Silverton has an unusual provision in the rules for all of its promotions that gives it the right to disqualify anyone it deems an "advantage player." I will be very interested to see if the casino tries to inoke this rule if I win a prize in the drawing. Stay tuned for further developments.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Playing for a living
A few weeks ago it occurred to me that I'm part of a pretty elite group in American society. What most people do for a living is called working. What I, along with rich and famous athletes and entertainers, do is called playing.
There are both similarities and differences between what I do and what athletes and entertainers do. The biggest difference is that what they do, they do for the entertainment of an audience, which pays directly (for tickets) or indirectly (in the higher cost of products advertised on television, for example) to see them at work. Audiences are willing to pay because these people are exceptionally talented and can do what very few other people can. And, they work in fields -- arts, entertainment and sports -- that are inherently interesting and aesthically pleasing to the masses.
I am not exceptionally talented, and very few people could distinguish what I do at a blackjack table or video poker machine from what the average ploppie is doing. I have been told that my overall approach to gambling and how I decide where, when and what to play would interest some people, but I know that the nuts and bolts of it would not.
One thing I do have in common with athletes and entertainers is that what we do requires a lot of work and discipline even though it is called play. Maybe we call certain kinds of work "play" because we consider it inconsequential. I plead guilty to that, concerning what I do. And most of what most athletes and popular entertainers do is merely diversion, though as a society we spend exhorbitantly on it. Work is what we say is more important, even though we reward it less (teachers vs. baseball players).
Like most people, I have no exceptional talent in the arts or athletics. I can offer little of entertainment to others (except, I hope, my writing). But somehow I have fallen into the situation of having something in common with those who receive the worship of crowds -- even if it's only a word that's applied to what we, and few others, do for a living.
There are both similarities and differences between what I do and what athletes and entertainers do. The biggest difference is that what they do, they do for the entertainment of an audience, which pays directly (for tickets) or indirectly (in the higher cost of products advertised on television, for example) to see them at work. Audiences are willing to pay because these people are exceptionally talented and can do what very few other people can. And, they work in fields -- arts, entertainment and sports -- that are inherently interesting and aesthically pleasing to the masses.
I am not exceptionally talented, and very few people could distinguish what I do at a blackjack table or video poker machine from what the average ploppie is doing. I have been told that my overall approach to gambling and how I decide where, when and what to play would interest some people, but I know that the nuts and bolts of it would not.
One thing I do have in common with athletes and entertainers is that what we do requires a lot of work and discipline even though it is called play. Maybe we call certain kinds of work "play" because we consider it inconsequential. I plead guilty to that, concerning what I do. And most of what most athletes and popular entertainers do is merely diversion, though as a society we spend exhorbitantly on it. Work is what we say is more important, even though we reward it less (teachers vs. baseball players).
Like most people, I have no exceptional talent in the arts or athletics. I can offer little of entertainment to others (except, I hope, my writing). But somehow I have fallen into the situation of having something in common with those who receive the worship of crowds -- even if it's only a word that's applied to what we, and few others, do for a living.
Goodbye, old buddy
One of my favorite ongoing casino promotions, the Wheel of Winners at the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton), is no more. The wheel was a drawing held Thursday nights that offered five people a chance to win from $1,000 to $5,000 each. Weekend drawings with a chance to win $10,000 were also offered several times a year.
The best thing about this drawing was that the tickets were paper, which prevented the ticket inflation that has become rampant since most casinos started doing their drawings electronically. The Wheel favored bigger players because tickets had to be earned, but low rollers got a break because the first ticket each day required less play than the rest of them.
Another good thing about this drawing was the prizes. Most of the big locals' casinos that have drawings offer top prizes of $4,000 or $5,000, but the lesser prizes are often as low as $250 or $500. At a Coast or Station Casinos drawing with five winners, maybe one or two typically win $1,000 or more. At the LVH, everyone called won at least $1,000, and the average was probably well over $2,000.
Finally, the number of participants in this drawing was smaller than for most drawings at the big locals' casinos, so it seemed like everyone had a decent chance of winning. Any individual's actual chance of winning, of course, depended upon the number of tickets he or she had in the drum that week. And, I think, that's what did in the Wheel. There were too many repeat winners, some week after week. I do think the promotion caused regular players to play more than they otherwise might have, to earn more tickets. But it didn't seem to bring in a lot of new business for the casino (probably because it wasn't advertised to the public much outside the property).
The LVH still has a lot to offer in competition with the locals' casinos. It has decent blackjack, sometimes for as little as $5. The video poker is actually better than at many locals' casinos, with many games returning more than 99.5 percent. The race and sports book is the biggest in the world. Locals get 25 percent off at all restaurants, which are excellent. But perhaps most important is the LVH's program of tournaments, which is hands down the best in Vegas, with many of the events free to regular, local players.
Meanwhile, concerning weekly drawings, other casinos have picked up the mantle, at least temporarily. Stations, which for at least a year during its financial difficulties ran no drawings, is now offering them at several properties. Perhaps the best drawing this month is at the Silverton, which is giving away an Audi (actually a gift certificate to a dealer for $32,500) each week. Second prize each week is $5,000, which typically is first place in similar drawings.
The best thing about this drawing was that the tickets were paper, which prevented the ticket inflation that has become rampant since most casinos started doing their drawings electronically. The Wheel favored bigger players because tickets had to be earned, but low rollers got a break because the first ticket each day required less play than the rest of them.
Another good thing about this drawing was the prizes. Most of the big locals' casinos that have drawings offer top prizes of $4,000 or $5,000, but the lesser prizes are often as low as $250 or $500. At a Coast or Station Casinos drawing with five winners, maybe one or two typically win $1,000 or more. At the LVH, everyone called won at least $1,000, and the average was probably well over $2,000.
Finally, the number of participants in this drawing was smaller than for most drawings at the big locals' casinos, so it seemed like everyone had a decent chance of winning. Any individual's actual chance of winning, of course, depended upon the number of tickets he or she had in the drum that week. And, I think, that's what did in the Wheel. There were too many repeat winners, some week after week. I do think the promotion caused regular players to play more than they otherwise might have, to earn more tickets. But it didn't seem to bring in a lot of new business for the casino (probably because it wasn't advertised to the public much outside the property).
The LVH still has a lot to offer in competition with the locals' casinos. It has decent blackjack, sometimes for as little as $5. The video poker is actually better than at many locals' casinos, with many games returning more than 99.5 percent. The race and sports book is the biggest in the world. Locals get 25 percent off at all restaurants, which are excellent. But perhaps most important is the LVH's program of tournaments, which is hands down the best in Vegas, with many of the events free to regular, local players.
Meanwhile, concerning weekly drawings, other casinos have picked up the mantle, at least temporarily. Stations, which for at least a year during its financial difficulties ran no drawings, is now offering them at several properties. Perhaps the best drawing this month is at the Silverton, which is giving away an Audi (actually a gift certificate to a dealer for $32,500) each week. Second prize each week is $5,000, which typically is first place in similar drawings.
Monday, March 19, 2012
When it's good to be old (or at least middle-aged)
Seniors days have long been a staple of locals' casinos marketing, but now is a particularly good time to be 50 or older if you're a gambler who lives in the Las Vegas area. Casinos are competing as heavily as I've seen in my nearly 5 years here for the weekday business of older customers.
These programs differ in details but their staples have been slot tournaments, dining discounts, point multipliers and drawings. Different casinos' programs may be better for some players than others. Here's a brief summary of what's offered. Essential information is often available on signs in the casinos and details can be obtained at the players' clubs.
Sam's Town offers a complete program on Thursdays comprising a $3,500 slot tournament, a $3,000 drawing, 5 times points on video poker and 7 times points on reels, half-price buffet and a free variety show. Low rollers with time on their hands might find value in the slot tournament. The formula for determing the long-term value of (or your average win in) such promotions is the total of prizes divided by the number of entries. In this case it's likely to be less than $5. Another consideration for some is the time it takes to play in the tournament plus the amount of time spent waiting to play. For higher rollers, the point multipliers and drawings can offer more value. Sam's Town recently has added a scaled-down Monday seniors day to compete with the new offering of its neighbor, the Eastside Cannery.
The Eastside Cannery's program, which runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays, is unusual in that the qualifying age is 55, not 50. Enrollment at the players' club is required. Benefits are a 3 times point multiplier, half-price dining at selected restaurants and, after 300 base points are earned, a card swipe with prizes from $10 in free play to $1,000 in cash. Play on machines in the Classic Slots room does not qualify for the point multiplier.
The Palms also recently added a seniors program, on Thursdays, which includes dining and movie discounts and promotions. At least for now there are slot tournaments and drawings.
Station Casinos, including the Fiestas, have a $3,000 slot tournament at each property and half-price dining with payment in points until 6 p.m. Signs indicated that, as a special for this month, the program also includes a bonus point day, bringing points earned from the usual 3 per $1 coin-in to 10 for reels and 6 for video poker. Let's hope this "special" becomes a regular part of the program, as a point multiplier used to be. And, Stations, how about bringing back the drawings you used to have?
The M Resort has a drawing for seniors at 6 p.m. Tuesdays. The unusual thing about it is that you do not need to play, or activate your tickets, on Tuesday, and you need not be present to win. Tickets can be earned any day of the week and must be activated at a kiosk on the day earned. The winners' names are posted shortly after 6 and all prizes must be claimed at the satellite rewards center by 7 p.m.
The Silverton has two seniors drawings on Monday. Tickets must be earned that day but prizes can be picked up until 6 p.m. Tuesday. There are 50 winners in each drawing, and each winner gets a minimum of $50 and maximum of $500. A player may win twice each week, once in each drawing. Although the prizes are modest (expect $50 most of the time), it appears that this promotion offers an unusually good chance of winning something.
The Gold Coast recently cut the point multiplier on video poker for its Monday seniors day from 5 times to 4 times, but that's still a good deal given that casinos' inventory of strong games. Reel players get 10 times points. A maximum of 10,000 points on video poker and 100,000 points on reels are eligible for promotional multipliers at the Gold Coast. Seniors day there also includes a bingo special and a small video poker tournament.
The Orleans offers 7 times points and a card swipe after earning 50 base points, both from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays. My prizes from the card swipe have included two dinner buffets, two ticket to Big Al's Comedy Club, 5,000 points and 10,000 points. The great things about this swipe are that, opposed to the slot tournaments and drawings at other casinos, almost no time is involved in participating and everyone wins something.
South Point this month added a $5,200 slot tournament for seniors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays. This is a relative large prize pool and the tournament could be attractive to more players than those at Stations and Sam's Town, depending on how many people participate.
In addition to gambling- and dining-related promotions, some seniors days include movie ticket specials. Often the qualifying age for these is 60.
A few tips regarding casino seniors programs: As with any casino promotion, these may be altered or discontinued at any time. Most if not all require that you be enrolled in the program, not just that you have a players card and meet the age requirement. Many will put a small sticker on your players card showing that you qualify for discounts and other offers. Beware of time time limits and other restrictions on promotions. This information should be available at the players club.
These programs differ in details but their staples have been slot tournaments, dining discounts, point multipliers and drawings. Different casinos' programs may be better for some players than others. Here's a brief summary of what's offered. Essential information is often available on signs in the casinos and details can be obtained at the players' clubs.
Sam's Town offers a complete program on Thursdays comprising a $3,500 slot tournament, a $3,000 drawing, 5 times points on video poker and 7 times points on reels, half-price buffet and a free variety show. Low rollers with time on their hands might find value in the slot tournament. The formula for determing the long-term value of (or your average win in) such promotions is the total of prizes divided by the number of entries. In this case it's likely to be less than $5. Another consideration for some is the time it takes to play in the tournament plus the amount of time spent waiting to play. For higher rollers, the point multipliers and drawings can offer more value. Sam's Town recently has added a scaled-down Monday seniors day to compete with the new offering of its neighbor, the Eastside Cannery.
The Eastside Cannery's program, which runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays, is unusual in that the qualifying age is 55, not 50. Enrollment at the players' club is required. Benefits are a 3 times point multiplier, half-price dining at selected restaurants and, after 300 base points are earned, a card swipe with prizes from $10 in free play to $1,000 in cash. Play on machines in the Classic Slots room does not qualify for the point multiplier.
The Palms also recently added a seniors program, on Thursdays, which includes dining and movie discounts and promotions. At least for now there are slot tournaments and drawings.
Station Casinos, including the Fiestas, have a $3,000 slot tournament at each property and half-price dining with payment in points until 6 p.m. Signs indicated that, as a special for this month, the program also includes a bonus point day, bringing points earned from the usual 3 per $1 coin-in to 10 for reels and 6 for video poker. Let's hope this "special" becomes a regular part of the program, as a point multiplier used to be. And, Stations, how about bringing back the drawings you used to have?
The M Resort has a drawing for seniors at 6 p.m. Tuesdays. The unusual thing about it is that you do not need to play, or activate your tickets, on Tuesday, and you need not be present to win. Tickets can be earned any day of the week and must be activated at a kiosk on the day earned. The winners' names are posted shortly after 6 and all prizes must be claimed at the satellite rewards center by 7 p.m.
The Silverton has two seniors drawings on Monday. Tickets must be earned that day but prizes can be picked up until 6 p.m. Tuesday. There are 50 winners in each drawing, and each winner gets a minimum of $50 and maximum of $500. A player may win twice each week, once in each drawing. Although the prizes are modest (expect $50 most of the time), it appears that this promotion offers an unusually good chance of winning something.
The Gold Coast recently cut the point multiplier on video poker for its Monday seniors day from 5 times to 4 times, but that's still a good deal given that casinos' inventory of strong games. Reel players get 10 times points. A maximum of 10,000 points on video poker and 100,000 points on reels are eligible for promotional multipliers at the Gold Coast. Seniors day there also includes a bingo special and a small video poker tournament.
The Orleans offers 7 times points and a card swipe after earning 50 base points, both from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays. My prizes from the card swipe have included two dinner buffets, two ticket to Big Al's Comedy Club, 5,000 points and 10,000 points. The great things about this swipe are that, opposed to the slot tournaments and drawings at other casinos, almost no time is involved in participating and everyone wins something.
South Point this month added a $5,200 slot tournament for seniors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays. This is a relative large prize pool and the tournament could be attractive to more players than those at Stations and Sam's Town, depending on how many people participate.
In addition to gambling- and dining-related promotions, some seniors days include movie ticket specials. Often the qualifying age for these is 60.
A few tips regarding casino seniors programs: As with any casino promotion, these may be altered or discontinued at any time. Most if not all require that you be enrolled in the program, not just that you have a players card and meet the age requirement. Many will put a small sticker on your players card showing that you qualify for discounts and other offers. Beware of time time limits and other restrictions on promotions. This information should be available at the players club.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The best fake thing in Vegas
Vegas is a city of fabulous fakes -- a fake volcano, fake Venice, fake pyramid. Rumor even has it thatcertain anatomical features of some cocktail waitresses are fake.
I have to admit that I like a lot of the fake stuff, even some of the kitsch. And I fail to see what the Luxor, for example, has gained from its "de-theming."
But my favorite fake thing in Vegas -- technically in Henderson -- is Lake Las Vegas. The "lake" is really a fake bay created by extending a fake lake, Lake Mead, the body of water collected behind Hoover Dam. But Lake Las Vegas is also a fake Italian Village and surrounding high-end residential developments.
The Village's lakeside downtown includes a nice hotel, shops and restaurants and a small but elegant casino, Casino Monte Lago. The casino reopened last year under new ownership after being closed for maybe a couple of years. It has a reasonable variety of video poker and up-to-date slots. Where the first incarnation of the casino had table is a collection of electronic table games -- blackjack, craps, roulette, Three-Card Poker and Ulitmate Texas Hold 'Em.
The decor is inspired by an Italian winery, with rows of barrel ends high on the walls, below wood and painted ceilings. There's an elegant and excellent small restaurant, Harry's, which is open until 12:30 a.m.; a sports bar; and a snack bar, Harry's Cart, that's open when the restuarant is closed. Above the casino floor is a sports bar that serves pizza and bar food. Across the street from the back of the casino is a small Chinese restaurant owned jointly with casino.
The owners of Monte Lago have an arrangement with the adjacent hotel, a former Ritz-Carlton now operated by a company called the Dolce Group, which runs some of the restaurants at the Hard Rock Hotel. The hotel, in turn, can arrange for customers to play the one golf course of the original three in Lake Las Vegas that remains open.
Lake Las Vegas has been hit hard by Vegas' economic and real estate woes, and the casino appears to be struggling a bit. I hope it can make it until the area rebounds. If I were a recreational gambler, I would likely do most of my playing at Monte Lago. It's a little gem in a lovely setting, a world away from the noise, traffic and banality of so much of the rest of Vegas.
I don't know how long the casino will last, so if you live in Vegas or are coming here soon, I urge you to check it out. It's only about a half hour from the airport. Just follow Interstate 215 east, continuing on Lake Mead Parkway to the entrance on your left. Follow the main road past the traffic circle and take your first right. Shortly, the casino will be on your left.
I have to admit that I like a lot of the fake stuff, even some of the kitsch. And I fail to see what the Luxor, for example, has gained from its "de-theming."
But my favorite fake thing in Vegas -- technically in Henderson -- is Lake Las Vegas. The "lake" is really a fake bay created by extending a fake lake, Lake Mead, the body of water collected behind Hoover Dam. But Lake Las Vegas is also a fake Italian Village and surrounding high-end residential developments.
The Village's lakeside downtown includes a nice hotel, shops and restaurants and a small but elegant casino, Casino Monte Lago. The casino reopened last year under new ownership after being closed for maybe a couple of years. It has a reasonable variety of video poker and up-to-date slots. Where the first incarnation of the casino had table is a collection of electronic table games -- blackjack, craps, roulette, Three-Card Poker and Ulitmate Texas Hold 'Em.
The decor is inspired by an Italian winery, with rows of barrel ends high on the walls, below wood and painted ceilings. There's an elegant and excellent small restaurant, Harry's, which is open until 12:30 a.m.; a sports bar; and a snack bar, Harry's Cart, that's open when the restuarant is closed. Above the casino floor is a sports bar that serves pizza and bar food. Across the street from the back of the casino is a small Chinese restaurant owned jointly with casino.
The owners of Monte Lago have an arrangement with the adjacent hotel, a former Ritz-Carlton now operated by a company called the Dolce Group, which runs some of the restaurants at the Hard Rock Hotel. The hotel, in turn, can arrange for customers to play the one golf course of the original three in Lake Las Vegas that remains open.
Lake Las Vegas has been hit hard by Vegas' economic and real estate woes, and the casino appears to be struggling a bit. I hope it can make it until the area rebounds. If I were a recreational gambler, I would likely do most of my playing at Monte Lago. It's a little gem in a lovely setting, a world away from the noise, traffic and banality of so much of the rest of Vegas.
I don't know how long the casino will last, so if you live in Vegas or are coming here soon, I urge you to check it out. It's only about a half hour from the airport. Just follow Interstate 215 east, continuing on Lake Mead Parkway to the entrance on your left. Follow the main road past the traffic circle and take your first right. Shortly, the casino will be on your left.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Some questions about a new game
On a recent visit to the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino -- formerly the Las Vegas Hilton -- I couldn't help but notice a new game just inside the entrance to the race and sports book (I also saw this game downtown at the Four Queens). Called "Triple Towers Greyhound Racing," It's a two-sided big-screen TV surrounded by betting stations. Every few minutes an animated dog race is run on the TV. It's fun to watch, but I wouldn't think of playing unless I had the answers to these questions:
How is the order in which the dogs finish each race determined? If it's random, how is randomization achieved? If it's not random,what factors are involved? The game designates some dogs as favorites or underdogs, based on the results of their past five races. But if the race results are random, this information means nothing.
What is the casino's takout from the bets made? In other words, what is the average percentage return on each bet to the players? How does this compare with what actual dog tracks take out?
Triple Towers is an offshoot of the trend toward electronic table games, including blackjack, roulette, craps and three-card poker. Judging by their increased presence on casino floors, these games appear to be popular with players, possibly in part because of their usually lower minimum bets than their real-like counterparts. But do these games offer players a good value?
My concern in this regard, which also applies to the greyhound race game, is that the house edge (or track takeout) on the "real" games (or race bets) reflects the cost of operating those games, particularly paying the dealers, pit clerks, supervisors and other employees involved. These costs should be much less for the electronic versions, so the odds should be better for the players, right?
I haven't done any systematic study, but my casual observation suggests that this is not usually the case. The craps and roulette set-ups I've seen offer the same payouts as their real-life counterparts. In the case of roulette, this means a double-zero game (exception: some upright slot-like rouletter machines I've seen are single-zero). The blackjack games have varying rules, some paying 6-to-5 for blackjack, which is to be avoided in all manifestations of the game. Some of the blackjack games have very good rules, including surrender. The one downside is that they cannot accommodate re-splitting of hands, so players are limited to splitting each hand once.
Another downside is that at some casinos craps and roulette machines don't take players' cards, meaning no comps for playing these games. One casino worker explained to me that this is to prevent people from making offsetting bets such as both black and red on roulette and racking up lots of points while losing little money.
On the other hand, there is no dealer to tip, which saves some players money.
At one small casino, Monte Lago at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, what had been a live table games pit under previous ownership now consists entirely of electronic games. I don't expect to see this happen soon at larger casinos, but the electronic versions are likely to replace some of the lower-limit (and less profitable) table games.
Particularly with the blackjack games, players should review the rules carefully before playing. And they should play the other games only if they're willing to give the house the same edge its gets on the live versions. In most cases, that's too much for me.
How is the order in which the dogs finish each race determined? If it's random, how is randomization achieved? If it's not random,what factors are involved? The game designates some dogs as favorites or underdogs, based on the results of their past five races. But if the race results are random, this information means nothing.
What is the casino's takout from the bets made? In other words, what is the average percentage return on each bet to the players? How does this compare with what actual dog tracks take out?
Triple Towers is an offshoot of the trend toward electronic table games, including blackjack, roulette, craps and three-card poker. Judging by their increased presence on casino floors, these games appear to be popular with players, possibly in part because of their usually lower minimum bets than their real-like counterparts. But do these games offer players a good value?
My concern in this regard, which also applies to the greyhound race game, is that the house edge (or track takeout) on the "real" games (or race bets) reflects the cost of operating those games, particularly paying the dealers, pit clerks, supervisors and other employees involved. These costs should be much less for the electronic versions, so the odds should be better for the players, right?
I haven't done any systematic study, but my casual observation suggests that this is not usually the case. The craps and roulette set-ups I've seen offer the same payouts as their real-life counterparts. In the case of roulette, this means a double-zero game (exception: some upright slot-like rouletter machines I've seen are single-zero). The blackjack games have varying rules, some paying 6-to-5 for blackjack, which is to be avoided in all manifestations of the game. Some of the blackjack games have very good rules, including surrender. The one downside is that they cannot accommodate re-splitting of hands, so players are limited to splitting each hand once.
Another downside is that at some casinos craps and roulette machines don't take players' cards, meaning no comps for playing these games. One casino worker explained to me that this is to prevent people from making offsetting bets such as both black and red on roulette and racking up lots of points while losing little money.
On the other hand, there is no dealer to tip, which saves some players money.
At one small casino, Monte Lago at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, what had been a live table games pit under previous ownership now consists entirely of electronic games. I don't expect to see this happen soon at larger casinos, but the electronic versions are likely to replace some of the lower-limit (and less profitable) table games.
Particularly with the blackjack games, players should review the rules carefully before playing. And they should play the other games only if they're willing to give the house the same edge its gets on the live versions. In most cases, that's too much for me.
Palms update
At the Palms the other night I bumped into a slot manager and started what became a lengthy conversation between him and my wife and me about the recent changes at the Palms. First, the good news: According to this particular executive, the removal of good video poker games is over. But like anything else said by any casino employee, this must be taken with a grain of salt. Everthing in a casino is always subject to change, and from my outside perspective, internal communication within casinos and casino companies appears to be generally terrible, so employees are not always aware of what is going on or coming down the pike.
This manager admitted that many customers have complained about the changes and that the Palms has recently lost some business to the Gold Coast, a casino across the street that now has a generally stronger video poker lineup than the Palms. He also said that many of the complainers are still coming to the Palms, out of habit, if nothing else. Significantly, while defending the changes from a business point of view, he admitted that they were handled poorly from a public relations point of view. I'm not sure what the best way is to handle a situation where you're taking something away from people, but the Palms has done little to soften the blow, making at least some longtime customers feel their business is no longer appreciated (the executive made it clear that concerning some customers, this is in fact the case).
He also said that machines have been removed because too many were underused. Casinos pay a state fee for each machine on the slot floor, and of course have many other expenses, so a machine that doesn't get enough play is less valuable than empty floor space (maybe that explains the open prairies at the M Resort). Separted from the issue of the types of games and pay tables offered, this strikes me as simply good management and was an aspect of running a casino I had been unaware of. Of course, players don't care if machines they don't play are removed.
But there's no question that games many serious video poker players played are now gone, including the 25-cent full-pay deuces wild progressive, the 10/7 double bonus progressive and, now, all the 16/10 deuces wild on triple play/five play machines. The Palms was the last casino in Vegas to offer the latter, and they were what I usually played. I mentioned this, and my disappointment, to the slot manager, and he replied that some players had "hammered" the casino on these games. I pointed out that they are negative-return games (to the players), even with perfect play and taking into account the value of slot club points. Further, play on these machines has long been ineligible for qualifying for promotions, and for point multipliers. A few players might have been able to gain a very slight edge if you included the value of their mailers and promotions such as free pulls on Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune, but I can't see how anyone could have "hammered" the Palms on these machines. He really didn't have an answer when I pointed this out. In my opinion, the value to the Palms of continuing to be the only casino offering these enormously fun-to-play games would have been worth any small losses the casino might have incurred as a result of the play of a very few people.
One interesting thing the slot manager shared was his view of the difference between slot (reel) players and video poker players. He described slot players as seeking entertainment and excitement, and not concerned about coming out ahead in the long run as long as they get the excitement of chasing after (mostly small) bonuses and jackpots and occasionally winning. Video poker players, on the other hand, he clearly saw as economic adversaries -- people who expect to win and to get everything they can from the casino. For example, he said that many, many more reel players play without a players' club card, giving away any comps and marketing offers they might be entitled to. Many more video poker players use a card, he said, and use all the points they accrue. I think his views may be colored by the Palms' history as a mecca for serious video poker players. What he says is undoubtedly true for a segment of video poker players, but they are probably a small minority in most casinos. Many, many video poker players don't use players' cards, don't know much if anything about pay tables or game strategy, and believe that winning is just as much a matter of luck in video poker as it is in playing reels.
Still, his attitude is one that seems to reflect the thinking in the industry, which has become less generous to video poker players in the six or so years I've been playing that game. Video poker players used to get the same benefits as reel players -- the same point multipliers, the same coin-in requirements to qualify for gifts and benefits, etc. This has changed at most casinos, and I can't say it's entirely unfair. Even bad video poker players playing bad games lose less than most reel players, and video poker machines are generally faster than reel machines, meaning players can accumulate points faster. But casino mangers should keep in mind that the reel players who lose more may lose interest in gambling -- or run out of gambling money -- sooner. To the extent that the industry squeezes video poker players it jeopardizes a part of its customer base that is likely to provide a more stable, long-lasting source of income.
So what am I going to do now about the Palms? Barring further changes in the video poker lineup, I plan to continue playing there. The Palms still has a couple of games I'm interested in playing -- 16/10 deuces wild at $2 and 9/6 jacks or better at 25 cents on 10-play machines. Both of these games return more than 99.5 percent (the Palms' slot club points add 0.25 percent), and play on the jacks qualifies for promotions. At least one positive game is still available -- 10/7 double bonus. Compared to what the Palms used to have, it's current lineup is very disappointing. Compared to what most other casinos offer, its lineup is still competitive, especially combined with its promotions, even just those available to players of "non-promotional" machines. And I was surprised to find in my March mailer that my free play and dining offers had doubled in value from February. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Palms is only a short walk across the street from the Gold Coast, a casino I usually visit several days a week.
However, just about any further cuts to the video poker at the Palms could change my plans. The slot manager I spoke with pointed out that players have a right to vote with their feet. That's a right I reserve, but hope not to have to use, concerning the Palms.
This manager admitted that many customers have complained about the changes and that the Palms has recently lost some business to the Gold Coast, a casino across the street that now has a generally stronger video poker lineup than the Palms. He also said that many of the complainers are still coming to the Palms, out of habit, if nothing else. Significantly, while defending the changes from a business point of view, he admitted that they were handled poorly from a public relations point of view. I'm not sure what the best way is to handle a situation where you're taking something away from people, but the Palms has done little to soften the blow, making at least some longtime customers feel their business is no longer appreciated (the executive made it clear that concerning some customers, this is in fact the case).
He also said that machines have been removed because too many were underused. Casinos pay a state fee for each machine on the slot floor, and of course have many other expenses, so a machine that doesn't get enough play is less valuable than empty floor space (maybe that explains the open prairies at the M Resort). Separted from the issue of the types of games and pay tables offered, this strikes me as simply good management and was an aspect of running a casino I had been unaware of. Of course, players don't care if machines they don't play are removed.
But there's no question that games many serious video poker players played are now gone, including the 25-cent full-pay deuces wild progressive, the 10/7 double bonus progressive and, now, all the 16/10 deuces wild on triple play/five play machines. The Palms was the last casino in Vegas to offer the latter, and they were what I usually played. I mentioned this, and my disappointment, to the slot manager, and he replied that some players had "hammered" the casino on these games. I pointed out that they are negative-return games (to the players), even with perfect play and taking into account the value of slot club points. Further, play on these machines has long been ineligible for qualifying for promotions, and for point multipliers. A few players might have been able to gain a very slight edge if you included the value of their mailers and promotions such as free pulls on Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune, but I can't see how anyone could have "hammered" the Palms on these machines. He really didn't have an answer when I pointed this out. In my opinion, the value to the Palms of continuing to be the only casino offering these enormously fun-to-play games would have been worth any small losses the casino might have incurred as a result of the play of a very few people.
One interesting thing the slot manager shared was his view of the difference between slot (reel) players and video poker players. He described slot players as seeking entertainment and excitement, and not concerned about coming out ahead in the long run as long as they get the excitement of chasing after (mostly small) bonuses and jackpots and occasionally winning. Video poker players, on the other hand, he clearly saw as economic adversaries -- people who expect to win and to get everything they can from the casino. For example, he said that many, many more reel players play without a players' club card, giving away any comps and marketing offers they might be entitled to. Many more video poker players use a card, he said, and use all the points they accrue. I think his views may be colored by the Palms' history as a mecca for serious video poker players. What he says is undoubtedly true for a segment of video poker players, but they are probably a small minority in most casinos. Many, many video poker players don't use players' cards, don't know much if anything about pay tables or game strategy, and believe that winning is just as much a matter of luck in video poker as it is in playing reels.
Still, his attitude is one that seems to reflect the thinking in the industry, which has become less generous to video poker players in the six or so years I've been playing that game. Video poker players used to get the same benefits as reel players -- the same point multipliers, the same coin-in requirements to qualify for gifts and benefits, etc. This has changed at most casinos, and I can't say it's entirely unfair. Even bad video poker players playing bad games lose less than most reel players, and video poker machines are generally faster than reel machines, meaning players can accumulate points faster. But casino mangers should keep in mind that the reel players who lose more may lose interest in gambling -- or run out of gambling money -- sooner. To the extent that the industry squeezes video poker players it jeopardizes a part of its customer base that is likely to provide a more stable, long-lasting source of income.
So what am I going to do now about the Palms? Barring further changes in the video poker lineup, I plan to continue playing there. The Palms still has a couple of games I'm interested in playing -- 16/10 deuces wild at $2 and 9/6 jacks or better at 25 cents on 10-play machines. Both of these games return more than 99.5 percent (the Palms' slot club points add 0.25 percent), and play on the jacks qualifies for promotions. At least one positive game is still available -- 10/7 double bonus. Compared to what the Palms used to have, it's current lineup is very disappointing. Compared to what most other casinos offer, its lineup is still competitive, especially combined with its promotions, even just those available to players of "non-promotional" machines. And I was surprised to find in my March mailer that my free play and dining offers had doubled in value from February. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Palms is only a short walk across the street from the Gold Coast, a casino I usually visit several days a week.
However, just about any further cuts to the video poker at the Palms could change my plans. The slot manager I spoke with pointed out that players have a right to vote with their feet. That's a right I reserve, but hope not to have to use, concerning the Palms.
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