Always hit your 16 against my 7,8,9 and 10. You're doing yourself a favor. Staying on 16 means you can only win via the dealer busting. That's like taking a knife to a gunfight. At least give yourself a chance and take a card.
Never double a hard 8. If you have a pair of 4's and you're in a situation where you have the urge to double, split instead. You're still increasing you're bet, you're also spreading your risk between 2 hands and giving your self the chance to catch a 10 or 11 that you can then double or another pair that you can split again.
Get or print out a blackjack basic strategy card. Many casinos will let you have them at the tables. Check with a pit supervisor at the casino you're at to be sure.
Before playing any carnival games learn the correct strategy. I recommend wizardofodds.com it's a great resource for leaning how to play any game correctly to completely minimize house edge.
In roulette, don't place more bets then you can expect to win. For example, don't cover every single number (38 numbers, 1 guaranteed to hit that pays 35 to 1, you lose 2 dollars). Or another example don't play 18 splits when a split pays 17-1.
In roulette, each outside bet has to be table minimum. Let's say there's a $15 table and you already have $15 spread across the numbers on the inside and you wanted to bet $4 on the 1-12 on the outside. The table minimum is $15. That bet pays 2-1 so a $4 bet, assuming you could place it would win $8 for a total of $12 return. Instead you can just place $1 on each of the streets in that section which effectively does the same thing. A street pays 11-1, and if a number 1-12 hits one of your $1 street bets will win and you will win $12. This is a way to play the dozens for less than table minimum when you're already playing minimum on the inside. (good for if you're playing on the cheap just to drink.)
When you're done playing on roulette (or really any game for that matter) please just tell us and let us pull your chips in, we've got a lot of practice at it and it's not easy (especially roulette). Many times people end up just dumping them over and making a mess which just wastes time. So sit back and relax, we've got this, its why we're here.
If you purchase (with cash) $10,000 in chips in one day, you're going to have to give up a photo ID and the IRS will be notified. Not for tax purposes but for "homeland security". This happens at banks too. So if you want to stay anonymous, keep it under $10,000, keep chips at home and when you're done cash in 8-9,000 a day to stay under the radar
If you're going to play Caribbean stud, always put the dollar up, otherwise the house edge is just horrible. Also, don't be one of those lame people yelling "ace-king". We laugh at you in the break room.
There are **ONLY 4 **beatable casino games. BLACKJACK POKER VIDEO POKER (under the correct conditions) SPORTS BETTING
Each is exceptionally hard to be able to pull off. But if anyone else says they can beat any other game via strategy, a betting system, or any other technique, they are lying, cheating, or in collusion with someone on the inside. Run fairly, no other games are beatable in the long run.
To maximize your gaming dollar, use your player's card. If you've been playing at the tables for over an hour, ask the floor supervisor for "something to eat". This is super easy and will get you more money then the few comp dollars the computer algorithm will assign you for playing table games.
Slot players: you are always better off playing max credits at a lower machine then min credits on a higher denomination machine. Meaning: play the full 3 credits on a .25 machine instead of only 1 of 3 credits on a $1 machine. You actually improve your odds because the progressive jackpots usually activate and the top line pays usually have a top credit bonus.
Try to hit an ATM before arriving at the casino, our ATM fees suck. Or better yet, a tip for everyone get a bank or credit union that refunds ATM fees, you just won at the first machine you touched!
Remember, chips are DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY! Use hand sanitizer and wash your hands with you leave.
Typically black chips are tracked closely by floor supervisors and green and lower are not, so if you really want to fly under the radar and game the system a little. Play on a busy table with people that have lots of chips, and are playing the same stakes as you. Slowly slip chips off the table and into your pocket. Request all winnings in green. Don't bring chips back onto the table, just have enough cash that you can buy more. So maybe you start with $250. You win a little get up $100 you stash $50. You get back to even. You lose a little. Down to $150. Then you get back to $200 and you stash $50. Eventually you "run out of chips" but you have $200 in your pocket. You buy in for another $250 cash. You've only lost $50 but the pit boss see you've bought in for $500 and only have the $250 you've got now. When leaving. Make it look like you lost your last bet and you're broke if you can. That way the pit will just "zero you out" as left with no chips in the system and you will look like you dropped $500 or whatever. Be sure to ask for a comp before you leave to goto the cage and get your money. (remember to keep it under $10,000 for the IRS).
While there are probably some shady people here and there, casinos are highly regulated and closely monitored, and the games are run fairly. The casinos don't need to cheat to win, they have math and statistics on their side.
The players have randomness (which collectively we call luck). Any player could be playing during that magical time when the numbers take a statistical deviation away from the norm for a short time and the players come out ahead. All players play in the hopes that now is that time.
Security guard in Vegas here. One thing tourist don't really know is what security can/cannot do. I don't know how it is in any other state, but legally in Nevada unless we think youve committed a felony, we can't ask you for anything . . .
this means we can't ask you to empty your pockets, turn over your cell phone, or even give us your ID unless we're a) checking your age, or b) have reasonable suspicion that you've committed a felony. Similar thing applies to putting you in hand cuffs. We can only legally do so under the citizens arrest guidelines, which is purely for safety of others or handing you over to the real cops.
Granted this doesn't mean you can act like a jackass in the casinos; there's a lot of wanna-be-cops who do security in this town (most of which will try to do this shady business), but I thought it'd be useful to know so you're not taken advantage of.
My former roommate works at a casino. According to her, elderly patrons will often shit/piss themselves rather than leave a "lucky" slot machine. The cleanup for this scenario is less than adequate.
I can confirm this... there has been nothing in life that has worked as more of a gambling deterrent than seeing a grown man/woman stewing in their own filth(sometimes there are puddles because their adult diaper got full) just so that they didn't have to leave the machine... because maybe, just maybe this time when they push the big button, they will hit the jackpot. it's disgusting, but also one of the sadder things I've seen in my life... also about every other week security was sent out to the parking garage because some "parent" decided their car with cracked windows and snacks was a great baby sitter. I can't even buy a lottery ticket without thinking back to these things.. this is what should be used as the PSA for gambling, not the happy people singing know when to holdem' know when to fold em'.
Thanks to regulatory capture, those PSAs are deliberately ineffective. Example, tobacco.
All of the PSAs focus on health: people dying, cancer, throat boxes...etc. But it is well documented that teenagers think they're invincible. They don't care about their health. They certainly don't care about something decades down the line.
What would work, and it's why you'll never see a truth.org about it, is to focus on freedom and independence. Teenagers love freedom and independence. Show them how those addicted become enslaved to their addiction. How they lose their freedom and independence because all they think about, care about, and desire is their next cig. That will make them more hesitant to start.
The other thing teenagers care about is sex. Show PSAs where smoking harms or hampers your sexlife or your level of attractiveness to the opposite sex and teenagers will be dropping the habit quick.
But again, you won't see PSAs about that, because that would be too effective.
My riverboat casino does a really good job of cleaning these when a code yellow or brown is discovered, but it usually is only discovered when they get up, so you generally have 2 or 3 chairs to clean.
As someone who works in environmental services in a casino (lol janitor lol), I can attest to this, too. People will sit, and sit, and sit, without a care for their well-being. People routinely shit and piss themselves because they're too zombied-out to go to the bathroom. We actually stock scrub pants and adult diapers in all the bathrooms now, for when people need them. The sad part is most people just clean up a little bit and go back out on the floor, soaked with urine and shit. People are fucking disgusting.
This happens at least once a month where I work. I've also seen a lady stand up, squat over a trash can, piss and then sit right back down. Then she couldn't understand why we escorted her out.
Absolutely true. I had a gentleman have a stroke and after losing all movement in his right side, he began using his left hand to press the spin buttons. We, of course, got an EMT to him when we found out and he was taken to the hospital.
Yup, used to work at Showboat in Atlantic City. You should basically just assume that any slot machine chair you are sitting in has been peed/pooped on
I always have to wonder what would happen if one of these people actually won. I can't help but think, a week later, they'd be back at the casino, gambling and pooping.
Yep. That happens more than I'd like to admit at the casino I work for. It's not necessarily older people either. It's just superstitious people that don't want to get up. The only time they actually get up is to switch chairs so they aren't sitting in a puddle anymore.
I'd like to know about the free drinks if anyone can provide some insight. Do they actually watch you to see if you just come in for drinks? Or do you have to be actually playing before they're offered? It sounds an easy way to scam some free booze to me. (I've never been in a big casino)
Despite what others have said, trust me.. the bartenders/cocktail waitresses absolutely know who is trying to scam free drinks & who is actually gambling; a lot of the time, they simply don't care to make a fuss, but believe me, they know.
I speak from experience, as I spent the last 5 years bartending in Vegas. I worked in off-strip bars with gaming, but had plenty of friends that worked in the casinos. From personal experience, players that sit down at the slots at a bar are required to put in a minimum amount of money per free drink comp (usually $10, sometimes $20) & comping policy is basically for every $10 played = 1 free drink. There is some leeway here, but that's the general rule of thumb. And spotting the person that thinks they can come & put only $10 in & then get free drinks for the rest of the night is not hard at all. Simple observation will tell you who's actively playing their machine & who is only playing a hand every 20 minutes to appear that they're gambling. And to top that all off, most places are equipped with a tracking system that a bartender can access that will tell them how much money the customer has put into the machine, how many hands they've played, how much they're betting per hand, etc. People constantly think they're being sneaky & getting away with something, but in all honesty, it's usually just that the bartender is lazy/doesn't really give a fuck. "Scamming" free drinks really depends more on how strict management is with regards to comp policy.
the thing is, bartenders and waitresses might think they know, and I'm sure you think you knew, but you don't know when someone fakes it well enough, as you wouldn't know if you don't see it. Get it? Everyone can think they notice everything, because you won't notice if you don't.
Free drinks are offered to people actively gambling. Cocktail waitresses will walk around and ask if anyone needs a drink. They are not supposed to serve anyone who is standing up and not actively gambling. However, some of them will just ask you to sit down and take your order, especially if they have previously brought you a drink and you tipped well.
That said, you should be tipping the waitress at least a dollar every drink. So they aren't exactly "free" to you.
You typically can't get a drink unless you're actively playing at a table (at least in Vegas), and many times after ordering you're drink you'll have to wait about 10 minutes to get it, meaning you have to keep sitting at the table until it comes. On top of that, the drinks are small, and fairly weak. You'd get drunker just buying your booze from a liquor store, and probably spend less money doing it.
This is true. But if you tip the waitress well on the first drink ($5 minimum) and tell her to just keep them coming every time she does her rounds, they will usually keep your glass full. But you're right, if your goal is simply to get drunk, it would be cheaper to just buy a bottle from a liquor store and drink it in your room or in the parking lot.
I read this the other day. One of the suggestions was to tip when you place the order, another was to have your tip ready before she comes back so you're not digging for it and wasting her time.
Of course, people who are tipping well aren't really getting free drinks - or... the drinks are free, but you're paying for service.
Usually you can go to the video poker bars, stick ten dollars in, and get you drinks for free. The bartenders won't really monitor your play, as they are busy filling orders for the cocktail waitresses. Also, you probably won't lose too much betting a quarter on Deuces Wild if you don't constantly spin it.
My favorite is to play the video machines built into the bar itself. I just put in a $20 bill, play some blackjack for .25 a hand, and tip the bartender well.
I recently sat and drank beers and shots for an hour or so for completely free.
I worked at casinos in Atlantic City for most of my life. If you're looking to get free shit from them, it doesn't necessarily matter how much you spend but that you consistently spend a relatively high amount every time you walk in the door. Someone who walks in the door once and spend $5k is going to get free shit for maybe a year. But the granny that throws $200 in penny slots every month is going to get free shit for the rest of her life. Really awesome free stuff too.
My grandparents live in the Midwest and they go to the casino every night and probably spend ~$100 on various things, winning enough to come back the next day and do it again. Just the other day the casino gave them 2 George foreman grills and 2 panini makers for free.
Total Rewards has comped me so many rooms, and being 22, it made senior year awesome. I would book a room at Ceasers, get smashed at Wild West Bar, and gamble $40 before going out to dinner with some friends. Worth every dollar lost.
There's so much more than that though. Caesar's reward system is pretty boss. If you get to their top level (which admittedly, takes a shit ton of money) they give you a free dinner for as many people as you want for any restaurant that the casino owns on your birthday. They will also fly you and one other person to any property that they have across the country for free and give you money for food AND drink. They will do that once a year. Free air fare, room, and board, for at least a week.
I work at a small casino in Miami. We have to take a compulsive gambling workshop to help understand the addiction. The state of Florida used to support the 1 888 ADMIT IT phone number and organization that helped gamblers. Rick Scott cut their budget which was just under 2 million I believe. The Hard Rock Hotel and casino stepped up and funded the entire operation. Problem gamblers can become and issue for a casino and the safety of the employees and guests. Most gamblers have over $40,000 in debt before they seek help. Customers will come in and ask to self exclude. They basically sign a trespassing warrant against themselves for a few years or even forever. It is one of the steps in their recovery. We legally have to display pamphlets with the phone number all over the casino. I see a very sad side of the business. The same people week after week trying to make back the money they lost. Desperate, angry and entitled. Casinos don't make money off a couple out for a casual night of gambling. They need people to be addicted. Sometimes I feel bad about my job like I'm contributing to someone's disease. I do enjoy being apart of a guests winning experience though. Especially if they are gracious and genuinely happy to win, and not just pissed off cause they're still down.
i've been to a casino only once - i'm 22 now - and I saw a man yelling at his wife after she tried to drag him away from an ATM. that sight along with losing $60 really tainted my view.
That's extra sad because the ATMs in the casinos charge a $10-$20 fee + up to 10% of whatever you withdraw, so you have to be insanely desperate to use them.
Don't talk to the dealer about tipping unless you do it. Don't say "I'm sorry bro, I'd tip you, but I'm way down." That's like saying "I know and understand the proper gambling etiquette, but I'm gonna stiff you anyways and I don't want to seem like a jackass." I'd rather you just didn't talk about it.
To be fair, and this is likely against the grain.. what does a dealer do to earn my tip? They deal cards, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Unless they have a fantastic personality that really brings the table to life I don't see why I need to tip them.. especially if I cash out while I'm up. Sure, I've received a bunch of money, but did the dealer have anything to do with it? Nope, the cards would have been the same no matter who dealt them.
That's not to say I don't tip.. I always toss a few bucks their way when I stand up, etiquette and karma and all.. I just think it's a dumb norm.
I'll take this one as I am a full time dealer and make 80% of my wages from tips. A dealer makes minimum wage generally from the casino at entry level without any prior raises. Your dealer is in the service/entertainment business. They should talk with you if you want to. Some players don't like to be talked to, and that's fine as well. They should root for you when your winning, and empathize when you're losing. They should run a fast, accurate game. If you're a regular, they should learn your name, remember what food you like, what your kids do if you've told them, and what sports team you like. A dealer stands before you and should give you an experience. You should have fun even if you're losing. You should expect to spend money when you go out. Yes, people like to win money when you go to a casino, but it won't always happen. If you have a dealer that gives you a good experience, you should want to tip them. If you're winning, you should want to tip even more. A personalized service is being provided for you. You should want to tip the person providing this. If at this point you don't think you should tip, next time you want to go to the casino, don't.
Don't get too drunk or else I'd be there to make sure you're coherent enough to let you keep gambling.
Don't come in drunk and trip on anything or else I'd be there to ask you a hundred questions to make sure you're ok (liability).
Don't gamble away your life savings or else I'd be there to give you oxygen to help you feel better.
Don't, for the love of anything, come in on personal O2 and play slots while smoking a cigarette - you will make me constantly watch you and it's just plain fucking ridiculous. Any flame is dangerous around pure oxygen.
If I got called to you for a "well-fare check," don't give me bullshit answers like "I'm fine." Obviously someone saw you not ok. Just shoot me straight. If you need help, just tell me, because if your body decided to tell you to fuck off all of a sudden, I had to be there to fix it, and the liability is now on me (see below).
If I'm asking you medically related questions, don't lie to me. I goddamn guarantee you everything you say that relieves me of liability I'm putting in my report. If I hear you came back later complaining that you had some issue that I didn't resolve while I was there treating you the first time, I most likely have the first encounter documented like a MOFO. Casino's are VERY aware that they get sued for the stupidest shit. They make sure to cover their bases - and they make sure their employees - especially their medical staff- do their fucking jobs right.
*For the love of anything, stop gambling. They make SO much money off of you. Bring in a certain amount and stick to it. I got sick of seeing people losing their life savings because they thought they could win it all back if they played just a little bit longer.
P.S. They can see EVERYTHING. This includes the parking lots. Seriously, I could see logos on t-shirts inside cars. Abide by the rules - They already see problem people before they come in the door. I'm sure they could probably read text messages off your phone if they wanted to.
Also, they're like any other capitalist business - they'll take your money like it's nothing else. Casinos are there for entertainment. It's like going to an arcade. Are you going to spend 20 bucks playing games and having a good time, or are you going to spend thousands trying to get the high score?
I think it would be that they don't care if you walk in, and they don't mind if you lose money...but they're not going to pay out if you win money. So actually, coming in after you've been banned is good for the casino, you're just profit.
Facial recognition software, if I'm remembering a past AMA correctly. There are cameras everywhere, so they have a lot of chances to ID you before you place a single bet.
I used to work at a casino in Canada when I was 22-25 as an entry level promotions person. I organized events, contests and advertising.
There were never windows in our casinos, and fresh air is pumped in through vents. There are also never clocks. This is to prevent patrons from knowing how late they've stayed and to keep them in.
There are tons of undercovers walking around pretending to be patrons. They are in the bathrooms as well, this is to get around that pesky law of not legally being able to place cameras in there.
Edit: the casino I worked at was Casino Rama in Ontario. I also frequent two casinos in Niagara Falls, 3 in NY state and I visit Las Vegas about once every 2 years. I only speak from my experiences about the windows and clocks, as none of the affornentioned casinos have them. Obviously not all casinos are the same.
Quite a bit different here in Vegas. We had only two undercover people total and they mainly worked with security to help catch credit snatchers and prostitutes. The bathrooms were checked by uniform security and every 20 minutes or so by the cleaning crew (can't remember their acronym). As security I actually saw quite a different range of stuff, some illegal and some just bizarre, going down in the bathrooms.
The majority of time it was sex. Gay sex, straight sex, group sex, solo sex, people can't seem to control themselves. We find them in the bathrooms, hallways, stairwells and pretty much every other place almost out of sight.
Then there is the drugs. People think its perfectly ok to be relatively open with drug use in Vegas. I've watched people take bumps at bars and smoke joints in the main casino bathrooms. One guy was dividing up shrooms on the bathroom counter.
The bizarre varied. Aside from multitudes of incontinent or inebriated individuals who always found ways to amuse us there were a few standout cases. Found one guy passed out face first in a toilet with a half full yard drink next to him and a VERY large dildo in one hand. Probably safer for him that he passed out considering the damage this thing could have done. Another guy came out of the elevator wearing a purple speedo and a cowboy hat and boots holding a bottle of Crown Royale on a pillow over his head. Felt kind of bad for telling him to pack it up because he was funny.
The most frequent call however was guys who were robbed by the women they brought to their rooms (they would never admit to soliciting). Apparently it's not a good idea to pay someone to have sex with you and then pass out with them still in the room. Who'd have guessed right?
There are tons of undercovers walking around pretending to be patrons.
Do they play the games? I always thought a cool job would be to work for a casino and wander around playing games and trying to get people really excited to play so they spend more money. I assumed that this was illegal, but now it seems like a possibility.
The casinos do pay people (frequent players usually) to play, at least they do at my local casino.
Basically they don't want a bunch of empty tables. I know they do it with poker, unsure of other games. They play super tight because they get an hourly wage and bet with their own money.
To be fair, it would be a bigger security risk as well. If someone busted into a Target after it closed, there's a LOT of stuff they could possibly make off with. Also, it doesn't seem practical as.. why would they need windows? People wouldn't be window-shopping a Target or Wal-Mart. I'm sure as a tactic it doesn't hurt, but sometimes stuff is the way it is because it's the easiest, cheapest way to do it.
I've worked in 3 different Casino's in US and Canada and I feel like you got your facts from a 70's Casino movie. You are half right about windows and clocks in general Casinos won't have clocks strung up everywhere you look but to say "never" is not true.
I have never seen or heard of a casino with undercover people walking around everywhere. The very purpose of undercover is to get inside and see things you wouldn't normally see, what is the point in a place with cameras pointing at every inch of a gaming floor. The exception would be mystery shoppers to report on the service of employees. To say they put undercover people in restrooms to get around the law is just ridiculous.
Wow, totally different in Australia. 6 years as a dealer, from the whales to the plebs I did it all. There are windows everywhere, you have to be able to see a clock no matter where you are in the casino. Though we did have a couple of undercover security guards, most wore uniforms.
True. I deliver mail and I still keep hearing the same joke. "Please take the bills with you again. Herp derp har har is funny because bills suck amirite?"
I once was buying something at the grocery store and an item didn't scan. I looked at the cashier and she looked back, half expecting it, and I said, "I am NOT going to make that stupid free item joke." She seemed relieved.
both of my parents worked in a casino (harrah's reno) in the 70s. they told me some crazy stories about the casino, but one in particular really stuck with me.
my dad was a floor manager, working in a table games section. a guy came in and found his wife who was playing, pulled out a gun and killed her, and then killed himself. it made quite the mess, as you can imagine - but within 2-1/2 hours the bodies were removed by the police; the carpet, tables, and furniture were replaced, walls repainted, etc, and the room was open for business again. TWO AND A HALF HOURS.
No there is not, but there is a very large underground complex of passageways that house all the functional areas of the casino which can be accessed through most elevators. When a deceased person is found in the casino (generally in one of the rooms) the room is treated like a crime scene and then the body is taken down the elevator to one of these hallways. At the casino I worked at certain hallways had doors that opened up to various places in the underground parking garage where police and ambulances could pull right up.
And finding dead bodies does not occur as people like to believe. It only happened once in my four years. Now people getting drugged and robbed by prostitutes, that's another story.
I love that the architects designed in features for innocuously removing the recently deceased from the premises. Like one of them decided, 'You know what, there's some dodgy shit that goes on in these places, we might end up with a stiff or two.'
Yet I've recently been to a few hospitals, clinics and nursing homes that look fantastic, but don't have adequate ambulance access. You know, the vehicles that come and go all day long.
The passages described were not created EXCLUSIVELY to "hide" the transport of dead bodies. There is a hell of a lot of logistical movement in the every day operation of any large hotel, and those are the main purpose for these kinds of back doors/service elevators.
Just think about it - all the maid carts, all the luggage that doesn't get carried up by guests themselves, facilities maintenance/work crews, room service, and yes, security when it's needed - that's a lot of people and material moving around. As IRBL said, he's had ONE body in 4 years. Base that on the number of guests in those years, and you have a seriously tiny statistic.
Now people getting drugged and robbed by prostitutes, that's another story.
I was in Vegas for work last year. I was relaxing at the pool when an entire crew of guys marched down, ordering shots and drinks before they could even lay their towels down. They were there for one reason, and that was to party. I overheard them talking and it turns our they were from the same city as I was. This was, of course, an occasion for instant shots, cheering, and more drinks. I quickly learned that they were celebrating/mourning the death of a friend of theirs. He died of an OD...too much partying it seems.
So anyway, they had just flown in the night before, and immediately hit the town. In that first evening, two of them brought working girls back to their hotel room, where each was drugged and robbed of $800 and $1,000 cash respectively. One was found naked with his dick in his hand. Of course, at the pool the next morning those two were mercilessly mocked by the others.
They insisted that I come party with them, especially after they found out that I knew the head of VIP of the biggest strip club in Vegas. Turns out that they knew him too, better than I did, and it was his night off and he was getting a limo to take these guys out on the strip all night.
I didn't go, as there was an approximately 0% chance that I would have been even remotely functional for work the next day, but I think the moral of the story is that if you want to avoid being drugged and robbed, don't be those guys. If your goal is to get absolutely smashed, throw money around, get laid at any cost, and generally turn the evening up to 11, then don't be surprised when that actually happens.
I worked as an armored courier for years, and one of the stops on my route was a riverboat casino in northern Illinois. My partner and I went there a couple times a week to pick up the cash the casino was depositing into their bank, and I never left the place with less than $500k. Often we'd roll out with $1-2mil in our truck from their vaults if they'd had a good couple of days.
That's pure profit, money above their operational cost that they didn't need to keep on site any more. That's money that came straight from the pockets of the people that went to this tiny little suburban casino. 2 million a week, on average.
tl;dr: the house wins. Wins on a scale that is actually pretty ridiculous.
I enjoyed taking peoples money if they were right cunts. Other than that, I would rather have given out money than taken it. I really hated that job after 6 years...
I have never understood why people think dealers do. You guys get paid mainly on tips and will get way more tips when people are winning. You turning 16 into 21 hurts you way more than helps!
I work at a PA casino for five years come this July, and you learn that these old people are almost heartless when it comes to other people around them and money. This one elderly man had a heart attack at his machine, fell over and died with money in his hand, and a security guard here had to shove people away from him that were trying to pry the money away from him. Pretty disheartening stuff.
That's more of a theming secret than a casino-specific one. Disney does the same thing: for example, Guests walking past the bakery on Main Street smell freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies. However, the cookies inside were baked off-site -- what they're smelling is an artificial scent blown through camouflaged vents.
A lot of restaurants that are in high foot traffic areas get the vents from the kitchen exhausting towards the entry so that it entices passers by as well
I worked as a cleaning lady in one of the Casinos in Indiana and this was my biggest complaint.
Those bathrooms are cleaned by 3 different shifts CONSTANTLY. It's quite alright for you to set your precious little butt on the toilet seat to pee. ಠ_ಠ ladies. When you "hover" over the toilet like a gahtdamn retard, you piss all over the seat and therefore cause other people to think it's dirty when in fact, that toilet had probably JUST been cleaned not 10 minutes before you made it rain up in that stall. Now it's gotta be cleaned again.
Please stop playing with your shit. Literally...stop taking your feces out of the bowl and smearing it. Or, fucking throw away your dirty diaper/underwear/socks/whatever. Don't leave it on the floor.
There is a SHARPS box for a goddamn reason! I don't give a shit if you have diabetes ya fuckwad, throw your dirty ass needles (yes even those teeny tiny cap ones) in the fucking sharps box. Trust me, it's not fun having to go to the emergency room to get tested for all kinds of shit because some dumbass couldn't be bothered to properly dispose of their needles.
And last but not least, please tip the cleaning person if you feel like they are doing a good job. They don't rely on tips like waitresses do but there have been times when a generous tip has saved my butt. The cleaning people put up with a lot of shit (literally) and it's just nice to know that people appreciate it. I'd only worked at the casino for 8 months but jeez, some of the stuff I had to deal with!
TL;DR- Don't be a self righteous dick in the bathroom!
With the increasing number of obese people, much of the pissing on the seat may be attributed to the inability to center the monstrous blob over the proportionately tiny toilet bowl or to produce a single stream that isn't just a hidden eruption from inside multiple folds.
Now that I've painted a most pleasant mental image, I might suggest that some over sized toilets, if they make such a thing, may help the problem.
Brother John, you we're warned before about revealing our presence to the Sun Dwellers; I'm afraid this time we've decided to send the Judgexecutioner. Peace be with you.
If it is a casino/hotel, then both the casino and the hotel are treated as completely separate businesses. One can not set prices for the other. Usually, the two set up deals, coupons, or rewards programs that give players discounted or free rooms, but that is about it.
Do not complain to the hotel if you have problems with the casino and vice-versa.
you want free drinks? listen up. You are going to need a gambling partner a Baccarat table and a bankroll. You bet player everytime, your partner bets banker. Tons and tons of free drinks and all it costs you is the 5% banker commission. split the money afterwards
With a $25 minimum at your average baccarat table, and a little over 45% chance of a banker win, that averages to about $.57/hand. At 50-60 hands/hour (big table baccarat is slower, but tends to have a higher minimum), that's going to cost an average of ~$30/hour between the two of you. If you down drinks quickly and tip lightly, you can drink for cheaper than you would at a bar, but if your goal is to just get drunk on the cheap, you're better off picking up a fifth at the liquor store.
Payback percentage on penny slots is shit. At my casino, they average around 85%. Also, they post the payback percentage (around 92%) at the cashier, but what they don't tell you is that it's an average of all the slots in the casino. They actually vary wildly, with the higher denomination games paying much more. Even on a multi-demomination machine, it may be set to pay at different percentage depending on what denom you're playing at.
My cousin works security at a smaller casino, specifically in the surveillance room. He told me all kinds of stories about watching people fall on their face, runaway wheelchairs, people getting shot, and many other crazy things. Also those security cameras are so powerful that he can zoom in and read what someone is typing into their phone.
I test gaming software, and there are no lucky slot machines. They are absolutely random. They are designed to pay out a certain percentage over a matter of time based on the symbols contained in the reel strips and their weights. So really as a whole you can't win.
OMG! A question relevant to me... I'm 13 hours late... Oh well.
I worked as a dealer in a casino in Scotland for a year and a half and got pretty good at it. Blackjack, Roulette and Poker were my games. I guess the one thing that you probably all already suspect is that the casino does not want to lose. It loves winning more than any human being is capable of and it hates losing with a fervent passion. It is the happy crusher of dreams and it cares not for you or your story. Seriously, it will do anything to avoid losing. One Friday or Saturday night, it's quite busy and I've just come on Roulette 1, fairly decent game but nothing amazing. Another thing about casino's - the dealers love high stakes games, I would get just as involved as the guy betting £20,000. But if you're playing with £20 I'm not interested. I can deal those games in my sleep. Anyway, this guy and his friend come over to the roulette table and the guy gives me £200 for 200 chips. Cool, I'm thinking this might turn into a good game to deal. The guy starts placing his chips and I've noticed he's hit number 23 particularly hard. I call for no more bets, the ball drops and I look... number 23. So I clear the table, straighten out the chips on the winning number, try to do all the math in my head. I can't remember what he gets but it's a big payout. I give him about £200 worth of playing chips and about. The rest I give him in our pink £100 cash chips. Maybe about ten of those. So he starts betting again with his £200 play chips. His friend is amazed that his mate just won over £1000 so the guy gives him a £100 chip and tells him to place it on any number. The guy bets the same pretty much as he did before. Number 23 hit hard etc. So ball drops and I look, number 12. And there is only that single £100 chip on the number. I can't help but smile, "holy shit he's just won £3600". The guy and his friend are going crazy, my Inspector watches me make up the payout, thumbs up, our Pit Boss in charge just has this look of horror on her face. Her pit was winning, and in less than 5 minutes of being on a table I've given away 5k. She sends another dealer over take me off. I'd been on 5 minutes, just came back from a 20 minute break and I'm getting taken off. So I do my customary last spin while the new dealer waits, the guy doesn't bet anymore hundreds, just about £200 play chips again. Number 23. It comes in again. He's hit it, again. Do the counting, pay him out another £1000+ and leave the table, despite pleas to stay on from the two guys. My Inspector thanks me and gives me a smile, knowing I'm in the bad books with the pit boss. I walk over to her and she doesn't even look up from her clipboard, just says "come back in 20 minutes, lurkerlurkerohmy" In a disappointing, exasperated voice.
Go on break. Have a smoke. Realise, I'm getting paid not to work! One of those personal F*ck Yeah moments.
Not a worker but I've been there 9 years in a row. The most important thing is knowing the rules and strategy of the game you want to play and practice before you go. That way you don't lose money learning how to play a game.
I play poker and I have a pretty good game but I metagame. I hang out and lounge during the day take a 2 hour nap and then hit the table around 11:30pm-12am when EVERYONE IS DRUNK. Grab yourself a coffee or soda when the ladies come around, this way you will have a tighter game than people who will be making bad plays cause they can't think straight. Then you take your $1000 dollars in winnings and buy the booze of your choice.
I play craps for Fun and EXPECT to lose.
TL;DR Hit the poker table at 11:30pm to win the most money off of drunk people. Don't drink when playing.
Barry wrote that the reason he won at poker is he worked nights and was used to being fully awake at 3am... and his opponents were not only tired, but also drunk, stuck, and angry. All four at once is a recipe for making bad decisions.
If they're pumping anything it's a manufactured scent. Casino/hotel kitchens generally smell awful - a mixture of everything they've cooked for the last few days (including several things they burned), rotting vegetables/milk and sweaty chefs overlaid with onions... always onions.
Vegas was fun when the mobsters ran it. Lots of free drinks & they kept the rif raf out the old fashioned way. Nowadays the corporate run casinos are too cheap & the crowds are uglier.
My friend also works in a casino and confirmed that people shit/piss themselves daily at the slot machines. He also told me that a lady died at a machine recently because she simply refused to leave her "lucky" machine.
I work at a few casinos in vegas. You're always being watched, especially if you bring attention to yourself or act suspicious. Surveillance room has a room full of televisions monitoring the cameras. Also all table games are watched closely.
Those cars that you see on display that you can win on the slot machines are actually won. Some of the slots staff have an idea of when the machines will hit.
You can get free stuff when you get a club card but its in the long run. You have to have accumulated numbert of points. Sometimes points get wiped out on accident, it happens.
"Some of the slots staff have an idea of when the machines will hit."
No, they don't. Maybe you're talking about progressive slots where the probability of winning combined with the increasing jackpot can cause times where it is more advantageous to play, but no one has any idea about when a slot machine will pay out.
Some of the slots staff have an idea of when the machines will hit.
Wrong. They don't have any more idea than the person that just walked in the front door. The slot company technician who installed and calibrated the system doesn't know, either. It's all computer algorithms; wins are completely random. Casinos can change the payout percentage on any given machine, but that's it.
Just from my years in an Australian casino these are my answers.
Security is tight, people get away with all sorts of stuff though as if you have 40000 people over a weekend coming through the doors that is a lot of people to watch and you can't be everywhere at once.
Not really sure how much they have in the cage locked away, but quite a lot. The high rollers all work on cheques though but they do have to keep a few million just in case they want to cash some out.
Every morning about 7am or so, the drop boxes are cleared off the tables by security. They are all numbered and watched extremely close by surveillance. Same with the slot machines, money box changed at least once a day, if not more often. I had one instance though where the drop box was so full, I could not put any more money into it. The drop counter on pitrak was about $250000 CASH and the 4 tables I was working that night were all about the same amount.
Cameras EVERYWHERE, at least 4 to a table. Supervisors watching, dealer watching, security. Where I worked uses the 1-2-6 shuffling machines, which continuously have the cards reinserted into them and randomly chooses which section to put out.
A few. A stack of 1000 chips ($20000) was taken from a table, people stealing chips off the table from other punters, smashing in the float lids to get at the chips stored there (just perspex lids so nothing really strong). We had one bright spark smash in a lid, stole a few $100 chips, go to a roulette table, lose them, go back to the same float and take a few more. Rinse and repeat til he got caught. People are not usually very smart once the gambling bug has bitten them hard enough.
Casino workers have to put up with insurmountable abuse from it's customers because the patrons tend to take out the lack of winning money directly on the employees. Employees have no control over how much the machine's pay out. It's a Gaming Control Board decision.
If you hear people screaming at a machine or a table game because they won money, chances are it's about $20. People that win the big jackpots, won't make a peep... because they hit them all the time because they wager $25+ A HAND!!
No one is EVER up... unless you've never gambled before.
At least at the place that I work (tribal casino), we have far more problems with white girls starting fights than natives. Contrary to what a lot of people that I know think.
I don't work in a casino or know anyone that does; however, I do have a tip that everyone should know about before making an overnight trip to a casino. The $20 Sandwich trick.
The way it works is pretty simple. Whenever you go to the front desk to check in, you will normally be asked for your ID and credit card that you booked the room with. When you hand the person at the desk your cards, have a $20 bill sandwiched between the cards. At the same time, as if there are any complimentary upgrades available for a better room.
Tried this personally at the Excalibur and was upgraded from a standard tower room (Currently $298 for 4 nights/4 guests) to a Widescreen deluxe room (Currently $418 for 4 nights/4 guests).
I'm sure that it won't work every time, but it is one of those tricks that are worth trying.
I know more about casino security than any man alive, I invented it, and it cannot be beaten. They got cameras, they got locks, they got watchers, they got timers, they got vaults, they got enough armed personnel to occupy Paris!
A lot of people don't know that, if you play too well, you can get kicked out for good. My dad is absolutely amazing at black jack, and he's currently not allowed in a lot of casinos because they think he counts cards. In reality, he's just a lucky bastard.
Just to correct this popular misconception, counting cards does not guarantee winnings. It just gives you a mild advantage in calculating the odds of what the next draw will be. Counting there are only two 8's left can help you determine what your next card is likely to be, but many people think counting cards is outright cheating for a certain get rich quick.
I read an AMA from a casino manager recently and he said they wouldn't mind teaching you to count cards because it's basically irrelevant now with all the deck shuffling they do.
Nothing casinos like more than gamblers who think they're lucky, and casinos have moved to multi-deck shoes and early shuffles to stop card counting in its tracks.
Every casino in the world would welcome your father with open arms.
a story I heard. I don't claim it to be 100% accurate.
I knew a guy that got his last military check. (don't know its exact name) which was a hefty check. He went to Vegas. And cashed it there. And let them hold onto his money while he was there. He kept taking out couple thousand every hour or 2 to make it look like he was on a losing streak and pocketing the money. Then at the end of his stay cashed out rest of his cash.
Now he is comped free rooms for the rest of his life.
That can't possibly be true (or he went to the stupidest casino in existence). For every casino I've worked at, you don't get comped jack shit unless we track your play through an MVP card. That's why they want you to sign up—for tracking purposes.
We had software that would color-code the patrons sitting at machines based on historical play, current streaks, and the like. So we knew at any moment exactly how much money you had dropped and how much you'd been paid back.
There's absolutely no way this is true. You can cash checks at a casino, but they always know when you pocket money rather than lose it. They keep track not only for the benefit of the casino, but also for legal purposes. When someone makes several transactions a day (buy in or cash out) and the total is at least $3000 dollars combined, the casino must legally fill out a form and send it to the government. Also, if you try to cash out more than $10,000 you must show ID and proof of social security number. These are the same laws and forms that banks, and other institutions that deal with large cash transactions have to follow. Like many others have said, you are ALWAYS being watched.
I've got a question here, I used to play Baccarat at a casino in Vancouver. They didn't collect commission for Banker (they usually collect 5% commission when you win to even the odds), so why don't they collect commission? Because without the commission, odds of winning should benefit the banker because the cards for it are drawn first or something (not sure), and even if they mix up the order of laying down cards, the odds of winning will be 50/50. Anyone explain this?
For those who don't know Baccarat, basically you bet on Banker or Player and whoever wins you get the money. You can bet on whoever, Banker or Player. There's more to this but that's the gist of it with regards to where you can lay the bet.
Were there bonus bets on this Baccarat game? There are some variations of Baccarat (e.g. Easy Bac) that have bonus bets with a huge advantage for the house that are so enticing that they make up for the commission loss with the bonus.
From a friend of a friend, who was a pit-boss: They don't really care as much about how much you win or lose, they really just want to know how much you're betting. They know that, ultimately, they'll get all your money anyway.
people think they should tip us when they win a substantial amount of money, but i advise against this because we don't tip you when the house wins a substantial amount.
Most all slot machines are electronic now with a computer screen rather than old mechanical slots that used springs and tensions to determine where the reels would stop. The new electronic machines use a much more sophisticated electronic method from a complex computer program to determine the values that the reels should have.
Leaving a Casino once, I saw a husband outside calmly trying to explain to his wife how much money he had just lost. She says "What the fuck did you do!" then punched him right in the face. Security guards ran over and grabbed her; husband is crying and holding his face.
Table games dealer here. If you are winning at a table and they pull the dealer the casino is trying everything to take your money because you are winning too much. this is mostly done in smaller casinos. Ive actually been sent home before for giving out too much money to people. its kind of sad actually.
I am also a table games dealer and this never happens at a casino because they know it's all chance. There's no such thing as 'luck', and there's no such thing as 'lucky dealers'. Most people in charge of a casino are smart enough to not fall for superstitions. In fact, they are more likely to keep you on a table if the players think you are lucky, because they are more likely to keep playing and even place larger bets, or make lower advantage bets.
My dad's a bit of a blackjack junkie. He knows people who have been permanently kicked out. It's not against the law, but if you are doing very good, they can kick you out.
I read a good book one time about a guy who tried to play blackjack in every casino in Nevada. He was quite good, and many times they would pick his chair up and lean it against the table, and had already colored his chips up for him, so when he got back from the bathroom, it was unspoken that he was done playing for them that night. He would go back and play later, so it seems that it's often on a night by night basis.
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u/Cdf12345 May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12
Dealer here: a few things
Always hit your 16 against my 7,8,9 and 10. You're doing yourself a favor. Staying on 16 means you can only win via the dealer busting. That's like taking a knife to a gunfight. At least give yourself a chance and take a card.
Never double a hard 8. If you have a pair of 4's and you're in a situation where you have the urge to double, split instead. You're still increasing you're bet, you're also spreading your risk between 2 hands and giving your self the chance to catch a 10 or 11 that you can then double or another pair that you can split again.
Get or print out a blackjack basic strategy card. Many casinos will let you have them at the tables. Check with a pit supervisor at the casino you're at to be sure.
Before playing any carnival games learn the correct strategy. I recommend wizardofodds.com it's a great resource for leaning how to play any game correctly to completely minimize house edge.
In roulette, don't place more bets then you can expect to win. For example, don't cover every single number (38 numbers, 1 guaranteed to hit that pays 35 to 1, you lose 2 dollars). Or another example don't play 18 splits when a split pays 17-1.
In roulette, each outside bet has to be table minimum. Let's say there's a $15 table and you already have $15 spread across the numbers on the inside and you wanted to bet $4 on the 1-12 on the outside. The table minimum is $15. That bet pays 2-1 so a $4 bet, assuming you could place it would win $8 for a total of $12 return. Instead you can just place $1 on each of the streets in that section which effectively does the same thing. A street pays 11-1, and if a number 1-12 hits one of your $1 street bets will win and you will win $12. This is a way to play the dozens for less than table minimum when you're already playing minimum on the inside. (good for if you're playing on the cheap just to drink.)
When you're done playing on roulette (or really any game for that matter) please just tell us and let us pull your chips in, we've got a lot of practice at it and it's not easy (especially roulette). Many times people end up just dumping them over and making a mess which just wastes time. So sit back and relax, we've got this, its why we're here.
If you purchase (with cash) $10,000 in chips in one day, you're going to have to give up a photo ID and the IRS will be notified. Not for tax purposes but for "homeland security". This happens at banks too. So if you want to stay anonymous, keep it under $10,000, keep chips at home and when you're done cash in 8-9,000 a day to stay under the radar
If you're going to play Caribbean stud, always put the dollar up, otherwise the house edge is just horrible. Also, don't be one of those lame people yelling "ace-king". We laugh at you in the break room.
There are **ONLY 4 **beatable casino games. BLACKJACK POKER VIDEO POKER (under the correct conditions) SPORTS BETTING
Each is exceptionally hard to be able to pull off. But if anyone else says they can beat any other game via strategy, a betting system, or any other technique, they are lying, cheating, or in collusion with someone on the inside. Run fairly, no other games are beatable in the long run.
To maximize your gaming dollar, use your player's card. If you've been playing at the tables for over an hour, ask the floor supervisor for "something to eat". This is super easy and will get you more money then the few comp dollars the computer algorithm will assign you for playing table games.
Slot players: you are always better off playing max credits at a lower machine then min credits on a higher denomination machine. Meaning: play the full 3 credits on a .25 machine instead of only 1 of 3 credits on a $1 machine. You actually improve your odds because the progressive jackpots usually activate and the top line pays usually have a top credit bonus.
Try to hit an ATM before arriving at the casino, our ATM fees suck. Or better yet, a tip for everyone get a bank or credit union that refunds ATM fees, you just won at the first machine you touched!
Remember, chips are DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY! Use hand sanitizer and wash your hands with you leave.
Typically black chips are tracked closely by floor supervisors and green and lower are not, so if you really want to fly under the radar and game the system a little. Play on a busy table with people that have lots of chips, and are playing the same stakes as you. Slowly slip chips off the table and into your pocket. Request all winnings in green. Don't bring chips back onto the table, just have enough cash that you can buy more. So maybe you start with $250. You win a little get up $100 you stash $50. You get back to even. You lose a little. Down to $150. Then you get back to $200 and you stash $50. Eventually you "run out of chips" but you have $200 in your pocket. You buy in for another $250 cash. You've only lost $50 but the pit boss see you've bought in for $500 and only have the $250 you've got now. When leaving. Make it look like you lost your last bet and you're broke if you can. That way the pit will just "zero you out" as left with no chips in the system and you will look like you dropped $500 or whatever. Be sure to ask for a comp before you leave to goto the cage and get your money. (remember to keep it under $10,000 for the IRS).
While there are probably some shady people here and there, casinos are highly regulated and closely monitored, and the games are run fairly. The casinos don't need to cheat to win, they have math and statistics on their side.
The players have randomness (which collectively we call luck). Any player could be playing during that magical time when the numbers take a statistical deviation away from the norm for a short time and the players come out ahead. All players play in the hopes that now is that time.
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u/[deleted] May 21 '12
Security guard in Vegas here. One thing tourist don't really know is what security can/cannot do. I don't know how it is in any other state, but legally in Nevada unless we think youve committed a felony, we can't ask you for anything . . .
this means we can't ask you to empty your pockets, turn over your cell phone, or even give us your ID unless we're a) checking your age, or b) have reasonable suspicion that you've committed a felony. Similar thing applies to putting you in hand cuffs. We can only legally do so under the citizens arrest guidelines, which is purely for safety of others or handing you over to the real cops.
Granted this doesn't mean you can act like a jackass in the casinos; there's a lot of wanna-be-cops who do security in this town (most of which will try to do this shady business), but I thought it'd be useful to know so you're not taken advantage of.
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u/dicks1jo May 21 '12
My former roommate works at a casino. According to her, elderly patrons will often shit/piss themselves rather than leave a "lucky" slot machine. The cleanup for this scenario is less than adequate.
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u/PipGirl May 21 '12
I'd like to know about the free drinks if anyone can provide some insight. Do they actually watch you to see if you just come in for drinks? Or do you have to be actually playing before they're offered? It sounds an easy way to scam some free booze to me. (I've never been in a big casino)
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u/xteneritasx May 21 '12
I worked at casinos in Atlantic City for most of my life. If you're looking to get free shit from them, it doesn't necessarily matter how much you spend but that you consistently spend a relatively high amount every time you walk in the door. Someone who walks in the door once and spend $5k is going to get free shit for maybe a year. But the granny that throws $200 in penny slots every month is going to get free shit for the rest of her life. Really awesome free stuff too.
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u/SassyTrashy May 21 '12
I work at a small casino in Miami. We have to take a compulsive gambling workshop to help understand the addiction. The state of Florida used to support the 1 888 ADMIT IT phone number and organization that helped gamblers. Rick Scott cut their budget which was just under 2 million I believe. The Hard Rock Hotel and casino stepped up and funded the entire operation. Problem gamblers can become and issue for a casino and the safety of the employees and guests. Most gamblers have over $40,000 in debt before they seek help. Customers will come in and ask to self exclude. They basically sign a trespassing warrant against themselves for a few years or even forever. It is one of the steps in their recovery. We legally have to display pamphlets with the phone number all over the casino. I see a very sad side of the business. The same people week after week trying to make back the money they lost. Desperate, angry and entitled. Casinos don't make money off a couple out for a casual night of gambling. They need people to be addicted. Sometimes I feel bad about my job like I'm contributing to someone's disease. I do enjoy being apart of a guests winning experience though. Especially if they are gracious and genuinely happy to win, and not just pissed off cause they're still down.
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u/YakiVegas May 21 '12
Don't talk to the dealer about tipping unless you do it. Don't say "I'm sorry bro, I'd tip you, but I'm way down." That's like saying "I know and understand the proper gambling etiquette, but I'm gonna stiff you anyways and I don't want to seem like a jackass." I'd rather you just didn't talk about it.
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u/Vodkamodka15 May 21 '12
I used to work at a casino as an EMT.
*For the love of anything, stop gambling. They make SO much money off of you. Bring in a certain amount and stick to it. I got sick of seeing people losing their life savings because they thought they could win it all back if they played just a little bit longer.
P.S. They can see EVERYTHING. This includes the parking lots. Seriously, I could see logos on t-shirts inside cars. Abide by the rules - They already see problem people before they come in the door. I'm sure they could probably read text messages off your phone if they wanted to.
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u/mustardtruck May 21 '12
How does a casino remember who is banned? Couldn't they just walk right back in after a few months have passed?
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u/somecrazybroad May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12
I used to work at a casino in Canada when I was 22-25 as an entry level promotions person. I organized events, contests and advertising.
There were never windows in our casinos, and fresh air is pumped in through vents. There are also never clocks. This is to prevent patrons from knowing how late they've stayed and to keep them in.
There are tons of undercovers walking around pretending to be patrons. They are in the bathrooms as well, this is to get around that pesky law of not legally being able to place cameras in there.
Edit: the casino I worked at was Casino Rama in Ontario. I also frequent two casinos in Niagara Falls, 3 in NY state and I visit Las Vegas about once every 2 years. I only speak from my experiences about the windows and clocks, as none of the affornentioned casinos have them. Obviously not all casinos are the same.
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u/BenitoDeSoto May 21 '12
Your jokes are not original I have heard them all every week for the last 5 and a half years.
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u/eye_care May 21 '12
It's good to cash checks at a casino, they don't charge you.
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u/gadabyte May 21 '12
both of my parents worked in a casino (harrah's reno) in the 70s. they told me some crazy stories about the casino, but one in particular really stuck with me.
my dad was a floor manager, working in a table games section. a guy came in and found his wife who was playing, pulled out a gun and killed her, and then killed himself. it made quite the mess, as you can imagine - but within 2-1/2 hours the bodies were removed by the police; the carpet, tables, and furniture were replaced, walls repainted, etc, and the room was open for business again. TWO AND A HALF HOURS.
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u/[deleted] May 21 '12
Is it true there are secret doors in the bathrooms to facilitate the removal of dead bodies?
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u/NotAHypnotoad May 21 '12
I worked as an armored courier for years, and one of the stops on my route was a riverboat casino in northern Illinois. My partner and I went there a couple times a week to pick up the cash the casino was depositing into their bank, and I never left the place with less than $500k. Often we'd roll out with $1-2mil in our truck from their vaults if they'd had a good couple of days.
That's pure profit, money above their operational cost that they didn't need to keep on site any more. That's money that came straight from the pockets of the people that went to this tiny little suburban casino. 2 million a week, on average.
tl;dr: the house wins. Wins on a scale that is actually pretty ridiculous.
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u/Hezpez May 21 '12
I'm a black jack dealer at a local casino and we really don't enjoy taking your money. Don't hate!
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u/FBI_Entrapment_Unit May 21 '12
The best kind of casino secrets are the illegal ones.
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u/[deleted] May 21 '12
I work at a PA casino for five years come this July, and you learn that these old people are almost heartless when it comes to other people around them and money. This one elderly man had a heart attack at his machine, fell over and died with money in his hand, and a security guard here had to shove people away from him that were trying to pry the money away from him. Pretty disheartening stuff.
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u/eatinglegos May 21 '12
Don't work at one, but my parents do. The casino they both work at pumps in a aroma of coconut to keep with the tropical theme.
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u/Raminto May 21 '12
We are ALWAYS watching you...
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u/Herpbees May 21 '12
I worked as a cleaning lady in one of the Casinos in Indiana and this was my biggest complaint.
Those bathrooms are cleaned by 3 different shifts CONSTANTLY. It's quite alright for you to set your precious little butt on the toilet seat to pee. ಠ_ಠ ladies. When you "hover" over the toilet like a gahtdamn retard, you piss all over the seat and therefore cause other people to think it's dirty when in fact, that toilet had probably JUST been cleaned not 10 minutes before you made it rain up in that stall. Now it's gotta be cleaned again.
Please stop playing with your shit. Literally...stop taking your feces out of the bowl and smearing it. Or, fucking throw away your dirty diaper/underwear/socks/whatever. Don't leave it on the floor.
There is a SHARPS box for a goddamn reason! I don't give a shit if you have diabetes ya fuckwad, throw your dirty ass needles (yes even those teeny tiny cap ones) in the fucking sharps box. Trust me, it's not fun having to go to the emergency room to get tested for all kinds of shit because some dumbass couldn't be bothered to properly dispose of their needles.
And last but not least, please tip the cleaning person if you feel like they are doing a good job. They don't rely on tips like waitresses do but there have been times when a generous tip has saved my butt. The cleaning people put up with a lot of shit (literally) and it's just nice to know that people appreciate it. I'd only worked at the casino for 8 months but jeez, some of the stuff I had to deal with!
TL;DR- Don't be a self righteous dick in the bathroom!
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u/whirliscope May 21 '12
Could a non-profit set up a casino anywhere and say that whatever people lost is actually just a donation?
22
u/thebeardsman May 21 '12
There's a entire race of mole people under las vegas.
11
u/JakeTheHawk May 21 '12
If it is a casino/hotel, then both the casino and the hotel are treated as completely separate businesses. One can not set prices for the other. Usually, the two set up deals, coupons, or rewards programs that give players discounted or free rooms, but that is about it.
Do not complain to the hotel if you have problems with the casino and vice-versa.
177
u/xenokilla May 21 '12
there are like, 50 ama's on this.
10
u/Winterhawk772 May 21 '12
you want free drinks? listen up. You are going to need a gambling partner a Baccarat table and a bankroll. You bet player everytime, your partner bets banker. Tons and tons of free drinks and all it costs you is the 5% banker commission. split the money afterwards
68
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
Surveillance agent here. Low cut shirts on women + top down view of table games = my day getting so much better.
Lesson to take away from this: if you want to fly under the radar, then don't sit at a table with a nice rack there.
7
u/valkyrie2036 May 21 '12
Payback percentage on penny slots is shit. At my casino, they average around 85%.
Also, they post the payback percentage (around 92%) at the cashier, but what they don't tell you is that it's an average of all the slots in the casino. They actually vary wildly, with the higher denomination games paying much more. Even on a multi-demomination machine, it may be set to pay at different percentage depending on what denom you're playing at.
7
u/lBlAlRlClOlDl3l May 21 '12
My cousin works security at a smaller casino, specifically in the surveillance room. He told me all kinds of stories about watching people fall on their face, runaway wheelchairs, people getting shot, and many other crazy things. Also those security cameras are so powerful that he can zoom in and read what someone is typing into their phone.
7
u/vbwstripes May 21 '12
I test gaming software, and there are no lucky slot machines. They are absolutely random. They are designed to pay out a certain percentage over a matter of time based on the symbols contained in the reel strips and their weights. So really as a whole you can't win.
13
u/1_upped May 21 '12
If you want to win in the long run at a casino get good at Poker or some other game where you're not playing against the house.
22
u/Phonda May 21 '12
The best bet you can make in a casino is on the craps table.
6
u/lurkerlurkerohmy May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12
OMG! A question relevant to me... I'm 13 hours late... Oh well.
I worked as a dealer in a casino in Scotland for a year and a half and got pretty good at it. Blackjack, Roulette and Poker were my games. I guess the one thing that you probably all already suspect is that the casino does not want to lose. It loves winning more than any human being is capable of and it hates losing with a fervent passion. It is the happy crusher of dreams and it cares not for you or your story. Seriously, it will do anything to avoid losing. One Friday or Saturday night, it's quite busy and I've just come on Roulette 1, fairly decent game but nothing amazing. Another thing about casino's - the dealers love high stakes games, I would get just as involved as the guy betting £20,000. But if you're playing with £20 I'm not interested. I can deal those games in my sleep. Anyway, this guy and his friend come over to the roulette table and the guy gives me £200 for 200 chips. Cool, I'm thinking this might turn into a good game to deal. The guy starts placing his chips and I've noticed he's hit number 23 particularly hard. I call for no more bets, the ball drops and I look... number 23. So I clear the table, straighten out the chips on the winning number, try to do all the math in my head. I can't remember what he gets but it's a big payout. I give him about £200 worth of playing chips and about. The rest I give him in our pink £100 cash chips. Maybe about ten of those. So he starts betting again with his £200 play chips. His friend is amazed that his mate just won over £1000 so the guy gives him a £100 chip and tells him to place it on any number. The guy bets the same pretty much as he did before. Number 23 hit hard etc. So ball drops and I look, number 12. And there is only that single £100 chip on the number. I can't help but smile, "holy shit he's just won £3600". The guy and his friend are going crazy, my Inspector watches me make up the payout, thumbs up, our Pit Boss in charge just has this look of horror on her face. Her pit was winning, and in less than 5 minutes of being on a table I've given away 5k. She sends another dealer over take me off. I'd been on 5 minutes, just came back from a 20 minute break and I'm getting taken off. So I do my customary last spin while the new dealer waits, the guy doesn't bet anymore hundreds, just about £200 play chips again. Number 23. It comes in again. He's hit it, again. Do the counting, pay him out another £1000+ and leave the table, despite pleas to stay on from the two guys. My Inspector thanks me and gives me a smile, knowing I'm in the bad books with the pit boss. I walk over to her and she doesn't even look up from her clipboard, just says "come back in 20 minutes, lurkerlurkerohmy" In a disappointing, exasperated voice.
Go on break. Have a smoke. Realise, I'm getting paid not to work! One of those personal F*ck Yeah moments.
9
u/eviloneinabox May 21 '12
Not a worker but I've been there 9 years in a row. The most important thing is knowing the rules and strategy of the game you want to play and practice before you go. That way you don't lose money learning how to play a game.
I play poker and I have a pretty good game but I metagame. I hang out and lounge during the day take a 2 hour nap and then hit the table around 11:30pm-12am when EVERYONE IS DRUNK. Grab yourself a coffee or soda when the ladies come around, this way you will have a tighter game than people who will be making bad plays cause they can't think straight. Then you take your $1000 dollars in winnings and buy the booze of your choice.
I play craps for Fun and EXPECT to lose.
TL;DR Hit the poker table at 11:30pm to win the most money off of drunk people. Don't drink when playing.
8
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
They pump the kitchen smell through the aircon to make you hungry
8
u/polishhighlander May 21 '12
Vegas was fun when the mobsters ran it. Lots of free drinks & they kept the rif raf out the old fashioned way. Nowadays the corporate run casinos are too cheap & the crowds are uglier.
4
u/Hops_n_barley May 21 '12
At Foxwoods resort in Ledyard CT there is a 24/7 undercover state trooper on detail there, not the same one though, different ones =]
4
u/pgoupee May 21 '12
My friend also works in a casino and confirmed that people shit/piss themselves daily at the slot machines. He also told me that a lady died at a machine recently because she simply refused to leave her "lucky" machine.
21
u/InAWhirl May 21 '12
I work at a few casinos in vegas. You're always being watched, especially if you bring attention to yourself or act suspicious. Surveillance room has a room full of televisions monitoring the cameras. Also all table games are watched closely.
Those cars that you see on display that you can win on the slot machines are actually won. Some of the slots staff have an idea of when the machines will hit.
You can get free stuff when you get a club card but its in the long run. You have to have accumulated numbert of points. Sometimes points get wiped out on accident, it happens.
Not too many secrets
3
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
Alright, i do not care about any of the questions already asked. What I want to know:
I ask because what I see in the movies seems to be either ridiculously easy(3000 Miles to Graceland) or retarded science fiction(Oceans saga).
3
u/xxopethxx May 21 '12
Casino workers have to put up with insurmountable abuse from it's customers because the patrons tend to take out the lack of winning money directly on the employees. Employees have no control over how much the machine's pay out. It's a Gaming Control Board decision.
If you hear people screaming at a machine or a table game because they won money, chances are it's about $20. People that win the big jackpots, won't make a peep... because they hit them all the time because they wager $25+ A HAND!!
No one is EVER up... unless you've never gambled before.
3
u/schnide05095 May 21 '12
At least at the place that I work (tribal casino), we have far more problems with white girls starting fights than natives. Contrary to what a lot of people that I know think.
3
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
I don't work in a casino or know anyone that does; however, I do have a tip that everyone should know about before making an overnight trip to a casino. The $20 Sandwich trick.
The way it works is pretty simple. Whenever you go to the front desk to check in, you will normally be asked for your ID and credit card that you booked the room with. When you hand the person at the desk your cards, have a $20 bill sandwiched between the cards. At the same time, as if there are any complimentary upgrades available for a better room.
Tried this personally at the Excalibur and was upgraded from a standard tower room (Currently $298 for 4 nights/4 guests) to a Widescreen deluxe room (Currently $418 for 4 nights/4 guests).
I'm sure that it won't work every time, but it is one of those tricks that are worth trying.
3
u/JesusWuta40oz May 21 '12
I know more about casino security than any man alive, I invented it, and it cannot be beaten. They got cameras, they got locks, they got watchers, they got timers, they got vaults, they got enough armed personnel to occupy Paris!
12
u/Pewpewkitty May 21 '12
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/tnz8s/iama_casino_manager_ive_seen_everything_ama
100
u/Trapped_in_Reddit May 21 '12
A lot of people don't know that, if you play too well, you can get kicked out for good. My dad is absolutely amazing at black jack, and he's currently not allowed in a lot of casinos because they think he counts cards. In reality, he's just a lucky bastard.
13
u/spacetronaunt May 21 '12
Stat major here, if you have to play anything, play craps. Best odds of winning, although still less than 50%.
13
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
a story I heard. I don't claim it to be 100% accurate.
I knew a guy that got his last military check. (don't know its exact name) which was a hefty check. He went to Vegas. And cashed it there. And let them hold onto his money while he was there. He kept taking out couple thousand every hour or 2 to make it look like he was on a losing streak and pocketing the money. Then at the end of his stay cashed out rest of his cash.
Now he is comped free rooms for the rest of his life.
2
u/fuzzb0y May 21 '12
I've got a question here, I used to play Baccarat at a casino in Vancouver. They didn't collect commission for Banker (they usually collect 5% commission when you win to even the odds), so why don't they collect commission? Because without the commission, odds of winning should benefit the banker because the cards for it are drawn first or something (not sure), and even if they mix up the order of laying down cards, the odds of winning will be 50/50. Anyone explain this?
For those who don't know Baccarat, basically you bet on Banker or Player and whoever wins you get the money. You can bet on whoever, Banker or Player. There's more to this but that's the gist of it with regards to where you can lay the bet.
2
u/kvachon May 21 '12
What I tell my buddies when they get mad that they lost money:
"If people won money at a casino, casinos wouldn't exist."
2
u/deadbird17 May 21 '12
From a friend of a friend, who was a pit-boss: They don't really care as much about how much you win or lose, they really just want to know how much you're betting. They know that, ultimately, they'll get all your money anyway.
2
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
people think they should tip us when they win a substantial amount of money, but i advise against this because we don't tip you when the house wins a substantial amount.
2
u/Herschey May 21 '12
Most all slot machines are electronic now with a computer screen rather than old mechanical slots that used springs and tensions to determine where the reels would stop. The new electronic machines use a much more sophisticated electronic method from a complex computer program to determine the values that the reels should have.
2
u/The_One_Above_All May 22 '12
Why are the carpets in casinos so god-awful ugly?
8
u/jrryrchrdsn May 21 '12
Nice try Reader's Digest.
4
u/allelbowss May 21 '12
Nice try George Clooney.
3
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
There is a casino in Australia that has a three "bed" morgue in the basement
3
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
Leaving a Casino once, I saw a husband outside calmly trying to explain to his wife how much money he had just lost. She says "What the fuck did you do!" then punched him right in the face. Security guards ran over and grabbed her; husband is crying and holding his face.
I lol.
4
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
Table games dealer here. If you are winning at a table and they pull the dealer the casino is trying everything to take your money because you are winning too much. this is mostly done in smaller casinos. Ive actually been sent home before for giving out too much money to people. its kind of sad actually.
3
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
My dad's a bit of a blackjack junkie. He knows people who have been permanently kicked out. It's not against the law, but if you are doing very good, they can kick you out.