I hate Sam's town

I was in Vegas with a friend. She likes to play blackjack but she never learns the basic strategy and she has limited budget. I had to find the good games for her in the local casinos and we went to Sam's town. As usual, I found a non-busy $5/$10 table and I sat next to her without playing. And, I would just instruct her how to play according to the basic strategy and ask her to jump the bets to 2x based on the count. I know it is not a winning game and it is totally a waste of time but it is fun to her. When I sat down, the dealer asked whether I am going to play. I said no. Then the dealer said you "Must" play in a joking way. I thought it was a joke because the pit is pretty empty and I have done it many times but I found out it was not a joke. I am OK with it if this is their policy. So I stood up. After 15 minutes, I asked my friend to go to other casinos because I did not want to stand there for an hour. My friend is a stubborn person and she insisted to talk to the floorman to let me sit down even I insisted not to. Then the floorman came in and told me in the sarcastic way that he could set a chair at the corner far away if I really wanted to sit down. I felt treated like an idiot. I was kind of mad but I did not want to have any argument with them. So I told my friend to color up and left the casino. I really don't understand why they have be that rude. My friend asked them politely. If it is your company's policy, you can simply say no and you don't have to be sarcastic. I understand the casino treat their customers like suckers and morons but you don't need to be rude and with no respect at all. I know I cannot do much but I will go around the social media to talk shit about them.

Quote: Kickass

I was in Vegas with a friend. She likes to play blackjack but she never learns the basic strategy and she has limited budget. I had to find the good games for her in the local casinos and we went to Sam's town. As usual, I found a non-busy $5/$10 table and I sat next to her without playing. And, I would just instruct her how to play according to the basic strategy and ask her to jump the bets to 2x based on the count. I know it is not a winning game and it is totally a waste of time but it is fun to her. When I sat down, the dealer asked whether I am going to play. I said no. Then the dealer said you "Must" play in a joking way. I thought it was a joke because the pit is pretty empty and I have done it many times but I found out it was not a joke. I am OK with it if this is their policy. So I stood up. After 15 minutes, I asked my friend to go to other casinos because I did not want to stand there for an hour. My friend is a stubborn person and she insisted to talk to the floorman to let me sit down even I insisted not to. Then the floorman came in and told me in the sarcastic way that he could set a chair at the corner far away if I really wanted to sit down. I felt treated like an idiot. I was kind of mad but I did not want to have any argument with them. So I told my friend to color up and left the casino. I really don't understand why they have be that rude. My friend asked them politely. If it is your company's policy, you can simply say no and you don't have to be sarcastic. I understand the casino treat their customers like suckers and morons but you don't need to be rude and with no respect at all. I know I cannot do much but I will go around the social media to talk shit about them.

Next time, perhaps instead of jumping to 2x, she could spread to 2 hands when appropriate. That way, she's "renting" the chair and you don't have to play. If they make a fuss, tell them you have a contagious skin disease on the palms of your hands and you don't want to touch their chips.

Half-facetious. But only half. Just before you leave, grab the stacks and push them forward for a color-up. Smile nice.

Quote: beachbumbabs

If they make a fuss, tell them you have a contagious skin disease on the palms of your hands and you don't want to touch their chips. Just before you leave, grab the stacks and push them forward for a color-up. Smile nice.

Clever girl !!

I don't see why casinos can't be a bit more flexible. Often couples "visit" each other during their gambling. Time to chat, learn new games, plan the evening, etc. If the pit is teeming with people who want to play, I can understand the "seats for players only" rule, but if its early and there are plenty of empty seats I see no need to boot someone out of the chair. Sure, if as time passes, the place gets crowded, that is another matter but when its deserted the dealer should keep his yap shut.

Skin disease?

No, go nuclear.

Tell them you need a chair because you just arrived stateside from doing volunteer work in Africa, treating Ebola victims, and that you are feeling terrible with a splitting headache, chills, fever and nausea.

Apologize in advance "in case I puke on the layout."

The casino has a right to make such a rule. And we can all understand why they would have such a rule, to not have non-players taking up seats that players might want. But the inability to be flexible during slow times is a poor decision and poor management and frankly is exactly the kind of poor management that helps drive revenue down. Some of these people (dealers and pit) have forgotten that the patrons are the customers.

I would have handled it by immediately coloring up and stating that you will play elsewhere. You actually had 2 opportunities to do so, you could have done so with the dealer and had a second opportunity with the pit person interaction. I would have then headed up the street to Eastside Cannery or down the street to Boulder Station and made sure I told them so. Then I would have followed that up with a letter to the casino manager. Your letter probably would have been answered with an apology along with some sort of complimentary offer, anything from food to promotional gaming chips/coupons.

But again, this sort of incident is exactly the type of bad decisions that casino makes all too often.

Quote: MrV

Skin disease?

No, go nuclear.

Tell them you need a chair because you just arrived stateside from doing volunteer work in Africa, treating Ebola victims, and that you are feeling terrible with a splitting headache, chills, fever and nausea.

Apologize in advance "in case I puke on the layout."

Love it, haha. I would pay money to see the reaction.

Quote: kewlj

The casino has a right to make such a rule. And we can all understand why they would have such a rule, to not have non-players taking up seats that players might want. But the inability to be flexible during slow times is a poor decision and poor management and frankly is exactly the kind of poor management that helps drive revenue down. Some of these people (dealers and pit) have forgotten that the patrons are the customers.

I would have handled it by immediately coloring up and stating that you will play elsewhere. You actually had 2 opportunities to do so, you could have done so with the dealer and had a second opportunity with the pit person interaction. I would have then headed up the street to Eastside Cannery or down the street to Boulder Station and made sure I told them so. Then I would have followed that up with a letter to the casino manager. Your letter probably would have been answered with an apology along with some sort of complimentary offer, anything from food to promotional gaming chips/coupons.

But again, this sort of incident is exactly the type of bad decisions that casino makes all too often.

Kewlj, thanks for the advice. Actually, I did ask my friend to color up and we left right after the sarcastic response from the floorman. It did bring the floorman's attention but I had no interest in talking to the him again. I am going to create a yelp review and send a letter to the Sam's town casino manager. I will post the update in the forum if there is anything new.

Quote: MrV

Skin disease?

No, go nuclear.

Tell them you need a chair because you just arrived stateside from doing volunteer work in Africa, treating Ebola victims, and that you are feeling terrible with a splitting headache, chills, fever and nausea.

Apologize in advance "in case I puke on the layout."

Good way to end up in jail.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/10/16/1016-Ohio-gambler-faces-charges-over-Ebola-comment.html

I've never liked that place. The dealers have always been rude, the floor people as well. I'm sure there are good ones there, but I've never seen them.

Sam's Town used to be my home base. Up until about 12 years ago they had SD 3:2 NDAS blackjack. Now I'm pretty sure their DD game is NDAS. I liked the place. Nice full-pay DW. Rooms are nice. Don't go there anymore unless I'm driving by. Back then the Nevada Palace had a SD game too. Right next door but still a 5-minute walk. Tore it down and built Eastside Cannery.

Yep, their DD is NDAS, and I recall a somewhat hostile split policy (no resplit aces, I think it was).

I pretty much only go there to bridge more valuable offers now, or for offers I can't refuse. (Full RFB is hard to argue with.)

I have sat next to someone in the High Limit area of the Golden Nugget and watched them play BJ.
I was not playing and no comments were made.

I have also had someone sit next to me and coach my attempts to play BJ at the Four Queens at a $10 table.
No one said anything there either.

I wonder if this depends on the mood of the people enforcing the rules?

I understand the rule but they could operate the same way that slot players do. If you see someone just sitting at a machine you want to play you can politely say "Excuse me, are you playing this machine?"
Usually that is enough to get any normal, polite person to stand up and give you their seat.

Quote: Venthus

(Full RFB is hard to argue with.)

It sure is, but if one place will give you RFB with unpleasant dealers, its probably best to seek RFB elsewhere.

Quote: FleaStiff

It sure is, but if one place will give you RFB with unpleasant dealers, its probably best to seek RFB elsewhere.

Try getting their Johnnie Walker Blue or Hennessy XO.

I think Johnnie Blue was 40$/shot. I recall the per-bottle price came out to about 2.5x retail.

I like Sam's Town once I get there (location relative to the strip is crap), but I have also never interacted with another member of gaming personnel there either.

Quote: Blonde4ever

I wonder if this depends on the mood of the people enforcing the rules?

Pretty much. I've sat next to someone, or had someone sit next to me hundreds of times and almost never had an issue. The only time an issue arises is when a dealer tries to be all upidy and "in charge." I had a girl I was dating sit next to me (she wanted to come to the casino and watch to see how things worked) and the dealer told her she'd have to stand. There was only 1 other player at the table and it was not busy. I looked at her and told her to stay seated, and if anyone else came up to the table looking for a seat she would have to get up. The dealer told her it's the rules, to which I politely responded that I've both sat next to someone and had someone sit next to me dozens of times, so I know it's either not, or rarely enforced. She was a little uncomfortable so she stood up as the dealer called the PB over. When the PB heard the dealer he kind of rolled his eyes and said "Yeah that is kind of our policy but if you want to sit since it's slow it's not a big deal." but at this time she was already done with the conflict and just decided to stand. The other player at the table actually got really pissed off at the dealer about it and started stating his uncensored opinions about how she handled the situation. Both he and I left very shortly after, and I saw the PB look at us as he had to know we left because the dealer wanted to be a hero and kick her out of that seat.

Sometimes it's not even the pit, but just a dealer with the thought that they hold some power over their CUSTOMERS.

Obnoxious behavior.....

I love sams town, great food at billy bobs and very nice staff. Never had any problems with the floor or dealers. I did almost get into a scuffle with some drunk idiot at the bar who was verbally abusing a bartender so I told him to STFU. Nothing worse then going off on some employee who can't mouth off.