The Adventures of MDawg II

Well, I never knew Baccarat chips existed. A video I ran across says they are 43 mm instead of 39 mm. Higher denominations might be 49 mm. Only a few casinos have them, most will use regulars chips. Due to security concerns, I won't post the video that names the casinos with the larger Baccarat chips.

'Flags,' 'melons' and other high-dollar Vegas chips you'll never see - Las Vegas Weekly
https://lasvegasweekly.com/blogs/cleverboy/2013/oct/12/flags-melons-and-other-high-dollar-chips-youll-nev/

Quote: ChumpChange

Well, I never knew Baccarat chips existed. A video I ran across says they are 43 mm instead of 39 mm. Higher denominations might be 49 mm. Only a few casinos have them, most will use regulars chips. Due to security concerns, I won't post the video that names the casinos with the larger Baccarat chips.

'Flags,' 'melons' and other high-dollar Vegas chips you'll never see - Las Vegas Weekly
https://lasvegasweekly.com/blogs/cleverboy/2013/oct/12/flags-melons-and-other-high-dollar-chips-youll-nev/
link to original post

Yeah. Last time I colored up at Pai Gow Tiles at Bellagio the dealer gave me yellow Baccarat chips. I didn't notice it until a couple hours later when I tried to use them for a buy in at the craps table. They wouldn't take them. Pain in the butt. Had to go over to the cage and explain what happened. Fortunately they exchanged them with no problems. Not sure how the heck the baccarat yellows got in the pai gow dealer's tray in the first place (the Tiles tables are right outside the Bacc room at Bellagio and a lot of players go back and forth between the two...maybe that had something to do with it).

Quote: MDawg

At the other one, I ran into two issues. One is that at this particular casino, and other casinos sometimes have the same issue, SOME (not all) of the cashiers demand a player card to cash ANY Baccarat chips - claim this is unwavering policy. Actually, the policy is not set in stone and depends on the cashier. Some care, some do not. But anyway, at this particular casino I managed to cash a few of the Baccarat chips anyway, then a cashier started with the "Those are Baccarat chips Sir I need to see your player's card."

I didn't realize casinos were using different chips for baccarat from the other table games.

Sorry for the change of topic, but have you checked if there are still Gideons bibles in the Vegas hotel rooms?

Quote: Wizard

Sorry for the change of topic, but have you checked if there are still Gideons bibles in the Vegas hotel rooms?
link to original post

I'm going to give you a warning for hijacking, But watch your step Mr.

Quote: Wizard

Sorry for the change of topic, but have you checked if there are still Gideons bibles in the Vegas hotel rooms?
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Yes, I still see them, but I'd have to make a round of all of the casinos again to tabulate which ones still have them. The same gold hard bound editions you always used to see, yes.

I suppose the test would be to see if the newest casino, Resorts World, has them still.

Day 5 play.

Baccarat.

Two sessions, two different casinos. At one, played to as much as $25K a hand, ended up flat even. At the other, not nearly as high bets, won some, stopped.

+5100

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

Quote: rainman

Quote: Wizard

Sorry for the change of topic, but have you checked if there are still Gideons bibles in the Vegas hotel rooms?
link to original post

I'm going to give you a warning for hijacking, But watch your step Mr.
link to original post

Gialmere started a new thread/poll for those who want to discuss Gideon bibles

Actually liked the rodeo a lot. We were in gold buckle seats right near the front. Looking around we might not have looked like or dressed like any of the others, but we enjoyed it nonetheless!

It does get a bit repetitive but they keep things moving fast.

It was interesting to me that all the music played in the background during events was hard rock or even heavy metal - no country.

Team Roping



Bull riding



Barrel racing



Saddle bronc riding



I imagine this is the way advertising was done at the rodeo before even the advent of television.

Day 6 play.

Baccarat.

Three sessions across two different casinos. First session got down a solid -50K then gradually made a comeback to stop ahead a very small amount. Typically when I come back from they far behind I stop.

Second session kept getting stuck at +5K then pulled away.

Third session on the way to dinner - fast and furious winning!

+35000

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

Quote: GamblingDave

i think the rodeo is such an unique event. It must be amazing to watch live
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Half the fun of going to a rodeo is the people-watching.

There is an article on Yahoo news from Morgan Stanley talking about the huge price decrease in vintage watches. I skimmed the article but the gist is prices are down by about a fifth over the last few months after years of steady increases.
Sounds like an opportunity if you are into it.

Quote: MDawg

It was interesting to me that all the music played in the background during events was hard rock or even heavy metal - no country.
link to original post

Coming up in a rural town, I was initially surprised to realize that most of the farm kids listened to rock, and most of the country fans were city kids who liked playing make-believe.

Quote: billryan

There is an article on Yahoo news from Morgan Stanley talking about the huge price decrease in vintage watches. I skimmed the article but the gist is prices are down by about a fifth over the last few months after years of steady increases.
Sounds like an opportunity if you are into it.
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This is definitely true.

Just as an example, the resale price of a pre-owned Rolex platinum Daytona model 116506 was around $75K in August - September 2020. At the height of the watch frenzy, the asking prices for this watch hit $250,000.

Today the watch is available for under $100K again, with the lowest asking prices at wholesale watch networks being around $84K.

Keep in mind that the MSRP at the Rolex AD (authorized dealer) for this watch brand new is "only" $75K, but there is a multi year wait to get one, if your name even ever comes up because there is no actual "waiting list" just - the AD sells it to good customers who have bought a lot of watches from them.



VINTAGE Daytona and other vintage Rolex prices have dropped too, but not really as much as all that, compared to the price drops for newer in-demand watches.

Keep in mind though - at best, prices have dropped back to what they were a couple years ago. They may drop further though.

Quote: billryan

Half the fun of going to a rodeo is the people-watching.

What is the other half? Maybe peeing in the trough and melting the ice cubes.

When you first enter the rodeo you have to get used to the smell. It's not as bad as being in a barn, but it's not a relatively neutral football game stadium smell either.

I'm out of the collectibles business. In the fields I know, prices hit peaks I never expected last year, and while I missed the top of the market, I got more than I'd expected. From now on, I need to beat inflation and not do anything stupid to enjoy the lifestyle I want.
I'll still wheel and deal a bit. It's in my blood and old habits die hard.

Day 7 play.

Baccarat.

Multiple sessions across one casino. Very heavy action at times. I kept trying to close in on fifty large, but whenever I got into the + plus forties I would fall back, finally just stopped.

+36000

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

It's gotten to where some of the pit bosses say, whenever they see me, "Are you still beating us up?"

Quote: MDawg

It's gotten to where some of the pit bosses say, whenever they see me, "Are you still beating us up?"
link to original post

They are going to be so piffed when they figure out HOW* you are still beating them up?

Played any BlackJack lately?

Quote: MDawg

It's gotten to where some of the pit bosses say, whenever they see me, "Are you still beating us up?"
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you began your first Adventures thread on November 5, 2019

that's more than 3 years ago

and I would presume you have been playing long before that

and you win just about every day you play - and this is the first time they noticed you beating them up______________????__________that's pretty amazing

you must have won many $ Millions since you began posting - and they're still tremendously gracious about adorning you with luxurious comps_____?????

truly, truly amazing

you keep detailed records - so you must know your edge

I'm estimating that you have about a 18% edge over the house at bacc

is that about right__________________???___________________________you surely must be the greatest gambler who ever walked the earth




everybody here at Wov is so very, very lucky to have the world's greatest gambler providing us with day to day details



.

Quote: OnceDear

Quote: MDawg

It's gotten to where some of the pit bosses say, whenever they see me, "Are you still beating us up?"
link to original post

They are going to be so piffed when they figure out HOW* you are still beating them up?

Played any BlackJack lately?
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I did play some blackjack the last trip but it was very small and I didn't report it specifically. I won a few thousand, and the only reason I played was this girl was sitting there and I did the ol' cherchez la femme because she was a very busty blonde with curves everywhere and a tight outfit that was hard to miss. She was at high limit playing with a few grand at a time. It was on a day where I lost over all, and I did report the over all actual loss for the day but the small blackjack win didn't help the over all loss. Might've actually happened during a day I was WOV suspended so maybe that's why I didn't report the specific blackjack play here.

The girl gave me her number but I never followed up. She's texted me a few times, and other than a Hi how are you doing, I haven't responded. Sometimes it's just about the thrill of the chase not actually pursuing it to its end. I wasn't really interested, other than at that moment to hang out with her for a bit.

Day 8 play.

Baccarat.

Had one session where I ended flat even. Then another when I won over 20K. Should have left it at that, but then I had two back to back sessions where I dumped.

-41000

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

You have back to back days where you have multiple sessions and you rake it in, and you figure - keep pushing. But then comes a day where you should have just left it alone and not kept playing.

My former policy used to be one session per day only. Past couple weeks I have been experimenting with multiple sessions across more than one casino.

Quote: MDawg

You have back to back days where you have multiple sessions and you rake it in, and you figure - keep pushing. But then comes a day where you should have just left it alone and not kept playing.

My former policy used to be one session per day only. Past couple weeks I have been experimenting with multiple sessions across more than one casino.
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I’ve been doing poorly with my sports betting the last month or so. Probably down a twentieth of one of your big bets! But since I know I have have the advantage, and this is a tiny part of my ‘bankroll’, I keep on plugging along.
You have never disclosed your (bets with an advantage), but if they still exist, I’d keep plugging along as well. And if you need to make regular baccarat bets which are negative EV bets to get those occasional ‘advantage’ bets, why would you ever even consider stopping?

Quote: MDawg

My former policy used to be one session per day only. Past couple weeks I have been experimenting with multiple sessions across more than one casino.
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I've noticed that. Why?

greater aggregate daily table time?
greater aggregate action to multiply into your player advantage?
more possibilities to mingle with hotties?
Better exploitation of loss rebates?
cover from your, more frequent, losses?

Growing addiction???

Quote: MDawg

Quote: OnceDear

Quote: MDawg

It's gotten to where some of the pit bosses say, whenever they see me, "Are you still beating us up?"
link to original post

They are going to be so piffed when they figure out HOW* you are still beating them up?

Played any BlackJack lately?
link to original post

I did play some blackjack the last trip but it was very small and I didn't report it specifically. I won a few thousand, and the only reason I played was this girl was sitting there and I did the ol' cherchez la femme because she was a very busty blonde with curves everywhere and a tight outfit that was hard to miss. She was at high limit playing with a few grand at a time. It was on a day where I lost over all, and I did report the over all actual loss for the day but the small blackjack win didn't help the over all loss. Might've actually happened during a day I was WOV suspended so maybe that's why I didn't report the specific blackjack play here.

The girl gave me her number but I never followed up. She's texted me a few times, and other than a Hi how are you doing, I haven't responded. Sometimes it's just about the thrill of the chase not actually pursuing it to its end. I wasn't really interested, other than at that moment to hang out with her for a bit.
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probably a good thing you didn't pursue the blonde any further. Explaining to your wife would definitely put a dent in your profits. We are all only human,but that would have definitely -EV

Yes! Agreed.

You're pumped up, you're at the tables, you're winning, everyone is treating you like James Bond, and then you see a glittery object and you want to play with it. But - all that glitters isn't gold, and in the long run - just trouble!

Day 9 play.

Baccarat.

Multiple sessions across two casinos. I actually wasn't sure when to stop. I didn't want to stop, party because I wanted back all that I had lost in the Day 8 sessions, but finally I did stop. I won at each session and the combined wins added up nicely.

It was in fact, harder to cash the yellow chips one two or three at a time under the radar, than it was to win them. I just wanted to use the cash to pay off the loss from Day 8 play's marker(s). At the one casino I just cashed out ten large all at once and didn't care about being under the radar. I gambled that maybe they would leave my credit line open anyway, and even if they did temp close it for a few days, it wasn't a casino that I hit all that frequently anyway.

I left two 5K chips uncashed.

+36000

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

Quote: MDawg

Yes! Agreed.

You're pumped up, you're at the tables, you're winning, everyone is treating you like James Bond, and then you see a glittery object and you want to play with it. But - all that glitters isn't gold, and in the long run - just trouble!
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It is rare that there is a single female at my local casino that is even close to as hot as my wife is. If there was one, I doubt she’d pick me to speak to! At the tables I play at, you don’t get treated like James Bond, you get treated like Ralph Kramden!

I'm not saying that any female out there compares to my wife, but in different ways, there are definitely other appealing women out there, and if you don't at least look, you aren't really alive!

Day 10 play.

Baccarat.

More or less a sad sordid repeat of Day 8 play. Was up about 18K, and then dumped heavily. Went to another casino, dumped there too.

Really bad day.

-56000

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

The two big losing sessions from this short trip are examples of why and how casinos get you. And in any case, are examples of the stress that comes with high limit gaming.

(1) You're ahead, and then just because you fall below your peak, you start viewing it as if you have lost something, and press too hard to get back to the peak. Next thing you know, you're chasing a loss and end up in the red.

(2) Now you're behind, and when you go to the next casino or session, you're not willing to take a nice profit with which you would normally be happy, but chase trying to get back EVERYTHING you've lost so far that day, and end up really slammed.

Tables games are generally games of patience, and once you start pushing too hard, impatiently, you might just end up dumping a lot.

I don't mind losing, but I hate losing after having been ahead.

This short trip is coming to its conclusion. These swings are no fun.


I mean, honestly, I think the most fun trips were, mmm, about a year or so ago when I didn't have as frequent ups and downs, or as big losses, or at least, it seems that way to me. I was on quite a roll again for a while recently, and that blinded me to the fact that it's impossible to keep winning every session. When you're on a roll you think it'll keep going for a very long time, and sometimes it does, but then if you're swinging that hard, you'll inevitably get taken down hard too, on occasion. And the evenings after those big losses have happened, you're not really feeling that great, and it makes you want to just get away from all that.

Maybe the curvy busty blonde was a cooler placed there by the casino to distract you lol

I'd have $5,000 or $10,000 buy-ins that would be intended to last me a few hours each. No need to throw $50,000 after a $5,000 loss.
Of course if I turned $10,000 into $70,000 one day, and bought in with $70,000 the next day and lost $60,000, I'd be back at $10,000. One big winning day followed by an equally bad day.

Quote: MDawg

The two big losing sessions from this short trip are examples of why and how casinos get you. And in any case, are examples of the stress that comes with high limit gaming.

Stress? Why do you feel stress? Don't you have confidence in your assessment of your play, of your edge and of your risk of ruin, which must surely be negligible?

Quote:

(1) You're ahead, and then just because you fall below your peak, you start viewing it as if you have lost something, and press too hard to get back to the peak. Next thing you know, you're chasing a loss and end up in the red.

Did you just describe a sign of addiction?
"- Never chase your losses"

Quote:

(2) Now you're behind, and when you go to the next casino or session, you're not willing to take a nice profit with which you would normally be happy, but chase trying to get back EVERYTHING you've lost so far that day, and end up really slammed.

Yes. I think you did "- Never chase your losses"

Quote:

Tables games are generally games of patience, and once you start pushing too hard, impatiently, you might just end up dumping a lot.

I guess that in your perception, there are 'waiting hands' where you are playing into the house edge, waiting for your secret sauce advantage to reveal an opportunity? Are you so impatient that you try to bet big and win big with those waiting hands. That would be uncharacteristically unwise. Another symptom?

Quote:

I don't mind losing, but I hate losing after having been ahead.

'Hate'? Emotion should have no place in an AP situation. If you don't have an AP situation you are a recreational GAMBLER. I think you already denied being one of those.

Quote:

This short trip is coming to its conclusion. These swings are no fun.

You think all the swings are going to be upswings? After so many years experience? "When the fun stops, stop.". Oh. And if sessions mean nothing, trips mean nothing, too.

Quote:

I mean, honestly, I think the most fun trips were, mmm, about a year or so ago when I didn't have as frequent ups and downs, or as big losses, or at least, it seems that way to me. I was on quite a roll again for a while recently, and that blinded me to the fact that it's impossible to keep winning every session.

MDawg blinded to reality? That's the nearest we've had to an admission.

Quote:

When you're on a roll you think it'll keep going for a very long time,

You might. You might be wrong!

Quote:

and sometimes it does, but then if you're swinging that hard, you'll inevitably get taken down hard too, on occasion. And the evenings after those big losses have happened, you're not really feeling that great, and it makes you want to just get away from all that.
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No. When YOU get taken down hard, YOU aspire to cross the street and get your revenge with another big win. It's clear as day from your most recent few reports.

You "don't give a damn who wins or loses"... Except when it's you losing.

Definitely interesting well thought out points.

No matter how great the advantage might be there is also a lesser chance that the hand might not work out and you will lose it, and when that losing happens more often than expected for a good stretch of time it is not fun. Also yes of course one must play a lot of regular hands where no advantage is revealed just to get to that advantage hand, and that may eat up money too, especially if variance is making more of those hands losers than winners. Can't free hand too many hands for a variety of reasons, including that this might tip off the casino to what might be going on advantage wise.

I suppose if I were more mechanical about what I was doing here and had nothing else to do in life, I'd stick with it but that's not the case - I do have other things to do. Bottom line then - time to take a lonnnng break.

Quote: MDawg

Definitely interesting well thought out points.

No matter how great the advantage might be there is also a lesser chance that the hand might not work out and you will lose it, and when that losing happens more often than expected for a good stretch of time it is not fun. Also yes of course one must play a lot of regular hands where no advantage is revealed just to get to that advantage hand, and that can eat up money too, especially if variance is making more of those hands losers than winners. Can't free hand too many hands for a variety of reasons, including that this might tip off the casino to what might be going on advantage wise.

I suppose if I were more mechanical about what I was doing here and had nothing else to do in life, I'd stick with it but that's not the case - I do have other things to do. Bottom line then - time to take a lonnnng break.
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It’s a complicated equation. Knowing how much to bet when the casino has its small advantage, so that you can bet when you have the advantage, and how to not be detected because of these variations. But once I’d have figured that out, and knew I have the advantage, I would not worry about a daily loss or two. Unless you have a ridiculous advantage going on, you will have session losses. But if you just think of your session as a year, with even a small 2% advantage per hand, you will be ahead at the end of that ‘session’.

I think we can describe you as ‘independently wealthy’. If you never worked another day in your life, or set foot in a casino, you have enough money to basically do whatever you want. So if it doesn’t ‘feel’ good to go into a casino to gamble, then don’t!

Quote: SOOPOO

So if it doesn’t ‘feel’ good to go into a casino to gamble, then don’t!
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You see all types in the high limit salons.

I recently watched this other reserved table Baccarat player betting against a Bank run. The Bank went something like 14 times and he kept piling stacks of 5000 chips on Player. He has his table set up to allow him to look at the cards, which is the normal way it is at high limit, but normally even a reserve player is allowed to look at only the cards for the hand on which he bet.

This player was allowed to look at the cards on both sides, so he'd pile huge bets on the Player, and then get the Bank hands to look at the hand and get exasperated when he saw that the Bank once again had a natural 8 or 9, and then try to see if he could at least match it with his own cards on the Player side, but each time he could not. I didn't stick around to watch everything, but when I first watched there were a few Banks and he had dumped maybe 50K, and when I came back around there were 14 Banks in a row (and still no Players), and he was betting $150K and lost again.

I noticed another Player at a reserve table who would always martingale double on whatever side was not running. As long as the run was short, he'd make something but I happened to watch twice when he got to about 40K (which I believe was his limit) and then luckily won that hand, meaning that he made a little something but only because the other side ran less than 6 times. That's not smart risking around 80K to make maybe 1K.

Anyway among these high rollers are many who it's clear have good income and assets and for which this is just high stakes entertainment. And some of the richest don't even bet that big - I met a hedge fund owner (about a year and a half ago, when the market was not so much in trouble), who would never bet more than about $800. a hand.

I think one of the best examples of a person who might as well have gambled a lot and to the limit would be Larry Flynt. He had a net worth of about $500M at his death and gambled heavily regularly, sometimes doing well, sometimes losing a lot. In his case though, he could afford it, and he was paralyzed from the waist down in a wheelchair couldn't enjoy life's other thrills like sex, so for him, gambling was probably his main adrenaline or entertainment outlet. (But Flynt didn't get too carried away with it, unlike Terrance Watanabe who inherited and sold off his father's company for about $200M and then gambled away all of it.)

But you also see people in there who obviously have no business playing that big and are hoping that Bacc, Blackjack or Roulette will turn out to be a source of income for them, and where the money being wagered means a lot more to them than it should.

Quote: MDawg

(But Flynt didn't get too carried away with it, unlike Terrance Watanabe who inherited and sold off his father's company for about $200M and then gambled away all of it.)
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Watanabe gambled $825M at Caesar's and the Rio and lost $127M, that's 15%, far more than would be expected by the house edge alone.

MDawg to MDawg challenge.

No Casino's no Gaming 180 days.

Today, that doesn't sound like a bad idea at all!

Quote: MDawg

Today, that doesn't sound like a bad idea at all!
link to original post

It can only be good.

Well no one ever lost by not entering a casino.

I'm more like Vegas will run out of water if winter doesn't do its thing, and there's very little time left. Also, avoid the COVID plague at the casinos.
My local casino was really dead last night. I don't know if it was because it was freaking cold outside or people are getting the COVID paranoia again.
There's also the threat of utility bills going through the roof. Will casinos go broke paying the utility bills, or will their customers? I may have to use the casino as a warming shelter, so I'd better be well on my way with a winning streak by then.
Inflation comment on the news, it's $19 for a burger meal! Fed raises rates by 1/2 point. These year over year inflation numbers of 7.1% are being compounded upon the 7% from last year!
Oh, the gov't could shut down any day now.

Quote: MDawg

Definitely interesting well thought out points.

No matter how great the advantage might be there is also a lesser chance that the hand might not work out and you will lose it, and when that losing happens more often than expected for a good stretch of time it is not fun. Also yes of course one must play a lot of regular hands where no advantage is revealed just to get to that advantage hand, and that may eat up money too, especially if variance is making more of those hands losers than winners. Can't free hand too many hands for a variety of reasons, including that this might tip off the casino to what might be going on advantage wise.
link to original post

Guessing again..... If the pit is used to seeing you play special limits >$10k / hand, and tearing them a new one on a daily basis, it's surely going to wave a red flag if all of a sudden you are low rolling just a few hundred or thousand.
Actually, It's pretty remarkable they've not figured your play yet, nor that the person they see is the person that posts so much detail here.
And then there's those cards $;o)

Quote: MDawg

Well no one ever lost by not entering a casino.
link to original post

You need to visit your local cemetery.

tuttigym

No one has figured out my play. And anyway, because I dump a bunch every now and then (not intentionally) why would anyone not think, oh well, eventually he will give it all back?

Anyway, from 2018 - 2021, there really weren't any days when I walked into the casino thinking anything other than, I love doing this!

This year, there were more than a few days when I walked in thinking, I really hate this. And I'm referring even to days when I won, let alone when I lost.

I think the term "when the fun stops" refers to people who just keep playing until they lose it all, every time or most every time. That's not where the fun stops as far as my referring to hating this. In my case it's more about looking around and thinking about players there who don't seem to have much going on besides casino play, I mean that is depressing. That gets to me. I feel like, what do I have in common with some of these players? what am I doing here?

Besides that, there is the physical concern - second hand smoke. Even though I ban it at my tables (goes without saying at a private table, but may be done at most public tables too if you get there first), it still remains in most of the high limit salons or casinos, and there is no way to stop someone who is smoking from standing by watching. If there is a lot of smoking in the area, I feel it the next morning when I wake up. A premature grave isn't worth casino adrenaline or winnings.

I like to write these things out in a credit debit sort of plus minus way to make me think about it more deeply.

Quote: MDawg

No one has figured out my play. And anyway, because I dump a bunch every now and then (not intentionally) why would anyone not think, oh well, eventually he will give it all back?
link to original post

Because it's somebody's job and there's brownie points and a bonus for figuring out and putting a stop to it. or even figuring it out and implementing it for themselves.

And "when the fun stops" does not only apply to luzers.

You will, by the way. You Will. No rush.