The Adventures of MDawg II

Tropical based now. Or already have been.

Quote: MDawg

Tropical based now. Or already have been.
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You're like Schrödinger's cat!

Resorts World Vegas isn’t the only casino caught up for facilitating money laundering.

Wynn Resorts to forfeit $130M in deal with feds over illegal transactions

Venetian finally has some kind of rewards match program. I am already Diamond with them, highest level, so it's unimportant to me, but nice to see that they are playing ball.



Las Vegas Strip resort reveals rare tier-match offer
Unclear whether their match is only for new players though.

Getting ready for this year's F1 in Vegas.

Casino removing trees as F1 prep begins on Strip

I assume drivers will be more ready this year, and anticipate the cooler weather with appropriate tires.

Saturday, Nov 23, 2024.

Watched High and Low (1963) recently. Good movie!

Was aware that Akira Kurosawa likes to use Shakespeare as the basis for some of his movies, Throne of Blood (1957) - Macbeth, The Bad Sleep Well (1960) - Hamlet, Ran (1985) - King Lear, but High and Low is based loosely on the 1959 novel King's Ransom by Ed McBain (Evan Hunter), which is decidedly not Shakespeare.

And then we've copied Seven Samurai (1954), with The Magnificent Seven (1960) and (2016), of which only the 1960 version is even worth seeing (other than the cool music found in both American movies).

On a somewhat related note, I read that Eli Wallach used to hear the whistled theme from fans of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, frequently when he walked down the street in New York City. Now, that's pretty cool.

In case you've already seen every other movie out there that has anything to do with Vegas. Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959).


Includes some nice scenes with Mamie Van Doren too.


The Las Vegas Story (1952) is on TMC right now, with Jane Russell. (A Howard Hughes film.)

Quote: MDawg

In case you've already seen every other movie out there that has anything to do with Vegas. Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959).

Includes some nice scenes with Mamie Van Doren too.


The Las Vegas Story (1952) is on TMC right now, with Jane Russell. (A Howard Hughes film.)
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There are hundreds if not thousands of free movies on YouTube. I now watch those movies more than I watch all the subscription channels I have. There are movies here you'll never find anywhere else, movies I didn't even know existed.

YouTube does have a lot of content. But for someone like my wife who has paid to have no ads, it is not free.

The ads don't bother me unless I am trying to listen to music, more than one song in a row, then the interruptions get annoying, and problematic if listening in a car, having to click to skip through them.

Quote: MDawg

I can tell you that 155 mph is plenty fast. It has been years since I have taken any car beyond that, and even then only maybe 10 mph beyond that, and at anywhere near that speed all the other cars on the freeway (which ideally, you want to do this when there are no other cars on the freeway), look like they are parked.
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Definitely would not try to do that while driving 162 mph. When doing something like that music is not on my mind anyway.

Business of Bilzerian: Litigation, bankruptcy case contradict influencer’s freewheeling image

Article describes a tangled mess of apparent insolvency.

In 2018, a news release by one of his companies said that Bilzerian had become one of the world’s most successful professional poker players, winning more than $50 million in a single year.

“Shortly thereafter, Dan shifted his focus to sex and partying and was very successful in his endeavors,” the release said.

Bilzerian had a family trust fund that he claimed was once worth almost $100 million. While he has claimed big winnings in poker, the Hendon Mob site that tracks tournament winnings shows he earned about $36,600, though it does not track cash games. Bilzerian also founded a company that sells liquor, apparel and other products.

In that March 2022 court order, U.S. District Judge William Jung wrote there was “an element of ‘corporate shell game’ here to avoid” discovery, the pre-trial process of sharing information between parties in court.

“And all the shells are in Mr. Bilzerian’s control,” Jung added.

Bilzerian's 5-acre Las Vegas compound is for sale for $25M.

Basically, it's looking like there was a lot of smoke and mirrors and high living financed by OPM, that might be coming to a crashing insolvent conclusion.

Would be nice.

‘Major blind spot’: Group calls on NV regulators to eliminate smoking in casinos

Anti-smoking advocates are calling on Nevada gaming officials to put an end to smoking inside casinos and gambling establishments.

Quote: MDawg

Basically, it's looking like there was a lot of smoke and mirrors and high living financed by OPM, that might be coming to a crashing insolvent conclusion.

That might all be true but I have heard from people familiar with the big cash games in California that he has done VERY WELL in them. He is not what many would consider a great card player, but the games he gets into are soft with wealthy players. Many pros in Las Vegas believe he has won 10's of millions in those games.

‘Exciting transformation’: Strip casino opens hotel tower bridge

Caesars Entertainment, parent company of the Strip casino property, unveiled the long-awaited Paris Skybridge after securing a certificate of occupancy from Clark County earlier in the day.

The Versailles Tower was known as the Jubilee Tower when it was part of the former Bally’s casino-hotel, which is now Horseshoe Las Vegas. Caesars, which operates both Paris and Horseshoe, announced last year that the tower would be part of a massive renovation project at Paris, which included upgraded rooms and suites, some of which have accessible balconies overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard.

I've actually never stayed at Paris, but I understand that the standard rooms are pretty small (390 sq. ft. - compare for example to a standard room at Wynn 640 sq. ft., Encore 745 sq. ft., Venetian 650 - 720 sq. ft.).

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/questions-and-answers/las-vegas/36275-quietest-and-best-vegas-rooms/#post818548

The standard rooms in this Versailles tower which was formerly part of Bally's, are 445 sq. ft., a slight improvement. Some will have balconies, putting them on par with Cosmopolitan standard rooms as far as balconies, but not size - Cosmo Terrace Studios - 620 sq. ft.

Bellagio has its Fall display going on now.

It's a nice idea to go in there sometimes and inhale deeply of the plant oxygen to get a break from the tables.



Do these plants release C02 ever, or oxygen all the time, sensing it's always daytime?


When get back from the Tropics next month will have to go to Vegas to check it out.

Quote: MDawg

Bellagio has its Fall display going on now.

It's a nice idea to go in there sometimes and inhale deeply of the plant oxygen to get a break from the tables.



Do these plants release C02 ever, or oxygen all the time, sensing it's always daytime?


When get back from the Tropics next month will have to go to Vegas to check it out.
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No court cases to handle?

Just tropics and Vegas?

Quote: djabulani85

i love doghouse
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Back from the Tropics early November, and then - possibly - F1 again this year.

Sam (the one sentenced to 25 years over FTX) is incarcerated in the same Brooklyn MDC as P Diddy. Apparently Sam doesn't want to be moved to a more comfortable open yard prison while he's working with his attorneys on his appeal - wants to stay local. Now THAT'S an interesting case where he gambled with client funds, won, no one lost anything but he still went down hard.

Sean Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried are Sleeping in the Same Brooklyn Jail Cell
The pair happened to be placed in the same dorm-style cell with several other defendants.

Great to hear about your return to Vegas, MDawg! Your high-limit Baccarat and Blackjack adventures sound exciting, especially with eight months of continuous play. Looking forward to more of your stories!

Quote: Pgslot

Great to hear about your return to Vegas, MDawg! Your high-limit Baccarat and Blackjack adventures sound exciting, especially with eight months of continuous play. Looking forward to more of your stories!
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Welcome! to the Adventures of MDawg.

Here's a new one, a fake request to pay a parking ticket.



SPAM COP report confirms the sender sources are suspect - nothing governmental about any of them.



Came to a general company email of mine that isn't associated with any of our vehicle registrations. But, we have been traveling practically nonstop this year and driving a lot of rentals so it did make me think for a moment that it might be legitimate.

Lol too at the presence of an Unsubscribe link.

These 10 Vegas restaurants together grossed almost $200M in 2023

Just goes to show why the Vegas casinos aren't so worried about the need to comp just everyone, when so many are willing to pay in full.

Here are the full entries for the Vegas restaurants in the top 100, shown by rank, name, sales, check average and meals served. Items with an asterisk are Restaurant News estimates.

9. Alexxa’s in Paris Las Vegas, $28,800,000, $80 • 600,435.

16. Cafe Americano in Caesars Palace • $26,100,838 • $32 • 767,853.

17. Top of the World at The Strat • $26,059,250 • $125 • 200,000.

31. Bazaar Meat by José Andrés in Sahara Las Vegas • $22,671,698* • $156* • 210,000.

49. Cafe Americano in Paris Las Vegas • $18,946,124 • $28 • 661,611.

54. Barry’s Downtown Prime in Circa • $18,000,000 • $140 • 240,900.

57. Delmonico Steakhouse in The Venetian • $17,121,354* • $137* • 135,231.

69. Beauty & Essex in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas • $14,692,417* • $154* • 163,628.

79. Chica in The Venetian • $13,147,642 • $104 • 74,730.

81. Cabo Wabo Cantina in the Miracle Mile Shops • $12,858,269* • $55* • 230,000.

Of note, only three restaurants on the top-grossing list made the Las Vegas Review-Journal list of top 100 Vegas restaurants for 2023.

Lawsuit: Wynn Resorts failed to prevent man from gambling millions in loaned funds

A Canadian mining company and its president and CEO claim in a lawsuit against Wynn Resorts Ltd. that the Las Vegas casino company failed to investigate the source of funds gambled and lost by a California man.

Toronto, Ontario-based James Bay Resources Ltd. and its president, Stephen Shefsky, allege in the lawsuit that while on probation, between January 2018 and June 2019, former decathlete David Bunevacz lost an estimated $3.8 million at Wynn Las Vegas and some of those funds came from Shefsky and his company.

According to the lawsuit, Shefsky made two personal loans totalling $1.1 million (U.S.) and James Bay loaned $3.5 million to CB Holdings Group Corp. and Brutus California Ventures Corp., controlled by Bunevacz, of California, and his daughter, Californian Mary Hayca Bunevacz.

In the lawsuit filed in April in the Ontario Court of Justice against Wynn, James Bay and Shefsky allege negligence and unjust enrichment against the company. James Bay Resources Ltd. is listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange and mines for lithium.

“Wynn had ample opportunity to discover Mr. Bunevacz’ criminal record as well as the existence of multiple state and federal tax liens and civil lawsuits recorded against him – facts that would have given rise to a reasonable suspicion concerning the source of Mr. Bunevacz’ funds,” the lawsuit says.


While it is a little known practice that casinos run background checks before issuing 100K or higher credit lines, I am not sure that a casino is obligated to look that deeply at a cash player, especially to the point of - does he owe anyone money.

Then again...Malony Day in Atlantic City says otherwise.

Remembering when a Canadian embezzler shut down an AC casino

A fascinating—if, at this point, nearly forgotten—story of Atlantic City’s legal-gaming era is that of Brian Molony, who, in the early 1980s, became the only gambler to cause a casino to cease operations.

Molony couldn’t have pulled off his scams without the assistance of the Caesars execs who never questioned the source of his money. According to a contemporaneous New York Times article, the state of New Jersey penalized the casino for “violating credit, deposit and reporting regulations.” As a result, Caesars was ordered to completely shut down its casino operation for 24 hours—which it’s been estimated, may have cost it as much as $800,000 in lost revenue.

You know somethin', Mikey?

You make me laugh, you know that?

I borrow money

all over this neighborhood...

...left and right, from everybody,

and I never paid 'em back.

So I can't borrow no money

from nobody no more, right?

Who does that leave me

to borrow money from but you?

I borrow money from you

because you're the only jerk off around...

...that I could borrow money from

without payin' back, right?

Why High Rollers Shun Private Digs In Las Vegas Casinos New Gambling Salons Make Rich Chinese Nervous; Regulators Ask Questions

Here is the full article, 1/21/2005:

LAS VEGAS -- For 50 years at casinos here, it was illegal to wager in private. But two years ago, gambling executives figured they hit the jackpot when lawmakers allowed them to start running private salons for high rollers.

The casinos expected a lot of new business to pour in from China -- lately, the world's hottest gambling market. But today the salons have turned out to be an expensive bust. Mandalay Bay says the private salons it spent $3 million on have been used just 10 times in two years. Caesars Palace says its Roman-themed rooms have been used by two players. The MGM Grand, where private rooms are decorated in fine art, played host to its first private gambler just a few weeks ago.

One big hurdle is that Nevada regulators want to know a lot about the people for whom they're bending long-established rules. To keep games honest, regulations require private gamblers to first fax them their names and contact information, certain financial data such as their credit limits and details of how they tend to gamble, such as average bets. Moreover, state agents can watch the gambling on closed-circuit television.

Many Chinese gamblers also fear that they will be traced by agents of the People's Republic, which frowns on gambling and on taking cash out of the country. A number of these gamblers are government officials themselves, according to casino executives who cater to them.


A publicity shot of one of Caesars Palace's larger Greco-Roman-themed private gambling salons
The result: Some casinos are going back to an age-old Las Vegas tactic: courting high rollers to play in rooms that are technically open to anyone, but in fact, are effectively closed to the public.

Three of the MGM Grand's biggest customers -- all from Asia -- walked away from the private-room scene. "When they were told the rules, they decided not to play," says a casino executive, adding that two of them decided instead to gamble in the public high-limit salon. The third learned of the rules before flying to Las Vegas and canceled his trip.

The drive to create private gambling havens for the super-rich is a way to cater both to the tourist hordes and the gamblers known as "whales."

Nearly 40 million people are expected to visit Las Vegas this year. And most of them will spend more on shopping and eating than on gambling. A few hundred highly prized casino customers produce about 10% of Las Vegas's $8 billion in annual gambling revenue. With increasing wealth, eased travel restrictions and a long tradition of gambling, China has been producing major new gamblers who are heading to private salons that don't ask questions in Macau, Australia and Europe.

"There is a terrific amount of high-end business that Las Vegas does not currently get," says Bill Weidner, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp., which owns the Venetian.

Once they had gotten the law changed in 2002, casino executives wasted no time in creating private havens for big would-be customers. The MGM Grand dominates high-end play here. Its baccarat area can be entered from the main casino or from the Mansion, a complex of high-roller suites. There, the din of slot machines is replaced by the tinkle of ice in cocktail glasses. The heavily staffed room is decorated in paintings, sculpture and carved wood. At the periphery are a row of small private gambling rooms.

Just up the boulevard are the Caesars Palace Greco-Roman private rooms that have been used by just two gamblers. One of them, a man nicknamed "Speedy Lee" according to employees, arrives with an entourage, marches past the full-size Baccarat crystal table in the main salon, then props chairs against the doors to keep people from entering or leaving a private room. "He's so superstitious," says a baccarat dealer there.

Nevada required the public to have unrestricted access to wagering in a 1955 law that aimed "to ensure that gaming is conducted honestly, competitively and free of criminal and corruptive elements," according to the statute. The state wanted to ensure access to undercover police agents, regulators say.

"Our concern is that [the casino] not prevent someone from entering," says Keith Copher, chief of enforcement for the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Fines for violating the law can amount to $100,000 per count, though Mr. Copher says he can't remember such sanctions being taken.

Knowledgeable locals are well aware that they have the right to ogle high rollers. "When I have visitors from out of town,...the first thing I'll do is say, 'Let's go in the high-limit area,' " says Mr. Copher.

With big gamblers shying away from private rooms, some casinos are turning to open rooms that, in fact, are rarely invaded by tourists. Some put up movable screens to discourage prying eyes. Most scare away curious onlookers at the entrance with a stern, "Can I help you, sir?"

"We tell them this is a reserved area," says one supervisor at the MGM Grand's baccarat salon. She acknowledges that, according to state law, that isn't correct. But such efforts are so effective that some gamblers believe they're wagering in a private room. Publisher Larry Flynt, for example, says the Venetian and Las Vegas Hilton let him play blackjack privately because the game requires "a lot of concentration." Mr. Flynt is adamant. "I know they have one at the Hilton because I've used it." Both casinos insist they have never offered private gambling. A spokesman for the Hilton says the facility doesn't have a private room and doesn't try to mislead gamblers about that.

There were some private games in Las Vegas, even before the passage of the new law. In one of the town's worst-kept secrets, Caesars Palace in the 1980s kept a private gambling salon on the second floor. Henry Gluck, chairman of Caesars World for some of those years, says regulators back then were willing to look the other way -- something regulators confirm. "They were always illegal, but they allowed us," Mr. Gluck says.

The gaming board's Mr. Copher, who began his career with the board in 1981, says, "I'm aware of the Caesars one."

But casino moguls often just do what they want. "We used to close the door all the time," says Steve Wynn, who developed the high-rolling Mirage and Bellagio and in April will open his latest property, Wynn Las Vegas. When reminded that closing the doors is illegal, Mr. Wynn added, "Well, we left it open a crack."

Quote: MDawg

This is an interesting article about Anthony Farrer, “The Timepiece Gentleman.” Capitalizing on the massive run up due to scarce availability of luxury timepieces during the pandemic, this convicted felon ran a sort of ponzi scheme where he took in millions of dollars worth of watches, millions in cash from investors, sold watches and sometimes paid back consignees and investors, but mostly pocketed all proceeds to fuel a life of excess.

The time bandit The rise and fall of America's flashiest dealer in luxury watches

He drove a Lamborghini, partied heavily in high priced bottle service nightclubs, gambled hard in Vegas, and for a while rented the most expensive apartment in Los Angeles, to the tune of $90,000. a month. He documented much of the lavish lifestyle online, including on YouTube.

Along the way numerous online people including on Reddit dug up his criminal past, which wasn’t really all that substantial anyway mostly alcohol related offenses, records of his having been a gay escort of sorts, and tried to warn people that he was bad news. Few listened, and the money kept pouring in.

When it all came crashing down by summer 2023, he posted some YouTube videos about how he had let alcohol and excess in general get the better of him, and vowed to pay everyone back.

He never got a chance, was arrested on federal fraud charges in October 2023, and has been in custody since awaiting a Fall 2024 trial date.

His website remains up:

https://thetimepiecegentleman.com



Breaking News: The Timepiece Gentleman Saga Continues. Anthony Farrer Posts YouTube Video Admitting Wrongdoings and $5 Million USD in Debt.

Beverly Hills watch dealer under scrutiny after items vanish

‘Spending people’s money’: Beverly Hills luxury watch dealer arrested by FBI in alleged Ponzi scheme
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Famed Beverly Hills watch dealer faces prison time after pleading guilty to fraud

The man behind a notorious consignment watch business in Beverly Hills has pleaded guilty and could face up to 20 years in prison, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement Friday.

Anthony Farrer, owner of the Timepiece Gentleman, conned dozens of customers out of over $5.6 million, according to the guilty plea. He pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud for using clients’ funds to finance his lavish lifestyle and running a Ponzi-like scheme, taking timepieces that clients had asked him to sell on consignment and giving them to other customers who’d paid him to buy watches for them, prosecutors said.


Of course they always say "up to 20 years;" almost no one gets that kind of sentence. He'll probably end up with something like 60 months, do 85%, get one year off for RDAP (drug rehab program), half way house last year - meaning, back on the streets in a couple years from now given that he's already been in for a year.

This guy could have actually capitalized on the run up in watch values immediately after the Pandemic, but he was just too reckless with the spending and promised unrealistic returns to his investors and watch consignors.

Quote: MDawg

Quote: MDawg

He was playing six decks "only" apparently. 😁


Nico Zoographic

Nicolas “Nicky the Greek” Zoographic is a famous baccarat player who lived during the early twentieth century. He was a member of a group of gamblers who toured European casinos. They made a fortune playing high-stakes games of baccarat, and Zoographic was renowned for his memorization skills and mathematical abilities. His memory allowed him to memorize every card in a baccarat game and alerted his team when the odds were in their favor.

During the early 20th century, Zoographic was a member of the Greek Syndicate, which controlled all baccarat tables. He had an amazing memory, and he was able to remember the order of three dozen cards when played with six decks. Zoographic also had an amazing ability to gauge fluctuations in odds in favor of the bank, and he was able to make the best bets according to that information.
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If you believe that knowing everything about what cards have been played and what are left makes a difference then it is possible to use one's brain or a computer to derive an edge.

This is not to say that this is the only Baccarat advantage play. There are more mundane but even more effective ones unrelated to perfect memorization.
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I don't believe you are talking about memorizing the cards.

Quote: StefanQuen

i think the game here at wizard of odds is a good test. I do understand the negativity, but if wizard collects data from the game here on site, it is easy to prove what i am claiming. I think alltogether 100.000 hands is a huge pattern from the population, and my results are definietly not flawed. I just CAN’T understand HOW IN THE WORLD NOBODY FOUND the bias in the game since 1500s. It is SO OBVIOUS. But i can tell you for sure, you CAN STAY in between -4 +4 in all shoes. Cant explain it better.
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So, what is it you are talking about?

Not good.

October 12, 2024: Inspectors find bed bugs at Bellagio, Cosmopolitan hotels in Las Vegas

Warrant issued for millionaire accused of writing $1.5M in bad checks to Bellagio

Not everyone winds up in criminal court.

‘Girls Gone Wild’ chief Joe Francis suing Wynn over Las Vegas debt

Lohan’s ‘nemesis’ the Geasy Bear must have forgotten he’s $300K in debt

To be prosecuted the markers must bounce, and may not be post dated, partially paid (there are exceptions made for casinos on this partial payment point) or deposited too far in the future from when written.

I believe that there are in general two types of players. That peoples' brains are wired in two distinctly different ways that determines what kind of play they prefer.

Some people prefer table games, where the anticipation is built up as the bet is placed and the dice are rolled, the cards are dealt, the wheel is spun - and then the tension is released as the outcome of the roll, hand, or spin is revealed. There is an ebb and flow of tension and release which table game players enjoy.

Slots enthusiasts do not play for a rise and fall in tension, rather - just keep hitting that button / (formerly, pulling that lever) until they zone out - achieve a comfortably numb high. A true slots addict doesn't even get that excited when he hits a jackpot, it just becomes part of the continued high that he experiences throughout the session. An example would be Allan, the gambling addict from Theroux's documentary - he hits a $5000. jackpot and just makes a face at Theroux, mentions that he just won five thousand dollars, and goes on with his play.

There are some that derive pleasure from both slots and table games (Allan would be one example), but for the most part, depending on how your brain is wired, you are going to gravitate towards one or the other.

Quote: MDawg

A true slots addict doesn't even get that excited when he hits a jackpot, it just becomes part of the continued high that he experiences throughout the session. An example would be Allan, the gambling addict from Theroux's documentary - he hits a $5000. jackpot and just makes a face at Theroux, mentions that he just won five thousand dollars, and goes on with his play.

Having spent 30 years in Vegas involved in Gaming I have noticed so many players playing video poker on a daily basis that it is disturbing. I have noticed that those players when hitting a jackpot respond with "it is about time, I haven't hit one since xxx". To me that person is generally a gambling addict as they are showing relief instead of exuberance.

Over the years I have seen many big players who dump millions, then come back just weeks later and do it again. And again. There are in fact big players I know who haven't had a winning trip in years, just almost always play until all the chips are gone.

The dealers all want the players to do well, but I wonder about the dealers who encounter these always losers, are they more numb to it knowing that it will almost always end badly for them?

Another thought - when I ramp it up and put some massive bet out there because I don't do it every hand, I can tell that the dealer gets engaged emotionally. But what about these players that practically flat bet at table or special limit most every hand? I would think the dealers get numb to their play.

Quote: MDawg

Over the years I have seen many big players who dump millions, then come back just weeks later and do it again. And again. There are in fact big players I know who haven't had a winning trip in years, just almost always play until all the chips are gone.

The dealers all want the players to do well, but I wonder about the dealers who encounter these always losers, are they more numb to it knowing that it will almost always end badly for them?

Another thought - when I ramp it up and put some massive bet out there because I don't do it every hand, I can tell that the dealer gets engaged emotionally. But what about these players that practically flat bet at table or special limit most every hand? I would think the dealers get numb to their play.
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The dealers will act in any way they think will maximize tips. In general, they probably want players to win solely because it tends to increase tips. If you think a dealer who will stand there for 8 hours having drunken old men blow smoke in his face really cares what happens to a guy betting the dealer’s entire yearly salary on 3 hands of baccarat, you don’t understand what a tipped worker’s goals are.

This is not entirely true. Over the years I have gotten to know many dealers, dated some female, still friends to this day with some male and female dealers who are no longer dealers and doing something else.

While it's true that they will "root" more for the player to win if he is tipping, and are I suppose more engaged on hands where a bet is laid out for them above or next to the betting circle, they are only human and will mirror to some extent the energy of the player. So when you have some big player who doesn't flinch one way or another winning or losing massive bets, they are not going to get engaged either. But it's clear to me that they get involved emotionally at times, especially on the larger bets especially if the player is getting involved.

Especially in the Baccarat room a lot of the dealers are Asian who are superstitious to begin with, and some of the dealers and actually, a lot of the pit bosses, play Baccarat themselves, so they don't want to be blamed as the source of "bad luck."

YOU'RE just mirroring what you read or learned from this forum, which is fine but doesn't answer everything - so you might be assuming that the dealers have all arrived at that point to where they realize that nothing matters and most everyone is going to lose anyway, but you might be surprised to learn that almost all don't really see things that way and haven't really figured out the games yet.

In RainMan, the way that fat Caesars dealer reacts at some point after Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman have been kicking arse, by saying "You're doing well. I'm happy for you." is the attitude most of them have, and some go beyond that. No one wants to be "that dealer" that took all of a player's money, and all would like to be the one who hands it out (especially if it results in a tip).

Just hang out after a big session and talk to some of the dealers at empty tables and you may understand what goes through their minds better.

Anyway, if you play at the low end only, you're not going to see a whole lot of engagement compared to at the high end.

So, I'd disagree with you almost entirely and SooPoo you're just talking about what you THINK is going on at the high end, not what you have lived or even observed.

Quote: MDawg

This is not entirely true. Over the years I have gotten to know many dealers, dated some female, still friends to this day with some male and female dealers who are no longer dealers and doing something else.

While it's true that they will "root" more for the player to win if he is tipping, and are I suppose more engaged on hands where a bet is laid out for them above or next to the betting circle, they are only human and will mirror to some extent the energy of the player. So when you have some big player who doesn't flinch one way or another winning or losing massive bets, they are not going to get engaged either. But it's clear to me that they get involved emotionally at times, especially on the larger bets especially if the player is getting involved.

Especially in the Baccarat room a lot of the dealers are Asian who are superstitious to begin with, and some of the dealers and actually, a lot of the pit bosses, play Baccarat themselves, so they don't want to be blamed as the source of "bad luck."

YOU'RE just mirroring what you read or learned from this forum, which is fine but doesn't answer everything - so you might be assuming that the dealers have all arrived at that point to where they realize that nothing matters and most everyone is going to lose anyway, but you might be surprised to learn that almost all don't really see things that way and haven't really figured out the games yet.

In RainMan, the way that fat Caesars dealer reacts at some point after Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman have been kicking arse, by saying "You're doing well. I'm happy for you." is the attitude most of them have, and some go beyond that. No one wants to be "that dealer" that took all of a player's money, and all would like to be the one who hands it out (especially if it results in a tip).

Just hang out after a big session and talk to some of the dealers at empty tables and you may understand what goes through their minds better.

Anyway, if you play at the low end only, you're not going to see a whole lot of engagement compared to at the high end.

So, I'd disagree with you almost entirely and SooPoo you're just talking about what you THINK is going on at the high end, not what you have lived or even observed.
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Of course my points were generalizations, and there certainly are some (many?) that are engaged with the gamblers, I’d guess most are not. They might want you, the big tipper, to think they are. I still believe most just have learned to do what maximizes tips, and if that includes making MDawg think they actually care if you win or lose, they have succeeded.

Anyway, it’s good for you that you think they care about you. It must make your time there more enjoyable. And as well, if you are engaged in some covert AP move, it’s better for the dealer/pit boss to be chummy as that must decrease their ‘attention’ to what you are doing.

Disneyland to roll out exclusive line-skipping pass. Here’s what it costs

$400. each plus the cost of the park ticket itself.

When we were at DisneyWorld and went to each of the four parks, we each had the regular Lightning Pass that was available then, and really - couldn't imagine going to much more experiences each day. We were in pretty much nonstop motion, and only a few times did we stop for a sit down meal.

With this new “Premier" Lightning Pass you'd be not just moving constantly, but hitting about twice as many experiences per day, assuming you really took advantage of it. That might be rather exhausting.

Quote: MDawg

Disneyland to roll out exclusive line-skipping pass. Here’s what it costs

$400. each plus the cost of the park ticket itself.

When we were at DisneyWorld and went to each of the four parks, we each had the Lightning Pass that was available, and really - couldn't imagine going to much more experiences each day. We were in pretty much nonstop motion, and only a few times did we stop for a sit down meal.

With this "Premier" Lightning Pass you'd be not just moving constantly, but hitting about twice as many experiences per day, assuming you really took advantage of it. That might be rather exhausting.
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I had that experience on our Princess Greek island cruise. As suite holder we could skip any and all lines. I enjoyed it, but it did feel a little dirty just walking in front of the people waiting on line. I guess though you pay for better seats on a plane and board earlier. Better rooms in a hotel and check in easier. Why not an amusement park?

Why is baccarat, the game of choice for wealthy whales, so volatile

From month to month, casino gaming revenue can fluctuate dramatically thanks to one game, the most volatile one on the floor — baccarat.

It’s the game the wealthy whales and James Bond play, in which fortunes can be won or lost literally with the turn of a card.

“The bottom line is high-end baccarat is played at only a handful of properties and the number of players who play at the high end that move the needle every month is a very small group and does not represent the masses of customers that visit the Strip every month,” said Michael Lawton, senior economic analyst for the Nevada Gaming Control Board who monitors casino gaming win and has seen the volatility of play over time.

"The game becomes volatile due to the fact that you don’t have hundreds of thousands of people playing the game during any given month,” Lawton explained. “You might have a couple hundred and if one or two of those players were to lose a large amount or win a large amount, the swings can be drastic.”

Lawton said it isn’t uncommon for baccarat players to make wagers of six figures per hand which adds to the volatility.

“A small group of players wagering large sums of money creates the unpredictability,” he said.

Over the past 20 years, the casino win percentage for baccarat has ranged between 10.7 percent in 2008 up to 21.9 percent in 2002. Normally, the casino win is around 11 or 12 percent for the game.

By comparison, the lowest blackjack win percentage over 20 years was 10.7 percent in 2010 and the highest was 14.8 percent in 2017 and 2023.

Over 20 years, the number of baccarat tables in the state has moved from less than 100 in 2002 and 2003 to nearly 400 in 2022 and 2023.

The highest amount wagered in baccarat occurred in 2014 when $12 billion was bet. Casinos won $1.5 billion that year, just under the high of $1.6 billion in 2013.

By comparison, there were more than 3,200 blackjack tables in 2005 and in 2023, there were just under 2,000.

The biggest year for blackjack was in 2007 when players wagered $11.5 billion. That year, casinos won $1.4 billion from players.


Lot of numbers, but focusing on the $1.5B won in 2014, by the casinos for $12B wagered at Baccarat (versus $1.4B won by the casinos at Blackjack in 2007, for $11.5B wagered), the relative percentages are 12.5% Baccarat versus 12.17% Blackjack. Why so close? when these two games have such different house edges, unless - people just aren't playing very good Blackjack, and deviating a lot from basic strategy.

Quote: MDawg

[...
Lot of numbers, but focusing on the $1.5B won in 2014, by the casinos for $12B wagered at Baccarat (versus $1.4B won by the casinos at Blackjack in 2007, for $11.5B wagered), the relative percentages are 12.5% Baccarat versus 12.17% Blackjack. Why so close? when these two games have such different house edges, unless - people just aren't playing very good Blackjack, and deviating a lot from basic strategy.
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I believe those numbers are for hold. They have only a little to do with the house edge or quality of play, and more with how long people stay at the table.

Although now, on average, there is probably more wagered on 6:5 shoe games than normal blackjack, and muggle play at blackjack tends to be awful, while there is no way to screw up the banker or player bets at baccarat, which are similar in edge to the classical bets on a craps table, which also can't be screwn (is that a word?) up.

I understand the difference and have mentioned how the hold is 100% for many big Baccarat players who simply refuse to stop until the chips are all gone, each trip, again and again.

And I’ve said that the house edge doesn’t make much difference for these players they could be playing a 2.5% commission game and still lose everything every time. Such players tend to “chase” a larger and larger sum with a smaller and smaller (or at best, the same) bankroll and keep experiencing complete wipe out.

However still you’d think that there would be more of a difference between the holds on the two games.

I would expect the hold for baccarat players to be lower, just due to the slowness of the game and the eccentricities of baccarat players. Get up, walk around, don't bet, ask the waitress for tea, color in, color out. When I play the Holy Esoterica of baccarat tables I find the pace and ritual unbearable, and need to consciously avoid knee-flapping and chair-rocking on account of it. This is why I am always happy to see hand-dealt stadium baccarat where the pace is computer driven.

Depends on how many people are at the table. I play alone so I set the pace, which my pace is pretty fast.

Every game is slowed down by having more players at the table, including BlackJack.

BTW does your screen name derive from the "Monarchy" cards of the game?

You know that's where Monkey! came from, right? The Asians were trying to refer to the monarchy cards - King Queen (and Jack) and couldn't quite pronounce the word, so it came out, mon-kay.

No I actually am a monkey. It's great cover, they never expect that. I always took the "monkey" shout to be just acknowledgement that despite being royalty, they are still just primates under all that regalia.

I've considered playing alone and playing at the rate I actually can. But that will be a tell, and they will figure out I am no ordinary baccarat player. So I try to mimic the mannerisms of those who normally play. You know... monkey see, monkey do.

Well if you’re trying to say that Baccarat is beatable, IT IS!

From 1998 - but the numbers probably haven’t changed much.

There are only few thousand “premium players” in the world - those who will wager $20,000 - $500,000 per trip.



And only about 250 “whales” who wager from $1 - $5M a trip.

Quote: MDawg

From 1998 - but the numbers probably haven’t changed much.

There are only few thousand “premium players” in the world - those who will wager $20,000 - $500,000 per trip.

And only about 250 “whales” who wager from $1 - $5M a trip.
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That seems very low to me. Wagering a total of $1 million on a very low variance game like baccarat over a 5 day trip would only be 40 $5,000 bets per day. Or 200 $1,000 bets per day. I’ve seen a single table with 3 such players on Tiles in the public area at the Rio. Wagering $1,000,000 is out of my league, but not a hard stretch to see many do so.

Those are the numbers. It's not the handle that the Discovery Channel video describes, but the bankroll.

And the other article I posted states that it's "a very small group of players each month in Vegas who move the needle."