High Roller or Whale?

I'm watching this documentary from 2002 on TubiTV called No Access: High Rollers. About 2 minutes in they ran an interview from Steve Cyr, a marketing executive from the Hard Rock Casino from circa 1986-2001+ (the present at the time) and he's seen what it takes to bring in the VIP guests. He says he has a stable of about 70 customers that he'll call high rollers that on a given weekend will risk a minimum of $100,000, and he has about 20 customers whom he calls whales that will risk from $500K to $3 million. His biggest customer will bet from $35K to $40K for every roll of the dice. He will usually book a private plane for them and meet them when the plane lands and show them to the room.
A whale usually has several million in credit. They get limited to $20K per hand on 7 spots on a BJ table or bet $100K 3 times across. Some of these players can bet up to $250K per hand of Baccarat. There are probably 100-200 whales or premium players in the world, and they can make or break a casino's month. One whale won $20 million at the MGM Grand around 1996 while playing Baccarat and Black Jack and he was banned from the casino. Then he lost $21 million in July 2000 playing Baccarat at the Bellagio over 2-3 days. (Seems like these guys lose all that they won on purpose or something, like it was an "or else" moment.)

Baccarat accounts for 30% of a casino's earnings, the whale's game of choice.

Bill Gates got bumped from his luxury room despite offering extra money to stay in it, because the high roller coming in would bet more than the hotel rate on every bet at the tables.

I believe Bill Gates was known to play blackjack at $5 per hand.

I can understand why he might get bumped from an ultra-premium accomodation into something a bit more quotidien.

Quote: Dieter

I believe Bill Gates was known to play blackjack at $5 per hand.

I can understand why he might get bumped from an ultra-premium accomodation into something a bit more quotidien.
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That may be true but he probably spends a lot on all his women. I was surprised to learn that he was kind of a man whore. Apparently he goes, or did, to the nightclubs and invites lots of women into his private area. People that work at some of these nightclubs say that he acts completely different than his public persona.

I was shocked to hear it. I just assumed he was always just a big nerd.

Quote: DRich

Quote: Dieter

I believe Bill Gates was known to play blackjack at $5 per hand.

I can understand why he might get bumped from an ultra-premium accomodation into something a bit more quotidien.
link to original post

That may be true but he probably spends a lot on all his women. I was surprised to learn that he was kind of a man whore. Apparently he goes, or did, to the nightclubs and invites lots of women into his private area. People that work at some of these nightclubs say that he acts completely different than his public persona.

I was shocked to hear it. I just assumed he was always just a big nerd.
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He's a big nerd who likes women and has lots and lots of money. And women like money.

Gary Gygax of Dungeons and Dragons fame, when he was in Hollywood producing the D&D cartoon, would attract Hollywood starlets by the handful and he was the biggest nerd around. His trick? Cocaine, and lots of it.