AP with a "home casino"

I find myself in a situation where it's very convenient to play at one casino, while all others are too far away for normal play. Does anyone else play at the same casino more than 3 times a week? Do you play rated? Any stories of getting backed off or banned, or how you've prevented that?

Might be tough. A regular who tries this might be caught straight away.

I played that way for years. I guess it depends on how serious you are about your play, and what your AP angle is. I chose to play BJ rated, count, and mask the count with a 5 step marty. When the count was high enough, I'd make extra step 5 bets on the marty because I "owed" them to myself from a previous session when I was scared/broke/whatever and didn't make them then. That went without any heat at all until I moved away. I figure I was ~0% HE on the BJ, plus the benefits from playing rated and getting drawing entries, offers, and comps.

Sorry, HE? Not familiar with that acronym. Thanks for the post.

house edge. I don't think I actually had (much of) an advantage from the play itself, but the offers and drawing entries put me in positive territory.

You have to act the polar opposite of how Ahigh acts
in a casino: you have to be nice and never criticize
the pit or the dealers. Never win enough money to
make them look at you as anything other than lucky.
Play the shortest sessions possible. Try to go on
different shifts. Look and act very normal, never try
to stand out. Don't be a wealth of information about
your game. You're just another bumbling player.
Blend it, take it easy, don't make waves. You'll be fine.

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what would you call a "regular"? I'm thinking about playing two pits, 1 hour each, once a week. I think that's not too bad. Was getting some speculative looks from dealer and pit boss when I was betting two hands and coloring up last time...

Quote: surrender88s

what would you call a "regular"? I'm thinking about playing two pits, 1 hour each, once a week. I think that's not too bad. Was getting some speculative looks from dealer and pit boss when I was betting two hands and coloring up last time...

Anyone have some tips to stay under the radar in this situation? Pocketing chips comes to mind, but I am no pro by any means!

Play different shifts. Do not pocket black chips. Playing two hands can bring unwanted attention but it can also be profitable. Instead of spreading to two hands, begin the shoe with two and be sure the pit notices. You can always drop one and add it back when the time is right. If all goes well the pit now thinks you're just another gambler.

Quote: surrender88s

what would you call a "regular"? I'm thinking about playing two pits, 1 hour each, once a week. I think that's not too bad. Was getting some speculative looks from dealer and pit boss when I was betting two hands and coloring up last time...

To avoid being backed off...avoid attention in general. If you see the pit giving you "speculative looks"..pay them no mind. If they see you are watching them, that in and of itself is a tip off. The average ploppie is unconcerned with the pit....hell maybe even be oblivious to their function. Unless you are spreading a ton of units. Most places aren't as sensitive to counting as you think. Yes some casinos are notoriously "sweaty", but frankly at a red or green chip level you'll be fine 99% of the time. Black chips are different....never pocket them. Green and red fine. But they watch the blacks.

Quote: EvenBob

You have to act the polar opposite of how Ahigh acts
in a casino: you have to be nice and never criticize
the pit or the dealers. Never win enough money to
make them look at you as anything other than lucky.
Play the shortest sessions possible. Try to go on
different shifts. Look and act very normal, never try
to stand out. Don't be a wealth of information about
your game. You're just another bumbling player.
Blend it, take it easy, don't make waves. You'll be fine.

Out of 11thousand + post, this has to be one of your best EB (although I haven't read all of them....lol). I think I would have capitalized the 'short session' advice for emphasis. Playing short sessions can cover or mask so many issues.

One thing I want to add about 'ratholing'. DON'T GET CAUGHT. (And you probably won't even be aware if you are caught). Once you are even suspected of doing so, any chips that the pit can't account for will be 'assigned' or credited to you, making the whole exercise VERY counter productive. I think players tend to over rathole, especially during big wins. You don't need to do that. All you need to do is rathole your EV per session, regardless of whether you actually win or lose. And yes, never black or higher. Most places, the pit is supposed to account for those and know where they go.

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Since your losing, putting a couple of chips away while you're going to buy in (again) is a great way to pad your losses. If you have my luck at the BJ tables, you will never have to pad anything. I'm on a 7+ years of not obtaining my EV.

I've gotten some heat in Illinois. I've had dealers skip over me and my double down and then expose the dealer's hand and playing the card I was supposed to get. This causes a lot of issues with the pit boss and the free doughnut was stale. After 7 days in a casino playing roulette, I had a dealer announce my presence from across the floor as I was walking to the table. She referred to me as Middleman because I only played the middle 12 numbers.

In Vegas back in 1993 I had a suit standing behind me watching. Then when I was walking to the airport, I was near the water park that used to be on the strip, an underground sprinkler blew and sent a jet of water 150 feet over my hand I was about 100 feet from it. I took that as a sign to cool off.

In 2008 I had a pit boss refuse to take my money because he didn't want 20's. This was at the Mirage. I complained as I felt I had an alternative future and they sent me to Biloxi for free.

As for ratholing, don't do that in Illinois, I saw a winning couple ratholing chips left and right and they were removed from the casino.

I'm like a dwarf when I'm playing. I keep track of my chips and when I get ahead I set the buy in amount to the back and use the chips I am ahead. I usually leave while I'm ahead.

I do the short sessions thing. I think the longest I sat at a table was 4 hours just trying to get ahead. I eventually did and walked out a winner.

These are all 5 to 20 year old stories as I am not a frequent gambling in Chicago. Just don't like the way the casino plays the games.

Ok, so i happened to go to "my casino" 5 times in the past 2 weekz. Two were losing sessions of -300 and -20, the other three i won about 300. I'm spreading from 15 or 25 minimums up to 75. I haven't gotten any direct heat, but as i was playing i overheard the pit boss telling my dealer to watch out for a specific player- i couldn't make out the whispers exactly, pretty sure it was me. And when i colored up a second pit boss came over to ask my dealer how much i made as i was walking away. I believe I'm doing a decent job "camoflauging".

Maybe one of the pit bosses put a note on file under my name?(i play rated). Anyone have similar experiences?

Quote: surrender88s

I believe I'm doing a decent job "camoflauging".

Famous last words.

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Quote: surrender88s

Ok, so i happened to go to "my casino" 5 times in the past 2 weekz. Two were losing sessions of -300 and -20, the other three i won about 300. I'm spreading from 15 or 25 minimums up to 75. I haven't gotten any direct heat, but as i was playing i overheard the pit boss telling my dealer to watch out for a specific player- i couldn't make out the whispers exactly, pretty sure it was me. And when i colored up a second pit boss came over to ask my dealer how much i made as i was walking away. I believe I'm doing a decent job "camoflauging".

Maybe one of the pit bosses put a note on file under my name?(i play rated). Anyone have similar experiences?

Are you playing pitch games or shoes?

Shoes.

Quote: surrender88s

Shoes.

Okay,your betting spread is not large enough to get you noticed as a counter and I don't believe you need camouflage at this time. Even if you raise your bets with the count it is unlikely that they will order a skills check. They look for large spreads, basic strategy deviations, wonging and spreading to more than one hand, all coinciding with the count. If you're not doing any of those go ahead and play away.

You did mention that you play rated so let's take a look at that. The casino has a record of your lifetime wins and that can be a cause for concern even for a break even player. That figure can be watered down by pocketing chips as previously discussed. Remember, no blacks and do it conservatively win or lose.

My last couple of back offs have been from surveillance rather than the pit. These are the tough ones because you don't always see them coming.