So what do they write on those cards they keep at the blackjack table?

Seems like the pit folk now and again write themselves little notes on index cards which they keep slid into a slot at the edge of the blackjack table. The cards look like they are some kind of form - there are rows and columns on one side, although they often seem to write on the back, reverse side of the form. I have tried to sneak a peek, but my eyes... their handwriting... although I have seen that sometimes it looks like there are names and account numbers listed, and that might even be the headings on the columns.

Sometimes I think they are keeping track of the chips on the table, and other times I think that it's some kind of now outdated process that they go through, made unnecessary because now there's a networked computer on every table, keeping track of us.

What are they writing?

could it be the computer was down and they were tracking your play? I have seen that before when the system was updating or something.

Its where they keep track of your play. Average wager time spent, anything special worth noting. They take it all and eventually feed it into their system.

My impression is that they do that at the terminal at every table. It's got a card reader, so they swipe the card and then work the keyboard. When people give them a player's card they seldom write anything down, and when people leave I see them entering what I imagine are those values into the computer. Could be they are tracking you, but I think it's beyond keeping track of comp time.

They draw little sketches of card counters with devil horns and hitler mustaches.

Quote: rhodyBob

Seems like the pit folk now and again write themselves little notes on index cards which they keep slid into a slot at the edge of the blackjack table. The cards look like they are some kind of form - there are rows and columns on one side, although they often seem to write on the back, reverse side of the form. I have tried to sneak a peek, but my eyes... their handwriting... although I have seen that sometimes it looks like there are names and account numbers listed, and that might even be the headings on the columns.

Sometimes I think they are keeping track of the chips on the table, and other times I think that it's some kind of now outdated process that they go through, made unnecessary because now there's a networked computer on every table, keeping track of us.

What are they writing?

If they are a place that is doing manual tracking and then entering into a computer afterward, they are most likely keeping track of your average bet and any higher value chips you have won. There will also be a description of you/what you are wearing to keep track if you move around. If you are varying your bet amount they may have a note about that as well.


ZCore13

Am I just naive? I always thought they were controlling regularly the number of chips in the dealer's stack. Maybe for refill purposes, maybe for checking unusual stats, this sort of things.

Quote: kubikulann

Am I just naive? I always thought they were controlling regularly the number of chips in the dealer's stack. Maybe for refill purposes, maybe for checking unusual stats, this sort of things.

You are correct and now that I reread the original post, the paper he's talking about with lines and column is most likely the tables chip inventory sheet. Its for keeping track of all the chips in the tray and usually when they wright on the back they are computing if they are up or down for that shift on that table.


ZCore13

I've seen them use that sheet when looking at the rack, and sort of scribbling on it like it's just a piece of scrap paper. My guess is there's a whole protocol about it that probably came into being when there were three casinos in Las Vegas and it's stayed in place even though there's a computer sitting right there.

But then sometimes they leave it with the lines facing out and I think I see player's card numbers. At that point I wonder why - my guess is that the application they are running on the PC would provide all the detail they would need about an individual player, unless they are making note so as to post the guy's time and level of play when he leaves, or maybe additional buy-ins. If my eyes were better or I thought I could get away with it I'd look more closely.

And another question. That software program they use to sign you in and swipe your card... Is that an industry package where everybody buys one of a couple of standard products (in my world everything is Oracle or PeopleSoft or (most often) the Microsoft suite of products), or is it an in-house app? I see a monitor on the counter inside the pit area, and it's a character-based, 24 x 80 blue screen that looks like it was written in dBase or something from the '80s. Any information on this sort of thing out here anywhere?