nyuhoosier
nyuhoosier
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June 7th, 2010 at 5:08:59 PM permalink
I saw something truly bizarre the last time I was in the Long Horn on Boulder Highway. (By the way, I love those TV commercials in Spanish that refer to the two casinos as "Long Horn y Big Horn.") As I was playing blackjack, a woman walked up the table with a slip of paper that resembled an ace card. It turned out to be a casino-issued coupon.

She handed it to the dealer and he placed it above her bet, where the cards go. He continued to deal the cards normally, but gave her only one card, pairing it with the cheap paper ace. This constituted her hand.

Afterward, I thought how odd it was to effectively introduce an extra ace card into the game. I've never seen anything like that before and I wonder if it is even technically legal. I know slot machines that use card displays must be based on actual decks, so I would think the same principle would apply to table games.
rudeboyoi
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June 7th, 2010 at 5:13:13 PM permalink
from what i have heard, they give you a free ace if you cash your paycheck there.
progrocker
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June 7th, 2010 at 5:26:33 PM permalink
The Horseshoe Casino in San Jose, Costa Rica used to give you one free ace daily for up to a 25 dollar bet when I was there last June. I'm going back next week, so I'll see if they still have that going on. And the topless blackjack dealers. Yes, I'll definitely see about that.
Solo venimos, solo nos vamos. Y aqui nos juntamos, juntos que estamos.
DJTeddyBear
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June 7th, 2010 at 6:37:10 PM permalink
Legal? It depends upon the gaming commission rules.

Nevada has pretty loose regulations, so it doesn't surprise me.

As far as changing the makeup of the deck, no. The deck still has the correct cards. The free ace doesn't go into the discards to be shuffled in. It's a one time only thing.

Some could argue that it changes the way the remainder of the hand is dealt, but those are the same people that get upset when the guy in third base "takes" the dealer's bust card.
I invented a few casino games. Info: http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ ————————————————————————————————————— Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
Wizard
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June 7th, 2010 at 9:22:39 PM permalink
I've seen free ace coupons lots of times in Vegas. They are even more common in the Washtington casinos. They are worth a little more than 50% of face value.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
ahiromu
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June 7th, 2010 at 9:49:29 PM permalink
Quote: progrocker

And the topless blackjack dealers. Yes, I'll definitely see about that.



Did someone say something about topless blackjack dealers? I'd like to know more about that...

Can someone explain what would be illegal about this? It seems like a great promotion - better than match play to me. It isn't changing the composition of the deck at all and just leaves another BJ for everyone to cheer about.
Its - Possessive; It's - "It is" / "It has"; There - Location; Their - Possessive; They're - "They are"
nyuhoosier
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June 7th, 2010 at 9:55:30 PM permalink
I think it's an interesting promotion too; I'm just surprised it is allowed by the Gaming Control Board. The reasoning is probably the one cited above: that the extra ace isn't shuffled back into the deck.
rudeboyoi
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June 7th, 2010 at 11:11:32 PM permalink
Quote: nyuhoosier

I think it's an interesting promotion too; I'm just surprised it is allowed by the Gaming Control Board. The reasoning is probably the one cited above: that the extra ace isn't shuffled back into the deck.



its not an actual card. its a little piece of paper that has an image of an A and probably says free ace with a little description on the terms. then it is dropped afterwards.
cardshark
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June 8th, 2010 at 5:53:01 AM permalink
Yeah, I got one of these a few weeks ago, but the coupon would only let me bet $5 when playing it. The casino didn't even have a $5 table open, so I had to play my ace coupon with my $5 bet on a $10 table! Cheap bastards!
ruascott
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June 8th, 2010 at 5:56:46 AM permalink
Quote: ahiromu

Did someone say something about topless blackjack dealers? I'd like to know more about that...

Can someone explain what would be illegal about this? It seems like a great promotion - better than match play to me. It isn't changing the composition of the deck at all and just leaves another BJ for everyone to cheer about.



I'd also like to hear more about the topless blackjack dealers. Now that's a good casino promotion....
ruascott
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June 8th, 2010 at 5:56:47 AM permalink
Quote: ahiromu

Did someone say something about topless blackjack dealers? I'd like to know more about that...

Can someone explain what would be illegal about this? It seems like a great promotion - better than match play to me. It isn't changing the composition of the deck at all and just leaves another BJ for everyone to cheer about.



I'd also like to hear more about the topless blackjack dealers. Now that's a good casino promotion....
Wizard
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June 8th, 2010 at 7:08:16 AM permalink
Quote: ruascott

I'd also like to hear more about the topless blackjack dealers. Now that's a good casino promotion....



I have never once seen or heard of that happening. The closest I've seen was the bikini pit at the Rio, which has been closed for a few years now.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
progrocker
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June 8th, 2010 at 9:19:27 AM permalink
The 'Topless Blackjack' promotion was at The Horseshoe Casino in San Jose, which promotes itself as being the most 'Vegas Style' Casino in Costa Rica. Most casinos there offer the blackjack variant of Rummy, where you get paid even money for blackjack but 2:1 for having a three of a kind of 7 or less (so that you don't bust, of course) or having a straight flush for your three card hand. They also have Canasta (with balls coming out of a basket) rather than traditional roulette. The Horseshoe had regular blackjack, no roulette or canasta, and a craps table along with about 80 slots and a poker room. It is located across the street from the infamous Hotel del Rey in the 'Gringo Gulch' neighborhood of downtown San Jose.

The 'Topless' dealers were on the small third floor. Two tables, three dealers rotating, and they were actually wearing see-through mesh tops (they were almost like a bunch of horizontal strings) that left all the goods on display. The Horseshoe had hired the appropriate body type of girl to wear that outfit.

If I remember correctly, the rules weren't that bad. 3:2 blackjack out of a 6 card shoe with 10 dollar minimum. I don't remember the RSA or DAS rules, though. Like I said, I'm going back next week and plan to gamble a bit so I'll see if they still have this or the free ace promotion going on. Last year I was able to buy in for 200 dollars at the craps table daily, get up 50-100 bucks playing and then cash out, which paid for food and alcohol for the day. Finally lost the initial 200 bucks on my last night.
Solo venimos, solo nos vamos. Y aqui nos juntamos, juntos que estamos.
likeplayingcrapsandbj
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June 8th, 2010 at 9:27:49 AM permalink
Naked women increase the bets. Up North they got rid of the live band to focus on a party pit.
Last Man at the Table
ruascott
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June 8th, 2010 at 9:56:48 AM permalink
Quote: Wizard

I have never once seen or heard of that happening. The closest I've seen was the bikini pit at the Rio, which has been closed for a few years now.



I think I may have asked this before, but is there some sort of gaming regulation that would bar a casino in Vegas (or Nevada) from offering this? If not, maybe some of the casinos should push for a legal change. Playing B/J (or any game) is not nearly the sin it was once considered and most people can find it in their home state. If Vegas wants to keep the title "Sin City" they really need to crank it up a bit.

Obviously this couldn't be offered right on the main casino floor, where underage kids walk through, but in a closed off section of the floor it could fly.
DrEntropy
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June 9th, 2010 at 7:07:50 AM permalink
Quote: ruascott

I think I may have asked this before, but is there some sort of gaming regulation that would bar a casino in Vegas (or Nevada) from offering this?



How about a coupon "Remove Dealers Top". Now that would bring them in. Well, depends on the dealer. I don't want some guy named Gary down at Binions taking his top off :)
"Mathematical expectation has nothing to do with results." (Sklansky, Theory of Poker).
Nareed
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June 9th, 2010 at 7:16:58 AM permalink
Quote: DrEntropy

How about a coupon "Remove Dealers Top". Now that would bring them in. Well, depends on the dealer. I don't want some guy named Gary down at Binions taking his top off :)



How about a Strip poker room?
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DJTeddyBear
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June 9th, 2010 at 7:20:58 AM permalink
Quote: Nareed

How about a Strip poker room?

O'Sheas already advertises "Strip Poker".


Two of their poker tables are located right at the entrance to the Strip.

Strip Poker. Get it? Sigh....
I invented a few casino games. Info: http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ ————————————————————————————————————— Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
Nareed
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June 9th, 2010 at 7:55:14 AM permalink
Quote: DJTeddyBear

Strip Poker. Get it? Sigh....



Yeah, that's a bit of what I meant (also strip, rather than Strip).
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
rudeboyoi
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June 9th, 2010 at 10:18:28 AM permalink
if it is a law on the books, maybe its to protect other businesses in the industry of adult entertainment such as strip clubs from being hurt. id also imagine a lot of corporations that own the casinos dont want their brand name to be associated with that type of entertainment and may have lobbied to have a law like that on the books to prevent other gambling institutions in the area to gain the upper hand in that regard. or perhaps its some healthcode violation and if thats the case, i dont see why they cant just have transparent tops. regardless of what the laws actually are, of course they can always change and seeing the abundance of party pits these days may eventually lead to a law like this being changed.
rudeboyoi
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June 9th, 2010 at 10:22:48 AM permalink
Quote: Nareed

Yeah, that's a bit of what I meant (also strip, rather than Strip).



id argue that Strip is a proper noun meaning "the Las Vegas Strip" so for what O'Shea's is promoting id argue that is correct. but for the game of strip poker, it should be lowercased.
ruascott
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June 9th, 2010 at 12:30:41 PM permalink
Quote: rudeboyoi

if it is a law on the books, maybe its to protect other businesses in the industry of adult entertainment such as strip clubs from being hurt. id also imagine a lot of corporations that own the casinos dont want their brand name to be associated with that type of entertainment and may have lobbied to have a law like that on the books to prevent other gambling institutions in the area to gain the upper hand in that regard. or perhaps its some healthcode violation and if thats the case, i dont see why they cant just have transparent tops. regardless of what the laws actually are, of course they can always change and seeing the abundance of party pits these days may eventually lead to a law like this being changed.



I just see it as a natural evolution of the Vegas scene. I'm not really sure what corporations don't want to be associated with it, considering almost every place has a party pit now. Beyond that, topless shows have been a part of the Vegas scene at the hotels for decades. Perhaps the party pit scene will just slowly evolve and become more "revealing" over time, until the point where dealers are wearing nothing but pasties. Again, I think with the explosion of legalized gambling around the country, Vegas needs to step it up a notch if they still want to advertise the moniker "Sin City".
pecogg
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June 14th, 2010 at 6:08:45 AM permalink
I've never seen this promotion, formally, at any of the casinos I frequent (Albuquerque, NM area), but I have been present at a full BJ table at the Santa Ana Star, when the pit boss came around and told the table that, for the following five hands, all players' first cards would count as Aces, and limited the bets to $25. He had the dealer deal everyone's first card face down (which counted as the Ace), and then had the game resume as normal. Out of five hands, I caught two blackjacks and won one soft double. A lady sitting at third base did better - as I recall, she caught three blackjacks. The table minimum was $3, and there were some present who did not realize the advantage of being "given" an Ace, so they kept their bets small compared to those of us that immediately went to $25.

This small "informal" promotion went a long way in terms of showing that the bosses there weren't so tight, and wanted players to enjoy themselves.
teddys
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June 14th, 2010 at 6:37:38 AM permalink
Quote: pecogg

I've never seen this promotion, formally, at any of the casinos I frequent (Albuquerque, NM area), but I have been present at a full BJ table at the Santa Ana Star, when the pit boss came around and told the table that, for the following five hands, all players' first cards would count as Aces, and limited the bets to $25. He had the dealer deal everyone's first card face down (which counted as the Ace), and then had the game resume as normal. Out of five hands, I caught two blackjacks and won one soft double. A lady sitting at third base did better - as I recall, she caught three blackjacks. The table minimum was $3, and there were some present who did not realize the advantage of being "given" an Ace, so they kept their bets small compared to those of us that immediately went to $25.

This small "informal" promotion went a long way in terms of showing that the bosses there weren't so tight, and wanted players to enjoy themselves.



That is amazingly cool. I'm sure that could never happen in Vegas or A.C. because of regulations.
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
DJTeddyBear
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June 14th, 2010 at 7:30:49 AM permalink
Isn't the Santa Ana Star the same casino that pays triple for BOTH the 2 and 12 on Field bets?

Sounds like that casino thinks that good public relations is more important than a house advantage.

They're probably right....
I invented a few casino games. Info: http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ ————————————————————————————————————— Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
pecogg
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June 14th, 2010 at 2:58:48 PM permalink
Quote: DJTeddyBear

Isn't the Santa Ana Star the same casino that pays triple for BOTH the 2 and 12 on Field bets?

Sounds like that casino thinks that good public relations is more important than a house advantage.

They're probably right....



Yes - same casino.
RaleighCraps
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June 14th, 2010 at 5:33:44 PM permalink
Quote: DJTeddyBear

Isn't the Santa Ana Star the same casino that pays triple for BOTH the 2 and 12 on Field bets?

Sounds like that casino thinks that good public relations is more important than a house advantage.

They're probably right....



WOW. What does that make the HA for the field bet? It must be like 1.3% or so ?
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Doc
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June 14th, 2010 at 5:36:03 PM permalink
Quote: RaleighCraps

WOW. What does that make the HA for the field bet? It must be like 1.3% or so ?

Actually, it's zero.
f2d
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June 17th, 2010 at 8:51:24 PM permalink
Quote: cardshark

Yeah, I got one of these a few weeks ago, but the coupon would only let me bet $5 when playing it. The casino didn't even have a $5 table open, so I had to play my ace coupon with my $5 bet on a $10 table! Cheap bastards!



Wow, where was this at?

I cant believe they'd rather lower the table limit for that hand rather then pony up the extra $2.50 in EV or so to let you at least play table min. That is seriously stingy, to offer a coupon that isn't even playable within the limits they set at their own tables.
cardshark
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June 18th, 2010 at 1:24:09 PM permalink
Quote: f2d

Wow, where was this at?

I cant believe they'd rather lower the table limit for that hand rather then pony up the extra $2.50 in EV or so to let you at least play table min. That is seriously stingy, to offer a coupon that isn't even playable within the limits they set at their own tables.



Caesars Windsor, part of the wonderful Harrah's group...anyone surprised that they would pull something off like that?!
Nareed
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June 18th, 2010 at 2:16:16 PM permalink
Much has been said against Harrah's, and in truth I've found I preffer not to gamble at Harrah's properties. But still: No Stinking Resort Fees!
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
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