Very short trip report: The Star, Sydney

Morning/evening all

Heading off to The Star tonight with the lads.

I'm not a counter - nor would there be any point where every table has a CSM - but should be fun all the same, Rules are pretty good though with S17 still in place as opposed to Crown in Melbourne. I know they offer shoe games in the high limit rooms but I'm not a big enough punter to be invited more than once.

Will report on the outcome...

I difference I noticed between Crown and Star (albeit back in 2011); the pokies at Crown would tell you the expected return, whereas the ones at Crown keep that information secret (just like in Vegas).

I just wish we had Video Poker in AU but no such luck. Maybe I'm just hooked after my Royal back in May in Vegas. Shame the IRS took 30% but I guess it's a good problem to have.

Quote: Uranium235

I just wish we had Video Poker in AU but no such luck.

The only place in Australia where I ever saw VP was at the RSL club in Canberra - and even then, it was "Aces or Better".

I think most of the Queensland casinos have VP, but I have never been there.

I understand those service-related clubs in Australia will have a restaurant, several function rooms, a fully equipped gym, a bar ... and often lots of slot machine looking things often called pokies.

Quite some time ago, one gambling firm even offered to build a competitor's casino just to get their own casino expansion approved.

Quote: FleaStiff

I understand those service-related clubs in Australia will have a restaurant, several function rooms, a fully equipped gym, a bar ... and often lots of slot machine looking things often called pokies.

Except for the gym, that describes the one I saw back in 1992, although the restaurant (Chinese) may have been attached rather than part of the club.

And I am fairly certain the only difference between a "pokie" and a "slot machine" is, a "pokie" always has A, K, Q, J, 10, and usually lower numbers as well, as its lower-level symbols. (Aren't these all over the place in Vegas, mainly at penny and nickel level? The only one I'm sure of off the top of my head is Deal Or No Deal.)

I'm sure this wont make much sense to readers in the US but Australians use 'pokies' as a generic term for any kind of electronic game so this obviously includes the machines that Americans would call 'slots'. If someone asked an Australian where the slots were, they would probably mis-hear you and think you're referring to women with a liberal sexual disposition.

Hence we call electronic machines 'pokies' but without any reference to poker. If we do indeed have Video Poker machines somewhere in AU (I'm still looking), we would probably still refer to someone playing the machine as 'playing the pokies'. Strange but true.

Anyway, I finished the night with a slight positive return of a couple of hundred dollars. Up and down on BJ with no real standout hands. Probably the most fun part of the night was seeing the reactions of fellow players to my friend's novice decisions such as hitting a hard 17 and standing on a soft 15. And before you all ask, yes: I offered friendly advice which always ended with 'but do what you want mate; it's your cash'.