D Day in Vegas
Quote: AxelWolfZK do the casinos ever make mistakes in your favor? If so, that's something you can also look at as a positive thing when you are running bad. Think about all that +EV you just had.
Yea I've had plenty of mistakes in my favor and already two since I got here. One of them was me playing heads up with a lightning fast dealer, I would say 250 RDS an hour. I was killing her and I guess she got a bit shook that when she paid one of my $150 bets, instead of giving me 225, she gave me over 300, I believe 350 lol. Also at the flamingo I had a $200 bet on one spot and pushed with 17 and dealer paid me off. I've had many others on east coast, mainly at harrahs in chester. Even with all those mistakes in my favor at harrahs in PA, they still cleaned me out. And guess what harrahs in vegas is also cleaning me out. I don't think I'll ever win at Harrahs in my life, they either rig it or I'm so unbelievably unlucky at all their properties. #rigged
Quote: ZenKinGI don't think I'll ever win at Harrahs in my life, they either rig it or I'm so unbelievably unlucky at all their properties. #rigged
Was thinking small progress with you possibly going with the unlucky (variance) part. I honestly hope you really don't believe that cheating nonsense because I just don't see you ever succeeding in anything you do if you have that mentality. And I believe you have far more potential than that based on things you have posted.
I will say you have a huge opportunity to expand your Vegas vision by meeting with some of the people on here that have offered. I have met a few and can say they are the most honest, helpful people you will ever meet. But that's up to you based on your actions.
Believe it or not, some are rooting for you but damn, you make it hard most of the time.
I had thought about BJ mathematically, but I had little experience with all the weird stuff going on.
Good: Some dealers count as they deal, and will tell people at their table to "bet the moon" before certain hands.
Bad: Some dealers preferentially shuffle whenever the count is good. Some resort to reshuffling single deck every hand...until you leave. Once, when I did something stupid, I got a "flat bet" warning (Oops, really shouldn't have done that).
Last visit I played a little at the Four Queens on the single deck.
When they started shuffling after every hand, everyone at the table left. :-)
There's a lot of st*** going on.
This is real-world Vegas, not a simulation.
I used to fight thru bad dealers, and try to "tough it out".
Later on I decided life is too short. If I get a bad vibe from a dealer, I might play a few hands. If they go bad, I leave.
It's funny when a dealer obviously doesn't like me, and I go on a ridiculous winning streak (raising my bets on bad counts in a reverse martingale)...just getting absolutely stupid lucky, and winning really bad hands due to dealer busts or perfect draw cards for 20/21.
Welcome to reality.
Thank you, Gambling God.
p.s. get more hands
I will post on this a bit later. I have a damn cold right now and it's getting worst.Quote: monet0412Just to settle any doubts or bets... ZenKing is a real person and in town. I spent a few hours with him and AxelWolf last night. I know everyone's time is valuable so I thank them both for giving me a few hours out of the day.
I seem to get one every time I travel to a certain location, perhaps it's allergies or something. Normally they don't last long and are mild but this time it's worst than normal.
I can slam my foot, cut myself, or get injured somehow and it's no big deal. Give me a cold and I'm F----D.
Quote: AxelWolft.
I seem to get one every time I travel to a certain location, perhaps it's allergies or something.
I hope you were up north playing that must hit progressive this weekend that was set at a 75% contribution rate instead of 0.75% that it was supposed to be. Of course it is dead now, that is why I am mentioning it.
Quote: DRichI hope you were up north playing that must hit progressive this weekend that was set at a 75% contribution rate instead of 0.75% that it was supposed to be. Of course it is dead now, that is why I am mentioning it.
FYI, you are free to mention something to me (privately) BEFORE a play is dead. :)
Quote: RomesZK - how many hours and how many hands have you played since being in Vegas?
p.s. get more hands
Close to 2,000 hands I would say give or take.
I have no advice as far as Black Jack goes aside from good luck and have fun. Living cheaply on the other hand....many people would be amazed at how much money you really need to live at a decent level of comfort.
I purchased a cheap (but nice) townhouse, and spend less than $1000/month to survive including property taxes/utilities.
I'm not in vegas or APing, but I like to live lean because I'm running my own business, and the cashflow can be sporadic to say the least. You're in the same situation counting cards, and you should treat it like a business as well.
Here's a few things that have helped me:
- Get a roommate that isn't a criminal if possible. This immediately reduces your rent/utilities by half.
- Approach other expenses such as groceries and toiletries like an AP. This means coupons, sales, rebate apps, credit card cash back, etc etc. Nickels and dimes add up faster than you'd believe.
- Have self discipline and keep meticulous records of every penny that enters or leaves your wallet. Avoid stupid tax like parking or speeding tickets.
- Be ok with feeling like you have no life for a while. Invest in a Netflix subscription and hunker down with that and a bowl of ramen when you aren't working. Pick up other cheap hobbies/entertainment like video games or reading. This is easy for me because I'm homebody to begin with. Lock me in a room with a stack of books and movies and I'll be begging you to throw away the key. I understand everyone isn't like this, though. If you need to splurge try to expense it all to your comps.
- Don't have a kid.
Quote: gamerfreakSomehow I'm just finding this thread now, very good read so far.
I have no advice as far as Black Jack goes aside from good luck and have fun. Living cheaply on the other hand....many people would be amazed at how much money you really need to live at a decent level of comfort.
I purchased a cheap (but nice) townhouse, and spend less than $1000/month to survive including property taxes/utilities.
I'm not in vegas or APing, but I like to live lean because I'm running my own business, and the cashflow can be sporadic to say the least. You're in the same situation counting cards, and you should treat it like a business as well.
Here's a few things that have helped me:
- Get a roommate that isn't a criminal if possible. This immediately reduces your rent/utilities by half.
- Approach other expenses such as groceries and toiletries like an AP. This means coupons, sales, rebate apps, credit card cash back, etc etc. Nickels and dimes add up faster than you'd believe.
- Have self discipline and keep meticulous records of every penny that enters or leaves your wallet. Avoid stupid tax like parking or speeding tickets.
- Be ok with feeling like you have no life for a while. Invest in a Netflix subscription and hunker down with that and a bowl of ramen when you aren't working. Pick up other cheap hobbies/entertainment like video games or reading. This is easy for me because I'm homebody to begin with. Lock me in a room with a stack of books and movies and I'll be begging you to throw away the key. I understand everyone isn't like this, though. If you need to splurge try to expense it all to your comps.
- Don't have a kid.
Unless you are using it as a figure of speech, Ramen is -ev. Especially for someone who might have a tendency towards certain neurological or psych issues. Also especially who depends upon mental sharpness and stamina.
If you buy whatever is on sale, fruit, veggies, nuts, meat, eggs, beans, etc. are damn cheap. Get a crockpot and baby, you got a stew goin.
My mom retired comfortably largely because she found a great roommate.
My last roomate was a compulsive gambler who stole thousands from me, then left me on the hook for twice the rent and utilities I had planned on.
Since I'm not much of a cookin kinda person, if I buy meat or chicken at the store, I'll instantly look up a crockpot recipe on my phone or some other recipe. Then I'll buy the necessary ingredients and viola, I'm on the way to burning my house down. Skip all the recipes that include weird stuff that you've never heard about before or that require a lot of prep time....or ingredients you'll seldom use (like those weird spices, vegetables because they're bad, anytime you need to "pre-heat" an item, etc.).
Also YouTube is about as good as it gets when it comes to cooking. Usually they say stupid stuff like you gotta thoroughly cook the meat, chicken can't be pink/red/purple on the inside, yada yada yada. Nobody's ever died from "undercooked meat".....darn hippies these days, I'll tell ya hwat.
Quote: RigondeauxUnless you are using it as a figure of speech, Ramen is -ev. Especially for someone who might have a tendency towards certain neurological or psych issues. Also especially who depends upon mental sharpness and stamina.
Oh yea, there's no nutritional value there. Gotta limit it to a few times per week. There's also a lot god ways to add veggies, meat, and egg to ramen.
Quote: JoemanI was surprised to see complete frozen meals (We used to call them TV dinners. Crap, I'm getting old!) for $1 apiece at the local Dollar Tree. Not bad getting 3 hot meals a day for $3. Personally, I might consider this if I was seriously trying to live on the cheap. Mrs. Joeman, however, will not touch any dollar store food. Says they buy from questionable sources. She may be right.
$1 store staple right here:
Quote: JoemanI was surprised to see complete frozen meals (We used to call them TV dinners. Crap, I'm getting old!) for $1 apiece at the local Dollar Tree. Not bad getting 3 hot meals a day for $3. Personally, I might consider this if I was seriously trying to live on the cheap. Mrs. Joeman, however, will not touch any dollar store food. Says they buy from questionable sources. She may be right.
DISGUSTING....
You can make a nice large pot of home made spaghetti for about $10 that could last 1 person at least 20 meals.
Quote: GWAEDISGUSTING....
You can make a nice large pot of home made spaghetti for about $10 that could last 1 person at least 20 meals.
Spaghetti and meat sauce is one of my favorite meals. I especially like leftover spaghetti, fried to perfection.
With that said, I'll never forget the time I did just that, cook up three pounds of it over five days and eat nothing but it for a week. Did it for a bet and while I won the bet, I lost big time as it was months before I could enjoy it again.
ZK Arrived and was exactly who I expected in terms of what he looked like.
Other than being a bit antsy, he was very normal acting, had I never read any of his posts and meet him, I wouldn't even begin to think anything but the fact that he was level headed and normal. He was nice and respectful, he didn't say or do anything strange or out of line from what I can remember.
He seems like a smart guy who has the ability to excel at the things he does do.
If he can keep his emotions in check and let the math do its work he should do well barring any horrible variance or major missteps.
I would have no problem doing stuff with the guy once I got to know him better IF I knew he could keep himself calm and in check.
Everybody goes on tilt. How you handle it, that's another matter.Quote: AxelWolfI would have no problem doing stuff with the guy once I got to know him better IF I knew he could keep himself calm and in check.
I know another person like ZK. Verbally he's real calm, but via txt he goes on tilt.
Quote: mamatVerbally he's real calm, but via txt he goes on tilt.
I have put this phenomenon thusly:
Posting on the Web is kind of like being in a car. When you are in a car, you are isolated from your environs. You are sealed in 4,000 pounds of steel, plastic, and glass with your own conditioned air, music, and accoutrements. This is why so many people have no problem with screaming (leaning on their horns) when traffic is slow as if it is the fault of the person in front of them instead of a simple queuing problem. Now, if they weren’t surrounded in their cocoon, would they act in that manner? If you are standing in a line at the grocery store, would you scream at the top of your lungs (honk your horn) at the person in front of you?
The Web is a social phenom, and to an extent a social substitute. But, it is social in an isolated manner. When you are not standing face to face with a person, it is much easier to forget whatever social graces you may have learned, just as seemingly polite people may lean on their horns to no avail and wake up babies a half-mile away.
Quote: AxelWolfM410 and I meet up with ZK at the former Pool Sharks(newly remodeled).
Griff's Place. One of the nicer pool halls I have been in. I do worry it won't succeed unless they get gaming soon or start allowing smoking.
Quote: AxelWolfM410 and I meet up with ZK at the former Pool Sharks(newly remodeled). M410 explained why he would rather shoot pool or be doing something rather than just dinner. M410 arrived early and set up a bar tab and table, I arrived shortly after. I suspected I kinda knew M10 and when so I had a picture in my head what he would look like. It was not who I suspected however he mentioned a situation where we had met. Remembering at first was a bit foggy but it kinda came back to me.
ZK Arrived and was exactly who I expected in terms of what he looked like.
Other than being a bit antsy, he was very normal acting, had I never read any of his posts and meet him, I wouldn't even begin to think anything but the fact that he was level headed and normal. He was nice and respectful, he didn't say or do anything strange or out of line from what I can remember.
He seems like a smart guy who has the ability to excel at the things he does do.
If he can keep his emotions in check and let the math do its work he should do well barring any horrible variance or major missteps.
I would have no problem doing stuff with the guy once I got to know him better IF I knew he could keep himself calm and in check.
Thanks for the kind words. It was nice to meet the both of you. My problem, and I addressed this to you as well in person is sort of like what Norm was getting at in his recent post. It's almost like I have an alter ego online and its sort of my way to rage out any frustration. Of course as I'm learning, doing that online just destroys any credibility I may have of someone wanting to work with me etc and its just not very smart and I thank you for reiterating that to me.
If you and others haven't noticed, most of the crazy stuff I have said online came after a frustrating loss or a series of losses spanning a number of hours. I guess I just need to bottle it in more after a frustrating loss and not take it to the web because it just gives off a very bad impression of who I really am.
Was a pleasure meeting you Axel as well as Monet. Both of you were stand up guys.
Bottling frustration in literally never works out and even could resurface with physical issues. Find a healthy outlet that you enjoy after having a tough session... Escape with video games, or my personal favorite go work the heavy bag for a while. I'm not even a very rageful guy (hell I wanted to be a comedian most my life so I'm always laughing) but when I have some frustrations and work the bag for 30+ min man do I feel like all that weight is off my shoulders after. You just need to find your own healthy outlet.Quote: ZenKinG...If you and others haven't noticed, most of the crazy stuff I have said online came after a frustrating loss or a series of losses spanning a number of hours. I guess I just need to bottle it in more after a frustrating loss and not take it to the web because it just gives off a very bad impression of who I really am.
p.s. GET MORE HANDS... =)
It's hard to get back into video games once you start AP'ing for real money.Quote: RomesBottling frustration in literally never works out and even could resurface with physical issues. Find a healthy outlet that you enjoy after having a tough session... Escape with video games, or my personal favorite go work the heavy bag for a while. I'm not even a very rageful guy (hell I wanted to be a comedian most my life so I'm always laughing) but when I have some frustrations and work the bag for 30+ min man do I feel like all that weight is off my shoulders after. You just need to find your own healthy outlet.
p.s. GET MORE HANDS... =)
Quote: AxelWolfIt's hard to get back into video games once you start AP'ing for real money.
One of my small time BJ friends hustles tourists at Insert Coins. Nothing serious but he can walk out with $50-$100 and more drinks than he should imbibe.
I imagine he is over at the new place in the Dome but he hasn't mentioned it.
I still game a day or two a week for a little bit. Once a gamer always a gamer =).Quote: AxelWolfIt's hard to get back into video games once you start AP'ing for real money.
Quote: billryanOne of my small time BJ friends hustles tourists at Insert Coins. Nothing serious but he can walk out with $50-$100 and more drinks than he should imbibe.
I imagine he is over at the new place in the Dome but he hasn't mentioned it.
I haven't been back there since they reopened but my first visit was disappointing. Many of the games were broke or worse had broken controllers or buttons. Track and field with broke buttons just doesn't work.
There was a social convention on UseNet discussions in the 1980s which I miss. The "***FLAME ON***" and "***FLAME OFF ***".Quote: QFITPosting on the Web is kind of like being in a car. When you are in a car, you are isolated from your environs.
It gave people a clear way to separate RANTS from normal speech.
Sometimes we just want to say every crazy thing that we think/feel without the normal social editing.
In real life, this is usually done non-verbally.
Very rarely, some people communicate well enough that they ask first; e.g. "i really need to unload about XYZ, or have a nervous breakdown for 15 min. Would you mind holding space for me?"
Unfortunately, when web browsers began in 1990-1992, the explicit "flame on/off" convention never made to the general public.
Instead, we got millions of new "emojis". :-)
Fwiw. I don't think most folks took the ranting too seriously. The red flags shot up at your bull in the china shop approach to various pit bosses and dealers, reported by you. Also that you'd already made the black book. Made you look like a bad risk. Maybe you took the learning from those messes and can make it as a pro. Hope it works out for you.
Actually didn't ever visit either RGB or RGBM. Only started playing BJ in early 1990s, and I didn't use UseNet much after the 1990-92 web browsers came out (just during 1982-1992, a with a few sporadic visits later).Quote: QFITOnly vaguely remember that. RGB or RGBM?
150kph was not our typical speed but we were consistently going 10 -15 mph over without any issues. My 19 year-old's a speed demon.
Quote: ZenKingYou know, I'm starting to get sick of all the sarcastic comments. My questions are sincere and all I want to know is peoples experience of cross country driving and if they got pulled over and were questioned about money etc in the car. This is my first ever road trip and all I'm asking is for advice.
The cases of getting swindled out of money from driving are rare. However, there are banks in Las Vegas and you can simply draw your money from there by walking into a Bank of America branch, depositing 61K and then withdrawing it at a Bank of America in Vegas. If you need to wire $61k, it costs you $45 to do a wire. Plenty of ways to get around the paranoia.
Going anywhere with 61k in cash is a dumb idea. Your hotel room could get robbed, you could get robbed... there are so many ways to lose the money when you have it on your person....
Quote: boymimboThe cases of getting swindled out of money from driving are rare. However, there are banks in Las Vegas and you can simply draw your money from there by walking into a Bank of America branch, depositing 61K and then withdrawing it at a Bank of America in Vegas. If you need to wire $61k, it costs you $45 to do a wire. Plenty of ways to get around the paranoia.
Going anywhere with 61k in cash is a dumb idea. Your hotel room could get robbed, you could get robbed... there are so many ways to lose the money when you have it on your person....
I never said i was gonna bring 61k in cash. i already most of it in bank and before i came i deposited even more. Only brought a small portion of it in cash and already lost 5k's worth so far in vegas.
Down 7k again. I don't care what anyone says, but I just asked the pit boss where they get the cards from and they said China. Really? CHINA?
To make matters worse, I called the Nevada gaming commission. And guess what? Turns out these guys don't even inspect where the casinos get their cards nor do they inspect the cards at the end of the day. There is literally no regulation going on by the commission to see if all the cards are in there. So as a patron, you're not getting any oversight whatsoever in this town of what's actually in those 6-8 decks.
You're playing against cards that are shipped from china. Commission never inspects it start of day or end of day. Dealers never see anything. Pit bosses never see anything. Rinse and Repeat. Then the commission has the audacity to tell me casinos wouldn't risk their license to cheat. Really? What are they risking if you never check shit? They tell me they do random periodic checks LOL. Not one time have i ever seen a gaming agent come to a table and inspect the cards. All they said is they do random checks LOL, im done seriously. Anyone who doesn't even ask themselves the question of if theyre getting a fair game or not, is completely idiotic.
You act like you want to be an AP but you constantly burn any bridges that you may not even know exist.
Quote: ZenKinGThen the commission has the audacity to tell me casinos wouldn't risk their license to cheat. Really? What are they risking if you never check shit? They tell me they do random periodic checks LOL. Not one time have i ever seen a gaming agent come to a table and inspect the cards.
Has a Las Vegas casino ever lost it's license due to cheating? Every cheating case I've heard resulted in the casino paying a fine.
Quote: ZenKinG, im done seriously.
Well then, looks like you won't have as much cash to worry about the cops seizing on the lonely ride back to NJ after you put Las Vegas in your rear view mirror.
Edit: Paulson and Gemaco are from the same company...
http://gpigaming.com
Quote: monet0412Are you done? Does that mean you leaving Vegas? You have a problem that most players have. I see it more so with poker players. You have this idea that life is a square game or that your going to grind out a 1% edge and crush. If you aren't prepared to do all and anything to win you are going to have problems with this lifestyle. Don't listen to this BS on this forum about fair gaming or fair play. You need to learn how to find weak spots and exploit them to the maximum without going over the threshold. This is why you should learn all games in the Casino and not only counting cards in BJ. While you are smarter in math and grinding out some small edge driving yourself mad. Other guys who are just ordinary are exploiting some edge that is a 5 to 10 percent winner with little to no risk. Playing straight up is for suckers.
Monet, its not the losing, i just want to see the cards, thats all. If i know all the cards are there, i know ill come out ahead after tons of hours. If casinos arent willing to take 10 seconds and spread the cards face up and then tell me they're getting them from China and then the gaming commission is telling me they dont inspect the cards, why am i the one in the wrong here? How cant people see where im coming from? Let's not forget the tons of movies and documentaries on card counting in the past and these thoughts dont creep into someones mind? Running CVCX, there was about a 5% chance of me losing 7k as well. Yes short term data, but doesnt matter, still a rare event. I just dont understand why I get attacked or lose credibility for simply asking an honest question. How can everyone be so naive and believe such a corrupt industry that relies on psychologically taking your money while keeping a smile on your face. The whole industry relies on horrible morals and taking your money in the guise of entertainment.
Quote: IbeatyouracesI believe Paulson cards are made in Mexico and any brand by the U.S. Playing Card Co. (Bee, Aristocrat, Bicycle, etc.) is made in the USA. Dunno about Gemacos.
Edit: Paulson and Gemaco are from the same company...
http://gpigaming.com
From the card boxes i saw at Wynn and Encore, i see chinese lettering on the outside of the box so i believe they werent lying.
Casino games have a built in house edge. Therefore it's in the casino's best interest in having play be as absolutely random as possible. If they were cheating and the outcome was deterministic, that could just as easily be exploited by the other side from the other side of the table.
Quote: ZenKinGMonet, its not the losing, i just want to see the cards, thats all. If i know all the cards are there, i know ill come out ahead after tons of hours. If casinos arent willing to take 10 seconds and spread the cards face up and then tell me they're getting them from China and then the gaming commission is telling me they dont inspect the cards, why am i the one in the wrong here? How cant people see where im coming from? Let's not forget the tons of movies and documentaries on card counting in the past and these thoughts dont creep into someones mind? Running CVCX, there was about a 5% chance of me losing 7k as well. Yes short term data, but doesnt matter, still a rare event. I just dont understand why I get attacked or lose credibility for simply asking an honest question. How can everyone be so naive and believe such a corrupt industry that relies on psychologically taking your money while keeping a smile on your face. The whole industry relies on horrible morals and taking your money in the guise of entertainment.
You'll only see all the cards face up when they first open a table or during a card changes which is usually very early in the morning. This is standard procedure all over the country.
Quote: gamerfreakIt's variance, not cheating. I think you should seek out other plays beyond BJ to diversify your risk. I'm not an AP so I'm not speaking from experience, so take all this with a grain of salt, but I believe many on here have said that 50% swings in bankroll isn't unheard of.
Casino games have a built in house edge. Therefore it's in the casino's best interest in having play be as absolutely random as possible. If they were cheating and the outcome was deterministic, that could just as easily be exploited by the other side from the other side of the table.
I understand the math. For the last time, it's not the losing, its the procedures in place that make me doubt the game. Ive lost all of my 25k profit before in a span of 150 hours after 400 hours of play only to make back 42k, so i know the swings of the game. The thing that is frustrating me is the shady procedures so far in this town. Casinos getting cards from China. Commission telling me that they dont even inspect the cards that these casinos get their cards from, all of that just shot up red flags.
And just let me say this one more time. I really cant stand how i lose credibility on this forum and with people by simply asking a simple honest question. Show me the cards, its not that hard. I would never say anything to anyone in the casino again if i could simply see the cards with my own eyes so i know its a fair game. Why should I even have to ask this question. Casinos should be doing this automatically to show some integrity. All it takes is a minute max. How can you expect your customers to just sit down and play and take your word for it, when your whole industry relies on you taking their money. Just hilarious. And im the bad guy? Crazy. Dont even want to be a part of this forum if people cant understand where im coming from.
