Kelmo
Kelmo
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October 31st, 2010 at 7:34:37 PM permalink
I was wondering if any LV regulars could tell me how much the pitstaff in Downtown LV generally let you increase your wagers if they think you may be counting? 4X, 5X, etc?
Paigowdan
Paigowdan
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October 31st, 2010 at 8:08:05 PM permalink
Downtown is rough. They hawk you like crazy. If you flat bet, get lucky and win, they think you're counting.

Middle-class local casinos away from the strip (Sam's Town, Fiesta Henderson, GVR, etc.) don't hound you, give you a wide range, and let you have your winnings, if you aren't counting.
Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes - Henry David Thoreau. Like Dealers' uniforms - Dan.
mkl654321
mkl654321
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October 31st, 2010 at 8:13:30 PM permalink
If you're at the El Cortez, a 1-2 spread can get you heat, even backed off (!!!). Elsewhere downtown, you probably can't even get away with 1-4, and anything larger, forget it. They're REALLY sweating the money these days, especially at the few decent games that remain.

Super bonus tip for you: you can still count cards in Reno. In Las Vegas, you just might need your +5 Cloak of Invisibility.
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
Kelmo
Kelmo
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November 1st, 2010 at 4:05:50 AM permalink
Quote: mkl654321

If you're at the El Cortez, a 1-2 spread can get you heat, even backed off (!!!). Elsewhere downtown, you probably can't even get away with 1-4, and anything larger, forget it. They're REALLY sweating the money these days, especially at the few decent games that remain.

Super bonus tip for you: you can still count cards in Reno. In Las Vegas, you just might need your +5 Cloak of Invisibility.



So what do they do? Tell the dealer to shuffle-up?
FleaStiff
FleaStiff
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November 1st, 2010 at 4:57:49 AM permalink
Quote: Kelmo

So what do they do? Tell the dealer to shuffle-up?

I'm TOLD that the sequence is often: Shuffle, Floor chats with you in a distracting manner, Floor STARES at you, Floor picks up phone and pretends to make a call while staring directly at you the entire time.

I've not experienced any of this stuff but then every time I count cards... I get 52.
And I never engage in Bet Spreading: I always stack the chips neatly the way I'm supposed to!

Now, what happens at SouthPoint to Bet Spreaders is that this beautiful woman comes up to you and unzips you right there ... then security shows up with this large pair of garden shears! Okay, Okay... so this doesn't actually happen but at South Point if you go from a five dollar bet to a ten dollar bet, I'm told that it is what they want to do to you!
mkl654321
mkl654321
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November 1st, 2010 at 12:02:31 PM permalink
Quote: Kelmo

So what do they do? Tell the dealer to shuffle-up?



No, they tell you to shuffle off.
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
mkl654321
mkl654321
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November 1st, 2010 at 12:09:10 PM permalink
Quote: FleaStiff

I'm TOLD that the sequence is often: Shuffle, Floor chats with you in a distracting manner, Floor STARES at you, Floor picks up phone and pretends to make a call while staring directly at you the entire time.

I've not experienced any of this stuff but then every time I count cards... I get 52.
And I never engage in Bet Spreading: I always stack the chips neatly the way I'm supposed to!

Now, what happens at SouthPoint to Bet Spreaders is that this beautiful woman comes up to you and unzips you right there ... then security shows up with this large pair of garden shears! Okay, Okay... so this doesn't actually happen but at South Point if you go from a five dollar bet to a ten dollar bet, I'm told that it is what they want to do to you!



No, no, the garden shears treatment is only if you bet TWENTY dollars. The pay schedule is actually:

Ten dollars: frowny face, and they send someone to sit down next to you and light up a cigar. The next drink you order will be spiked with kerosene.
Fifteen dollars: tasering by security.
Twenty dollars: garden shears treatment, as above.
Twenty-five dollars: you are dragged out to the equestrian arena, hog-tied, and planted face first into a giant pile of horse manure.

I hasten to add that these penalties are for simply increasing your bet. If you also happen to WIN, in addition to all the above retaliatory measures, your players' card is canceled, the slot club is instructed to mail you letter bombs instead of free play coupons, and "Sadistic Max", the 470-pound security guard, is instructed to give you "The Atomic Wedgie".
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
Kelmo
Kelmo
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November 1st, 2010 at 10:45:24 PM permalink
Quote: mkl654321

No, no, the garden shears treatment is only if you bet TWENTY dollars. The pay schedule is actually:

Ten dollars: frowny face, and they send someone to sit down next to you and light up a cigar. The next drink you order will be spiked with kerosene.
Fifteen dollars: tasering by security.
Twenty dollars: garden shears treatment, as above.
Twenty-five dollars: you are dragged out to the equestrian arena, hog-tied, and planted face first into a giant pile of horse manure.

I hasten to add that these penalties are for simply increasing your bet. If you also happen to WIN, in addition to all the above retaliatory measures, your players' card is canceled, the slot club is instructed to mail you letter bombs instead of free play coupons, and "Sadistic Max", the 470-pound security guard, is instructed to give you "The Atomic Wedgie".



I take this to mean nobody really knows.
EvenBob
EvenBob
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November 1st, 2010 at 10:53:01 PM permalink
Quote: Kelmo

I take this to mean nobody really knows.



No, the staring and fake calls are quite real. Also, standing next to you while staring is quite popular. Better than the Vegas of the 60's and 70's where they took you in the back room to get better aqquainted.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
FleaStiff
FleaStiff
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November 2nd, 2010 at 5:26:53 AM permalink
Quote: Kelmo

I take this to mean nobody really knows.


Not quite. I tried to inject a bit of levity but in reality I do realize it is a very serious question.
No one really knows for sure until something happens to them or at least in their presence.

Based on all that I have heard from many, many sources, quite a few of them very reliable sources, you can expect, but not necessarily experience the following sequence.

Shuffling,
Annoyingly distracting Floor chatter,
Overt Floor staring with unconcealed hostile attitude. Arms crossed, sour expression on face as if you haven't bathed in a month.
Overt but probably fake telephone call with Floor glaring at you throughout it.

Anything beyond that is unpredictable.
Some places, after having made a fake call decide to make a real one.
Some places, such as South Point, have reputations, but even so a lot of the stories may be embellished a bit and may have been influenced by alcohol intake and anger.

Obviously it won't be beautiful women toting a pair of garden shears, we all know that. Being told you are greedy and instructed to leave is far, far more likely than seeing someone show up with any lasers or garden shears. Lots of stories are bandied about. Many get embellished. Many incidents that are talked about never took place. Many incidents that are talked about did indeed take place.
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