If you were the Director of Table Games in your own casino, which games would you offer?

When I worked as a pit clerk, I spent a weird amount of free time organizing and planning my own imaginary table games area of a casino. It got me to wonder, what would everyone else offer if they had their own casino? Obviously the offerings would be entirely dependent on how many tables you had to work with, so for the sake of this thread, share what you would include in a casino with 25 tables, a casino with 100 tables, and a mega-casino with 400 tables. If you can, explain your choices.

I'll start. For my 25-table casino, I'd offer the following games (I think that opinions aside, each of these games is pretty much mandatory to offer if there are tables to accommodate them):

1) Blackjack (11 tables - 6D, 3 tables - 2D)
2) Craps (2 tables)
3) Roulette (2 tables)
4) Baccarat (2 tables - Mini-Baccarat)
5) Three Card Poker (2 tables)
6) Pai Gow Poker (2 tables)
7) Mississippi Stud (1 table)

For a 100-table casino, I'd expand the offering to include all of these:

8) Caribbean Stud [different enough from other poker carnival game offerings, still has large enough following]
9) Casino War [stupid game, but in a tourist market, this game is different enough to be worthwhile]
10) Pai Gow Tiles [an Asian-themed area is a must, making this game a must if there's enough room]
11) Big Six [a single wheel near the entrance makes sense]
12) Spanish 21 [still popular enough to be included, right?]
13) Ultimate Texas Hold'em [newer game that seems to have enough to differentiate it from other poker games]
14) Let it Ride [I'd only keep a single table of this to accommodate the select few who still follow this. Without them, I wouldn't even include this game.]
15) Sic Bo [one single table for the Asian game section]

For a 400-table casino, I'd go crazy. One of the things I'd really like to do is have a "travel the world" pit that offers games popular in other countries, plus offer a unique selection of games not seen elsewhere. I realize it's not realistic, but this is just for fun. Pretty much every game here would have a single table in this special pit.

16) 7-14-21 [I absolutely love the concept behind this game. It's in.]
17) Zero [Same here. It'd do very well in complimenting my Asian games section.]
18) Red Dog [This game is almost entirely dead in the US, so I want to bring it back. Unique enough to warrant its own table.]
19) Catch a Wave [ditto.]
20) Asia Poker [another game for my Asian games section, to compliment Pai Gow.]
21) Deuces Wild [I'm sure people who played carnival games in Vegas 12 years ago will appreciate this one].
22) Flop Poker [I live in Louisiana, and this game still has some popularity here, so what the hell.]
23) Four Card Poker [I absolutely hate this game, but it's still popular enough that I can't really skip it.]
24) Triple Shot [for my players with ADHD. A multi-game carnival game seems like a must.]
25) Two Up [popular in Australia - a unique concept to diversify the games portfolio.]
26) Trente Et Quarante [popular in France/Monaco - yet again a unique game for my "travel the world" pit].
27) Chemin de Fer [I'd bring the first table of this game to the US in my high limit room. $2000 minimum!]
28) Faro [not kidding! It'd obviously have some tweaks to fit gaming board regulations, but this game is a piece of gaming history and I'd find some crazy way to offer it.]
29) Blackjack Switch [this and the next few are simply to round off the list with a table apiece of games that are somewhat popular throughout the US.]
30) Super Fun 21
31) Crazy 4 Poker
32) Texas Hold'em Bonus

I haven't had enough to drink to allocate each of the tables to these games, but I may come back and do that later. Games like EZ Pai Gow, Craps No More, etc aren't included because I think they can fit under the umbrella of an existing game. Poker itself isn't listed for obvious reasons.

I'd promote Pai Gow Tiles to a higher position on the list.

Its mandatory to have the Big Six Wheel and mandatory to have it at the entrance. Would you open an herb garden without the traditional monkeys at the entrance? Its traditional. And the Big Six Wheel is the initial gathering spot for the ill-informed who are timid about the other games.

You make no mention of geography so its hard to know about some of the other requirements. Local whims do play a role. Would Pai Gow Tiles do very well in Florida where there is a great deal of Domino playing going on? Wouldn't you have more craps tables if you were in NYC?

Remember, exotic games take training, time and have an impact on toke rates, which has an impact on morale. And the ebb and flow of "gambling groups" can be important. Spouses, friends, conventioneers .... there is always more going on than just one person gambling, so demand varies as players tend to engage in vote-pooling to determine where to meet and what to play.

1) Blackjack (11 tables - 6D, 3 tables - 2D) Hah. Blackjack tables are differentiated by minimum bets more than by number of decks.
2) Craps (2 tables) I'd think you would need 3
3) Roulette (2 tables) Two wheels? Two dealers?
4) Baccarat (2 tables - Mini-Baccarat) More tables in Asian neighborhoods.
5) Three Card Poker (2 tables) I thought 3CP was dying?
6) Pai Gow Poker (2 tables)
7) Mississippi Stud (1 table) I thought this was booming. Particularly in Mississippi.

For a 100-table casino, I'd expand the offering to include all of these:

8) Caribbean Stud [different enough from other poker carnival game offerings, still has large enough following]
9) Casino War [stupid game, but in a tourist market, this game is different enough to be worthwhile]

12) Spanish 21 [still popular enough to be included, right?]
13) Ultimate Texas Hold'em [newer game that seems to have enough to differentiate it from other poker games]
14) Let it Ride [I'd only keep a single table of this to accommodate the select few who still follow this. Without them, I wouldn't even include this game.]
Also known as Let It Die... keep it because you need a punishment position for dealers to be sent to.
15) Sic Bo [one single table for the Asian game section] I'd promote this to a higher priority. Comp your players to a free showing of the movie Macau then the table will always be full.

> I realize it's not realistic,
Then don't do it. Gamblers are very realistic people. Training and toke rates would kill you if you give in to your whims but your customers do not.

Sorry to bump this thread, but I want to remember to come back to it and perhaps some more people will respond now that WovCon is over. I will post mine later tonight, but so far, you have a pretty good list, though each market is different. What markets are you considering?

Thanks for bumping this Tiltpoul. I saw the thread a few days ago and meant to comment, but then I left town. Which reminds me - is it too early to start looking at fares for a return to Vegas? I miss it already.

I would love to see Texas Hold'em Bonus and Ultimate Texas Hold'em in the same pit. I enjoy both games, and they're different enough that I'd play both in an evening. Throw in Pai Gow Poker and you'd have a very strong list of 7 card poker variations.

4 card is an OK game, I like Crazy Poker a little better but one or the other should be in for sure. 3 card is unavoidable, even though nobody plays it. Throw a progressive on it and maybe it'll be half full on weekends. LIR and MS Stud both have good qualities, and could maybe coexist.

I really really like Texas Shootout. I'd add it for novelty.

I maybe wouldn't take up space with sic bo or big 6, unless there was room on the end of a pit.

I'd put in a couple 4 deck BJ games with slightly increased minimums, H17. I'd also put in a single deck game, H17 double 8-11, at a high minimum.

I'd rather see BJ switch than Spanish 21 if pressed for space. Both are fun games, but I prefer the side bet and progressive options on Switch better than on Spanish 21.

I think I'd also offer nothing but nearly-fullpay (slightly under 100%) video poker. But only super-volatile games. Then I'd market the hell out of the payback percentages and machine count.

Quote: Tiltpoul

Sorry to bump this thread, but I want to remember to come back to it and perhaps some more people will respond now that WovCon is over. I will post mine later tonight, but so far, you have a pretty good list, though each market is different. What markets are you considering?

A fantasy one, haha. The vast majority of that list isn't actually viable almost anywhere.

This is all just for fun. If I were being completely serious, for something like New Orleans where I'm from, I'd likely keep the 25- and 100-table lists the same but remove Zero, Red Dog, Catch a Wave, Asia Poker, Deuces Wild, Triple Shot, Two Up, Trente Et Quarante, Chemin De Fer, Faro, and Super Fun 21 from the list for the 400-table casino.

Quote: FleaStiff

1) Blackjack (11 tables - 6D, 3 tables - 2D) Hah. Blackjack tables are differentiated by minimum bets more than by number of decks.

Okay. I'd do two $5 CSM 6D games, five $10 games, two $15 games, two $25 shoe games, a S17 $100 shoe game, a $15 2D, and two $25 2Ds.

2) Craps (2 tables) I'd think you would need 3

I'm basing this on the seven games offered in my local casino, where a very similar arrangement works super well. We almost never open the second Craps table here. A third would be a waste.

3) Roulette (2 tables) Two wheels? Two dealers?

Two wheels.

4) Baccarat (2 tables - Mini-Baccarat) More tables in Asian neighborhoods.
5) Three Card Poker (2 tables) I thought 3CP was dying?

Not here.

6) Pai Gow Poker (2 tables)
7) Mississippi Stud (1 table) I thought this was booming. Particularly in Mississippi.

It is, and I'd offer more MS games if there were more tables. One is plenty for me.

For a 100-table casino, I'd expand the offering to include all of these:

8) Caribbean Stud [different enough from other poker carnival game offerings, still has large enough following]
9) Casino War [stupid game, but in a tourist market, this game is different enough to be worthwhile]

12) Spanish 21 [still popular enough to be included, right?]
13) Ultimate Texas Hold'em [newer game that seems to have enough to differentiate it from other poker games]
14) Let it Ride [I'd only keep a single table of this to accommodate the select few who still follow this. Without them, I wouldn't even include this game.]
Also known as Let It Die... keep it because you need a punishment position for dealers to be sent to.
15) Sic Bo [one single table for the Asian game section] I'd promote this to a higher priority. Comp your players to a free showing of the movie Macau then the table will always be full.

> I realize it's not realistic,
Then don't do it. Gamblers are very realistic people. Training and toke rates would kill you if you give in to your whims but your customers do not.

If I were a director who actually looked out for the dealers first and foremost, I'd freaking get rid of all kinds of things. Maybe even Mini-Baccarat.

Realistically, you'd have to group most of 16-28 into 1-2 tables with variable or multi-purpose layouts, varying them by day, offering exotic games as temporarily specials and on demand. Hopefully you'd have a dealer or two who have more than half a brain and can learn more than a couple games.

the casino I work in bumped the big six wheel out in favour of a second war table.

1) Blackjack (8 tables) $10 - $200 and $50 - $1000: 4 Decks
RULES: S17 7/5 D9 Rs3 RSA HSA 6CC Surr about 0.48% at WoO site. Just to be different :oP
2) Craps (6 tables) Australian Payouts, 5x Pass Line Bet, and 6x Dont Pass Bet as the Free Odds $6 to $500/$100 Center
3) European Roulette (2 tables $5 min. 2 Tables $20 min. $200 max on the #, $2000 outside)
4) Baccarat (6 tables - 3 are EZ Baccarat) $20 to $1000
5) Pai Gow Poker (4 tables) $20 min. 1/2 Commission (2.5%), NO Banking, $10 multiples $20 - $1000
6) Pai Gow Tiles (2 tables) $20 - $1000 Bank and Full Commission

Plus 200 VP machines 10 game variety, play 1 to 10 hands (10c, 25c, 50c, $1, $2, $5) cents = 98%, $'s = 99%
50 VP 10 game straight-up ($10, $25, $50, $100, $250) 99.5%

Poker Room 30 tables
$3/6 TH FL&NL, OM NL, OM/HL PL (2 each)
$5/10 TH NL, OM NL, OM/HL PL (2 ea.)
$10/$20 TH NL, OM NL, OM/HL PL (2 ea.)
$20/40 TH NL, OM NL, OM/HL PL (2 ea.)
$30/60 same (1 ea.)
Reserved High Limit 2 tables Game TBD

An interesting question, and almost impossible to answer, because the right mix depends on many factors:

* What will the state/jurisdiction allow? If they don't allow dice games, then that's an obvious disincentive to offering craps.
* Does the state/jurisdiction allow slot machines? If they do not, that would force more volume to the table games (if they come at all).
* What's the state/jurisdiction's take? The more they take, the worse the games have to be.
* Does the state/jurisdiction have rules on the games that must/cannot be allowed?
* How much competition is there locally?
* What games does the local competition (if any) offer?
* Am I part of a chain? If I called up MGM LV and asked for the profitability of their TCP tables, there's absolutely no chance they'd tell me. But if I was running one of their satellites out in the boonies, I'm sure I could get the right answers.
* What's the dealer pool like in the local area? LV is crawling with dealers that can deal any game, but deep in the heart of the Midwest, to get someone to deal one of the more obscure games, I'd have to incent and/or train one - time and money.
* Do I have/need a high limit area?
* What's the Asian population like in the local area? Asians have different preferences in games than the regular population.
* Where am I? Different region populations play and enjoy different games.

And probably some questions I've neglected. But let's put a 25-table casino in, say, Lansing, Michigan. Going through the questions above... The state allows any game - including Class III slots - and don't have any mandatory game rules. Only slot machines are taxed. The nearest casinos are 60 miles away, though there are several between 60-120 miles. The competition offers a broad variety of games, though most are bigger than 25 tables. Let's assume I'm not part of a chain. Limited dealer pool except for the big 3. No high limit area to start. Small Asian population (and mostly students at that).

* One pit (4 games) of carnival games - none with more than 2 tables. Mini-baccarat and/or PGP could go in the mix here.
* Craps (3) - I went back and forth between 3 and 1, and 2 an 2, for the craps/roulette mix. Deciding factor? I prefer craps, so there you go.
* Roulette (1)
* Blackjack Switch (1)
* Four pits of blackjack - 12 tables with 6 decks, auto shuffled, h17, das, ls ($5-100 limits mostly on weekdays; some go higher on weekends), three tables with the same rules but $10-200 limits (may go to $15+ min on weekends), one $25-500 double deck table, same rules. No freakin' 6:5 in MY house; I want to give the player an even break.

Sorry it's so vanilla, but I think it's what the locals want and are willing to stand for.

OKAY, so I spent some time deciding the order I would put games. I will also indicate the break for 25, 50, 75, and 100+, though I will not specify number of tables per game. Just know the higher on the list, the more tables there would be for that game proportionately. Also, this is entirely market based, and I will make notes where that applies.

25
1) 6-deck BJ: H17, DAS, RSA, Surrender, at low limits ($10 mins to $20); S17 with same rules ($25 and higher). Low limits would also have 21+3 side bet with 9:1 payout for all flushes and higher.
2) Mini-Baccarat: Dragon Side bet
3) Craps: Triple on Field, Buy bets after wins only, Fire bet included
4) Roulette: 00 wheels on floor, 0 in high limit
5) Three Card Poker: 4-1 on Flush, $1 Progressive
6) Pai Gow Poker: Emperor's Challenge
7) 2-deck BJ: H17, DAS, RSA pitch game ($25 mins at all times)
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50
8) Ultimate Texas Hold Em: Optimal Trips bet
9) Mississippi Stud
10) Let it Ride
11) 1-deck BJ: BJ pays 3:2, H17, RSA, no DAS, DA2 ($25 min with $200 max OR min at any amount with 8x max) Card counters would be flat betted or asked to leave table.
12) Spanish 21: H17, Redouble allowed, 6-decks with appropriate side bet table
13) EZ Baccarat: Dragon max is $50
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75
14) EZ Pai Gow Poker- With insurance, fortune and Dragon side bet
15) Pai Gow Tiles- Banking allowed, Co banking allowed
16) Casino War
17) Texas Holdem Bonus- Payout on Straight or better
18) Crazy 4 Poker
19) Four Card Poker
20) Caribbean Stud
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100+ (no particular order at this point)
Pai Gow Mania
Flop Poker
Big 6
Sic Bo
Crapless Craps
3-5-7 (The license was revoked on the game, but I rather enjoyed it)
No Bust BJ
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As I said, it's entirely market based, but in the most equal settings this was the best list I could come up with. For example, Mississippi I would move PGP to second tier and move MS Stud into the must have list. In Iowa, I'd move PGP up higher than roulette. At Horseshoe casinos, all the Asian games would move up into the highest tiers. Atlantic City Pai Gow Tiles would be after Roulette.

I'd also only have a few tables of 2-deck and maybe one or two of 1-deck. These games are offered more as a courtesy, rather than moneymakers.

Vanilla is sometimes all the locals can afford but to them its not always vanilla... its excitement. It may be the closest that they ever get to Las Vegas (and they know that). A skimpy outfit on the CW? Great. Most restaurants in town don't offer even that. The prospect of free drinks? Now you're talkin!

Game mix at a locals casino? Heck half of them need instruction on how to pull a red handle and half of them will never play more than one game anyway.

Perfect market for an honest Bingo hall but it would cut sharply into the local religious run Bingo Rip-Offs.

One five dollar table as a token to low minimums probably won't cut it though.

Seems to me that once you get to 50 tables, you are pretty much unlimited on what carnival games you can offer and will put in all the titles that work regionally in your market. It is at the 25 table limit you need to make some decisions. This is what I would do with a 25 Table property:

Main Pit (13 tables total, 1st pit to open)

4 BJ Tables (2 with long shot side bets like Lucky Ladies or Royal Match, other 2 higher min tables for serious BJ players)
1 Spanish 21 table
1 Craps (Bonus Craps - Small/Tall/All side bet)
1 Roulette
1 Fortune PGP w/ Progressive & 5% Commission
1 EZ PGP w/ Dynasty, Progressive & Queen's Dragon Side bets
1 UTH w/ Prog.
1 Three Card Poker w/Prog.
1 Mississippi Stud
1 Crazy Four Poker

Overflow Pit (12 tables open nights & weekends)

4 BJ Tables (2 with Lucky Ladies or Royal Match & 2 with lower HE rate side bet like Lucky Lucky)
1 BJ Switch
1 21+3 BJ
1 Craps (Bonus Craps - Small/Tall/All Side Bet)
1 Roulette
1 Fortune PGP or EZ PGP - whichever title was played more in first pit
1 UTH w/Prog
1 Let It Ride Bonus
1 "New Game Trial Table" that starts out with Ultimate Three Card Poker (on a 90 day free trial)

Would like to do bacc, but you really need at least 2 tables for that and unless there was a heavy bacc crowd in the area, not worth allocating 10% of your tables to the game.

Maybe someone here might get a kick out of this. I had a silly amount of downtime when I worked as a pit clerk. When I made this, I was clueless about all kinds of things. I went completely overboard with it and actually never finished this spreadsheet, haha. Nevertheless, here's what I made as plans for a table-games-only mega-casino:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aintxh4W_vHEdEhCTXVWRTJ2WWM1dGxzMDNlNWoxc3c

I would change all kinds of shit on here now that I know how casinos actually work, so please don't attack me, haha.

let's get back to what a casino table games pit should look like....
People here are getting way too expansive and fancy:
Assuming you do NOT have a "paid-off" corporate office with connection to "preferred" game distributors [cough, ahem...phlegm...]
1. Small TINY pit - five tables
- Two BJ, one double deck, one shoe/CSM, good rules. Standard side bets: Lucky ladies, Bust-it, Pair the Square
- One crap table, mini tub or half tub.
BOTH always open.
- One Three card poker, often open
- One mini-Roulette, often open.
That is it.
No fantasy, this is the basic meat and potatoes.

TEN-Twelve tables:
- three BJ: ONE shoe, one double deck, ONE 24-hour $3 CSM, all have side bets.
- ONE full-sized crap table, with Fire bet or other side bet.
- ONE Roulette
- One or TWO Pai Gow Poker, with one with progressive.
- ONE Three Card. - BASIC pit for SIX/Seven always open main tables.
Overflow pit of five closeable/non-24 hour tables (Thursday-Sunday night/swing shift):
- Overflow BJ game, double deck or 6-deck. - With FREE public domain side bets for no license fees.
- Third Pai Gow Poker or ONE Ultimate Texas Hold 'em, or Texas Hold 'em Bonus. NO progressive for license fees.
- Second three card poker.
- IF Baccarat is an option, then ONE Mini-Bac table, Public domain, or EZ Baccarat or Shufflemaster Dragon Bonus baccarat at cheap price.
- One Carny here: Crazy-4 Poker, Rabbit Hunter, etc., if popular else additional generic PGP, 3CP, or shoe BJ game.

Paradigm's pit looks like a VERY modern casino pit, NOT like a small gambling hall.
For for more than 15 tables, I would focus on the basic and most license-free staples ("meat and potatoes"), and add the current proprietary "au courrant" big shot winners on a case-by-case basis:
casino pits larger than 20 tables:
- Virtually 100% "Big standard games throught first 7 tables.
- up to five Carny tables "Not on the big list" through 20 tables"
- 50% "Big Standard Games" after tables table #20, with the up-to-50% carny games going into jeoporady status or "BUY MORE" status - based on MONTHLY drop and hold performance on a two-month average to pull or buy, - where the profit exceeds its license cost by 2-to-1 and where its table drop action exceeds that of any "free" BJ type game.
do poorly and you're out.
Do well, and you expand.