Poll

12 votes (70.58%)
No votes (0%)
2 votes (11.76%)
1 vote (5.88%)
3 votes (17.64%)
1 vote (5.88%)
3 votes (17.64%)
1 vote (5.88%)
1 vote (5.88%)
No votes (0%)

17 members have voted

Wizard
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Wizard
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January 13th, 2018 at 6:25:56 AM permalink
I am almost finished with a length blog entry on the Gambling in Aruba. It still needs some more pictures. Yes, I know it is missing the blackjack strategy and the Crystal Casino picture is oriented wrong. I have a lesser degree of control over pictures and images than I used to so am waiting on those fixes. However, the text is pretty much done, pending any changes based on corrections or suggestions you may have.

The question for the poll is what did you think?
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
100xOdds
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January 13th, 2018 at 7:13:32 AM permalink
the casinos anywhere close to the cruise port?
(not that it matters since NCL canceled the Aruba port because of sick passenger that needed Medivac the day before.)
Craps is paradise (Pair of dice). Lets hear it for the SpeedCount Mathletes :)
FleaStiff
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January 13th, 2018 at 7:25:09 AM permalink
How much extra does one have to pay to obtain a rooffied cocktail?
Wizard
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January 13th, 2018 at 7:27:50 AM permalink
Quote: 100xOdds

the casinos anywhere close to the cruise port?
(not that it matters since NCL canceled the Aruba port because of sick passenger that needed Medivac the day before.)



Yes, the two downtown casinos listed. Easy walking distance.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
Wizard
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January 13th, 2018 at 7:28:19 AM permalink
Quote: FleaStiff

How much extra does one have to pay to obtain a rooffied cocktail?



Free for cute blondes.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
DRich
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January 13th, 2018 at 7:51:09 AM permalink
The last time I was in the Holiday Inn Excelsior casino I ran into Russ Hamilton and Denny Mason. I spoke to Denny and he said they were investing in the property. I don't know if Russ still has a piece of it but Denny passed away a few years ago. Even though I personally liked Denny, with those guys involved I would keep my distance.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
RogerKint
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January 13th, 2018 at 8:19:56 AM permalink
The public bus system is great in Aruba although not as good as Vegas. It was fast and efficient enough to allow me to visit all but one Aruba casino in a day. The drivers were also very friendly making unscheduled stops outside of actual bus stops.
Last edited by: RogerKint on Jan 13, 2018
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Wizard
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January 13th, 2018 at 10:17:00 AM permalink
Quote: RogerKint

The public bus system is great in Aruba although not as good as Vegas. It was fast and efficient enough to allow me to visit all but one Aruba casino in a day. The drivers were also very friendly making unscheduled stops outside of actual bus stops.



I highly recommend the bus that goes between Orangstad. I took it many times. I probably should add a comment about it.

In other news, the remaining pictures have been added.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
DeMango
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January 13th, 2018 at 11:10:50 AM permalink
An excellent report, but nothing on craps. Is dice setting allowed or verboten?
When a rock is thrown into a pack of dogs, the one that yells the loudest is the one who got hit.
Wizard
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January 13th, 2018 at 2:22:01 PM permalink
Quote: DeMango

An excellent report, but nothing on craps. Is dice setting allowed or verboten?



You can see most casinos had one table. Again, high minimums. $10 to $15 on the line was typical. Kind of like baccarat, the tables were either packed or dead.

I saw one sign that said something like, "Dice can not be set, rubbed, cupped in your hand, or lobbed." Another said something like "If it's your turn to shoot, just pick up the dice and throw." Sounds like they have a problem with dice setters wasting time with their delivery.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
NokTang
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January 13th, 2018 at 7:32:02 PM permalink
When we visited years ago you could rent small motorcycles, vespa type, for the day and explore. Did you happen to notice if this was still available?

There was also a true Argentinian Steak House serving imported and delicious Argentine beef. While that sounds and reads odd, Argentine beef seems difficult to get outside Argentina. Did you notice? It was excellent and famous.

Thanks, a great report and great memories.
JW17
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January 16th, 2018 at 9:29:40 PM permalink
Been to Aruba, probably my favorite country I have visited.

A few notes, crazy you missed 2 of my favorite casinos! Alhambra was my favorite. Trop isn't bad either.

When I was there I highly enjoyed the Seaport casino "sports and race book" It is an outside seating area, all locals and me. Loved the joint, but hey I'm a horse player.
RogerKint
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January 16th, 2018 at 9:40:34 PM permalink
Quote: JW17

Trop isn't bad either.



When I was there it was just a tiny square room with a cafe and old junky slots as an afterthought. It reminded me of Slots a Fun in Vegas. The worst part is it wasn't near the bus stop or even attached to the Tropicana resort itself.
Last edited by: RogerKint on Jan 16, 2018
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Rigondeaux
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January 16th, 2018 at 11:26:48 PM permalink
Be sure to put the food in the palm of your hand, unlike me who held out a carrot stick to this ostrich who evidently was never told "don't bite the hand that feeds you!

I loled.
PokerGrinder
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DeMango
January 16th, 2018 at 11:51:54 PM permalink
I read this the other day and forgot to comment. Mike I loved your review/write up of Aruba. I have been interested in going for years so it was great to get such an in-depth look at Aruba. Thank you!
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RS
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January 17th, 2018 at 12:03:51 AM permalink
Quote:

Furthermore, Aruba is a hot.


A hot....what?

Quote:

Orangestad


Quote:

Oranjestad



Quote:

The Caribbean Stud (/games/caribbean-stud-poker/) table followed a jackpot side bet pay table I haven't seen before, as follows:


That supposed to be a link?

Quote:

When you first get there, you can expect to stand in about a 30-minute, line but it's worth it.


That second comma. Nahhh.

Quote:

There is a separate window for beverages, and there was no line at that time.


This comma doesn't seem necessary.

Quote:

A great reward after climbing Mount Hooiberg.


That's a fragment.

Quote:

This is a private all-inclusive island and you can kill a day, here.


Idk if I'm crazy ornah, but that comma also doesn't seem necessary.

Quote:

A good option if you have children with you. All the food and beverages (with and without alcohol) you want. Great snorkeling as well as a zipline, banana boat rides, trampoline, and safe swimming area.


More fragments.

Quote:

but most people seemed to leave happy, including me.


But

Quote:

I wouldn't go out of your way to this one, but if you do any kind of island tour, I'm sure you'll end up here at some point.


"I wouldn't go out of your way". O_O

Quote:

My guide for the day told me the beach has had more than its share of drowning victims due to a powerful rid tide.


Rip* tide.

Quote:

This was actually my room at the Brickell Bay [#314]. What are the odds? The only reason for the long pants is I was headed to the airport, where I had to make a connecting flight in Boston, where it was way below freezing.


I think I made $2 off of someone at one of the WOV meetups because you didn't know the next 5 or 6 digits. :)
FleaStiff
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January 17th, 2018 at 3:20:16 AM permalink
Quote: Wizard

Free for cute blondes.

ALL drinks, roofied or not, are free for cute blondes.
odiousgambit
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January 17th, 2018 at 6:07:01 AM permalink
Quote: RS

I think I made $2 off of someone at one of the WOV meetups because you didn't know the next 5 or 6 digits. :)



how to remember the next 4 digits anyway:

the year Columbus sailed the ocean blue plus 100 years. Also the year Shakespeare eludes his "lost years" of foggy records and is called an "upstart crow" in a surviving dated article. 1592
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!”   She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
Ayecarumba
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January 18th, 2018 at 11:28:54 PM permalink
Great report Wizard! I enjoy and appreciate the non-gambling observations and tips. Are the casinos in the big hotels run by one or two managing operators, or are they all independent?

Your description of the Holiday Inn casino cracked me up. A place using equipment worse than the Western is totally worth a look. Is there the equivalent of the NGC there to keep everyone on the up and up?
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GWAE
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January 19th, 2018 at 1:59:11 AM permalink
is that Mrs Wizard or just a random tourist?
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Wizard
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Wizard
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January 19th, 2018 at 6:54:58 AM permalink
Quote: NokTang

When we visited years ago you could rent small motorcycles, vespa type, for the day and explore. Did you happen to notice if this was still available?



I didn't notice that.

Quote:

There was also a true Argentinian Steak House serving imported and delicious Argentine beef. While that sounds and reads odd, Argentine beef seems difficult to get outside Argentina. Did you notice? It was excellent and famous.



Yes, there was an Argentinian steak house right by my hotel, where I ate once. You'll probably pull your hair out but I ordered fish. I'm trying to cut back on red meat.

Quote:

Thanks, a great report and great memories.



Thank you.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
Wizard
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January 19th, 2018 at 8:07:26 AM permalink
Quote: RS

Furthermore, Aruba is a hot....



Thank you for all the corrections. I just made them. Wasn't sure what you meant by the lighthouse edit.

Quote:

I think I made $2 off of someone at one of the WOV meetups because you didn't know the next 5 or 6 digits. :)



No, I was expected to know like a dozen digits. I tried just now and got the first nine right. Appreciating pi is not about reciting it to lots of decimal places. It is to show a love, appreciation, and respect for all of mathematics.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
SM777
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January 19th, 2018 at 12:56:00 PM permalink
I don't think a review of Aruba gambling holds much weight if Alhambra wasn't visited.

That's "the nuts" of Aruba gambling.
Wizard
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January 19th, 2018 at 3:35:04 PM permalink
Quote: SM777

I don't think a review of Aruba gambling holds much weight if Alhambra wasn't visited.



I was with the family and my leash is only so long.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
Ace2
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May 2nd, 2021 at 6:44:59 PM permalink
I was recently playing craps at the Marriott Stellaris casino. $10 minimum, “full double” odds meaning 2-2-2.5

I started betting the minimum $10, but when a 5/9 was the point and I put $20 in odds behind, a dealer would tell me I could put $40 in odds if my flat bet was $15. If the point was 6/8 and I put $25 in odds behind, a dealer would say I could put $50 in odds if my flat bet was $15.

So I increased my flat bets to $15 though I could not understand how they were calculating the maximum odds bets even though they tried to explain. The only thing that was clear was that max odds bets on 4/10 is always 2x.

Can anyone explain this ?

My only guess is that they basically give you a $5 credit (to the flat bet) for max odds calculation if it makes the winning odds payout 4x the flat bet. That way max odds pays 4x flat for all points. $60 on a $15 flat bet
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100xOdds
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May 3rd, 2021 at 11:55:59 AM permalink
Quote: Ace2

I was recently playing craps at the Marriott Stellaris casino. $10 minimum, “full double” odds meaning 2-2-2.5

I started betting the minimum $10, but when a 5/9 was the point and I put $20 in odds behind, a dealer would tell me I could put $40 in odds if my flat bet was $15. If the point was 6/8 and I put $25 in odds behind, a dealer would say I could put $50 in odds if my flat bet was $15.

So I increased my flat bets to $15 though I could not understand how they were calculating the maximum odds bets even though they tried to explain. The only thing that was clear was that max odds bets on 4/10 is always 2x.

Can anyone explain this ?

My only guess is that they basically give you a $5 credit (to the flat bet) for max odds calculation if it makes the winning odds payout 4x the flat bet. That way max odds pays 4x flat for all points. $60 on a $15 flat bet


so 2/2.67/3.33 odds?
thats 2/3's of 3/4/5 odds
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Ace2
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May 3rd, 2021 at 1:37:05 PM permalink
Quote: 100xOdds

so 2/2.67/3.33 odds?
thats 2/3's of 3/4/5 odds

Apparently so. However, I think they only allow you to exceed 2/2.5 if the odds come out exactly to 2.67/3.33.

For instance, if you have $15 flat and the point is 5, they will let you put $40 in odds (2.67x). However, if you have $20 flat I don’t think they let you put over $40 in odds even though, for instance, $50 would be under 2.67x. $20 isn’t divisible by 3 so you can’t get to a round number with 2.67

Very strange in my opinion
It’s all about making that GTA
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