Sands Bethlehem Squashes VP Advantage Play
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-sands-bethlehem-asian-bus-changes-20140412,0,1618845.story
I would have to argue the fact that they had to be sharp VP players. They were indeed creative and seen a good opportunity and got the money * My hats off to them.Quote: mickeycrimmEvidently, some sharp video poker players found an opportunity in this casino. But the play may not be totally squashed yet. The Wizard is quoted in the article.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-sands-bethlehem-asian-bus-changes-20140412,0,1618845.story
This all sounds interesting(I love it). $34 seems a bit high for the effort involved (they buyers should have not competed, worked together, coordinated , and kept the prices low to $25)
Whats the average slot hold? Now @ $34, If you could get and run 60 a day, I can see someone building up a "EZ"(sounds like lots hustling your ass off) no-low risk Bankroll fairly quickly.
How does this work as far as the free play, do you get a slot ticket when you buy the bus ticket? Do you have to go to the booth and load it up on a card?
The first guy on this gig probably made a killing and got them for much less the $34 I can imagine someone was making AT LEAST $600 a day in free money.
sounds fun, I'm Jealous.
More information on this?
Quote: AxelWolfI would have to argue the fact that they had to be sharp VP players. They were indeed creative and seen a good opportunity and got the money * My hats off to them.
This all sounds interesting(I love it). $34 seems a bit high for the effort involved (they buyers should have not competed, worked together, coordinated , and kept the prices low to $25)
Whats the average slot hold? Now @ $34, If you could get and run 60 a day, I can see someone building up a "EZ"(sounds like lots hustling your ass off) no-low risk Bankroll fairly quickly.
How does this work as far as the free play, do you get a slot ticket when you buy the bus ticket? Do you have to go to the booth and load it up on a card?
The first guy on this gig probably made a killing and got them for much less the $34 I can imagine someone was making AT LEAST $600 a day in free money.
sounds fun, I'm Jealous. More information on this?
When the video poker was eligible for the freeplay the hustlers were paying $40 a piece for the $45 freeplay cards. And according to the original story there were 98% video poker games. Once the video pokers were disqualified the price dropped to $30. I think the hustlers probably didn't know much about video line games or three reel slots at first. But once they figured it out competition drove the price up to $34. It's still a pretty good deal at that price, a 24% add on and you can probably find some low variance 90% slots in the place.
The original article said Sands execs knew what was going on but the buses carrying the Asians out of New York were lucrative to the point that they overlooked the black market going on and passed out cards that needed no pin numbers to the Asians.
It was the poor, jobless, homeless Asians that sold the freeplay cards. They had to pay $15 for the day trip, and were extorted by the bus drivers for a $5 tip on the return trip....or else the drivers might not let them on the bus on future trips. These Asians were doing this 7 days a week. It was a net earn to them of $20 a day to spend a couple of hours on the bus and probably 5 hours in Bethlehem. When the price dropped to $30 I imagine a lot of them thought it was no longer worth the effort. But with the price back up to $34 probably some of them jumped back in the game. And maybe the bus drivers took a cut on their tips too in order to keep the game going.
The casinos know some of those bus riders are broke but they also know that sitting next to some homeless dude on the bus is an oriental carrying thousands upon thousands of dollars. Remember when Atlantic City had that low value table of Baccarat ALL go to maximum bets? Most of those players had that money with them in cash. They didn't have to work their way up to those bet with winnings or anything. They saw it was an opportunity, not entertainment... so they upped it to five thousand dollars each hand and
still went home by bus.
The cards may have been created and distributed with a view to the "average dumb player" but sharpies exist and if its a greater value to a sharpie, so be it. If its of no value to a sharpie, then its still of value to the casino as an ordinary promotional gimmick to the average ploppy.
Giving away cards, the word 'freeplay' ... all this stuff helps the casino rope in more players. The words "free" never hurt.
Quote: IbeatyouracesI would say that most places DO allow free play on VP and not the opposite. And I wouldn't sell a $45 card that in the long hall nets me 98% or $44.10 for $40 considering I have to hang out there anyway.
Yes, but I don't think you can accuse 90% of the public of being able to figure that out. Here's the link to the original story. I picked this story up in Jean Scott's blog.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-sands-bethlehem-asian-bus-20140329,0,1618845,full.story.
Quote: mickeycrimmYes, but I don't think you can accuse 90% of the public of being able to figure that out. Here's the link to the original story. I picked this story up in Jean Scott's blog.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-sands-bethlehem-asian-bus-20140329,0,1618845,full.story.
I can't figure out why the link won't work. But you can click on the news tab, then investigations, then scoll down until you find "Asians at Sands Bethlehem casino 'ride bus to live'.
