Happened Again at the Golden Nugget

Once again, just like my visit to the Golden Nugget last November, I experienced a rather blatant bit of gross negligence, or perhaps outright intentional wrongdoing, by a Roulette dealer at the Golden Nugget.

I previously referenced my experience last November on the Forum. I had three dollar chips on the 36, as well as other numbers, when the 36 hit. The dealer inexplicably placed the token on the column box immediately above the 36 box on the layout. He then removed the token since of course no chips were in the box, and prepared to spin again after removing all chips from the Board. When I protested, he claimed he had done nothing wrong! He also refused to call for a Pit Boss when I requested the same. I then found a Pit Boss and explained the situation, asking for the video to be viewed immediately. I did not play again while awaiting word. Finally, after 10 minutes or so, they paid me. The dealer was surly throughout.

This trip - and on reflection it may have been the same dealer, not sure - I had a dealer wipe off a 3-chip corner bet when the 3 hit. Of course, this type of thing does happen at the Roulette table. However, once again the Dealer objected when I raised the question of his error. He did, however, call over the Pit Boss and told him that I was wrong, but that the problem did exist (he was wrong, not me) Anyway, I suggested cordially that the video be reviewed and the Pit rather quickly relented and ordered me to be paid.

I never experience this type of treatment in my hometown, and it's odd since otherwise I find the Nugget an enjoyable place to stay.

Sounds like a generic bad roulette dealer. There's something special about craps and roulette. A dealer that starts out as a horrible blackjack dealer will inevitably become decent after dealing for a while. Since you don't need to pay much attention as a BJ dealer the procedures become, well, procedural memory and you can deal on autopilot. Craps and roulette require a bit of focus. A bad craps/roulette dealer usually stays a bad craps/roulette dealer forever. They also know they're bad dealers which is why he got surly. He didn't want to get in trouble for the nth time that day.

Depending on how strong your ethics are I'd actually recommend sticking it out with a bad dealer. They're the types that will often mispay and, unlike good dealers, will almost never say anything if they realize they made a payout mistake in your favor.

Good point.

BTW, when I cashed out the other day from the table, this dealer chose to pay me in $5 chips and not $25's. Wanted to send me a little message, I guess. Next trip is a stay at the Rio in March, so we'll see how it goes. Won't be back to Golden Nugget for awhile. Though, I still love it downtown!

Quote: midwestgb

Good point.

BTW, when I cashed out the other day from the table, this dealer chose to pay me in $5 chips and not $25's. Wanted to send me a little message, I guess. Next trip is a stay at the Rio in March, so we'll see how it goes. Won't be back to Golden Nugget for awhile. Though, I still love it downtown!

Wow that dealer's got some balls! I would have done one of two things.

1 if in a bad mood) I would have said I actually wanted it all in white.

2 if in a surly mood) I would have walked over to another pit, called the shift manager over, and explain the experience. I would say I will not be playing there the remainder of the trip and will not be coming back again.

Its good that you speak up but you should learn to do so much sooner.

Oh I speak up whenever something is not right. I probably do it more friendly than I should. It's a Midwest thing... ;-)

He must be the only dealer in LV that doesn't need tips. Good for him! hahaha!

Quote: Tiltpoul

1 if in a bad mood) I would have said I actually wanted it all in white.

I love the idea of cashing out in white! That's brilliant! I think I am going to use that one when I need to!

Quote: MarieBicurie

I love the idea of cashing out in white! That's brilliant! !

Except they won't do it. Dealers won't give out many of their
white chips, go ahead and try.

Quote: MarieBicurie

He must be the only dealer in LV that doesn't need tips. Good for him! hahaha!

Don't you think telling a rude dealer that would be more satisfying than asking to be colored up in white?

Some great points here.

I have reached the unfortunate conclusion that this particular dealer (if it was the same guy) has a habit of underpaying folks. Probably on purpose. Which raises the question...

Do casinos monitor the relative profitability of individual table games on a day-to-day basis, and if so do they ever reward their Pit supervisors and/or dealers for bringing in a more profitable than average performance on a daily/weekly/monthly basis? It's a question I've wondered about from time to time...

Quote: midwestgb

Some great points here.

I have reached the unfortunate conclusion that this particular dealer (if it was the same guy) has a habit of underpaying folks. Probably on purpose. Which raises the question...

Do casinos monitor the relative profitability of individual table games on a day-to-day basis, and if so do they ever reward their Pit supervisors and/or dealers for bringing in a more profitable than average performance on a daily/weekly/monthly basis? It's a question I've wondered about from time to time...

I suspect the guy is cheating, taking more money from some people in exchange for helping others, that way the overall table numbers don't look off.

Quote: midwestgb

Do casinos monitor the relative profitability of individual table games on a day-to-day basis, and if so do they ever reward their Pit supervisors and/or dealers for bringing in a more profitable than average performance on a daily/weekly/monthly basis? It's a question I've wondered about from time to time...

Yes, the individual tables' drop and win/loss are looked at daily. No, pit supervisors and dealers are not rewarded based on individual table or pit win. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a casino that offered some sort of Table Games wide bonusing but I've never heard of one. On the other hand, I have heard of places where Table Games Shift Managers are awarded based on their department's or shift's performance.

Again, I seriously doubt that a dealer in Vegas would cheat for the benefit of the house. It was just a bad dealer who was probably already in jeopardy of losing his job and didn't want to get in trouble for his accidental mispay.

Quote: sunrise089

I suspect the guy is cheating, taking more money from some people in exchange for helping others, that way the overall table numbers don't look off.

Midwestgb stated that the first time that he was betting dollars. The win on a roulette table for the shift can swing hundreds to thousands of dollars in either direction. A few dollars isn't going to influence that. I'm not trying to defend the dealer; he should be fired. I just think he should be fired because he's bad at his job, not because he's cheating.

Quote: EvenBob

Dealers won't give out many of their white chips

Why won't the dealers do that?

I'm not really sure. Over the years I've seen people
try and buy like 20 white chips and never saw a
dealer do it. They'll say they aren't allowed to, or
they need them, whatever.

Quote: SanchoPanza

Why won't the dealers do that?

Because that will slow operations, cause extra fills, etc. Gotta keep the hands-per-hour numbers up.

If you want to buy chips, do it at the cage.

The reason for asking is that over many years of playing, I have never encountered any sort of reaction to amassing up to 20 or 30 white in my rack. That may be because of a betting pattern that reaps abundant white, toking with white and the apparent presumption that the crew will be receiving much of the odd white when coloring up.

This is why I am not too surprised that the player was given red instead of green when coloring up. You will not get a green for a toke, but you might get a red. Same reason the handpay at the slot machine or the bingo hall always has small bills.

Quote: Ayecarumba

This is why I am not too surprised that the player was given red instead of green when coloring up. You will not get a green for a toke, but you might get a red. Same reason the handpay at the slot machine or the bingo hall always has small bills.

He owed me $87 in value, so he could have given me 3 green and still had the chance for a $12 toke. That chance evaporated as a result of his prior behavior and sending me all the red chips. I am rather sure he was wishing to send a little message... ;-)

Quote: midwestgb

He owed me $87 in value, so he could have given me 3 green and still had the chance for a $12 toke. That chance evaporated as a result of his prior behavior and sending me all the red chips. I am rather sure he was wishing to send a little message... ;-)

If you wanted green, then why didn't you ask for it? Why did you accept the five dollar chips?

Why didn't you just push back the red chips and demand the greens? You can specify what you want.

In the future, stand your ground, don't play a victim.

-Keyser