I had a conversation with a gambler

Me - "So I didn't know you use to live in Las Vegas, I live there now."

Co-worker - "Cool. I have a roulette system that I used which involved betting some columns and green, so I never lose!"

Co-worker - "What do you do out there?"

Me - "I analyze promotions and find gambling opportunities in which I have the advantage, not the house."

Co-worker - "Cool. I have a roulette system that I used which involved betting some columns and green, so I never lose!"

Me - "I gotta get back to work."

Another conversation:

Co-worker - "Yeah systems are stupid. I don't believe in that stuff and you lose anyway in the long run. I have a negative progression thing I use for blackjack....."

Quote: djatc

Me - "So I didn't know you use to live in Las Vegas, I live there now."

Co-worker - "Cool. I have a roulette system that I used which involved betting some columns and green, so I never lose!"

Co-worker - "What do you do out there?"

Me - "I analyze promotions and find gambling opportunities in which I have the advantage, not the house."

Co-worker - "Cool. I have a roulette system that I used which involved betting some columns and green, so I never lose!"

Me - "I gotta get back to work."

Another conversation:

Co-worker - "Yeah systems are stupid. I don't believe in that stuff and you lose anyway in the long run. I have a negative progression thing I use for blackjack....."

LOL. I think the first co-worker is mentally challenged. He literally said the exact same thing he had already said only seconds before and then you were like UH, yeah, I gotta go back to work you freak, quit talking to me or I'm calling the cops.

Basically he meant well but as we all know explaining advantage play to people who are not in the business just think I'm a systems player. As most people who talk about Las Vegas they light up and start to plan their next vacation as soon as the conversation turns to gambling. Sometimes I should just tell people I flip coins for a living.

I assumed the original post was simply an attempt at humorous creative writing.

If you are really an advantage player you should not be revealing anything to anyone. Think of the movie Croupier: "My office is in Shangai, I'm an arms dealer" and "I'm an undertaker". You should have a reasonable cover story of what you do in Vegas. "I'm in Import-Export" is a response that seems informative and you then go anywhere with it.

Now a few years ago the Gaming Board made a downtown bar radically increase the payoffs on their slot machines and all the advantage gamblers practically had a convention there although largely secretaries were winning despite all the Gamblers who were playing the machines in teams. So you will eventually meet and learn about other advantage players, but keep yourself under the radar at all times and places.

Three retired men who were friends used to go on forays into the blackjack pits. They wore out their welcome in a few places and actually got backed off playing red at Southpoint. They didn't play as a team but simply as three old friends playing blackjack and then having a meal. They had played for years doing quick hits of BJ all over town, they got some heat and often left when it was "warm" rather than "hot", but the one thing they did was not talk of advantage gambling. One of them spoke of photography which was one of his passions, the others all had ready cover stories. Yet they did get eventually known. So don't go around telling people you are an advantage player.

Quote: FleaStiff

Now a few years ago the Gaming Board made a downtown bar radically increase the payoffs on their slot machines and all the advantage gamblers practically had a convention there although largely secretaries were winning despite all the Gamblers who were playing the machines in teams. So you will eventually meet and learn about other advantage players, but keep yourself under the radar at all times and places.

Can you elaborate. Where was this at and why did Gaming board make them increase payoffs?

Quote: FleaStiff

I assumed the original post was simply an attempt at humorous creative writing.

If you are really an advantage player you should not be revealing anything to anyone. Think of the movie Croupier: "My office is in Shangai, I'm an arms dealer" and "I'm an undertaker". You should have a reasonable cover story of what you do in Vegas. "I'm in Import-Export" is a response that seems informative and you then go anywhere with it.

Now a few years ago the Gaming Board made a downtown bar radically increase the payoffs on their slot machines and all the advantage gamblers practically had a convention there although largely secretaries were winning despite all the Gamblers who were playing the machines in teams. So you will eventually meet and learn about other advantage players, but keep yourself under the radar at all times and places.

Three retired men who were friends used to go on forays into the blackjack pits. They wore out their welcome in a few places and actually got backed off playing red at Southpoint. They didn't play as a team but simply as three old friends playing blackjack and then having a meal. They had played for years doing quick hits of BJ all over town, they got some heat and often left when it was "warm" rather than "hot", but the one thing they did was not talk of advantage gambling. One of them spoke of photography which was one of his passions, the others all had ready cover stories. Yet they did get eventually known. So don't go around telling people you are an advantage player.

I know what you mean but people at my work (totally unrelated to gambling) ask me what I do and I prefer to be honest if it doesn't hurt me too much since they aren't competition. I never reveal anything I do, just the fact I am an advantage player. The responses I get seem to indicate they don't understand anyway, maybe I should just say I play poker for a living.

Ignorant "advantage players" won't even take the time or place to listen out to someone who could have a winning roulette system. Shame shame shame on you!!



/sarcasm

Quote: AxelWolf

Can you elaborate.

Not really. Its off topic and you can search past threads yourself.

Quote: AxelWof

Where was this at and why did Gaming board make them increase payoffs?

Downtown Vegas near the courthouse. The Gaming Board allowed a casino to go out of business but the bar, also owned by them, had to award to the public all the accrued but not yet won Progressive Jackpot money, since it is legally the public's money and not the casino's money.

Quote: djatc

I know what you mean but people at my work (totally unrelated to gambling) ask me what I do and I prefer to be honest if it doesn't hurt me too much since they aren't competition. I never reveal anything I do, just the fact I am an advantage player. The responses I get seem to indicate they don't understand anyway, maybe I should just say I play poker for a living.

Yes, perhaps Poker Player is better. Anything that makes them think you are answering their question is good. "Advantage Player" tends to continue the conversation, impress them and perhaps be a springboard for further discussions with their friends, relatives and lovers, one of whom just might be work for a casino's game protection or surveillance department. Or your coworker might spot you in a casino and come up to you talking about advantage playing while you are sitting at a BJ table. I'm not suggesting you act paranoid about it, just don't advertise things needlessly. If poker player will keep them happy. Then that is a sufficient answer. And anything beyond that is a needless risk to run.

I tried the whole "I play poker" thing [although I kinda fell into the conversation on accident]....and the guy started talking poker with me and telling me some story of how he flopped the 2nd nut flush kicker trips snowmen bad beat or some weird poker lingo I didn't understand. Kinda had to BS my way through that one which was relatively awkward.....started off as "yeah he [me] is a real good poker player" then me not knowing wtf was going on in the convo. At least my buddy [that knows I'm an AP] covered for me and he went off on poker stuff so I wouldn't make a fool of myself.

Quote: djatc

Basically he meant well but as we all know explaining advantage play to people who are not in the business just think I'm a systems player. As most people who talk about Las Vegas they light up and start to plan their next vacation as soon as the conversation turns to gambling. Sometimes I should just tell people I flip coins for a living.

Tell them you're a high-volume currency trader. When they ask what that means, just say you make many high-speed short-term investments in liquid financial instruments. Each of your investments only has a small percentage ROI but you make so many of them that it really adds up.

FYI, I know someone who actually does this at Goldman (forex arbitrage) so I'm not being entirely facetious. The fact that you're using a VP terminal instead of a daytrading terminal is just details. That, and you're playing with thousands of your own dollars rather than billions of someone else's.

Quote: FleaStiff

I assumed the original post was simply an attempt at humorous creative writing.

If you are really an advantage player you should not be revealing anything to anyone. Think of the movie Croupier: "My office is in Shangai, I'm an arms dealer" and "I'm an undertaker". You should have a reasonable cover story of what you do in Vegas. "I'm in Import-Export" is a response that seems informative and you then go anywhere with it.

I tell friends, family, and co-workers what I do. My parents, especially my mom who doesn't understand counting, thought it was a horrible idea. After I made enough money that it was obvious blind luck was not the reason, it was suddenly a good idea--in fact, during a conversation where I was resisting attending a relative's wedding to go counting, my dad defended me. It's no big deal. You shouldn't talk about it in a casino. But there is a line between caution and paranoia.

Quote: FleaStiff

Not really. Its off topic and you can search past threads yourself.
Downtown Vegas near the courthouse. The Gaming Board allowed a casino to go out of business but the bar, also owned by them, had to award to the public all the accrued but not yet won Progressive Jackpot money, since it is legally the public's money and not the casino's money.

I didn't know there was a past thread talking about it. But I get it now. I think I know that little bar you are talking about they sever food to the lawyers and business people. I have scouted it a few times. I usually try to find out what happens to progressives when places are closing. Good chance I was not in town at the time when it closed, or it was a sudden close. Sounds like a good play.