A loss or a win?

If I play craps, do I want the game to move fast or move slow? I give my players card at my buy in. I realize that I will be rated on my buy in and my initial bet. I will be rated by the hour on my play. I will receive Comps based on my bet and the length of my play. If the game stumbles at times or for some reason takes longer than usual between throws, does that not help my comp rating?

It doesn't help or hurt your rating if the table is slow, but will help you to lose less.

If you're playing to maximize comps at the least possible expense, then the slower the table the better, in any game.

BTW, I think players put too much stock in the importance of the initial bet. Casinos strive to track your average bet and know a lot of players will put on a show with their first bet, so probably don't put too much stock in it.

Quote: Wizard

BTW, I think players put too much stock in the importance of the initial bet. Casinos strive to track your average bet and know a lot of players will put on a show with their first bet, so probably don't put too much stock in it.

I have to disagree with you on this.

About a year ago I drove up to Caesars to play some craps for the night. I did not stay over.

I bought into a craps game at Caesars with my usual $1,000 marker buy-in. It was a $15 table and until the dice came to me I only had $15 on the passline with $3 on the any craps during the come out.

When the dice came to me I did my usual: $25 on the pass, full odds, $130/135 across, $5 horn-high ace/deuce on the come out roll. I played for about one hour that night, paid off my marker, had a profit of about $600 and then went to play video poker. Following several hours at video poker, I went home.

A couple of days later I called my host to set up a weekend trip and I asked .how I was rated for my "drop in" visit. My video poker play was accurate, of course, because my card was in the machine. But I was told I was rated for an average bet of $18 at craps. Repeat: $18.

I was in fact rated $18 by the floorman who saw my initial bet and my "average bet" in the computer was not changed in the next hour. The floorman didn't change either -- but it was late at night and he was also supervising a nearby roulette game.

Two lessons here:

1. Initial bets can make a difference.
2. Always check with the floor before leaving to be sure you are correctly rated.

At this point it was too late to do anything with my rating in the "system", and I was told this hurt my rating and my offers for the next six months.

Which pit was that in, Alan? I've never seen a roulette table next to a craps table in Caesars Palace...not a $15 table, at least.

Quote: RS

Which pit was that in, Alan? I've never seen a roulette table next to a craps table in Caesars Palace...not a $15 table, at least.

Palace casino. Along the main walkway from the front entrance to the cage. There are roulette and blackjack tables on the walkway on one side, and craps tables on the other.

Even over New Year's Weekend there were $10 craps games in the Palace Casino at Caesars.