Casinos are STRANGE places
I was playing Shoot to Win (an electronic craps machine that uses real dice) at Gold Strike. I sat down and played for maybe 2.5 hrs, and I never gave any indication when I was going to leave.
By the way, the machine is pretty much in the middle of the casino floor...
Anyway, as soon as I was ready to go, I hit the - cash out - button, and stood up.
Within 2 femptoseconds (and that isn't hyperbole - promise), there was this man standing behind me - holding his hand out, and he said "HI, I'm the manager of something or other, I was wondering if we could take your picture." I had apparently had the largest win as of yet on the machine. (Parenthetically, you can now see my picture on the wall at that place, but not for long because it wasn't that much).
But it all seemed odd and eerie to me. And why were they paying so much attention?
I know casinos do this, but they are so strangely BIG BROTHER - like.
Plus...and completley unrelated - why do so many people smoke in casinos? That part is hard to take.
I sincerely hope you didn't cash out like a $100 ticket, lol
Quote: TIMSPEEDLol..did it require a W2G??
I sincerely hope you didn't cash out like a $100 ticket, lol
Ha. That would have been funny indeed.
I asked about tax stuff. He said that the machine was different and didn't apply to the $1200 slot payout (that requires the W2G) because it was credits that accumulated over time and not a jackpot - type win, so they don't report it to the IRS.
Quote: slackyhackySo here is my story...
I was playing Shoot to Win (an electronic craps machine that uses real dice) at Gold Strike. I sat down and played for maybe 2.5 hrs, and I never gave any indication when I was going to leave.
By the way, the machine is pretty much in the middle of the casino floor...
Anyway, as soon as I was ready to go, I hit the - cash out - button, and stood up.
Within 2 femptoseconds (and that isn't hyperbole - promise), there was this man standing behind me - holding his hand out, and he said "HI, I'm the manager of something or other, I was wondering if we could take your picture." I had apparently had the largest win as of yet on the machine. (Parenthetically, you can now see my picture on the wall at that place, but not for long because it wasn't that much).
But it all seemed odd and eerie to me. And why were they paying so much attention?
I know casinos do this, but they are so strangely BIG BROTHER - like.
Plus...and completley unrelated - why do so many people smoke in casinos? That part is hard to take.
It could be that the company sharing the revenue with Gold Strike hires a "pusher" to drum up business or run promo's for the machine, in order to build interest (and hopefully income). Just a guess...
As for the smoking... Alot of gambling is, in a word, "boring". I think smoking gives folks something to do with their hands while waiting for their turn. Also, the brain that is attracted to gambling is often addicted to other things as well.
and post them on a wall in the casino or even online.
But you can always decline the "offer".
1 - How much did you cash out?
2 - What was the buy in?
Quote: DJTeddyBearThere's two very important details missing from this story.
1 - How much did you cash out?
2 - What was the buy in?
1 - $2.2K
2 - $100
Quote: gambler3 - Did they offer you anything in return for taking your photograph? (Food, comps, etc.)
Nope.
But since it is a machine and you use your player card, it adds up a LOT of points.
so I am sure I could have got a free buffet cuz I had a lot of points on there - but we were on our way to vegas and didn't want to stick around.
Quote: slackyhacky1 - $100
2 - $2.2K
I sincerely hope that is supposed to be the other way around...
Quote: slackyhackyNope.
But since it is a machine and you use your player card, it adds up a LOT of points.
so I am sure I could have got a free buffet cuz I had a lot of points on there - but we were on our way to vegas and didn't want to stick around.
Oh, then my exceptionally good luck continued in sin city.
I played the same machine in the Riviera (they now have the craps machine there - but with much different rules) and won $170.
Then made 8 bets on march madness games - and won 6.
Then played the craps table 1 more time, and one about $750.
Oh, also, won $80 at a slot machine - which I never do, but we had to play pinball - that game is getting harder to find.
I should have played the lottery.
Of course all my profits went to pay for 1 dinner at the restaurant Switch in the Encore. HOLY CRAP that place is expensive.
Funny thing is the 2$ street taco (next to Encoure - you have to check it out) I got beat the crab legs at Switch.
Quote: slackyhacky1 - $2.2K
2 - $100
A profit of $2,100? While that's great, congrats and all, but to be hoving over you, ready to do the P.R. thing?
Just how deep in the woods was this place?
Quote: TIMSPEEDI sincerely hope that is supposed to be the other way around...
ha.
I fixed it.
Quote: slackyhacky
Of course all my profits went to pay for 1 dinner at the restaurant Switch in the Encore. HOLY CRAP that place is expensive.
You paid $3K for dinner? Why?
They took your pic because they think you gamed the
machine somehow. Its a way of backing you off and
I'm assuming they'll share the pic with others who have
the same machine. The fact that heat was right behind
you when you cashed out isn't good, they were watching
you for a long time.
Quote: EvenBobYou paid $3K for dinner? Why?
They took your pic because they think you gamed the
machine somehow. Its a way of backing you off and
I'm assuming they'll share the pic with others who have
the same machine. The fact that heat was right behind
you when you cashed out isn't good, they were watching
you for a long time.
No, i didn't pay that - but it felt like that. I'm used to Rubio's and In 'n' Out.
Perhaps that is true, but also, it isn't unreasonable for them to keep pictures of people that do make high payout records. But I know they were wathcing closely - that is why I thought it was so bizarre.
No way i'm NOT going back. I wasn't gaming the machine (not sure how anyone could do that since the dice are not electronic) so have no reason to be 'afraid' of them. I have read about people making electronic devices to cheat slots - that would be impossible in this machine. The dice numbers determine the outcome, and those are not electronic and no intervention is going to change that outcome.
Quote: slackyhackyBut I know they were wathcing closely - that is why I thought it was so bizarre.
You think a crappy casino like Gold Strike likes paying
out $2200 on a machine thats supposed to work just
like a slot? They were wringing their hands watching
you and when you quit when you were ahead, they
crapped their pants. How did he do it, they're saying
among themselves. Lets get his pic, this can't happen
again.
Quote: DJTeddyBear
Just how deep in the woods was this place?
Here is the review on the place
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/las-vegas-casinos/gold-strike/
I missed the part where the place was named in the first post.Quote: slackyhackyHere is the review on the place
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/las-vegas-casinos/gold-strike/
For the record, the web address you provided is for a a forum discussing Gold Strike.
The review is here: https://wizardofvegas.com/hotels/gold-strike/
But I'd be pretty oblivious to anyone standing and watching me play trying to stare me down anyways.
Quote: ChumpChangeSeems casinos like to put photographs of winners on their monthly mailers. It's not a beauty contest. It would definitely highlight what can be won on a specific machine. Some regulars would definitely want to be in those photographs. But it seems like such a setup sometimes. Yeah, you'll be in the industry-wide book of winners, which casinos could use against you. A few people prefer their non-W-2G winnings to be not publicized, so there is an option to turn them down; but with the welcome wagon right there to take your picture, it's hard to say no.
It is easy to say no. Many years ago I won a car at a local casino giveaway and they wanted to take a picture for publicity use. I asked them how much they were going to compensate me and would I get residuals every time they used it. They said no and no, so I said no.
