Biloxi: Where we went

Wednesday, June 16, my wife and I took a day trip down to Biloxi. We planned on staying for about 6 hours, including lunch at a buffet. The first place we stopped at was Boomtown Casino.

Boomtown had a decent variety of slot machines, and as new members to the player's club, we won $5 and $10 in free slot play. I tried someone's suggestion of "Go For Broke on one pull", and played my $10 in a $5, 2-credit machine. I got blanked. My wife's $5 went to a fun video slot called "U-spin", which is a giant vertical touch screen with mechanical reels behind. When the U-spin symbol lands on the 3rd reel, you can spin the video wheel by dragging your finger along the edge to spin it at your desired speed. It still landed where it wanted to. Regardless, a cool feature. She pumped that $5 up to $40 before we cashed it out. They had one lone "Password" slot machine, based on the classic game show. My wife and I are suckers for game-show themed slots, which mysteriously have all but vanished from every casino we go to. I plugged $5 into it and came back with $20. Whoever impersonated Alan Ludden's voice for the machine did a very nice job.

Boomtown also featured $3 craps. We both bought in for $60, and I quickly dropped to nearly nothing. I bought in for an additional $60, slowed my play, and we both climbed our way out of the hole, ending a $180 buy-in with $215. Now, it's time for the question of the day:

On a $3 craps table, pass line & place bets have an obvious $3 minimum. On my final come out before lunch, we set aside our $215, and I put down a $3 pass line, and put my remaining $2 behind it as odds. However, a dealer chided me, saying that the minimum odds was $3. This was the first time that has happened to us. Even when playing at a $10 table in the past, we have always been able to wager less than the posted minimum as odds. Should the table minimum apply to free odds? (Let's not turn this into a discussion on why a player would even THINK to play such low amounts on a zero-edge bet. :)

We also drove down to Treasure Bay, as a billboard advertised a guarantee for new players: Get up to $100 back for losses incurred. We took the 5-mile detour, and were promptly disappointed that the loss only applied to slots, you had to return the next day, and the loss would be reimbursed as free slot play instead of cash. We left without spending a dime.

Our final stop was Hard Rock, which has a great atmosphere. We were running short on time, so didn't stay long. In the slot arena, we found a community immersion slots based on The Amazing Race. The bonus feature is one of the longest, most confusing, and yet intriguing rounds. If any player at the 4 connected machines hits 5 Amazing Race symbols, every player goes into the bonus. It pits all four players against each other in the Amazing Race, trying to reach each destination first, in order to win the Progressive level jackpots. Everyone at the machines, my wife included, were asking, "How did I get this bonus round?", and "Am I winning? Who's winning?" People also dropped out of the race when they ran out of free games, leaving some people in the bonus feature, and some people out. I wondered, what if a dropped-out player starts a new bonus feature? The bonus lasted 3 to 5 minutes, which meant players were sitting, winning, and not betting. Odd to have such a long bonus, I thought. At first it was exciting, but it nearly got tedious towards the end.

Afterward, I hit the craps table with $50, $5 minimum. Went up, went down, ended right back at $50. Nothing noteworthy there. There was a large video Blackjack game, $3 to play, with a virtual dealer on the large screen up front, and a tabletop screen for player cards. Just passed by it, didn't stay to watch. There was also a self-contained, no-dealer, electronic Roulette game (possibly called Roulette Extreme? I forget...), that had a wheel under glass. To spin, the center part of the wheel rose up, letting the ball drop in the middle. It would then shoot the ball out along the upper rim, as a dealer would spin it. There were about 7 player stations. It was MUCH smaller than Rapid Roulette, and not even as big as a full Roulette table. A few people were playing both the virtual Blackjack and virtual Roulette games.

Quote: Dween

Now, it's time for the question of the day:

On a $3 craps table, pass line & place bets have an obvious $3 minimum. On my final come out before lunch, we set aside our $215, and I put down a $3 pass line, and put my remaining $2 behind it as odds. However, a dealer chided me, saying that the minimum odds was $3. This was the first time that has happened to us. Even when playing at a $10 table in the past, we have always been able to wager less than the posted minimum as odds. Should the table minimum apply to free odds? (Let's not turn this into a discussion on why a player would even THINK to play such low amounts on a zero-edge bet. :)

It's up to the discretion of the dealer. I don't know why they would be encouraging you to bet more on a zero-house edge bet. Maybe they didn't have quarter chips and couldn't give you the correct payout on a $2 bet?

"...We also drove down to Treasure Bay, as a billboard advertised a guarantee for new players: Get up to $100 back for losses incurred. We took the 5-mile detour, and were promptly disappointed that the loss only applied to slots, you had to return the next day, and the loss would be reimbursed as free slot play instead of cash. We left without spending a dime. ... "

Good for you!!!! Walking out that is!! If they can't give you the full details on that billboard, tell them not to give you any ads at all. Billboards, coupons, mailings, posters,,,, whatever it is. If they don't give it to you straight, take your money elsewhere!

Now as to the craps. I think your multiple buy ins are ill-advised. Set your limits and buy-in only ONCE.
As to the odds bet... heck, its a lousy dollar and if it inconveniences the dealer in his payouts he can just keep his yap shut about it for awhile even though he is technically correct.

Boomtown is supposedly popular for its slots and its shuttle service. When I went there it was very early in the day and almost deserted, so I simply left.

Buying in more than once: My limit was not $60, but I see where you're coming from to just buy in once. If I had lost the second $60, that would've been the end.

As for the $2 odds being a pain to payoff, the point was a 5 or 9, so it would've been a nice even $3. I may ask the next few craps tables I play at what the rules are about odds wager limits.

Quote: Dween

but I see where you're coming from to just buy in once.

I sure wish my companion had been as receptive to the notion of a single buy-in. She would buy in for a modest amount and then after the excitement would make additional buyins if she was losing. Not a good idea. Oh sure, luck can change or should I say Variance can change? But now she buys in for what she is willing to lose that session and thats it. Maybe its just will power, but I find that if I make my decision and abide by it, I wind up happier. We each have morning buy in limits and afternoon buy in limits. Alas, she seems to have no limits at the slot machines!

>I may ask the next few craps tables I play at what the rules are about odds wager limits.
They will probably think you mean the upper limits. The lower limits are usually understood to be 1x of your line bet with any adjustments being upwards of that. I think the dealer was probably a bit too prompt in speaking up about it but he may have meant well.

Quote: Dween

Should the table minimum apply to free odds?

Absolutely.

In ALL casino games, there is a minimum bet. In many games there are two distinct different types of bets with their own minimums. For example:

In Roulette, each individual inside bet has a mimimun, as well as a combined minimum. The outside bets only have individual minimums.

In nearly all card games, there is a minimum basic bet, plus a lower side bet.

In craps, all of the bets in front of the bettor, as well as those handled by the dealer, have to be at least the table minimum. Only the bets in the middle, i.e. those high house edge bets that are handled by the stickman, have a lower minimum.

Therefore, the table minimum should apply to the odds bet.

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If $5 is all you had left, and you put down the $3 pass bet, then most dealers would have let you slide with the $2 odds bet. But since you were up, and had plenty of chips, you're obligated to make your odds bet for at least the minimum.