New Casino Ploys

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imp

Senior Member
I've lived in a major casino/resort area twice now, Vegas during the '70s, and now 3 years outside Laughlin, Nevada, which has 10 casinos, 8 of which are major-name outfits. They now offer something unheard of back years ago, Free "Tournaments" in Slots and Bingo. The slot tournaments invariably include free rooms, the playing consisting of two rounds of 10 minutes play each, one round a day, two days consecutive. The total payout is usually $10,000, divided into a number of dollar amounts. They use about 50 slots, all identical, set up to run for 10 minutes, the player must "tell" the machine to spin by depressing a big button. Spins are timed about 5 seconds apart, roughly. This may not be news to many, but I present it in case it is.

Allowed my wife to enroll us this time at the Edgewater, 3 free nights, Mon, Tue, and Wed. Enrolled Monday afternoon after checking in. One never knows how many will take them up on the offer, nor how many offers are sent out (by mail). This time there were 362 folks playing. So with 50 slots available, it took about 7 runs to complete each of the two sessions. We knew from last time that a score of 18,000 points was the usual minimum to secure a win. Last time I missed the lowest payout by only a couple hundred points. A year ago, Deb won $500, 5th, place!

She did poorly yesterday, not much better today. Yesterday I got 7676 points, today 10,600, for a total of 18,000 plus! Winners announced this afternoon, son of a gun, I placed in 20th. place out of 362, good for a hundred bucks! Pretty nifty for 20 minutes effort, all ya gotta do is be there!

Obviously, the idea here is to sucker in lots of betting elsewhere in the house, as well as selling restaurant fare. It's mostly retirees attending, no surprise there. Within the next few months, with thousands of "snowbirds" arriving, the number of players will increase, thus limiting odds of a win. Still, time only permits them to enroll a certain maximum number of folks, I'll guess maybe 600. Here's the layout, and prize payout schedule. Surprisingly, not a very wide "spread" exists between lowest prize and top, 17,550 lowest got $50, 22,500 got first place, $2,500! imp





 

"Slots" tournaments have been around our local casinos for as long as we have been going to them....20 years??? Sometimes we join in one if they are having one when we are already there, but we don't make a slots tournament a reason for going. Like anything else, if a casino is making a "big deal" over an event, it is so as to bring in more players, and make more money. About the Only "tournament" that gives a player a break might be a poker tournament...where the odds of winning are largely determined by a players skill, instead of a Random Signal Generator chip in a slot machine.
 
Don M. said:
"Slots" tournaments have been around our local casinos for as long as we have been going to them....20 years??? Sometimes we join in one if they are having one when we are already there, but we don't make a slots tournament a reason for going. Like anything else, if a casino is making a "big deal" over an event, it is so as to bring in more players, and make more money. About the Only "tournament" that gives a player a break might be a poker tournament...where the odds of winning are largely determined by a players skill, instead of a Random Signal Generator chip in a slot machine.
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Well, yeah, but in casino poker, does not the house steal a fixed percentage of every "pot"? I always thought the folks playing would be better off getting together and playing by themselves out in the alley. Course, then the "law" would bust them for illegal gambling......imp
 

Yes, the casinos take a "rake" from every pot...usually 10% of the Blinds and Ante....that is how they make their profit on poker. However, the odds are much better than playing the slots...if a person is a pretty good poker player. About the only better odds might be at the Blackjack table....for someone skilled in Card Counting. But, if a casino suspects a player is counting cards, they will usually ask them to leave the casino.
 
As a pilot for United, I have flown in and out of McCarran more times than I care think about. It was not always the easiest to fly into with the down drafts of winds, especially in the spring, but not as bad as DFW, (Dallas-Ft. Worth).

It was somewhat amusing to see so many smiling faces getting off the plane in anticipation of hitting the big one and so many "Oh, well, back to work" faces when leaving Vegas.
 
I live less than 5 miles from a big, Indian owned and fairly new casino and I've just never had the urge to venture inside.......maybe I need to go by one day with a couple of the jars of the pennies I have and see what happens.
 
Linda said:
Free hotel and winning $100 wasn't bad. Especially if you and your wife had fun. And if you spend a lot of time walking around and getting exercise, talking to people, relaxing etc.
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That is the way to beat the odds..

The casino near us gives free breakfast for seniors on Wednesday and Thursdays (normally $19.95) they come by the bus loads!!

IKE said:
I live less than 5 miles from a big, Indian owned and fairly new casino and I've just never had the urge to venture inside.......maybe I need to go by one day with a couple of the jars of the pennies I have and see what happens.
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Rarely see a slot that takes coins, now they are all paper and payouts are vouchers..
 
Pappy said:
When we are up north, we play at a race track, casino. It is small but they give free hotel nights and free buffet. We don't play much, but we still earn these credits.
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1 ditto.gif..on the credits..We receive free vouchers in the mail for rooms and events..
 
[It was somewhat amusing to see so many smiling faces getting off the plane in anticipation of hitting the big one and so many "Oh, well, back to work" faces when leaving Vegas.[/QUOTE]

Been there...and done that. Anymore, we just stay at one of the local casinos, and usually have far better luck than we have had on any of our LV trips. It's fun to go to LV once every 3 or 4 years, but that's enough. Both Las Vegas, and Atlantic city are facing increased competition from the local casinos, and I don't think their winning odds are as good, anymore.
 
Don, wouldn't you consider that since the tournaments are totally free, that that constitutes a "break"?

Actually, I detest the new electronic "slots" which go so far as to imitate rotating reels, even including the little "bounce" when they stop. One thing I do like is that the tournament is played with old-fashioned slots having real reels which spin and are stopped mechanically. imp
 
oldman said:
As a pilot for United, I have flown in and out of McCarran more times than I care think about. It was not always the easiest to fly into with the down drafts of winds, especially in the spring, but not as bad as DFW, (Dallas-Ft. Worth).

It was somewhat amusing to see so many smiling faces getting off the plane in anticipation of hitting the big one and so many "Oh, well, back to work" faces when leaving Vegas.
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Back when I lived there, McCarran had only two runways (I think), the longer being east-west. Prevailing winds almost always required use of that one, landings and takeoffs headed towards the west. Departing jets headed eastward began a long U-turn just about out at Rainbow Blvd., and passed right above our house, by then at maybe 2000 feet. When my Mother left after visiting us, she always sat starboard window seat, and was certain she saw this, as it was big and easily seen in that empty desert area:

 
imp said:
Don, wouldn't you consider that since the tournaments are totally free, that that constitutes a "break"?

Actually, I detest the new electronic "slots" which go so far as to imitate rotating reels, even including the little "bounce" when they stop. One thing I do like is that the tournament is played with old-fashioned slots having real reels which spin and are stopped mechanically. imp
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Yes, most of the time, the "tournaments" are free...just require signing up at the "rewards" desk, or at the tournament site....and if we show up on a day when one of these is going on, and they still have a few positions available, we do it. However, quite often, they want a 10 or 20 dollar entry fee, so we pass on those.

Virtually All the slots are controlled by a Random Signal Generator...even the old style 3 reel machines. They are programmed to pay out a certain percentage, and unless you get lucky enough to be seated when the RSG signals a payout, its all just a matter of luck. There are some ways to increase the odds....playing machines near a high traffic area, so when a jackpot occurs, several people see it, and are induced to try their luck. Then, if a person wants to up the odds, playing the Maximum amount helps a bunch....if you can afford it. A person can sit for hours playing 10 cents a pull, whereas someone playing $3 at a time is far more likely to hear their "win" announced on the intercom. Also, if I am playing the slots, I look for a row of similar machines, and seek out the one with the highest jackpot....as it has probably gone the longest without a payout, so it is more likely "due".

I kind of PO'd the wife on our last trip to KC. I was upstairs playing low limit poker for a couple of hours, and quit when I got a couple hundred ahead, and it was nearing Suppertime. I found her sitting at a slot, and she had been playing in that area for quite some time, and was barely staying even. She quit that machine, and moved over one. I sat down at the machine she had been playing, put $20 in, and hit the Max button...and on the 3rd try, I went into a big bonus, and got over $600. I cashed out, and went over to the cash machine to redeem the ticket. When I came back, she gave up and we went to Supper...free, of course. That was a good trip, and I came back home with quite a bit more than I left the house with....and to keep peace in the family, I gave her half.
 
As an avid aficionado of casino gambling, I have witnessed many changes most hindering the 'luck' of the average gambler. Luck is a misnomer and I don't believe in luck at a gambling establishment. Knowledge is the key, I know all their trappings, low cost meals or at least they used to be. Scantily clad cocktail waitresses delivering 'free' drinks. No clocks, brite colors abound throughout a casino, bells and whistles whenever a patron hits a jackpot. Free rooms (only ploy I'm a sucker for). Whirling twirling wheels and spinning fruit salad.

Money management is one of the most important traits one can take to a casino. I NEVER, NEVER play slots, video poker, KENO, Roulette or anything that can be controlled by a machine. Worked too long around electronic devices. Blackjack (21) used to be my game, became a proficient card counter, only asked to leave one time in a Northern Nevada casino. But now with the multi deck shoes and higher limits for a single deck table it has made it harder to hide my skill and avoid an invite to leave. Craps is by far the only game that a gambler has to hold his own. Learning all the odds and advantages is your best buffer between you and the casino. I've won and lost but by managing your bankroll and quitting when ahead is the key to walking away with a smile. I've been comped rooms and meals many times in their effort to get my winnings and make me another statistic.

The other advantage craps has over 21 is it's open and it's your skill against the horrendous odds of ever walking away a winner. They don't escort you to the door if you win only try to keep you in the casino longer by comps. When I have played craps I notice an attitude change from the dealers, a little respect than they give 98% of the other players. They house man will linger longer at your table than the others.
 
Casino "Banning"

"only asked to leave one time in a Northern Nevada casino"

Years ago, about 1968, I was playing 21 at Binion's Horseshoe in downtown Vegas, had been consistently winning for maybe 30 minutes, when the pit boss came over and asked me politely to stop playing. I glanced over at the next table and told him he ought to check out the blonde playing there (my wife), he banned her too!

Some months later, I walked in and hung around the tables a few minutes, not playing, and the SAME pit boss came over, and remarked he recalled asking me to stop playing sometime ago; the guy remembered me, after seeing thousands of folks in that time! I told him he is a good "company man", ought to get a raise. He just smiled.

Binions was the place that had a big display board set up with a million dollars displayed behind glass, in $10,000 bills. It was there quite a few years. imp
 
imp said:
"only asked to leave one time in a Northern Nevada casino"

Binions was the place that had a big display board set up with a million dollars displayed behind glass, in $10,000 bills. It was there quite a few years. imp
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I remember the million dollar display at Binions. One of our first trips to LV was shortly after they opened the Stratosphere, and we got a room there for a couple of nights. We spent most of that trip on Fremont Street, and about the furthest we ventured away from Fremont was probably Circus Circus. Now, the strip has built up so much that a person could spend weeks just going from place to place to sample it all. It's been a couple of years since we were last out there, but we may just go again this Winter. If the Winter becomes a bit tedious, we may fly to Phoenix to visit my Sister and Brother in Law at their Winter home, then on to LV for 2 or 3 days. We've got so many comps built up at the Harrah's properties, that the airfare, and casino money would be about the only expense.
 
Don M. said:
I remember the million dollar display at Binions. One of our first trips to LV was shortly after they opened the Stratosphere, and we got a room there for a couple of nights. We spent most of that trip on Fremont Street, and about the furthest we ventured away from Fremont was probably Circus Circus. Now, the strip has built up so much that a person could spend weeks just going from place to place to sample it all. It's been a couple of years since we were last out there, but we may just go again this Winter. If the Winter becomes a bit tedious, we may fly to Phoenix to visit my Sister and Brother in Law at their Winter home, then on to LV for 2 or 3 days. We've got so many comps built up at the Harrah's properties, that the airfare, and casino money would be about the only expense.
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We have a big Harrah's here in Laughlin, small-town atmosphere, big-time gaming culture. 110 miles south of Vegas. If you consider a stop here, it would be nice to meet you! imp
 
imp said:
We have a big Harrah's here in Laughlin, small-town atmosphere, big-time gaming culture. 110 miles south of Vegas. If you consider a stop here, it would be nice to meet you! imp
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We were at Laughlin, once, about 6 or 7 years ago. We stayed at the Aquarius, and still get offers from them. It was a fun time, and kind of nice to look out the window in the morning, and see the Colorado river flowing by, and an occasional aircraft landing at the airport across the river. I think it was the next year that there was some sort of a Biker Gang shootout at the Harrah's...kind of a dumb place to create a disturbance with all the security that most casinos have.
 

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