downtown LV trip report...

E

evilrobotmonkey

Well-Known Member
being a las vegas local who hasn't been to downtown in a while, i decided to check out downtown for fun. um there's not much to report except that downtown LV sucks.

went to a couple of major casinos on fremont street, scoped out the double deck games and they had terrible rules. in one of them, BJ pays 6-5 AND no double after split!

then i found a smaller casino with a decent looking double deck game...

i sat down, bought in $200 at a $10 min table. penetration was about 60%. for the first shoe, i pretty much bet $10 the whole way because the count didn't go anywhere... i lost a little in that one shoe.

on the second shoe, i started off with a $20 bet the first hand as a measly attempt for cover... i lost, then i went back to bet $10. the count climbed a little so i bet $20. i lost a couple of $20 bets and the count was still high, so i bet $40. i lost that hand, and had only about $70 dollars remaining. i decided to do a "steam" all in but then the pit boss came over and demanded "SHUFFLE."

while they were shuffling, i took back my bet to pretend to see how much i had left. i then put $20 on two hands. won one and lost one. i colored up and went to cash out. i noticed the pit boss walk over while i was cashing out. as i was walking away from the cage, the pit boss came up to me and asked me "do you live in vegas? do you work here?" i said no. he then proceeded to tell me that i can't play on table # this and that, where they have single and double deck, but i can play any other game.

i was kind of surprised because i had only played two shoes in a double deck game, where the penetration was 60% and there were 2-3 other players at the table. how can they be so sure that i was counting in such a short time, in such a short number of hands??? apparently they were certain enough to come over to give me trouble. i was kind of pissed off, so i asked the pit boss why he was giving me **** when i had just lost $200. i told him to *** off and he called security over to escort me out, and i was like "uh i was trying to leave but you came over to harass me" and took off.

was my betting behavior really that obvious or was the casino being overly paranoid? if they are often this paranoid about anyone who increases their bets, i wouldnt' be surprised if they lose quite a bit of business this way. i mean, just because they suspect someone is counting, should they immediately assume that they are counting and have them backed off?

if you think i'm an idiot who was out of line and got what i deserved... then flame away!!! but this was my experience in downtown LV, which i felt was ridiculous.
 
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EasyRhino

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
evilrobotmonkey said:
if you think i'm an idiot who was out of line and got what i deserved... then flame away!!!
Click to expand...
a) Two shoes in double deck, especially when one of them is flat bet, is not enough to get any sort of reliable rating of a players skill. Even if the pit boss or surveillance or whatever was counting along with you on that second shoe.
b) It was a strangely custom tailored form of heat, to bar you from specific tables.
c) A 1-7 spread at double deck, while not "conservative", isn't too gonzo for a quick session.
d) You must have the worst act in the history of acts. And if I say that, then it's pretty serious.
e) Unless you were at the Western, in which case never mind.
 
ihate17

ihate17

Well-Known Member
Downtown vs the rest of the world

I have not played downtown for years because my bet level attracts instant attention.
From what I read it appears that at many places downtown you are a card counter till you prove to them otherwise. In the rest of the world you are just another player till you prove otherwise. Thus the quick and often uncalled for early shuffle or back off downtown.

Add to that, there are many casinos on the strip where a red chip player can count to his hearts content, play for hours upon hours and no one watches or evaluates him. In fact, they tell him to keep his players card because they do not comp or evaluate players at his level. Downtown is in most cases a non tolerance zone. Get a fairly typical novice player who gets on a lucky streak and raises his bets not based upon the count but based upon his luck and they will shuffle up on him, switch dealers and even back him off at times.

That said, the fact that the pit followed you to the cage to inform you of your future status before you left was ridiculous. He must need more to do.

You just wandered into a different kind of blackjack world. The world of extreme red chip sweat.

ihate17
 
E

evilrobotmonkey

Well-Known Member
callipygian said:
Your bannings at other Las Vegas joints probably got your picture passed to the other casinos.
Click to expand...

wow, are you serious? do you know which casinos pass information to each other? and how would they be able to identify me so fast? do they really have facial recognition software?

d) You must have the worst act in the history of acts. And if I say that, then it's pretty serious.
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LOL, i've read your posts, and i thought you've got an act down already. i thought i didn't need much of a act cause i'm a girl, early 20's, and no, i do not count out loud, nod my head, or use my fingers.

That said, the fact that the pit followed you to the cage to inform you of your future status before you left was ridiculous. He must need more to do.
Click to expand...
that's what i thought... i mean i'd already colored up, cashed out, and was ready to leave the joint with my $200 loss in 20 minutes. why bother coming over to harass me? does it look like i'm gonna be coming back here if i really am a counter, and i'm gonna be sweated after 2 shoes? b-tch, please!
 
C

callipygian

Well-Known Member
evilrobotmonkey said:
wow, are you serious? do you know which casinos pass information to each other? and how would they be able to identify me so fast? do they really have facial recognition software?
Click to expand...
Yes, no, your gender, and no.

The fact that you're female now works against you - any casino that talks to another casino will just say, "hey, there's a girl counter lurking around, early 20's, spreads $5-$100 on double deck" and that's probably good enough to identify you. If you're particularly attractive or particularly unattractive, that's only going to hurt you even more.

The whole "facial recognition software can't pick me up, I'm safe" attitude comes from white males who are numerous enough at the tables that a verbal description won't do. There are plenty of low-tech methods that casinos have used for decades - calling up a pit boss friend to give him a friendly heads up, snapping a photo at the cashier's cage and faxing it, circulating a "hot sheet" with descriptions of people to watch out for, etc.

The more unique you are, the harder it is to be made in the first place, but the easier it is to be made every time thereafter. If you're a 6'5", 130 lbs, female, African albino with a Swedish accent and Harley-Davidson branded biker gear who always buys in for $135 with $5 bills and sits at first base in 4-deck shoe games after asking the dealer whether doubling after splitting is allowed, I guarantee that facial recognition software is NOT used to identify you.
 
EasyRhino

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
callipygian said:
If you're a 6'5", 130 lbs, female, African albino with a Swedish accent and Harley-Davidson branded biker gear who always buys in for $135 with $5 bills and sits at first base in 4-deck shoe games after asking the dealer whether doubling after splitting is allowed, I guarantee that facial recognition software is NOT used to identify you.
Click to expand...
Geeze, there's no need to get personal, I already admitted I had a bad act!
 
I

InPlay

Banned
evilrobotmonkey said:
being a las vegas local who hasn't been to downtown in a while, i decided to check out downtown for fun. um there's not much to report except that downtown LV sucks.

went to a couple of major casinos on fremont street, scoped out the double deck games and they had terrible rules. in one of them, BJ pays 6-5 AND no double after split!

then i found a smaller casino with a decent looking double deck game...

i sat down, bought in $200 at a $10 min table. penetration was about 60%. for the first shoe, i pretty much bet $10 the whole way because the count didn't go anywhere... i lost a little in that one shoe.

on the second shoe, i started off with a $20 bet the first hand as a measly attempt for cover... i lost, then i went back to bet $10. the count climbed a little so i bet $20. i lost a couple of $20 bets and the count was still high, so i bet $40. i lost that hand, and had only about $70 dollars remaining. i decided to do a "steam" all in but then the pit boss came over and demanded "SHUFFLE."

while they were shuffling, i took back my bet to pretend to see how much i had left. i then put $20 on two hands. won one and lost one. i colored up and went to cash out. i noticed the pit boss walk over while i was cashing out. as i was walking away from the cage, the pit boss came up to me and asked me "do you live in vegas? do you work here?" i said no. he then proceeded to tell me that i can't play on table # this and that, where they have single and double deck, but i can play any other game.

i was kind of surprised because i had only played two shoes in a double deck game, where the penetration was 60% and there were 2-3 other players at the table. how can they be so sure that i was counting in such a short time, in such a short number of hands??? apparently they were certain enough to come over to give me trouble. i was kind of pissed off, so i asked the pit boss why he was giving me **** when i had just lost $200. i told him to *** off and he called security over to escort me out, and i was like "uh i was trying to leave but you came over to harass me" and took off.

was my betting behavior really that obvious or was the casino being overly paranoid? if they are often this paranoid about anyone who increases their bets, i wouldnt' be surprised if they lose quite a bit of business this way. i mean, just because they suspect someone is counting, should they immediately assume that they are counting and have them backed off?

if you think i'm an idiot who was out of line and got what i deserved... then flame away!!! but this was my experience in downtown LV, which i felt was ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's figmante of your imagination. Maybe this is all made up ? WHY would a casino even be in business if they could not handle your peanut action. I smell something fishy here.
 
E

evilrobotmonkey

Well-Known Member
InPlay said:
Maybe it's figmante of your imagination. Maybe this is all made up ? WHY would a casino even be in business if they could not handle your peanut action. I smell something fishy here.
Click to expand...
not made up. i was wondering the same thing. i think they were probably suspicious the moment i walked in cause i bought in $300 and did not have a comp card. the pit boss appeared rude, giving me stares the moment i sat down... great way to keep customers around. it was my first time at that joint and i've never been to their other properties, so i'm not sure if they had already recognized me as a counter. maybe casinos under different ownerships share information. anyhow, next time i'm playing BJ no one's gonna recognize me. i'm gonna be a gay boy.
 
I

InPlay

Banned
evilrobotmonkey said:
not made up. i was wondering the same thing. i think they were probably suspicious the moment i walked in cause i bought in $300 and did not have a comp card. the pit boss appeared rude, giving me stares the moment i sat down... great way to keep customers around. it was my first time at that joint and i've never been to their other properties, so i'm not sure if they had already recognized me as a counter. maybe casinos under different ownerships share information. anyhow, next time i'm playing BJ no one's gonna recognize me. i'm gonna be a gay boy.
Click to expand...
Were you high ? Do you take drugs ?
 
R

RingyDingy

Well-Known Member
callipygian said:
If you're a 6'5", 130 lbs, female, African albino with a Swedish accent and Harley-Davidson branded biker gear who always buys in for $135 with $5 bills and sits at first base in 4-deck shoe games after asking the dealer whether doubling after splitting is allowed, I guarantee that facial recognition software is NOT used to identify you.
Click to expand...

Ah crap there goes my cover, i cant belive your on to me already.................. :laugh:
 
creeping panther

creeping panther

Banned
Evil One

You did the right thing, you went at them to win the money and then when accosted told them to kiss off:cool: Now that is playing like a "BJ WARRIOR";)

Forget about the camo this and camo that....that will not get you the money but just cost you ,,,,the money.:eek:

As to an act, that is cool and will cost you nothing, may even add to the thrill.

That PC was a pussy and needs to have a boot up his a##:whip:

CP
 
T

Tom007

Well-Known Member
evilrobotmonkey said:
not made up. i was wondering the same thing. i think they were probably suspicious the moment i walked in cause i bought in $300 and did not have a comp card. the pit boss appeared rude, giving me stares the moment i sat down... great way to keep customers around. it was my first time at that joint and i've never been to their other properties, so i'm not sure if they had already recognized me as a counter. maybe casinos under different ownerships share information. anyhow, next time i'm playing BJ no one's gonna recognize me. i'm gonna be a gay boy.
Click to expand...
With my last downtown Vegas experience I basically got the same thing everywhere I went. The stare down upon buying in, and watched the whole time, so bad that for me, it sucked the fun out of it. I'm a low roller (thats why I was DT in the first place,) ($5-80) The thing is, I can understand being watched if I actually got to use that spread. But the stare down would start right away.
Last years trip was nothing like that so it leads me to believe that the movie 21 has something to do with the paranoia DT.
This year it will be strip only!!!
 
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