Got backed off...now fear Griffin.

[R. Smith]

I played for three straight days an upscale (Strip quality), large, casino off the Strip in Las Vegas. I varied my bets from $5-$25. In the last hours of my third day, I was told I was "too good" to play blackjack, but I was free to play any other game. Unfortunately, I was being rated at this casino during my stay and I used my real name. (I stayed at this casino as a guest, too.)

This was my first time ever being backed off. I couldn't believe it! I thought for sure that no one would even bother watching me because of the relatively low amounts I was betting. Also, I had lost about $400 over my three days and I only won back about $100 before getting backed off.

Like I said, this was an upscale casino. Tons of cameras. Plus, I had played there for probably 20 hours or so over the three days. Plenty of time for photographs. Now I'm concerned about being in this Griffin facial recognition database. I really enjoy playing blackjack. I feel bad knowing that I may only last 10-15 minutes anywhere I go now.

Am I being paranoid or has it gotten this bad...?

 

[The Mayor]

You are definitely getting paranoid. You will not get griffined for a $25 max bet. One backoff does not equate to getting in Griffin. You have to pose a serious threat.

But, the lessons should be well learned ...

No matter which casino you were playing, the $5-$25 spread couldn't beat their games (double/six decks) so I don't know what they were worried about. You are not betting enough or spreading enough to make these games worth while, it must have been your persistence that finally got you the backoff. I bet they knew after the first hour, but didn't care.

--Mayor

 

[Tom]

This is nuts.

Are you trying to say you were barred from playing blackjack at a high class Vegas Casino and your top bet was only 25 bucks!!? Usually they dont even waste the time of day with nickel bettors. Are you sure there was not any disputes or disturbances going on? The only possible way I could get barred at these high rolling Vegas joints betting only 5 or 25 bucks is if I tried on purpose,maybe spit in the dealers face,cheat,puke,raging fist,etc.

"Like I said, this was an upscale casino. Tons of cameras. Plus, I had played there for probably 20 hours or so over the three days. Plenty of time for photographs. Now I'm concerned about being in this Griffin facial recognition database. I really enjoy playing blackjack. I feel bad knowing that I may only last 10-15 minutes anywhere I go now. Am I being paranoid or has it gotten this bad...?"

Well I guess if you got barred, it's not only gotton bad,but downright pathetic. You are being paranoid though,it's not like you're a big threat now and will be barred all over the world.

I know some comp hustlers and card counters will tell you it's essential to always use your card,this is far from true. Player cards to me is useless most the time because I move around too much. When a shoe goes bad I'm gone,besides what's an hour or so of action going to get me these days,a bowl of soup? Big Deal.

Tom

 

[gehrig]

if "guest" means "comped"...

then without question, the quality of your play was reviewed by the assigned host. "comped" would include a "casino rate" attained through *any* host, table game or slot department.

improvements in player tracking and evaluation systems are outpacing the advances in surveillance attributes for cheating/"advantage" play. for several years the trend is to equate the efficiency of table game play to that of the slot programs. think about it... slot comp systems are "exact"*, while table game comps are still discretionary in an ever diminishing number of joints. overcomping as accomplished using a few published table game player techniques, will soon disappear. already some rug joints request a player's card number before the issuance of a comp...the 'stiff brings up the player's cumulative and current session records before writing the comp. "let's seee what we can do for you". "we" being the player's record, not the whim of the pitstiff. even at decent, mid-level rug joints the majority of pit game supervisors no longer have "the power of the pen".

a corollary to that "overcomping" was exposed when a "frugal-gambling-person" was effectively 86'd from slot club benefits at the orleans. that, though the player had steered likely thousands of players to the joint via travel channel segments. of course, one could expect no less from the family renowned for the instant/baby-bath water 86's for winning 21 players.

thus the "advantage" 21 player might be enmeshed in the net cast to i.d. comp hustlers.

* there are methods to work that slot comp system but since i currently use them, no sense in discarding them.

 

[Abraham de Moivre]

gehrig is correct.

Several of the top end Strip joints have very sophisticated computer tracking programs to make sure guests are not getting too much in comps.

Perhaps you were caught in one of these, and they wanted to keep your current loss as profit, figuring they weren't likely to be able to win more, and the longer you stayed the more it could cost in comps.