Strike when they ask
Dear Mark,
When a pit boss approaches and introduces himself, then
asks if there is anything I need, is that an appropriate
time to ask for a comp? Danielle, M.
Absolutely. Anytime pit bosses or casino hosts offer you
anything, they're not going out of their way to be overly
friendly, but your level of action probably warrants some
casino perks. Meaning, your cash play deserves a comp, and
since they're asking, you should start taking.
Your reply, Danielle, from this moment forward, should be
immediate and direct. "As a matter of fact, there is,"
you should reply. "What are the chances of you comping
me a dinner?" Why do you have to be forceful? Because
even though most floor personnel have some form of comping
authority, you generally have to initiate the request. There
are times that you'll find your front-line pit boss can't
board you for the night or allow you to go on a champagne
and escargot feeding frenzy in their gourmet restaurant,
but a buffet or a show room pass is within their limits.
If they balk, the standard "Maybe I should take my
patronage next door" always seems to work.
Strike when they ask, Danielle, because if your bankroll
or bet size spirals downward, the casino's gratuity will
probably wane accordingly.
Dear Mark,
I got in a beef with casino management in New Jersey over
how rudely I was treated on a blackjack game. Not only did
I decided not to play at this casino anymore, but I stopped
payment on a $20 check that I had written there. Well, I
think it has come back to haunt me because recently when
I tried to cash a personal check in Las Vegas, the cashier
refused. What's the big deal? It was only $20. Anonymous
The "big deal," at least in the casino industry's
eyes, is that you stiffed them. And the penalty for your
ingenuous act? Blackballing you from cashing checks in most
casinos nationwide. When you tried to cash that check in
Las Vegas, the cashier most likely ran you through Central
Credit-the TRW of the gaming industry. Bingo, you came up
hot. A little disagreement and $20 later, you're an undesirable-according
to a computer of course.
Solution-that is if you want to cash checks in a casino
again-is to pay off the check, include a graceful apology,
then, with knee pads on, appeal to the cage manager to get
your indiscretion taken off Central Credit's computers.
Still peeved and won't give in? You could always cash checks
for $10 or less. Though casinos are required to comply with
federal laws on credit approvals, some get around that by
issuing credit for $10 or less without a Central Credit
check. No, it's not the appropriate way to handle your predicament,
but then, I believe in betting only what you can afford
to lose and avoid check cashing, and casino credit, altogether.
Dear
Mark,
Why is it that when so many dealers get halfway through
the deck, they shuffle up? It really slows down the game.
David V.
Because management has egg-shell nerves when it comes to players using their brains-card counters. This fallacious behavior is unjustified and to casino executives whose belief is that their quarterly reports are in jeopardy by cerebral thinkers I offer a personal challenge: Conduct time and motion studies of your blackjack games. What the stewards of gambling will find out is that blackjack becomes more profitable for the casino when the dealer's shuffle points are deeper. By allowing additional deck penetration, the dealers will pitch more hands per hour and the action will more than make up for an occasional loss by a card sharpie. Besides, they employ pit bulls to run off the counters anyway.
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