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.
