Category: Gambling and Casinos

The casino, when I say this word casino actually several things pop into my mind and I can give you a list of what these things are. But first, I think it is important to say that many people go to Las Vegas and Atlantic City for these reasons, not only just to gamble and this is so important when planning a vacation to Las Vegas.

Sure gambling is the base for all of this, but because of the glitz and glamour of Vegas in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s it created a much larger lifestyle than just a bunch of grubby old men sitting around a dingy table playing poker in smoky little poker rooms.

As Vegas transformed into this megalopolis of entertainment and excitement, it gave to you something unique and fun that you just cannot find in another spot on the planet, not even in Atlantic City is it the same.

It gave you gaming and live entertainment with the hottest live acts that circle the globe. Anything from the newest rock ‘n’ roll to old school rap artists on Las Vegas stages. Comedians from all over perform in Vegas, as well as live magicians like David Copperfield. So it is partly because of splendor like this, and major acts like these coming together in one location that it makes it possible for a place like Vegas to exist. But really Vegas is an anomaly.

So this is what this is really about. Entertainment, food, and relaxation and recreation.

Coming to Las Vegas or even just going to visit a casino in the Caribbean or even in Atlantic City there is just so much more to do than sit around and play slots slowly draining yourself of your hard earned 500 dollars that you had put away solely for playing or entering one of the many poker rooms.

Instead of sitting around all the time eating cheap fried foods that the casinos serve for free while you play, look around or ask someone at the front desk what kind of shows may be happening at the casino in the time you’ll be there. Or you could even find out what hot new clubs they host in the area or at the casino itself. Clubs are always great places to meet people that are on vacation and looking to have a fun time with someone new. Meeting new people isn’t necessarily one of higher points of sitting at the slot machine for 10 hours a sitting.

Finding a nice restaurant in the area is also a good alternative to just spending another vacation doing the same thing by being in the room and then in the casino and back again never leaving the casino in a whole weeks time. Eating new things will also help broaden your horizons and maybe will help improve your experience of being at the casino when you begin to view it from the outside after being on the inside for so long.

So Finding other experiences at the casino and doing other things will make the whole experience that much better, think how nice it is to do new things and being adventurous on a vacation. And then you will leave feeling more positive about having been in Vegas or Atlantic City.

In the old days, Las Vegas really took care of its players. That’s what you see in all the movies. My favorite take on the “player” was from the movies Swingers-you’re so money.

Unfortunately, today’s Las Vegas is a penny pinching corporate environment. It’s not enough to simply go and play. You’ll go unnoticed unless you’re dropping tens of thousands in one spot. Casinos are huge places and no one in the Craps pit will know that you played $10,000 on video poker unless you do it right.

Your first step-before spending one dime in a casino-is to get a player’s card. I don’t know of one casino that doesn’t have one these days. You can get a player’s card from the redemption center. Just ask anyone that works for the casino and they’ll point the way.

A player’s card is basically a little credit card looking thing. They take all of your information (name, address, birth date, etc) and create an account for you. Once you have a player’s card all of your action is logged to that account. Aside from possible comps and bonuses, these cards are great for tax time. You’ll be able to get a print out of your wins and losses. And it’s a third party source, so it’s solid for the IRS.

Using the player’s card is very simple. Let’s say you are about to partake in some fun video poker action. Each machine will have a little card slot on the front. Just enter your card, wait for the confirmation that it’s accepted, and play. Remember to leave your card in the slot when you play and remember to take it with you when you leave. If you lose it, they’ll just give you another one.

When you go to the tables, it’s a little different procedure. You need to give your card to the dealer-who then hands it off to the pit boss. They’ll scan the card and then rate your play.

Now that you are “in the system,” you can ask for comps or earn them via bonus programs. Anyone can now pull up your account and see what you’ve been playing. There’s no need to prove it anymore.

As a bonus feature, most Las Vegas casinos give card holders discounts on shows, buffets and other products and services. It’s definitely worth the couple of minutes to get a player’s card for each casino you visit.

Complaining:
Casinos want to take your money, even if you are not rich and only come to the casino with 50 dollars to play the nickel slots the casinos want your money, and if you complain about something they will offer you at the very least a free meal in one of the casinos restaurants just to make you happy. The louder you complain the more you will usually get, but make sure no to get to loud or they will have you removed for making a scene in the casino.

Pretend to be a Big Shot:
Have a friend call the casino and tell them that he is your personal assistant and he is looking to stay in the casino but he has some requests. If the casino believes you are calling for someone who may spend a large amount of money in the casino they may give you a free room, stock the bar with anything you request from $1,000 dollar bottles of Champaign to bowls of only the blue M&M candies.

Play Drunk:
Casinos love to give players drinks. This is because it makes them more willing to spend more money and it also makes them make poor decisions. The problem with this is that if you get into a drunken driving accident the casino can be found liable and it can cost the casinos millions in lawsuits and settlements. So if you are looking to try to get a free room for the night just pretend to be really drunk at a table and if you play it good enough you will have someone come and offer you a free room.

Reward Programs:
If you want the casinos to give you free things you do not have to try and scam them, all you really have to do is lose a lot of money. The more money you lose to the casinos the more player points they will give you towards free meals and room deals, and if you come often enough you will find the casino sending you vouchers for a free night at the casino and if you use it they will send you another every month until the first time you do not use it. To get these things just look for the reward program desk at the casino, they all have one and it is usually easy to find. Then all you have to do is give your card to the dealer when you first sit at a table and every bet win and lose is recorded on the card and the more you bet the more points you get, and when you lose you get even more points.

Know What You are Getting:
Make sure you know if you are getting a freebie or if you are expected to pay it back. I have seen people accept a line of credit from the casino, but they thought they were being given a freebie, it was only after spending over $1,000 dollars that he realized what had happened. Also a casino may ask you if you would like a room for the night make sure before you accept the room that it is a free room. Sometimes the casinos will ask a player if he is staying at the hotel and if they are not they will ask if you would like to this is NOT an offer of a free room, but many people think it is until they check out in the morning and have to pay a $200 room bill.

Casinos give away thousands of dollars in freebies away everyday, and if you want a piece of it all you have to do is know how to ask.

The Slot machine has been a favorite pastime in American culture since the introduction of the first wooden slot machine back in the 1880s. Since then, slot machine players have like all other gamblers, thought of ways and concepts that they believe will beat the machine and they will hit the Jackpot.

I want to discuss a few of these ideas and thoughts as to how to find the winning slot machine and or how to know which slot machine is the one that is closest to hitting the Jackpot.

First, the slot machine is not what it was 50 years ago or 100 years ago. When the slot first appeared with three reels and 10 to 16 pictures per reel, the odd were better at hitting the jackpot because the variables were lower. Now with the advancement in computer chips, you may have odds higher than 16 million to one that you are going to hit the jackpot after 1 million spins. The odds lower at this point, to 15 million to one, but these are pretty much still unbeatable odds.

Let us face the facts; the casino loves slot machine and their slot machine players. For the casino, the slot machine is essentially a croupier, with very little maintenance, a little bit of electricity and a big mouth for pulling in large amounts of cash; it is a large money maker for the casino that the casino does not really have to do too much about except empty the coin drawer for the machine.

The old saying that playing in highly trafficked areas and well lit places and staying away from the lone slot machine or the slot machines in the corner is rubbish. These machines are based on odds and winnings. The more money you put into the machine the likelier you are that you will win big. The best thing to do is to find a machine that you like and sit down and play.

In slot machine play, the highest end dividend in slots is to the machine with the highest dollar play amount. A quarter or nickel slot machine will pay out something like 88 to 91 percent of the money put in. But a 5 dollar and higher slot machine will make payouts of 95 to sometimes 99 percent of the money played in that machine. So sometimes it is better to take a little risk and play the better machines by playing a bit more money if you have it to play.

But all in all, slot machines are a type of offline and online gambling that is easy and can and does offer some of the chances of winning the largest amounts of money available. No book or guide is going to give you the best tip for finding the slot machine that will make you rich. The slot machine is made to make money for the casino and also to pay out a certain amount to keep slot machine players playing with the golden pot of gold glittering in their eyes with a chance to win big. So choose the machine that you favor the most and play to your hearts content.