Casino Gambling

Gambling certainly has its ups and downs. At one point I had won ten hands in a row at blackjack and the next I had tripled my bet, gotten a split with a double-down and lost them all. Suddenly I was in the hole. I won 10 hands, lost three, and was in the hole! The gambling part is great, the frustration part is terrible. We all live with the ups and the downs. Life is full of them.

To help compensate the unpredictable nature of gambling I have always been good at budgeting my bankroll. Well, except for a trip to Tahoe with my girlfriend when I was 18 and had $110 to my name and we were planning on staying the weekend. Live and learn!

Anyway, for most people the budgeting part is terrible because it's so boring, but it's so important. If you don't do some money management, it is unlikely that you will ever build a bankroll, or even know how much money you can afford to spend on your gambling entertainment.

Most gamblers just head out to the casino, play for a few hours, and then drive home wondering if they overspent. Aside from the obvious hope to win, gambling is entertainment. You can expect to win, but realistically you should know that unless you are a card counter or a professional poker player, it is most likely that your gambling will be like a night at the movies with dinner - an expensive dinner.

So, do yourself a favor and take what you can afford to spend when you go to the casino and leave your credit cards at home!

Sure, we all know that you might not win during your trip to a casino, but you can actually lose your shirt! That's not just a saying. Shirts and sweaters are high on the list of things lost at casinos. You might want to consider just what to wear to your local casino before you make a trip there! You might not have to carry that extra jacket or shirt around because many casinos have a coat check.

You would be amazed at the number of items found in casinos. Right now, cell phones are at the top of the list. I just don't understand why so many people insist on taking their cell phone out and leaving it on chair next to them. On the other hand, one of my favorite things that people lose are their canes and walking devices. If you need a cane, how do you walk-off without it after playing the slots? Who was it that said, "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most?"

As for those strange things people lose, Ken Uston, the legendary blackjack card counter, once financed a team of blackjack players who used tiny computers fitted to their shoes and a receiver that was smaller than a pack of cigarettes. After a team member lost the receiver, Uston called the casino and said he lost his hearing aid amplifier. The lost and found department said, "Yes, we have your hearing aid," so he drove to the casino, tipped the security officer $5 and headed back out the door with his device!

It probably wouldn't surprise anyone if they heard that money was the thing most lost in casinos, but my friend Trinidad had an announcement for our group the other night. He asked, "Hey, did anybody lose a bunch of bills held together with a rubber band? Yes? Well that's good, because we found the rubber band! Here it is."

Yup, that's right. I owe an apology to every New York Giants football fan for ever doubting that their team had a chance against the Patriots. Go Figure. Just because they were peaking at just the right time (like, hmmm, what, a few years ago) and the Patriots had hit a plateau (like, hmmm, what, a few years ago), I still didn't expect the Patriots to go away empty-handed. Of course that's why I don't bet sports for a living.

Sure, I'm great at baseball, but apparently I can't even pick the winner in the Super Bowl, much less the weekly contests or the playoffs. However, I can admit when I'm wrong. So, I was wrong.

In the meantime, Giants coach Tom Coughlin keeps his job, Eli gets his second Super Bowl MVP, and the record books record his 10 of 14 passing numbers for 118 yards in the final quarter. For what it's worth, the crazy display was his seventh game-winning drive of the season. OMG. Does anyone remember Payton today?

Photo Courtesy (West Springfield High School)

This year's Superbowl is just a day away, and it's time to make my prediction. I'm obviously qualified to make a prediction because of my extensive background in football. As you can see from the photo above I played football in high school. I'm the one with the circle around his head. No, not a halo. That's something my mother added to point out the kid that most needed a haircut. You can also check-out professional Sports bettor Mark Franco's Super Bowl Picks if you doubt my ability.

As you can see, I'm part of a fairly large crowd. In fact, because of the size of the team I didn't get to play much during games. In fact, this picture is a lot like the actual games we played, because most of the action I saw was from the bench. Bummer!

However, if you are one of the millions of viewers who will be tuning in to Super Bowl XLVI - February 5 at 6:30pm ET on NBC, you might have a bet riding on the game, regardless of what the NFL says about gambling. Legalized sports gambling has been introduced and voted on in several states, but Nevada reigns supreme, having offered bets on every Super Bowl!

Sunday the Patriots will try to avenge their loss to the Giants just a few years ago in the Super Bowl. This year's contest will shape up much the same. The Patriots are on a long wining streak and the Giants struggled early in the year but are peaking at the right time. The Giants averaged 25 points per game and the Patriots gave up 22 points per game, I expect the Giants to score 23.

The Patriots averaged 32 points per game and the Giants gave up 25 points per game, so I give the Patriots a 28 point start. In addition, I give the Patriots a point for the longer streak and a point for the better road record. They also get 4 more points because they won 13 games this year to the Giants 9. I expect the score to be Patriots 34 - Giants 23.

Super Bowl Parties at Casinos

Now for the important stuff - like where to watch the game. Obviously we can't all make it to Indianapolis to see the game in person. However, aside from your best buddy's house (or the guy with the huge TV and great snacks), most casinos this weekend will have some kind of a Super Bowl party. Expect there to be crowds in many locations! And, remember to call ahead to your favorite casino and find out when the doors open, and what the fees are. Call the concierge desk or the player's club to find out.

My best advice is to show up around the time they open the doors and stake out a good table or seat, then leave your buddy in charge and hit the slots.

Photo Courtesy (IGT)

Well, I never know who to call, so I'm telling our readers here, the new Ghostbusters slots are paranormal. That's good.

The new IGT slots first haunted the Vegas Strip at the end of September on a 30-day exclusive run at MGM properties. That engagement still allowed other properties to capture the slots for their own use well before Halloween. The games have been popular as part of IGT's new Center Stage Duo model, two machines sharing a 55-inch overhead LCD screen with loud MEGAfx Surround Chairs.

The slots play much like the new Batman: The Dark Knight machines, which are often combined as a group, sitting directly behind the Ghostbusters slots. The penny machines take up to 250 credits and offer plenty of Bonus screens, each of which prompts a film clip from the movie and a chance to win a nice bonus,

On the Ghostbusters game, bonuses include Ballroom Busters ("Don't look directly at the trap!") where you get five proton shots to blow up the ballroom, Stay Puft free games, Are You Psychic, and the best: Paranormal Pick, where five levels of Paranormal Pick Bonuses allow players to select phantasm clouds for a chance to win the progressive jackpot.

If you remember the movie you'll probably love the slots. They are a lot more fun than Betty Boop or Bewitched.

Did you ever hear a really obnoxious store clerk asking somebody what their problem was? I was in a major department store and heard a buyer complaining about a sweater she had purchased. After she got it home she found some off-color spots on one of the arms, brought it back, and the salesperson treated her like she was a criminal. It made me want to skip my purchase and never go back!

Now granted, in a casino you don't always get to go home with your money, or a purchase, but sometimes you win - and you get treated pretty well. If you have a problem in your local casino resort there should always be somebody who is willing to speak with you. Any casino dispute, from a misunderstanding about taking a card at blackjack to waiting too long in valet can be an annoyance. And, if you want to talk to somebody, do it!

Nobody in the casino and resort industry wants to hear complaints - and that's why they work so hard to avoid them, by offering guests the best service they can. However, when something goes wrong, you can always talk to the pit boss, slot supervisor, restaurant manager, or even the casino manager. In almost every instance they will be cordial and happy to try and help. Unfortunately, when dealing with gambling issues, the answer is often "no," but that does not mean you can't ask!

One of the funniest complaints I ever heard centered on the game of Omaha high-low (eight or better ) split. A guy that claimed he played a lot of Texas Hold'em got into the lively Omaha-Eight game and made a great hand. Unfortunately, at Hold'em you can play your hand with one of your own cards, both cards, or even play the board, but in an Omaha game you have to use two cards and only two cards.

Anyway, the new player didn't understand that in Omaha high-low you can use any two of your four cards for the "high" hand and any two of your four cards for the "low" hand. The disagreement got to the point where not only was the poker room manager called in, but even players from other tables were weighing-in with their own disparaging comments about the noise, the disruption, and the newbie. So, the lesson is, make sure you understand the game you are playing - before sitting down - and when you have a dispute, don't be afraid to ask for help. But please, don't scream and cry when the players, the dealer, the supervisor, the poker manager, and finally the casino manager explain why you are wrong.

It's not a shoe store, sometimes the customer isn't right! Don't be afraid to ask, but take your answer with a grain of salt and go back to your game, they aren't all out to cheat you, honest!

Photo Courtesy (Nevada Casino History)

Sometimes it is amazing the lengths I will go for a good meal! When in Vegas, you can have Chef J. Joho's Eiffel Tower Restaurant serve you the most acclaimed cuisine available in any Las Vegas French restaurant, with lamb seasoned to perfection and foie gras unlike any other. And, you can enjoy your amazing meal inside the Eiffel Tower. It's a pretty cool experience.

If you haven't stopped into the Paris casino on the Las Vegas Strip, you will find a very friendly gaming house. The dealers are nice, the table games aren't squished together, and they offer the standard fare: blackjack, craps, roulette, keno and a race and sports book. However, if you want to see the Eiffel Tower and ride to the top for a spectacular 360 degree view 46 stories high on the Strip, this is the place! There is a small fee (starting at $7.50).

Afterwards, if you are hungry, you can eat in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant on the 11th floor. The full windows give you a terrific view of the Bellagio Fountains. The restaurant serves lunch at 11a.m. and dinner at 5p.m. The lunch menu is quite reasonable, with most of the main courses running about $20. On the other hand, if you are having dinner, don't forget your wallet, or your socks and shoes!

My wife and I had never ridden to the top of the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, or in Paris Las Vegas, so there we were. High above the Strip as the sun was setting. A wonderful experience. And, it made us hungry. So, on the ride down, why not stop at the restaurant for dinner?

Well, like a lot of Las Vegas tourists, I was wearing sandals. And yes, they do expect at least business casual dress for dinner. And, that's why I now have a pair of $9 Eiffel Tower Socks!

That's right, straight from the Paris gift shop on the heart of the Las Vegas strip. The black socks are magical. Not only do they have little Eiffel Tower designs on them, they also made my sandals look enough like shoes to get us into the restaurant, where my wife and I were able to have a great meal.

Being at least a little frugal, we passed on the Trilogy of Imported Caviar at $360, but our salmon and steak meals with a couple side dishes and a couple glasses of wine still ran about $250 with a tip. And, we'll go back again, the next time I win a poker tournament. Plus, I still have the socks!

This past World Series of Poker included the usual array of poker prowess by many poker stars, but amazingly, Doyle Brunson continues to play excellent poker. It's one thing to have a few good years as a poker pro. I have, and I'm not that impressed with myself. Other players are sharp and successful for a decade or more, but by and large, players begin to lose their focus after a dozen years or so in the bone-yards of poker. It's just a fact.

The money that is available now, and the notoriety that players can achieve with only a few TV appearances certainly has had a great impact on extending the careers of many players, but I'm just dumbfounded by the players who are getting to middle age and beyond and are still playing well. It's something new in the world of poker.

If you have ever read According to Doyle, then you know how Doyle Brunson thinks and how he has been able to make a career of playing an extremely hard game. What you might not know, or remember, is that those stories Doyle first wrote about in the 1980's for Poker Player Newspaper, were about his time playing in the 1950's.

Come on, the 1950's! He was playing successfully in the '50's and is still playing well. Baby I'm Amazed.

I've wondered about the eye-in-the-sky since I first heard a song by the same name. If you know the 1982 Alan Parsons Project song, "Eye in the Sky" then you might wonder if it has to do with casinos. I did. It does. A couple of great lines are: "dealing with fools, I can cheat you blind," and another is "looking at you, I can read your mind." I love the "Eye in the Sky" Buy Direct.

Now those lines may be a little esoteric, but the The Project's previous album was called "The Turn of a Friendly Card." Coincidence? Of course not.

Alan Parsons was an assistant engineer on the Beatles' "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be" albums. He also worked as the engineer on Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" album, all concept-based recordings. He met Eric Wollfson in the canteen of Abbey Road Studios in 1974 and the two musicians hit it off. Eventually they would form The Alan Parsons Project, and while not their first album, "The Turn of a Friendly Card" was certainly a story of its own.

If you don't know the album, don't feel bad, but the 1980 release tells the story (through light, progressive rock) of a middle-aged, frustrated and restless man who heads to the casino, ready to risk everything he has. Songs include titles like: May Be a Price to Pay, I Don't Wanna Go Home, Turn of a Lucky Card, and the hits Games People Play and Time. The latter, probably my favorite.

The album also includes Snake Eyes and Nothing Left to Lose, but Eye in the Sky came on the next album. Why? I can't figure it out.

Now the actual eye-in-the-sky that casinos use has been called many things. It's often referred to as the "peak" or the "tower," but one thing remains, it sees everything, if it is well designed and well-managed. While the "sky" used to consist of a guy laying on his belly across a dusty plywood beam in the cat-walks of the casino rafters training a pair of binoculars at the tables below, surveillance is very sophisticated now.

If you drop a dime on the floor, a good surveillance operator can switch cameras at the flick of the wrist, swivel a joystick to move a pan-and-tilt camera and zoom-in to read the date on the coin, in living color. That's why so many cheats are caught. It takes somebody, like an attentive pit boss on the gaming floor or a smooth operator (wait, that's another song) in the "eye" to know what to look for, but once a problem is detected, it's just a matter of time!

Much like Steve Wynn, who owns the Wynn casino in Las Vegas and Macao, Sheldon Adelson wants a Republican in the White House next year. Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., which has properties on the strip and also in Macau, has investing $5 million in a "super PAC" trying to boost Republican Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign. According to the Associated Press (citing an unnamed source), Adelson is ready to contribute even more to try to win the White House for a GOP nominee.

At the same time, Las Vegas (and statewide Nevada casinos) properties are reporting their income is still lagging and the recession has not abated when it comes to gaming income. Both Adelson and Wynn have seen their Las Vegas resort income dwarfed by that made at their casinos in Macau. That's more a reflection of the great strides mainland China has made in the past few years economically, as the money flowing through Macau's 12 casinos is more than all Las Vegas casinos combined.

Wynn stated earlier this year that a change was needed in current US Government policies to ease the availability of loans and to give confidence to business owners/builders - both of which would help expansion in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, expansion in other states continues, with Wynn considering a new casino venture in Massachusetts. Regardless of the impact of casinos in Mass. and Ohio, it is Florida that should have Las Vegas the most worried. Las Vegas may be "VEGAS" and the Bellagio may have its fountains and lake, but beautiful casinos along the shore of Florida will be a huge draw for casino goers.