| Winners Not Wanted at Greektown | |
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If you are a skilled video poker player you are not wanted at the Greektown Casino in Detroit Michigan. Apparently the Greektown’ advertising slogan, "Let the Party Begin at Greektown" should be changed to “The Party is Over if You Win at Greektown.”
Over the last several weeks the Greektown Casino has ejected over 30 video poker players because they were skilled players. Their winnings added with the small cash-back and casino comps made them unprofitable customers for the market's lowest-grossing gambling house.
These players were doing nothing legally wrong. They were merely playing the video poker games using proper basic strategy that can be learned by reading, using strategy cards or practicing at home on a computer. (Note: Many players become proficient players using tutorial software programs such as Frugal Video Poker or WinPoker. A review of both the programs can be found here.)
There are some video poker games where the payback for perfect play is over 100 percent. Most of these are found in Las Vegas. What makes the Greektown barring of players so disturbing is that the casino did not have any machines of these machines. The casino knew their machines returned about 99.5 percent with proper play.
What is more disturbing is the way the casino handled the baring of the players. Many of them were approached while playing and were embarrassed about having been escorted out by red-jacketed Greektown security guards and told to stay away lest they be deemed trespassers -- even two blocks away in the Greektown parking garage.
"Anybody who would have seen me would have thought I was a thief," said one player who had been ejected from the casino.
Many casinos don’t like players to have the advantage. That is why they bar or restrict Blackjack card counters when they catch them but baring Video Poker players is simply ludicrous because they have other options.
First of all they can change the pay schedules of the machines if they are not making enough of a profit. In my opinion, this is a matter of greed. The majority of the video poker players do not take the time to learn the strategy that will give them the optimum return. The average player gives the casino huge edge by playing with a haphazard guessing strategy.
Secondly, if they are concerned that the promotions are costing them money they can scale them back or change them. Some casinos have a lower comp policy for video poker players than they do for regular slot players.
The Greektown chose to bar the players rather than consider either of these options. Greektown spokesman Roger Martin said, "Our decision benefits 99.99 percent of our guests because it keeps high-paying machines in play and it does not force us to reduce the very generous comp, promotions and double-points programs that we offer.” He added, "We love winners, and this decision preserves the maximum opportunity to win for our other 4.3 million guests."
Two questions came to mind as I read about this incident:
If the Greektown loves winners so much, why would they ban them?
If the Greektown casino is having financial difficulties will baring 30 players have a positive impact on their bottom line? It seems to me that this negative publicity will only add to their problems.
If a casino is going to offer a game or promotion it should not be able to discriminate against a player who chooses to use his or her brain to maximize their chances of winning. If the player plays by the rules that the casino set down, then the casino should have responsibility to abide by the outcome.
Until next time, remember:
"Luck comes and goes...Knowledge stays forever."