Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5. Concentrate your play at one place so you can accumulate enough
points to get comps. Jean suggests playing in the smaller casinos
“where it's easier to be a big frog in a small pond.” The bigger the
resort, she says, the more you have to play to get the comp. Spend
your money in places such as The Riviera, Slots-A-Fun, and Casino
Royale, if you're on the Strip. If you're willing to venture off, try any-
place Downtown, or neighborhood casinos such as Arizona Charlie's,
Sam's Town, and any of the Station casinos (Texas Station, Palace
Station, Sunset Station, Green Valley Resort, Red Rock Resort, and so
forth). But don't go around spending $20 at this spot and $100 at that
one. It could take forever to accumulate enough points to get a comp.
It's important to note that when multiple casinos are owned by one
corporation, like MGM MIRAGE, Harrah's, and Station Casinos, a single
slot club card can generally be used at all of those properties.
6. Be value conscious. Each slot club has a different system for point
exchange rates. Take that into consideration, along with the expected
loss on a game and the value of your time. If you're playing 9/6 Jacks
or Better video poker (the 9/6 means it pays nine coins for a full
house and six for a flush, which will be noted on the pay table on the
machine) and you spend $20,000 on the game (which has a return of
99.54%, if played perfectly), you can expect to lose about $100, if
played perfectly. Let's say the comp is $200. Was it worth the time
spent?
7. Be smart and know your limits. If you're a beginning gambler who's
not paying attention to strategy, you may manage to earn that free
steak. But will it really taste that good if you spent $5,000 to get it?
THE GAMES
There's no doubt about it—gambling can be intimidating. Particularly when
you're walking up to a table of strangers and playing a game for the first time. The
following game descriptions are a starting point for your preparation. It's also a
good idea to take lessons provided by the casino (times and places are listed later
in this chapter), or, at the very least, get your feet wet at a time when the casino's
not busy, like mid-week in the daytime. People come to casinos to win money—
not to hold the hand of the newbie as he learns the rules of the game. Unless
you're in a poker room, of course. Then you're playing against each other, rather
than against the casino, and your fellow gamblers will gladly take your money as
quickly as you'll lose it to them.
BACCARAT
If you see a roped-off, fancy-looking area in the casino, one where the dealers may
be wearing tuxedos, that's baccarat territory. If you say it out loud, it's bah -k- rah,
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