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I think you misunderstood what I said. I tried to take even money with the dealer showing an ace. I always take even money when the dealer is showing an ace and I have been given it every time. This time the dealer said "We don't give even money" and I couldn't get paid. Then he flipped over 21 for a push.
The Linq. Wouldn't have been my first choice but the buddies I was going with wanted to stay there. I likely will never stay there again. The casino is super small. The sports book very small and then no payout of even money vs an Ace. Not worth going there. Rooms weren't even that cheap.
It's been a while now but sometime after they started paying 6:5, pretty much all 6:5 tables took away the option to take even money. If you find a table and/or play higher limits so that they are still paying 3:2, then you still have the option to take even money.
that is just lame
Do they not call it insurance anymore?
I mean, was Vegas losing too much money paying out 3-2 on blackjack and allowing even money payouts? They already have the odds in their favor why must they keep screwing over the people that don't mind giving away a few hundred dollars for the fun of sitting at a table, having a few drinks and getting the exicitement of gambling.
That's different.
Insurance is different. That you can take regardless of what your cards are and just matters if the dealer has an Ace. Taking even money is specifically if you have blackjack and the dealer is showing an Ace. If you bet 50 and would win 75 at 3:2, you can take the 50 before the dealer checks their hole card. At 3:2, you only win 60 but they no longer allow you to just take 50 before the hole card is checked. Insurance is still offered but is generally considered a bad bet based on odds, etc.
I don't play roulette but long ago pretty much every table went from just have a 0 to now having a 0 and 00. Rumor has it that a number of places now have a 000 on the wheel, making odds even worse for the player. 6:5 blackjack is more the rule than the exception, and a number of the other carnival table games have also adjusted the odds payout on them to give the house an even bigger edge than the crazy edge they already had before. As long as people keep paying/playing, they can keep taking a bigger cut of the pie.
I'm staying downtown so hopefully there's some games I can play. Otherwise it'll just be some drinking, eating, and watching sports. At least with app betting, I can make $5 wagers...
They are going to end up killing the goose the lays the golden eggs. There is no way this can keep going in this direction and them keep increasing profits. I am sure some of the ultra rich will keep flushing money but for people like me that like gambling but aren't that flush with disposable income it will eventually be a cross off as a vacation destination because it just won't be worth it.
I was also shocked at how much the prices of eating, drinking and watching sports also went up. Restaurants were outrageous. No meal less than $60+ per person. Even just trying to watch the games at the sportsbook was an adventure. Almost every seat had a cost beyond just betting the games. We finally bit the bullet for my group of 5 dudes where we paid to have seats ($300 with a $300 food & beverage min) and that was by far the cheapest we could find. Most were $350+ per person and that didn't include food or drinks. Then Sunday comes and most of those areas were unoccupied. We were actually able to talk our way into a free upgrade and sat at the $600 seat because it was going empty.
Ah yes, misunderstood. Oops
With sports betting apps readily available, the sportsbooks are pretty much obsolete, especially if they have a high minimum spend and/or fee just for a seat. You can find plenty of places with TVs, food and drink to watch the games and then just bet from your phone. Some of the places right on the strip will have a high minimum spend and/or be a bit overpriced but it doesn't take a lot of effort to find places a little off the beaten path that are plenty reasonable.
Westgate sports book is awesome and they do have free seats on a first come first serve basis in the back. Easy access to food and drink there too. Chairs are not comfortable though. It's high top tables with hard chairs.
I didn't see a place with this name. Was this "Aces and Ales"?
If we're talking Strip, good call on Blondies.
I believe a small percentage of gamblers are responsible for the vast majority of gambling revenue. And everything I've seen shows profits increasing, so I don't think LV cares too much if the little guy goes elsewhere.
that is abundantly clear
I have not been downtown for many years.
Also, gambling isn’t the main reason most people go to Vegas: while many end up doing it while there, the majority of their revenue isn’t directly from gambling anymore.
That is very clear as well. I just think they can cater to both sets of people but for whatever reason (I am sure it's money) they don't do that anymore.
Pai Gow is your friend
This. And big players get different games than us. They can dictate single deck, 3/2, even money, surrender - you name it. It’s all about the whales. They don’t care about us peons (though we are FBG peons). I play way less table games after blackjack and roulette odds got worse
Yep, gambling profits as part of the percentage of total profit continues to shrink, and the idea of anything being a loss leader (cheap buffets, free shows, $5.99 prime rib) is not a Vegas thing anymore.
You would think so. A few years ago I was looking for tables on a Saturday night at the MGM. There was nothing below $25 min tables so I thought to myself, Pai Gow should be good. i can play for a couple hours and get a couple drinks and not lose a ton of money quick. Nope. Lost the first four hands. Quick $100. Not only did I lose all four hands I lost with two pair, a straight and an A-K up top for three of the four hands. Just incredible.
what is this?
This is why I never got into blackjack. I'd go with my fraternity bros or other college friends and they'd all huddled around the blackjack table and would get pissed if someone did something they "weren't supposed to do".
do you have separate bets for each hand or is it like Pai Gow where you have to win both or lose both to win? I assume it's two separate bets.
yes. you ante (i believe same amount for each hand). on your turn dealer asks if you would like to switch. then you play each hand. you can split and double down as you go. i think there have been times where i was playing about 6-8 hands.
PAI GOWWWWWWWWW
Quite frankly......gambling in Vegas is mostly lame now for all the reasons being talked about.
I just got back from a guys trip to Vegas. It was terrible for all these things. I mean it was still great to be with the old buddies and reminisce and all the regular guy weekend things but the Vegas part of it sucked. Like you said, you can get the Vegas fix now in many other places that aren't Vegas for a lot cheaper.
As a non-gambler, I can’t think of many places which offer as many dining and activity options so close to a major airport. Most major cities are far more dispersed.
On the east coast you can easily come down to Fort Lauderdale, stay at the Hard Rock Hotel, get world class dining, gambling as good as Vegas.
Basically all I did my last time in Vegas was NL Hold em. It saved the trip for me other than the amazing food.
