Las Vegas Advisor

Posted on December 4, 2021September 14, 2023 by David Mckee — 2 Comments

Special Edition: Rumblings from around Big Gaming

Update: The Seminole Tribe has finally, grudgingly stopped taking sports bets, effective yesterday.

At the risk of using the Seminole Tribe as a punching bag, we have to observe that it clearly doesn’t understanding the meaning of the word “no,” especially when it comes to online sports betting. Judge Dabney Friedrich (pictured) ruled that the Seminoles couldn’t have OSB. But they kept taking bets. Then Judge Friedrich nixed their request for a stay. And they kept taking wagers. Now a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals said no, you have to shut it down. And, as far as we know, the Seminoles are still accepting bets. The only commitment Seminole mealy-mouthpiece Gary Bitner would make is “The Seminole Tribe is aware of today’s Appeals Court decision and is carefully considering the steps it will take as a result,” which probably include continued defiance. Which raises the question, if the Seminoles won’t abide by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (at least when it’s not to their convenience) why in the bloody blue blazes should anyone else?

Posted on December 3, 2021September 18, 2023 by David Mckee — 11 Comments

Off-topic: Medical update

Forgive me if I get personal for a moment. Yesterday, in a fit of depression brought on by an impending medical procedure, I mentioned “life-threatening surgery.” Well, the surgical procedures for which I was scheduled (which involved removal of a vertebra, and the insertion of many rods and screws) is life-threatening but no longer imminent. After an agonizing risk/benefit analysis, I concluded that the former outweighed the latter and the status quo could be maintained for another six months or year, or maybe more. (The prospect of having my neck largely immobilized for life weighed heavily against the surgery.) From this I have drawn a few lessons …

Posted on December 2, 2021September 14, 2023 by David Mckee — 3 Comments

Mega-Jottings

Hollywood Morgantown will open Dec. 22, just in time to capture a share of end-of-year business. The $111 million Penn National Gaming facility will feature 750 slots, 30 table games and cashless betting … The Seminole Tribe continues to offer sports betting, in defiance of a federal court order. Clearly the Seminoles think there’s one set of rules for them and another for everybody else. Wrote the plaintiffs’ attorneys, “the compact creates a gambling scheme that violates state and federal laws and makes unwitting bettors into accomplices in the violations of those laws.” Incidentally, aforesaid compact included a severability clause for OSB, a clear indication that the tribe and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) knew it probably wouldn’t pass muster … Speaking of legal troubles, junket operator Suncity has closed its VIP rooms in Macao (wiping out half the VIP market in town) following the arrest of CEO Alvin Chau for money laundering and other offenses. Casino stocks have been sliding on the Hong Kong bourse, with Wynn Macau down 18% …

Posted on December 1, 2021August 30, 2023 by James Grosjean — 5 Comments

Colin Jones (S2 E7): KU Killed AC

[No, Anthony Curtis is just fine, thank you. I went with the clickbait headline to go with the lede.] “Ken Uston’s lawsuit that forbade Atlantic City from barring skilled players ruined playing conditions there.” I’ve tried before to extinguish this fallacy, and I don’t hear it much anymore (today’s BJA counters don’t even known who Ken Uston was). But near extinction of the argument then incentivizes some online wise guy to sound uber-insightful by blurting it out again. So, yes, someone pissed in my morning coffee, and I will continue my fool’s quest.

Posted on December 1, 2021August 30, 2023 by James Grosjean — 4 Comments

Fact-Check: Munchkin’s Claim that Asian Female ==> +$1 Million

Last time, we discussed the value of being female for an AP. Since female skill will tend to be underestimated by predominantly male casino bosses, females can be ringers at the game. Unfortunately for the female AP, that benefit is tempered by the increased visibility and memorability that they’ll have. But Munchkin’s statement was that being an “Asian female” would be worth an extra $1 million for an AP’s career. So let’s look at Asian-ness in the gambling world.

Posted on November 30, 2021September 14, 2023 by David Mckee — 1 Comment

Strip sizzles, locals thriftier; Penn’s pride and joy

While tourists were more open-handed than ever, cash flow among Las Vegas locals may be drying up, as win/day fell 11% from September. By contrast, the same metric from the Las Vegas Strip was +6%. Further tipping the scales against locals-oriented casinos was the fact that Oct. 31 fell on a Sunday, meaning that two days of weekend slot revenue will be sloughed into November, per ancient Nevada accounting quirk. No need for crying towels: Locals still shed 3% more than in 2019. Slot win was up 2% on 11% more coin-in. That paled in comparison to the Strip, though, up a whopping 30%. Strip slot revenue of $368 million rose 21% on 26% more coin-in (and lower hold) while non-baccarat table win was 26% higher on 49% greater wagering. But the number that gladdened casino executives’ hearts the most was the amazing, 63% rise in baccarat win ($91 million)—even before international players have returned in earnest—despite 13% less wagering. Overall, Strip casinos won $702 million.

Posted on November 30, 2021August 24, 2023 by Bob Dancer — 11 Comments

What’s Wrong with Jacks or Better?

In terms of number of hands played, or number of dollars played, 9/6 Jacks or Better has been the video poker game I’ve played most in my career. Not so much recently, but certainly over my entire career.

The major things I like about the game are:

Posted on November 29, 2021August 30, 2023 by James Grosjean — 23 Comments

The Infield Fly Rule and 6:5 Even Money

Sports aficionados take great delight in explaining the esoteric rules of their favorite sport, so much so that those rules are no longer esoteric. Sunday couch potatoes know the difference between “the call stands” and “the call is confirmed.” Olympic hockey fans know why T.J. Oshie became the Russian nemesis. And those who watch regular-season baseball games know about the Infield Fly Rule, probably the most famous “esoteric” rule in sports.

Posted on November 26, 2021August 30, 2023 by James Grosjean — 5 Comments

Colin Jones (S2 E6): The Woman at the Card Table

Nowhere in The 21st-Century Card Counter did I see the percentage of BJA members that are women, but I’m quite curious. I suspect the figure is quite low, as it is even in some other fields that do not involve a meaningful physical component—such as chess or computer science. I remember scanning the auditorium for the first lecture of CS51 (CS150 in those days), and seeing maybe three women out of 100-200 students.

Posted on November 24, 2021September 14, 2023 by David Mckee — 2 Comments

Seminoles to feds: “F*** off”; Strip casinos drive down employment

In a big “up yours” to the federal judiciary, the Seminole Tribe—after momentarily pausing—has resumed taking sports bets and is effectively daring the courts to do something about it. If that weren’t nervy enough, the Seminoles have asked Judge Dabney Friedrich for a stay of her own order shutting down the new compact with the state of Florida. Tribal government has some strange ideas about how to make friends and influence people. We don’t think Judge Friedrich is going to be amused by this one-finger salute from the Seminoles and it makes any plea for clemency that much more implausible. By showing themselves to be bad actors, how do the Seminoles argue before the court that they deserve a reprieve while the judge’s ruling is appealed, a process that is expected to take six months and is not expected to be successful? It all comes down to buying time for more sports betting, period, but Chairman Marcellus W. Osceola has a funny way of going about it.

Blog Posts