Safe with Minimal Bets?

My question for Joe: I've used Speed Count for a couple of years now and am pretty comfortable with it. My bankroll limits me to the $5 and $10 tables and that's fine with me. I stick pretty much to dd games and only occasionally does the count allow me to bet in the $25-$30 range. At these lower stakes (I gamble off-Strip and in Reno), am I likely to be ignored by surveillance?

fredo

Fredo

I have had success at being able to continue to play,even in some places, where I have been backed off by reducing my bets to red and low green action. With the reduction of floor staff and at times one suit trying to watch up to 6 games you will be able to play "Under the Radar" by keeping with these bet spreads that you mention.

If for a short period of time the floor is sweating your game you may want to try your best to "LOOK" like a typical square by asking the dealer or another player how to play a hand which you already know the answer to,especially with the floor standing there. Even asking him/her how you should play the hand is always a good move.

One other note when you do ramp your bets up to over 25 try not to pile to many red chips up in the betting circle that will draw attention. If you are going to bet $40 instead of 8 red chips put a green one and then 3 red chips. From a distance a bet of 4 chips or less draws at lot less attention than a pile of 8 or more chips.

I hope this helps in answering your question. If you have any more questions that I can help with feel free to ask away.

The House of Pane

Joe: thanks for the reply. Good tip on piling the chips, I had never thought of that. Here's another question: I know that at various casinos, play at the bj tables does not accrue points (like slots or vp). Therefore, what's the incentive for the player to give them their players card to record? I've never heard a player ask for a buffet comp or whatever, although I've heard that it happens. I earn enough points on vp to cover meals so I don't need to ask the pit boss for a meal comp. Why should I offer the card?

fredo

Fredo

I guess there is an argument on both sides of this question. Without a card if you do get backed off they will not know who they backed off. But with your betting limits it will take someone to really be looking hard at your play to back you off. But with using your card you will allow yourself to be able to receive marketing promos from both the slot dept and also the table games marketing dept.

Not sure where you are playing around town but Station Casinos send out free bets to their table game players and also send out free slot play for their slot players.

One other point in regards to your game if you are playing DD games you will need to get a little bigger spread of at least 5 to 6 to 1 on your bet spreads.

If you are only going to bet $30 on the high side then you should have an opening bet of $5. I prefer an opening bet of $10 for you because when it gets really negative you cant drop below the $5 bet. But by betting $10 there is an option to go to $5

$10 to $50 will do fine just make sure there is a bet between the $10 and $50 dont just jump to $50 from $10.

The House of Pane

Thanks, Joe. Ideally I'm able to find a $5 table and I start my betting at $10, dropping to $5 when the count is low, as you suggest. At $10 tables I'll start at $15 and drop to $10. I do play at Stations but never had a free bet dropped on me yet.

fredo

Joe,

Do you also buy in for a small amount (less than $100) so that the dealer does not have to call it out to the floor or do you still buy in for $100 or $200 so that the dealer has to call it out to the floor? If I'm going to try and make a quick hit and run on a DD game I will sometimes look for an empty table where I can quickly buy in for less than $100 and start playing before the floor even notices that I'm there. I then hope for that good shuffle for me and do a quick hit and run for maybe $200 and then leave without ever giving them a card or knowing who I am.

At a 10 to 50 spread I can hardly imagine getting backed off. Must be a real sweat. I played most California and northern Nevada along with much of Vegas and I have only been backed off at the smallest places in nor Cal.