I had a conversation with a strong player, and he posed a series of ethical questions. He estimated that if I asked this question in a crowd of people, at least 75% of players would claim they would do the right thing in each situation. But if nobody else were around, less than 50% would actually do the right thing.
I’m not sure about his percentages, but they sound approximately right, more or less. So, let’s look at the questions.
CASE 1: George starts by buying ten $1,000 TITO tickets because he will be playing $5 video poker at a bar during a promotion, and he doesn’t want to waste time inserting hundred-dollar bills into the acceptor. He’s playing a game where he gets a taxable for every quad, straight flush, or royal. After a half hour of play or so, he hits one of these jackpots. Since he expects the service will be slow because of the number of players playing the promotion, he moves to an adjacent machine where the same game is available.
This is when he notices that this new machine has $200 in credits left over from a previous player. The player left at least a half hour ago because nobody has been there while he was playing.
He inserts a $1,000 ticket into the machine (giving it $1,200 in credits) and begins to play. By the time his jackpot has been paid off and he’s signed the W-2G, his credits are down to $975. He cashes out these credits, puts the new TITO into his pocket, and resumes playing on his original machine.
About 15 minutes later, George hears somebody approach the machine and say to somebody else, “It shows $975 was cashed out.” He assumes this was the person who left the money in the machine in the first place. He continues to play without saying a word and the people go away. He didn’t even look at the person. Not knowing who he “ripped off” was easier to deal with than putting a face on the victim.
Would you have acted the same as George? Returned the money immediately when you discovered it on the machine? Or when you found out who the money belonged to, forked it over?
CASE 2: Same as before, but now the amount left on the machine is $900. George has the money to play a $5 game, and for that, $200 is basically pocket change. But also on these machines is $1 blackjack and $900 is a lot of money to most people. The scene plays out as before.
Does the amount of money make a difference in your actions?
CASE 3: Same as before, but now George is behind $2,500 when he finds the abandoned credits.
Does being behind today make you more likely to keep quiet?
CASE 4: Same as CASE 1, except an hour or so later, the slot supervisor comes up and says, “Somebody reported they left $200 on the machine next to you. We looked at the camera feed and we saw you inserted a $1,000 ticket and kept playing. Technically, we cannot force you to return the money because it was abandoned. But I think it would be a nice thing if you gave the $200 back.”
What would you do now?
I think most of us will agree that “doing the right thing” means not keeping the money in any of these cases. Believing that to be true in general and actually doing that when the opportunity presents itself are very different things.
Part of this depends on your moral beliefs. Part of this depends on your circumstances. When I started in Vegas 30 years ago and was struggling to support myself, I almost certainly would have kept the money. Today, since I am not struggling financially and am more concerned with casinos letting me play rather than running out of bankroll, the only thing to think about is whether to give the $200 to the bartender or the floor person.
The thing is, while I’m interested in what the rest of you think about this, any claims of “I’d definitely return the money no questions asked!” will be met by a certain degree of skepticism. Many of you will be telling the truth; others not so much. And since I don’t know most of you, I don’t know which of you are which. People in general profess to a much higher level of moral rectitude than they actually live by.
Never miss another post
A few months ago, I left about $400 on a machine and moved somewhere else close by. A girl playing nearby yelled to me, “Hey Mister, you left something on that machine.” The thing is, she could have grabbed that money, and I NEVER would have realized I was short $400. I guess I’m getting old. I thanked her over and over, and inside I chastised myself for being so stupid. I’m not a newbie, I’ve been playing for years. I’m only 67, but I’m starting to forget “little” things. It worries me. That was really nice of that girl to speak up.
I once left some $200+ in an ATM machine. It was late, I’d had too many drinks, stupid tired. A gal that was behind me chased me down, asked “Isn’t this your money? I think you left it in that ATM.” Like with Paul G.’s situation, this gal could have taken that cash and just walked away with it. But I would do the same as she did if the situation were reversed. I think people playing in casinos somehow grow a mindset of appreciation toward fellow players and try to be helpful in ways such as that.
I wish my brain hadn’t frozen up while trying to follow Bob’s first question, and subsequently the ones to follow. Maybe another day I’ll be able to.
If a machine I sit down at has credits on the meter, I cash the ticket out and place it prominently on the machine face down. If someone attempts to claim the ticket and they can tell me it’s approx face value, it’s theirs.
On one occasion I was stunned to sit down and find an $800 ticket sitting on the face plate of a machine. I turned it into security. That night I was told they were able to return it to the player via the serial number, since his card was in when it was printed. The player was very grateful for the return.
There’s never been a “find” that was of sufficient amount that I’d be tempted to not to at least try to return it. I know that whatever satisfaction there would be in the keeping would be more than drowned out by the loss of the legitimate owner.
I suppose there’s an element of “Golden Rule” here. ‘But I have no illusions when it comes to the casino environment or what to expect when the proverbial “shoe is on the other foot”‘.
We turned in a bank envelope full of cash to security and also a diamond engagement ring found on the ladies room floor. It’s a no brainer to turn it in. A slot supervisor can figure out who was playing and find the person. Live your life so you can sleep at night. It’s a simple concept. Keep your hands to yourself and leave other peoples things alone.
I would return the money in all cases above but I am not a pro but just a guy who enjoys video poker and I am pretty well of so I don’t need the money as Bob said earlier in my life when I was not so well off I might have kept it if I needed it.
Hey, everybody, isn’t it ILLEGAL to take or play or in any way use money that’s been accidentally left on a machine? I could’ve sworn that this topic has been covered before; maybe I just don’t remember where. But unless my brain is a little off and isn’t remember things exactly, then, doing anything with “left” money or credits is legally forbidden, and we could get in trouble for using it or cashing it out. That is the #1 reason why I wouldn’t take or play the money or credits. That would come to my mind first. After that, the moral feelings would kick in. I would know, and say, that the left money/credits belong to someone else, and I don’t yet have the right to take it or use it. But then the 3rd thought that would hit me would be that some other person could soon sit down at the machine, and they probably would play the money/credits as if it was theirs, and then cash out and leave when they felt like it, meaning that the true owner would lose his/her money. So, after all this, I would cash the money or credits out to produce a ticket, and then somehow summon a manager or supervisor (not trusting the bartender or a floor attendant or a Security employee) (have you ever heard Security employees chat with each other?), and then I would give the ticket to that supervisor or manager. I would hope that the person eventually came back while I was still playing so that I could tell him/her that I secured his/her money with the casino, and put their mind at rest. *** AN ACTUAL EXPERIENCE: I once found $32 sitting on a table in a fast-food eatery at the Plaza (i.e., not a place where there is table service and tips are left for the server). I knew that if I didn’t take the money, someone else definitely would, and then the original owner would never get his/her money. So I went to Security, and gave them my personal card (which had my cell phone number), and told them what happened, but I did NOT tell them how much the money was, and I did NOT leave the cash with the Security guys (who might have just kept the money for themselves). I told them that if anyone came to them and said that they accidentally left money on a table, ask them how much they say they left, and then call me and tell me the number that the person said. If the person could not give a number close to the actual figure, then they likely wouldn’t be legit. But if they did say the exact amount of something close, then I would go to Security and give the person the cash. Well, I never got ANY phone call from Security by the time I left Vegas, so I felt no guilt about having taken the money and being able to keep it.
Good questions here. I was just in Vegas and found $19 ticket sticking out of machine I had sat down at. I did what the first commenter mentioned. I took it out, laid it face down on screen of the machine when I played. Somebody came for it, it was clear to see and it was theirs. I also looked at the time of the ticket…..it was over 40 minutes ago so that made me think no one was coming for it most likely for that amount.
I ended up just taking it after an hour I played, waiting for poker seat to open up. If it was a larger amount though, I think I would have turned it in honestly. I kind of just think that is what I’d expect someone to do if say it was like $100 or more let’s say. With $19, uh….I guess I wouldn’t care.
I would turn tickets into Security. Unless it’s a 2-cent ticket that is obviously not going to be claimed, or missed, I would hand it in. However likely or unlikely, you don’t want to give a casino a reason to 86 you over something like this. If it’s a 2-cent ticket, just leave it next to the machine like an empty cup of coffee. Do not keep money that is not yours. There are cameras everywhere. That’s how it is nowadays.
Al… it’s right here
https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/question/abandoned-slot-tickets/
This hits close to home, as the shoe was on the other foot for me last month at Encore. For the first time ever, I left money ($300) in a machine and didn’t realize until hours later that I must have done this. Went to the nearby players club with little expectation someone would have been as honest about it as I would have been. They were able to track that someone pulled it out 30 minutes after my goof and cashed it at a redemption machine. My bad, and I was ready for that to be the end of story–but a supervisor tracked me down on the floor and said they were giving me $140 in free play to help soften that experience. Wow! I ended up feeling better about their actions than I felt bad about mine!
Best thing is to put on the “help” light, wait for an attendant to show up. Tell the attendant you sat down to play but see there is an uncashed balance. Let them handle it from there, including any cashing of the TITO.
I know, once you sti down you are ready to start playing, don’t wish to wait for the attendant, but that’s what should be done.
Been on both sides of this issue, but not at the amounts you are working with. Somehow walked away with $50 left in a $100 a spin WOF slot machine. Someone was nice enough to report to the slot attendant, who recognized me and the next time I was in sent me to the cage to collect it. Another visit sat down at a machine with $100 even on the meter. Hit the button, slot attendant came and cashed it out. No idea if it ever got back to the original owner.
I have a relative whose philosophy is finders/keepers, who walked up on a vacant slot machine where a large win of $600 and change was left on the machine. He cashed the ticket and went on about his day.
Right thing to do is attempt to get the money back to the rightful owner, if it is a significant amount. That said, pay attention when you are gambling, and make sure you cash out!!!!
The moral part obviously prevails and people are honest to return the money to the person that owns it.
If there’s just 80 cents in a machine where somebody was playing 1 dollar denom, it’s obviously not worth making a drama of it and collect it and play on. Major amounts should not be kept as it might lead into trouble.
However, I also have a similar story to tell: I was playing at the Southpoint the other day nearby the sports book bar. A lady two machines of my right hit a royal flush for 1000 dollars and the guy next to me (in the middle between us) was her husband, in the 80s or so.
The lady gave the money to her husband to collect the ticket in the cage, but then the man called her up telling her that he wants to play a different game nearby the cashier’s cage and won’t return so soon. I was following the conversation but the machine to my right had better graphics , lights and sound, so I wanted to switch machines I had a great conversation with the old lady while we were playing and I was aware of the fact that there was around 120 dollars left in the machine I was about to begin to play.
So what I did was cashing out the money and put the ticket , also face down, next to the ticket dispenser slot and began my play with my money. I probably would have kept the money but I had sincere bad feelings to do so and finally I told the lady that there was money in the machine and I put it there. So she called her husband who gladly returned to pick up the ticket with the 120 dollars face value and they all were happy.
The reason why I returned the ticket was not that I was afraid of being caught but because the conversation with the lady turned out to be so nice and since I am a good customer at the Southpoint and receive quite good benefits I thought it wouldn’t change my life if I would take it or not take it so I think it was just fair to return the money to the true owner.
I have been the victim of items stolen from my slot machine while I was in the restroom more than just one time, and I have been asked for money by apparent poor people begging for change while playing off-strip at some locals’ joints not to be mentioned by name at this time. Still I believe it’s the right way to return that money not play it off and hand it out to slot personell or security rather than grabbing it up for own discretion. It somewhat makes me sleep better.
From Switzerland
Boris
Candy is right. The easiest way to deal with it is to not deal with it. Just hit the service light and let the slot clerks deal with it.
The bartenders at the Bellagio sports book have plastic “Reserved” signs. If a player leaves with credits on the machine, they put the Reserved sign on the machine and call for a slot clerk.
Back in the old days you could make more than a few dollars picking up coins out of the slot trays and off of the floor. And everybody knew Rat Tails although nobody knew how he got his nick name. Rat Tails was a homeless guy who supported himself walking through the casinos picking up coins out of the machine trays and off the floors. The casinos tolerated him because he was sort of a local legend and was always clean and reasonably dressed. The joke was that if they ever held a contest called “Name That Casino Carpet” that Rat Tails would win hands down.
And if ever there was anybody in Las Vegas with a sense of humor, it was Steve Wynn. When Steve opened Treasure Island, the one dollar tokens were gold colored. And the carpet pattern he selected for the casino had an occasion circle in it which was gold colored and the exact size of a dollar token. I picked up more than a few over the years walking through Treasure Island because people would drop them and they would just disappear into the carpet pattern.
From Arizona
Sangria
Today any amount of credits left in the machine can be tracked. I believe this helps many of us to be honest because we do not want to get caught. OK, but how about the old coin machines ? The coin return on the old bar tops was in the face of the bar under the counter top. Many it seems had no idea of this and standard procedure for many of us would be to check the cup upon sitting down. A few would leave it for the bartender, most just put it in their pocket or the machine. The good old days: occasional free coins and dirty fingers !
I’ve been on both sides of this scenario (anyone who has been playing for decades likely has).
On the day that Desert Storm was announced, we were staying at what was the Hilton… and there was an eerie quiet throughout the casino (many patrons left). We sat down at a slant-top that had a good view of the TV so we could watch the news about it. This was when the machines were coin-droppers… and I noticed there was a wallet in the hopper. Pulled it out and found it had credit cards, ID and about $700 in it. My hubby immediately took it to security, but he told me he didn’t have a “good feeling” about doing that (fearing security would return the wallet without the $$ to the rightful owner).
In 2012 or so, I sat down at a slant-top at the M in HL. I inserted a $100 bill and then checked the credits to be sure it registered. Imagine my surprise when I saw it showed $1100 credits! Wow! I put on my light and when the attendant came, I asked for security. The security guy came over, took the ticket and returned with my $100 portion of the ticket. He came back a short while later and said that they checked and whoever had been at the machine had not been using a player’s card (crazy!), but that they recognized the person on the video and were able to find him elsewhere in the casino and returned it to him. I didn’t believe him and still don’t.
A couple of months later, I was playing at a slant-top in HL at Red Rock and noticed the machine next to me had about $100 in credits on it. I cashed it out and took it to the cage in HL (very near where I was sitting). Minutes later, a man came running frantically into HL and looked at the machine and was upset to see the $$ was gone. I told him I had cashed it out and given it to the cage. He went to the cage and got the $$… then came back to me and chastised me in a loud angry voice that I had “no right to cash out his ticket!” Really??!!
I believe we will all have an “accounting” for our life choices one day and I do not want “taking what wasn’t mine” to be on that list. No regrets.
Three times I have left tickets in machines and each time I remembered just minutes later. Unfortunately, all 3 times my ticket had already been cashed out; when I asked for help, all 3 times I was told that the money had already been dispensed at a terminal and that nothing could be done. I was angry with myself and disappointed in human-kind each time.
If it was $20, I’d probably keep it. However, more than that and I’d either not play that machine or call for a slot attendant/bartender to take care of it.
I certainly would NOT tell the general public what I would do.
I guess it depends but the same answer holds for all scenarios… Firstly if I noticed before I went to put a tito in I would just leave it, I wouldn’t cash it out. If I didn’t notice until after I put the tito in I would assume the tito was for that wrong value and consider this a casino mistake in which case I would keep it. If I didn’t notice and it became apparent someone had left these credits on the machine I would do what I could to get these back to their rightful owner. Last year at South Point I left my phone ($1000+) on a slot wireless charger. When I realized you can imagine the panic, the value is not relevant to me as half our lives are on our phones these days especially when it comes to banking. I ran back to the machine, and I don’t run lol to find my phone gone,,, now in serious panic mode my girl friend tried calling it, no answer, no answer, then to my surprise, hello, a member of lost and found answered…. It was December and I was sweating. We went to l/f I opened the phone and they gave it me back, I’ve never been so happy to leave the guy a $50 tip even though he wasn’t the person who turned it in. I think depending on your world view and if you have been on the happy end of a situation like this then you will likely do the right thing especially if you believe in karma. I’ve found several debit cards in the uk, a couple in casinos and with contactless payments it would be easy to spend a bit but i always turn them in to the desk. On the other hand, I once found a $100 bill on the rest room floor, I picked it up and added it to my own.
Also, what does the other person being a “strong player” have anything to do with this? Rich and/or smart people DO steal from others as well as poor people.
One time, at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, I left credits in a machine and walked away. I quickly realized what I had done and rushed back to the machine. A woman was playing my credits! I told a security guard what happened. He said that there was nothing they could do. I asked him to check the security cameras but he said that they didn’t have any in that area (yeah, right). Took an almost $200 loss, which was a lot for me then.
Now before I leave any machine, I ALWAYS hit the “cash out” button, even if I know there is no balance left
One time, a friend of mine hit a royal on a quarter VP machine. There was a *long* line at the cashier so she decided to use the ticket redemption machine. She inserted her ticket and the machine spit out her money, which she took and left quickly so as not to hold up the people waiting behind her to use the machine.
As she walked away, she realized that she only had half of the $1000. Seems the machine paid that amount in two halves! The man behind her in line took the second $500 and left *quickly*. By the time security viewed their tapes and saw what happened, the man and the money were long gone. Now my friend cashes all large tickets at the cashier only.
If it was a busty broad, I would have given it back when they came looking, acting as hero to a damsel in distress.
Perhaps I might get some action as a reward?
If I was approached by casino personnel, I would have given it back.
Otherwise, finders keepers.
A relatively recent development in Vegas casinos has been that security and slot personnel are now tracking people who cash out unplayed balances on machines. A few have been arrested. I know at least one of them personally. While I’m not interested in analyzing or divulging my own morality on the topic, I will say that someone very close to me has made a habit of doing this and was sufficiently deterred by the thought of arrest and prosecution that she–a very “busty broad,” as someone above put it–has curtailed her exploits in this regard, at least greatly if not entirely. Without passing judgment on anybody brave enough to post the truth here, do what you will at your own risk; just be aware of the potential consequences.
OK lemme tell you these ACTUAL stories and you decide: 1. I was walking by an ATM at Wynn and the cash was in the slot for an ATM withdrawal. No one was around. I took the cash and the receipt and then it took me over an hour to get the people at Wynn to believe me, take the money, file the report, etc. They said NO ONE ever returned money like this. And the way they handled it made me think they just kept it. 2. I found $150 in credits at my local tribal casino. I tried to give it to them to handle. Again, 30 minutes to get any assistance. I asked what were they going to do with the money and the manager said it would be property of the casino, I snatched the ticket back, cashed it, and made a donation to charity. SO. What do I think? I think do the right thing, but the right thing doesn’t mean giving it to the casino to administrate.
I often times said if I found a $25 token on the floor of the casino that I would put it in my pocket and consider it mine, even though I understand if it’s on the floor it technically is the property of the casino. Spring of 2023 I found a folded up $100 bill lying on the floor between an ATM and a slot machine with a man playing it. Just as I picked up the $100 bill the man looked over to see what I was doing, I kept the bill folded up in my fist, but asked him if he dropped any money on the floor and he shook his head and said no. I looked around and there wasn’t anyone on the next couple of machines so I stuck in in my shirt pocket and continued over to the video machine that I wanted to play, with the intention of keeping the $100 bill or possibly investing it. I put a $20 bill into the machine (several carousels away) and argued with myself the whole time that I was playing why I should or shouldn’t keep it. Guilt got me, I cashed out headed back towards the area and mentioned it to a security guard that I was passing. He had me take him to the exact spot that I picked it up and waited until we got there, then radioed to I assume whoever was running the security cameras gave them the approximate time I said that I had picked it up, he then took the money, thanked me and said that’s all. I think that I felt better after that, but it didn’t change my luck at all that evening. I think that I would still do it again if I found $100 on the floor, but less likely if it was $5 or $25 token.
Give and it shall be given unto you…got any Faith?