A:
[Editor's Note: This question is answered by our very own man behind the curtain, pit supervisor and former card counter Andrew Uyal.]
This is a good question, which comes up quite often.
When players are having a great time and winning a lot, it's common for them, at the very least, to joke about the casino being nervous and kicking them out, or changing the dealer or the cards, or something else, to try to turn their luck around. I wish I could say that this never happens, because it shouldn't.
But the fact is that players who aren't counting and are simply having great luck have been asked to leave.
Usually, the reasoning isn't because they're too lucky or the simple act of winning. Rather, it's because the casino thinks that the player is up to something. They suspect them to be counting or effecting some malicious manipulation of the game. That must be the only explanation for such extraordinary luck.
I say that it shouldn't happen, because a casino should never cease the action of a player without conclusive proof that they are counting, using another advantage play, or cheating. Without knowing what they're doing to take advantage of the game or even if, they're backing off a player who will eventually give that money back. Casinos have certainly done that -- forfeiting the opportunity to win the money back by backing off a player who's winning.
In some cases, the casino will back off a player, not because they're up to something nefarious, but rather that the executives become uncomfortable with the amount someone is winning. This would have to be a large amount of money, probably larger than you're imagining, even, but it can happen. It can also happen if the casino has improperly calculated its exposure level and maximum betting limits on the tables. If a player comes in and has what I like to refer to as "super luck," they could win a number that might make the higher-ups think twice.
It can also happen when a casino extends higher maximum-betting limits to a player with a large credit line or who has put a major amount of money on deposit. If they have improperly calculated what those limits should be based on the bankroll, a player could win enough to make the execs squirm.
It's important for management to understand what their exposure to any one player could be. It's also important that they, or at least someone on their team, fully understand game protection, advantage play, and cheating strategies. Unfortunately, that understanding is often lacking, which leads to situations like players getting backed off for doing absolutely nothing wrong.
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