Question of the Day - 27 November 2021

No harm in asking, but know when it’s a good time to ask.

Years ago, before I even knew what card counting was, I was at Mohegan Sun one morning when there were several empty open BJ tables. I asked the pit boss if there was any chance of one of them being lowered. He thought about it a moment and said yes.

Funny thing is, I got on a heater, and a little while later the pit boss came over and saw I had a bet out that was about triple what the original table limit was. He seemed surprised and asked what that was all about. I just told him that I was on a hot streak. He then looked at the dealer, who confirmed saying that it was a standard pressing progression.

I’m pretty sure that’s the first time anybody thought that I might have been counting cards.

I was at Borgata in Atlantic City.  $20 minimum for pai gow is pretty standard there.  All the pai gow tables were full except one which was completely empty.  Started to sit down, saw it was $40, and said I'm sorry didn't realize this table was $40.  The pit boss heard me looked at the signage and told me "don't worry, I'll change it to $20."

1. Be there when the game opens and no other players.  Or later if table is open but no other players. 
2. With a friendly smile ask the dealer "Might they let me play for less?" (Or specify the next lowest limit, e.g. $15 instead of $25.)
3. Dealer will ask pit supervisor "Can she play for $15?" (or whatever).
4. Supervisor will quietly give the OK, though he/she will leave the limit sign at whatever it is set for.  It is an unspoken agreement that you have been grandfathered in when others sit down at the table and you say nothing if it comes up.
5. Treat the dealer well (be friendly, tip decently).  They'll remember you next time you ask.

I've been at Blackjack tables at various limits when the pit boss raised the limit. Every time I'd been allowed to remain at the lower level while all new players were bound to the higher limit.  Departing dealers would tell new dealers that I was grandfathered in at the lower limit. (For full disclosure, I haven't played a table game like blackjack for about ten years so it's possible things have changed since then.) 

One time on a slow Tues morning I asked the supervisor if an empty double-deck $25 blackjack table could be lowered to $10. He pondered it a bit, I thought he was going to say No, so I offered to play two spots. He said Sure and I played two spots heads-up vs the dealer for a while. My wife usually plays next to me but she was at the pool so I figured me playing two hands was the same as her and I playing at the same table. I don't mind playing alone against the dealer, any blackjacks that are dealt can only be mine or the dealers, no other players I'm sharing them with is great. The speed of the rounds is quicker, so if you're getting bad cards your session ends sooner. But I really like only having the blackjacks go two possible places. Some players are afraid of heads-up blackjack, you can slow the play somewhat by delaying your decisions, there's no one else at the table to get peeved. 

I’d think if they even allowed it, the casino would probably leave the sign at $25 and any new players after you would still have to bet the higher $25 limit as if you were grandfathered in at a lower limit of $10. But my gut says most casinos wouldn’t lower it and not just because the chips in the dealer’s rack isn’t optimally filled for under $25 bettors. 

Roy’s comment is the first reasonable reason I have heard for not lowering the minimums. 

The original question is whether a player might be allowed to play (ante) lower than the minimum on the table signage, not about the casino lowering the minimum on the sign.  

But, in the QoD's official response by Mr Snyder he brought up changing the signage, he said the signage would most likely be changed if the casino agreed to change the table minimum. So that's what a lot of the comments are responding to. And that makes sense to change the signage, the casino will do better if multiple players join you at the table rather than leaving the higher denom sign and have only you playing at lower level and no one else playing. Since the table was empty at $25 when you got there it might stay empty a while. And changing the sign eliminates everyone walking up, seeing you playing at less than what the sign says and asking if they can play lower too. The pit supervisor and dealer don't want that headache every few minutes.

I’ma low roller but occasionally play in Vegas with high(er) rollers.  They’ll usually play  a $50 or.$100 table with beets averaging around $500 and the pit boss lets me play for $25.