This week, Anthony and Andrew talk jackpots, jackpots, and more jackpots!
LAS VEGAS ADVISOR – JACKPOT SHOW EP 8
Speeding Away
I was using Lyft to get to the airport. This was a quick business trip while Bonnie stayed home. If I expect to do a lot of walking at my destination, I usually take my walker — and Bonnie and I both use it. This time, though, I was alone and wasn’t expecting a lot of walking, so I left it at home.
Sitting in the back seat, I saw a sign telling me the driver has mostly received perfect (5 out of 5) ratings and that my comfort and safety were his highest concern. And, of course, tips are greatly appreciated. I didn’t mind the sign. The driver is running a business and doing what he can to improve his profits. If his sign accomplishes that, good for him.
As I exited the car at the airport, before I was completely out of the back seat, the Lyft driver started to pull away. It was a compact car and I’m six feet tall, and it takes me a while to exit in that situation. The right rear tire clipped my right heel. When it happened, I didn’t know if I was injured or not — but I was angry that the driver didn’t wait until I was completely out of the car. I look my age, more or less, and it’s not breaking news that seniors are slower and sometimes clumsier at doing things than younger people are.
The driver stopped immediately. I yelled at him and he kind of looked at me and shrugged. I might have slammed the door a bit more forcefully than I usually do and went into the terminal. I didn’t notice any pain as I walked.
I figured this was a one-off mistake on his part and that he didn’t mean to injure me. There had been minimal conversation in the car and nothing for him to get mad at me about. I surmised that if I reported this, he would suffer consequences. Having a “black mark” on your record is never a good thing.
I debated with myself whether or not to report it. Was his error big enough to warrant him getting a black mark? Rightly or wrongly, I decided it was. Had he immediately jumped out of his seat to make sure I was okay, and apologized profusely along the way, I might have decided differently. But his indifferent “s@%t happens” shrug struck me the wrong way. He seemed to be in a rush to get to his next fare and my welfare was my own problem.
Although I didn’t seem to be injured immediately, if some lingering pain showed up, I wanted a record of the incident.
I didn’t have a lot of time before my flight took off, so I waited until I started to get texts when I was near my destination airport before I did anything. Lyft sent its standard: “Did you enjoy your ride? Rate Antonio’s performance from one to five. How much of a tip do you want to leave Antonio?”
There was a space to write an extended comment, so I wrote that he started to drive away before I was totally out of the car and his tire clipped my foot.
Lyft offered me the chance to chat via text with one of their reps to get this problem resolved. I could have spoken to a live person had I wanted to, but I was still on a full plane and would be for a few more minutes, so I opted for the text chat.
I explained what had happened. I inferred that the rep was female, although I could be wrong. She asked me if I was injured? “I’m not sure,” I replied. “I’m not in pain now, but right now I’m still on the plane. I’ll know more after I walk to baggage claim, and I’ll know even more tomorrow.”
She told me she had contacted the driver and he and I would be separated from him in the system — presumably meaning he would never be my driver again. I don’t know if what other repercussions, if any, Antonio faced.
She kept pressing me to declare myself okay — and I kept demurring. “I need more time.” She gave me a deadline to keep texting or the claim would be declared resolved, I waited until a minute before the deadline and said I still needed more time.
By now, a different rep had been assigned to the case and needed time to orient herself with the situation. That agent never got back to me.
The next day I received a text message from a lawyer representing Lyft. Apparently, a claim had been opened, and she was there to find out the status of my injuries — and whether or not I was going to sue.
I decided to wait for a few days to see if any lingering pain existed. So I temporized with, “I’m consulting a lawyer about this. I will give him your contact number and the claim number.”
As I write this, it is a week after the incident, and I have no physical pain whatsoever from the incident. “No harm no foul,” as announcers are fond of saying in basketball.
Except there was a foul. Antonio drove away too hastily and I could have been hurt – or worse. The fact that I wasn’t was fortunate.
But since I’m not injured, I’m not going to sue either Antonio or Lyft. That sounds like way too much hassle and since I wasn’t hurt badly, a judge (or jury) wouldn’t likely award me very much, if anything. I could fake injury, of course, but that’s not my style at this time of my life. Back when I was “hurting for money,” possibly I would have used some trickery in order to get some cash, I’m not sure, but not today.
Lyft, of course, is ultimately responsible, but this was a freak incident that could have just as easily happened to Uber or any cab company. So, I’m still going to utilize Lyft to get back and forth to the airport. But I probably will start saying, “I’m slow” when I exit the back seats of cars.
Ironically, had I taken my walker with me this never would have happened. The driver would have been forced to get the walker out of his trunk (or wherever he had stored it), and by that time I would have been well out of the car.
Killing Them Softly
Casinos, with connivance of government, are getting away with murder in Atlantic City (and possibly elsewhere). A study by NJ Advance Media found “hazardous” (per Environmental Protection Agency benchmarks) levels of second-hand smoke in two Atlantic City casinos, which it did not name. Seven others had “unhealthy” concentrations of smoke … this included nonsmoking areas! The technical methodology has been shared.
Continue reading Killing Them SoftlyCongress to You: Drop Dead
Time to blow raspberries to the House Rules Committee. While permitting literally a thousand other amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, it struck down Rep. Dina Titus‘ FAIR Bet Act, which would have redressed Congress’ imposition of new taxes on gambling losses. It was supposedly not germane to national defense, despite the fact that the Pentagon purveys a large fleet of slot machines, for the purpose of clawing back what little money it pays our servicemen and -women, to the tune of $100 million a year. Hypocrisy much?
Continue reading Congress to You: Drop DeadCareer Path — Part II of II
In last week’s blog, in a semi-fictionalized story, I had a conversation with a recent college graduate, “John,” about whether he should become a professional gambler. I think I should have given him the “Stan and Pearl” test to see if he understands the basics of gambling.
I first discussed Stan and Pearl in my Million Dollar Video Poker autobiography. (Actually, it was my first autobiography. I’m considering penning Million Dollar Video Poker: The Next 25 Years if the new tax law provides me with a lot more free time than I currently have. We’ll see.) Every student who attended one of my “Secrets of a Video Poker Winner” classes has heard this story, and I’ve written about it in this blog at least a few times — but not for several years, and some of my readers haven’t been exposed to it before.
Most people believe the Stan and Pearl problem is very easy. And it is. Surprisingly, however, a high percentage of people get the wrong answer the first time they hear the problem. People who correctly understand what successful gambling is all about get it correct every time. People who don’t understand successful gambling, but think they do, often get it wrong.
Stan and Pearl are imaginary video poker playing friends. They play video poker with a level of skill and discipline far beyond what is found in most players.
The game they play perfectly is $1 9/6 Jacks or Better — without a slot club, returning a bit more than 99.5%.
Stan plays 10 hands every day and then, win or lose, stops.
Pearl plays 10 hands every day. If she has hit a flush or higher (paying 30 coins or more), she plays another five hands (costing 25 coins). If in those five hands she connects on another flush or higher, she plays another five hands. Eventually she’ll hit a five-hand dry spell and will quit for the day.
Stan stops and Pearl parlays. “Parlay” is a term with quite a few different definitions. Here I’m using it to mean she bets with her winnings.
The question is: Assuming Stan and Pearl follow their strategy perfectly, who is likely to have the better cumulative score at the end of one year?
Don’t let the genders of these imaginary friends influence your decision. The names were selected for wordplay reasons. I could just as easily have made them both men —Stan and Paul — or both women —Stella and Pearl.
When I teach it in class, I ask the students to raise their hands if they think Pearl will have the better score. I then ask the people with a hand up why they chose Pearl. The answers typically include:
“She’s riding a hot streak — betting more when she’s winning.”
“When she’s not winning anymore, she stops.”
“She’s playing more, giving her a better chance at getting lucky.”
Pretty soon we exhaust the reasons why people select Pearl. I then announce that anyone who voted for Pearl having the better annual score has no clue about what the winning process is all about.
I then ask if someone who voted for Stan having the better score will explain why. Almost always I get the correct answer: 9/6 Jacks or Better without a slot club is a game where the house has a half-percent advantage. Since Pearl plays more when the house has the advantage, she will lose more than Stan, on average. Since Stan plays less of this negative game, he will lose less. They will both be net losers, but Stan will lose less.
I then give them the second version of the puzzle. This time they are playing the same 99.5% game but there is now a 1% cash slot club. Stan still plays 10 hands per day, and Pearl still plays at least 10 hands, and more if she hits a flush or higher. Now who likely has the better score?
Most of the class correctly vote for Pearl this time. With the slot club, the player has a half-percent advantage over the house and now whoever bets more has the better chance of coming out ahead.
In summary, if you have the advantage, over time you’ll likely come out ahead. If you don’t, you likely won’t.
The reason I’m bringing this story out again is that in the scenario I outlined in last week’s blog, I had a discussion with a recent college graduate about whether he could pursue a life as a professional gambler.
I wished I had given him this test. Anyone wishing to succeed at gambling should get the right answer for the right reason.
Golden Gate — Before and After
LVA correspondent Michael B sent in these two photos, the first of the Golden Gate’s casino rammin’ and jammin’ with live table games and dancing dealers, the second, uh, without. He snapped the Before photo on Sunday evening after Derek Stevens’s speech commemorating the Golden Gate’s long history and announcing the new marketing campaign that includes free drinks every night from 6 to 7 p.m. (if you can get close to the bar) and generous free play for the machines. (He also noted that you can redeem your Golden Gate chips at the D and Circa and there’s “no rush” to do so.) The After photo was taken on Monday night after the joint was cleared out.
And yes, electronic table games will soon be installed, but, well … we leave it to you to draw your own conclusions about the direction (disappearing dealers) of the Golden Gate, Las Vegas, and the gambling biz.
Before
After
Bobby Vegas — A Pirate Seeking Treasure
On a North Carolina Barrier Island, true pirates abandoned horses hundreds of years ago and their descendants still roam. There, I collect seashells, bags full, then haul them back to my lair, happy in my discoveries and tickled by my finds.
I’m a lover of old vinyl. Searching through the dusty worn $1 bins for that elusive find, I saw Ahmad Jahmal’s One. It’s worth $25. A great jazz album or an old Four Tops in near mint condition. Nice.
And in Vegas, I search for that elusive golden moment where all the cards come up hearts or spades. Diamonds are fine too and no, I don’t hate clubs.
And having researched the venue and stacked my deals and coupons, I’ve tilted the odds in my favor, so the winning is just the confirmation. It’s “just a game” for me, less about the amounts I’ve won and more about the adventure. Though the money doesn’t hurt either.
I’ve found that this is what I love — learning a new field, finding some valuable knowledge, applying it and hopefully walking away a winner, then sharing that tale with you. These things leave me satisfied.
Searching for hidden values. Discovering a silver dish in a thrift store. Not quite as adventurous as Black Beard, but a 50/50 matchplay will do fine for me in 2025.
What do you search for? And why? Why do you come to Vegas? To pretend to be a high roller? Or maybe you actually are and just want to live it out guilt free. Your favorite performer’s incredible show? The exotic dining? A sexual fantasy fulfilled? For the whole experience?
Which games do you choose over others? What’s the psychology behind your game choice? The tight win potential of blackjack? The camaraderie of craps?
I like video poker. It’s clean, clear, thoughtful, absorbing. I can play at my own speed and am not at risk to the whims of a roller calling out stupid plays.
I really like craps, but the style of play and the decision tree don’t work well for me.
I’m way too transparent to bluff, so I’m not attracted to poker.
Moving right along to news of the day. With the media all over the Vegas crash, the LVCVA has come out with an embarrassingly awful ad campaign. They still don’t get it. Not surprised at all.
Vegas was once a mecca for many things, an adult Disney World, and most folks willingly came hoping for a score, ready to party and play. But when the hustles got so strong and things got tight at home, well, paying $75 to park and walk in the door just left a bad taste.
Will the house learn? Based on their track records, I don’t have a lot of faith in corporate types making good decisions. But Vegas still has ways to play. For me, rule one is simple: Avoid the Strip.
Jumping the Shark
Whilst vigorously pretending that Everything Is Better Than Ever in Sin City, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill has been busy behind the scenes. He gone back to the LVCVA’s favorite well, R&R Partners, to spool up a new TV onslaught to rebrand Las Vegas. But wait, it’s not a campaign, fellow yokels, it’s “a recommitment to the extraordinary spirit of Las Vegas.” Somebody ought to be committed, all right …
Continue reading Jumping the SharkLAS VEGAS ADVISOR MONTHLY UPDATE – SEPTEMBER 2025
This week Anthony and Andrew give a monthly Vegas update.
Indian Givers
What doth it profit a tribe to gain a casino but forfeit its birthright? The Dry Creek Rancheria of Pomo Indians just made a Faustian pact with Wall Street, for the sake of underwriting a Caesars Republic-branded casino near Healdsburg, California. In return for $225 million in construction financing, the tribe agreed to lease the casino until 2070 to “an affiliate” of financier Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc., which will magnanimously sublease it back to the band. Any guesses to who the friend of GLPI might be? Corporate PR simpering aside, it’s obviously going to be Caesars Entertainment at the helm for 45 years.
Continue reading Indian Givers