Swain Scheps - Casino Gambling For Dummies

In the old days, casinos simply had hired muscle watch after the owners’ millions. These days, casino security folks are considered important members of a casino’s floor team. Because it’s a dynamic and demanding job, casino security has become a true career; casinos offer competitive salaries and benefits so they can hire people who are mentally and physically fit.

Security staffs have a two-pronged task:

Protect the casino’s property

Safeguard the casino’s guests

Unfortunately, a security employee’s job is made less agreeable because one task doesn’t always go hand in hand with the other. For instance, some guests want to separate a casino from its money, either through cheating or through faking an injury in crowded conditions.

The responsibilities of security employees range from viewing the rows of surveillance cameras in high-tech rooms, patrolling the casino floors, and maintaining a constant vigil for fights, thieves, drunks, and other disturbances. Surprisingly, security also keeps a close eye on the casino’s employees. (Casino employees have initiated many cheating scams over the years.)

You can easily spot the security staff; they’re always available to help you resolve a conflict or point you in the right direction. Even though every casino is different, security staff members typically wear a quasi-military uniform, with a shirt that reads SECURITY or at least a nametag or badge that identifies them as such. Other identifying features include a walkie-talkie, a badge, and possibly a gun. Keep the gun in mind the next time you feel the urge to help yourself to the dealer’s chips.

Bigger hotels can have several dozen security officers working at the busiest times of day and a supervisor in each major area of the casino who manages the team. Security supervisors must wear many hats, including the hat of a diplomat. Their staff is on the front lines, both protecting and ejecting guests. When the occasional temper flares or a misunderstanding arises, the security supervisor must wade in to render an on-the-spot verdict.

On-site security personnel can only see so much when trying to protect the casino and its guests. To assist them in their daily rounds, security personnel rely on electronic surveillance — traditionally known as the eye in the sky.

One-way glass conceals thousands of digital cameras in any casino. Some are hidden where you least expect them. Others are prominent, large, and noticeable so that they serve as warnings. Digital technology can recognize a player’s face, the cards in their hands, and even the serial numbers on dollar bills. On-site security personnel constantly scan banks of displays to identify cheats, saving casinos millions of dollars each year.

In the most brazen scenarios, a nickel-and-dime thief reaches over from their machine to grab grandma’s slot tokens. The cameras capture the attempt, and the thief is quickly arrested. In less obvious but equally common situations, security personnel carefully observe, identify, and apprehend cheats and cons.

Although most surveillance is for detecting and preventing cheating and swindling, the eye in the sky also protects honest gamblers from slick crooks prowling the casino for easy prey. The newer casinos have cameras outside the building, such as in the parking garages, to cast the safety net farther for you.

The modern casino should be a carefree environment where you forget your troubles, spend money, and — with hope — win some money back. Although winning isn’t always possible, at the very least, you expect a safe environment in which to gamble. Unfortunately, where innocent, naive, and trusting people congregate in great numbers — surrounded by huge amounts of disposable income — the predators of society also gather. Thieves are on the prowl for ways to separate you — or even the casinos — from hard-earned cash.

Although casinos implement the most stringent security measures and the latest in state-of-the-art surveillance technology, as a prudent casino guest, you should assume responsibility for your own safety. The following tips can help you avoid becoming a victim of a casino predator:

Tuck your wallet in a safe, hard-to-access spot, such as your front pocket.

If you carry a purse, take a small one that you can wear close to your body, preferably under a jacket or wrap.

Guard your chips or gaming tickets. In banking terms, these are bearer instruments. A gaming ticket belongs to whoever happens to be holding it. Chips work the same as money, so treat them accordingly.

If you go to the casino solo, be cautious about the overly friendly people you meet. Maintain tight control of your personal information, get your drinks straight from the cocktail servers, and keep your big wins to yourself, so you don’t become a target.

Chapter 3

IN THIS CHAPTER

Coming to terms with the concept of luck

Figuring out probability and odds

Understanding how casinos make money

Hedging your bets

Steering clear of common gambling mistakes

When Kevin told a friend he was writing this book, his friend laughed and said the title was appropriate because “only dummies would ever gamble.” Although it’s true that most people who gamble do lose, the real dummies are the ones who take on the casinos without first educating themselves — especially on concepts about probability and odds, understanding the house edge, and identifying which games offer the best chance for success.

Sounds like the intro to a lecture in higher mathematics? Don’t worry; this chapter is brief — just enough to prepare you to walk through those casino doors, make sound gambling choices, and get wise to certain myths and superstitions.

Unfortunately, too many newbie gamblers rely on luck to guide their experiences. Casinos can be an easy place to burn through money, so your best chance for hanging on to that hard-earned cash is through a little dose of knowledge. But, you wonder, when it comes to striking it rich in the casino, isn’t there such a thing as luck? Technically, the answer is yes — but don’t count on your rabbit’s foot to keep you on the path to riches over the long haul. The term luck can describe many situations, especially in gambling. Someone may have a lucky run at the baccarat table, or maybe your Aunt Rosemary plays a lucky slot machine that never loses.