ATTN:MN regs.

BMDD

Well-Known Member
#1
Hi all.

I am a dealer/CC from the PNW. I am planning a trip out to MN tentatively for late November. I've been mapping out a few stores I would like to check out while I'm there, although I would much appreciate any sort of guidance. I will be checking my PM's as well. I would really like to make a couple contacts in the area.

Also, should I be worried about travel conditions? I have heard it is very icy during the winter.


Thanks in advance.

:fish:
 

shadroch

Well-Known Member
#2
Hello, and welcome.
Whats PNW?
As far as Minnesota goes, it is quite possible you will hit bad weather in late November. If you aren't prepared for it, you could have alot of trouble.
i'm not familiar with the casinos in the area, so can't help with that part.
 

Canceler

Well-Known Member
#3
BMDD said:
Also, should I be worried about travel conditions? I have heard it is very icy during the winter.
I wouldn’t really worry about travel conditions. As shadroch indicated, the weather could be a gamble, but you’re coming here to gamble, right? :)

Once or twice a year we might have an occasion where no travel is recommended, but that’s kind of unusual. It’s usually cold enough here that we get snowstorms, instead of the nasty ice storms that happen a little further south. And we’re pretty good at snow removal here. Also, brown Christmases (no snow on the ground) are not uncommon. If you do run into snow, just don’t do anything stupid, like expecting to accelerate, decelerate, or turn quickly.

It’s been awhile since I played blackjack, so I’ll let others advise you on the casinos.
 
#5
Minn.

BMDD said:
Hi all.

I am a dealer/CC from the PNW. I am planning a trip out to MN tentatively for late November. I've been mapping out a few stores I would like to check out while I'm there, although I would much appreciate any sort of guidance. I will be checking my PM's as well. I would really like to make a couple contacts in the area.

Also, should I be worried about travel conditions? I have heard it is very icy during the winter.


Thanks in advance.

:fish:
There are some MMOA members in the area, they may want to pick your brain, but I doubt will allow you to pick theirs.;)

You are a dealer today, who knows what you may be tomorrow, or who you really are today.:)

Do you know of any others in your line of work that visit this site, dealers, Mgmt, etc?

CP
 

BMDD

Well-Known Member
#6
irobinson said:
PNW == Pacific Northwest?
Yes.


CP, I admittedly am unknown to anyone on this site.


I am a young person(under the age of 21), which is part of the reason I've decided to visit MN, I am not legal in casinos elsewhere. I want to check out as many games as possible while I'm there, but I also want to look for potential work. Currently I'm at a toke rate of <$10/hour, and due to a couple mistakes I made starting out I've gone from having 3 stores I can play down to just one.

I hate casinos. I see them as being a stepping stone in my life. I just want to make as much money as I can from casinos so I can afford to go to school and pursue larger things. I am merely seeking a better opportunity to do that.
 

Blue Efficacy

Well-Known Member
#7
Roads get snowed on in the winter, yes. Don't get extremely icy TERRIBLY often.

The snow plows are very efficient in this state, despite the Republican Governor trying to cut their funding. :whip:

There are very few days each winter on average where travel is a problem.
 
#8
Well

BMDD said:
Yes.


CP, I admittedly am unknown to anyone on this site.


I am a young person(under the age of 21), which is part of the reason I've decided to visit MN, I am not legal in casinos elsewhere. I want to check out as many games as possible while I'm there, but I also want to look for potential work. Currently I'm at a toke rate of <$10/hour, and due to a couple mistakes I made starting out I've gone from having 3 stores I can play down to just one.

I hate casinos. I see them as being a stepping stone in my life. I just want to make as much money as I can from casinos so I can afford to go to school and pursue larger things. I am merely seeking a better opportunity to do that.
That sounds very admirable.

Most people do seem to hate where they work, being a dealer must, for many reasons, be a real pain.

I hope one of the MMOA from Minn. opens a line of communication with you, I am rather sure they will.

Blue?

CP
 

shadroch

Well-Known Member
#9
Blue Efficacy said:
Roads get snowed on in the winter, yes. Don't get extremely icy TERRIBLY often.

The snow plows are very efficient in this state, despite the Republican Governor trying to cut their funding. :whip:

There are very few days each winter on average where travel is a problem.

That's if you are used to the driving conditions. You folks handle a foot of snow better than Memphis handles an inch.
Ever been in Vegas or down south when the roads ice up on a bunch of drivers who have never experianced it? It's not pretty.
Throw in the fact you are driving an unfamilar rental with the cheapest engine, drivetrain and tires the factory sells, and it can get real ugly real fast.

When I first moved to Rochester(NY), from Ft Lauderdale,it was January and the roads were nothing like anything I'd ever drove on before.
 

BMDD

Well-Known Member
#10
Thanks for all replies, and thank you for your words, CP.

Blue, I sent you a PM(or 3), but not sure if it went though. Just looking for confirmation. Thank you.
 
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#11
Just got back from MN

I made the labor day weekend roadtrip from WI to MN for a little R&R and cards. Mystic Lake has almost a 100 tables offering 2,4, and 6 deck games. I was there on Sunday afternoon and they had roughly 40 tables were open. DD games were $25 min 4 deck games were $10 min and 6 deck games were $5 min. Pen was dealer dependant. I was at Treasure Island on Sat night and they had roughly 30 tables open. Also have 2,4, and6 deck games. Conditions were almost identical to Mystic Lake.
 

mjbballar23

Well-Known Member
#12
The distance between stores becomes a real issue in the midwest. You may want to look into this very carefully before you decide to make a trip. Gas and travel time can really cut into your hourly EV.
 

Blue Efficacy

Well-Known Member
#13
One helpful hint. Mystic Lake and Treasure Island both offer complimentary bus service to many places in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. TI will even give you a $3 food coupon for riding their bus. If you were 21+ I would tell you that you can get $5 cash for riding a bus to St Croix Casino in WI.
 

Blue Efficacy

Well-Known Member
#14
baseball21 said:
I made the labor day weekend roadtrip from WI to MN for a little R&R and cards. Mystic Lake has almost a 100 tables offering 2,4, and 6 deck games. I was there on Sunday afternoon and they had roughly 40 tables were open. DD games were $25 min 4 deck games were $10 min and 6 deck games were $5 min. Pen was dealer dependant. I was at Treasure Island on Sat night and they had roughly 30 tables open. Also have 2,4, and6 deck games. Conditions were almost identical to Mystic Lake.
You forgot to mention they have a few 8 deck tables. :eek:

:laugh:
 
#15
Is that at Mystic Lake where the 8 deck games are? The games at TI had the number of decks listed on the table sign and Mystic Lake did not. I did not see any 8 deck games at TI, but could have very easily missed them at Mystic because I was only looking for 2 and 4 deck games there.
 
#16
Mystic Lake even has some tables offering surrender.

If you're a non smoker, about 3 miles north on County Road 63, is Canterbury Park. They have a card room--about 30 poker tables in the front, and blackjack and other carnival games in the back. And the whole building is NON SMOKING.

Ruinning Aces harness track in Columbus, a few miles south of Forest Lake at I-35 and Hwy 97 also is smoke free. If you go there stay away from the table with extra rules but has an ante. The better rules are not offset by the $.50 to $3 per hand.

Weather--Minnesotans react to the first couple of snow falls like they've never seen snow before. They forget to change their driving to the conditions. If you arrive during inclement weather, slow down, increase following distance, and if it's really bad, don't drive.
 

Blue Efficacy

Well-Known Member
#18
JohnGalt1 said:
Mystic Lake even has some tables offering surrender.

If you're a non smoker, about 3 miles north on County Road 63, is Canterbury Park. They have a card room--about 30 poker tables in the front, and blackjack and other carnival games in the back. And the whole building is NON SMOKING.

Ruinning Aces harness track in Columbus, a few miles south of Forest Lake at I-35 and Hwy 97 also is smoke free. If you go there stay away from the table with extra rules but has an ante. The better rules are not offset by the $.50 to $3 per hand.

Weather--Minnesotans react to the first couple of snow falls like they've never seen snow before. They forget to change their driving to the conditions. If you arrive during inclement weather, slow down, increase following distance, and if it's really bad, don't drive.
The decrease in EV from playing at Canterbury or Running aces is so much that it would not be worth avoiding the smoke. Even if you are allergic.

Those games. Are. AWFUL.

Canterbury isn't quite as atrocious, with 1.5- 1.75 decks cut out of 6, same rules as mystic.

Running aces is without a doubt the worst blackjack in MN. They got rid of the ante, and finally wised up and got real $5 blackjack. HOWEVER, the pen is awful,at 66%. No resplit aces, either. Pretty odd that a place called Running Aces doesn't let you resplit aces. And they have the most irritating dealers of anywhere. Worse than the dealers at Hinckley. And that is saying something.

So if you think avoiding smoke is worth playing an extremely mediocre game or a truly awful game, go for it.
 

BMDD

Well-Known Member
#19
Thanks for the confirmation on those games Blue. That was kind of the impression I got based on the info I could find for those card rooms.

I do appreciate it though, John. I actually do plan on visiting Canterbury as I may be looking for a job dealing in the area come Spring time. Mayyyyybe I will stop by Running Aces if I feel that desperate.
 
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toastblows

Well-Known Member
#20
Your best games will be in high stakes if you are hitting TI. There is 1 or 2 two decks on the main floor but if you can swallow 25 mins, HS is usually empty outside of fri/sat/promo nights.

Mystic has deep cuts, not friendly IMO. I have done will here though as of recent for some odd reason, but it is by far the most crowded given its 15 minutes from the edges of MPLS burbs. Keep that in mind, if you want full tables (even on weekdays) this is your place especially in low stakes.

Canterbury has a 2 deck 25/table that I actually like. Have done very well. They have a couple 4 deck and 6 deck games as well. I would rate them over mystic because there is no smoking and its a corporation traded on the AMEX acting as the house, not some greedy people in a back room having a "pow wow". I never feel heat here.

You can skip Black Bear (up by Duluth) as it has about 10 tables total. Not worth writing about. You can also skip Hinkley. People are very nice, but they have the only shuffle tracking I've come across in MN....no thanks. Let the masses play those games.

As a whole, MN isn't that great. WI is better, but if you are under 21 I understand why it is appealing. TI is probably going to be a your place of choice, factoring in size, crowds, tables, and games, I would go there first personally (But Im over 21 so i stick to Vegas 99% of my time gambling).
 
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