Carrying cash?

Cardcounter

Well-Known Member
#1
I have heard from the big players that they carry a lot of cash. Phil Ivey one of the most famous poker players in the world doesn't carry that much cash on him instead he goes into the casino writes a million dollar check and gets the chips right there. I think that would be a much better option than carring thousands or 100's of thousands of dollars in cash on you!
 

1357111317

Well-Known Member
#2
Big difference though. It doesnt matter how many people know Phil Ivey's name. You write a cheque to a casino as a cardcounter and now they have your name. You get made and now all the casinos they share info with now have your name. See how it would be a bad idea?

I have always wondered this though. Even playing medium stakes I always feel like I want to have at least 10 max bets on me. This can lead to carrying large amounts of cash in and around the casino. Is this inevitable?
 
#3
135

1357111317 said:
Big difference though. It doesnt matter how many people know Phil Ivey's name. You write a cheque to a casino as a cardcounter and now they have your name. You get made and now all the casinos they share info with now have your name. See how it would be a bad idea?

I have always wondered this though. Even playing medium stakes I always feel like I want to have at least 10 max bets on me. This can lead to carrying large amounts of cash in and around the casino. Is this inevitable?
That is why you wear a fanny pack...and loop it thru a belt loop. You can easily stuff $20K in it and it is secure resting right above your unit.

Just remember when you take that hotty up to your room put it in a safe place, like a safety box at the hotel.;)

CP
 

sagefr0g

Well-Known Member
#4
creeping panther said:
That is why you wear a fanny pack...and loop it thru a belt loop. You can easily stuff $20K in it and it is secure resting right above your unit.

Just remember when you take that hotty up to your room put it in a safe place, like a safety box at the hotel.;)

CP
oh that's a fanny pack you was sporting at the bash?
we all thought that was your errhh your unit.:eek::laugh::laugh:

what's this i heard they are counting cash as you cross the boarder to Mexico, trying to foil drug money going south of the boarder?
is this a practice going to Canada and for international flights?
just curious.
 
#5
Wise Won

sagefr0g said:
oh that's a fanny pack you was sporting at the bash?
we all thought that was your errhh your unit.:eek::laugh::laugh:

what's this i heard they are counting cash as you cross the boarder to Mexico, trying to foil drug money going south of the boarder?
is this a practice going to Canada and for international flights?
just curious.
:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Ya, I know the young guys thought it very Dorky of me:eek:

Canada, Border, and Money....for sure a nervous time crossing, been badly hassled. As to Mexico...who in their right mind wants to go there...Cancun.....maybe....:)

CP
 

Pro21

Well-Known Member
#7
Carrying cash is a big problem for pros. If you go in or out of the country with over 10k you must declare it for risk forfeiture.

Some people advocate going to the local bank branch to withdraw and deposit money but this restricts your travel days, and may be easy in a city like Vegas but try going to a bank in Bumf**k Minnesota and asking to withdraw 30k in cash. I don't think so.

All professionals that I know carry cash. Often it is 30 40 50k. We carry it on planes, and we drive with it in cars. It is a constant cause for concern.

There might be some professionals that have a clean name they can use to cash a check at a casino... but I don't know any of them. (Even when pros were using fake ID to get players cards, I don't know any that would have risked cashing a check.)
 

Pro21

Well-Known Member
#9
Some people have gotten some very serious heat doing this. I mean legal heat, not just from the casino. I'm sure there are people still doing it, but I wouldn't.
 

kewljason

Well-Known Member
#10
Pro21 said:
Carrying cash is a big problem for pros. If you go in or out of the country with over 10k you must declare it for risk forfeiture.

Some people advocate going to the local bank branch to withdraw and deposit money but this restricts your travel days, and may be easy in a city like Vegas but try going to a bank in Bumf**k Minnesota and asking to withdraw 30k in cash. I don't think so.

All professionals that I know carry cash. Often it is 30 40 50k. We carry it on planes, and we drive with it in cars. It is a constant cause for concern.

There might be some professionals that have a clean name they can use to cash a check at a casino... but I don't know any of them. (Even when pros were using fake ID to get players cards, I don't know any that would have risked cashing a check.)
For lower level pros, such that I consider myself, having accounts at one of the larger "national type" banks, such as BofA, reduces the need to carry so much cash through airports or in cars, when traveling in the states, since there is a branch in many destinations. My BR is only in the $40k range and I don't need access to it all at once, so I can just go to the BofA branch in vegas, AC, reno, ect and withdrawl 8K, which keeps me under the CTR limit. When depositing, just break up the deposit into a couple days if necessary.

Pros with 100k + BR can use the banks as well, instead of carrying around large sums of cash. Of course they are going to generate some CTR's at those limits, but if you are playing at that level you probably already have to claim/explain your blackjack play/income to the government at least in part, so explaining some CTR's isn't difficult.

Just doesn't make sense to have tens or 100's or thousands of dollars on your person or vehicle any more than absolutely necessary these days. Some two-bit thug who is robbing you in hopes of getting $20 for his next fix, could walk away with half your BR! :eek:
 
#11
kewljason said:
For lower level pros, such that I consider myself, having accounts at one of the larger "national type" banks, such as BofA, reduces the need to carry so much cash through airports or in cars, when traveling in the states, since there is a branch in many destinations. My BR is only in the $40k range and I don't need access to it all at once, so I can just go to the BofA branch in vegas, AC, reno, ect and withdrawl 8K, which keeps me under the CTR limit. When depositing, just break up the deposit into a couple days if necessary.

Pros with 100k + BR can use the banks as well, instead of carrying around large sums of cash. Of course they are going to generate some CTR's at those limits, but if you are playing at that level you probably already have to claim/explain your blackjack play/income to the government at least in part, so explaining some CTR's isn't difficult.

Just doesn't make sense to have tens or 100's or thousands of dollars on your person or vehicle any more than absolutely necessary these days. Some two-bit thug who is robbing you in hopes of getting $20 for his next fix, could walk away with half your BR! :eek:
Excellent ideas. I also use BofA for exactly that purpose. It's a very satisfying feeling making that deposit at the end of a good trip!

And I also use the pouch over my unit. $19K has been in there and it just looks like I've been brushed against by the cocktail waitress, nothing too conspicuous. An advantage to that kind of carry is that no one is going to be able to go down there with his hands without putting himself in a position to take serious punches. If you're capable of violence, carry or fashion a kubotan and practice on some disposable objects.
 

bj bob

Well-Known Member
#12
Automatic Monkey said:
Excellent ideas. I also use BofA for exactly that purpose. It's a very satisfying feeling making that deposit at the end of a good trip!
Ditto for the BoA idea, and moreover, if your account is large enough you can get a safe deposit box with them for little or no charge. Ready cash completely off the radar.

And I also use the pouch over my unit. $19K has been in there and it just looks like I've been brushed against by the cocktail waitress,..
So, as your BR grows so does your unit? Wow! The best of both worlds.:laugh:
 

shadroch

Well-Known Member
#13
"My BR is only in the $40k range and I don't need access to it all at once, so I can just go to the BofA branch in vegas, AC, reno, ect and withdrawl 8K, which keeps me under the CTR limit. When depositing, just break up the deposit into a couple days if necessary." Kewl Jason


You should be aware that bank personnel, especially auditors, are trained to look for patterns just as you are describing. While a bank must file a CTR for transactions over $10,000, it has the option of filling one out for less. If it suspects you are engaging in a pattern to deliberatly avoid CTRs, it can either fill out a CTR anyway or fill out a SuspiciousActivityReport, which opens a whole can of corn. Breaking up your deposits to avoid CTRs is called structuring, and can result in felony charges.
While it's highly unlikely that this will happen, you should be aware it can and proceed from there.
 
#14
kewljason said:
... and withdrawl 8K, which keeps me under the CTR limit. When depositing, just break up the deposit into a couple days if necessary.
Isn't it a federal crime to deliberately try to avoid the CTRs in this fashion?...
 

21gunsalute

Well-Known Member
#16
Automatic Monkey said:
Excellent ideas. I also use BofA for exactly that purpose. It's a very satisfying feeling making that deposit at the end of a good trip!

And I also use the pouch over my unit. $19K has been in there and it just looks like I've been brushed against by the cocktail waitress, nothing too conspicuous. An advantage to that kind of carry is that no one is going to be able to go down there with his hands without putting himself in a position to take serious punches. If you're capable of violence, carry or fashion a kubotan and practice on some disposable objects.
What if someone puts a gun to your head?
 
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