Short, fast wins, and the ploppies who hate you

Last evening, I was able to play for just a short while. I picked a table that seemed promising and sat down.
$10 table.
$400 buy-in.
20 minutes spreading mostly just $10-$30, but $80 twice.
$600 color up and gone.

For one thing, I seemed to get funny looks just by buying in for $400. Most folks were holding $100-$200 (or so I guesstimated from their stacks) and were betting light $10 or $20, some clearly flat-betting. My bet fluctuates rather a lot.

But considering that the table had a constant set of players over that 20 minutes (nobody else arrived or left), and that I left with an extra 50%... I had a whole table of people that looked at me in that vaguely resentful sort of way, the "what the @#$% did you just do, and how did you do it" look.

Somewhat creepy. But weirdly satisfying.

Until sometime late this fall, when I anticipate taking my stakes higher, I'm a minor blip on their radar.

This really is a misconception on your part. It does not matter if you're betting $5 or if you're betting $500, if the pit critters think you know what you're doing; you WILL be booted out.

So you've been to every casino in the world and have played every shift there, to make such an absolute statement?

Digging for more cash on a big play is always better than not. I'm a red chipper, who doesn't get out a lot.

Two trips ago...it was time to go. I don't remember the hand but it was either a splitter or a double down and I had to get out more cash to make the bet. "Cash out 100!"

Place the bet.

Win.

Color up.

"Color up. $200 out."

The dealer had to explain to the pit boss what just happened as I was walking away with the winnings.

You're missing the point. It is NEVER correct to assume that just because you're betting small, you won't have a problem. Of COURSE there are exceptions to EVERY rule. I said you'd get booted. I didn't say you'd get booted EVERY SINGLE TIME. But I WILL say that that will be the case in the VAST majority of the places. And in some foreign countries, you can be arrested and actually convicted of the crime of card counting.

And although I HAVEN'T played every shift in every casino, I have traveled the world for almost 30 years now, doing nothing BUT playing BJ and/or at least scouting every shift, in as many casinos as possible. I would be willing to bet my entire BR that there are not ten professional gamblers (if ANY) in the world who've been in MORE casinos than me. (But then again, how would I possibly be able to prove such a thing?)

30 years, impressive!

So what is your status today? Are you a very wealthy man with homes on the West coast and East and Nevada? Like,,, are you a millionaire who has put his children through college and spends his time helping the less fortunate? Do you live the high life that comes with the great win rates you must have had? You must be at least 51,,,please do tell us about your life, I am very interested as you are indeed an original and I am sure a rarity.

CP

be careful and change your ways at the table

I'm sixty years old. I own 4 houses, one for my residence and the other three are rental properties. Thirty years @ 100K/yr (average) is $3 million, and that sounds about right. I do have a sufficient playing BR but I really am NOT a millionaire. After whatever comps I get, I still spend about 50K per year on travel expenses, what with air fare, gasoline, food, rooms; etc. A lot of my trips turn out to be not much more than costly scouting expeditions, where I don't get enough play to get comped. So I guess you could say I'm kind of wasteful in this area. (But I get to see a lot of neat places!)

I don't drink, do drugs, or chase women. My idea of the "High Life" is to spend with my family what little time I GET with them. And I DO take them on my trips as often as possible (which adds even MORE to the money I waste, of course).

Another reason my BR is less than a million: In January 2000, I got talked into investing a ton of money in the stock market; lost it ALL a couple of months later when the dot-com bubble burst! If I didn't know better, I'd say that I was the one who CAUSED that crash. :laugh:

I put all three of my children through college with blackjack winnings. This is absolutely my proudest achievement in life. I have several grandchildren who are doing great in school, and I expect, rather HOPE, that in the next 5-15 years they'll have their hand out for college money also. I cannot think of a better way to spend my money!

If this sounds like a brag post - well I guess it IS; at least the part about the kid's college educations! I'm very proud of this. As far as the REST of my lifestyle, I'm neither proud nor ashamed.

Cheers to all!

Could you expand a little more on why you would spend upwards of 50K a year on expenses in order to make 100K per year?

You really don't have to answer to those that want to challenge your accomplishments, sucker. Some people on the board just have a contrarian attitude and agenda.

But what the heck, you only live once, & you can't take it with you!