Is the Travel Channel trying to encourage counting

A

ACE

Active Member
#1
#1
(also posted on bj21.com)

I am a bit of a Vegas junkie so of course in between trips I love watching Vegas Week on the Travel Channel. So far in two of the shows, they have tried to paint counting in such a light that everyone should do it, and hey its legal! So if you are going to play blackjack, "learn how to count"

In a show titled something like "Top Ten Ways to Win in Vegas", "Learn How To Count Cards" was number TWO! I mean I am not agruing with the logic or the reasoning, but who are these shows aimed at? Not advantage players, in my opinion they are more aimed at Ma and Pa Ploppy who make a visit or two a year and miss being in Vegas. So this is the #2 suggestion you are giving them? In this show they went out of there way to point out that card counting is not against the law but that "casinos dont really like it."

In a show shown last night called "Las Vegas Quiz", there was a question regarding card counting in which the correct answer was, of course, that card counting is legal. Again, they state that casinos dont really like it and can refuse your service, but that it is not against the law. They even had the head of the GCB Enforcement Division on to say yeah its not against the law but casinos dont like it because its taking away their edge.

Is there a bad/good/any precedent being set here? I have watched these types of shows for years and NEVER have they given this much press to counting. Are they encouraging people who shouldnt be counting to try it? And is this a bad thing for APs?

Just looking to get some thoughts going on the recent publicity.
 
A

Abraham de Moivre

Well-Known Member
#2
#2
Same old story

Blackjack has been touted as a beatable game ever since Edward O. Thorp published "Beat the Dealer" in 1962.

Why do you think blackjack surpassed craps as the most popular table game? In the 40s and 50s, Craps was king.

The casinos telling Ma and Pa Ploppy that blackjack can be beat by counting, and then offering single deck with bad payoffs, CSMs, multideck games with poor penetration and rules, is just good business.
 
C

Cyrano

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
Re: Is the Travel Channel trying to encourage coun

--what was number 1?

In a show titled something like "Top Ten Ways to Win in Vegas", "Learn How To Count Cards" was number TWO!
 
L

learning to count

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
Re: Is the Travel Channel trying to encourage coun

The vegas channel is fun. I just wish they would stop using old film to make new shows. I did happen to see some of my favorite dealers in the last few days.

A lot of the shows on how to play/win/lose in vegas are all hype. The best two are the vegas challenge and suckers bet. In Vegas Challenge the hot asian chick one big at Back A Rat...and the book store historian dude lost every thing at Blackjack. Well we know his story from last years nuclear fallout over him and PPE. Thats another story.

Now sucker bet was great...Anthony Curtis Vs MAX (lose a buck for every ten bucks in free stuff)Rubin. They went at it at craps, BJ, roulette, slots, vid poker etc. It was billed as intelligent playing versus let it all hang out ploppyism. The Ploppy won $75 over $62.50. These shows are fantasy and definitely make our world look simple. I do love the photography. Vegas is a pretty town.

The show on how they built Vegas was great. So thats how that ship sinks! I love "two for vegas" too. I laugh every time I see those Elvis reverends marry off that days contestants. My cousin got married there a year ago and we had a family reunion to celebrate it. Better her than me! I cant wait for thier reunion! All in all the vegas channel is harmless unless you buy into the meirda del toro!
 
Z

ZOD

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
Re: Is the Travel Channel trying to encourage coun

I think media hype from "The Vegas Channel" or "Bringing Down the House" is good for the game. More excitement means more players and more players means the house is happier. I do my best work when the house is happy to see me...

ZOD
 
R

Rob McGarvey

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
Re: Is the Travel Channel trying to encourage coun

They are only happy to see me for about 15 minutes....grin. You could be right. Thorp did the most damage to the game. Do you think it will get worse or better with the new flood of losers? I mean, tables will be crowded, even good games will get swamped. Ploppies don't know what you are doing when you split 10's at a table. In fact, they could start doing it and eating the count own to zippo by the time the dealer hits!! grin
 
Z

ZOD

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
Re: Is the Travel Channel trying to encourage coun

Let everyone hype blackjack as a "beatable game". Saturday night I'm playing 6D at the Mirage. Three ploppies at the table who have just finished reading "Bring Down the House" take pity on the poor "drunk bastard" at third base (me) and proceed to spend the next hour and a half giving me conflicting advice as they part with their money. I spread $10 to $250 with nary a glance from the floor and took any advice that happened to be right. The ploppies were happy just betting on a beatable game. The house was happy because the ploppies were losing money even faster than I could win it. And I was happy (of course) to stagger away from the table with an extra grand in my pocket...

ZOD
 
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Rob McGarvey

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
I Hear That!

It is a laugh to watch people that know just enough to think they can beat the game at work. Now were you really drunk or fakin' it? grin I like my free toddies at the table. In fact I make sure I suck back enough juice to cover my tips to the waitress and the dealer, and then ask for my free din din to help sober me up! ;>
 
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