moral quandry

[EasyRhino]

So, Friday night I spent a little time at the casino's $5 table to see if I could maintain a count through a 6-deck shoe in a casino environment. (I can't).

However, when I was cashing out for the night, the cashier made a mistake and gave me about $250 instead of the $150 in chips that I had. When I noticed after walking away, the cashier had already put the "closed" sign up in the window, and was going through her process of putting away chips and cash. There was no indication of any attempt to balance her chips or cash drawers. I ended up pocketing the cash, gambling a little more, then leaving.

1) Is this accounting error is just a nice little mini-jackpot for me, or is it more like stealing? And if it's stealing, I can't decide who I stole the money from.

2) I have no idea how cashier operations work at a casino. What are the odds that the cashier will get in trouble?

 

[shadroch]

I believe the cashier is held responseable for any short in her drawer so by keeping the money,you caused her to work the shift for free.Cashiers don't balance out their own trays-someone else does.
I equate this to seeing a person drop $100 bill. If you come by a minute later and find it on the floor,its yours to keep,but if you see the person drop it,and don't return it,you are wrong,imo.Same here.

 

[Cass]

So, Friday night I spent a little time at the casino's $5 table to see if I could maintain a count through a 6-deck shoe in a casino environment. (I can't).

However, when I was cashing out for the night, the cashier made a mistake and gave me about $250 instead of the $150 in chips that I had. When I noticed after walking away, the cashier had already put the "closed" sign up in the window, and was going through her process of putting away chips and cash. There was no indication of any attempt to balance her chips or cash drawers. I ended up pocketing the cash, gambling a little more, then leaving.

1) Is this accounting error is just a nice little mini-jackpot for me, or is it more like stealing? And if it's stealing, I can't decide who I stole the money from.

2) I have no idea how cashier operations work at a casino. What are the odds that the cashier will get in trouble?

You are going to get different answers from everyone. I would treat it as a mini jackpot. bank error in your favor!

 

[zengrifter]

You are going to get different answers from everyone. I would treat it as a mini jackpot. bank error in your favor!

I concur. Part of casino advantage play is taking full advantage of casino errors. Its not a church, its A CASINO! zg

 

[shadroch]

I'm all for taking advantage of dealer errors,as the dealer doesn't pay for them out of his pocket.When you knowingly take money out of a persons pocket,you cross the line.If the player next to you dropped a $100 chip,would you step on it?
A few years ago,Pete Rose cashed out some sports tickets and the clerk overpaid him.The error was caught almost immediately but Rose refused to pay it back,even though he was informed the clerk would lose his job-it was about $8,000.Thats oneof the reasons Pete Rose is considered to be an all time scum bag.

 

[shadroch]

I concur. Part of casino advantage play is taking full advantage of casino errors. Its not a church, its A CASINO! zg

Whats that mean? You're not a thief,just an AP doing his thing?

 

[Canceler]

What bothers me is...

The cashier's cage is chock-full of surveillance. If they choose to, I'm sure they can find out when the error was made, and with whom. Whether they would come back to EasyRhino with it, I don't know.

 

[zengrifter]

The cashier's cage is chock-full of surveillance. If they choose to, I'm sure they can find out when the error was made, and with whom. Whether they would come back to EasyRhino with it, I don't know.

If the casino approached him with the error I'm not saying that he should pull a Pete Rose - he could pay it back then.

Don't forget that a lot of customers get short-changed at the cage too. The miostakes go both ways. zg

 

[ScottH]

If I know it's coming out of the employee's pocket I would probably give it back. But If I know it's coming from the casino I will take it without giving it a second thought!

 

[ZMan]

If I know it's coming out of the employee's pocket I would probably give it back. But If I know it's coming from the casino I will take it without giving it a second thought!

I agree with what he said.

Definitely, if it's coming from the casino - take it!
They made a mistake - and you win.
Casinos capitalize on YOUR mistakes all day long.
Say you don't follow basic strategy and hit when you shouldn't and you bust.
You made a mistake, you lose, casino wins.

Also, for sure agree with previous comment about surveillance cameras on the cashier cage. I'm sure if they want to they can find the error.

 

[shogun]

Don't forget that a lot of customers get short-changed at the cage too. The miostakes go both ways. zg

One of my friends got a counterfeit $20 bill from a casino in Vegas. He didn't realize it until he tried to use it at McDonald's later that night. The thing that struck me as odd is the dealers checked all the bills by holding them up to the light and all that jazz when players bought chips (at least while I was there). So this could have been the cashier or casino pulling crap. I always check my bills before leaving the window now.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Reminds me of an experience I had in Reno playing SD. I got backed off very quickly and very nastily, had a small win, and at the cashier's cage they tried to shortchange me by exactly the amount I had won. Hard to believe they didn't intend that as a message.

I don't believe an employee can be forced to pay shortages out of their paycheck, but they can be fired for shortages, and prosecuted if they think it is intentional.

 

[tedloc]

Cashier

So, Friday night I spent a little time at the casino's $5 table to see if I could maintain a count through a 6-deck shoe in a casino environment. (I can't).

However, when I was cashing out for the night, the cashier made a mistake and gave me about $250 instead of the $150 in chips that I had. When I noticed after walking away, the cashier had already put the "closed" sign up in the window, and was going through her process of putting away chips and cash. There was no indication of any attempt to balance her chips or cash drawers. I ended up pocketing the cash, gambling a little more, then leaving.

1) Is this accounting error is just a nice little mini-jackpot for me, or is it more like stealing? And if it's stealing, I can't decide who I stole the money from.

2) I have no idea how cashier operations work at a casino. What are the odds that the cashier will get in trouble?

The cashier will be responsible for her loses...As for you conscience, you should keep the money, if you don't mind being called an ASSHOLE

 

[EasyRhino]

One of my friends got a counterfeit $20 bill from a casino in Vegas.

Wow, that same night I saw a dealer inspect a $5.

As for the cash, it sounds like there's a better-than-even chance the cashier is going to get jacked. Damn. She seemed friendly enough, if bad at math.

I think I was blinded by the adversarial relationship of me vs. the casino. I mean, if I was overchanged at a McDonald's I'd tell the guy at the counter.

That, and, I guess I'm an asshole.

 

[mdw]

I don't know casino policy, but I had a girl friend that worked as a teller years ago at a major bank here in Florida. The bank's policy was if stuck with a counterfit bill, to pass it back out to a customer rather than take the loss. That information blew me away. If you can't trust the bills out of a bank, how could you trust them from anyone else including casinos?

 

[Gregory]

Personally I have a great respect for karma. My belief is that anything you put out will come back around to you one way or another. Feel free to interpret that as either being cosmic justice or my own subconscious keeping the books balanced.
Therefore, taking the cash in that situation will eventually not only cost me the same amount of cash, but any additional interest. It may not come around for some time ... but when it does, it will suck.
Too close to theft for my comfort.

 

[1spoiledbrat]

Casino Error

While I agree with most of what has been said about taking the error there are soem misconceptions about what happens on the back end. The cashier will have to balance their drawer to within a certain amount of money, usually about $50. If they don't then they have to have a supervisor try to find the money. If they find that the cashier made a mistake, well...too many mistakes and you will get fired. The casinos don't short change players on cash outs as often as portrayed in previous responses. If they make a mistake it is usually overpaying as players are very attentive with their own money.

 

[Sonny]

If they find that the cashier made a mistake, well...too many mistakes and you will get fired.

But the cashier doesn't have to make up for the difference out of their own pocket. That would be unreasonable.

Well EasyRhino, it looks like your not such an asshole after all.

The casinos don't short change players on cash outs as often as portrayed in previous responses.

Perhaps not intentionally. I have been shortchanged by 5 dealers (buying in or coloring up) and 3 cage workers. They were all accidental, but in one case the pit boss did not point out the error even though they were watching to verify the payout.

-Sonny-

 

[Canceler]

Just to nail this down...

I have been shortchanged by 5 dealers (buying in or coloring up) and 3 cage workers.

Did you actually end up with less money than you should have, OR did you notice you were about to be shortchanged, point it out, and end up with the correct amount of money?

If the latter, then you've just confirmed 1spoiledbrat's statement that being shortchanged doesn't occur that often. Just being picky here!

 

[avs21]

It seems like dealers will short change you more. I have never been shortchanged at the cage, but a couple times by dealers, which still doesn't happen very often.