Got backed off for winning too much at El Cortez

[tensplitter]

I'm in Vegas for the weekend and I was playing single deck blackjack for an hour heads up, winning and ratholing. I spread from 5 to 40. I got backed off and the pit critter said that I am playing a bit too well and whispered to me "the count is +6 isn't it".
I then played craps with about $50 of my remaining red chips. I played blackjack rated so I wanted another game to show on my players card in addition to blackjack. I got the dice and had a hot roll lasting nearly an hour! I won $600 at craps, and I was the only one pressing my place bets up. The blackjack pit boss came to the craps table and told me that I can't shoot anymore and I can't raise my bets. The next shooter then rolled and his first roll was a seven out. Of course the table was mad at the pit boss and everyone left. I was the biggest winner on that table.

El Cortez just doesn't like winners no matter what game. Even a -ev game.

This is the only place I got backed off in Vegas. At another casino the pit boss instructed the dealer to shuffle when he saw me raise my bet from 15 to 60 right after I doubled a hard 8 against 6.

 

[Lonesome Gambler]

I'm not exactly clear on why you would play craps "for cover" after already being backed off while playing rated at 21? Do you think that having dice on your records after a backoff will somehow help you later?

 

[tensplitter]

I just can't believe they would back me off for winning at craps. And for only spreading 5 to 40 by parlaying wins or chasing losses.

 

[shadroch]

I just can't believe they would back me off for winning at craps. And for only spreading 5 to 40 by parlaying wins or chasing losses.

Me neither. I don't believe it, especially the part about getting cut off in the middle of a roll shooting craps.

 

[Lonesome Gambler]

But still, you said that you wanted to play craps rated so that it would appear on your records. If you've been backed off, just leave—don't waste any more money by playing -EV games when you've already been made. I'm no expert, but I'd be surprised if your player profile said: "SKILLED PLAYER (but he plays craps, too, so don't worry about it)."

I don't think anyone would be surprised that EC backed someone off for 1-8 on their SD. It is surprising that you'd be backed off from craps, but you have to consider that they already think you're an advantage player, and if you're playing craps after being backed off of 21, they're probably assuming that you're doing "something" that they don't know about to win there, too. They won't be as quick to back off a winning civilian betting nickels on craps, but if they already know you're at least a counter, they don't care about keeping your business anyway.

And for the record, civilians are frequently backed off from many games for winning too much, especially at notoriously sweaty places...

 

[badclover]

Which Pitboss backed you off?

 

[Jack_Black]

very coincidental, but I was also hitting an SD game this weekend and got pref. shuffled about 6 times. he stopped when I changed my spread from 10 to 2 hands of 50, all the way down to 2x25 and 2x50 at plus counts. I'm pretty sure the EC game can be beaten with a 1-2 spread from what I remember.


also, I posted a while back that the El cortez is super sweaty. hence the nickname, sweaty spaniard.

 

[Cubbiefann23]

Me, too

Last fall I was at the El Cortez, and was playing SD...Spread from 10 to 50 (I did three spots) on a plus 6 count...Hit all three and was very pleased with myself...Less than three hands later, these two guys appeared out of nowhere (Mr. Spock couldn't have beamed there faster)..."You're welcome to play any game here at the El Cortez except Blackjack."...I left...At that time I hadn't had a haircut for over 6 years, hair down to my keester....Went back in there in January after getting a real haircut...They didn't say a thing to me...(i've been trying to be a little less obvious these days)

 

[shadroch]

very coincidental, but I was also hitting an SD game this weekend and got pref. shuffled about 6 times. he stopped when I changed my spread from 10 to 2 hands of 50, all the way down to 2x25 and 2x50 at plus counts. I'm pretty sure the EC game can be beaten with a 1-2 spread from what I remember.


also, I posted a while back that the El cortez is super sweaty. hence the nickname, sweaty spaniard.

Been playing it fifteen to twenty days a year with a 1-4 spread and no one has ever said boo to me. Just finished up a rather decent week where I played it three days. Nothing great but a few shekels per hour and two nice comped dinners.

 

[NightStalker]

why play craps?

Don't underestimate the dumbness of casino.

One of my friends got backed off betting table minimum at 2$min roulette table.

 

[aslan]

I'm in Vegas for the weekend and I was playing single deck blackjack for an hour heads up, winning and ratholing. I spread from 5 to 40. I got backed off and the pit critter said that I am playing a bit too well and whispered to me "the count is +6 isn't it".
I then played craps with about $50 of my remaining red chips. I played blackjack rated so I wanted another game to show on my players card in addition to blackjack. I got the dice and had a hot roll lasting nearly an hour! I won $600 at craps, and I was the only one pressing my place bets up. The blackjack pit boss came to the craps table and told me that I can't shoot anymore and I can't raise my bets. The next shooter then rolled and his first roll was a seven out. Of course the table was mad at the pit boss and everyone left. I was the biggest winner on that table.

El Cortez just doesn't like winners no matter what game. Even a -ev game.

This is the only place I got backed off in Vegas. At another casino the pit boss instructed the dealer to shuffle when he saw me raise my bet from 15 to 60 right after I doubled a hard 8 against 6.

No casino likes winners, and EC is not the only one that will back you off for consistent winning. They knew you were doing something at the bj table. Maybe because of this they assumed you might be doing something at the crap table. Were you? :laugh:

 

[shadroch]

How could any casino stop a player in the middle of a roll? What would happen to all the bets on the table, especially if it was a hot shooter that people were betting on?

 

[moo321]

How could any casino stop a player in the middle of a roll? What would happen to all the bets on the table, especially if it was a hot shooter that people were betting on?

They can't stop a player in the middle of a roll. If they do, you call gaming.

 

[tensplitter]

They did abort my roll but let the next shooter roll and let me keep my place bets up. Of course the next shooter rolled a 7 and everyone was mad at the pit boss. I was just rolling normally, and pressing up my place bets and didn't bet the hardways. I won more in craps on my trip than in blackjack! There is no way to get an edge in craps except to buy other people's don't bets. I am not going back there since they do not like winners even in -ev games. Just my luck to get a hot roll there with the pit boss watching me like a hawk.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

very coincidental, but I was also hitting an SD game this weekend and got pref. shuffled about 6 times. he stopped when I changed my spread from 10 to 2 hands of 50, all the way down to 2x25 and 2x50 at plus counts. I'm pretty sure the EC game can be beaten with a 1-2 spread from what I remember.

Any full-pay SD game can. There's no reason to try spreading more than 1-4 on SD, that's all you need.

Also, don't screw around with a pref shuffler. It's an unethical tactic; dealers are supposed to be dealing not counting cards. But if you think he's shuffling based only on your bet changes you can figure out his criteria and decoy him into giving you a very good game.

 

[aslan]

They did abort my roll but let the next shooter roll and let me keep my place bets up. Of course the next shooter rolled a 7 and everyone was mad at the pit boss. I was just rolling normally, and pressing up my place bets and didn't bet the hardways. I won more in craps on my trip than in blackjack! There is no way to get an edge in craps except to buy other people's don't bets. I am not going back there since they do not like winners even in -ev games. Just my luck to get a hot roll there with the pit boss watching me like a hawk.

Confirms the fact that many pit bosses are clueless.

 

[Jack_Black]

Any full-pay SD game can. There's no reason to try spreading more than 1-4 on SD, that's all you need.

Also, don't screw around with a pref shuffler. It's an unethical tactic; dealers are supposed to be dealing not counting cards. But if you think he's shuffling based only on your bet changes you can figure out his criteria and decoy him into giving you a very good game.

I'm just a greedy SOB. I saw that my original spread was getting me a N0 of 3000!!! I was playing like that all weekend until this last PC showed up. whatever, I killed them for 200 units. I probably deserved getting the boot.

 

[Jack_Black]

Confirms the fact that many pit bosses are clueless.

some are just sweaty A-holes, literally and figuratively. The place I hit this weekend, was sweating everybody. The girl next to me was playing like an idiot and left up quite a bit, but they were sweating her too.

 

[shadroch]

Confirms the fact that many pit bosses are clueless.

If I tell you a sliced off a piece of the moon and made a sandwich would that confirm the moon is made of cheese?

 

[aslan]

If I tell you a sliced off a piece of the moon and made a sandwich would that confirm the moon is made of cheese?

Point taken. From my experience, many are clueless. I should have said "confirms my experience." Of course, my experience may or may not be valid. I think you know what I meant, speaking in the vernacular, and not wanting to write a treatise on the subject.