Sands, Parx, and Mount Airy

[cardcounter_newplayer]

As a BJ player living in New York City, I often visit AC in the past few years. Since the inception of tables games in PA casinos, I find they are not only more rule-friendly (compared to AC), but also much closer to NYC. I made a few visits to sands and parx and won some handsome amount of money.

However, given that there are at least three casinos (sands, mount airy, parx) that are closest to New York City (1.5 hours drive), I want to start a new thread that collects BJ information about these three casinos for new yorkers.

Can anybody share your information about these three casinos' BJ penetration, table minimums, easiness to find an empty spot, etc? Many thanks!

 

[ArcticInferno]

Someone wrote that Parx has the shoe capped/covered and the discard tray located underneath the table.
I use Hi-Lo, so I won’t be able to gauge the remaining deck to calculate the TC.
I don’t know if I want to learn KO just for this one particular casino.
Someone did suggest using the “running count mode” or something like that.

 

[southAP]

From what I saw when i was at Sands a few weeks ago there was about 10 $25 min and 4 $15 min on a sunday night into monday morning. There has been complaints on the high min tables so that might be changed soon, Stand soft 17 double after split, no resplit aces, split any two cards, late surrender 8 Decks on low limit, not sure about the $25 tables.

 

[21forme]

Someone wrote that Parx has the shoe capped/covered and the discard tray located underneath the table.
I use Hi-Lo, so I won’t be able to gauge the remaining deck to calculate the TC.
I don’t know if I want to learn KO just for this one particular casino.
Someone did suggest using the “running count mode” or something like that.

Another option is play the iTable, where the cards are exposed. If you do, I suggest playing unrated.

 

[southAP]

Another option is play the iTable, where the cards are exposed. If you do, I suggest playing unrated.

Are you talking the cards exposed being the ones in the discard try or the hole card being exposed?

 

[21forme]

Are you talking the cards exposed being the ones in the discard try or the hole card being exposed?

I'm taliking about the shoe and the discard tray being in plain sight. Nothing exotic here

 

[southAP]

I'm taliking about the shoe and the discard tray being in plain sight. Nothing exotic here

Thats when you know things are going down hill, when the normal is a blessing in a casino. But i asked because the Tropicana in AC has a game with exposed hole card but is not by any means beatable, BJ pays even money, if you tie the dealer on a 20 you're forced to draw another card and there are no pushes, if you push, you lose. Its a messed up game and not worth it just to see the hole card.

 

[V Lazlo]

From what I saw when i was at Sands a few weeks ago there was about 10 $25 min and 4 $15 min on a sunday night into monday morning. There has been complaints on the high min tables so that might be changed soon, Stand soft 17 double after split, no resplit aces, split any two cards, late surrender 8 Decks on low limit, not sure about the $25 tables.

I was ther Friday 8/20 9:30 -11 PM. 3 15 min rest were 25, hl pit 100min. Except for hl area all tables that were open were full couldn't get on 15 min table people waiting on most 25. Why would they lower min?

 

[junior_counter]

PARX info

Here's an earlier post regarding PARX:

http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=18930

 

[southAP]

I was ther Friday 8/20 9:30 -11 PM. 3 15 min rest were 25, hl pit 100min. Except for hl area all tables that were open were full couldn't get on 15 min table people waiting on most 25. Why would they lower min?

There have been a large number of complaints on their facebook fanpage that people want to play but cant afford $25 a hand on the tables when you can go to AC and play craps for $5 among other table games.

 

[Zero]

best... rule... ever...

From what I saw when i was at Sands a few weeks ago there was about 10 $25 min and 4 $15 min on a sunday night into monday morning. There has been complaints on the high min tables so that might be changed soon, Stand soft 17 double after split, no resplit aces, split any two cards, late surrender 8 Decks on low limit, not sure about the $25 tables.

Can't wait to split that stiff T6.:joker:

 

[southAP]

Can't wait to split that stiff T6.:joker:

sorry, i was in a bit of a rush when i wrote that, DOUBLE any two cards haha, thanks for pointing that out.

 

[cardcounter_newplayer]

Summary of my single trip to Sands:
Pros: 75% to 85% pen (depending on dealers); a few $10 tables in the morning;
Cons: Very crowded, long wait at $15 and even $25 tables, making it very hard for wong-in/out;

Summary of my single trip to Mount Airy:
Pros: two $10 tables during daytime, and one $10 table during nighttime; a few $15 tables.
Cons: Very bad pen (most dealers cut according to the slot marked on the shoe, which results in pen below 70%); very difficult to find a seat (not because of crowdness but because of their control of number of tables to keep each table full).

Summary of my two trips to Parx:
Pros: Good pen (75% to 90%, dealer dependent); not difficult to find a seat due to a large number of open tables (making wong-in/out possible).
Cons: No $10 tables, only a few $15 tables, most are $25 tables; Covered shoes in their majority of tables.

My ranking (from best to worst): Parx, Sands, Mount Airy.

My recommendation is Parx (timing your trip to avoid heavy traffic between Exit 9 and 7 of I-95); I would put Mount Airy into no-go list due to its poor pen and long wait. For sands, my biggest concern is the long wait for a seat (maybe morning is okay).

Different experience?

 

[southAP]

Summary of my single trip to Sands:
Pros: 75% to 85% pen (depending on dealers); a few $10 tables in the morning;
Cons: Very crowded, long wait at $15 and even $25 tables, making it very hard for wong-in/out;

Summary of my single trip to Mount Airy:
Pros: two $10 tables during daytime, and one $10 table during nighttime; a few $15 tables.
Cons: Very bad pen (most dealers cut according to the slot marked on the shoe, which results in pen below 70%); very difficult to find a seat (not because of crowdness but because of their control of number of tables to keep each table full).

Summary of my two trips to Parx:
Pros: Good pen (75% to 90%, dealer dependent); not difficult to find a seat due to a large number of open tables (making wong-in/out possible).
Cons: No $10 tables, only a few $15 tables, most are $25 tables; Covered shoes in their majority of tables.

My ranking (from best to worst): Parx, Sands, Mount Airy.

My recommendation is Parx (timing your trip to avoid heavy traffic between Exit 9 and 7 of I-95); I would put Mount Airy into no-go list due to its poor pen and long wait. For sands, my biggest concern is the long wait for a seat (maybe morning is okay).

Different experience?

I can only speak for my experience at Sands, the game itself is pretty good, but the people there are something to look out for. Compulsive gamblers who will verbally tear you apart if they are having a bad night, esp if they see you doing something like doubling on soft 19 v 6 or even "worse" for them, the splitting tens.

 

[V Lazlo]

I can only speak for my experience at Sands, the game itself is pretty good, but the people there are something to look out for. Compulsive gamblers who will verbally tear you apart if they are having a bad night, esp if they see you doing something like doubling on soft 19 v 6 or even "worse" for them, the splitting tens.

I've only been there once on a Fri eve, is it just as crowded on a weekday am before 10? What is best time to find 10min without massive crowds? Would like to be able to wongout at least and find dif table.

 

[southAP]

I've only been there once on a Fri eve, is it just as crowded on a weekday am before 10? What is best time to find 10min without massive crowds? Would like to be able to wongout at least and find dif table.

I was only there for a few hours on a sunday night into monday morning even that was pretty crowded. Well at least the only 3 $15 tables that were open were, there were also the $25 tables but they were pretty empty.

 

[V Lazlo]

I was only there for a few hours on a sunday night into monday morning even that was pretty crowded. Well at least the only 3 $15 tables that were open were, there were also the $25 tables but they were pretty empty.

Same on Fri except $25 were crowded also

 

[tensplitter]

There are $10 6 deck S17 LS tables at Parx in the mornings and afternoons on weekdays. $10 or $15 doesn't matter too much, since I wong at -1. I spread to $75-$100 and get zero heat. I play at the i-tables where you bet electronically but get actual cards, so the pit boss will have a harder time tracking my bets since there are no visible chips in front of me. I play those unrated since I don't want the software to correlate my betting pattern to the count. There are other tables with a 6 deck shoe that use actual chips for betting, but they don't have a discard tray so I use the KO count on that. Those I do play rated and I wong at any running count <-5. I stay away from the CSMs.

Besides my initial $75 in free slot play for signing up for a card, I didn't get any comps. There isn't much I can even get in comps since there is no hotel and no shows, the most I can get is free food or slot play.

On weekend nights most tables are $25 and up and crowded.

A lot of the people there on weekdays are locals who claim to gamble every day. It's sad to see the same people lose day after day playing without an advantage because they have a gambling addiction. Those are the types of ploppies that get mad at me for splittin' 10s or doing anything with a soft 18 or wonging because it messes up the "flow".

 

[pieinthesky]

Mt. Airy

My recent experience at Mt. Airy was similar - 6D tables on main floor very crowded; pen not great. Rules are good - S17, LS, DOA - as required by law. Won't give even money on BJ; you have to put out insurance. I didn't find the place sweaty and will probably try the high limit area next time to get away from the crowds, especially if the pen there is a little better.

 

[Revere21]

early surrender at mount airy?

Mount Airy Casino's website says they have early surrender. Is this true?
(Dead link: http://www.mountairycasino.com/gaming/table_games.cfm)