Protect Yourself

29 November 2022

By Frank Scoblete

There are two things about which you must be aware in the casino. One is internal, how you handle the house edges at whatever games you wish to play. What’s your strategy to play those games?

You are bringing your hard-earned money to the casino and you want to give yourself the best chances to capitalize on that money. Many casino players do not maximize their chances to win. Fine. It’s their money and they can spend it anyway they please despite the fact that I might disagree with their playing choices. I am not the gambling deity after all.

Yet, there is something that I think many players totally overlook. Not the house edge, but the possibility that some bad guy (or girl) has eyes on stealing your money and perhaps hurting you in the process. Such a thing can happen in any type of casino; the big expensive high-roller ones or the smaller neighborhood type of casino.

No one is automatically safe in a casino. No one, really, is actually safe in life. Life is, many times, the real crapshoot. That’s the truth.

Most casinos have good security but there is no such thing as invulnerable security. That weird looking scraggly guy on the elevator going to your floor. He pressed that floor after you did.

He stands behind you and you can feel his bloodshot eyes drilling into the back of your head. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, you can feel those eyes drilling away at your head. Does he mean no good? Usually, no; but sometimes the answer is yes, you are vulnerable to him.

Now, if you are an MMA fighter, you probably have nothing to worry about. He might have a gun but he might realize that he doesn’t want to get caught in the elevator with someone who’s reflexes are far faster than his as he gropes to aim and fire.

Criminals want one thing; the one thing just about all people want – money! They don’t want to work for it; they’d rather steal it…from you.

What do you do with that guy? Don’t get off the elevator. Just take it back down. There is a good chance he will get off at your floor. After all, does he really want to get stuck in the elevator? Probably not. He wants you in the hallway, going to your room, where he can knock you out and steal your money (and chips).

If you are a woman and a man seems to be eying you as you wait at the elevator. He makes you uncomfortable. Walk away and wait until he leaves the area or goes up in the elevator.

Now, what if the man is of another race? You don’t want to be thought of as a racist, do you? People of all races can be criminals. Don’t get in the elevator!

If the guy isn’t a criminal, he might think you were a little weird walking away from the elevator – that is, if he even notices you when he gets onto the elevator. Just because he seemed to be looking at you doesn’t mean he was looking at you at all. Or he was admiring you. Or he just glanced at you. But still don’t get on the elevator if you feel the least bit uncomfortable.

Next week I’ll give you some more advice about safety in the casino.

All the best on and out of the casinos!

Frank Scoblete’s web site is www.frankscoblete.com. His books are available from Amazon.com, Barns and Noble, Kindle, e-books, libraries and book stores.