Readers' experiences in casinos

4 August 2015

By Frank Scoblete

FROM NEIL: Frank, love your columns and expertise. I just wanted to share my last trip to Las Vegas with you.

I had the best outcome with VP-DDBP/Craps/Let It Ride, and this spanned the Silverton and Main St. Station.

However, what was another winning experience was the visit to an Asian restaurant — mentioned in the Eating Las Vegas series — China Mama, on South Jones Blvd. Absolutely fantastic and inexpensive! We went there on two consecutive days, although we had planned to sample another place from the book. We figured we'd already had Nirvana, why chance a lesser meal somewhere else unknown?

Also, got free tickets to Mac King at Harrah's for mentioning we were going to the show when signing up for the slot club. Just an FYI.

Laugh at life's wonders. Cry at its disappointments. Accept both and know your role in it all!

FROM POMUS: I do not like dealers who frown and act bored. They are in the people business and although some players can be obnoxious (I admit this), most are pleasant enough. But these sourpuss dealers make the games far less enjoyable.

If I were in control of casinos, I would fire these types of people. In today’s casino economy I am sure there are thousands of out-of-work dealers who would be overjoyed to get a job.

I had one blackjack dealer in Atlantic City the other day who was outright nasty. She kept saying to the players, “Come on, come on, what decision are you going to make. Hurry up.” The players actually were not slow at all. I felt like telling her supervisor right then and there. Instead I wrote a really scathing letter to the casino.

I haven’t heard a thing back from anyone.

FROM DONALD: Who should the pit boss or floorperson believe? His dealer or the player? I had a craps dealer take a winning bet off the layout and not pay me on the bet and I very politely told him that he didn’t pay me, that he took my bet, and he said I didn’t have the bet up.

I did have the bet up. Even another player spoke up and said he saw the bet up.

So I objected and asked for the floorperson to come over and settle the situation. This guy wouldn’t even listen to the other player who wanted to confirm what I was saying. He said to that player, “This isn’t a court of law, sir. We don’t need you as a witness.”

What nerve! I will never go back to that casino.

FROM NANCY: I love the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. The dealers are all friendly and professional. The comps are pretty good too. I have told the big bosses how happy my husband and I are when we go to the casino.

I know it might sound silly to refer to a casino as a kind of “family,” but the workers make every visit a special experience.


For their letters, I am sending the writers a copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss.”

Frank Scoblete’s new book is “I Am a Dice Controller: Inside the World of Advantage-Play Craps.” It is available at Amazon.com, on Kindle and at bookstores.