Short takes about casinos and players

8 October 2013

By Frank Scoblete

FROM AC LADY: Regarding your article “Strange Letters from Strange People” (July 23) – I love your columns but really – people just kant bee that stoopid, LOL - gess I'll stick wit my slut machines !!!!!!!

I cannot stop laughing!

FRANK RESPONDS: Some of those letter were from Atlantic City players too. For your letter I am sending you a copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss.”


FROM FRED: Your article “What Is the Point of Slot Play?” was very insightful and accurate! I love the way you get right to the heart of things. You should have been a psychologist. Maybe a second career as a casino shrink?

FRANK RESPONDS: Then I would have to give therapy to myself. I am sending you a copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss” for your letter.


FROM RAY: I have read your articles for about six years, and a recent story on why people play slots caught my attention, I wanted to put my two cents in.

My assessment on why people play slots today is because the machines now produce stereo sound with Bose micro speakers, surround sound HD, 100 inch flat screen. The only thing missing was a server (person) coming around with buffalo wings, or small plates of food. (We already have drinks, cocktails and beer.) In some AC casinos women walk around with cigars like in a 1940's type movie hung around her neck in a tray.

But I diverge, slot play today is more addicting, because of the new community bonus play, so people can't help but socialize. A friend of mine who doesn't understand how his lawyer wife can play for hours at a machine, so I explained the above he said, "Yeah my wife can really talk, and that must be the reason she plays slots."

Keep up the great slot articles.

FRANK RESPONDS: I guess you might say that slots are the new movies. I am sending you a copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss” for your letter.


FROM LARRY: I love to shoot dice, but I have a few concerns about how the game is run now! Years ago you had to have a previous bet on the Pass Line in order to shoot next. Now the stickman lets anybody who is standing in that spot shoot. I watch a lot of people jumping tables and squeezing in just to shoot. They let one lady place a Fire Bet for two dollars and that was her only bet on the table!

Sometimes I try to find a spot on the table and it’s full of people but then I look and there’s only like two or three people betting. Also the new rule for paying for drinks is cash or debit. You cannot pay for drinks with chips. Why is this, this hurts the wait staff on tipping.

Years ago I never paid for a meal, now I don’t even get enough for a sandwich. And service is horrible in the whole casino. I play in all three of the Detroit casinos.

FRANK RESPONDS: I have no idea why the casino won’t allow people to tip the wait staff with chips – I mean the chips are theirs already.

FROM LARRY: At most of the casinos around IL you have to pay for the drinks with cash. But you can tip the drink waitresses or waiters with chips. The reason I was given is studies were done which showed if you buy in for say $300 you will probably play until you lose that $300.

If you are permitted to pay for drinks with chips, most likely lose $300 for your trip. If you are not permitted to pay for drinks with chips most drinkers come with additional money for buying drinks and they will lose and spend more then $300. So the casino gets more in total if they don’t permit you to pay for drinks with cash. Of course some of the drinkers may only buy in for say $200 instead, and use the other $100 for drinks.

FRANK RESPONDS: I’ll drink to that! I am sending you a free copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss” for your letters.

join Frank on his website at www.frankscoblete.com.