Yes, and that data comes via satellite--and the I-15 has 100% coverage.
Printable View
Yes, and that data comes via satellite--and the I-15 has 100% coverage.
Rob are you really suggesting there is the slightest bit of risk that a Caesars check -- post bankruptcy -- might bounce? That is as ridiculous as breaking up three queens to draw for a royal. LOL
You seem to be the one worried about it more than anyone else.
It could be something with your account... Do you have a history of bounced checks or something like that?
As I wrote above there is nothing wrong with my account.Quote:
Originally Posted by BadBeet
As most of us know, there was a government crackdown on banks handling funds for Internet gambling. While it is not unlawful for us (players) to gamble online, it is a violation of federal law for banks to handle any money for online gambling -- hence the questions from two BofA employees about the source of the check.
Again, it is highly unusual for a ten-day hold especially when I've been a customer of the bank since 1987 without any problems whatsoever.
I didn't want to mention this, but I will: I am a TV show producer and while my checking account has never had a $90,000 balance, my weekly "checking account float" is quite high. I don't think I need to mention my entire banking history here.
Clearly there is a problem with BofA handling a large casino check. And I want everyone to know it.
Alan, it is true that BofA are really paranoid about online gaming. I have friends who have had their accounts closed due to receiving cashouts from online poker sites to their BofA.
Wells Fargo, Chase, and Citi are much more tolerant of it.
It is possible that they are simply confused and paranoid about online gaming, but I think it's more that they are worried about fraud. As I said, this check forgery scheme is common, and the banks sometimes take a bath from it.
It doesn't matter that you run a lot of $ through your checking account. If your balance isn't near $90k, and if you don't routinely receive checks around that amount, they will often be paranoid and hold it.
Still, your warning about BofA has merit, and I think you provided good info. If I ever do hit a jackpot like that (or more likely, hit a big score at the WSOP), I won't deposit it with them.
BofA is as good as it gets. I've been with them for as long as Alan and I've deposited a check for over $500k from a brokerage account when I bought our RV with a simple 3-day hold with an average daily balance in the low four figures. And that was by far the largest deposit I've ever made with them. There was zero paranoia and all the rules were followed. Alan if you really want to understand what's going on with this 10-day hold then persistence will find out.
I'm not buying bank employees questioning about on-line gambling. It's clearly a WF check. No one is that stupid, even the bank's collection of third world employees. They'd never ask such a question, and if they did then a call to a banking manager would eliminate that phony hurdle.
I would have told the bank employee that it was none of their business, or as Rob says, gone over his/her head. I recently deposited a $500,000 check at Harris bank with no questions asked. Harris has a pre-printed form they hand out to you on large deposits explaining their rules as to "Hold".
But again, B of A has the right to put a longer hold on a check if they are concerned for any reason (vague) and have a reputation for doing so.
Rob a check from a brokerage house is not the same as a check that says Caesars Palace. That's a silly comparison.
It's just as good as a check written on a WF account. Those banks can instantly check with each other and debit accounts electronically as can T Rowe Price. The check is either good or it isn't. A ten day hold is only as good as the customer allows it to be.
That's my point Rob. BofA had no business putting a long hold on the Caesars Palace check since it was on an account at Wells Fargo. I suspect they did it ONLY because of the federal government's rules against doing business with online casinos. As I mentioned, TWICE I was asked if Caesars was an online casino! Has anyone else deposited a big casino check in a bank lately? What's been your experience?
In the meantime, BofA released $5,000 at the end of business today, with the rest of the money being released this Friday. I guess I got a bit of a concession from them when I repeatedly called.
In all the excitement about the Royals I forgot to post about Jason's other big win. We both have a "tradition" of stopping at Gold Strike -- that small casino between Primm and Vegas at Jean. I stopped going there after they removed the craps table and after I cashed out the last of my cash back and gas comps, but Jason still likes to stop in to play a little video poker before he crosses into California.
Well, Jason got lucky again. This time on a multi play Triple Double Bonus $1 game. He hit one quad aces with kicker for $4,000. See photo below. He only had $500 played.
BofA seems to have capitulated due to your persistence. That's what it takes, esp. after they twice asked the foolish question about "is Caesar's an online casino". You likely finally got someone accountable to look at your issue.
That's a full pay tdb machine Jason played in Primm. Almost 100%. What's he doing making an actual 800% on the thing? Doesn't he realize what a slap in the face that is to theory??
Rob, I made a mistake in my post about Jason's play on that machine. He started with $320 and not $500. He explained it to me this way: He tried to put $500 in but one $100 bill was rejected, and then four of the five $20 bills he put in were rejected. (Nothing wrong with the bills, it was the bill acceptor problem.) While he was waiting for a floor person to exchange the bills he hit his quad aces. He also told me it took nearly 50 minutes to get a handpay.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Gold Strike -- it used to be owned by MGM and they sold it a couple of months ago to the outfit that ran the Terribles gas station slots. The new outfit removed all of the table games and about 70% of the machines leaving only about thirty machines inside the building while they make-over the hotel into some sort of super truck stop with a casino.
Gone are the $5 8/5 Bonus Progressives that Jason and I loved to play and gone is the $3 craps table that I used to "warm up" on before I reached Vegas.
Jason told me that there is now an Automobile Collection housed inside the casino. He didn't take pictures and the next time I drive to Vegas I will stop in to take pictures.
He said the highest denomination VP is $1 and he said there was this one five-play machine.
Yes, it is a full pay Triple Double Bonus game and he was shocked to find it. He wasn't going to play it until he looked up the paytable.
I stopped into the Strike on my last trip. There is indeed an auto collection. If you're a Dodge Challenger fan, check out the vehicles from the last several Fast and Furious films. Also, the actual Batmobile is on display. I believe it was originally a Lincoln, which I did not know.
It's quite a neat display.
The check was cleared this morning.
I smell a "customer requested" trip to LV in the works.
You know, Rob, let's put it all together. Trip to LV, your recommendation that Alan get a more reliable vehicle, Gold Strike enroute.
A chunk of that big score would make a fine down payment on the Batmobile. Alan would look great behind the wheel.
And chicks dig Batmobiles.
I only wish I had a "customer requested" trip. Damn't. Even with my new found wealth I can't even get a date to go to Vegas this weekend.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob.Singer
What happened to Gwen? I thought she was down for all your degeneracy?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
Gentlman's bet anyone? OVER/UNDER 9 months before that $90k ends up back in the casinos's pocket. [i would say caesars, but it seems like he'll be over at bellagio more so than caesars]
But we'll never know the truth. Alan only boasts about his wins. He has NEVER ONCE posted about a loss. Remember RS he's only a recreational player that puts in over a million dollars a year. "Recreationally"Quote:
Originally Posted by RS__
Excuse me. I have posted many times that I've never had a winning or profitable year. That would mean more losses than wins... Ya think?
RS, to be fair here, I don't think you've ever reported about a big loss or a losing year, either. What's good for the goose and all that.
RS__ on the Wizard's forum has said he's a dealer in Vegas.
I didn't call out Alan on "never posting about losses". That was someone else.Quote:
Originally Posted by redietz
For the most part, I don't like posting the amount of $$$ I've won or lost, and especially not the location.
Frankly I don't think anyone's losses are interesting. I want to be entertained and seeing wins is entertaining. I love to see wins. It doesn't matter if you give it back... we all do that. It's the winning that keeps us going.
Alan,
Where's Gwen these days? I think the answer will say lots!
This is the sad part. Alan's reputation for not being able to stay away from the action is making me give you a gold star for your post. I expanded on my concerns in the other thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS__
People are wondering where Gwen is. Maybe she isn't overly fascinated with the poker machines. Dancer's wife wasn't either. And my wife cares nothing about them. But wait!....we're still happily married after 37 years, and here I am giving advice to these guys about relationships, respect and problem gambling! Hmmm.....
A little bird told me that Gwen left his degenerate ass.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob.Singer
Unfortunately, that happens all too often when gamblers put gambling in front of just about everything else in their lives. Not saying that's what happened here because we don't know. But after a chaotic relationship history I can see why someone would think that. Let's hope there's better days ahead.
At this point in our lives, I doubt any of us need babysitters. The only things more wasteful than losing chunks back to the casinos would be buying a depreciating motor home for 50K or allowing anonymous posters to take shots at one's personal life because one isn't anonymous.
Hey Red.Quote:
Originally Posted by redietz
From what I gather this is a posting forum for gambling. not to kiss the ass of the host. And if I recall correctly I've NEVER seen you post about gambling or vegas. Do you just sit at home reading forums all day long looking for ways to pass your mundane life? Red, tell us about ANY of your RECENT gambling excursions? Are you just some silly old fart who lives on forums? Prove me wrong or STFU?
Wow. That wasn't very nice. Very mean-spirited. Recent gambling excursions? That's pretty funny, given it's football season and all that. I think I've posted a fair amount about Las Vegas -- arguing with Rob about buffets, explaining how CET determines sports betting limits, suggesting people visit the Batmobile at the Gold Strike. Bitching about CET in general. But if you are not keeping up, and you want a personal newsletter, I'll be glad to email it to you free of charge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boygenius
I will take the over: after giving half of it back he will hit another 100k royal
As I told Rob this morning in a personal conversation, I am so addicted to profits I'm not sure I would ever risk losing all that!Quote:
Originally Posted by ddb1
I am not a $25/coin player. That was a really unusual event because of several factors:
1. I had a good week in business
2. On both of my two previous trips to Caesars I hit $20k royals
Do I plan on ever playing $25 VP again? I'm too cheap and wouldn't want to risk losing so much so quickly which can happen at that denomination.
I don't understand where all this animosity is coming from. Alan hit a big jackpot. What he did with the money or plans to do with the money is his business not anyone else's. Geez, just say congratulations and get over it.
My god. Arguing about buffets? Talking about a batmobile?
Nothing to do with gambling. But maybe in your delusional mind just talking about vegas constitutes gambling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boygenius
My bad. I thought those things were in Las Vegas. Maybe I'm wrong. I often confuse Cleveland and Pittsburgh for Las Vegas.
I did double-check the title of this section. It says L-A-S V-E-G-A-S. Now I don't think that spells "gambling," and I did win a couple of spelling bees when I was a child. But I could be wrong. Please correct me if I am.
The subtitle is "where to go, stay and play." This forum was not intended to be only for addicted gamblers.
I haven't had a chance to say huge congrats on your big wins! surely this year is a winning year!
Jason is on a roll. He arrived at Bally's about three hours ago with his girlfriend. They had dinner with her parents, then he sat down to play some video poker. He put only $200 in the five play $1 Super Aces Bonus game and on the third play ($25 per play) he hits a royal. Photo below. He called me up and says "according to Rob Singer I should pack up and leave, but I haven't been here long enough to wash my hands yet."
Good hit!!!
Yay Jason!
Congrats to Jason!!
And before Rob beats me to it, inquiring minds want to know....
Why? Life is one long session. He might lose it all on this trip or he might increase his winnings. That means nothing over the long run.Quote:
Originally Posted by redietz
I know this discussion has gone on before and people like to go home a winner, but other than the few minutes of feeling good it makes no difference.
Start a new thread... "Photos of Big Casino Wins"... Rule of thread... Photos only, no discussion. Some of us don't care about criticism, just want to share.
Go ahead.Quote:
Originally Posted by BadBeet
Of course we all know that vp players are ahead at some point in their visit on the majority of those visits. That's what the catalyst was for me as I developed and played my goal-oriented strategy. Critics have and will blindly say "b-b-b-but, no one knows when they're ahead at their highest point, and there's the possibility of getting ahead even further". Still other misguided souls claim how "vp play is all one lifelong event, so you might as well smile as the math snatches the profits right out of your pocket because it knows if you're winning more than you should".
VP players get so confused by simplicity, and for some reason many of then can't talk about it without injecting meaningless theory or complicating one of the easiest tasks they'll ever ckoose to do in life. Whining about "no one knows when you're at your highest win point" and other irrelevant things is only done due to wanting to hide an acute misunderstanding.
People who cannot stop going to casinos after big wins are almost certain to lose it and more all back. And if you believe in the math then you will believe in that. The only way any player can consistently win and win over time, is to quit at non-greedy pre-set win goals, accept that you will have some losing sessions that are no higher than your pre-set loss goal, and understand that some of your wins will be huge. And the consistent winner NEVER goes up in denomination on their next casino visit after winning on the last trip.
It is all so very easy.
Actually, I was referring to the age-old question, "How big a tip did Jason leave?"
$5 bonus deluxe. Doesn't look like much, but $2000 nonetheless. After getting killed on the main floor, I wandered into the high limit section with my last couple hundred dollars. I always play DDB, but the machine didn't offer it. Good thing. Kind of a drag that any quad is a W2G, and my state doesn't let you deduct gambling losses from state taxes. Ain't complaining though, it bailed me out and then some. After being paid I didn't neven "spin it off".
As for the other discussions going on: I could have "quit while I was ahead" $10 early in the day and I tipped $10.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...psaqlkksyd.png
Congratulations. I happen to love Bonus Poker Deluxe and I can't understand why anyone would play DDB when BPD is available?
Because getting kicker quads is exciting and it is the only game shere I know the strategy cold. Around here, most of the potential + EV games are DDB progressives.
Of all the two pair pays 1 for 1, I prefer this one also.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
For the same reason many people prefer TDBP & SDBP over BPD: not enough large winners and enough optimal hold changes to hurt one's chances. BPD is a decent game for sure. It's just not a game one can expect to win on, esp. If you have several of the others down pat..Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
9/6 isn't that supposed to be 8/5 or less? Is it over 100% payout or am I missing something?
9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe is the full pay 99.6% version. At Bellagio I think I saw 8/5. Or maybe it was 9/5? I don't remember.
I've only seen 8/5 so I did not know it came higher.
It's tough to find.
It was at Horseshoe Hammond. $25 per point - but I could care less about that. Gimme a good paytable instead.
Agreed. There comes a time when points no longer matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by ddb1
How lucky can a guy get? This is the third time in my life I was dealt a royal flush. This latest came yesterday at Bellagio on their $5 progressive. Before getting the royal I was already well ahead on the session because I played craps there and on my first turn with the dice I hit the ALL with $5 bets on the SMALL and TALL and $5 on the ALL. I also had a nice run and my $300 buy-in led to a cash-out of $1550 after tips. After that I put $1,000 in the $5 progressive and I felt like the Empire State Building getting hit by lightning multiple times. See the photo below. By the way, Jason hit this progressive about a month ago for $26,000+. I also found out that this progressive is linked to other Vegas casinos owned by MGM. The managers weren't sure which other properties also were part of this $5 progressive but they think Mirage definitely is.
I have to tell you why I asked about this progressive being linked to other casinos. When I first sat down at the machine, no one else was playing -- yet the meter was rising. I didn't think Bellagio was adding money to the progressive jackpot without players -- and they weren't. The progressive was rising because of play at other casinos.
This is royal #6 of the year.
Congratulations Alan! Awesome hit, particularly dealt. Is it a
7/5 Bonus Poker game?
FAB
Yes, 7/5 Bonus. It shows in the photo. Most progressives do have a reduced paytable. Rincon's $5 Double Double Bonus progressive, for example, is 8/5.
At Bellagio there are six different games that are linked to the same $5 progressive jackpot and all have reduced paytables.
Unless you accept reduced comp credits, Ceasars Palace has only 7/5 Bonus (no progressive), so that Bellagio game is a better alternative.
FAB
Beautiful Alan!
2015 has been very very good to you.
Congratulations, Alan! That is wonderful
So, now that you've put in some play at MGM/Mirage, any early commentary on the benefits and differences with CET?
I don't know that you can make that comparison since Bellagio and Caesars are different companies with different comp policies. To be honest -- I am getting better comps and more free play from Bellagio.Quote:
Originally Posted by FABismonte
My latest offers from Caesars are for $250 of free play -- and on this visit I had $1,000 of free play plus our meals were comped. I didn't expect them to be comped, but they were.
I checked my "comp dollars" before my trip to Bellagio started and when I departed and I only put on $55 worth of "comp dollars" during my trip. This is because I didn't play much at all. The first day I played first the $1,000 of free play, cashing out $970 and then used only $100 to play 50-cents double double bonus and I cashed out a $300 profit. The second day I had a quick winning session at craps and then a short session playing the progressive.
There is no question that the offers from Bellagio are far superior to Caesars, but when it comes to "events" Caesars still wins which is why I will be at Caesars for New Year's Eve.Quote:
Originally Posted by redietz
But Bellagio wins hands-down on comps and free play offers.
Also, Caesars still has the nicer rooms for my rating of player. I think you saw the video I did comparing the bathrooms at Bellagio vs Caesars: http://alanbestbuys.com/id240.html
On this trip, my girlfriend and I had a fantastic steak dinner at Fix at Bellagio and the filet mignon steaks were perfect and the sides were amazingly different in their preparations. We had one lunch in Bellagio's 24 hour cafe which was very good -- I had a penne pasta with shrimp which was excellent but too big of a portion for me, and Linda had a tuna salad which was delicious and too big. And we had room service for a couple of meals which was fast, good and priced a bit lower than what Caesars charges for its room service items.
I'm still not getting free movies at Bellagio but this trip the one movie we watched was comped by the desk agent in the VIP lobby.
Awesome hits!!
Hi Alan:Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
It really depends on your taste in events. On NYE the best CET offer I got was either Celine at Ceasars or Brittany at PhO. But my host at Bellagio set me up for Maroon 5 at Mandalay Bay for NYE which my kids are crazy for. The "formal dinners" available at CET or MLIfe were a wash with me.
FAB
I'm not doing the formal dinner party at Caesars. We're going to see Celine then dinner at Old Homestead. I've never had a memorable meal at any of the official New Year's parties and this year I didn't want to see the act Caesars booked.
Is "Fix" the replacement for "Prime" at Bellagio?
Fabulous deal Alan. It was all luck, but if you were one of those now extremely jealous AP's, if it happened to them they'd be proclaiming how it was their "skill" that did it by constantly playing in "+EV" situations, of course, IF this was really a positive play. But in their terms, this game was not "playable" because you were "losing money on every single hand, including the royal".
Don't you just LOVE proving them wrong! If only this could've happened to the AP's AP, the wizard.....
Who's jealous? I'm happy for him. Even better that he got it off the free play money!! I've got just as much chance at hitting one as the next guy. And getting dealt a royal in hearts is no luckier than getting dealt 9s, 7d, 4c, 3d, 2h.
Wow Alan. Congratulations...again!
By the way...the best lobster I ever had was at Fix.
I have a good and bad memory of FIX.
The good memory came from July 2, 2005. I went out to dinner with a friend (Dustin Woolf) and we discussed how we would be playing the $3000 buyin Limit Holdem event at the WSOP the next day. I had played my first and only WSOP event a month earlier, and finished 3rd out of 1049 people for about $116,000.
I then showed up to play the event the next day and immediately starting hitting lucky hands. While I lost back some of those early chips, by about 10pm on the next day, I had won my first (and still only) WSOP gold bracelet, plus $347,385.
That was my good FIX memory.
My bad memory involves a party of about 20 poker players, where we all went to FIX. Service was slooooooooooooow and very inattentive. Tons of mistakes were made. We were even charged for drinks that no one ordered. When I brought up these issues, I was treated with disdain by the servers and management. In fact, the manager tried to lie about the time we were sat down (attempting to make the service look not as slow), and then I proved him wrong by the time on the receipt which fortunately listed when we sat. I asked for something off our MASSIVE bill (20 people!) for what happened, and the manager basically gave me the middle finger.
Even worse, we were forced to tip 18% here. The wait staff deserved 0%. They were incompetent, rude, and slow.
I complained to the general manager the next day, who pretended to take it seriously, but then came back and told me that it was "inconclusive" what happened. I told him that I had 20 different people who could corroborate my story. I told him that the receipt showed the time we sat, and he told me that the computer showed when the food was served, so where exactly was the "inconclusive" info?
I realized he was just covering for his staff. I was pissed enough to where I complained to the group which owns FIX, and again they just stonewalled.
So I said screw it, and never went to FIX again unless I had a comp.
That's why it's much better to just let these types of things go Dan than to let them bother you. Things go wrong, but most things go right. When you're dealing with people more interested in protecting themself and their brand than admitting flaws, better just to count your blessings for other successes & enjoyments than to let it eat away at you.
One check for 20 poker players? Did you get stuck with the check? Remember poker players are professional liars. :-)
Congratulations, Alan. Have you made up for the drought in royals you had a couple of years ago?
PS. I hit a dealt RF in hearts last Saturday.
For something that happens only once in 629,740 hands (or thereabouts) I've seen a lot of dealt royals. I've had three. I saw two players get dealt royals at Rincon. I've seen others discussed on various web forums.Quote:
Originally Posted by arcimede$
Since I've played a lot of video poker over the last 10 years or so, I'm not sure what my "average" should be for hitting royals. Yes, I am very happy with this year. What really makes me happy is that only one of the royals was hit playing 25-cent single line video poker.
1 in 649,740 :-)
I see at least a few every week, but I log a lot of hours in scouting the casinos.