Giving up on craps at Caesars Palace

[Alan Mendelson]

I thought I would never say this, but I am: I'm giving up on craps at Caesars Palace.

As everyone knows, I love Caesars. I even love the craps pit. I especially love the long-time dealers who make the game so good at Caesars. But... I have to give up on the game at Caesars.

What's changed?

Well, some of the dealers have changed. There are some new dealers there who really have no interest in the game and no interest in the players. Those new dealers are there to collect their paychecks. How do I know they lack interest? Because they are talking about "other things" besides the game.

The tables at Caesars are not the friendliest. By this I mean the physical tables. The tables at Caesars have become more "bouncey" than they were and I know why. When new felts (layouts) are applied, they are now applied on top of the previous felt. I saw this happen. In the past, old layouts were removed before the new one was put on the table.

Other casinos have friendlier "bets" than what Caesars has. Caesars has the Fire Bet, but I really like the All Tall Small bet that is available at other casinos.

The "player environment" has changed at Caesars. I'm afraid that Caesars is targeting a younger clientele now (or maybe I'm just getting older?) and that has hurt the game.

Gone are the days when players would wait to buy in -- now they will buy in even as a shooter is about to throw the dice. And what makes this problem even worse is that the dealers at Caesars now will stop the game to take in a new player and new money. In the old days, new players and new buy-ins would wait because that was common courtesy in craps.

Caesars was the first casino to drop boxmen and now they've dropped the ball on running a good craps game.

It's still a great casino, and I still love the long time dealers and floor men -- but the environment for play is better at casinos like Red Rock and Bellagio where I've also played recently.

[dalawa]

Alan there is a great story about a boy who cries wolf. You should pick up a copy someday.

I guess we can file this in your:

I'm done with Rincon threads.

[Rob.Singer]

Alan that was an intriguing start to a thread, but I'd be willing to give odds that you'll be back at the Caesar's craps table in no time. Remember when you said you weren't going to Caesar's to play vp any more?

[Alan Mendelson]

I'm not giving up on craps, Rob. I am saying that other casinos have better craps.

And yes I have cut back on my video poker at Caesars. Luckily when I have played there (because I was there for a trip) I hit two royals on two out of the last three trips. Would I get in the car to drive to Caesars just to play video poker? No. For that I would drive to Rincon.

In the past, when I wanted to play craps, Jason and I would get in the car and drive to Caesars. Now, we will get in the car and drive to Bellagio or Red Rock where there are better playing conditions.

Rob it's funny that you would criticize me about this. After all, how many times have you criticized me for playing only at Caesars. My conclusion: you just like to criticize.

[Rob.Singer]

You not only got rattled by my post because it was the first topic you jumped on--you started off your indefensible argument wrong. I said nothing about you giving up craps; I said craps at CP.

All the face-saving statements (I "cut back"??) in the world will never overcome your proclamations about not playing vp this year again unless it was to play free play thru one time....and then doing exactly the opposite! Then there's the Rincon thing. The fact that it's turned out well is irrelevant to the proclamation.

Simple facts Alan. Critical if you're the recipient of these, but all they are is a part of the overall discussion based on what you've said you were going to do.

[Alan Mendelson]

Rob: I am not going to respond to you. I reserve the right to change my mind.

[regnis]

Alan--if you are going to play craps somewhere other than at Caesars, will you also play VP at such other location and therefore change your allegiance? If not, your craps play alone will earn little or nothing in the way of comps at the new venue.

It saddens me that the game has deteriorated at Caesars, but it really seems that craps has deteriorated everywhere, and it is not just the tables and dealers but the players themselves.

[Alan Mendelson]

Alan--if you are going to play craps somewhere other than at Caesars, will you also play VP at such other location and therefore change your allegiance? If not, your craps play alone will earn little or nothing in the way of comps at the new venue.

It saddens me that the game has deteriorated at Caesars, but it really seems that craps has deteriorated everywhere, and it is not just the tables and dealers but the players themselves.

First of all: I don't play for comps. I take the comps that come along including 7 Stars at Caesars. I don't play to "make" 7 Stars.

I am not sure if I would also switch my video poker play to Bellagio. I did play video poker there when I had my visit there a couple weeks ago. I used my free play on their 7/5 Bonus Poker Progressive but I didnt hit anything substantial -- and the free play was lost. I did win at the craps table hitting one "small" and then hitting the Small, Tall, All for a very nice payout of more than a thousand dollars on bets that totaled only $15.

Red Rock offers better video poker than both Bellagio and Caesars at lower denominations, but I prefer craps at Bellagio over the craps at Red Rock -- but both of those are better craps than Caesars.

Caesars still has, at this point, the best of the comp programs, and certainly the best entertainment and I think better restaurants.

You probably saw the video of the bathroom at Bellagio (see: http://alanbestbuys.com/id240.html ) and I think the Caesars bathroom is better and better for a couple. The hotel room at Caesars is also a bit larger and I get free movies at Caesars.

[RS__]

The fact that it's turned out well is irrelevant to the proclamation.

I can't believe Rob Singer just said that! Every day he's saying stupid sh** like "It doesn't matter if it's a good or bad bet...it only matters if you win!" Kind of like when he makes fun of Shack's signature that reads something like, "It doesn't matter if you won or lost, it matters if you had a good bet or a bad bet." [not verbatim]

Something trolls LOVE to do -- play both sides of the fence. Sometimes they'll be on this side of the fence when it suits them, other times they'll be on the other side of the fence.


Alan, you may want to consider playing at Cosmopolitan. They've got some pretty good VP there (paytables), and it's definitely a "craps house". I don't know if they have the ATS/futures bet (all/tall/small), but I think they may. It's an awesome atmosphere in there.

[Alan Mendelson]

RS__ several long time dealers left Caesars to work at Cosmo when it first opened. I saw them there. Thanks for the idea I will check their tables again. The one time I walked thru there the table minimums were $100 and the tables were filled with the rich "club crowd." Too rich for me.

[dalawa]

I'm done with Rincon

Well Alan it took less than 24 hours to fulfill my prophecy.

[RoeIncarnate]

With regards to buying in, I've learned a compromise between old school and mellinial.

I'm just old enough not to be a mellinial.

I first learned craps from an in casino class. Got hooked pretty quickly. However learning things like when to buy in how to cash out were done by the dealers. Buying in the dealers will direct you to put the money on the table no matter what the game is doing. Not sure why they don't enforce an edicate but there is probably a business reason like lost players or something. At first I would just buy in when I got there. I didn't know any better. Besides I play on the low end so many of the players tend to be newbies.

As I read more ( here and elsewhere) I learned that some people prefer a more old school approach. So now I like to step up to the table and put my card and money on the rail and wait for the next come out roll. If the dealer on the other side is busy with payouts but my side is not, I'll give him my money then. Basically I wait for a break in the play. It also gives me a small chance to watch the table.

Craps can be intimidating to newbies, so I think letting people buy in whenever, is more friendly to new players. They don't feel like they did something wrong when the dealer won't take their buyin for some reason they don't understand.