BJ21.com Newsletter
May 24, 2012 120524
Presented as a public service
by BJ21.com, the leading source of accurate
information about casino games and conditions. Our free
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Compiled by Al
Rogers
Al@bj21.com
Man
arrested in casino chip heist at Bellagio
LAS VEGAS - Police said the men were wearing black wigs and sunglasses
and wielding
a can of pepper spray when they entered a high-stakes blackjack area
about 10:45 p.m. Saturday.
Miccosukee
Casino Ripping Off Winners? Gamblers Sue The Tribe For Bingo Taxes
MIAMI - The IRS says the tribe never paid the taxes from their bingo
winnings -- and now the couple owes back taxes with interest. They
filed suit against the tribe this month.
Toledo's casino almost ready for its opening
Officials at Hollywood Casino say they hope to lure Metro Detroiters to
Toledo with incentives, a smoke-free environment and the glitz and
glamour of a new $320 million gambling facility.
Bettor: Machines ripped me off -- Woman records video of drops in
balance; casino denies she lost money
NEW YORK - Cyndie Wade-Wood had suspected electronic slot machines at
Saratoga Casino and Raceway were occasionally deducting money from her
cash totals between bets and not reimbursing her for some winnings.
Dissatisfied with the staff's responses to her concerns, the Warren
County marketing executive secretly recorded her VLT plays on a
cellphone during a recent casino stop.
Bring
on the tourists!
Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of the peak tourism
season and Mississippi — especially South Mississippi — is hoping that
2012 will be the first really good tourism season in a few years.
Margaritaville
casino to open in Mississippi -- Casino cost investors $62 million
Margaritaville is among the smallest casinos approved in Mississippi in
recent years, raising concerns it will steal business from competitors.
But investors are looking to Buffett's "Parrothead" fans, who have
bolstered his restaurant empire, to flock to the Gulf Coast.
What Gamblers and Weather Forecasters Can Teach Us About Risk
An interview with the creator of the “risk quotient” intelligence
scale.
Thanks to Green Chip member EmeraldCityBJ
for providing the above link.
Harrah’s
Resort settles sexual-harassment suit with cocktail server
ATLANTIC CITY - Harrah’s Resort has reached a settlement with a
cocktail server who claimed she was sexually harassed on the job and
then forced by management to continue working the remainder of her
shift in the area where the incident occurred.
They’re off! Pols push sports bets
A Queens lawmaker wants to legalize betting on professional sports in
New York — and his proposed legislation has the backing of one of the
state’s top prosecutors, Brooklyn DA Charles “Joe” Hynes, The Post has
learned.
State
investigating possible illegal gambling by Whitney Houston's daughte
Nevada gaming regulators are looking into allegations that Bobbi
Kristina Brown, 19, the daughter of the late pop superstar Whitney
Houston, was gambling at the MGM Grand last weekend.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft tight-lipped about next move
BOSTON - When Patriots owner Robert Kraft and casino mogul Steve Wynn
failed to convince Foxborough residents that a resort-style casino
across from Gillette Stadium was in their best interests, the door
closed on gaming in Foxborough. However, the outcome only leaves
people questioning what Kraft's next move might be.
Adelson
won’t seek a casino in Mass. -- Deterred by state’s plan for multiple
facilities
The worldwide casino company run by billionaire Boston native Sheldon
Adelson will bypass the chance to build a casino in Massachusetts,
saying the state’s plan to license up to three casinos and a slot
parlor is going to dilute the market, according to a spokesman.
Cosmopolitan
sues to shut down bogus website
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has filed a lawsuit in federal court
claiming a Chinese website operator is operating a bogus version of the
resort's website.
Can
Revel Save Atlantic City? ...
The state of New Jersey collects hundreds of millions of dollars in
gambling taxes each year, but its one and only gambling destination,
Atlantic City, is now surrounded by competition. Pennsylvania opened
the first of its casinos in 2006 and since then, Delaware, Maryland,
West Virginia, and New York have added casinos. Atlantic City’s gaming
revenues have fallen every year since.
...
I Went to Revel and All I Got Was A Whole Lot of Frustration
ATLANTIC CITY - It was the first live event ever at Revel’s Ovation
Hall, which is welcoming Beyonce this coming weekend for four sold-out
shows. I went into this endeavor expecting to hate Maroon 5 and love
Revel. Boy was I wrong. Here, some observations.
Trump
card on its last legs in Atlantic City
Donald Trump once was the biggest name in Atlantic City – but times
have changed, and now one Trump hotel has been renamed and another is
on the block.
Woman
charged in stabbing deaths of 2 tourists in Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY — Authorities say a Pennsylvania woman fatally stabbed
two Canadian tourists during a botched robbery near Bally’s Casino in
Atlantic City.
Atlantic
City Press slams Philadelphia Daily News cover
"Yo, Philly. Stick it." Those were among the choice words the editorial
board of the Atlantic City Press had for the Philadelphia Daily News
after it covered the stabbing death of two Atlantic City tourists with
a front page featuring an aerial photo of the Jersey shore community
and the headline, "Tourist Death Trap."
Indiana
casinos face falling revenue and new competition
INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana’s nearly 20-year-old casino industry is facing
declining revenues and growing out-of-state competition, prompting
lawmakers to consider what, if any, regulatory changes might be able to
stem the tide.
Illinois
House Passes Gambling Expansion Bill
This version would not allow slots at airports or state fairgrounds. a
similar bill passed the legislature last year, but was never sent to
Governor Pat Quinn for his signature. Quinn was opposed to the bill
because it included slot machines at racetracks which are still
included in this bill.
Casinos
and American-Indian Health
The influence of casinos on American Indian politics culture — and
American culture more generally — has often been debated. But a new
study finds that, whatever its other effects, gaming has improved the
health (and health care) of Native Americans.
Hazy
past for Aquinnah casino backer
CAPE COD - A casino developer hired by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head
(Aquinnah) touts the company's work on Las Vegas resorts like MGM,
Bellagio and CityCenter, but several national gambling experts say
they've never heard of KMD Consulting or its principals.
Hidden
cameras in pole-dancing class prompt lawsuit
A group of women who teach tourists the art of pole dancing has sued
Las Vegas show producer David Saxe, claiming his staff installed hidden
video cameras that captured footage of women in various stages of
undress.
Lottery
winner who stayed on food stamps waives court hearing
Amanda Clayton is charged with failing to inform the state that her
income had changed as a result of the lottery prize and a job. The
25-year-old from Lincoln Park won a $1 million jackpot on the game show
"Make Me Rich!" and chose a $735,000 lump sum, before taxes, last
September.
The Bear Growls
Long-time Las Vegas-based advantage player, casino critic, and frequent
BJ21.com
contributor LVBear offers his opinions on things that sometimes go
wrong in the world of casinos.
Current and past growls can be read and comments posted at LVBear's
website, TheBearGrowls.com
You've Got Heat Volume
II e-book by Barfarkel
Barfarkel is the pseudonym of a skilled card counter who treats card
counting as an avocation. His card counting trips to Las Vegas and Reno
are quite detailed, and show how grueling it can be to take on the
casinos at their own game. Barfarkel began his card counting
journey in April 1999 with a $2,000 playing bankroll. Four years later,
he was able to grow his bankroll to $10,000. This part of his playing
career is fully documented in his first book, You've Got Heat.
You've Got Heat Volume II encompasses the subsequent 20 trips
that Barfarkel took to Las Vegas and Reno during the period of October
2003 through October 2007. During this time, Barfarkel played 643 hours
of blackjack, and his bankroll took some wild swings (from a high of
$17k to a low of $7k). How this happened makes for fascinating reading.
As usual, Barfarkel prefers to write as he speaks, directly and to the
point. So don't be surprised if you find some abbreviated sentences and
unorthodox phrasing in his narratives. Each of the trip reports in
this book was originally published in Blackjack Insider Newsletter.
They were updated and most of the repetition was removed from chapter
to chapter although some was left intact to maintain the original style
of each trip report.
Blackjack players will get inspiration from reading Barfarkel's
story. He shows that you can win money playing blackjack using the
principles and techniques of card counting. Is it easy? Hardly, as
you'll discover when you read this book. Barfarkel started his card
counting journey as a red chip player, with the desire to become a
green chip bettor. After he started winning, he accomplished this goal.
He then set his sights on winning more to allow him to become a
high-rolling black chip player. Did he achieve this goal? We'll let him
tell the story.
Note:
This is an "e-book" --
not a regular paper book. When ordered, it will come via email in PDF
format. Order form.
Beat the Players - Casinos, Cops and the
Game Inside the Game by Bob Nersesian
This
book should be read by everyone who sets foot in a casino: average
casino patrons, skilled players, casino employees, and anyone else. It
should be required reading for police officers, regulators, other
public officials, and attorneys who may represent any of the
aforementioned. Beat the Players
was the subject of a
feature in USA Today.
Bob
Nersesian is an attorney who represents victims of casino wrongdoing
against patrons. In an enjoyable writing style, he takes a look at the
often too-cozy relationship between casinos, police, and regulators. He
discusses specific cases and dispenses sound, practical advice that
patrons, casinos and public officials would be wise to heed. Cases
discussed are from Nevada and other jurisdictions.
Chapters
include: Your Money or Your Liberty; Scary Cop Statements; They'll Take
Your Liberty Anyway; Gaming Agents Speak; The Take of the State; Rules
for Casino Patrons; Gambling at the Legal Limits; Cops Hate Card
Counters; Griffin Investigations; Casinos Cheat With Impunity; A
Judicial and Government Overlay; Finding a Nickel Brings Trouble; Names
and Aliases; The Security Office and Surveillance Functions, and
Casinos and Cops.
Appendices
include Nevada Cheating and Detention Laws with Commentary; Other
Nevada Gaming Laws of Interest; Gaming Cases of Interest, and Nevada
Gaming Regulations with Commentary.
The
320-page book includes a bibliography and an index.
The
price is $19.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada
address). Green Chip
members get their normal 10% discount .Order Beat
the Players.
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Current Blackjack News
On the 1st and 2nd of every month, a couple dozen Pi Yee Press
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