BJ21.com Newsletter
October 16, 2008 081016
Presented as a public service
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Compiled by Al
Rogers
Al@bj21.com
Harrah's chief
financial officer dismisses talk about cash woes
The economic downturn is forcing Harrah's Entertainment to cut costs
and lay off workers, but the company's chief financial officer
Wednesday dismissed as "absurd" any speculation that the company is in
greater financial peril than its Strip competitors because of its heavy
debt load and falling revenues. "Companies don't go bankrupt because of
earnings not meeting expectations but rather just (by) running out of
cash," Jonathan Halkyard said. "It is our primary interest now in
running this company that we don't run out of cash."
AC's
temporary casino smoking ban now in effect
ATLANTIC CITY - For the first time in the 30-year history of legalized
gambling in Atlantic City, gamblers aren't allowed to smoke while
playing the slots or table games.
Atlantic
City suffers worst monthly slide, revenues plummet 15%
Atlantic City’s 11 casinos experienced their biggest monthly drop in
revenue ever in September. The amount of money they won from gamblers
plunged 15.1 percent from the same month a year ago. That made it the
biggest one-month decline in the 30-year history of legalized gambling
here.
N.J. Supreme Court to hear Tropicana license application ...
New Jersey's Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by the former
owners of the Tropicana Casino and Resort that could delay the casino's
sale.
... State freezes Tropicana sale process for 2 weeks
The future of the Tropicana Casino and Resort is more uncertain than
ever. On Wednesday, New Jersey regulators froze the sale process of the
troubled casino for at least two weeks while parties including the
state Supreme Court, a Delaware bankruptcy court, the former owners and
bond holders all tussle over what should be done with the property.
McCain's
gambling habit could alienate Christian Republicans
Senator John McCain faced alienating the influential Christian wing of
the Republican Party after it was revealed that he is a keen gambler
with extensive ties to the gaming industry.
Casino bus
driver cleared of DUI, charged with parole violation
SACRAMENTO - The operator of a casino-bound bus that crashed last
week, killing nine people, was not driving under the influence of drugs
or alcohol, the Colusa County district attorney said Tuesday. State
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials booked Quintin
J. Watts, 52, into custody Tuesday, however, on a charge of parole
violation for driving a bus without proper licensing.
Police
say prolific con woman arrested at Snohomish County casino
SEATTLE - A notorious scam artist who allegedly conned numerous people
out of thousands of dollars by posing as a distraught widow in need of
help was arrested at a Snohomish County casino after police plastered a
wanted flier with her photo at casinos throughout the Puget Sound.
Soboba
Casino heist suspect found unfit to stand trial
RIVERSIDE, CA - The suspected mastermind behind a 2007 heist of $1.58
million from the Soboba Casino vault was found incompetent Tuesday to
stand trial on robbery and kidnapping charges.
Shut
down Hard Rock gaming, state's McCollum says
TALLAHASSEE -- Attorney General Bill McCollum Tuesday renewed his
call for the federal government to shut down the Las Vegas-style card
games and slot machines operating at the Seminoles' Hard Rock Casino
near Hollywood.
Panel approves casino standards -- Tribes oppose set of proposed
security rules
SACRAMENTO – Pushing ahead in an edgy standoff with Indian tribes,
California's gambling commission voted yesterday to impose a set of
minimum security standards on tribal casinos.
Ex-casino
worker indicted in theft
SOUTH DAKKOTA - Federal prosecutors say a Fort Randall Casino employee
stole from the business.
Construction Activity Ends at Casino Site
BUFFALO - After spending $46-million dollars, the Seneca Gaming
Corporation has shut down all work on the permanent Seneca Buffalo
Creek Casino on the edge of Downtown Buffalo.
Beholden to no one, South Point owner shuns cuts
LAS VEGAS - There’s the corporate way of cutting payroll costs in a
downturn. And then there’s the Michael Gaughan way, which is, well, not
cutting payroll.
Famed
gambler, inspiration for "Casino' character, dead at 79
MIAMI BEACH — Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, the former Las Vegas casino boss
who inspired the character Sam "Ace" Rothstein in the movie "Casino,"
has died. He was 79.
Man arrested for allegedly cheating at casino
RIVERSIDE, IOWA - Iowa public safety officials say a Florida man has
been arrested for allegedly cheating at the Riverside Casino and Golf
Resort.
Vegas Visitation, Occupancy, Rates Keep Falling
LAS VEGAS - Unless the topic is the total number of rooms in the
market, data on the Las Vegas casino resort industry has a minus sign
in front of it these days. Performance is down across the board,
according to August data released Friday by the Las Vegas Convention
and Visitors Authority.
Companies assist gaming operators in securing access to high-risk
casino areas
When it comes to securing their premises, gaming companies don’t
believe in gambling. High risk areas within and surrounding casino
properties are being equipped with state-of-the-art access control
systems that minimize risk of a security breach.
Once hardscrabble, Terrible's Rail City Casino is local favorite
SPARKS - Back in the 1980s, what was called the Plantation Station
casino on Victorian Avenue in Sparks was known as a hardscrabble kind
of a place that was very dark and dirty inside.
Gambling
with our freedom a bad hand for Gov.
KENTUCKY - I agree with the old German proverb: "There is no better
gambling than not to gamble." I don't go to casinos, where the only
sure bet is that the odds are stacked against me. I don't gamble
online, either. The odds of addiction and poverty are far greater than
those of finding a pot of gold at the end of some Internet gambling
site. But those are personal choices that Gov. Steve Beshear wants to
take away.
The
M Resort, Spa and Casino will deliver a slate of amenities selected to
cater to both local residents and out-of-town visitors
LAS VEGAS - Creators of the M Resort, Spa and Casino promise a property
that will blend into the desert Southwest with a warm, yet modern,
design, and one that will deliver a slate of amenities selected to
delight both local residents and out-of-town visitors.
LV Sands asked to
post bond on award
Attorneys for a Hong Kong businessman who won a multimillion-dollar
judgment against Las Vegas Sands Corp. are asking a judge to order the
casino operator to post a bond on the award because the current
economic meltdown has affected the company's fiscal stability.
MGM Mirage quits
tourism group
Casino giant MGM Mirage on Tuesday resigned from the Nevada Resort
Association, saying budgetary cutbacks were the reason for dropping out
of the gaming lobby group.
Gibbons accuser
pursues lawsuit -- Woman claims her rights were violated in 2006
incident ...
Chrissy Mazzeo, the Las Vegas cocktail waitress who claimed two years
ago that she was assaulted by then-gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons,
filed a federal lawsuit against the Republican governor on Tuesday.
... Gov.
Gibbons says Mazzeo lawsuit is groundless ...
WASHINGTON -- Gov. Jim Gibbons today said the lawsuit filed against him
by former Las Vegas cocktail waitress Chrissy Mazzeo is groundless.
... Mazzeo fights
'cover-up'
It was a deja vu moment: There was former cocktail waitress Chrissy
Mazzeo in an attorney's office accusing Gov. Jim Gibbons of assaulting
her in a parking garage. Her attorney claimed some of Nevada's most
powerful men had orchestrated a cover-up. She was mobbed by local media
who shouted over each other to get questions answered.
Aliante Station
offers touch of opulence to suit casinogoers of all stripes
LAS VEGAS - Visitors who walk through any of Aliante Station's seven
entrances are struck with a look and atmosphere closer to Red Rock
Resort than any of Station Casinos' other properties. Station Casinos
Chief Operating Officer Kevin Kelley described the look of the new
resort, which opens Nov. 11, as "contemporary Scottsdale with a
combination of muted and vibrant colors."
Salerno
fined in Nugget ethics dispute
Sparks City Councilmember Phil Salerno has been fined $5,000 for
violating state ethics law by failing to disclose his business
relationship with the Sparks Nugget before voting on a project opposed
by the casino.
Losing
Las Vegas Shows How Americans Crap Out in Housing Casino
Leigh Sogoloff, who spends her evenings lap-dancing at Rick's Cabaret
Vegas on Procyon Street, says she's making half her income of a year
ago.
The
Bear Growls: Bear
Praise -- Lucky’s sportsbook revisited
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
By LVBear
LVBear584@cox.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previously, I wrote:
... Hopefully the new ownership will
get rid of the twin failures, casino
manager Navegante Group and sportsbook failure Lucky’s Race and Sports
Book. Lucky’s is not even in the same league with the
former independent book that was at Grand Sierra. Apparently
undercapitalized and definitely paranoid, Lucky’s is an
embarrassment. I hope the new ownership can get rid of Lucky’s
quickly and restore respectability to the sportsbook operation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a shaky start, Lucky’s is at least semi-respectable, especially
compared to some truly awful sportsbooks like at most of the Harrah’s
properties. Reno-based, Lucky’s has now made some inroads
into other locations, but not yet into any decent casinos. Sadly
for Lucky’s, it is only in failing casinos so far, apparently juiced in
by the ubiquitous Navegante Group, management king of failing
casinos. Lucky’s recent takeover of the nearly-bankrupt
Terrible’s casinos’ books in Las Vegas and Primm is a major improvement
over the sorry books that existed under Terrible’s. Lucky’s is at
least accepting decent action.
To my knowledge, only two Lucky’s locations have thrown out patrons for
using their brains — the Lucky’s at Red Lion in Elko and the Lucky’s in
the downtown Las Vegas Plaza. Lucky’s, like Cal-Neva and
Harrah’s, offers the player-friendly service of cashing tickets at any
of its locations, regardless of where the bet was placed. Leroy’s
offers the service also, but limits it to very small tickets of under
$1000 total cash — not really much of a “service.”
Overall, with the notable exception of the Grand Sierra Reno and the
Plaza Las Vegas sportsbooks, the replacement by Lucky’s of its
predecessors has been an improvement. I hope Lucky’s can
make enough money to upgrade its equipment and get rid of its
antiquated ticket machines. For now, I wish Lucky’s well.
May it become a formidable competitor to the Cal-Neva and Leroy’s
sportsbook chains. I hope management doesn’t make some stupid decisions
that will cause me to change my mind.
Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting
by King Yao
Sports betting can be attacked intelligently. Smart sports bettors do
not gamble the same way as tourists play roulette or retirees play the
slot machines. Instead, smart sports bettors are making bets that they
have thought through carefully with supporting logic and/or research.
The purpose of this book is to give you tools to succeed at sports
betting, to show you how to evaluate, compare and view sports betting
from an analytical perspective, not from a gambling perspective.
The price is $19.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada
address). Order Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting.
Sharp Sports Betting, the book, by
Stanford Wong
Millions of dollars are wagered on sports events each year. Most people
give up a part of their bet to the house, while some "sharp" bettors
actually turn a profit for themselves. Sharp Sports Betting by Stanford
Wong is a revolutionary text on getting the edge over bookmakers. Much
of this information has never before been seen in print.
Some important topics covered in this book are:
Money management - Proper money management lets you win more than if
you simply make flat bets. Sharp Sports Betting explains when to bet
more, and how much to bet.
Internet sports betting - The Internet has opened up the opportunity
for people to bet on sports without visiting Nevada. Along with making
bets on the Internet, there are many important things to know. How do
you open an account? How do you get bonuses? What do you do if they are
slow to pay you?
Parlays - Parlays are risky; you can lose faster or you can win faster
than with straight bets. Sharp Sports Betting explains the mathematics
behind parlays. It explains how to make parlays that give you an edge
over bookmakers. It will help you answer questions like, "Should I
parlay these two bets?" "Should I bet off-the-board or with a parlay
card?" "A casino is offering 7:1 on a 3-team parlay. Is that good?"
Props - Do you ever bet on how many of something is going to occur,
such as how many games your favorite team is going to win during the
coming season, or how many field goals will be kicked during the Super
Bowl? Sharp Sports Betting explains how to evaluate such prop bets to
find the nuggets.
Historical NFL data - Have you ever wondered how frequently certain
spreads are achieved? When you should buy a half point for a dime? How
big a deviation you need from the posted spread to get an edge? When
should you bet the money line instead of the spread? Sharp Sports
Betting has the answers to all these and more. The 2006 printing has
data through the 2005-2006 season.
NFL teasers - Since football points often come three or seven at a
time, some final scores are more common than others. The sharp sports
bettor can take advantage by making teaser bets. Sharp Sports Betting
explains which teams to tease to get an edge over bookmakers.
And lots more… If you are brand new to sports betting and want the
basics on how to place bets and what the different information in a
sports book means, Sharp Sports
Betting
gives the answers. If you're a seasoned pro and want explanations of
how to analyze the various betting options available in sportsbooks, Sharp Sports Betting has much
essential but never-before-published information.
The price is $19.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada
address). Order Sharp Sports Betting.
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Current Blackjack News
On the 1st and 2nd of every month, a couple dozen Pi Yee Press
reporters visit casinos around the United States to check on the
blackjack rules and playing conditions. Five of those reporters split
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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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